The Illustrated Usk Observer and Raglan Herald

AOBICOLTDBE, --+- Hares and Rabbits: the Injury tixev inflict upon the Land, i We extract the following from The Farmer: — "The bill to amend the laws aa to the killing of bares and rabbits, which haa been introduced by Sir William Stirling. Maxwdi, M.P., appears on the whole well adapted to remove a great aad justifiable source of complaint on the part of tenant farmers. Batfcua-ehooting, a Freaoh-fiald mode of slaughter- ing game, without an atom of sportsman-like spirit to recommend it, has been the soiree of much of that over. preservation that has been so bitterly complained of by farmers. There can be no £ aa, no sport whatever, in battue ehDoting; it is simply a i.azy system of wholesale slaughter; and, to supply material for carrying it on, it is nee assary that game and vermin shall be multiplied to the utmost extent, without reference to the manner in which the animals are fed. If it liJe considered essential that a supply of game- at ioaat four-footed game—for battos-ghooting be maintained, let this be done in some well-enclosed place let the hares and rabbits be fed just as sheep are fad, and thss. if gentlemen choose to act the noble part of amateur poulterers, let them do so by til means; but let thani not dignify such pro- ceedings with the name of sport. Boar-hunting is sport of the most exciting kind, hit sticking pigs in a farm-yard is slow work, aad, at the beat, merely (slaughter; and there is just as much difference between real sport, as found ia trudging aftergame on the moors or over the stubbles, and 'sport,' as repre- sented by battue-shooting, as ckare ia between tiger hunting in India and slaughtering pigs in Yorkshire, At the meeting of the Chamber of Agriculture on the 17ill May, 1865, to whioh wø have alluded, Mr. Shepherd, who opposed the discussion, stated that partridge, and even phoaaanta, though by far the worst of the two, do not work a tithe of the misohief which hares and rabbits occasion. Indeed,' said he, 'there is ro doubt that crows and wood pigeons givo more trouble, and cause more losa, than pheasanta and partridges,' Mr. M'Combid waa willing to assist his landlord! in preserving on their estates a moderate number of hares, grouse, and partridges,' Mr. Bethune, of Bleb 3, considered 'that tha preservation of hares and rabbits was the great source of the evil;' while the chairman, Mr. Hope Fentonbarn?, wound up the dis- cussion by stating his belief that if the hares and rabbits were dropped out of tha game list, it would tend very much to diminish the sufferings uf farmers. He considered partridges harmless birds, and as to pheasants,' he said, 4 they rarely stray from the vicinity of the preserves ia which tney are reared like poultry, and farmers kiow what they may expeot when they take farms in such situations.' It is different, however, with harea. They increase with- out trouble and expense, it simply left alone. They travel miles for their food, and no man is safe from their depredations, wherever hia farm, may be situated.' As for rabbits, Mr. Hope eat them down at once as unmitigated vermin;' and he added that it might be quite satisfactory to them., as farmers, to have only hare3 and rabbits removed from the game list.' While such are the views hsid by the representa- tive body of the tenant-farmer- of Scotland, we find numerous instances in which proprietors have freely accorded permission to their taaanta to kill hares and rabbits on their farms, the result being that more hares are to be found on such farms, whenever the landlord wishes a day's sport for himself or his frienc a, than could be obtained even un far the strictest system of preservation by keepers. There can be little doubt, therefore, that Sir a William Stirling-Maxwell's bill mast ba well received, unless by those holding extreme views on both sides of the question. OFer-preservora of game, who preserve not for ";he purpose of sport, but as a source of double prcfit, wiU doubtless look upon tha bill as an infringe- ment on their privileges, while taera may be some who will net consider it sufficient to meet their views. Extremes, it is said, do somstiinea meet, but it would be hopelass to expeot that such would happen in this case; and if men of moderate views, whether proprie- tors or tenants, are satis ded with it, there is every reason to expect that the passing of this bill will eradicate the bitterness which has existed in connec- tion with the preservation of ganio, and which has done much to foster antagonistic faeiings between the parties concerned in it. There is, however, one point which ought not to be overlooked in considering the gama question, with re- lation to its operation ia thi cj,'e of farmers, and any steps that may be taken to ra~ .A3 them from griev- ances arising out of it. Taia is th'3 agreement which