Monmouthshire Merlin

FOREIGN TELEGRAMS. THE CONFERENCE. ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 3.—According fo rename information, an understanding has been arrived at at the Conference in reference to the question of the navigation of the Danube. This question is being treated apart from the Black Sea question, in order to make it appear not to be an object of the Conference, but as an affair which is treated by the representatives of the powers. Thus every attempt to bring other questions before the Conference will be prevented. As regards the Danube question, an understand- ing has already been arrived at on all sides. The European Commission remains in force. Neither England, Germany, nor Russia have any objection, and the Porte also has given its consent. SERVIA. ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 3rd. — Intelligence has reached here from Constantinople of yesterday's date according to which the Servian representative has handed to the Sublime Porte a memorandum proposing a pacific discussion of a proposition for the annexation of Bosnia and the Herzegovina to Servia. BELGIUM. BRUSSELS, Feb. 5.—A ministerial circular insists upon the carrying out of the law on vaccination, in consequence of cases of small-pox being reported from several provinces of Belgium. I SPAIN. MADRID, Feb. 3.—The former Republican mem- bers of the Cortes have issued a manifesto energeti- "g cally advising the people to strive to obtain by means of the elections a reform of article 33 of the Constitution, and the dethronement of the Savoy dynasty. The manifesto claims for the Spanish people full sovereignty in all matters of constitutional power, and concludes by expressing ardent wishes for the success of the French people, whom it de- scribes as victims of the ambition of the House of Brandenburg, the crimes of the Bonapartists, and the ingratitude of the House of Savoy. THE ATTITUDE OF RUSSIA. BRUSSELS, Feb. 4, 8 37 p.m.-The Nord publishes a letter from its correspondent at St. Petersburg, dated January 31st, containing the following remarks :—" During the invasion of the Crimea the only power that showed sympathy with us was Piussia. I believe I am right in saying that we are under obligations to that power for its good- will. Is it possible to suppose that Russia will break off this old friendship to aid a nation which has always interfered as an enemy in our affairs ?" THE ROUMANIAN DIFFICULTY. BERLIN, Feb. 5th. (9 p.m.)—No further demon- stration has been made by Prince Charles of Rou- mania to-day, and all classes are endeavouring to persuade him to keep the throne. But, in any case, it is said here that England will never fight without Austria, that that Power would be quite paralysed by Prussia, and that the Turks would be unable to oppose Russia single-handed. It is reported to be untrue that Austria in making military preparations. RESIGNATION OF THE AUSTRIAN MINISTRY. VIENNA, Feb. 7.-The Cis Leithsn Ministry have been relieved of their functions and Count Hohein- dart is to form a new Cabinet. THE REVOLUTION IN BOLIVIA. NEW YORK, Feb. 5th.-The revolutionists ir Bo!i\ia have captured and destroyed Potosi. DISTURBANCES IN SPAIN—SIX ARRESTS. A Madrid correspondent writes that on the 31st ult. a band of ruffians attacked the carriage of Senor Sagasta, fortunately at a time when the owner was not inside. Six of them were arrested. j HUNGARY. PESTH, Feb, 5th.-In yesterday's sitting, the Austrian Delegates discussed the transfer of a debt of 8,000,000 florins to the account of tha Treasury of the National Debt, and adopted the first resolu. tion of the whole Ministry that no harm could arise from the purely administrative step of transferring the debt from the account of the Bank to the ac- counts of the National Debt Department. A resolu- tion adds further that the Delegation endorses the view of the Government upon this particular point. The first paragraph of a second resolution, stating that, at the same time, the motives assigned by the Z, Ministry do not justify the step which had been taken, was likewise adopted. The second para- graph, expressing surprise on the part of the Dele- gation that this transfer had been made, notwith- standing the Austrian Ministry and the Committee for the Control of the public debt having pronounced against such proceedings, was rejected. AUSTRIA. VIENNA, Feb. 5, 8 40 p.m.—The Emperor re- turned here from Pesth this evening. The close of the delegations is expected on Wednesday. The Warren's Wochenshrift confidently foresees Russo. Turkish and Anglo-American wars-the former in spring, the latter in autumn. Bucharest advices of the 4th state that Prince Charles has received an urgent exhortation from his father to persevere in his position, promising assistance from. friendly Powers before long. SAXONY AND ITALY. DRESDEN, Feb. 6.—The Dresden Journal of to-day denies the correctness of a telegram lately published in the Augsburg Allgemeine Zeitutig from Rome, to the effect that the King of Saxony had writtan an auto- graph letter to Cardinal Antonelli in favour of the Crown Princess of Italy. AWFUL RAILWAY ACCIDENT IN FRANCE. 150 KILLED AND WOUNDED. TOULON, Feb. 5.—A frightful accident occurred on the Railway between Bardoz and Nazaire,through the explosion of a wagon laden with powder casks. Several travellers and carriages were- smashed to pieces; about sixty persons were killed and one hundred wounded. AUSTRIA. VIENNA, Feb. 7.