The Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian Glamorgan Monmouth and Brecon Gazette

MISCELLANEOUS » Yery rigorous measures have been adopted for the IUppression of the cattle disease in Germany. The Royal Academicians will meet on the 22nd Decem- ber to elect a new member to their body. -The Khan of Kkiva's brother is at present learning Rnssian, and preparing himself for entering the Russian army. -A. storm of exceptional severity swept over Liverpool iroaa the north-west on Saturday night and during the early hours of Sunday. 0 General Ducrot has resigned his seat in the French Assembly in order to give his exclusive attention to the army. The French and Italian Governments have nearly con negotiations respecting the resumption of the •Mont C'eni.s mail route. Signor Arditi is, it is said, engaged in !writing the lausic to be performed at the marriage of the Duke of Edinburgh. The monument in front of the Town Hall, Brad- ford, to Sir Titus Salt, Hart., is progressing satisfactorily and promises to be a beautiful work of art. A man named French, who had personated an elector 1 the municipal election at Oldham, on the 1st ult., has been sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment. Madame Arabella Goddard is performing at Colombo, Where she has lately arrived from Australia. She is expected to visit Bombay shortly. The balance-sheet of the Universal Exhibition at Vienna ■hews that the deficit still to be covered is 4,000,000 florins. Ninety-four essays have been sent in in competition for the £100 prize offered by Lord Cathcart for the best paper j on the potato disease. t Mr. Cardwelland Mr. Goschen have visited the Vic-torj Emmanuel, newly converted to the purposes of a hospital ship for service in the Ashantee war. At the half-yearly election of the Infant Orphan Asy- I lum, at Wanstead, one of the cards used bore a good- photograph of the infant candidate. The Registrar-General states that the widow of a tailor died on the 17th inst. from apoplexy in South-street, Bethnal-green, and her age was stated to be 102 years. The Board of Trade has returned to Captain Mills, of the Hull steamer Walamo, his certificate, which a court had suspended for six months. An old gentleman wag killed at Thornton Abbey station, North Lincolnshire, on Saturday, by a passing Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Company's tiain. A horrible murder has been committed in Sligo, near Tubbercurry. A stonemason, named John Gillmore, i. the victim. The Very Rev. Canon Roche, parish priest of Dublin, is dead. He was years of age, and had been chaplain to Richmond Penitentiary when O'Connell was imprisoned there. Mrs. Holroyd, of Dewsbury, fell off her horse at Scar- borough on Saturday, and was dragged about one hundred yards before she was liberated. She was greatly injured. The three Indian Bishops were to meet at Nagpore on the 27th November, to confer upon the possibility of obtaining additional Bishops for India, missionary or otherwise. The Marine Superintendent of the Hooghly Pontoon Bridge Works, Captain Adley, and his assistant, Mr. Macdonald, have been drowned while superintending the lifting of an iron girder. The Times of India, just arrived, says an expedition against the Duffia tribe on the borders of Assam has been determined upon. The 42nd and 43rd Regiments of Native Infantry, numbering 1,200 men, are to be employed. The Rev. Mr. Knight, in a paper contributed to the Contemporary RuitlV for December, replies to the Duke of Argyll's criticism on Mr. Knight's essay on the Efficacy of Prayer." The Newberry Paper Mills, near Carberry, county Kildare, were entered on Thursday several of the .driv- ing bands of the machinery were cut, and the main one was carried away. Cook, the champion billiard player, in a match with Joseph Bennett, in Regent-street, London, on Saturday, made a break of 930, the greatest ever scored in the English game. The Spener Gazette, usually well informed on such sub- jects, says that the result of deliberations between Prince Bismarck and the Ministers is that the Emperor will shortly sanction a law for civil marriage in Germany. Mr. Neville Burnand, sculptor, has presented, through Mrs. Fawcett, wife of Professor Fawcett, M.P., a bust of the late Mr. Cobden to the New Public Museum at Brighton. The King of Italy has conferred on Sir Sydney Water- low the order of the Crown of Italy in recognition of the valuable services he rendered to the subscription for the sufferers by the inundations in Lombardy. The", Town Council of Bristol, with only one dissen- tiftftt, have adopted a resolution in favour of the establish- ment of free libraries in the town under the Public Libraries Acts. It is stated that the Rectory of Falmouth, the sale of ■which excited some attention a year ago, has passed into the hands of the Rev. Mr. Wliite, of Doncaster, who will not, however, take charge of the living for several months. A man-of-war's man, under treatment at Haslar Hos- pital, deserted from that institution, taking with him moi.ev boiling to another patient, and was on Saturday sentenced by court martial to eighteen months' imprison- ment for the offence. A meeting of the mineral tenantry of the Duke of Hamilton, in Arran, has been held, to provide a wedding present for his Grace. £1,200 was subscribed at the first meeting, and it is believed this sum will be increased to £4,OvU. Mr. Jones, one of the defeated candidates at the Hack- ney election for the London School Board, intends to test the legality of the proceedings at the poll, as he alleges that the ballot-box was kept open an hour beyond the time fixed by the Act. A marriage is arranged between Mr. W. Lawrence Tig1: e, onlv surviving son of the late Mr. Robert Morgan Tighe. of .Uitchelstovvn, county Westmeath, and the Hon. L. J. Allanson Winn, eldest daughter oi Lord and Lady Headley. Cliislehurst, where the Empress Eugenie resides, is be- coming a fashionable place of residence. Villas are ■printing up all round the common, a large family hotel is to be built on the site of the old windmill, and land which could have been bought for £70 an acre a few years ago is now thought cheap at JE700 per acre. At Sandringham, on Friday night, a grand county ball Was siven. On Saturday morning a number of the guests at the ball appeared ;at the meet of the West Norfolk, Hunt. The Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh were on horseback, a uong those present. 0 On Saturday the Duke of Wellington presided over a meeting of naval and military officers at the L nited Ser- vice Institution, Whitehall, to take into consideration a scheme for the education, at a nominal cost, jof ,the sons of military and naval officers. Buildings have already been acquire i at a cost of £14,000. There is as great a demand for employment for women in France as in England. Some time ago the Lank ot France required some small notes, which women were employed to manufacture. The number. required is long since tilled up. but every day fresh applications are made to the governor of the Bank, so that, in despair, that functionary warns the public all such applications will remain unanswered henceforth. The publication of the pastoral letter of Cardinal Kauscher for the Emperor's jubilee has disappointed the expectations of those who believed in his conciliatory views. He interprets the maxim of Render under Csesar the things which are Csesar's in a manner that indicates everything should be submitted to the direction of the Vatican. He says, "The ancestors of Francis Joseph have always protected the Church of Rome. Had they allowed themselves to be influenced by political motives Protestantism alone could reign in Germany." BOSTON RJEDIVIVUS.—The Boston papers take occasion, 011. the recurrence of the first anniversary of the great fire in that city, to shew how much has been done during the year in improving the streets and rebuilding. In an architectural point of view, Boston has gained greatly by the tire. The city, too, has wisely availed itself of the occasion to widen and extend streets. There are no longer the inflammable roofs and wooden cornices that carried the fire from building to building. In general the new buildings are not so lofty as the old, and this feature may be of great assistance in stopping the pro- gress of future fires. A WHISKY MATCH.—The Glasgow Evening Citizen publishes particulars of a disgusting contest which lately took place at Gateshead, in the shape of a drinking match. M'Fee had engaged to drink against Mlher- son, and the two entered a public-house together, and, calling for whisky, swallowed a couple of glasses each to begin with. This was mere preparation for the match, which was now entered upon in a formal manner, the' special object being "to see who could soonest smash the other." A barmaid, bottle in hand, filled the glasses as they were emptied, and in a short time—within ten minutes—both men had consumed nine and ahalf glasses of undiluted whisky. After nine glasses and a half, M'Plierson became insensible, and was carried off to the hospital. M'Fee, nearly unconscious, had the misfor- tune to fall into the hands of a constable, who, however, treated him mercifully and laid him before the station- house fire. The next morning proceedings were taken, not against the drunken duellists, but against the pub- lican who had allowed and enabled them to commit their all but suicidal freak. It was held that a breach of the law had been committed in supplying intoxicated men with liquor, and a fine of £10 was imposed. OWL RUSSELL.—Colonel Russell, formerly Henry Clay's private secretary, and known in the United States as Owl Russell," who died the other day, acquired this nickname, according to the New York Iribunein the fol- lowing way. He was a man of intense egotism, whose chief object in life was to be admired and notorious. Some years ago, during a violent debate in the Missouri Legislature, in which he had shewn much pomposity, one of his political comrades mentioned that one night Russell, while travelling through the woods, lost his way, and being a stranger in that part of the country became nervous. While groping his path in the darKnesshe sud- denly heard a voice not far away crying out, Who are you ?" In solemn tones, Colonel Russell replied, 1 am Colonel William H. Russell, for many years a prominent member of the Kentucky Legislature was School Com- missioner for the Southern district of Kentucky am now the representative of .Calloway county in the Missouri Legislature; am spoken of as the W hig candi- date for next Congress, and I am lost. Who are you From that time up to the period of his death Colonel Russell never lost the sobriquet of Owl Russell." THE BAZAINE TRIAL.-PARIS, Dec. 3. At the Trianon to-day General Pourcet, the Judge Advo- cate, commenced his requisitoire. It was fearfully severe against Bazaine, describing the capitulation as the most shameful on record in the military annals of any country. He called for the application of Article 210 of the Military Code, which entails a sentence of death and military degradation.