is frequently voluntarily entered into by tenants, not only to protect game, including raboits, but also renouncing all olaims on the proprietor for damage to crops from in that cause, 'notwithstanding a.ny Law being passed to the contrary.' Now, any agreement of this kind is a special contract, which a man enters into with his eyes open. It may be a hard bar bat that is his concern, just as in any other matter ot_ business. Like buying an unsound horse with at! hia faults, and without a power to return, he takes the farm with all its burdens, and must etiok to hia bargam. Ba: having voluntarily put himself beyond the protection of the law, he has no right to come forward and complain of his posi- tion, or ask for a manifestation of public sympathy on his behalf. Nor have trading agitators any right to make capital out of such a man's case. He has, perhaps, mada a foolish agreement, but if so, he must boar the consequences. Foolish agree- ments arc made every day in other trades and pro- fessions, but we do not End those transactions brought to light and aired' for tha purpose of exciting sym- pathy for those who have sulfated in consequence of their own indiscretion, People ganerally wish to keep each things as quiet as possible, whereas the man who voluntarily 'contrMti!' -a.s Mr. Carror defined the matter at tho meeting of thi Chamber of Agriculture —' to feed and preserve hia neighbour's poultry or wild fowl' wild beasts or varmiB, without any com- pensation for the same, ssama :o take pleasure in telling the world what a fool he has been."

HINTS UPON GARDENING. During dry weather clear off exhausted crops of peas and beans, and dig tha ground deep, and manure liberally. Daring showery weather plant out winter greens of all ltinds. Be careful in transplanting not to bruise the leaves of the plants. Celery has been terribly tormented with fly, bat is cow recovering. If it be possible to give water do so liberally, and you will be well repaid for your trouble. Early planted. out crops may now be earthed ap, but do this when the plants are quite dry. Endive to be sown again, and strong plants in early seed beds to be planted out. Shallots should be taken up as soon as the bulbs are ripe; if left in the ground, they will be injured by the autumnal rains. This remark applies especially to damp and low-lying soils. Make ready a sufficient number of beds for the winter crop of spinach as soon as possible, in order to be ready to sow early in August. The soil should be rich, and the position chosen, if possible, should lie high and dry. Cauli- flowers and brocolia can be got eat now on ground cleared of peas and beans. Trench deep, and mix the manure with the soil, so that it is evenly distri- buted throughout the mass. Onions lifted as we ad- vised last week, may in a few days be taken up and laid in the sun to dry. L. tiie weather is wet, spread them in a ehed, or on some dry mats in spare frames. In some country plaea3 they hnish off the onions for storing by placing them in a baser s oven after the bread is drawn. This is a very good plan, and a pretty certain remedy for bull-Backs ill a green, soft, condi. tion, but it is not likely any crops will require to be artificially ripaned this seaaos. Roses may now be struck in any quantity to secure fine plants on their own roots. Make up a few fratues if with gentle bottom-heat, all the better, but iaau ia not indispen- sable. There must be sixmehss C- light rich soil in which to dibble tha cuttings: choose short half-ripe 3 shoots for the purpose, and keep them shaded and frequently sprinkled. Strawberries to be potted as soon as rooted, as they make roots faster in pots than in the open ground: and should we have a chilly autumn a few of the beat of the plants can be kept under glass, to ripen their crowns. Lay a few more of the best runners in pots, cut away all weak runners, and supply water liberally to runners and oid stools. The conservatory will row need a revision, and a general changa of occupants. Liliums and gladioli will now coma in, and make a fine show with iirst-class annuals and fuchsias. Specimen trees and climbers to be stopped and trained in, to assist ripening of. the wood. Many choice border plants are ;aow ripening their seeds, and whatever is required zauet be secured in time. Generally it is safest to gather tee seed be.ore it is dead ripe, as in many cases x.'hs pods open end the seed is scattered and lost. Cut off bunches with a portion 0f stem attached, and spread them on C*O-J.O9, unaer cc-var, to dry for a day or two, and then put them in the full sun to harden. A shelf in a greenhouse is the best place, because there is less fear of them being scattered by wind. Label all seeds when gathered, to prevent mistakes, and of all hardy subjects sow a portion at once, and keep the rest till spring.-Gá?'¿¡ener's Magazine.

