Potter's Electric News

IMP ERJAL Pod RLIA M E NT. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—THURSDAY. One of the earliest votes was the Education Vote, -And it was prefaced by the usual Ministerial expla- nation by Lord R. Montagu, who stated that the vhole amount of the vote now asked for was £781,324. £ 61,230 having been struck off the original estimate when the Government Education Hill was with- drawn. This reduced the increase on last year's estimate to £ 75,459, and of -this nearly £40,000 was due to the minute of last year relating to pupil teachers, and the other to the ordinary increase in the total number of aided schools, £11,000 being allowed for the probable effects of the Workshops 4>cL Lord Robert went with much minuteness into the educational statistics of the year, and among other interesting facts mentioned that the building grants for the year were £ 30,000, and for maintenance £ 510,679. The grants for normal schools were 473,000, and the cost of administration and inspection £88,565. The new schools built during the year he stated as 73, the number of schools enlarged 60, and teachers' residences built 48, 9,340 day schools had been visited during the year there was accommodation for 1,837,307 children, and there were 1,592.912 on the books, of whom 1,342.469 day and 45,837 night scholars were pre- sent at inspection, while the average annual attend- ance was 1,098,742, being an increase for the year of 59,559. There had been 690 532 children—an in- crease of over 30,000—individually examined, and the increase in the number of passes was 30,532. or 67 per cent. Dwelling at the conclusion of his speech on the great advances made in education daring the last few years, Lord Robert stated that the whole number of children at school in Great Britain was 3,091,531, if every child in the country was at school, the number would be 3,424,561—so that only 330,000 were away who ought to be there. Mr Scourfield said that few speeches had been made on this subject which would meet with a more general response than the speech made by the noble lord (Lord Henley). He quite agreed with those who thought that the compulsory system would be a most dangerous one to try in this country. What induced the House to adopt this principle in the Factory Acts was a well-grounded fear that otherwise the health of the children who worked in those fac- tories would suffer, but there need be no such fear in the rural districts. For his own part he did not credit the charges of gross ignorance which were made against the working population of this country. Ig- norant they might be in one sense, but then the ques- tion was, what constituted ignorance ? Now the definition he would venture on was that every man was an ignorant man who did not know the business he contracted to perform, and that you had no right to call a man ignorant who did know his business, even though he might not know other things. On this head he would suggest to the friends of educa- tion that all those who thought they were promoting education by delivering lectures or making addresses up and down the country should try to be somewhat less disagreeable. They ought to remember that. in a free country like this, a great deal was expected from co-operation, and that the persons who subscribed to the schools often made much greater sacrifices than 0 official people. The vote was agreed to. On the votes for the Science and Art Department a motion was made by Mr Gregory to strike out the item for the publication of the Art Catalogue. Mr Scourfield doubted whether these very large collections really promoted the circulation of a know- ledge of science and art, and expressed his belief that in this respect a few well-chosen specimens were far more effective A high authority on the subject had remarked that the contemplation of works of art without understanding them jaded the faculties and enslaved the intelligence. (Hear.) The motion was defeated by 54 to 34. — MURDER BY A STUDENT.—At Pont a-Mousson, France, a pupil in the training collcge for young men intended for the priesthood, attacked ap- parently by lunacy, got out of bed at two o'clock the other morning, went down to the ground floor, and, heaping up papers and copy-books, set fire to them. Returning to the dormitory he awoko his comrades, and with a razor he inflicted a mortal wound on the throat of one of them, a young man of 17, named Fernand Joccatte, of Nomeny. The unfortunate youth survived only a quarter of an hour. The murderer, who is 19 years old, made no attempt whatever to escape. SERIOUS PARTY RioTs IN PRESTON.—On Wed- nesday night signs of a serious feud were appa- rent at the northern side of the town in Wilton- street and Cragg's-row, commonly called Paddy's Rookery,' from the large number of Irish living i» the district. The English Protestants, with their ribbons of orange and blue, assembled in a large "I z;1 body and defiantly marched down to where the Irish Catholics were waiting to receive them. The Irish women were busily carrying brickbats, &c, for the use of the men, who threw the missiies in a murderous manner at their opponents. For a short time the different parties contended them- selves with the stone-throwing, but at about half- past eight o'clock both sides received reinforce- ments, and, dispensing with the stones, proceeded to a hand to hand encounter, in which the women took an active part. All sorts of weapons were used. When the riot was at its height an Irish- man rushed from a house and fired a pistol among the English party, one of whom, named Robert Alston, fell