DR. HAYMAN AND RUGBY SCHOOL. We are informed that the trustees of Rugby School have offered Dr. Hayman the option of voluntary resig- nation. In the event of his not availing himself of this privilege, it is, we are told, their intention to give him notice that, at the expiration of six months from Christ- mas next, they will consider the Headmastership vacant, and appoint some one in his place.

HEALTH OF THE EMPEROR WILLIAM. The Berlin correspondent of the Telegraph states that the Emperor's health is far from satisfactory. Official announcements have appeared that give a diffe- rent impression, but I know from excellent private authority that they do not correctly represent the case. His Majesty is very weak indeed—cannot leave his room, and is obliged to be wheeled in an arm-chair from the bed to the table. The Queen Dowager also is in a preca- rious state of health, and but slight hopes are entertained of her recovery."

THE GOVERNMENT AND ARCTIC DISCOVERY. Some time since a number of learned societies anxious for another Arctic Expedition, requested Mr. Gladstone to receive a deputation, selected to set forth the desira- bility of that step. They have now been informed that the Government sees no reason to alter the decision ar- rived at during the present year, not to undertake any further expedition until the Challenger has completed her voyage. It is held that voyages of survey are more likely to benefit commerce and promote international in- tercourse than voyages of discovery and that as many maritime surveys are still incomplete, any additional charge incurred should be applied to them.

THE EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA. Yesterday was the 25th anniversaryof the day on which the Emperor Francis Joseph ascended the throne of his uncle. The day was festively kept all over Austria, as well as in Hungary, though the extreme Magyars proposed that the anniversary of the Emperor's coronation as Kill.: of Hungary in 1867 should be kept instead. There were fireworks and a general illumination at Vienna on Mon- day night. Yesterday the Emperor received congratula- tory deputations. Friendly Courts had proposed to depute members of the reigning families to pre- sent their congratulations, but at the Emperor's own de- sire the fete has been deprived, as far as it was possible, of its official character, and on that account special mis- sions have been omitted. In honour of the day Cardinal Rauscher solemnised high mass in St. Stephen's Cathe- dral. Great sums of money have been subscribed throughout the kingdom to provide for the foundation of charitable endowments, houses, and scholarships, in lasting commemoration of the event. '"——

