Pontypool Free Press and Herald of the Hills

supposed to have been removed havo once more appeared. The Russians insist more strongly than ever all the giving up to them of the forts on the Bosphorus. Troops continue to arrive at San Stefanr, ostensibly for review, and provisions and war material are being accumulated there. The Russians are drawing nearer Constantinople."—Special Corre- spondent of the Standard. Writing from Berlin on the 2sth the Correspondent of the

Daily telegraph tays Information just received here leads to the belief that Austria has concluded her bargain with Russia, and purposes entering Bosnia without delay. I am assured this resolution was definitively adapted at the State Council held yesterday at Vienna. It has been the end and aim of the Slav and military parties in Austro- Sungary ever since the commencement of the insurrection in European Turkey, which broke out so shortly after the Kmperor FraHz Josef's visit to balmatia; and Count Andrassy endeavoured to bring it about with the consent of the Porte only three weeks ago. He met Witll an absolute re- fusal At Stamboul, and then caused official denial to be promul- gated that any such proposition had been made. Subsequent arrangements with Russia have led, if I he correctly in- formed, to the adoption of the resolve to take possession of Bosnia and Herzegovina by force, regardless of Turkey's refusal, and a convenient pretext is afforded by the Mussul- man rising in Roumelia, which Austria assumes to be likely to extend to provinces on her immediate frontier. This probability is to be discounted in the sense of the ultimate increment of territory by Austria, with Russia's full con- currence, and certainly no difficulties will be raised thereto y Germany." VIENNA April 27.—The Political Correspondence of this

evening publishes a letter from St. Petersburg, dated the 23rd tost., which purports to give an account ol the recent negotiations touching tho simultaneous withdrawal of the Russian army and the British fleet from the vicinity of Con- stantinople. The statement made in the letter in question k to the following effect" The proposal of Germany for the simultaneous retirement of the Russian troops and the Snglish fleet to a distance to be fixed by a time calculation and for the neutralization of tha positions thus evacuated •was assented to in London and St. Petersburg. Since then, however, matters have again taken a more unfavourable turn, partly in consequence of the continud armaments of England, and partly by reason of the difficulties raised by the British Government in arranging the details in connection with the question of evacua. tion. The difficulties were at first smoothed over by a new proposal of Germany to fix a certain number of hours to which the abandoned positions might be regained; but suddenly England claimed that her fleet should not have to retire from out the Dardanelles, as contrary weather and the difficulties attending the passaga of the straits would, ac- cording to circumstances, require more time." The letter concludes as follows:—" By this claim England has again gone back from a principle already accepted by her, in the same way as she haa al80 withdrawn from the principle, equally &s3ented to by her, of the meeting of a preliminary Conference." BERLIN, April 27.—Referring to the report that a power-

ful English ironclad squadron is to be fitted out immediately for service in the Baltic, the North German Gazette this evening says It will not enter into the question whether such a fleet would not be without any basis of operation, or whether at the best it would not have to content itself with the laurels gained by the not very glorious blockade of the Russian harbours. At the same ti.me, however, the Gazette will not conceal its opinion that the despatch of a British Beet to the Baltic, where many hitherto neutral interests might be affected, might render the situation immeasurably more complicated. A Vienna paper publishes a London letter which states

that the British Government still considers it not im- possible that its thoroughly earnest attitude will be appre- ciated by Russia. In the contrary case, England will at her own risk rectify the state of affairs brought about in the Balkan Peninsula and in Asia by the war. Before doing so, however, it is possible that the British Government will summon a Conference to meet in London. The Constantinople correspondent of the Manchester

Cfuardian, telegraphing on the 28th, says :—" The Lazie population of Batoum protest against annexation by Russia, and a deputation is said to be on the way to Constantinople 80ffer to raise, if necessary, an amount of money equal to the share of the indemnity represented by the cession of Batoum Twenty thousand Lazies are said to be mustered near Batoum ready to dispute the entry of the Russians." A special telegram from Berlin to the Pall Mall Gazette

•ay* that intelligence has been received at Berlin from what ia considered a trustworthy source to the effect that the Italian Government is making warlike preparations on a somewhat large scale. The object, it is said, is the despatch of an expeditionary force into Albania in the event of the Austlfons occupying Turkish territory in Bosnia. The Cronsdadt Westnik announces that the greatest

exertions are being made in order that the Russian Baltic fleet may be ready to go to sea as soon as possible. The three frigates the Pervenil z, Sevastopol, and Kuiaz Pojarsky have had all their machiuery and equipments completed. Two hundred artificers are at work on the frigate Peter the Great AH the military ovens throughout Russian Poland have been directed to bake double quantities of biscuit, &c. A telegram to the Golos, dated the 19th inst., announces the departure from Odessa of the stpamer Lazareff, with 1.000 tons of military stores for San Stefano. The cargo, of the Lazareff, was composed of tents, trenchir.g tools nnd tele- graph wire. Other telegrams state that every day several steamers deeply laden with war 1natériCl leave Odessa for the Russian headquarters. The Russians have just made every preparation for COUl-

missioning a Baltic Fleet, consisting largely of turret-ehips and some of the papers are discussing the possible effect of a demonstration in the English Channel, which they fancy Jmíght cool the ardour of the Briton. But as Russia moves, 80 do we, and we have this week commissioned more iron- cladl, including all our available turret-ships, and they talk at the porta of a cruile in the Baltic. Such an interchange of visits might be very interesting at this moment, but it is very certain that we shall not go up the Baltic if the Russian fleet comes out, for we are not going to allow our enemy to he If on the spot" and almost iu possession of the Channel Mould war be declared. The harm we could do in the Baltic Would be as nothing compared with the possible operations J* enemy in the Channel, and it must not be forgotten that the large squadron which has been spoken of as about to proceed on a cruise under Sir Beauchamp Seymour consists mainly of eoastguard and home-defence ships. The torpedo 1 ■ft i a very terrible weapon, but we would rather not be ii dependent upon its services until our ships could be re- called to the Channel.. The san.iilrnn which l.he Admiralty ^ontemplate forming is not likely to go farther than Heligo- land."—Whitehall Review. Br!?' hear from Odessa that the people there are sub-