to the ground, exclaiming Oh, I'm shot.' Some of his comrades carried him from the spot, and the conflict was renewed more fiercely than ever. Two more shots were fired by the Irish, and an Englishman, named John Ribchester, was severely wounded in the eye; from which blood flowed copiously. The Orangemen main- tained their ground for a considerable time, but being out-numbered, they ultimately retreated. with the Irish in full pursuit, occasionally sending a shower of brickbats at their assailants. One man was hit on the head with a pavitig-srone, and fell to the ground, where be lay helpless for a short time. tie was reiflbved by some of his party, and at this juncture a body of police, under the command of Superintendent. Dunn, arrived. A v:t.st number of persons had also arrived, and the most intense excitement prevailed. The efforts of the police to quell the disturbance were unavailing, and their presence only set-.niwl to increase the violence of the antagonists. A Catholic priest, Father de Betham, having received information oi the row, now appeared upon the scene, and in a few words of kind request prevailed on the Catholic party to withdraw from the disturbance. The Orangemen were dispersed by the police, and the wounded parties were then attended to. The man Alston was conveyed to a neighbouring public- house, still bleeding profusely, and it was feared that death would result from loss of blood. Medi- cal aid was obtained, and it was discovered that he had received eight severe wounds on the head and other parts of the body. He still lies in a pre- carious condition, and it is doubtful whether he will recover. A wounded Irishman was conveyed to the dispensary, where several of the combatants who had received cuts and bruises were attended I to,Manchester Examiner,

THE LORD CHIEF JUSTICE AND EX- GOVERNOR EYRE. On the judges taking their seats in the Court of Queen's Bench on Monday morning, the Lord Chief Justice said he was very anxious to make a state- ment, to correct an impression that had gone forth to the profession and the world at large with reference to the case of Ex Governor Eyre. It had been stated that the law as laid down by Mr Justice Blackburn in his charge to the grand jury was the law of the members of the court, whilst it was really his own individual opinion. Mr Justice Blackburn, as senior puisne judge, addressed the grand jury; but each member of the court could have done the same. Had he (the Lord Chief Justice) known that Justice Blackburn would have laid down the law as that judge had. certainly he should have been in his place on the bench. With some points of the law, as laid down by the learned judge he did not concur at all, but, in fact, entirely dissented. Mr Justice Blackburn was merely the mouthpiece, the organ, of the court. The Lord Chief justice, after referring to his construction of martial law as laid down in Reg. v. Brand et Nelson,' said that no doubt if Governor Eyre had acted conscientiously and under the advice of those competent to advise him, and there really was a necessity for stringent measures being adopted, he would not be responsible, criminally, at all events, for the consequences that ensued. He did not make the statement in any vain spirit, or with a wish that he might not be considered inconsistent, when they looked at his charge in the case of Nelson and the charge against Governor Eyre, but with a desire that they would, not only at the present time, but in years to come, when he should be no more, not be under the impression that the law as laid down by Mr Justice Blackburn was the law that he and other members of the court had laid down and if in any future years an insurrection should again take place —which he prayed would not happen it would be serious to suppose that the law, as laid down last Tuesday, was that of the whole of the members of the Court of Queen's Bench, the highest (with the exception of the House of Lords) court of criminal (judicalure in the realm. Mr Justice Blackburn said that when he knew that the law as laid down by him was supposed by the world at large to be the opinion of the whole court, he was anxious to correct a mistake. The charge he made to the grand jury was his own charge, and for it he alone was responsible. He laid down the law most conscientiously, and was prepared to stand by the opinion he had then expressed. He was sorry that it had been supposed to be the opinion of the whole court, and of course, as his opinion, it would not have the weight that the opinion of the whole court would have done. The learned judge concluded by saying that he should not then refer to the law that he had laid down, but merely explain what he had done. He had most laboriously studied the case, and had divided the subject,under different headings, which he had submitted to the other mem- bers of the court; but the charge itself was his own. — THE HANDEL FESTIVAL. The energy and promptitude of Mr Bowleyand his fellow-managers have now nearly completed the arrangements for this great musical gathering. Four hundred land twenty players upon instruments are engaged, the London vocal contingent (2,000) has but one more rehearsal to attend, and the work of pre- paring the 1.200 country singers will soon be'finished. Thus far—and it must be remembered that the Festival is above all a choral event—everything pro- mises well. The band may safely be left to Mr Costa's care, since the notion of that orchestral chief heading any but tried and capable followers is not to be entertained. Mr Costa as a leader of possible stragglers would be