Monmouthshire Merlin

HOUSE OF COMMONS. TUESDAY. —The Speaker took the chair at two o'clock. THE VERNACULAR PRESS IN INDIA. Mr. GLADSTONE presented a petition from a public meeting of inhabitants of Poor.ah,'in Bombay. -id. from certain members of ft religious society there oi the reformed religion, on the subject of the recent law relating to the Vernacular Press. The petition con- tained an elaborate and able argument against that law, and closed with the prayer that the- House of Commons, as the only authority to whom her Majesty's subjects could look lor redress and pro- tection against the arbitrary acts of the authori- ties in India, would not only condemn the measure which formed the subject o: the present appeal, but would also make the further occurrence of the present policy impossible, and ensure the progressive freedom of her Majesty's Indian subjects by enlarging the representative element, of the Legislative Council of India, and by adopting such other measures as might be deemed fat. The House, said Mr. Gladstone, would see that in sabstance this was a real and regular petition, concluding with a pralcr, but he wished t,, call attention to two points in which it was irregular, In the first place, it was not called a petition, but a memorial; and it concluded by saying, "We beg to remain, honourable sir, your most humble memo- rialists. It was quite evident that that was a clerical error, because in substance the petition was addressed I to the House. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER: How is it I headed Mr. GLADSTONE said it was headed Memorial to the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom in Parliament assembled." He proposed, being con- vinced that it was an error, to strilie out the intrusive words, and then to present the petition in the usual manner. The SPEAKER said it was substantially a petition, properly worued, and concluding with a prayer, lie apprehended that, under the circumstances, the House would think proper to receive it. The petition1 was ordered to be laid on the table. •' PRISONS REGULATIONS. Mr. JACOB BRIGHT asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, it it was true that Mr. Clarke, of Ironvii'e, Derbyshire, who was sent to prison on .May 20th. for refusing to vaccinate his child, iias not been allowed to receive a letter from his family, and whether all prisoner;; are'treated with equal rigour. Mr. CROSS replied that as far as debtors were con- cerned, considerable concessions had been made as to the receivi ng of letters; but with regard to other prisoners there was no diffctence. He knew nothing of the par- ticular case mentioned by the hou. member, but as a rule notice was given to the prisoners, who were warned before trial, that visitors and letters would not be allowed in the event of their being convicted. This was done so that they might make arrangercraits, and after conviction they always had an opportunity of f ■ ■ l, ■ Ik v II >: "ri ;*• .?• sending to their friends to complete their arrangements. If the facts were as stated in the question, he thought there must be some mistake. In reply to Mr. Parnell, Mr. CROSS stated that no distinction was drawn between one prisoner and an- other committed for nonpayment of fines. THE INDIAN ARMY. Sir H. HAVELOCK said he had no desire to discuss his notice in reference to the reorganisation of the Indian army. So long as the results of the negotia- tions on the affairs of the Eastern Europe were in any way doubtful, and he would therefore postpone it until the 16th of July. THE CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACTS. Mr. Stansfeld gave notice that on that day four weeks, he would call attention to the annual police returns under the Contagious Diseases Acts, and would move a resolution. SUPPOSED DEARTH OF SILVER COINS. In answer to Mr. Serjeant Simon, the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated that complaints had been made as to the supposed dearth of silver coins, especially shillings and sixpences. On inquiry at the Mint, he found that it did not arise from any failure on the part of the Mint to provide a proper stock of coins. He was informed that this year there had been issued shillings to the amount of £13,000, sixpences to the amount of £19,000, and threepenny pieces to the amount of £3000. A much larger amount of small silver coins was in stock at the Bank of England, and could be obtained when demanded by the public. KOUMANIA AND BESSARABIA. Sir G. Campbell gave notice that he would move a resolution regretting that her Majesty's Government should, by prearrangement, have become accessories to the seizure of Roumanian territory, contrary to the will of the people of that country. ROADS AND BRIDGES (SCOTLAND) BILL. The House then went into committee on the Roads and Bridges (Scotland) Bill, and the consideration of the clauses occupied the rest of the sitting which was suspended at seven o'clock. THE EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at nine o'clock. RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS IN SCOTLAND. Mr. W. HOLMS called attention to the relative posi- tions of the various religious denominations in Scotland, and moved That a select committee be appointed to inquire into the operation of the Patronage Act of 1874, and its effect on the reciprocal relations of the various religious denominations in Scotland, and to ascertain how far the people of Scotland are in favour of main- taining the connection between Church and State in that country. The hon. member traced the various secessions which have taken place in Scotland from the time of the Reformation down to the disruption, and urged that the time had now arrived for wonsider- ing whether the connection between the Church in Scotland and the State should be any longer main- tained. Mr. J. STEWART seconded the motion. Mr. C. E. PARKER moved as an amendment that the Select Committee should inquire into the present rela- tions of the Established Church with the other churches in Scot'and, and with the people at large; and, in particular, should inquire how far the Church Patronage Act of 1874 has tended to remove the causes of disunion and dissatisfaction among the Presby- terians of Scotland, and what further legislation would most conduce to that end. The amendment was not seconded, and the Speaker stated that he was, therefore, unable to put it to the House. Mr. DALRYMPLE denied that a prima facie case was made out for inquiry, and thought the best course was to adopt the admirable principle of leaving things alone. Sir A. GORDON moved as an amendment, That an humble address be presented to her Majesty pray- ing that her Majesty will be graciously pleased to appoint a commission to inquire into the causes which keep asunder the Presbyterians of Scotland, with a view to the removal of any impediments which may exist to their reunion in a national church as estab- lished at the Reformation, and ratified by the Revolu- tion settlement and the Act of Union." Mr. ORR EWING seconded the amendment. Mr. BAXTER said the bill of the Government for abolishing patronage had failed to produce harmony, and had simply tended to drive the Free Church into the arms of the Liberation Society. The time for inquiry, he contended, was past, and the time for action very near at hand. A change of some kind was inevitable, and he was afraid it must take the form of disestablishment. The LORD ADVOCATE contended that the Patronage Act had given general satisfaction. Mr. GLADSTONE thought that according to the pre- cedents of former years the question was a legitimate one for inquiry, but he did not think that a select com- mittee was a desirable medium for conducting inquiry. if inquiry was necessary, it must be upon a more solid basis than the inquiry of a select committee. The inquiry of a Royal commission would not materially mend the matter. While he would not object to inquiry as to the conse- quences of the operation of the Patronage Act, if there was a desire for investigation on the part of the people of Scotland, he was bound to say that so far they had not manifested any desire for inquiry. Mr. Baxter had spoken out, but he (Mr. Gladstone) did not perceive any great demand for disestablish- ment on the part of the people of Scotland. Mr. Cnoss remarked that the tenor of the speech of Mr. Gladstone was that if the people would cry out loud enough he would help them, no matter whether their object involved the robbery of the Established Church. The same description applied to the speech of Lord Hartington on his visit to Scotland. After some remarks from other hon. members, the debate was adjourned. The House adjourned at 1.45.