MR. ARCH ON AGRICULTURAL LABOUR IN CANADA. Mr. Arch, the President of the National Agricultural Labourers' Union, addressed a crowded meeting in the Pavilion, Leamington, on Monday evening. He alluded to the origin of the Union and his aversion to emiyra- tion originally, but said the combination of Essex, Sussex, and Cambridge farmers last spring made him re- solve on devising some means of delivering the labourers from such tyranny and oppression. He, therefore, went to Canada for the purpose of endeavouring to facilitate the emancipation of the serfs of England. After referring to the manner in which he was received by the Minister of Public Works at Quebec and other Government officials in Ontario and the Western Provinces, he said that what England refused to her farm labourers Canada offered them on the other side. He visited not only the States which had been established 30 or 40 years, but those that had been peopled only a few months. He found that the wood lumberers were earning 4">s. a week for work no more Revere than that for which English agricultural labourers only received 16s. or 17s. Accord- ing to the promises made to him by the Canadian Go- vernment, and which they were now engaged in carrying into effect, the moment the English agriculturist arrived in Canada he would have a comfortable shanty, where decency and morality could be observed. This would be provided for every man, his wife, and family; and the Government would also clear him five or six acres of land, and would find him the necessary seed wherewith to plant it. More, as soon as the cleared land was planted they would employ every labourer who chose at 5s. a day on jthe colonisation roads. The Government would also give every man 100 acres of land, and the sooner it could be cleared the better, but he would not recommend the cutting down of every tree, because of the growing scarcity of timber except in the back- woods. Then as to labourers, who in Canada would have to work for settlers, he said they were promised .£1 a week wages, a good cottage for themselves and families, all fuel found them, and an acre of land for the run of a cow. He cited several instances where friends of his acquaintance who had only recently gone there were succeeding in a manner which shewed they would before long become men of substance. He then proceeded to speak of what should be done in England to prevent agricultural labourers availing themselves of the advantages offered by Canada, and ob- served that if their condition was not speedily and mate- rially improved, the farmers of England would have to lament their loss when the bone and sinew of the country had left our shores, and they could no longer obtain the labour to till the soil in the present imperfect manner. He urged that every English labourer should have three or four acres of land, not at the exorbitant rates now frequently demanded, but at the same rental that it was let to ordinary farmers. He mentioned as evidence of the ability of labourers to cultivate land that at Harbury land which four years ago only produced 15 bushels now yielded 16 bags. Having spoken of the excellence of the emigrants' homes, and the admirable provision for the comfort of emigrants throughout the Canadian Dominion, he urged that the granting of land to labourers in England would raise them out of pauperism and relieve local taxation. He then intimated his readiness to investigate the chances for emigrants in New Zealand if it were the wish of the Union, and declared that he should never cease his agitation until there was not a fragment of slavery left in a single English agricultural labourer. A resolution was adopted congratulating Mr. Arch on the result of his mission to Canada, and expressing gratifica- tion that, emigration having become a necessity, the Canadian Dominion was prepared to bring it to a practical issue by co-operating with the National Agricultural Labourers' Union.

Sir Henry Brownrigg, C.B., late Inspector-General of the Royal Irish Constabulary, is dead. The Earl and Countess of Derby have arrived at their Villa near Sevenoaks from the continent. Mr. Maurice Brooks was on Monday elected to fill the office of Lord Mayor of Dublin for the ensuing year. This year the value of soap exported was JE199,800, being a decrease on the previous year, when the amount was £254,551. A new monetary conference is convoked at Paris for the 10th inst., by agreement among the Powers concerned in the convention of 1865. Sir Robert P. Stewart, Mus. Doc., Trinity College, Dublin, has been elected the musical director of the Phil- harmonic Society in that city. Sir Samuel Baker has recovered from his recent indis- position, and will. on Monday next, address the Royal Geographical Society upon his adventures in Africa. The statements that have been published respecting the duel between Field Marshal Manteutfel and General von Goeben are unfounded. During the gale which prevailed on Saturday night. the tide rose in the Mersey to the greatest height recorded since the extraordinary gale of January, 1839. There is a balance of £1,1)00, after paying all expenses, at the Glasgow Musical Festival, and this will be handed over to the Western Infirmary. A large number of students of the Roman Catholic University in Ireland have signed a protest against the defective educational system of the institution. A telegram from Manilla states that an extremely severe typhoon has occurred there, causing great destruc- tion to coasting vessels, and laying waste many hemp plantations. A number of lives were lost. Her Majesty has approved the appointment of the Rev. Charles Waldegrave Sandford, M.A., Christ Church, Oxford, honorary canon of Canterbury, and redor of Bishopsbourne, to be Bishop of the See of Gibraltar. The receipts at the Bristol Musical Festival, including 100 guineas presented by Mr. Sims Reeves because of his inability to sing, were large enough to enable the com- mittee to hand over JE100 each to the hospital and intir- mary. It is thought probable that the French President and the members of the Government will endeavour to make the capital more attactive this winter than it has been, and that there will be a considerable number of recep- tions. The chief point of interest at the Bazaine trial of the 1st of December was the statement ot Captain Jung that when the flags were surrendered he conveyed a letter to Marshal Bazaine from Prince Frederick Charles, com- mencing with the words, I rejoie ± with you." The people and press at Havanna strongly oppose the surrender of the Virginius to the United States' authori- ties. The Cuban Government have telegraphed to Madrid, asking the Central authorities to suspend their decision. They are making extraordinary defensive pre- parations. The Bishop of Gloucester has granted a commission of inquirv to alleged ritualism bv the Rev. Mr. Edwards, at Pi ny Church, near Cheltenham. The case is to opened on Monday, but a preliminary objec- tion is to be taken that the person complaining is a Dis- senter. The bombardment of Carthagena still goes on. Sixty insurgents were killed and wounded on the 1st, and the Town Hall and two churches damaged. The Spanish General refuses to grant another armistice to bring out the non-combatants, as he says it would interfere with strategic operations. The Memorial Diplomatique says that the great national essay now being tried in France may last for more than one generation. Monarchy and Republic may succeed each other before the solution is reached. In the meantime there is no cause to despair of the future of France. For centuries to come she will be too necessary to the world to disappear from the page of history. John Lemoinne whose name has lately been absent from the columns' of the Journal des Debats, reappears with a severe article on the present state of things. He ■ays that while the commission on the Constitutional laws is going over all the regulations of every law giver ■ince Moses and Confucius, and preparing matters for their remote descendants, the Government will be passing aevere laws on the elections, the municipalities, and the press. Frenchmen will be under a more restrictive IIY" tem than ever, but how can they complain when it b done in the name of the Republic ? DRUNKENNESS,—1The number of offenders charged for being drunk and disorderly in Ireland last year was 83 289, showing a decrease on the preceding year, when the number was 91,334. THE CRIMINAL POPULATION.—According to the re- cently issued Judicial Statistics, the entire criminal population in Ireland on one day was calculated at 30 in every 10,COO of the population, against 39 in every 10,000 of the population in England and Wales.