"^Wbing with enthusiasm towards the iunds of the Moscow £ °hunittee for fitting out volunteer cruisers. It ha3 been Proposed to form volunteer crews anions the fishermen of th Sea, and it is stated that the officers of several of ne ships have already been selected. A telegram in the r°'°s, from Kherson, states that the Municipal Club has resolved to subscribe monthly 100 roubles towards fitting out the Moscow cruisers. Private donations are flowing in rapidly. The Cronstadt VestnicJ: of last Friday states that subscriptions amounting to 2,000 roubles had been received •n small sums during the week from local tradesmen Socfet*18 0t promotiBg the obj'ects °* Moscow Cruiser Can anyone say what naval resources Russia has accu-

mulated at San Stefano and along the coast of the Sea of ^armora f Shortly after the occupation of the defences of gonstantlnople 1,200 sailors were sent to the front from the anube, and scarcely a week passes that shiploads of stores r™ not sent from Odessa to Turkey yet not a word comes 'our specials' with the Russian army as to their Wrival or accumulation. One thing I know for certain. -The sailors have not returned to Russia, nor have the torpedo ■tores. They must then be hidden somewhere m Turkish Waters I am rather inclined to think that they have been Bent to Rodosto where a Russian Admiral is stationed with a suspiciously large s taff of naval officers, and where a dock- yard has been improvised during the last few weeks."— Xayfair. The Presse says that English agents are purchasing horses

In Lower Italy, and despatching them to Malta.

2 £ in Paris it is said that England is ready

v° u T larger war vessels from the Sea of Marmora, butwishes to leave smaller ships on the spot for safeguard against the laying of torpedoes. » review of the Russian troops which was to have

*~en place on Sunday at San Stefano was indefinitely post- ntifl?/' *s sai<1 tllat the weather had made the roads unnt for the movement of guns. The Russian soldiers did not make any attempt to use the Greek churches on Sunday, ^uen there were fewer Russians in Constantinople than on y for some weeks. hi' 1? sieged in recent letters from Athens that a treaty

aco ^en concluded between Greece and Great Britain, ing to which, in case of war with Russia, Greece Arm Place 45,000 men in the field to assist the British an??' an<l would receive full compensation for all expenses losses incurred.— Vanity Fair. .Our St. Peterhurg Correspondent telegraphs (by a circui-

route) under date 25th inst., that the Czar has just 'W a decree calling out 240,000 men of reserves, and decree proclaiming a state of siege in St. Petersburg, e"&arabia, and the Crimea.— Vanity Fair. 1L lteerrlRg to the proposed simultaneous withdrawal of the

engaged to proceed to Reni to fortify the place. The Superintendence of the defensive works is entrusted to i e*\e.ral Drentein, who will also construct a strong strategic oding_gtage near Reni, on the River Danube. The war t(( jay running from Bender to Galatz has been incorpo- 'ed with the Odessa Railway.

U^a £ RAQE PRICES OF BRITISH_ COKN.—'The follow ^dirf6 t^19 average prict 3 of British corn for the week -A-Pril 27, as received from the inspectors and Oatg eraof Excise :—Whpat, 51s. 81. barley, 42s. 6d.; laet; 208. iod. per imperial qr. Corresponding week 25g, Wheat, 553. lOd.; Barley, 40s. 6d.; oats,

THE COTTON TRADE. A committee of merchants and others has been formed in Manchester to assist in the adoption of measures for the relief (if the more necessitous cases in the strike districts. The committee will work, in con- junction with others to be formed in the several places affected, as long as the employers refuse arbitration. The returns on Monday give 53,12-5 looms standing, 4,607 running four days per week withlOper cent. reduc- tion, 1,729 working five days and 5 per cent. reduction, 17,492 working full time and full wages, 2,327 working full time at the reduction, and 4,686 under notice. At Preston 2,000 looms are stopped and 10,000 are work- ing at the full reduction; 6,000 are working at 5 per cent. reduction, and nearly 11,000 full time and full wages. At Blackburn 49,561 looms are stopped and 5,600 working full time at full wages; 13:980 are stopped at Darwen and 1,960 working at the old rate. In Burnley, 21,590 have stopped, against 5,352 work- ing full time at full wages 998 are working four days and 10 per cent. off. At Accriogton, 8,632 are stopped, and 2,387 are working full time and no reduc- tion. Nearly 3,000 have stopped in Great Harwood, and 4,000 in Church and Oswaldtwistle.