The port of Hull has for some time past been closed against the importation of foreign cattle, in consequence of the Corporation not providing the requisite landing place and depot. The Dock Company have now, however, offered to construct a landing place and depot in an insular position. It is expected that tke work will be completed in a few weeks, and that the important cattle trade with the north of England 'by the many steamers running between the Continent and Hull will be revived. An inquest was on June 12th held ia Kings- town on the body of a seaman named Kinsella, who was drowned the previous morning while sailing from Holyhead to Kingstown in the cross Channel match in Lieutenant Henn's yacht Gertrude. It appeared that the deceased had been drinking in Holyhead. When ordered below lie refused, to obey, and a heavy sea carried him over- board shortly afterwards. The jury returned a verdict of accidental drowning, and recommended his family, a wife and five children, to the con- sideration of the yacht owner. HEAVY SENTENCE FOR EMBEZZLEMENT.—At the Liverpool Borough Sessions, last week, Arthur Daly, corn broker, of the firm of Messrs. Denis Daly and Sons, pleaded guilty to a charge of ob- taining £ 4G50 from the National Bank of Liver- I pool by false representation. That firm held certain goods, which it was afterwards discovered either did not exist or were not in their possession. The Recorder enlarged upon the enormity of the offence, and sentenced the prisoner to live years' penal servitude. Another warrant has been issued in connection with the case. I am informed that the articles entitled "The Political Adventures of Lord Beaconsfiekl," which have appeared in the last three numbers of the Fortidjhtly Review, are written bv Mr. Ralph Earle. I do not know whether this is the fact, but the articles are very bitter and very brilliant, and the brilliancy is of a kind which nobody could display bettor than Mr. Ralph Earle. who. by the way, was formerly the private secretary and friend of Lord Beaconsfield, and who un- advisedly resigned himself out of public life at too early a stage of his career.—Vanity Fair. A short time ago, being on board one of our largest and strongest ironclads, I conversed with her captain (who, for the sake of my loids, shall be namelessi as to the powers of his ship. He was pleased with her, as all captains are with their ships, and declared her to be a splendid but," said he, "she takes i charge of herself for twenty minutes after she's under weigh we can do nothing with her at all till she's going nine knots, and when you put your helm over it's a toss-up which way she'll go first."—Vanity Fair. BURSTING OF A WATERSPOUT.—A Bath corres- pondent writes:—An extraordinary phenomenon occurred in the Valley of Weston, near Bath, on the 13th inst. Over a limited area a tremen- dous amount of water fell, either from a water- spout or the bursting of a cloud. Hundreds of houses were flooded. Great damage has boon done to the grass crops and garden produce, the plants being literally washed away. Walls were thrown down, and stones weighing several hunclrecl weigbt were carried a long distance. A woman and child were injured. NORTH DURHAM LIBERAL ASSOCIATION.—Last week the annual meeting of the North Durham Liberal Association was held at South Shields, under the presidency of Alderman Dale, Mayor of South Shields. Addresses were delivered on Liberal progress, at a public luncheon subsequently held in the Free Library Hall, by Sir Henry Havelock, member for Sunderland, Sir Hedworth William- son, Viscount Lambton, Mr. C. Stevenson, mem- ber for South Shields, and Mr. Palmer, member for North Durham, who advocated the extension of Liberal principles, and hoped the result oi the Congress would be permanent peace to Europe generally.

SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH ON THE CONGRESS. A few days ago a Conservative demonstration, in which some five thousand persons took part, was held in Pitville Gardens, Cheltenham, Mr. J. R. York, M.P., in the chair. Resolutions were passed expres- sing confidence in the foreign policy of the Govern- ment. Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, in reply, said that day a European Congress commenced at Berlin, which might largely influence the future not only of this country but of the world. England was happily represented by those whom the Country trusted and whom Europe appreciated. He believed that whatso- ever difficulties lie ahead, the Government would be supported in the future as it had been in the past by the English people. He was confident that all THE the English people. He was confident that all THE Powers represented at the Congress were desirous of a peaceful result, and that the present satisfactory aspect of affairs was the result of the policy of the British Government. But it was not only on account of their foreign policy that the present Ministry had received the approval of the country with- out resorting to sensational legislation. A num ber of measures had been passed which were of vital and practical importance to the future well-beiny of the nation. The Government had been charged with extravagant expenditure, but the fact was that it was necessary to maintain the efficiency of the army and navy, and if these services had not been in a satis- factory condition her Majesty's Ministers would not have had their due influence in the councils of Europe. The Liberal party were like a shipwrecked crew. They had taken to boats and were drifting wherever the currents of public opinion might take them, while the Conservative party throughout the country were united in support of a constitutional Government. The proeedings shortly afterwards terminated.

NEW YORK WOMEN'S HOTEL. The women's hotel experiment is a complete failure, and it is to be abandoned immediately. The edifice is to be opened to the public as a commercial hotel. The women will not come in sufficient numbers. Our reporter has had an interview with Judge Hilton, and the Judge says:—"You can run an hotel for men ex- clusively, but for women you can't. They would rather stay at the boarding houses, and put up with hall bed rooms, poor fare, and skimp furniture, and have the society of gentlemen, than take the luxuries of Stewart without them. It is natural, and you can't blame them. The hotel was meant for ladies who earn their own living, but with all our efforts we could not get more than 50 boarders, and 15 of these ought not to be there, for they don't earn their living, and are there merely for economy. The accommodations were equal to all that the richest woman in the nation can obtain, but women will not accept any help based on the condition of separation from men, and the free admission of men would have subjected the house to gossip, and eventually to scandal.—New York Times.

NAVAL COURT-MARTIAL. Assistant Paymaster Wm. West Inch, of the Black Prince, was tried at Portsmouth last week on four charges, 1st, of opening and witholding, on the 14th July, 1872, until 1st March, 1878, a letter addressed to the commanding officer of the ship, from the Accountant-General, requesting him to deduct f45. Gs. lid. from prisoner's pay; 2nd, with negligently performing his duty by re- taining two hurt certificates; 3rd, with retaining a letter addressed to the captain requestingfurthcr explanations as to the expenditure of certain boat- swain's stores; and cloth, with retaining aNa val Savings Bank withdrawal list.In consequence of the inquiriesinstituted the prisoner's box was searched, and the documents in question were found there, several months after date. The prisoner denied opening the letter, and said his only reason for retaining it was to delay the deduction. The other documents were retained through inadver- tance, and could not have been of the slightest benefit to hm. The Court acquitted him of open- ing the letter, but found him guilty of the remaining charges, and sentenced him to forfeit eighteen months' seniority, and to be dismissed his ship.

WILAIAM CULLEN BRYANT. 'FROM THE "DAILY NEWS."] An almost boyish activity enabled Mr. Bryant even in extreme old age to enjoy life to the full, in country and in town. He was a lover of art, and a scholar as well as a poet, a politician, and a journalist. He had travelled much in Europe and the East, and was well acquainted with many modern languages as well as with Greek and Latin. His translations of the Iliad and the Odyssey are tolerably well known in England, although thev did not meet here with anything like the welcome given to them in Mr. Bryant's own country. The American poet's version of the Iliad has often been compared with that of Lord. Derby. It seems to us to have at all events more of true poetic feeling in it than Lord Derby's, which is often rhetorical rather than poetical. With such work on hand Mr. Bryant's later leisure time might well have passed happily and brightly away. He had for many years back, it was believed, been haunted by a certain vague dread of death. So entirely pure and noble a life would rather, one might have thought, make a man bold, as exceeding peace had made Leigh Hunt's Ben Adhem. Perhaps it was less a fear of death than such a repugnance as a Greek idyllic poet might have expressed to the leaving of all the lovely things of life, the sun, the fields, the streams, the songs of birds; or such as Charles Lamb spoke of when he summed up all the enjoyments he was unwilling to think of abandoning, and numbered even irony as among them. It is certain that no man could have got more out of his life, to use a homely phrase, than Mr. Bryant did. He left nothing undone that came within his scope and his power, whether as politician, poet, or scholar. He enjoyed alter- nately, and seemingly with equal relish, the life of a man in society and the life of a recluse. He was, if we are not mistaken, New York's one poet. Whitticr, Lowell, Longfellow, Holmes, belong to New England. Indeed, Bryant himself was a New Englander by birth, and only came to New York, as Poe did, to become a journalist there. But Mr. Bryant remained in New York, and was for more than half a century associated with it, and was claimed by all New Yorkers of recent FENERATIONS as their own. New York is in many respects a city of extreme contrasts. We do not know how any chronicler of the city's history during our time could more effectively illustrate these extremes of contrast than by pointing to the fact that at the very time when Tweed and Fisk were active influences in the political life of New York, the pure and noble-minded poet of "Thanatopsis" was an active influence in that political life as well.