SPORTS AND PASTIMES. THE I Zingara amateurs, who yearly combine cricket with theatricals at Canterbury, have this year selected Miss Milly Palmer to be their leading lady. THE reports from the moors of Swaledale and Wensleydale augur ill for the coming grouse season. The brooding hens, the watchers report, have been dying for some time back in scores, and the mortality is still continuing at a frightful rate. The accounts front the Westmoreland and Durnam moors, we regret to say, are nearly as unfavourable. The disease which is so fatal in its results is locally termed a dis- temper; but the cause is supposed, and it is believed accurately, to be due to the severe weather in May last, which checked the tender shoots of the heather, upon which the birds so much depend for subsistence at that period of the year, and also for some time subsequently. In the higher lying grounds on Donside, such as Strathdon, Corgarff, Candacraig, &c., accounts of dis- ease are somewhat discouraging. At the other side of the hills, in the Braemar and Deeside districts, there is no appearance of disease, and report speaks very favourably of the fine healthy appearance of the birds. Ptarmigan and blackcock are very plentiful and healthy. On the lower lying moors of Aberdeenshire, game promises to be more than usually abundant. This, we believe, is in some measure duo to the fact that last year the birds were sparingly shot, and a good breeding stock left. On the Clashandarroch moors, it is stated that disease has been slightly ob- servable but coveys are to be seen strong, and appa- rently in fair condition. On the Glenfiddoch and other moors in the upper districts of the county, the pros- pects are equally favourable, and, everything con. sidered, there is little doubt that sportsmen may look forward to the 13th of August with hopes of fair PMUCH satisfaction ia felt in the cricketing world at the fact of Mr. Lubbock, the Captain of the Eton Eleven, having expressed his regret to the Marylebone Club, and to his Harrow opponents, at having objected to the decision of the umpire at the latter end of the first day's play. These matches having become quite an event of the year, it is no be regretted the Eton boys do not take more pains to study cricket in al.' its branches, more particularly bowling, which, after all, is the most interesting part of a game at cricket. It is to be hoped that next year will prove that the Eton boys are not deaf to public opinion, which demands of them to uphold so national a game by producing 11 de- cent cricketers out of 850 boys. They cannot do better than follow the excellent example set them by Harrow, who have only half that number to pick from. The success of the ballad concerts at the Crystal Palace has been indubitable, nor is it to be wondered at that the general public, no less than the regular frequenters of the Palace, have availed themselves of each successive opportunity of listening to so good a musical and vocal entertainment as is now provided for them at the Wednesday concerts. Another selec- tion of ballad music was executed last Wednesday by such distinguished vocalists as Madame Grisi, Madame Parepa, Miss Edmonds, Mr. Weiss, and Mr. Sima Reaves, with Mr. Levy and the admirable orchestra, under the direction of Mr. Manns, for the instru. mental department. The selection on this occasion included "Home, sweet lioma," "The last rose of summer," and "The Minstrel Boy," by Madame Grisi. The well-known canonet My mother bids me bind my hair," by Haydn, and Bishop's Should he up- braid," by Madame Parepa; the once favourite I've been roaming," by Miss Edmonds; Farewell to the mountain," by Mr. Weiss; and "The Pilgrim of Love," by Mr. Sims Reeves. In short, to particularise the popular morceaux that were given would be to reprint the programme, which may be said to bristle with popularities. Whether with opera coyieerti3 for the select and fastidious, enjoyable popular selections for the many, and fireworks for all, the directors of the Crystal Palace seem to have bit upon the right means of gratifying the public taste with as much certainty as variety.