Thv Times of Monday has a leader upon the Cotton Strike, from which we make the following extract:— We may assume, as granted on all hands, that the pre- sent state of the cotton trade is very bad that prices, both in the home market and abroad, are too low to be remunera- tive and that something must be done to improve the posi- tion of the manufacturers if they are to bear up much longer against the enormous losses under which their bust ness is being carried on. There is no need to quote figures in proof of this. The facts thus far are admiti ed on both sides, and form, indeed, the common starting ground from which the employers and the men proceed. It is on the ques- tion of the remedies to be applied that ti e first signs of a dif- ference of opinion begin to show themselves. The view put forward by the employers is that the losses consequent on a bad state of trade must be divided. The employers cannot in any case hope just now to realise their old profits. But if they are to work at a profit at all, however slender, or to bring down their losses to au amount they will be able to sustain until the pressure is over, their expenses of produc- tioi :must in some way or other be lessened. Now, these expenses are for the most part fixed and unalterable. It is in the wages of labour alone that any marked re- duction can be made. They insist, therefore, that their men shall take their share of the common burden by sub- mitting to a reduction of wages to the extent of 10 per cent. To this, however, the men are not willing to agree. They would be losers by it, they think, without any cor- responding benefit to their masters. If the cost of the pro- duction of cotton goods is diminished, the only result will be that the selling price of the goods will fall still further, and that thus the position of the manufacturers will be no better than it is now. They urge, in proof of this, that a fall in the price of raw cotton is always attended by a fall in the price of manufactured cotton, and that a fall in the price of labour must be expected, therefore, to produce no other effect than this. The men are willing to take their share of trade losses, but they will take it in their own way. They will give up the 10 per cent. demanded irom them, but only if the masters will consent to keep their mills open for four days in the week instead of six. In this way the amount of cotton goods produced will be brought down to the limit of the demand, or even below it, and prices will rise in consequence. When good times have been thus restored, the old rate of wages may be once more paid, and that it shall be paid is a part of the men's bargain. This, then, is the counter scheme which the men have devised for the common trade benefit. It is applicable, as they them- selves point out, to other trades than that in cotton. The coal- owners would have done wisely if they had followed it instead of reducing their men's wages, and so, too, we presume, would aJl other employers who have been working lately at a disadvantage. It is difficult to reply in detail to the abuud- ance of figures by which the men's case is supported. Wlll a reduction, they ask, which amounts to a bare farthing, or even to a third of a penny, in the cost of a pound uf cotton goods, be of any appreciable advantage to the cotton trade ? But surely, it may be replied, where hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of pounds are in questiou the smallest reduction is of importance. Where the scales of loes and profit are nearly balanced, a little make-weight may be decisive. But it will be the consumer, the men urge, and not the producer, who will gain by it. Even if we admit this, the argument will still remain that a stimulus may be thus given to consumption, and that the existing glut of the markets may in consequence be some- what lessened. But we do not admit it. The instance advanced in proof of it does not in any way bear it out. A fall in raw cotton is felt by the whole cotton trade in every country, and the prices of cotton goods come down, accordingly, by competition. The proposed fall in wages will be limited to the English mills. If there is no corresponding reduction made in other countries, the English manufacturers will be able to retain the benefit of it unshared by their foreign rivals- But the real question at issue is, after all, too wide to be settled by discussions in detail. The proposal of the men—to raise prices by an arti- ficiallimitation of the supply—is, as we have seen, not a novel one. It was made in somewhat similar circumstances by the coal-miners, and it may be made by the workinghauds in any trade. and, moreover, in any state of the trade Let us ask. however, how they themselves would be tfleeted by it, if it were a lopted generally. A rise iu prices all rouud would mean a lessened purchasing power for money and therefore for wages. The working classes. as the largest and most needy contumeis, would be the first atd principal sufferers from it. Let m suppose, too, to keep to the instance the cotton weavers have adduced, that the coal-owners had had the advantage of their advice and had seen fi to profit by it. Would not the cotton trade have been more weighted in a dozen ways than it is now, and less able to bear up under the depression of bad times ? The course of the masters is to no such objection ss this. If the state of trade im- proves by and by, the men will soon get bask what they are now asked to surrender. If it doesn,t improve, the limitation of production will come about by natnr camea Capital will cease to be attracted into a losing business, or will be with- drawn from it at whlltever sacritiee '1 he weaker manu- facturers will be crushed out in the severity of the struggle, or will be attracted away by more promising business of another kind. In the meanwhile it is the common necessity for all of them to reduce the cost of production. They seek naturally to diminish their present losses, and so to hold on as long as possible in expectation of better times. That they understand their own business is a fair presumption, at all events. If they do not, we scarcely see who is to teach it them. They may be quite in the wrong, and their men quite in the right, but it is their capital, and not that of the men, which is at stake in the great game, and which both parties are anxious about. What place, it may be asked, is there for arbitration in a trade dispute such astbis ? If there were an agreement, as there sometimes is, that profits and wages should stand and fall together, and if the question were whllot rate of wages the masters were thus bound to give, there would be ground for an arbitrator to go upon. But the question at issue in the cotton districts is not thus to be narrowed down, amI tVfrn io, ;1"1. 11n made that it oun be. Of course, both sides might agree if pleased to be bound by the verdict of an arbitrator, and so to avoid a strusglo which would be disastrous to both of them. But if ihe verdict was a mistaken one, it would be a common injury to the trade, and peace might thus be preserved for he time at the cost of a permanent sacrifice greater than even peace is worth. There are one or two facts, moreover, which should not be forgotten, and which will help the outside public to form a judgment on th. whole merits of the case. The Oldham operatives, as we pointed out on Saturday, are more inclined than the rest of their order to take the side of the masters. The reason is that at Oldham the system of co-operation has been tried more extensively than elsewhere, and whether it has succeeded or failed it has at least taught the opera- tives the difficulties of the masters' position, and the necessary conditions under which alone trade can DO carried on at all. A verdict based upon experIence of this kind is of no little weight just now. Let us see next in what position the men would be left if the proposed reduction in their wages were earned out. A cood working hand can earn, we are told, between thirty- three and thirty-four shillings a week. If we take 10 per cent. away from this, it will leave still a clear thirty shillings a week. Women will be brought down to twenty- two or twenty-three shillings a week, but no lower. The assumption of the working hands is that the old rate of wages is their due, and that a struggle against its reduction is necessarily a just and righteous one. Curiously enough, they hold at the same time that if the struggle comes they will infallibly be beaten by the mas- ters, and that they will be forced by and by to give in' to the terms which they are now refusing. We do not quite see how the two beliefs can be held to- gether. The fair rate of wages is surely that which the masters can be forced to pay. There Is no inherent sanctity in thirty-three shillings a week above that in thirty shillings. Either rate may be just or either may be monstrously unjust. The question is the very simplest one of demand and supply. Whether the men are receiving more or less than in 1853 is really nothing to the purpose. The rate of 1878 must be settled by the state of things which prevails 11878. We shall be glad when this improves, but in the meanwhile thirty shillings a week is good subsistence allowance as the earnings of a single man.

On the subject of the strike, The Times has pub. lished the following letter :— Sir,—As the friend, as I am often called, of the agricul- tural labourer, as well as by having ministered for 25 years in the early part of my life iu a large parish in Lancashire chiefly peopled with colliers, weavers, and factory hands, I have, I believe, to some extent secured the confluence and goodwill of workmen of all descriptions. Deeply impressed with a foreboding of the ruin which they are rashly pre- paring for themselves, I am anxious to exert any influence I may have in dissuading the factory hands of Lancashire from persevering any longer in the suicidal strike which they have begun. My friends in Lancashire can hardly doubt my experience atter 25 years' residence among them. I am sure they will not doubt my sincerity and good will. Let me earnestly beg of them to bear in mind that whether they succeed or not, they must in the end be greatly the losers. If they succeed in resisting the reduction of 10 per cent., it will be years before they can replace the loss occasioned by the difference between strike pay and full working pay. if at least the strike contiulles an average length of time. If they fail, as they are by lheir own confession Dearly sure to do, since they will have to reBume work at reduced wages, it will take still longer time to make up their loss. Meanwhile, fr1m want of food, they will themselves have declined in health and strength, and, owing to continued idleness, will have lost much of their love of work and of their power of producing work of first-rate character. Their homes will have been made comfortless by the sale of much of their furniture, their wives and families will have suffered great privation, a heavy scare will have been ru n up at the shops, and an unpleasant feeling, not easily to be removed, will have been established between capital and labour, masters and men. The above is the sure result of a strike under any circumstances. Often the masters suffer as much as the men, but in the present instance the strike on the part of the men is more than usually suicidal. The general depression of trade is not likely to be relieved as long, at least, as the Eastern crisis lasts. It must, therefore, be manifest to anyone of common sanse that though for the sake of their workmen, many masters might reluctantly and at a loss have continued work, they will be only too glad if those in their employ, by striking, release them from the necessity of making an unprofitable addition to their already too large stock in hand. It will be well if the cotton trade is not driven out of the country.—Your obedient servant, EDWARD GIRDLESTONE, Canon of Bristol and Vicar of Olveston. Olveston Vicarage, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, April 25.