ARRIVAL OF THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE j AT MALTA. MALTA, June 16 (10,35).—The Helicon, having on board his Royal Highness the Duke of Cam- bridge and suite, arrived hereto-night. His Royal Highness was received, on landing, by Sir A.. Bar- ton, and a guard of honour, composed of the first Royal Scots Regiment, and drove thence with tho Governor through Fiorina to the Palace of Valetta, where the 42nd Highlanders were drawn up to meet him.

HEATH OF THE SULTAN. SERIOUS RIOTS AMONG REFUGEES: SEVERAL PERSONS KILLED. CONSTANTINOPLE, June 14 (by telegram via Syra). —There is no foundation for the reports that the Sultan's mind had become affected, although there I is no doubt that his majesty sui ers from nervous agitation, and is a prey to causeless apprehensions. Sir A. H. Layard and M. Fournier, the French Ambassador, have made friendly representations to Savfet Pasha respecting the frequency of Turkish ministerial changes and the banishment of important functionaries owing to the Sultan's groundless alarm and distrust. A serious riot has occurred among the refugees and the inhabi- tants at Panderma in which several persons were killed.

HONOURS TO A NEGRO MISSIONARY. Bishop Crowther's nephew had conferred on him the B.A. degree at Cambridge on Saturday. He returns to Africa as a missionary.

FORGING A WILL. On Saturday, the Leeds magistrates committed for trial at the assizes Mr. Richard Myers, solicitor; Chas. Welham, a butcher; and Benjamin Joy, an auctioneer, on a charge of having forged the will of the late Mr. J. I Hatfield, of Burmantoffs, a gentleman who died worth considerable property. Bail was applied for, but re- fused, the Bench considering the case too serious to allow of it. Application, it is understood, will be made for bail to a judge in chambers.

LEGAL SINECURES. The offices of two of the clerks of records and writs are now vacant by the deaths of Mr. Ward' and Mr. Grubb. The first-named of these esti- mable gentlemen had been in office in different capacities for over half a century, and the other had also enjoyed a considerable tenure of office, to which latterly the lack of anxious duty may have conduced. A professional witness before the Legal Department Commission of 1873 is quoted in the second report as thus describing the duties of the office (to which a salary of JE1400 and £ 1200 respectively is attached):— The record and writ clerk does nothing whatever; he sits in an inner room in the office, and takes a few affidavits occa- sionally but a great part of his time is employed in reading the newspaper." Without blaming the late holders of the offices, who would doubtless have done anything if there had been anything for them to do, we may express a hope that the recommendation of the commission will be adopted, and that no successors will be appointed to the late clerks.—Solicitor's Journal.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer has expressed his willingness to receive a deputation from work- men suffering from the sugar bounties system on the 27th. v CHARGE or MURDERING A CHILD.—A watchman, named Peter Wincey, was, on the 12th inst., charged at tke Worship street Police-court on suspicion of having murdered a child, aged nine- teen months. The little one had been in the street with other children, but was missed, and not found again till the early BBorning, when it was discovered dead on a doorstep, having been suffocated in water. The prisoner's duties con- sisted in watching some unfinished buildings, near where the child was found, amd there were tubs of iimo water there, the ehilel's clothes being drenched with tke same. The prisoner had also visited the dead child and displayed uome cmo- tioa. He was remaaded-