Dr. Lyon Playfair was on Wednesday unanimously re-elected for the Universities of Edinburgh and St. Andrew's. The Catholic Union of Ireland met on Wednesday in Dublin. Cardinal Cullen and six M.P.s were present. Resolutions of sympathy with the persecuted" German and Swiss bishops were passed. The union disclaimed any connection with party politics.

POST-OFFICE ST; RY. It is reported at St. Martin's-le-Gvand th?.t last Satur- day afternoon, about two o'clock, one ot the cerberl stationed about the entrance of the great ones of the Post Office espyed a little gentleman in a suit of rusty black evidently looking for something which he could not find. Being accosted, he seemed overcome with the magnificence of the uniformed messenger, but at last, recovering his self-possession, he intimated that he would have conference with the Secretary, Mr. Tilley. What!" exclaimed the messenger, supposing from his appearance and manner that the speaker was on a missing letter errand, What, see Mr. Tilley on a Saturday after- noon after 1 p.m. I tell you what; it can't be done. You'd better come on Monday morning." The stranger said that he would rather see him now. The messenger was determined to guard, if neces- sary, his chief's sanctum. At last the little gentleman said, "At least, tell Mr. Tilley I am here." "But I don't know who you are," said the messenger. "A pretty mess I should get into agoing into the Secretary, and a-saying, He's outside and wants to come in.' Why, it's as much as my place is worth. However, you can leave your card, and maybe he'll give you an appointment." "I haven't got a card," replied the besieger. Well, come into my room, and write your name on a bit of paper." On this the two went into the porter's room, and the messenger received a piece of paper bearing the words "Dr. Lyon Playfair, Postmaster-General." The messenger has since recovered from his astonishment, but remembers nothing that transpired during the rest of that day.—Civil Service Review.

THE NATURE OF CRITICISM. Punish for libel, if you will, and as heavily as you will; but unless juries are sensible enough to see that the sharpest and keenest criticism may be written, not only without personaî animus, but from the profoundest reve- rence on the part of the critic for the art about which he is writing, then there is something besides criticism which may be expected to be in a bad way. No art ever flour- ished under the influence 'of a continuous and vacuous adulation. The public knows very well that no critic is infallible, and is not likely to pin its faith on the judgment of any one man. The piece, or poem, or pic- ture that can be snuffed out by any single article, Quar- terly or otherwise, is moribund and worthy of extinction. But does that deprive criticism of its value? We hope not. The various journals which influence public opinion have selected and appointed a certain number of persons, in the main possessed of ample qualifications for the task, to examine and report, as it were, on the new products exhibited in the world of art and literature. Here and there the prejudice of a special training, a peculiarity of mental vision, or some such cause will lead this or the other critic into a blunder; but if he errs in good faith, surely it is for the public good that the error should be forgiven him. The mistake is not likely to be fatal to the work criticised. On the other hand, the fettering of frank criticism would be directly inimical to good work in all the fields o" art. Weeds would spring up and flourish there, until the bewildered traveller w- tiiul himself in the heart of a jungle. Criticism is i.u- iium being too severe at present. We could afford to have a much keener test applied to contemporary productions but we should be sorry to see this done merely ill order to make sport for the Philistines. George Sand speaks of "eulogies which no one reads, for the public only inte- rests itself in caustic critiques but we should be sorry to witness the re-establishment in England of a sort of literary and artistic rat-pit for the worrying of writers and painters. Justice.as little should we like to discover a disposition on the part of those writers and painters to act like spoiled children, and run whimpering about for solace and compassion whenever any one ventured to point out to them their faults.—Daily IVews.