COMMERCE AND THE CRISIS. Deeper gloom covered the Liverpool Exchange on Saturday than at any time during the long duration of the Eastern crisis (says The Times). Hitherto there has always been a sanguine class who had confi- dence in the ultimate settlement of the controversy by peaceful means) but on Saturday this class seemed to have wholly disappeared, and there was a universal impression that an avoidance of war is almost hopeless. This feeling of depression, coupled with the disloca- tion of trade by the strike of Lancashire operatives, had an adverse influence on the cotton market, where the transactions were small—as they have been for several days—and the prices quotably lower. In general produce there was utter stag- nation, and in provisions, even the abnormally low quotations fail to induce business. On the other band there was considerable excitement on the Corn Ex- change, which for a Saturday is unusual; but there was still too much uncertainty to induce large trans- actions, or confident speculation. Holders ask an advance Id. per cental on red and white wheat, but buyers are not disposed to make this concession until the political situation is more clearly defined. The same reserve is apparent with reference to cargoes for future delivery. The warlike preparations in India have had the effect of strengthening freights in the Indian seas, but the engagement of transports is too insignificant to have had any effect on the general shipping trade at home, beyond imparting greater Confidence to ownars.

INDIAN TROOPS AND EUROPEAN WARFARE. Major General Patiiok Maxwell, Bengal Staff Corps (Retired), writing on the subject of the fitnes3 of the Indian troops for employment in Europeau warfare, say#:— It seems to have been unaccountably overlooked that before the warlike races of India became our allies, they were our enemies, and had to be conquered into friendship. History tells how arduous a task this conquest sometimes proved. The Sikhs, in seven bloody battles, some of them of the first magnitude, and one stubborn siege, came more nearly to defeating us than ever the Russians did and several of our desperate battles with them were more sanguinary, actually and proportionately, than any fought by us in the Crimea. At the Alma the total British casu- alties were only 1,983; at Inkerman they amounted to 2,357; but at Chillianwallah the Sikhs slew or wounded 2,359 British. At Sobraon our casualties amounted to 2,383, and at Ferozeshah they rose to the severe figure of 2,423. The charge of the Sikh Horse at Chillianwallali on some of the most renowned British Cavalry will long be remembered. In that murderous action one British infantry regiment lost no less than 518 officers and men killed and wounded in one hot hour of fair battle with the Sikhs, and the long rolls of killed and wounded in many a famous British regiment throughout our memorable contest with that warlike race only too mournfully proved their mettle. But if the Sikhs, acting by themselves, without the advan- tage of British training, arms, and leading could give such trouble to British troops, why should they, when trained, armed, and led by us, and supported by British troops, be supposed unequal to face a Russian foe ? Again, the Mutiny campaign afforded many a proof of the potential value of our Sepoy troops. Windham, with his splendid troops fresh from Eng- land, had but a rough time at Cawnpore—the battle, not the massacre. A distinguished British general now occunying exalted office in this country can tell of the bloody struggle of the revolted llth Bengal Native Infantry with a British detachment de- tailed for its destruction. Sir John Kaye has narrated how at Agra, Chinhut, and elsewhere the hostile Sepoys manoeuvred as on parade, fought, and, alas won. But if our revolted Sepoys, disorganised by mutiny, demoralised by license, without officers and without generals, for two long years contested the soil of India with the flower of England's forces, why should they, with all these conditions reversed, be unfit to cope with Muscovite or Cossack ? Eng- land and Europe will one day find that our Sikhs and Goorkhas, and other warlike Indian races, compactly disciplined, precisely armed, and worthily led will go to any land and face any foe.

STAMMERING IN FRANCE. The Débats publishes some curious statistics of stammering in France. Of 2.086,826 conscripts ex- amined in 20 years, from 1850 to 1869, there were 13 215 exemptions on account of this defect. There were about 700 per annum before the new recruiting law, and they have reached a thousand since the whole force has been subjected to examination. It is calcu- lated that stammering affects 125 per 130,000 persons in France. It is more common in the south than in the north, reaching, for instance, the proportion of more than 15 per 1,000 conscripts in the Basses Alps and Bouches du Rhône; while in the Department of the Haut Rhin the proportion is only 'W per 1,000. This difference is attributed to education being more widespread and the pronunciation more attended to in the north than in the south of France. It is pointed out that as long as exemption from military service is accorded on account of the defect tlitre will be little desire on the part of parents to get their ehildren cured of it. In a recent report to the Minis- ter of Public Instruction, M. Chervin dwells on the necessity of abolishing this exemption on account of a deficiency he considers to be curable by merely oblig- ing children to pronounce rationally.