—An autograph, letter of the Emperor relieves C unt Potocki of his post as Presi- dent of the Cis-Leithan Ministry, and gratefully acknowledges the services he has rendered to the State. Similar letters relieve the Ministers Count m Taafe, Herren, Tschabuschnigg, Stramayer, and Pitrino also of their functions at the same time, equally acknowledging the service rendered by them. The Emperor will avail himself again of Count Taafe's services, and Herr Stramayer has been appointed Anlic Councillor at the Supreme Court of Justice. Another autograph letter of the Emperor appoints Count Hohenwart to the Ministry of the Interior, and empowers him to form a new Cabinet. The letter says:—" Standing, as I do, on the basis of a constitution, the failure of the previ- ous endeavours to unite all my people of this half of the Empire in a general constitutional activity, cannot shake my conviction that a Ministry stand- in, above all parties will succeed by carefully observ- ino- the various interests in bringing this task to the desired solution—the firmly establishing of the welfare and power of the Empire." Another Im- perial letter approves of the proposed new Cabinet of Count Hohenwart. Dr. Habitiwick has been appointed Minister of Justice; Baron von Holzethan, Minister of Finance; Dr. Schallfe, Minister of Cora- merce; Councillor Jaricek, Minister of Public Wor- ship; and Major-General Schall, Minister of War. ITALY. FLORENCE, Feb. 7.—The committee of the Cham- ber of Deputies on the financial conventions with Austria held a sitting to-day, when Signor Lilla gave explanations on the subject, and pointed out the advantages of these conventions. In the sitting of the Chamber, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, replying to a question from Signor Machi relative to the dispute with Tunis, said the Italian Govern- ment approved the conduct of the consul, and had demanded guarantees for the future from the Tuni- sian Government. The negotiations are still pending, and the Government of the King would persist in its just demands. SWITZERLAND. BERNE, Feb. 7th.—The Special Commissioners from the French Government, M. Adolphe Gaiffe, has arrived here to arrange with the Swiss authori- ties for supplying the wants of the prisoners interned in Switzerland. The number of French who have crossed the frontier exceeds 50,000. Berne presents the appearance of a garrison town, and is crowded with infantry soldiers, Chasseursl and Cuirassiers. GREECE. ATHENS, Feb. 7th.—Blacque Bey's appointment as Turkish minister here has produced a painful sensation. AUSTRIA. VIENNA, Feb. 8.—An autograph letter of the Emperor is published to-day, granting a complete amnesty for all political offences and violations of the press laws, up to the 7th February, 1871. The Princess Leopoldine of Coburg, the second daughter of the Emperor of Brazil, died yesterday of typhoid fever.

B R I STOL EYE HOSPITAL, I faver. LOWER MAUDLTX STREET Admission Days—Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, from half-past Eleven to One.

FROM OUR PARIS CORRESPONDENT. LILLE, Feb. 8th. By the sending of four members of the govern- ment of Paris to Bordeaux, Gambetta and his colleagues have been overruled, and possibly the peril which threatened the republic, by the dualism of its leaders, averted. In any case, the extreme and partial proceedings of Gambetta, have inflicted a heavy blow on the infant republic. His decree excluding all persons who have held office under the late regime, or sought to become members of the, Corps Legislatif under its auspices, from now representing France in the National Assembly which will meet in Bordeaux Ll Sunday next, smacked too much of the Council of Ten. Many persons unhappily sought refuge in the Second Empire, because itpromised to save them from the threatened licence of the last Republic, as in every country, Greece and Rome for example, when a free state became lawless, it sought an asylum under some despot. Gambetta's was not every one's republic, and the very idea of his imposing restrictions, side by side with universal suffrage, alienated his disinterested friends, because they saw in it a return to that system cf personal government which expiated itself in shame at Sedan, and formed the predominating questions during the worst days of the First Revolution when justice was superseded by reprisals. France will have no ,"I;tator U'Ilder empire, kingdom, or republic, above w.,ich French- men place loyalty to their country, as the unique sovereign to receive their homage. Gambetta in proclaiming resistance towards Ge?- many till France was exhausted, emitted an uncer- tain sound. It was patriotic agony, but not sense nor statesmanship, still less politic was his formula, that the republic would never capitulate. By the first, confidence in his sagacity was lost; by the se- cond, the prospects of the republic were marred. This form of government to many was very well, but they preferred before it country, family, pro- perty. France desired to escape from Prussia, but did not wish to sink into a Reign of Terror, or to lie at the mercy of Flourens and his emissaries of Belleville. France ardently desires peace, her civilians to escape complete ruin, her soldiers, a useless sacri- fice. She believes the moment has come to take stock of her sufferings, and estimate her ability to hold out, assuring her conqueror, that to purchase peaee, no "reasonable offer will be refused." It is this spirit that will dominate in the forthcoming National Assembly, despite the menaces of Ly:ms, the fervidness of Alarseilles,. or the indecision of Bordeaux. Extraordinary and exceptional as are the tirae and conditions under which Paris and the Depart- ments will elect their Representatives to-day, there is no reason to doubt but the verdict will be COIL" plete and true. The convocation of the Assembly has not taken place a moment too-soon, when parties of all shades, having united to repel the invader found themselves parting about tbfe form of Govern- ment, and the breach daily becoming wider. In thus forcing the republic in a partizan manner on the country, Gambetta injured the cause and des- 1 pised the National will. But the Government of Paris has taken the bull by the horns, and annuls and disowns Gambetta and his thrae co-delegates, as these