HER MAJESTY'S CHAMPION. We cannot allow the head representative of such an old historic name as that of "Dymoke, of Scrivelsby," re- calling as it does to us memories of chivalry and of poetry from Shakespeare down to Sir Walter Scott, to pass away into his grave without placing on record in these columns a few reminiscences of the ancient and honourable office which belonged to him, attached as it has been by the tradition of 500 years or more, with the feudal manor of Scrivelsby, near Horncastle, in Lincolnshire. The Hev. John Dymoke, whose decease is notified as having hap- pened in a foreign land a few days since, was in the 70th year of his age, having been born, according to the County Families," in 1804. He was the younger of the two sons of the late Rev. John Dymoke, of Scrivelsby, who ought to have acted as Champion at the coronation of George IV., but who, as a clergyman, was excused, or rather allowed to discharge his office by deputy on that occasion, his son, the late Sir Henry Dymoke, the elder brother of the gentleman whose name is now before us, acting in his stead. This was the last occasion on which the eyes of the peers and peeresses of England were allowed to gaze upon the hereditary Champion" of the English throne—Earl Grey, Lord Melbourne, and the Whigs in 1831, and again in 1838, not beine: willing to allow the nation to be put to any needless expense, the writer of the Black-book having shewed, on the authority of Hansard, that the cere- monies which attended the coronation of George IV. cost no less than £238,000. We have said that the office of Champion has been vested in the Dymokes for 500 years, but no doubt it is of far more ancient date; for though we have no authentic account respecting the office under the Saxon Kings, yet Sir William Dugdale tells us that, soon after the Con- quest, King William bestowed the Castle of Tamworth and the manor or honour of Scrivelsby on Robert de Marmyon, or Marmion, to have and to hold upon the terms that he should perform the office of Champion for the Kings of England on the days of their coronation for ever. But about the reign of Edward 1. the house of the proud Lords Marmion ended, as did many other noble Norman houses, in a female heiress, who carried the estates by marriage into another family, first to the Ludlows, and then by another heiress to the Dymokes, in whose hands it has ever since re- mained, descending regularly from father to son. The first of the family who actually discharged the duties of the office was Sir John Dymoke, to whom the right was assigned in due legal form, in opposition to a counter-claim put in by the family of Freville, who asserted that the office was attached to the Castle of Tam- worth. Due search was made into the affair and after an inquiry, p' uost as protracted as the Tichborne" case, it wasatleng^n decided in favour of the Dymokes, on the ground that both Edward III. of blessed memory, and his son, the Black Prince, had often been heard to ascribe it to the latter family. Twice it has occurred in the course of the twelve or fourteen generations which have since passed for one member and head of the Dymoke family to officiate publicly in West- minster Hall on no less than three separate oc- casions and at anothertime a father challenged the whole world to gainsay the right of James II. only a few years before his own son threw down the same gauntlet in the cause of William and Mary. Sir John Dymoke, of Scrivelsby, who acted as Champion a little more than 100 years ago, at the coronation of George III., was the grandfather of the gentleman now deceased, and also of the late Sir Henry Dymoke, whom we have already men- tioned as performing the same duty a little more than fifty years ago on behalf of George IV. Allusions to the Champion and his office are not unfrequent in our stan- dard English authors. Our readers, of course, will not forget the passage in King Henry VI." (Part 3, Act 4), where Sir John Montgomery appears before the walls of York, at the head of the army, in the cause of Edward IV., and where the following dialogue ensues:— Mont.—Ay, now, my Sovereign spe&keth like himself And now will I be Edward's champion. Hast.— Sound, trumpet: Edward shall be here proclaimed; Come, fellow-soldier, make thou proclamation. And then, when the soldier has read aloud- the name, style, and title of the King, Montgomery adds, as he throws down his gauntlet— And whosoe'er gainsays King Edward's right. By this I challenge him to single fight. If anyone, however, would wish to know what the Cham- pion of three centuries ago was like, he must pay a visit to Heralds College-we beg pardon, to the College of Arms and ask to be shewn a volume containing a pedigree of the House of Dymoke. Opposite to the name of one of the Dymokes, painted in the margin of the pedigree, lis to be seen a veritable representation of the hero, Qualis erat, on horseback, with all his accoutre- ments.and glove in hand. His horse is trapped with black housings, embroidered all over with little silver lions passant, the cognizances of the Dymokes, and the armour is nearly the same, from top to toe, with beauti- ful suit still preserved in the Tower of London, the same which was presented by the Emperor Charles V. to our Henry VIII. on his marriage with Katherine of Arragon. At the coronation of Queen Elizabeth, we are told, the Hall (Westminster) was richly hung, and everything or- dered in such a royal manner as appertained to such a regal and solemn feast. In the meantime, as her grace (the Queen) sat at dinner, Sir Edward Dymoke, her Champion by office, in fair complete armour, mounted upon a beautiful courser, richly trapped in cloth of gold entered the hall, and in the midst thereof cast down his gauntlet, with offer to fight him in her quarrel that should deny her to be the righteous and lawful Queen of this realm. The Queen, taking a cup of gold, full of wine drank to him thereof, and sent it to him for his fee' together with the cover." And Mr. Planche in his "Royal Records," reminds us that the fee of the Cham- pion for so officiating was always a high bowl and cover of silver, richly chased and gilt, of the weight of 36 ounces." Should any of our readers desire to see a picture of the Royal Champion in the act of throwmg down the gauntlet or glove of defiance in Westminster Hall in the present century they will An" *t in the pages of old Syivanus Urban, in the Gentleman s Magazine for the year livJl, where the late ■rii^nr?^ym?lv"<L \a,. represented as riding into the hall with the Duke of Wellington on his right hand, and the Marquis of Anglesey on his left. The print is now scarce, fcnd is a cuxious representation of a ceremony which it is to be hoped may have to be revived at a very distant day, if it should ever be revived at all. It only remains to add that the late Mr. Dymoke (who did not inherit the baro- netcy conferred in 1841 on his elder brother) married a Miss Madely, by whom he has left a son, Henry Lionel, captain in the Lincolnshire Militia, and a magistrate for that county, who now becomes her Majesty's "Most Honourable Champion."—Times.

The text has been published of the circular sent by the Turkish Government to its diplomatic representatives complaining of the independent action of the Roumanian Government towards foreign powers. The Messrs. Tinsley are about to publish a col- lection of travelling sketches by Mr. Clement Scott, and as a list of the subscribers to the book will be published, the public will have an opportunity of judging in what esteem the author is held by those who really know him. The book will be illustrated by Mr. G. Du Maurier.— Civilian. BREAKFAST.—EPPS'S COCOA.—GRATEFUL AND COM- FORTING.—" By a thorough knowledge of the natural laws which govern the operations of digestion and nutrition, and by a careful application of the fine properties of well- selected cocoa, Mr. Epps has provided our breakfast tables with a delicately flavoured beverage which may save us many heavy doctors' bills." Civil Service Gazette. Made simply with boiling water or milk. Each packet is labelled—"James Epps &nd Co., Homoeopathic Chemists, London." Also, makers of Epps's Cacaoine, a thin, refreshing beverage for evening use.