THE SLAUGHTER OF SMALL BIRDS. Mr. Charles L. B. Gumming, of Her Majesty's Madras Civil Service, writes to The Times :— Sir,—Having recently returned from a winter residence in the South of France, I have been much struck with the total absence of bird life in those charming localities- Cannes. Nice, Mentone, &c.—to which so any of our countrymen resort for health and pleasure dunhg the winter season. One may walk for miles in the pine woods and olive groves around without ever hearing a solitary bird sln, or if one does hear one, by any chance, it is, indeed, a rara avis in terra. How much this detracts from the charm of these places, it does not require an ornithologist to say. The cause of this is not far to seek. Thousands of little birds (thrushes and other song birds, and also songless birds of different kinds) are slaughtered every day to supply the table d h6tes of the different hotels in the above resorts and no menu iB considered complete without a dish of thew. I appeal to my countrymen, and more especially to my countrywomen, to set an example by abstaining from eating any email birds (not falling under the deno < inationof game) jii future, and thus put a stop to a cruel and senseless slaughter! The sacrifice will not be great; t'ney scarcely affoni a mouthful each, aud their very smallness ought to serve them as a protection. Nature clearly did not intend them lor the table, but to grace the woods. It may be a matter of surprise to some that the self- interest of the cultivators of the soil should not have sufficed to protect the smaller birds from destruction in view to the preservation of their crops from vermin, but I may point out that as the staple productions of the Riviera are the olive, the orange, and citron, and not cereals, the need for the services of small birds is probably not felt. The remedy,' however, lies in our own hands. We all know that there is a great power in the ferce of example, and I feel sure that if every one who is about to visit the Riviera for health or pleasure would resolutely refuse to partake of small birds any more, the supply would cease with the demand, and the woods of the Riviera, now denuded of bird life, would in a few years' time again re-echo with Bong.

AN UNUSUAL STRIKE. A. otrik-9 of a raihor unusual nature htM beau keeping the town of Barcelona in a Etate of gentle excitement puring the past fortnight. The municipal councillors, it appears, have thought proper to impose a tax upon the gas, a step which the inhabitants strongly dis- approve, and in order to give practical demonstration of their discontent they abstain from lighting theirgas burners. A large number of the tradespeople close their establishments at nightfall, ethers employ oil lamps, the cafes supply their customers with composite candles, the wine shops and humbler eating-houses with dips. for which their empty bottles serve in lien of candlesticks. In private houses a demi- obscurity reigns, and the gas company is being in- undated with letters from the heads of households in- forming them that, until the objectionable tax is sup- pressed, they can cut off supplies. With the exception of one incident, however, the demonstration seems to be running its course peaceably enough. A few nights ago, when the Hotel de Ville appeared brilliantly and defiantly lit up with gas, a handfull of roughs amused themselves by flinging stones at the win- dows of the building, one or two persons being slightly injured in the collision which ensued between the stone-throwers and the police. In consequence of this, precautions have been taken by the authorities to prevent any future disturbance, but none seems likely to occur, the townspeople being, according to the latest accounts, placidly resigned to their dimly-lighted dwellings. The municipal coun- cillors, it is said, are determined not to yield, but this state of things is by no means regarded with equa- nimity by the gas company, which is, in fact, the principal sufferer. To put an end to the dispute a petition has been addressed to the Governor of the town urging him to act as mediator between the belli- gerents and should no good result from this, the gas company have intimated their intention of summoning the municipal councillors before the civil tribunal in order to obtain compensation for the loss their obstinacy is causing them.

CONCESSIONS TO ENGINE-DRIVERS. For some time past the engine-drivers and firemen of the South Eastern Railway have been agitating for certain concessions in point of hours of labour and of wages. Delegates from the men have recently waited upon the directors, who have made the following arrangements:— 1. That the week's work be 60 hours, and that all over the sixty hours be paid at the rate of 10 hours per day. 2. That all work done between midnight on Satur- day and midnight on Sunday be paid for at the rate of eight hours per day. 3. That the following be the rates of wages for drivers :—1st year, 5s. 6d. per day 2nd year, 6s. 3rd year, 6s. 6d. 4th year, 7s.; and after seven years, 7s. 6d. per day. 4. The wages of firemen to remain as at present, ex- cepting that no fireman start at lefs than 3.. 6d. per day, and must be over 18 years of age. Besides these concessions the directors of the com- pany have agreed that the payment of wages is to be so arranged that a man away on pay-day shall be paid on his arrival home. Attention will also be given to the providing of weather-boards at end of bunker for pro- tection in running tender first, and other minor mat- ters will be left to tbq new locomotive superintendent (Mr. Stirling) to deal with. The board promised to be accessible to the men, through the superintendent, in the event of any complaint as to the non-carrying out of these concessions, and urged upon the delegates to impress upon the men the necessity for economy in working the engines, so as to partly recoup the com- pany for the increased expenditure. The men have accepted the terms.

AVAILABLE FORCES. In an article under the above head, the Whitehall Review remarks:— The outbreak of war would instantly range on the side of England, as fast allies, bound by the strongest ties of self interest and self-preservation, the Roumanians, the Turks, the Greeks, the Hungarians, the Servians, and even the Bulgarians, who are be. ginning to find out that they have not obtained free- dom through the Russians, but only exchanged one set of masters for another, who are much harder taskmasters than the old ones. There would also be strong agitation throughout Poland, and probably risings sufficiently serious to detain a large body of Russian troops there, and to deter Russia from the risk which she would run by relying on her Polish regi- ments, or by sending them to the front. Then Italy seems nearly certain to join England, and though at first France probably would not co-operate, vet the sympathies of her people would be entirely with Eng- land, and she would eventually find it; impossible to refrain from assisting her. England would thus have all she could want—large and friendly populations in the disputed districts, anxious to fight for her, and only asking for officers, arms, and the sinews of war, all of which would be immediately furnished them on their supplying men. Again, in AIa., the raw material for revolt and resistance to Russian oppression is quite as ready to hand throughout the Caucasus and Georgia, and even further East. The supply of arms, officers, and money would raise all that country in revolt. England's own army would be a very for- midable one she could send at once two corps d'armee amounting to 70,000 men from England, could with- draw from India 30,000 English troops, thus having 100,000 British troops a.s the backbone of her forces; while she would also draw from India, without the slightest difficulty, 300,000 native troops from her own empire, and 230,000 more as oontingents sent by the native Princes of India.. The Maharajah of Gwalior. the Nizam, and other princes would be only too proud were they invited each to famish a contingent to serve under the British colours and command in such a war. England could thus put in the field and maintain without the slightest difficulty her own army of 600,000 men—viz., 100,000 English and 500,000 Indian troops. In addition to these there would be her allies, for whom she would have to find officers, arms, and money, and over whose forces she would have absolute control— say 50,000 Roumanians, 200,000 Turks, 60,000 Greeks, 100,000 Hungarians, and 40,000 Servians, making about 450,000 men more, or a total of more than one million men under arms controlled by England. Be- yond this there would be a fine army of from 70,000 to 80,000 Italians as allies.