did the fountain head at Paris- The voting, as far as I have observed and heard, is taking place extensively. It is an occasion when France expects every man to do his duty. The several lists of candidates circulated in the northern departments contain the names of no extreme men -all have a'deep stake in effecting peace. For every 50,000 inhabitants one representative is to be elected—and be the number two, or thirty, a vote can be recorded for each. The department is sub- divided into arrondisements or baronies—in the chief town of which the polling comes- off—and generally the votes drop into a local event, by being recorded in favour of local candidates. Nowhere, here has Gambetta being accepted-he and his war to extermination views are banished. After the results are examined of the departmen- ta] votes, the members will be invited" to1 take their seats—759 hope to accept. The proceedings may be predicted to be stormy but if the populace, sympathizing with Gambetta, attempt to take the Ho-Hse by a rush, as- the Paris mob did the Assem- bJyin May 1848, the meeting will be adjourned to a calmer city, likely Tours, or perhaps Amiens. The charges and counter-charges between the Paris and Bordeaux Governments, will be the first matters disposed of-then, the question of peace and war. As to the future form of government,, that must be an hereafter matter.. What it may be,it would now be impossible to predict. If Frenchman could only understand the duties and obligations of republi- canism, their aspirations for such a form of govern- ment, would be rialized. Monarchy cannot ever take root in France, it cannot co-exist with universal suffrage, it has no divinity, in the eyes of the French, to hedge it, it would only be the symbol for- one successful party over several-the latter would unite to overthrew it within the average period- and so the whirligig of time would come round. Thus unsettled and distracted, the future of France points to weakness, rather than to strength—to civil wars more or less frequent, an increasing in- difference to law and obedience. Could the republic get safely through its infancy-flourish but for six years, it would strike root and blossom as the rose. Maiy it succeed, is all the best friends of France can wish for. The delegates at Bordeaux ma&e it a capital offence that thej were not consulted before Jules Favre signed the armistice. Supposing they could have communicated, cui bono ? Is it likely Bismarck would respect Gambetta's political arguments, or Moltke, his strategetic reasons? Paris dying of hunger had to- eave in. She only surrendered her- self when all hope of provincial relief had vanished, and stipulated that the country should be allowed to decide for itself, freely and without exception. That verdict may be discounted; Ten days ago all "preparations" were for war-they are now all lor peace. Supposing something Irko an impossibility— that the war was renewed, either through crushing conditions exacted by Germany, when it would be better for France to cease to exist than live on like Spain or Mexico, or by the triumph of Gambetta, would the country yet to be occupied, differ in help- lessness from those portions now held by the enemy. In a short month's compaign the German thousands would sweep France from Bordeaux up to Lyons. What has Gambetta to stem the tide? Generals no, France avows it, soldiers, no, for her braves ack- nowledge they are but recruits. I wish France could find a Marius without his faults; but an endless war led without a he id, and supported without hearts,, is not to be accepted in lieu of an honourable peace. However, by the extension of the armistice, the removal of the government to another town, other than Bordeaux, followed by the ambassadors, M- Gambetta and his heated friends will see the necas- sity of no longer dividing France. Provis ons are being rapidly pushed on to the capital. Before I 1eft Abbeville-now occupied by the Germans—the Prefect bad requisitioned all the carts in the neighbourhood, did the same with surplus food and despatched all to Amiens for Paris. It is pleasant to witness the deserted rail- ways again in working order, the bystanders cheer- ing as each goods train dashes by, loaded with good things. I noticed mnny cases of preserved meat, milk, and vegetali1 • m, endless barrels of flour and cases of nav 11 with the compliments of the Lord Ma; i to the poor of Paris. The bonrgomusi Is has passed through with a train fr<i<>-iiW: vith food, and decorated with laurels and fiaas, for the distressed Belgians in Paris. By this the pangs of hunger are appeased, the danger passed. I observed several packages of old clothes being sent on, and as coal, potatoes, cattle and salt fish are being forwarded, these point i to the great vicle having been covered. Judge of what has to be done by these figures The capital ordinarily consumes daily 1,000 tons of bread, and 6,0 horses give to each inhabitant per day less than half an ounce of meat, and even the very poorest manage in the good times to have soup, and some kind and some quantity of meat in it, twice within the twenty four hours. It is esti- mated that over 15,000 tons of food are weekly re- ) quired to supply Paris. One can judge, therefore, what the sufferings of the city must have been, when the besieged were limited to half a pound of bread, composed of everything that could be sub- stituted for flour. The siege lasted four months and twelve days, thirty of which it was subjected to a bombardment, and saw the death-rate increas- ing a thousand-fold every week. Well may Jules I Favre say, they held out not till, almost, the last hour and loaf, but the last. A proposition is being mooted to seize all the pro- perty of the Bonapartist satellites, and sell it to- wards paying the war indemnity. Like the ex- Emperor's it is nearly all invested in foreign funds unfortunately.