THE ASHANTEK WAR. SUCCESSFUL ATTACK OX ABRAKIMMPA. LIEUT. EARDLEY WILMOT KILLED. News from Cape Coast Castle, bearing as late date as November 8th, has reached England. On November 3rd a skirmish was made by some of our troops from Dunquah. In the fighting that took place Lieutenant Eardley Wilmot, of the Royal Engineers, was killed, and four other officers wwunded. The news of poor Wilmot's death cast a gloom over the whole place. He is the first English officer who has fallen actually in the field since the war Legan. On the 5th and 6th the Ashantee forces attacked Abia- krampa, the capital of a small Fantee king- dom fifteen miles north of Cape Coast Castle, Amagualia having sworn the great oath that he would destroy it. The Ashantees were probably 10.000 strong, and the British mustered only 1,000 fighting men; but as 35 were armed with the Snider, this disparity was merely nominal. Writing after the fighting, the limes cor- respondent says :—Lieut. Gordon, of the Herd, was left at Sierra Leone to recruit some of thlll people, and a hun- dred were sent up to Abrakrampa, armed only with swords. These men plunged int.* the forest and came in with prisoners almost every day. On the afternoon of the 5th they went out and killed a chief, and brought in his head, which was covered with gold rings. It was pro- bably this exploit which brought on the attack. We heard their drums beating and their ivory trumpets sounding, and the voices of their chiefs, and then they began their war song, which,chanted by thousands of voices in unison, had a magnificent effect. The King of Arbra cried out, I am the King of this country come on, if you art coming," and was answered with a tremendous fusillade. They re- mained under cover and fired at the villages, but without doing any harm, our men being for the most part under shelter. They kept up their fire during the night, and ceased only at 4 a.m. At the same time they cut paths through the bush, so as to attack from other points. At 11 a.m. the next day (November G) they attacked the village on the three sides at once and kept up a heavy fusillade until dusk, without any interruption. The sharp whistling of slugs, like that of wind through fir trees, was always in the air, but only one seaman of the Barracouta was wounded. Sir Garnet Wolseley received news of this attack at 2 a.m., and at 8 a.m. was on the march with 300 Marines and seamen. He arrived in the village at dusk just as the Ashantees ceased firing. There were many jokes made about the Relief of Lutki.ow and although Major Russell and his gallant young officers could have held the village without reinforcements, they were net sorry to have their places taken for a time. During six- and-twenty hours they had not been able to rest, and it was still necessary to be on the alert. The Ashantees did not attack during the night, but they were heard talking loudly in the bush, and were probably cutting paths so as to encircle amI invest the village. The correspondent of the Daily Telegraph describes graphically the fighting on the 5th:—As regards the tactics of the engagement, I can give YUU no information, for the truth is that none were displayed. The arrangements for defence, begun by Lieutenant Pollard, improved and extended by Captain Buckle, of the Engineers, and supervised by Major Russell, of the Lancers, proved to be so excellent that every position left to native guard was flanked by a fire from troops more or less trustworthy. Our little Nelly, too, the yacht signal gun, forgotten years ago at Cape Coast Castle, made herself both heard and felt from the roof of the church. Nevertheless, the Ashantees perse- vered in their attack, returning when repulsed, dashing here and there with ominous obstinacy. Though they knew they had much the best of it, our natives began to shew anxiety. They have such a long memory of defeat and humiliation. Something decidedly effective was required, and the something required turned up. Lieut. Gordon marked down one particular spot in the enemy's line whence the firing was unusually active and concentrated. After long observation from various points, Mr. Wells, R.N., himself aimed a rocket at the place. Like a fiery demon the missile hurtled down the slope, sped across the valley, and burst with a roar at the very spot. Loud shouts and broken versicles of the war song burst out at this event; but they were shouts of consternation. The C* inflict on the (jth is also described at length by the correspondent: — "This morning bets ran high that the Ashantees had had enough of it. Between ten and eleven a.m. to-day—we have few watches here, and of those few that go—doubt was set at rest. Doggedly the foe recommenced his attack on our left front as before. Major Russell had posted twenty Kossus on the extreme brow of our hill, where they could fire on the enemy advancing. The picket slowly withdrew to join its comrades formed in line below the hill as soon as the Ashantees ad- vanced. Beneath the brow, wholly hidden from our sight, but not from the sight of those posted on the left flank, is a green valley thick with plantations and brush. Down this the Ashantees advanced slowly, skirmishing in bodies of perhaps a hundred each. We returned no answer to their thundering fire. Suddenly the quick eyes of our sailors in the church detected a brighter colour in the smoke. They're creep- ing up the hill." they cried. Nearer and nearer the gun-cracks sounded, whiter grew the smoke. '1 Let them come, let them come; don't frighten them," was the cry but human nature could not stand the tempta- tion when a fine fellow, most particularly black, shewed himself above the brow waving a sword and cheering his men on. "What a plucky nigger!" we exclaimed; hurrah for him But he fell at the word, riddled with our bullets. His men drew off in great haste probably, but the others in the valley continued their advance firing on the boom of their volleys the sharp crackling of rifles was angrily borne. This came from the Houssas and West Indians far down on the left, who had all the valley open before them. Suddenly, whilst we waited for something to fire at, Major Russell's voice was heard shouting, Don't fire; I'm going to send twenty of the 2nd West Indians to clear the hill." Almost at the word the fine fellows lying in the trench below crept swiftly out, mounted the slope in a run, and poured a deadly fire from its crest. The enterprise needed courage of no low order, and well was it performed. The Ashantees fled back up the valley, pursued as far as the bush by their antagonists, the first of whom, charging right up to the deadly brushwood, was Captain Grant. To overtake them ran an eager band of Kossus, armed with the sword only. They came galloping back in twos and threes together, laden with spoil and dripping heads, which told how deadly had been our single volley and the crushing fire of the 2nd West Indians. A hearty cheer we gave those gallant fellows as they leisurely re- turned beneath our lofty station. In a despatch dated 8th," a correspondent says The Asbantees have fled, abandoning camp, dead, slaves, and furniture. I have just returned from a visit to Addismadi, the village which occupied the centre of their position. Such a sight, such smells, such misery, as I came across in that morning walk, pray Heaven I never may meet again I was not the first to behold the scene. News of the retreat came about 5.30 p.m. last night. Several parties of scouting Kossus and Houssas, with some hundreds of Fantees, were ordered out at once by Sir Garnet, who joined himself to a number of them. Mr. Commissary Richardson dashed over our hill and down the path so often swept by the fire of the 2nd West Indians on the second day's figiiting. How fatal that fire had been was proved by numerous bodies lying in the path, and more certainly by the faint smell that hung on the night air. The Fantees could not be persuaded or forced below the hill, but the Houssas resolutely declared themselves ready to follow the white man anywhere. So Mr. Richardson went forward at a run, followed by Houssas, firing wildly, but not quite ineffectually, into the bush. Of course he was not a bit surprised to be overtaken by Lieutenant Gordon, of the 98th. Nine prisoners they captured in a gallant run to Addismadi, all of them emaciated to the last degree. By a deserter, whom I found on the road to headquarters. we have learned that the Ashantee force is utterly split up, hanging together by mere force of terror. The King's son, Sey Kojo, who relieved Aman- quatiah of the command, was killed on the second day. His body is gone to Coomassie. Amagualia himself is wounded, and the war on this side the Prah may be con- sidered at an end. The limes correspondent body Wall brought into Cape Coast Castle late on the night of the 3rd and placed in the deadhouse of the Colomal HospItal I happened to be present next morning when the body was examined. The first wound he had received early in the day had torn and lacerated very severely his left arm, which was fearfully swollen. When the extent and severity of the wound which this gallant young officer had received and the torture he must have suffered under a sultry African sun from his wounded limb while he continued to lead on his men became apparent, it could be appreciated how very severely his courage and endurance had been tested. One of those who were ex- amining the body—a gentleman well qualified te judge by professional training and long experience- exclaimed, He was a good soldier indeed." The circum- stances under which young Wilmot met his death shew that the courage and endurance of the stanch old English breed had not diminished, and that our officers now uphold the honour of England as well as ever they did in the days of yore. Wilmot was buried on the evening of the 4th in the Colonial cemetery, near the salt pond. The funeral started from Gothic House at five o'clock. 'I he coffin was placed on a gun carriage, which was drawn by twelve non-commissioned officers of Marines. Sir Garnet Wolseley and Captain Fremantle, the senior naval officer, acted as chief mourners. The funeral was attended by every officer and every official in town, and by a very large number of the native population. All the officers wounded in the skirmish at Dunquah were hit with slugs. In an account of the march to Abrakrampa from Cap* Coast, the same correspondent observes :—We travelled 12 miles along the military road whici is to be the Queen's highway to Coomassie. It has been well made, and only a turnpike is wanting to give it quite a civilised appearance. There is, however, a police post at Yamo- hanza, and a printed placard on the tree informs the public that extravagant noises are not allowed. Here I received from the- polite Fantee in command a curiosity of literature the time-table of the military post, and an announcement that a fast mail would here- after run every day between Cape Coast Castle and Dunquah. Next we shall have the electric telegraph, and although the railway has, happily, been abandoned, the friends of progress will be glad to hear that the steam-engine has made a trial trip, and will soon, it is hoped, be regularly at work drawing trucks of stores and ammunition to the front. The Fantees call it the land steamer." When they see it moving they give yells in comparison with which the whistle of the engine is melodious and subdued. An Ashantee prisoner who was sent with a letter to Coomassie was given a lift on the engine, and it was charitably hoped that he would be frightened out of his wits. However, when the engine started off he looked as unconcerned as a stoker would have done. A correspondent of the Standard says that when Sir Garnet Wolseley entered Abrakrampa,the chair of Amman Quartier was carried before him, and he was received with intense enthusiasm and wild cheering by the popula- tion.