RESTORATION OF THE APPARENTLY DROWNED. # The School Board of London have, on the applica- tion of the National Lifeboat Institution, decided to instruct all their scholars, now numbering 111,000, boys and girls, in its important directions for the re- storation of the apparently drowned. It is t) be hoped that other schools throughout the country will de the same, for scores of lives are lost every year on the sea coast, in rivers, canals, and docks from a want of knowledge of the merest elements of the prompt manner of treating the apparently drowned. The leading principles of these directions for the restoration of the apparently dead from drowning are founded on those of the late Dr. Marshall Hall, combined with those of Dr. H. R. Silvester, and are the result of ex- tensive inquiries which were made by the institution some years since among medical men, medical bodies, and coroners throughout the United Kingdom and in the Colonies. They are also in use in Her Majesty's Fleet, in the Coastguard Service, and at all the stations of the British Army at home and abroad. Large placards of these instructions, with illustrations printed thereon, can be supplied by Messrs. Clowes and Sons, printers, Charing cross, London, at a cost little beyond the actual price of the paper on which they are printed.

THE HARSH VOICE OF AMERICAN WOMEN. The peculiarly shrill and harsh voice usually associ- ated with American women has drawn forth a lengthy communication from a prominent clergyman, the Rev. E. E. Hale (says the Evening Standard). This letter, addressed to a Boston lady, was read at the recent meeting of the Ladies' Physiological Institute of that city. It would perhaps, be advis- able if Mr. Hale, for His own sake, refrained from attending any meeting- of his countrywomen for some time to come, as his; personal safety under such circumstances might be jeopardised. American ladies do not often get such plain speaking as that with which Mr. Hale has just favoured them. Most American women, he \;&ys, talk with a shrill voice, and if they wish to gain power, seek it by sharpening the note, or screaming, rather than by giving more volume. One incident he related is certainly worth pondering by the fair ones of the West. Happening to b" at the great dining saloon of the Bauer au Lac Hotel in Zurich, when five hundred people were dining at once at their different tables, Mr. Hale affirms that he could single out his own countrywomen in all parts of the hall, no matter what their distance, by the shrill yell, more or less nasal, with which they summoned the waiters, ordered soup, asked for a napkin, or passed from pastry to ice-cream. The merciless critic continues :— Above the general roar of the buzz-buzz-buzz of the five hundred voices in conversation, you could distinguish the war cry of those eight or ten American women, as you distin- guish signal rockets at night above a long and dark line of entrenchments. A casual observer would have had no difficulty in telling, at the end of the day, how much pastry theee women ate, or how often their plate* were changed Mr. Hale attributes all this vocal discord and dis- order to the training which American women receive in their youth, being taught to read loudly at school rather than with expression. This may hive some- thing to do with it, but another cause possibly for this unpleasant shouting is to be found in the habits of self-assertion on the part of American women. The same thing was at :the basis of the women's rights movements, the Bloomer movement, and all others whereby American women have attempted to assert their equality with man. They forget that woman's charm lies in her gentleness, modesty, and retirement; and as they must have attention they are prepared to attract it in an unwomanly manner rather than lose it altogether. Referring to Lear's description of Cordelia, Her voice was ever soft, Gentle, and low, an exceUent thing in woman," Mr. Hale said if he had money enough he would have the letters written in gold, and hung in every public schoolroom in the United States. As American women will speak—Mr. Hale said he should have no tears if he never heard a woman make a speech; while to many others tears would be likely to come for the opposite reason—perhaps it is advisable that they should cultivate that softness wLich after all is the real music of a woman's voice.

GENERAL TODLEBEN ON THE SIEGE OF PLEVNA. An interesting letter from General Toaleben to General Brialmont, on the. siege of Plevna, is pub- lished by the Jonrnal du Genie. Last December General Brailmont, in his own name and in that of the other Belgian engineer officers, congratulated Todle- ben on the fall of Plevna and the latter, in expressing his thanks for General Brialmoni's communication, enclosed a plan of the Russian aud Turkish positions and a description of the siogei. Tn. latter concludes as folluws: At first our troops approached Plevna simultaneously with the Turks, out the 6th of July we were forced to retire before overwhelming forces. The enemy at once began to fortify the position, and he continued to do so with extraordinary energy and activity for several months. We wished t) take Plevna by assault at any cost; but our attacks of the L,th oi July and the 30th of August were successfully beaten back by the enemy, and they cost us 30,000 men. All our approaches met with an obstinate re- sistance. To take them all by surprise was impos- sible all our partial attacks were at once answered by a most terrible and murderous fire. The enemy did not show the smallest symptoms of demoraliza- tion. The number of deserters was inconsiderable, and the prisoners were well clad and nourished. But, according to all the accounts which reached me, the provisions in the town could not last longer than the middle of December. The winter was approaching our people grew impatient, and their impatience was increased by the news of the storming of Kara. An assault was regarded as the only means of putting an end to the resistance at Plevna. But I opposed this idea with all the energy with which my convictions had inspired me. Osman Pasha was waiting for a new and decisive attack from our side; he yearned for it with all his heart, being quite convinced that he would, thanks to his improved fortifications, beat us back and inflict even greater losses upon us than he did on the 30th and 31st of August. He did not doubt that after such a success he would be able to cut his way through before his provisions should be exhausted."