SUICIDE OF A CLERGYMAN.—The Rev. Thomas Rowbotham, clergyman, living at Keyworth, near Leicester, committed suicide by hanging himself on Monday morning. —- -<

LONDON LETTER. LONDON, Thursday, Feb. 9. The great event of to-day is the opening of Par- liament and the Queen's Speech, but as the latter will be known Jong before this letter will be seen I need not recapitulate the details of it. The usual concourse of spectators were attracted to Parliament street and the precincts of the Houses. It is a pity that so much wit expended in our Ccurts of Law, often on the Bench, should go unrecorded. In the libel case last week against the Newcastle Chronicle there was a difficulty in sufficiently identifying the publisher from the affidavits, whereupon Mr. Justice Blackburn, apropos of affidavits, instanced the state- ment made in most of the biographies of Swift that there was a man prepared to swear that he knew Captain Samuel Gulliver, but that he lived at Wap- ping and not at Rotherhithe. In a case which came before Mr. Baron Bramwell in the early part of this week the principal witness said he had allowed a certain obstruction to be put up contrary to the terms of his lease, because he was told there would probably be bloodshed if any resistance was offered. Bloodshed," said the learned Baron, smiling, and taking a note of the evidence, "I suppose we may say manslaughter at the very least." Sunday last was used by many preachers to en- force attention to the deplorable state of Paris, and to solicit contributions. Dean Stanley, at West- minster Abbey, chose a remarkably pertinent text from portions of Jeremiah, which he applied to the famine-stricken city of Paris. Quite an historical event happened in connection with the service. The Lord Mayor and Sheriff attended in state, an occurrence- which is without sv parallel almost- certainly within living memcry. The Roman Catholic Archbishop Manning also entreated his congregation to aid the Parisians, and said there was not a moment to spare. The subject of the relief of Paris has been taken up worthily by the public in response to the Man- sion House appeal. Between £ 30,000 and £40,000 havealreadyjbeen subscribed, and partially expended in relief in kind. The Government people's stores," as the phrase goes, have also been placed at the disposal of the French, provided there is a joint application of the French and Prussian authorities. There is a promptitude in this action which is very praiseworthy but carping critics may be found who say that all this assistance is only an encouragement of the evil of war, and perhaps a continuance of the struggle. The British charitable character is strongly exemplified by these acts. It reminds one of the religious old lady whose purse strings were always loosened by the magic word Mesopotamia, uttered by the begging Missiouary. More th.an twelve months ago when the Government was asked to spend a few thousand pounds to assist our un- employed and half-starving workmen to emigrate; the reply was that the public money was not in- tended for such a use, but when the object is a foreign' one, the national purse is opened at once aim, st without a moment's consideration. A fear is preva-. lent that our home charities will suffer by the recent extraordinary call upon the charitable for foreign objects. Public appeals are made daily on be ialf of Hospitals, Refuges, Ragged Schools, Homes for the De^titsute and so forth, and small response seems to be made. If the stream is diverted abroad, of course somebody must suffer at home. If our home charitable institutions fall short of funds it will be an argument in favour of the proposal of Mr. Glad- stone, of Liverpool, to place Hospitals, &c., upon the rates, though it will be an injustice to the rate- payers to do it. The ventilation of this question might produce good, however, if it led to a thorough retorm of onr charity system. If the immense in- come of charitable institutions was put upon a com- prehensive basis an enormous amount yearly could be saved which is now diverted by the payment of some thousands of officers employed to work the machinery. The movements in London some two years ago for combining the different charities col- lapsed. It was too great a matter to be undertaken by private and voluntary means but if Parliament entertains any motion for placing hospitals on the rates, it is to be hoped it may lead to some compre- hensive combination, and to a more economical management of the enormous funds now devoted to charitable purposes but to a large extent frittered away in an expensive mode of administration. The talk of opposition to the dowry of the Princess Louise will probably end there. The working men who oppose it do not seem to. have understood the constitutional bargain with the Royal family on the subject. The Crown lands which bring in a revenue of something like £ 480,000 a year were given up to the nation in. exchange for a yearly allowance for the maintenance of Royalty, as well as of the Queen's children. At this rate the Royal family costs the nation but little. The yearly allow- ance to the Queen, for all purposes of state, is if I mistake not, some £;350,000 a year. The dowry of the Princess Royal was i l0,000 a.nd .£8,000 a year that of. the Princess Alice £ 30,000, and £6,000 a year, and a similar sum to the latter is proposed for the Princess Louise. Mr. J. G. Holyoake has taken a proper view of the question and offers an apology for the working classes in their ignorance of politi- cal subjects as they are only beginning to learn political science. Whether the working classes will endorse this apology is another matter, Mr. Brad- laugh at least does not. The Standard made a curious mistake the other day in attributing some remarks agamst the dowry to Mr. C. Sewell Reed the member for Hackney. Both are Conservatives, and Mr. C. Reed has been so bothered with letters from his constituents about his supposed opinions that he found it necessary to rapudiate publicly ^he sentiments attributed to him.. Miss Faithfull is doing gocd service in promoting a more rational educa ion amongst women in a domestic and culinary point of view. She i-, en- dea.vouring to establish a self-supporting training school for females of all classes, and she stated the salient points of the scheme-to an influential meet- ingi, at the- Victoria Discussion Society on Monday evening, where the general question of Domestic Economy was discussed with very great intelligence by many ladies who really made excellent and practical speeches such as our male orators. might copy with some advant age. Sorae of the lad'.ss were highly educated and accomplished worn on, and both in diction and delivery their speeches were admirable, while the modulation of voice was sweet and clear, contrasting