DIVIDEND OF THE BRISTOL WAGGON WORKS CO.—At a meeting held on Tuesday the directors declared an a-d interim dividend, at the rate of six per cent. per annum, for the half-year ending 30th September last, fie same to be paid on the 20th inst. to all shareholders swarding on the register. The works of the company were reported to be fully employed, and the contracts on hand very con- siderable, the directors look forward with confidence to the result of the year's operations.

THE COMIC PAPERS. (From Punch.) A GOOD FIGURE HEAD.—An Arithmetician's. FROM LE FOLLET. The prevailing colour in Puis since Marshal MacMahon's re-election Magenta. OUR AUXILIARIES,—Fusilier (on the Gold Coast): Houssah by George, you'd look a rum 'un among tit. 'Hussars' at Aldershot!" Houssa (responding cheer- fully) Dam' Coffee Yah, yah, yah CONSOLATION.—Housemaid c I'm sorry to hear you've lost your uncle, Mary." Mary: "Yes, it was quite sudden. But—ain't it a real comfort as I got that black dress, instead of the green one you wanted me to buy ?" THE SCHOOL (BOARD) MATCH (Cartoon.)—Mr. F-st-r, Umpire, to Clergy represented in a football match. "Boys, boys, this is fighting, and not fair play! You've lost sight of the Ball! (The Ball is marked with the word Education.) DELICACIES OF THE SEASON.—Lady (to Jeames, who has brought up a note) Did you ask the young person to take a seat?" Jeames: "Beg pard'n, m'lady, she'd hevidently been eatin' o' onions so I as'd her to be s'good as to wait outside Rum: CITY !—The City of London is foremost in deeds of hospitahty, charity, and munificence, but it is sadly behindhand in acts of gallantry. Alone, of all the metro- politan constituencies, the City did not allow the ladies to vote at the School Board election. The corporation may tremble m their shoes and boots. The energetic female will now be clamorous fur reform. KNIGHTS OF THE TABLE SQUARE (Scene, a Scotch inn). -Affable elderly stranger, addressing person waiting at t ^V,1, you kmdly tell me how far it is from here to Loch McGillycuddy.' (No answer.) Affable elderly stranger repeats his question still more politely but with the same result.—Mr. Cadby (in Velveteen Knicker- bockers). you not to address your questions to this person He is not a Public Waitaw but a Private. Servant of mine Affable elderly stranger apologises with excessive courtesy, and retires, Cadby and his friend Snobbington enjoy his discomnture- but when they discover, as they subsequently do, that ho is a noble Marquis, both Cadby and his friend Snobbing- ton could tear Cadby's tongue out of Cadby's mouth. Moral.—Always be civil to strangers. First, civility costs nothing secondly, it is a virtue in itself; thirdly, strangers may at any time turn out to be noble Mar- quises, or even better. PAROCHIAL POEM. On the School Board, as for me, Guv my vote for nobody. Education's name 1 hates. v Them three R's all means more Rates, Which, as I objects to pay, I should wish to do away. Don't for School Boards see no call; Wouldn't vote for none at all. (From Fun.) If somebody doesn't interfere to stop the headlong haste of the authorities in their preparations for the Ashantee war, they will have nearly completed them within the next twelve months. ON A LATE FRIEXD. Jones et Brown, loq. Late always—most unpunctual of men You nsver keep engagements Well, at least I kept one when I married! "—" No, you then Broke one—for wedded, your engagement ceased (From Judy.) We all have our trials. Even the Claimant has his. QUERY.—Ought not the common appellation of buck- shot for the Ashantee atiair to be dubbed coffee canister ? There is a general belief that a genuine downward ten- dency in the price of coals has set in. rlbis is good news -be only question is huw long it will last. Such a lot of good news about the coal trade has ended in smoke that people have become skcp-tical. No, HANG IT' ALL! XOT AS LONG AS THAT!—Our Colonel (who has been hoping to be made Major-General for some time past) is more popular with his own men than with the authorities at the War Office, and, on the occasion of his last birthday, is cheered enthusiastically. lirst Enthusiast: "Long live the colonel! Second Enthusiast: Long live the colonel!" Third Enthusiast: Colonel Cox for ever I" [Colonel Cox houes he ■ r have his wish, though.] (From the Torch.) One fault we have to find with the substitution of Dr. Playfair for Mr. Monsell is that it is the substitution of a Scot for a Celt in the Cabinet. ==============