AN OSTRICH CHASE. The following very amusing incident appeared in a recen numoer of the Buenos Ayres Standard:- "The news from the camp is refreshing. Ostrich farming is raising its head at last, and the most novel incident in camp life for many a day has been the driving of a flock of ostriches from the Partido of Chacabuco to Las Heras. Nothing of the kind was before known or heard of, or recounted. Sheep driving, cattle driving, even pig and goat driving we have heard of, but ostrich driving beats every. thing in camp tradition. Mr. James Casey, estan- ciero of Chacabuco is the hero of the story. Having a large flock of ostriches at Chacabuco, he deter- mined to send a email flock down to his other estancia at Las Heras. He engaged two trusty peoues to drive the flock. They started at day- light, but as well might they have started the day before, for the birds, like the hoises in his country, know their querencias; and to get the flock a league from the estancia was the rub tI n'est que Ie premier pas que coute. Once free. the wires and on the high road the birds weut üklJg as freely as a Scotchman on the high road to England; there was no twisting or turning; the oairiches kept their stately pace, and never attempted.. zig-zag run until in front of a friendly puesto. It'may be that the astonishent of the puesto frightened tl 3 birds, but certain it is that here the birds began to rUI, and the peones and the neighbours after them. emore the ostriches run the greater the gathering of the neigh- bours. Such a sight waR never before or SÍJlce seen in the camp. Puesteros left their sheep and etsancieros their cattle to join in the throng. The news spread over the camp like wildfire that Mr. Casey, at the head of 5,000 ostriches was passing over the camp. The women got the children inside and barred the doors, the boys gathered up the horses, and there was that wild sauve qui peut feeling as if the Indians were coming; down galloped 500 neighbours tearing across banados and lomadas, into lagunas, over corralee, and up to the horses bellies in arroyos. Away went the birds and away went the men. "Glory, glory!" shouted the astonished villagers of the little towns as the birds half ran and flew into kitchens, corrales and out-houses. Meanwhile the birds were winning the day fast, for the horses were done up. Hundreds of neighbours that had turned out were leagues behind; there were ostriches on the road, ostriches in corrales, ostriches in potreros, ostriches in quintas, ostriches in characs, and ostriches in huertas—even to the very tops of the ranches these noble birds in their bewilderment had fled. Men were seen swimming the Lujau river, shouting" avestruz avestruz As the story goes, jueces de paz, alcades tenientes, and vigilantes joined in the chase. The whole country from Chacabuco to Las- Heras was trodden down, wires broken, fences smashed, and all for the driving of 17 ostriches 20 leagues. The affair lasted three days, and, we may say, three nights, for the worst part of the business was the night; no matter where they were shut up for the night, certain in the morning not a bird was left. We regret we have no more room to describe this most extraordinary event. The Canadian gentleman who favoured us with the story says that it would fill the whole Standard; suffice it to say, that on the evening of the third day, as the sun was declining, Mr. Casey with his flock of ostriches drove up to the estancia at Las Hferas, nor. short a bird, but willingly admitting that the next time he attempted to drive ostriches he would not ask the neighbours to help him.

The American Correspondent of The Times writes -"There are rumours to-day from San Francisco to the effect that Russian agents are negotiating for a steamer to fit out as a privateer. Blank letters of marque and blank commis- sions for officers are reported to be there ready forfllling up, while 200 men, drawn chittly from the unemployed classes, have alrtady signed articles. Two officers, formerly of tho Pacific Mail line, have been named as likely to be appointed to command the privateer. I send this report as received without, however, vouching for its authenticity. A Russian corvette, the Cray&ser, has been for Eom^Jtinae at San Fran- cisco."

DISASTER TO FISHING BOATS IN THE BAY OF BISCAY. The. Correspondent of the Daily Kews, writing from Madrid on April 23, says A terrible disaster occurred in the Bay of Biscay last Saturday. It was Holy Week, and for several days the fishing boats had not left their ports. The nets had been hung out to dry, and the men loitered about to look on at the quaint processions of Good Friday. The weather had been very fine during the earlier part of the week, and on Satur- day the sun rose gloriously on a quiet sea. Ac- cordingly, before eight o'clock the sails of the fishermen of Biscay studded the horizon. By midday the breeze shifted to the north-east, and a line of clouds appeared far away in the horizon. The sea rose very fast, and the waves increased on the sands. Gulls and other birds began to sweep along the surface of the water with their peculiar cry. The sky grew overcast rapidly, and then the fierce "noroeste," the north-wester of Basque ballads, began to howl and rage in a manner which made the bravest hearts quake. People gathered on the piers and on the rocks to gaze at the approaching squall, which came on with rain, hail, and sleet, hiding the sea from view, and driving all to their homes. When the squall was over crowds of women and children flocked around the dismayed authorities, and despairingly complained of the Post Captain having allowed the boats to leave. In vain did the officials protest that they had no reason to suppose that the beautiful morning would end in a squall. In vain did they say that they had no power to prevent the men going on their expedition. Heartrending cries were heard, and still no news came, until it was reported that, on fome beach, three shipwrecked boys had been found. Then planks and baskets washed in, and larger vessels which had weathered the storm brought in the dismal tale. The evening waned, and some boats more fortunate came in, only to increase the agony of -the bereaved with certain details ef the destruction of their comrades. Santander had lost seven large boats and five smaller ones, with 67 men and lads. Other places in the same province had during the night re- ported about 25 boats lost, with crews varying from four to eleven hands. Biscay, however, had suffered most, and the excitement in Bilbao was intense on Sunday, as telegram after telegram came from in from the alcaldes on the coast. Off Cape Machijhaco, well-known to all vessels entering the Bilbao river, the sq uall had been most violent. Elauchovi, with 300 inhabitants, lost 59 men and 8 boats Lequietio, Deva, Ondorr.oa., andPlencia, each lost three smacks. At the head of the casualty list stands Bermeo, the picturesque and lovely little town situated near the cape; 106 of its fishermen perished in 15 boats. The alcalde of the place tele- graphs that the misery and grief of the wretched families are terrible. More than 40 widows and 200 children, in a town of 1,800 inhabitants, are mourn- ing this great calamity. Details have not yet been re- ceived from Asturias and the GaKcian coast. The official telegrams report a total loss up to yesterday of 320 men and boys in about 90 boats of different sizes. The local authorities have taken steps to relieve the widows and orphans, and for that purpose subscrip- tions have been raised in Bilbao, Santander, and Madrid. For the most pressing requirements the Government telegraphed to place 5,000 pesetas, about £200, at the disposal of the governors of Bilbao and Santander. The Basques residing in Madrid have formed a committee to receive subscriptions and to forward the same to the provincial authorities. Little wreckage has been cast ashore by the sta, and no trace is left of the greater part of the fishing fleet of Biscay.