THE LADIES' COLUMN. During the summer months, at dinner table, iced water should be offered to guests who decline all kinds of wine. RECEIPT FOR GINGERBREAD.—6 oz. butter, t lb. of brown sugar, four eggs, 1 lb. treacle, It lb. of flour, oz. of carbonate of soda, 11 oz. of ground ginger, 1 oz. of ground cinnamon; mix all well together, and bake in shallow tins in a moderate oven. At a coronation a duke and his duchess wear special robes and coronets; the coronet is in each case of gold, set round with eight strawberry leaves of gold; its cap is of crimson velvet, lined and z, turned up with ermine, and surmounted with a gold tassel. RECEIPT FOR PASTRY WITH DRIPPING.—Put 1- lb. of flour into a basin, and add a small quantity- about half a teaspoonful-of baking powder and a little salt. Having cut up into small pieces 1 JJ>. of clarified dripping, rub it lightly into the ar until perfectly smooth; add the beaten-up yolk ~oi an egg and a little water (just enough to make the paste of the right consistency), flour the board well, and roll out the paste. THE POLITICAL RIGHTS OF Wo MEN.—The women householders of Boston have signed a memorial to the Chancellor of the Exchequer representing the injustice of taxing them for the expenses of the Roval Commission of Inquiry into the election, in which they had no vote, and praying that her Majesty's Government will support the bill. A similar memorial is in course of signature in Nor- wich.—Women's SutTrage Journal. To KEEP COLOUR IN BLLE PRINT.—I was told the other day a capital recipe for keeping the colour in navy blue linen or print; and as you have many lady readers, I give it you. It simply con- sists in soaking for some time green ivy-leaves in the water in which they are washed. The best plan is, however, to have a strong decoction of ivy-leaves that have been standing some time, and to mix some of the water with that used for wash- ing.—Navy Blue, in Land and Water. PARIS TOILETTES FOR NEW YORK.—Some very rich bridal toilettes have recently been made in Paris for New York brides. Brocaded silk and plain silk have been used for the dress, and white satin for the trimming. Pearl bead passementerie, pearl fringe and lace, white roses, white lilac, clematis and jessamine, with a few orange blos- soms, form the principal ornamentation. The sleeves sometimes consist of alternate lengthwise rows of pearl bead passementerie and white lace. OBJECTIONABLE PERFUMEB TO BE BANISHED.—The very objectionable perfumes patchouli aed musk are. it is hoped, to be entirely banished from good society. The scent of new-mown hay is now generally preferred, not as the well-known essence for the pocket handkerchief, but as violet sachets have always been used for linen and the hat and bonnet bag. Two or three tonquin beans in a fresh condition are placed in every drawer and box that are to be perf-imed. They shed a fragrant, sweet scent, which will never be mis- taken, and if detected is a perfume adopted by a. true lady. THE DRAWING-ROOM.—The drawing-rooms of a London house should be those rooms of all others in which good taste, both in decoration and fur- niture, should be present; the rooms wherein we practically live, talk, play, and receive our guests; they are essentially the ladies' rooms of the house. and should be decorated in a pleasant, cheerful manner, without stiffness or formality. The walls should be pleasant things to look upon not cold and dreary blanks of mere self-tinted paper, varied perhaps with birds or hunches of flowers i. gold, scattered here and there in monotonous array. The furniture should essentially be com- fortable couches and chairs pleasant to lounge and really rest upon, not so-called artistic monstrosities on whioh it is impossible to do one or other. The room should, above all. look and be home-like in all its arrangements; with orna- ments, books, and flowers not merely arranged for show, but for pleasant study or recreation. Here especially the usual good taste of the ladies of the house will find, if they will, innumerable ways of rendering their especial quarter of the house bright and cheerful, and one in which the home circle, as well as guests, may feel at once at ease and at rest. How DEVONSHIRE CREAM IS MADE.