ALEXANDRA PALACE. The work of re-constructing the Alexandra Palace, which is to be opened next summer under the manage- ment of Sir Edward Lee—late of the Dublin Exhibition— is proceeding rapidly. Latterly the weather has some- what interfered with building operations; but the contractors (Messrs. Lucas Brothers) have nearly six hundred men employed upon the work, and are sanguine of being able to complete their portion of the contract before the 24th of June, the day on which it is hoped that the palace will be opened to the public. The foundations have now been all laid in, and considerable progress has already been made in erecting the walls. The plans for the exterior of the new building have been approved by the directors, but with regard to the interior it has not yet been definitely settled what arrangements shall be made. It has, how- ever, been determined that there shall be a conservatory at each end of the building, and that the theatre shall form a separate building, adjacent to the south-west corner of the Palace. The supeincialarea of the building will be considerably larger than in the old structure, and will cover the ground formerly devoted to the flower-beds, between the gable ends.

I LOST ATLANTIC STEAMSHIPS. The Ville du Havre is, I believe, the fourteenth large Atlantic liner totally lost, with great sacrifice of life, since the Cunard vessels began to run in 1840. The first great disaster of this class was that which occurred to the Governor Fenner, bound from Liverpool to New York, which was run down off Holyhead on the 19th of February, 1841, when 122 persons perished. The Presi- dent, as.far as is known, foundered in the following month. In August, 1848, the Ocean Monarch was burnt off Great Orme's Head, a few hours after leaving Liverpool, and 178 lives were sacrificed. On Christmas-eve, 1852, the St. George, from Liverpool to New York, was burnt at sea, with about 50 persons. The George Canning, coming out from Hamburg, was lost, with 96 lives on New Year's Day, 1855. The Pacific, which was the first steamer to cross the Atlantic in less than ten days, disap- peared, with 186 passengers and crew and 1856, beingsup- posed to have struck on an iceberg. The Austria was burnt in mid-ocean with 471 souls on board on the 13th of Sep- tember, 1858; and the Indian was lost off Newfoundland, with 27 lives on the 21st November, 1859. The Hungarian, with 205 persons, went down near the coast of Nova Scotia in Februarv, 1860 and 240 lives were lost in the wreck" of the Anglo-Saxon off Cape Race on the 27th April, 18(;3. The City of Boston was probably wrecked on an iceberg in February, 1870, with several hundred victims, not one of whom has been heard of since. Twenty-four perished in the wreck of the Germania off La Rochelle in December last. The collision between the Northfieet and the Murillo in January caused a loss of 350 lives, and about 560 were sacrificed in the wreck of the Atlantic on the 1st of April. The statement that the Ville du Havre was the largest vessel ever built with the exception of the Great Eastern is manifestly erroneous for while her tonnage measurement was 5,100, that of the Warrior is 6,170 that of the Agincourt, ö,ö:21; and some;of the more modern vessels of the fleet are still larg-er.-London Cor- respondent of the Manchester Guardian.

CHINESE ARCHITECTURE. An interesting paper, touching "The Architecture of China," was on Monday evening read before the members of the Royal Institute of British Architects, London, by Mr. W. Simpson, F.B.G.S., and, of late, Chinese cor- respondent to the Duly 1stu-s Owing to the peculiar deification of wind and water, Chinese houses as a rule are made to face the south, and this is always a prime consideration of the native architect. The deification indeed, is carried to such an extent that Mr. Simpson sees in it a formidable obstacle to the introduction of much-needed European improvements. Railways, tele- graphs, and every mechanical invention of the present day are ready to enter China, but the bigoted Man- darins are opposed to them. Thus, should a railway or telegraph pole be denounced by the Mandarin as interfering with this strange deification of wind and water, the population would rise in mass and sweep the disturbing influence out of existence. "Of course," Mr. Simpson added, I have no doubt but steam, which may be looked upon as a newer Avatar of wind and water will be the strongest in the end and it is only a question of time when it will conquer." One of the sketches used by Mr. Simpson, in illustration of his paper, was of the Duke Leeang's palace, and apropos of it he stated that in the Flowery Land very flowery names are given to everything. You pass through halls of "Hea- venly Bliss," arrive at the hall of "Steadfast Purity," and finally in the extreme recesses of the place gain the hall of "Serene Felicity." There is only one floor in Chinese houses, the distinctive feature being that extent of accommodation is derived nvin the repetition of these halls, and not from stories above or extensions on the side. In concluding his paper, Mr. Simpson re- marked :—It may interest architects in this country to know how money is raised in China for building purposes. In the streets of Peking I one day found a man in a sort of wooden sentry box large nails had been driven into it, so that their points projected through this prevented the man .from leaning against the sides, and the only rest htf had was from sitting on a board within. He was a monk, and never seemed to sleep, for he had a string with which he night and day sounded a large sonorous bell every few minutes, as a sort of advertise- ment of .his purpose. This was, that the benevolent should come forward with money each nail represented a sum when any one paid that sum his name was stuck up on a bit of paper, and the nail was pulled out, making it more comfortable for the hermit within. All the nails represented the necessary amount for the repair of a temple which was close behind. This is a common pro- ceeding for raising the wind for such purposes. I was told that this monk had been two years shut up, and that he would likely be another year before he got out of his cocoon of nails."

The Catholic prelates who are at variance with the German Government have been condemned to pay still heavier fines than ever, or to suffer imprisonment. FALL OF A WARKH >us;Tne \\111.1\, "f the ]ai«-e clothing and outtirt:ng establishment of Mr. George Af-kham, situate in Firgate. one of the principal streets in Sheffield, fell in with a loud crash on Tuesday. It is rumoured that several person are buried. INDISPOSITION OF THE POPE Ronw, Dec. 3.—The Pope was confined to his room yesterday by slight irdis- position. The Pope was still suffering to-day, and only received a few persona