most favourable in art-acoustio point of v^w with the rougher organs of speech of the gentlemen who took part in the discussion. The ladies exhibited also a good deal of wit. One Lady rather energet:cally denied an assertion made at a previous meeting that ladies were "fond of ceadmg Schleget's Philosophy, and giving their husbands cold mutton." Another lady admitting the shortcomings of young ladies in domestic mat- ters, believed it arosa, not so much from the wanr of will to be domestic, as because it was vulgar to know anything about cooking. Sho argued that if domestic economy became "fashionable" thera would be plenty of ladies to follow the fashion, but what she asked, would a gentleman think of a lady on visiting her. iishe bad her hands covered with flour and a white apron before her ? Another lady said the cooks were really the mistresses in house- holds, and were jealous of imparting their secrets. Lord Lyttelton, who was in the chair, reproduced a statement made sometime ago that in all the parish of Wandsworth there was not a girl under 17 who could cook a potato; and this was alluded to by Mr. Wilson, (proprietor of the "Melbourne Argus") who declared that he had sometimes been unable to get a potato well cooked in his own household. Other gentlemen declared that clubs would be abandoned if wives were better cooks. One gentle- man who. arrived late, illustrating this argument, said he had been detained by a cook! meaning that he had just been dining at his club. The dis- cussion, which was very amusing as well as practi- cal, resulted in the promise of very material sup- port to Miss Faithfull's new scheme. The Central Chamber of Agriculture has begun the year well. It is pursuing with unflagging vigi- lance the question of Local Taxation for Imperial purposes with the view of getting modifications beneficial to the ratepayers. It has succeeded be- yond expectation at the County Quarter Sessions, and will probably extend its agitation to Borough Sessions and Councils. It has taken up again the subject of the metric system of weights and mea- sures, and will collect the opinions of local Cham- bers with the view to get their adherence to the principle. Mr. Lowe is also to be kept up to the mark with reference to the Malt Tax. He gave the barley growers some hope a long time ago that when there was a surplus this tax would be remit- ted, but, as one gentleman expressed it, he has, as yet, only prepared their mouths for nothing."

A telegram has been received in Glasgow report- ing the loss, in the Indian seas, of the new ship Beacon Light, Captain Fry, which left the Clyde on the 2nd of September last, with a cargo of 1,500 tons of coal, for Rangoon. The telegram which appeared to give particulars of the loss has been very erroneously transmitted, and is, in fact, in such an incorrect state as to be undecipherable. The crew are supposed to be all saved. ft" iif said that the title of tibe comedy by Mr. Albery destined to succeed, at the Vaudeville Theatre, The Two Roses of the same author, is The Two Thorns."

——' I HJUAJ M jiiftwi w—im—>mm GREAT FIRE IN GLASGOW. DAMAGES, £ 80,000. A fire broke out at six o'clock on Wednesday morning in the oil works of Messrs. Dick and Co., York-street, Glasgow. The building in which the fire originated is four stories high, and 100 feet long, and filled with oil; it was burned to the ground. Another building of a similar size, filled with grain, and facing the above street, occupied by Robert Angus, was also burned out. The front wall of the latter building fell into the street, whi h is now blocked 30 feet high with burned grain. The total damage is estimated at .680,000. The fire originated in the boiler-house of the oil works. The fire brigade had a remarkable escape from being crushed by a falling wall.

DISASTROUS FIRE AT ECCLES. DAMAGES £ 30,000. A destructive fire occurred on Wednesday morn- ing, at Bencliffe Mill, Lane End, Eccles, near Man- chester, belonging to Messrs. Ermen and Engels, cotton thread manufacturers. The mill was built of brick, and was five storeys in height, had thir- teen windows on each side, and six at each end. There were several sheds around it built of brick and wood, some of which were covered with felt roof- ing, and were used as offices and storerooms, the whole covering a large space of ground. At about half-past five o'clock on Wednesday morning the watchman went round, and all was right; at about 20 minutes to six one of the overlookers opened the door leading to what was called No. 2 room, when he felt a strong smell of fire saw some flames. He instantly gave an alaim to one of the firemen, who at once rang the mill bell; but as this was the usual time for ringing the bell to call hands to work, little notice was taken of it. The fire rapidly spread from the room in which it was dis- covered to the others above and below, and floor after floor gave nay with a succession of deafening crashes, and at last the roof tumbled down. Two of the walls next fell in, and soon after a third. Mean while the flames were raging most furiously. no pains were spared by those engaged in endea- vouring to assuage the wrath of the fiery element, but it seemed for a time that the more they exerted themselves, the more the flames gained the mastery. Seeing that it was impossible to save the main portion of the mill, great effort was made to prevent the flames from reaching the adjoining sheds, but notwithstanding this, one or two were soon wrapped in fire, and burnt down. The mill was filled with valuable machinery and cotton goods, and these, with the debris, in two hours lay heaped together in black and smoky heat, from which at intervals flames issued forth here and there, as if to defy the efforts of the firemen. It was twelve o'clock before the fire was properly subdued, for it kept bursting forth from the smouldering heaps. Fortunately the larger portion of the surrounding buildings were very little injured. Nothing now remains of the mill but the chimney, one end wall and a small portion of one of the side walls, all of which may tumble down any minute. The hands employed at the mill were chiefly females, and it wa- pitful to see many of them when they reached the spot, for, knowing that the means of their present subsistence would betaken from them, they burst into paroxysms af grief. About 560 persons are unfortunately thrown out of work by the disaster. The damage is estimated at £:30,000, which, we understand, is fully covered by insurance. A mill on the same spot was burnt down 21 years since, and that which has now met with a similar fate was found to be on fire about two months since, but the flames were fortunately extinguished, though not before dam age to the amount of several hundreds of pounds was done. The origin of the fire is not known.