IN A JIG 771? A TION OF THE CODDEN OLUB. A number of the political friends and admirers of the late Richard Cobden, desirous of perpetuating his memory and doing honour to the great political prin- ciples of which he was the advocate, considered that the best form of carrying out their intentions would be by the formation of a club, which, as in the case of the great Charles James Fox, should bear the name of the earnest advocate of peace and free trade. In the month of March last the idea was broached to some of the members of Parliament who were the supporters of the great Liberal party, and a response was made to the appeal which fully justified Mr. Potter, M.P., the successor of Mr. Cobden in the representation of Rochdale, in persevering with the idea of the establishment of the club. Within a few weeks of the time when the question was first mooted a prelimi- nary meeting was held at the Reform Club, when the amount of annual subscriptions and other matters of detail connected with the management of the club were agreed upon, and it was also resolved that a dinner of the club should take plaoe, at which the future arrangements of the club should be considered. This, the first dinner ef the club, took place on Satur- day night at the Star and Garter Hotel, Richmond. About 150 gentlemen, the majority of whom were members of Parliament, were present, and the chair I was taken by the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, who waa supported by Earl Russell, Lord Houghton, Mr. Goachen, Mr. Chichester Fortesoue, Mr. Bruce, Mr. Cbilders, Mr. Stansfeld, Mr. E. Forster, Mr. Collier, and Sir R. Palmer, the latter gentleman the guest of Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Locke King. When the company had assembled in the drawing- room previous to the dinner Mr. Gladstone said that, as a matter of business, it was necessary that the mem- bers of the club should agree to adopt the report which had been drawn up, and he therefore proposed the adoption of the report, which was as follows :— REPORT, 19TH JULY, 1836. The idea of forming a club, to be called the Cobden Club," on a plan somewhat similar to tha.t of the Fox Club, occurred to one or two gentlemen in the month of March last, and in the course of a few weeks nearly 100 gentlemen, most of them members of the House of Commons, had inti- mated their wish to join it. t. On the 15th of May the first meeting was held at the Re- form Club, at which it was resolved that the annual sub- scription should be C3 38" and that a dinner should take place in June or July, at which the future arrangements of the club should be considered, and that Mr. Gladstone should be invited to preside. The club now consists of 145 ordinary members, of whom 83 are members of the Legislature. A considerable number of the subscriptions for the current year (which will in future be payable at the London and Westminster Bank, St. James's-squnre, on the 1st of January in each year) have been paid, and there is now a balance of about C300 in hand. In accordance with the resolution passed at the meeting on the 15th of May it now remains to determine the future arrangements of the club, and it is proposed that its man- agement, together with the election of members, shall be entrusted to a committee consisting of the following gentle- men, three of whom shall form a quorumLord Hough- ton, Viscount Amberley, M.P.; Mr. Arthur Otway, M.P.; Mr. T. Bayley Potter, M.P.; Mr. James Caird, Mr. John Bright, M.P.: Mr. J. Stuart Mill, M.P.; Mr. J. Stansfeld, M.P.; Mr. Thomas Bazley, M.P.; Professor Fawcett, M.P.; Mr. Richard Baxter, Mr. W. E. Baxter, M.P.; Mr. W. E. Forster, M.P.; Mr. G. O. Trevelyan, M.P.; Mr. G. Shaw Lefevre, M.P. The report was unanimously adopted, and the com- pany immediately afterwards proceeded to the dining- room. The dinner was served in a manner highly creditable to Mr. Lawrence, the manager of the com- pany, which has recently obtained possession of the premises and business of the Star and Garter Hotel. In regard to the dinner, we may only observe that r^a most rechercM character. The usual loyal and patriotic toasts having been given, the chairman (Mr. Gladstone) proposed one to the memory of the late Mr. Cobden, and in the course of a long address he said: "I thiak, my lords and gentlemen, it will be the general sentiment of your countrymen that you have done well to found an insti- tution in connection with his name (hear, hear). Not, indeed, that that name stands in need of any measures such as even a company like this can take in order to secure its Immortahty-(eb.eers)-but that it is good and it is desirable that even shortly after the grave has closed upon the remains of a man so distinguished, visible and undeniably signs should be given that his countrymen are sensible to the merits of him whose servicc3 they have enjoyed, and of the loss they have sustained by his death (hear, hear). It is impossible