—As a rule Devonshire cream is valued and appreciated very highly, and whose who are fortunate enough to be able to obtain it think themselves highly privi- leged. Some young folks of my acquaintance spent the summer at Ilfracombe a year o two age,, and they were so enthusiastic about the cream! They were always early "off to market on a market day," making the old women bring out the mugs, and jars, and cups that contained the delicacy, and entreating their mother to lay in A goodly store of the same. Then they ate the cream instead of butter at breakfast, and had the cream with jam and bread for pudding at dinner, and cream at tea, and cream whenever they could get it between meals; and when they returned to town, healthy and strong, after their summer's trip was over, they declared that they owed their rosy cheeks and bright eyes quite as much to the Devonshire cream they had indulged in, as to the fresh sea breezes, and rest, and change. These children had a great desire to see how Devonshire cream was made, so one day we made an expedition to a farm house a few miles out, which was kept by a friend of our landlady, and there they saw how their favourite delicacy was produced. The beautiful milk-yesterday's- was put into polished shallow tin pans, over a low clear fire, quite free from smoke, and was to remain there gradually heating, but never being allowed to boil or to get any way near boiling, for about twelve hours, till the cream was ready to take off. We were fortunate enough to see it just as it was being lifted from the fire. It lay in a kind of thick ring on the top of the fluid. and looked most delicious; but we did not taste it, for we were told it was to remain untouched until the next day, when it would be skimmed off and put into jars ready for sale.—From CasselVs Magazine for June. STYLE AND ITS SUBTLETIEs.-What is that subtle thing which we call style? We know it is a fact, but there are many facts of which the essence is hard to analyse, and this is one of them. It is not to be laid down in precise rules anyhow; line and colour are not txeà-for one person may mix together volutes and right angles, place blue and greens in contrast that shall be harmony, and make reds and purples friends not foes, and come ont of it all with style, while another may keep all the unities intact, but end in being utterly without distinction and with no more style than a parallelogram washed in with neutral tint. Just in the same way, too, one person may be perfectly well mannered-never go beyond the strictest canons of good breeding—have learned the accidence of polite conversation by heart, and be quotable as a pattern of correct behaviour, and all the while be as destitute of style as a mechanic in his Sunday clothes or a village schoolmistress in the presence of the dread in- spectors; while another may make this unthink- ing slip and that careless stumble, and yet have a style which everyone will envy. In what lies the difference? Who can tell? WRe feel that thou art there," and that is all that we can say! It might be thought that height and slenderness were all essential to good style in persons; espe- cially in women; but here again we are baffled when we come to description. No doubt the tall, slender-framed women, with their graceful move- ments and flexible spines, their long throats and curved waists, think that they are safe by the very conditions of their being; but we have seen many a woman of this build who was as much wanting in true style as the veriest little human apple to be found, while one notable instance will present itself to the memory of most of us-a, woman neither tall nor graceful, neither beauti- ful nor slender, whose style at one time WAS irre- proachable and better than that of others who it might be supposed from the mere natural point of view would have distanced her. To be sure, the tall and slender women, when they have this ineffable, this incommunicable quality, have it to perfection. There is something in their lines which lends itself to style; as those who would imitate them, without the requisite conditions, find out to their cost. Those artful setters of baits for feminine society, the milliners and dress- makers and dealers in made goods generally, take care to provide one of the most taking traps of all in the young women who try on the goods. The girls who have most style natural, as well as educated, are drafted off to stand as veritable decoy ducks in the department where mantles and skirts are shown for sale, and the grace and ease with which they wear risky patterns and unusual farons is as certain to bring customers as would be the genuine announcement of "below cost price on the promise, believed in, of being made beautiful for ever. Unfortunately for themselves, the dumpy and styleless women will believe that the grace of the thing makes the beauty of the wearer, and not that the style of the wearer makes the grace of the thing.-Queen.-