Mr Costa 'translated.' As to the metropolitan singers, we have already spoken of their fitness. If we do so once more, it is simply because the rehearsal of Friday last made an effect beyond that of its predecessor. The choruses re- hearsed were again chiefly those set down for the 'Selection' day, particular attention being paid to the novelties-as they must be called—from 'Theo- dora' and Semele.' However one may regiet that novelties enter so little into the programme, it is im- possible not to approve the choice of such as do. Handel himself considered that He saw the lovely youth (Theodora) was far beyond anything in the Messiah and, although his opinion may be respected as little as Milton's estimate of Paradise Regained,' the wonderful grandeur of the chorus goes far to justify it. Not less remarkable is Now, Love, I that everlasting boy,' which has so long lain buried in Semele,' the forgotten opera or serenetta (we know not how to call it) produced I after the manner of an oratorio in 1744. If the production of these choruses do not lead to still further research and revival the result will be disappointing. It must be observed, by the way, that the selection performance bids fair to prove the most interesting of the three. Handel's mastery of purely sacred music will he illustrated by the imessiah" as completely and ex- clusively as his power of description by Israel in Egypt but the Selection programme is arranged to show his genius in all its phases. It ranges from the graceful tenderness of Let no rash intruder to the warlike enthusiasm of See the conquering hero comes,' and pruves with what mastery the composer could touch every chord of human feeling. As re- gards the performance of these less familiar works, no. fear need be entertained. The rehearsal of Friday was, in its way, as wonderful as the things rehearsed. The solo engagements just announced are worthy of the occasion. From recognised exponents of oratorio the managers have selected Mesdames Titiens, Rudersdorff, Sherrington, and Dolbv Messrs Reeves, Cummings, Foli, and Santley. In addition they have secured the services of Mdlle. Christine Nilsson. whose singing at the Birmingham Festival proved her no less great in oratorio than in opera; and of Miss Clara Louise Kellogg, whose debut on the Handel platform will be anticipated with interest. Everyone of these artists, not less than their intending auditors, must rejoice to hear that -Itle preparations for rendering the great tran- sept of the Crystal Palace acoustically perfect have been in active progress for many months." We doubt acoustical perfection in such a place, but not the value of the measures now being taken to secure it. On former occasions much of the sound has wan- dered away into empty galleries and courts, and' hence much of the expected grandeur has been lost to the crowded transept. Now, bower, the transept is to be turned into a concert room enclosed on all sides, so that the 4,000 voices and instuments will have a better chance than ever before.—Pall Mall Ga~etle 2nd June, 1868.

FORGED PETITIONS AGAINST THE IRISH CHURCH. —The following is extracted from the RocJc 'The Committee of the House of Commons report' that in the petitions irom the following places, nearly all the names appended thereto are in the aa-mc hand-writing — P. Griffiths and others, 122; Cockherhoe, 46 Titchfield and Fontley, 24; Bor- risokane, 403 Kilcoek and Cloncurry, 578 Kil- linaue, 550; Glanmore, 1196; Kelskerry, 226; Anhadoun, 904 Killree, 675 Clare, 242; Pitton- I ween, 432 Church of Immaculate Conception, Chelmsford, 111; Kilmuny, 626; Julyhern and Nelz Garvan, 418; Ferryside, 256 j Dunsfon and Ardglass, 853—Correspondent* 111 » WELSH MASTERS.—The toHowing letter appears in the 'limes of Saturday, from Mr Robert Jones, the Parsonage, Rotherhhhe :—' I should not have noticed on the part of my countrymen the allu- made by Mr Bright, in his speech at Liverpool, to the use of the term muster/as applied by Welsh- men to their landlord, had it not been acve ted to by you in one of your leading articles of this day. A 'landlord' in Welsh is 'Meistr Tir'—the master of the land.' I question whether it is so strong a term as lord,' of which landlord' is composed. The owners of the soil in Wales most certainly do not lord' it over their tenants. There is, on the contrary, much mutual respect, if not affection.' MIRACULOUS ESCAPK.—A startling accident has happened at an isolated colliery in the Dowlais dis- trict, which at first threatened the loss of 150 lives. The colliers working in the four feet vein at the Pontywain pit were greatly alarmed by the sudden, outburst of a large stream of water into their cross heading, and a tprdIic race for life at once com- menced, their mandrils being left on the spot, and by dint of the most frantic exertion of strength the colliers gained a place of safety. Some idea of the narrow escape many of the men had may he gathered from the fact that for several seconds they were obliged tostmsgle through water reaching uearlyto the top of their heads. The clearing the pit of water will not only require a great deal of time, but will entail a heavy loss on the proprietors. THE DURATION OF COAL.