not to dwell for 3 moment on a peraonal character so remarkable. I have rarely known, in any state or con- dition, one better qualified by tha whole character of his mind than Mr. Cobden to attract to him the love and the affection of all with whom be came in contact (cheers). In truth, my lords and gentlemen, he was one of those with respect to whom I think we may justly say that even the sp!endour of their talents waa less remarkable than the solid distinction derived from their virtues, and with regard to whom, if admi- ration is strong, yet esteem, veneration, and affection in the retrospect, must be stronger still (cheers). It was a character, so far as I had ever the opportunity of judging it, eminently free, simple, noble in the highest sense; for Mr. Cobden wst3 one of those who had been well called, and in no invidious or dis- paraging sense, "Nature's nobles" (cheers). My lords and gentlemen, Mr. Cobden was indeed one of those who realised in the highest sense the true nature of party connections. He did not embrace opinions for the sake of party-(hear, hear)—but he adhered to party for the sake of the objects that he had in view (oheers). He was one of those who, if his political career had then commenced, would most cordially have joined in the proclamation of which my noble friend on my right (Earl Russell) was one of the original utterers -(loud cheers)-in those days when many a battle now won had yet to be fonght; in those days when the ateep ascent that has now in great part been climbed, had yet to be attempted-I mean the proclamation of those three great principles of Peace, Retrenchment, and Reform (loud cheers). With resp ct to the sub- ject of Reform, not the least of those three prin- ciples-(hear, hear)—I at least may possibly be allowed to exense myself from en'eriag further on the matter upon this particular cccllsion-(laughter and cheers)-for whatever my sins or offences may have been, and doubtless they have been many, both in omission and commission, no man has said that any undue reserve or restraint in the quantity or the quality of my utterances of my opinion on the ques- tion of Reform has been among those errors (bear, hear). That question possibly may sleep for a while, bat it will have a certain and an early resurrection (loud and repeated cheering). I will say of it, my lords and gentlemen, no more than this, in connection with the object of the present celebration, that I think there never was a time during the whole period of our recollection at which we could have bad greater reason to deplore the loss of Mr. Cobden than during the lengthened and acute controversies which have attended the discussion of the Reform question (cheers). As respects the subject of peace, it is one to which I think we may refer with eminent satisfaction, because it is one of those which illustrate the charactsr of Mr. Cobden's mind as a mind qualified and destined to exercise an influence far beyond the limits of the circle of his professed adherents and admirers. The ideas which it was his happy fortune to propagate were, for the most part, ideas bearing upon them the broad and simple stalap of truth in such a form that they were certain to obtain possession of the mind of the country at large, and to reappear in the opinions and even in the political conduct of those who might little know to what source they were indebted for their origi- nality, I would venture to say that in the present tone of English policy, in the tone of words whiuh many of us may have heard last night, and which those who did not hearmayhave read this morning, in the speech delivered by the noble lord who now holds the office of Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, it is not difficult to trace tha beneficial though gentle and possibly unperceived influence of the views and ideas of lUr: Cobden (cheers). With respect, gentlemen, to the third of these topics that I have named, the topic of retrench. ment, Mr. Cobden was one of those who, so far as I ever was able to understand his views or proceedings, invariably contemplated the subject of retrenchment with a far higher than any mepe pecuniary object. It was not tha mere saving of money, it I have rightly understood the nature of Mr. Cobden's pro- ceedings-it was not the mere saving of money which he sought in recommencing the application of the principles ef public thrift. Public economy was with him rothing less than a moral principle (hear, bear). Public expenditure not needed for the public wants ha believed to be a political injustice. After graphically depicting Mr. Cobden's character and labours as developed in the great Corn-law struggle, ho continuedIt was also, ray lords and gentlemen, most remarkable that in its progress so much should have been confided to the same hands. Had Mr. Cobden died after the repeal of the Corn Laws hia name must have been recollected among the names of the illustiioua men