HOUSE OF COMMONS. ULJOKDAT.—The Speaker took the chair at foui o'clock. THE USE OF STEAM ON TRAMWAYS. 0* the order of the day for the third reading of the ^Lbeifaen District Tramwav BijL Sir W. BARTTELOT moved that the bill be read a I third time on that day three months, obj-ecting mainly to the powers proposed to be given to employ steam- power. He was supported by Mr. DILLWYN, Mr. H. ViviAN, Mr. NEWDEGATE, and others; and, on the other side, Mr. A. PEEL, the Chairman of the Select Committee, explained and justified its decisions; and Mr. W. HOLMES, Admiral EGERTON, Col. BEAUMONT, Mr. O CONOR, and Mr. BATES, members of the com- mittee, spoke in favour of passing the bill. Colonel LOYD LINDSAY, Mr. E- SMITH, Lord SANDON, and others also supported the bill; and, in answer to Mr. KNATCH- BULL-HUGESSEN, the CILVNCEXLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that if the experiment of using steam-power were successful and largely developed, the question of taxa- tion must be considered and dealt with. On a division the third; reading was carried by 216 to 119, and the other bills in the group were also read a third time and passed. THE MURDEB or MR. OGLE. In answer to Mr. Samuelson, Mr. BOURKE stated that Consul-General Fawcett's report in reference to the murder of- Mr. Ogle was only received ten days ago, and it would mal,-e a large blue-book. Many of the documents were in the Greek and Turkish lan- guages, and would have to be translated. Mr. SAMUELSON intimated that on an early day he would call attention to the case. QUESTIONABLE MEAT RATIONS FOR A REGIMEXT. In reply to Mr. O'Donnell, Col. STANLEY said the allegation that an officer of the Royal Tyrone Fusiliers, in barracks at Omagh, who was also a grazier and dealer in live stock, having failed to sell in the open market as fit for food an old sow, had succeeded in disposing of it to the meat contraeter of his own regi- ment, was denied. No complaints had been made by the men. He had applied to the hon. member for I Dungarvan for his authority in making this statement, but the hon. member, up to the present time, had not thought fit to "give it. was ready to institute an inquiry as soon as he received a sufficient authority to justify him in doing so. Mr. O'DONNELL said he had verbally informed the right hon. gentleman that his- informants were sol diers of the regiment. He had since received four letters from- inhabitants of the town, which he would I place in the hands of the right hon. gentleman on an assurance that, the writers would not in any way suffer. Mr. MACARTNEY said his son inspected the meat rations of the regiment on the day in question, and no complaint was. made to him with regard to them. MR. HANBURY AND.MR. GLADSTONE. Sir W. BARTTELOT asked Mr. Hanbury if he intended to proceed with the notice he had given with reference to Mr. Gladstone's article in the Nineteenth Century. Mr. HANBURY admitted that a motion of such a nature,ought to be pressed forward at the earliest op portunity, but his notice stoed low down on the paper, and he was afraid would not be reached that night or even on Thursday. He was most desirous to discuss the issue raised by the motion, but he could not be blind to the fact that he was not supported by the I Government or by any large number of the Conserva- tive party. The time, also, seeing that the Congress had commenced its sittings, was not favourable, and under these circumstances he would withdraw the notice. Mr. GLADSTONE thought the House was entitled to know from him whether he challenged or acquiesced in the withdrawal of the notice. The hon. member was not entitled to withdraw it without the permission of the House. No doubt there were strong reasons against going on with it, but they might have been considered at an earlier period. The motiou I was virtually for the expulsion of a member of that House, and no such notice should be given without the firmest intention of persevering with it. He was by no means assurred that a discussion on the subject at the present moment would be for the interest and advan tage of the public, and therefore he would not challenge the hon. member to proceed with his motion. THE VALUATION OF PROPERTY BILL. The adjourned debate upon going into committee on the Valuation of Property Bill was resumed. The SPEAKER stated that the question immediately before the House was whether Mr. C. S. Read should be permitted to withdraw his amendment, declaring that no readjustment of the system of assessment would be complete or satisfactory until a representative county board was established. Mr. R. YOKKE asked the Government to withdraw the bill, and devote the time at their disposal to the consideration of other important measures. Mr. RYLANDS complained that in consequence of un necessary interference the best men would be pre I vented from serving upon assessment committees. Captain BRISE supported the amendment, which was opposed by Mr. WHITWELL. Mr. MORGAN LLOYD suggested that the Government should withdraw the bill until they were in a position to proceed with a complete scheme of county govern nient. The present measure provided a most compli cated and expensive machinery which was not more satisfactory than the system now existing. Sir M. LOPES pointed out that the measure was iJ: no respect subsidiary to a County Boards Bill, anu might be discussed independently. The Govern ment had been compelled to withdraw the County Government Bill, owing to the prolonged discussioi. to which it gave rise. But it would be reintroduced next year, with, he hoped, a better fate, and in the meantime the passing of the present bill would advance legislation upon the whole subject. Sir A. LUSK complained that hitherto the Goveiii ment had demised no just mode of assessment. Mr. KNIGHT suggested that the bill should be ie ferred to a select committee. The debate was continued by Captain Nolan, Mr. Golaney, SirJ. M'Kenna, and Mr. Storer. Upon a division, the numbers were:— Golaney, SirJ. M'Kenna, and Mr. Storer. Upon a division, the numbers were:- For -Air, Read's amendment. 107 Against 131 Majority 24 Mr. HCRBARD ur^c<i that no. general Valuation Act, a tjl_ providing a common authority for local and imperial taxation, could be satisfactory, unless it also provided a common measure of assessment by charging imperial taxes equally with local rates upon the net or rateable value of real property. He intimated that he should move an amendment to that effect in committee. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER pointed out that it was hot sufficient to say that the present; system of levying taxes was an injustice and a rob Lerv, but it must be shown that there was a more desirable way of raising the money. :If taxation were remitted in the fallacious manner proposed by tin right hon. gentleman, it must be made up by some other means. After some observations from Sir G. CAMPBELL in opposition to the proposition, the House went into Committee and immediately reported progress. The report of Supply was brought up and agreed to; and the other business having been disposed of, the House adjourned at 1.30.