Miss Ma.r e betoken is aooui lo p ay Juliet at the Stadt Theatre, New YorK. She has appeared in Mary Stuart, Louisa Miller, Gretchen, Jaue Eyre, and Deboraii with complete success. Her Majesty held a Privy Coucil on Wednesday afternoon at Windsor Castle. There were present at the Council the First Lord of the Treasury (Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone), Lord President of the Council (Earl de Grey and Ripon), Lord Privy Seal (Viscount Halifax), Secretary of State for the Colonies (Earl Kimberley), and the L rd Chamber- lain (Viscount Sydney). At the Council Ifr. J. R. Davison Q.C., M.P. (Judge Advocate" was sworn in as a privy councillor, and took his seat at the Board accordingly. After the Council Captain Walker (Board of Trade) had an audience with her Majesty, and received the honour of knighthood. KILLED ON THE RAILWAY.—An inquest was heM on Wednesday by the city coroner respecting ¡he death of James Edward Barnes, aged 19 > f Somerset Place Oldham road, Manchester. The deceased was a brakesman in the employment of th ■ Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company, at Oldham R ad goods station. On Mon lay night last, about, .-even o'clock, he was assis'ing in uncoupling a train of canal wagons, and whije so engaged fell under :he wheels c.f one of the wagons, receiving such severe injuries that he died at the Infirmary, whither he had been conveyed immediately after the accident the same night. A witness who was pre-ent said that the deceased was standing on the buffers, and the wagons being suddenly moved, he was thrown off. A~Verdictof "Accidental death" was returned, accompanied by a recommendation that railway em ployes should be more careful in carrying on shunting operations. SHIPWRECKS ON THE IRISH COAST.—Intelligence reached Liverpool on Wednesday of the loss off Gaily Head, in the south cf Ireland, in a fog, on Tuesday night, of the screw steamer Cre-cent City, bound from New Orleans for Liverpool. The pas- sengers and crew, as well' as six b 'xes of f-peeie, were saved. The vessel, however, went down in deep-water shortly after striking, and her cargo, consisting of 4,100 bales of co'ton, w;ll also, it is fearsd', be lost. The Crescent City was a new iron steamer of 3,900 tons, and 220 horse power. S ie was built at the close of last year bv Macmillan, of Dumbarton, and she had the highest, classification at Lloyd's. Tbe vessel was one ot' a line of steamers recently established to trade between L"vet-pool and New Orleans. The managing owners in Liverp ol are Messrs. Flynn, Montgomery, and Mayne. The in-urances upon the vess I in Liverpool amount to £ 3:1,000. The brig Cecil, from Lagos to Liverpool, with a cargo of palm oil, was also lost, off Gaily Head on Tuesday night. The crew were saved. The vessel was the property of Messrs. Clare, of Liverpool. FATAL COLLISION ON THE LANCASHIRE UNION RAILWAYS.—A collision, which has resulted in the death, f one man and injurv to another occurred on the Lancashire Union Railways, at Boar's Head Junction, near Wigan, on Tue-day afternoon. Shortly after two o'clock, a coal train, consisting nf about nine laden wagons, was moving slowly out of the station, where it bad slackened speed, when it was overtaken by an engine and tender coming from the direction of Coppul, and a collision of great violence was the result, the last wagon of the coal train being completely sma. h' d to atoms, and the engine and tender considerably demaged. A brake- man, named Thomas Tomlinson, of Spring View, was on the last wngon, which exparienced the full shock of the collision, and he was found lying under the tender in: a frightfullv mnngi 'd condition. He was at once removed to his home, but his injuries were of so sarious a character that he only survived a few hours, and expired early yesterdav morning. The driver -of the engine and tender, William Pie, also received injuries, but not of a very serious character. The up line, on which the accident oc- curred, was completely blocked up by the debris, and, although Mr. Dingley, the locomotive super- intendent, was promptiy on the spot, with an effi- cient staff of workmen, four hours elapsed before the roadway could be cleared. At present nothing definite is known as to the cause of the accident. FACTORY OPERATIVES AND THRIR EMPLOYERS.— A case involving an important point of law for the consideration of persons employing female labourers in factories was tried on Wednesday, before Mr. W. T. S. Daniels, Q.C., at the Clitheroe County Court. The plaintiff, for whom Mr. J. Deane, of Blackburn, appeared, was Mr. James Parkinson Park, faetory master, of Withnell, near Chorley, and the defen- dants were Thomas Brown and Ann his wife. The action was to recover £ 1 as damages, in consequence of the female defendant having left the plaintiff's employ without having given notice, as required by the rules. The day after she left she got mar- ried, and it was alleged that the damage was sus- tained in consequencejof her frames having to stand. A question now arose as to whether, under the re- cent act of Parliament, the action should have been brought against the wife alone, his honour stating it to be a point that had not arisen before him previously. Mr. Deane contended that the act of Parliament only rendered the wife liable for the damage, and that the law stood as it did before the act of Parliament, and without regard to any liability on the part of the husband. His Honour remarked that it was astonishing how such an act of Parliament, after having been carefully consid- ered in committee, should be allowed to pass through both Houses of the Legislature, and yet here a dif- ficulty arose at the very outset. The female defen- dant maintained that before she left she intimated to the manager that she was sick. After some hesi- I tation, the Judge gave a. verdict for the amount sought to be recovered.