—Comparing the present yield of coal (100,000,000 tons annually) with the quantity which Mr Hull believes to lie in the Bri- tish Islands within 4,000 feet of the surface, and in workable condition (83,544.000,000 tons) we find that we might continue to consume coal at our present annual rate for 835 years at least but when we remember that our consumption has in- creased by 33,000,000 tons in the last 12 years (from about 65,000,000 tons in the yp.ar 1854 to 101,000,000 tons in 1866). we cannot attribute any importance to the above calculation. There is no appearance that steam navigation or railways have at all approached their full development in this country, while in the steam-plough, in schemes of steam drainage or water supply, in the employ- ment of steam to produce hydraulic pressure, in the use of small gas engines for workshops, and in a multitude of other ways, we have some indica- tion of the increased future demand for coal. THREE SOLDIERS DROWNED.—On Wednesday evening a melancholy ciicumstance occurred at the island of Jersey, involving the death of three soldiers of the Royal Artillery stationed at Elizabeth Castle. It. appears that in the afternoon of that day George Sidworthy, James Willett, and Charles Wood, gun- ners, left the castle in a boat belonging to the canteen keeper, intending to have an excursion on the water. They crossed St Aubin's Bay, and landed at the town of St Aubin, where they remained till the evening, drinking freely. About six o'clock they left for the purpose of returning to Elizabeth Castle. They were then all very drunk. Nothing more was seen or heard of them or the boat till the latter was picked up late in the evening, floating bottom up- wards in the bay. About eleven o'clock next morn- ing the body of one of the three missing men was picked up on Noirmont manor, where it had been washed ashore. Though the face was greatly dis- figured from its having been eaten by crabs, the body was recognised as that of Charles Wood. It was removed to the General Hospital to await a coroner*^ inquest. DIVERS' DEPTHS —The greatest depth to which a drvor can descend with the present appliances in safety is about ItiO feet, and for this a burden of one hundredweight must be disposed about his person. The average depth at which he can work comfortably is about ninety feet, which was near the depth at which the operations upon the Royal George were conducted. In water from sixty to seventy feet deep, the men can work for two hours at a time, coming up for ten minutes'rest, z, and doing a diy-s work of six or seven hours. An English diver encased in one of Siebe's dresses, went down in the Mediterranean to a depth of 165 feet, and remained there for twenty-five minutes; and we have heard that Green, the American diver, inspected a wreck in one of the Canadian lakes at a depth of 170 feet; but his experience I! was enough to convince him that he could not work on it without danger to life. At this depth the pressure of water on the h;tnds is so great as to force the blood to the head and bring on fainting fits, while the requisite volume of air inside the dress to resist the outside pressure of the water is so great that it would speedily suffocate the diver. Means have been tried to obviate these difficulties, but for the present a limit has been set to the extent to which man may penetrate the secrets of the deep. An ingenious Italian workman has brought to this country plans for a sort of scale- armoiir dress which would resist the pressure of the water; but cur submarine engineers think this would not obviate the difficulties arising from the limits placed to human endurance. -Corllhilt Magazine. FATAL AFFRAY IN LEICESTERSHIRE. — A second case, of a shocking character, is just reported from Hinckley, It appears that Wednesday last was Burbage feast, a village a mile and a quarter distant from Hinckley. t, y- This was attended, during the greater part of the day, by a person named John Dilley, aged 40, a stocking maker and travelling glazier, and towards nine o'clock in the evening, William Jones, 22 years of age, also went over, in company with his sweet- heart, Maria Webster. On returning home about midnight the latter, when about Hinckley, at a place called Lash Hill Fields, were overtaken by Diilevs who used some offensive epithets towards the young woman. Jones ordered him to mind his own busi- ness, upon'which Dilley struck at him, but the blow was avoided by Jones, who. in return, knocked Dilley down. The latter, on getting up, drew out a large pocket knife, which he opened, rushed upon Jones, and stabbed him in the abdomen, inflicting a wound from four to five inches long. Miss Webster gave an alarm, and on a crowd gathering Diiley jumped the hedge and ran off across the fields. In the meantime the unfortunate man was carried to his house in Upper Bond street, Hinckley, where be was attended by Mr Ludlow, surgeon, who pro- nounced the wound to be of a fatal character. In the meantime Moore went in search of the prison, r, whom he found about two o'clock in the morning coucpaled in a iiedge bottom, on the Cemetery-road, a considerable distance from his lodgings. On bp;ng charged with the offence, he made no reply. The blade of the knife was, on Thursday morning, found on the-ground, near to where the affray occurred. It was covered with blood, and had evidently broken at the time Jones was stabbed. The haft was also discovered in a ditch a short distance off, by which Dilley had passed when making his escape. The same day, Jones being considered in a dying slate, his depositions, which were confirmatory of the above, were taken in the presence of two magistrates -the Rev H. L. Watson and Air J. L. Crossland, and at a later hour the prisoner was taken before the same magistrates and remanded for eight days, on a charge of stabbing Jones with intent to murder hiir. Jones, who was sinking rapidly, died on Friday morning; so the prisoner will have to be charged with wilful murder.