of our country (hear, hear). Bub having fall of freedom of intercourse ag. among ourselves, Be imu ycu another work to do '-another work in some respects less arduous, because the opposition to be encoun- tered, though not insignificant, was less tormida.w«; bat in other rsapects, perhaps, yet more re- markable, for I believe that the views which he was the main instrument of setting before his fellow. countrymen and the world were, perhaps, yet more modern. I mean by that second portion of his work the instructing us, instructing his country, and in- structing mankind in the full meaning of freedom of intercourse as between nation and nation (hear, hear). When he taught the repeal of the Corn Laws he cast aside all those comparatively narrow and vulgar ideas which seemed to represent that great measure as beneficial, indeed, to the mass of the community, but yet possibly injurious to some portion of it; and he held firmly, on the contrary, that in the prosecu- tion of intercourse with perfect freedom would ba found the true benefit of all alike. But when he oame to the subject of intercourse between coun- tries, there, I must say, it appears to me that in a still more special sense Mr. Cobden may be called the Apostle of Free Trade and of the ideas which belong to it (hear, hear). Well, my lords and gentlemen, for ordinary men," for ordinary statesmen, it might be enough to say on their behalf in assemblies of their fellow-countrymen—it might be enough to cheer them in the retroapect of their lives if they could point simply to the fact that by the removal of needless and unwise restrictions they had vastly widened the field ef honourable industry both in their own country and in other lands. But that was not all. I would even say it was not the greatest, certainly it was not the most peculiar part of the work and mission of Mr. Cobden. Mr. Cobden perceived, and not only perceived himself, but taught us to perceive, the true moral meaning of trade between nation and nation (hear, bear). He showed that trade was not only a law of wealth and prosperity, but a law of friendship, a law of kindness amongst all nations (cheers). My lords and gentlemen, you formed the Cobden Club, and among your countrymen y<»u will maintain the knowledge-you will cause, as it were, the echo of the sound of that distinguished name. And you are right, I think, in such an undertaking, tor it is j ust towards him and honourable to wards you tnat you will have fello w-labourers by t liousands and by mil- lions. It is not upon bronze and marble that the re- nown of such a man as this depends. You need not by visible signs recall him to the eyes of men. His name is written in their hearts (oheers). The progressive movement of mankind is towards a state of things in which the fruits of his labours, so far from being cancelled and enaced by the lapse of time, will be felt more and more, will be appreciated with more and mere lively gratitude from year to year; and those who a generation hence may meet in this room or elsewhere, those probably who after centuries have passed may look back upon the history of the critical time in which we live will, depend upon it, be not less alive, but even more so than we are, to the genius and acts of Mr. Cobden (cheers). My lords and gentlemen, in that confident anticipation—an anticipation which I may possibly have expressed in sanguine language, but which rests upon thought and deep conviction-I close the remarks I have ventured to make by requesting you to drink in silence To the revered memory of Richard Cobden." The toast was accordingly drunk in solemn silence. The health of the right hon. Earl Russell being r,e proposed, his lordship adverted to the present war on the Continent, and pointiEg to the policy of the late Government, showed that their efforts were to pre- serve peace, and not to entangle England with the discords abroad. Having at some length dwelt upon this subject, bis lordship concluded by apologising for saying so much upon foreign affairs, but said he had done so because, in his own language: I have been considerably attached for doing what I thought would conduce to peace. I may say a few words, and they shall be but upon one other topic, which, though it may not directly touch upon the question of which my right hon. friend said there would be a resurrection (a laugh), we in regard to this question have no need, no desire-and the people of this country have no wish to change their ancient institutions for any diminu- tion of "the power of an ancient monarchy, or any diminution of the respect duo to the institutions time- honoured, and which are not only time-honoured, but which conduce to the happiness and to those reforms which the times have required. But this must be said, that we ought to adopt all the time-honoured institu. tions to the new spirits, new wants, and new capaci- ties which may be existing in this country. It would ba