IIW -t.&:111 HI I M I—M THURSDAY'S MARKETS. -< LONDON CATTLE MARKET. There was a fair average supply of beasts, with a larger proportion of foreign than usual. Tendency of prices are lower, for better description, whilst foreign, and inferior British, are 2s per stone lower, with a dull sale. Foreign mutton, a turn in favour of buyers. Trade generally dull, but no quotable alteration can be written for choice breeds of English. Veal, in limited demand, and fully 6d dearer. Pork, a heavy sale, at somewhat reduced figures. Beef, 3s 6d to 6s lOd mutton, 3s 6d to to 6s 2d veal, 3s 6d to 6s pork, 3s 9d to 6s lOd. Total supply- beasts, 1,490 sheep and lambs, 5,290 calves, 24Q pigs, 35; of which, foreign beasts, 710; sheep and lambs, 830; calves, 170. LONDON MEAT MARKET. Trade continues very dull, but no further reduction has taken place in quotations. Beef, 3s mutton, 4s lOd veal, .'>» 6d to 5s 4d large pork, 3s to 3s 8d and small pork, 4s to 4s 8d. LONDON PRODUCE MARKET. Sugar quiet, but firm refined unaltered. Coffee at auction passed of? at full values. Cocoa very quiet, but prices remain steady. Tea unaltered. Rice small sale of white Bengal withdrawn market very quret. Saltpetre quieter. Cotton steady. Jute very firm. Tallow 45s 3d on the spot, March and June 46s 3d October and December. Oils steady, LONDON METAL MARKET. Market quiet. Copper Fifty tons Lcta, £ G5 good brands, X65 10s. Tin Small sales of Straits £ 132 to' arrive, sellers at £ 130. Spelter and lead, £ 18. Scotch pig iron again dearep 52s bd cash. LONDON WOOL SALES. The fcllowing lots Iwere offered to-day :—911 bales Adelaide 940 Port Phillip 295 Sydney 2,991 Sape 208 New Zealand 34 Van Diemen's Land and sundries. The attendance coutinues very good and bidding brisk, at an occasional advance of about Id. LONDON HAY AND STRAW MARKET. Moderate demand, at about If ie rates. Hay, 9013- te> 149s. clover, 110s to 145s. straw, 30s to 38s. GLASGOW PIG IRON MARKET. Market steady. 5ls 7d cash paid 51s 10d amonth closing sellers at these prices buying Id less. CORK BUTTER MARKET. Firsts, 148s 2nds, 14Ss 3rds, 1,30s 4ths, 114s 5ths, 86s 6ths, Gôs. Mild cured, Ists, 153s; 2nds, 153s 3rd, 145s. 140 firkins in marhet. BRISTOL CORN MARKET. We had a fair attendance at our Exchange to-day. The supply of farmers' wheat was good. There was not much animation 'n the wheat trade, aiwl reduced rates had, in some case3, to be accepted. In foreign there was little or nothing doing, and prices are unaltered, Malting barley unaltered grinding firm at recent limits. Black and tawny oats quite as dear white gave way 6d per qr. Indian corn sold slowly at Is per quarter under last week's quotations. Beans and peas unaltered. Flour very strong business doing at Is per sack and barrel on Monday's prices. This is attributable to the present demand for the Continent. Present prices of British and foreign grata :—English Wheat: White (480lbs), 55s to 55s 6d; Red, 48s 6d to 49j Cone, 48s to 48s 3d. Beans English (imperial),. 48s to 48s 3d Foreign (4801bs), 40s to 42s. Barley Malting (imperial), 37s to 43s grinding barley (4001bs), 28s to 28s öd. 11 aize (4801bs), 34s Cd to 35s 6d. foreign Wheats Winter Ameri- can (496lbs), none Spring. 55s to 56s Marianople, 49s to 52s Odessa,. Ghirka, 4Ss to 52s Taganrog, 48s to 49s California, 58 s to 60s. Flour: Welsh P. tie (2801bs), 42s to ,125 6d; Bristol, 41s to 41s 6d Barrel (19610s), none.

THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF FBANCE. The Patrie of the 2nd of February describes the course of proceeding, tf be adopted by the' National Assembly, which, it says, has received the approval of eminent politicians of all shades of opinion "The National Assembly, upon meeting at Bordeaux, will elect its president, and afterwards will appoint, by a majority of votes, a commission consisting o £ three members, who shall proceed to Versailles, there to discuss the terms of peace and arrange for its defi- nite conclusion. While its delegates are thus engaged the Assembly will proceed to verify the powers of its members, a task that will be performed with the ut- most expedition. When the Commissioners shall have closed their negotiations they will submit to the As- sembly a draft of the Treaty of Peace, which will then be the subject of a special report and discussion, after which the vota3 will be taken. If the Treaty, as everything leads us to expect, should be adopted, the Commissioners will receive the plenary power usual in such cases toe nable them to satisfy the forma- lities necessary for its execution, which will be com- pleted as speedily as possible. Immediately after the exchange of ratifications of the Treaty the German troops will evacuate the Department of the Seine and other portions of our territory in accordance with the capitulations agreod upon, and the Assembly then having no longer any reason for remaining away from the capital, when it is abandoned by the enemy, will leave Bordeaux and come to Paris in order to proceed with its task and to dispose of all those questions which, in the present condition of France, it is urgent should be settled. The Government of the National Defence will, it is said, continue to conduct the public affairs until it sha'tl be relieved of its functions by a Provisional Govejnment to be appointed by the As- sembly. On February 10th those members of the Government who. are Ministers will proceed to Bor- deaux in order to give explanations to the National. Assembly."

The "gentleman in black" has appeared bodily at Edinburgh. Some days ago an old lady of that town- nl ship was lying in bed, comfortably dosing, when there came a crash, and the old lady was rudely awakened by a figure, black as night, dropping from the ceiling into her bed. Her consternation and terror may be more easily imagined than described. The explana- tion is, of course, simple enough. A sweep, crossing the garret floor of a house for the purpose of cleansing a chimney, went head foremost through the flocz at a. put where, it appears, there was so support bait lath and plaster. THE BP.:OTOL SCHOOL BOARD.-Notices have been issued convening a meeting of the newly-elected School Board at Bristol on Thursday next. The first duty of the Board at its first meeting will be to appoint a chairman, and, in all probability, Mr. Lewis Fry will be elected to that honourable position. With regard to the vice-chairman, it is thought that the Liberal majority on the Board may pay a graceful tribute to Mr. Sholto V. Hare,, who was at the head of the poll, by electing him vice-chairman Mr. Hare received by far the greatest number of votes, and is eminently fitted to occupy some responsible position at the Board A BUNDLE OF THE LATEST AMERICAN FACETIAE.—- Rich music—a million-air.—How was the ark pro- pelled? ByaN-oah, of course.—The last instance of modesty is that of a lady who refused to wear a, wptch in her bosom because it had hands-The difference between a bouquet of flowers and the "bouquet" of wine is that one makes a nosegay and the other a gay nose.—The other day the front door of the New York Tribune office had to closed for some purpose. So Mr. Greeley wrote on a piece of paper, Entrance on Spruce-street," and sent it down to the man who does the painting of the bulletins,, to be copied. The man studied over Greeley's writing all the forenoon, and finally, in despair, wrote Editors oil a spree and posted it up. HOURS OF LABOUR.—An important agitation is being successfully prosecuted throughout the manufacturing districts of the north for a further reduction in the hours of work. At present the maximum allowed by the Factory Acts—sixty hours a week-is the rule in I, the leading branches of our textile manufactures. Ten hours and a half are taken on the first five days of the week and seven and a half on Saturday. The proposition now made is to reduce the week's work to 58 hours by stopping on Saturdays at noon instead of at two p.m. Many large employers in Lancashire have already consented to do this, among the rest have already consented to do this, among the rest Messrs. Hibbert and Platt, of Oldham, and Mr. Hugh Mason, of Ashton-under-Lyne. The main argument 'v a used by the workpeople in favour of this movement is the increased speed and productive power of the machinery now employed. BRE.KFAST.-Epps's COCOA.—FTUATKFUII AXD COMFORT- IXG.—" By a thorough knowledge of the natural laws which envern the operation of ditrestion and nutri- tion. and by a capful application of the fine pmport'es of w 11- seleeted cocoa, Mr. Epps has provided our breakfast tables with adelicately-tbivoured beverage which may save u- mmy heavy doctors' bills."—fh-u .s>< «•»«« Made simply with h' tlinp writer or imlk. Each packet is labe led—JAMES Bpps & Co., Homoeopathic Chemists, London. Abo, makers Of Epps's Cacaoine, a very thin beverage for evening use. [15,926 Newport, Friday, February 10, 1871. Printed and Published at the MOXMOUTHSNIRE MERLIN General Printing Office, X'. i. C\- ■ nierrial-stri-et, in the I Borough of Newpdit.in tlieOorcuy o' -M or.n 'iiith.by WILLIAM CHRISTOPHERS. residint-at. Meirose Villin, Gold Tops, in the Parish of St. Woolos, Kewpoit.