\L (J"1 LORDS. TUESDAY.—Their lordships met at five o'clock. BILLS. FORWAI:DE:>. The Tramways Orders Confirm (No. 2) Bill •was read a second time, and trie Local G.ove:'¡¡1'lcnt Provisional Orders ( Artisans and Labourers' Dwellings'* Bill was read a third time. Several private measures having been advanced a stage, their lordships adjourned at 5.20.

THE SUGAR TRADE. A special meeting of the Central Executive Committee of the Operative Sugar Refiners, who are agitating for a removal of the continental sys- tem of sugar bounties, took place at Bristol last week. A letter was read from Mr. S. Morley, M.P., accepting an invitation of the workmen to preside over a national conference of representative sugar operatives, to be held in London in the latter part of the present month, to consider the whole ques- tion. In reply to a request to recpive a deputation on the subject, the Marquis of Salisbury wrote regretting his inability at the present time to make an appointment, but added that any written repre- sentations made to the Foreign Office would receive his most careful attention. His lordship added that her Majesty's Government had re- quested the Netherlands Government to consider their apparent decision not to pursue further negotiations upon the sugar question. It was agreed to request the Chancellor of the Exchequer to receive a workmen's deputation.

During last month the officers of the Fish- mongers' Company seized at Billingsgate market, London, and on board boats lying off there, 90 tons 0 cwt. of fish as unfit for human food. The whole quantity was destroyed in the usual way. No news has been received of the two pilots- Robere anclRichar:1 J ltrvis-who have been missilJg from Saltcombe, in Devonshire, since the 11th inst. They went out at three in the morning to meet a ship, and on the following day their boat j was washed ashore in a gale. When the local boatmen had abandoned the search as hopeless, the aged father of the two men, though he had been bedridden for two years, went to sea in a small boat with his two daughters in a severe storm, and continued the fruitless search. DISPUTE IN THE TAILORING TRADE.—Intimida- tion has made its appearance in the tailoring trade dispute at Liverpool. At the Police Court, last week. Michael Ryan was charged with assaulting Thomas M'Vey, because the latter worked for an establishment which is said to give less than the proper rate of pay. The defendant threatened to "make it hot" for the complainant, and then struck him in the face several times. This was denied by the defendant, but Mr. Rafiles considered the case proved, and imposed a fine of £5 and costs, remarking that workmen must be allowed to do what they liked with their own I labo ir without being interfered with."

THE SIX DAYS' WALK AT MAN- CHESTER. This great pedestrian contest was brought to a con- clusion at the Pomona Palace grounds on Saturday. The stipulations were that the walking should take place from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. each dav throughout the week, the competitor who completed" the greatest dis- tance in the time to be adjudged the winner. Twenty- four of the most noted professional walkers of the dav were selected, and there was a large attendance all through the contest, which ended as follows:- George Idle, Woolwich, £ 150 and belt 1 Peter Crossland, Sheffield, £ 50 2 George Parry, Manchester, JE20 3 A. Courtney, Barnett, £10 d

A HORRIBLE STORY. Captain Ashwell, master of the fishing vessel Milo, of Grimsby, has made a deposition stating that he left Grimsby on the 20th April last for the North Sea. fishery, but was forced to put into Geestemunde for a new mizenmast, the old one having been broken in a collision. While in dock there, on the night of the 29th May, a fire broke out on board. He was on shore at the time. but returned to his vessel at midnight, when water was being played into the cabin in order to extinguish the fire. Two apprentices were on deck, and one of them, George Bailey by name, stated that another, John Perfect, was in the cabin. The fire was extinguished at fifty minutes past two a.m. on the following day, when the dead body of Perfect was GOT out. A large hole was found at the back of the head, which the master could not account for, but he feared that the lad had been murdered and the ship fired. The vessel's cabin was burnt out, and the deck ani timbers damaged. William Olliver Ross, the mate, and who is brother-in-law to Perfect, states that he was absent from the ship at the time the fire broke out, and on his return at midnight he found the vessel in flames. Bailey, the apprentice, was on the quay, and accosted him by saying, William, your brother is asleep in the cabin." Ross immediately rushed below and searched the bunk for the boy, but was so much burnt that he could scarcely reach the deck. Water having been thrown into the cabin, the fire was extinguished after burning for about two hours and a half, and the dead body of Perfect was got out. The body was examined, and a hole was found at the back of the head into which he could have put his finger, and in his opinion such a wound could only have been inflicted by a marlinspike.

A PHRENOLOGICAL DELINEATION OF THE QUEEN. George Comhe, the phrenologist, once saw the Queen at the opera, and he thus describes her:- She is fair and pale. Her head is rather above n the average size of a woman, and is broader than the female head generally is. The coronal region | is remarkably broad and rather high, particularly [ in the regions of Conscientiousness and Firmness. The middle region, comprising Veneration and Hope, seemed full; Benevolence, Imitativeness, and Ideality were rather full. The anterior- lobe seemed broad but not long from behind forward. The lower or perceptive organs were large; those of Form and Language very large. Time seemed large, and the upper or reflecting region was well marked, but inferior to the know- ing region. The peripheral expansion is con- siderable, but there is a want of length in the upper region of the forehead. The expression of the countenance is that of simple good-nature and intelligence. I infer from these imperfect data that the Queen has very considerable forco of character, and is not a stranger to irascibility; but she has great powers of self-command. She, has a very favourable combination of tho propensities and sentiments; and she will pos- sess energy combined with good sense. She will be firm, decided, and upright. She will be acute in observation and have a great memory for persons and languages. She will be apt to learn by observation and experience. She possesses sufficismt reflecting power to be able to appreciate principles—moral, political, or philo- sophical—when clearly pointed out to her. Her mind will at all times be most powerfully in- fluenced by the feelings, and in order to lead her to any course of action the moral aspect of it should be first expounded, and then the conse- quences or effects. She will be naturally de- cided and firm to lier purposes when fixed upon. From her sense of justice, if *DIE once TAJKE up any position as morally rigm, upon. From her sense of justice, if she once take up any position as morally rigm, it will be almost impossible to drive her from it; argument, opinion, or motives of any otner kind will have less influence than the determina- tions of her own will, if possible she shoulu be instructed in the elements some of the physical sciences, such as chemistry or natural philosophy, that iitiplv Ctusatioij. and in which distant ejects result from combinations of causes. This KIND of instruction would cultivate the powers or which in her need most to be developed. A knowledge of the elements of mental philosophy, also, to enable her to discriminate character and resolve it into its lirst principles, would be very valuable. —The Life of George Combe, Author of the "Consti- tution of Man," by Clnrles Gibbon.