the worst policy in the world to endeavour to cut a ditch between the classes which are in possession of power, title, and authority, and those classes which have not at present any share in the representa. tion of the country (cheers). I feel confident, how. ever, that by fair and free discussion, and by the wisdom of the people joining in those discussions, this question will be settled without that dangerous agitation which has prevailed and must prevail in the countries where partial despotism has reigned. The health of Mrs. Cobden being drunk Mr. J. S. Mill, M.P., in proposing the health of Mr. Gladstone, said There is one part of the business of the evening which still remains to be performed; and though I am sensible of my incompetency to do it justice, I cannot but feel some pride in ita having been entrusted to me. It is that of tendering our grateful acknowledgments to the distinguished statesman who has dona this club the honour of presiding at its inauguratory meeting. The nature of this com- memoration, which is not of a party nor even, in the narrower sense of the term, of a political character, closes to us^ on this occasion many of the most im- portant topics which are connected in all our mines with Mr. Gladstone a name. One thing, however, not only may nut on got to^ be said on such an ocoasion as f the present; that to him of all men belonged the post of honour, in a celebration of the great apostle of commercial freedom, being, as ha is. the one re- viver of the three eminent men by whom, as Ministers, that cause has been the most effec- tually served (cheers). If Mr. Huskisaon opened the long and arduous campaign; if Sir Robert Peel achieved its most signal and most decisive vie- tory, Mr. Gladstone will be for ever remembered as be who completed the conquest; and who not only made freedom of trade and industry the universal rule of the institutions ofenr own country, but by the brilliant success of his application of it is fast converting the whole of Europe to its principles (cheers). There is another thing which this is, perhaps, a suitable oppor- tunity for saying. Veneration for the memory of Mr. Cobden is not confined to any section of the Liberal party, nor even to the Liberal party itself. But it has so happened, owing principally to the cast of Mr. Cob- den's own political opinions, that an unusual propor- tion of the original members of this club is composed of gentlemen who would be classed, and would class themselves, as what are called advanced Liberals. As being one of these, I may say for myself, and I believe they wonld all join with me in saying that we claim one fair share, and no more than our fair share, in the great leader of the Liberal party. It is one of the differences between a party of progress and any Conservative party, that ita political sympathies are not restricted to those who conform, or who pretend to conform to the whole of a distinctive creed. We have not bound ourselves by any narrow articles of orthodoxy, oura is a broad church. The bond which hold ua together ia not a political confession of faith, but a common allegiance to the spirit of improvement, which is a greater thing than the particular opinions of any politician or set of politicians. And if there ever was a statesman in whom the spirit of improvement was incarnate—of whose career as a minister the character- istic feature has been to seek out things which required or admitted of improvement, instead of waiting to be compelled or even to be solicited to it—that honour belongs to the late Chancellor of the Ex- chequer and leader of the House of Commons (cheers). I might stop here; but, fresh as most of us are from listening to that magnificent speech which went forth last night to the furthest extremity of Europe as the utterance, in the noblest language, of what is felt and thought by all the beat part of the British nation—for sympathy with freedom and national independence is not exclusively con- fined to any nation or even any party among us. I should not do justice to the feelings of those present, were I to sit down without giving expression to the pride, and more than pride, to the hopefulness with which we are filled, when we see the author of that speech standing at the head of the Liberal party to lead it to victory. That speech was not only a splendid specimen of oratory, it was also a good action for it will cheer those who are struggling and suffering in the cause of freedom and progress, while its value ia inestimable in raising-when I remember certain speeches, I might almost say in redeeming— the character of England. I propose The health of 'Slr.'G^adsfoneYri&J'T'^lllrfi^a'inlinki, anti The Health of Mr. Villiers, the late President of the Poor-law Board," who had been intimately associated •"ith Mr. Cobden in his early struggles for the repeal of the corn laws. The company than returned to the dining-room, where coffee was served.

CALAMITOUS FIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE. On Sanday morning, at an early hour, the inhabit- ants of Pitfield-street, Hoxton, were aroused from their slumbers by piercing cries of Fire!" and Oh, save us The neighbours, upon throwing up their windows, beheld a pitiable scene, for on the top of one of the houses were four persons, with the flames rushing out of the second and third floor windows, and also through a trap-door on the roof, completely en- circling the whole group of unfortunate persons. Those on the roof were trying to pull a young woman through the trap, but all of a sudden a second huge sheet of name shot up, seized upon one of the per- sons (the shopman), set fire to his night dress, and so completely overcame him that he was obliged to relinquish his hold of the poor creature, and she was almost instantaneously burned to death. The other persona managed to get over the roof into the adjoining premises of Mr. Blackwall, surgeon and accoucheur. The premises in which the calamity occurred belonged to Messrs. James Fuggla and Co., general drapers, and were well known in the neighbourhood as Bradford-house, and were numbered 28 in the before-named street. The show rooms and warehouses were about 100 feet long, and the premises were considered the largest in that part of the metro. polis. The fire, there is no doubt, began in the basement, and the instant it reached the ground-floor it fired a number of light drapery goods, and there being a well- staircase to the floor, allowed the flames to extend with terrific violence to the different floors above, igniting each in rapid succession. The Royal Society's escapes were on the spot as soon as possible after the alarm was given but then the whole of the building, with the exception of certain portions of the show rooms, were belching forth im- mense sheets of flame, ao that the conductors were unable to enter the rooms to render the unfortunate young woman any assistance, and there is no doubt but she perished whilst the fire-escapea were on the road to the scene of the conflagration. Four powerful land steamers, as well as numerous manual-power ones of the Metropolitan Brigade, and a strong muster of the London Salvage Corps, attended. After great perse- verance the firemen succeeded in extinguishing the fire, but the whole of the upper part of the premises are destroyed. The loss will fall upon the Phcsnix Office. As soon as the ruins were somewhat cooled, search was made for the poor creature who was known to have perished, and she was found a blackened mass lying across the rafters just under the trap-door of the roof. The unfortunate shopman, who was also so terribly burned, remains in St. Bartholomew's Hospital, without the least chance of recovery. Mr. Blackwall did everything to alleviate the sufferings of the survivors, and provided house room for them for the night. ♦

Suicide of a Solicitor at Manchester.—On Saturday morning a painful sensation was caused in Manchester by the announcement that Mr. Harrison Blair, a well-known solicitor, had committed suicide at his house in the Polygon, Ardwick, by shooting himself through the head. The deceased gentleman had become connected with some iron works, and it is rumoured that losses connected with these had given him much uneasiness of mind.. Leap from a Balloon.—M. Auguste Buislay, a gymnast, went up in a balloon from Elm.park. New York, recently, and performed some very difficult feats upon a trapeze pendant therefrom. When six or seven thousand feet in the air he was overtaken by a ram storm; the balloon became wet and heavy, and began to descend. When over the Hudson river, and sixty feet in the air, tha balloonist sprang from his air sn.ip into the river, fearing to get entangled if botn case down together. He swam for tne New lork snore, and was finally picked up, when nearly exhanateo, by a small boat which had put out for his relief*