VERY INGENIOUS! An ingenious plan is suggested by a German pro- fessor for a satisfactory adjustment of the present difficulties between Russia and Great Britain. The proposal for the simultaneous retirement of the Rus- sian troops and the English fleet to a distance to be fixed by a time calculation he maintains is one that. even if it could be carried into effect, would place both nations in a ridiculous position, and make them the laughing-stock of the world. He thinks, moreover, that when thus separated they would be far more un- comfortable than they are at present, when they can to a certain extent watch each other's movements. Their nerves would, he says, be kept in a constant state of tension, owing to mutual suspicion. The slightest rumour would lead to "false starts," and perhaps to am mad race towards Constantinople, ending in their again being brought face to face in a highly irritable and irritated condition. All this trouble might be obviated, and the affair happily arranged, by the simple method of allowing the Russian army to be conveyed home by the British Fleet, it being clearly understood that the fleet was not to return to Turkish waters without bringing back the army and placing it in the same position as before. As regards the meeting of the Congress, the professor holds that all differences might be pleasantly arranged by letting two Congresses meet, one on the British, the other on the Russian plan. The resolutions arrived at by those bodies are, if necessary, to be submitted to the consideration of a third Congress, to meet at some future day when everybody's passions have cooled down.—Pull Mall Gazette.

POOR BULGARIA! The following article from a Bucharest journal gives some information upon the Russian plan of reorganization for Bulgaria. "Poor Bulgaria, until yesterday the slave of the Turk, is menaced to-day with being smothered in the embraces of the Russians, and furnishes a faithful illustration of the species of liberty which the Rus- sian Government is pleased to introduce into the East, and of the administration which it desires to ¡ inaugurate in the land watered by so many streams I of blood. The system of administration put in practice on the other side of the Danuba in Hulgaria. is precisely like the bureaucraey which op- presses Poland. The country is divided into ten I Governments, inlltead of five, 8.'1 bdore, and sub- divided into eighty arrondissements, in place of forty. The number of civil employes brought from Russia is enormous. The greater part of these officials are in military uniform, and they are paid so highly that the Budget is four times as greit as it was under the Turks. Russia has a marked predilec- tion for an army of employes. She believes that she can insure the happiness of Bulgarians by trans- forming half the population into well-paid officials and placing a gendarme at the back of every citizen, thus placing all his movements under the eye of a spy disguifed in military uniform and paid out of the State Budget. The liberty which holy Russia brings to Bulgaria is worthy of this liberator who holds in her chains unhappy Poland, and who strangles in her subjects every pretension to liberty. Bulgarians who escaped yesterday from the yoke of the Ottoman are certainly not to be envied to- morrow. Saddled with this system of Russian ad- ministration, with this liberty and the protection of their generous liberator, the poverty which already reigns in Bulgaria. will certainly increase in frightful proportions. What does it matter to the Russians to pay out of the Bulgarian pockets to a Governor 28,000 roubles, and to a Chief of Arrondissement 9,000 roubles per annum, as long as their mission is to give to Bulgaria the liberty of a second Russia ? It is evident that if Europe does not take in hand the cause of the Christians in the East, if she leaves to the Russians alone the part ef liberator and organizer of these down-trodden people, then unhappy will be the fate of these Christians, and the evils which they will endure must finally make themselves felt through- out the whole of Europe."

AMERICAN HUMOUR. The Americans, like the Greeks did, delicately speak of an ugly woman as a mistake of the angels." An editor offers a reward of five dollars for the best treatise on "How to make out-door liCe attractive to the mosquito." A hawk stooped down upon a weather vane on a church spire, and was disgusted to find it only an imitation rooster. Have you damp sheets in your house ?" asked a guest of a manager of a fashionable hotel, as he registered his name. No," replied the mauager, but I'll have a pair dampened for you. if you wish." The stranger retired. The sun had sunk behind the western hills, and the bright rayj which streaked the horizon bad disappeared, when a lovely female, who had been but six short weeks a bride, sat in a secluded apartment with her husband. She slowly moved her sylph-like form towards the partner of her bosom, raised her delicate hand, and-slapped his face A genius down East intends applying for a patent fer a m81"hine which, he saye, when wound up and in motion, will chase a hog over a ten-acre lot, catch, yoke and ring him or by a slight change of geariug, it will chop into sausages, work hh bristles into ihoe-brushes, and manufac- ture his tail into a corkscrew. An American says that a new way of fastening on ladies' hats is to bore the tops of their ears, put in old hoops and have the hat-strings tied through them. Thus, step by step, we tread the pathway to perfection, and ere the darkneslof death envelopes all the world, man will have utilized his nose in holding up his trousers or pulling on his boots.

EPITOME OF NEWS. BRITISH AND FOREIGN. A Butler county oil well is said to emit balls of fire, which explode with a tremendous noise. A ticket-counting machine has been introduced in Germany, which is said to count packages of ten, fifty, or hundred tickets with absolute exactness, bringing to view the face of every ticket as it is counted, the machines have been used for some time on the Hanover railroads, and have recently been ordered by several other German and Austrian roads. A modtl of the New York Post Office, constructed on the scale of one-thirty-second of an inch to the foot, has been sent to the Paris Exhibition. It was built from the plans, and contains 284,000 pieces. It occupied the time of one man, working six hours a day, for six years to complete it. A Spanish correspondent says that the propaganda against bull-fights has commenced in downiight earnestness. Several members of the Cortes have asserted that tho con- tinuation of this brutal form of amusement disgraces Spain before Europe, while it must act injuriously upon the SpaIJish character. A Padua publisher is to send to the Paris Exhibition an edition of Dante scarcely longer than the thumbnail, and intended for a watch-chain appendage. The letters are so small as to resemble grains of sand, and few, of course, can decipher them without a magnifyiug-glass. Little American fresh meat was imported last week- Only three consignments were landed at Liverpool from America, whilst the quantities were unusually small. The totals were 2,000 quarters of beef, 800 carcases of mutton, and 175 uead pig". In live stock the numbers were above recent weeks, 'ihere were landed 660 head of oxen, 215 pige, as well as 50 carriage horses. In London, on Monday evening, a committee for the promotion of the active service vuluuteer movement was held at the committee rooms, Straud; Lieutenant- General Kaines presiding. It was stated that there are now on the committee two generals, five colonels, fix pajors, nine captains, and a number of members of Parliament. The actual rumber of those who have given in their names t. about 8,300. Lady Menzies, wife of Sir Robert MenzieR, Bart., of Farleryer, died on Monday afternoon. It is supposed that the excittment atteudant on the fire at Castle Menz'es last week, combined with the marriage of her daughter, had affoct,d her health, which had been delicate for some time. She had been completely prostrated since Wednesday last, aad she gradually IiWIJI; and died. From a return ju4 isued, it alJpears that the Mid- | land Railway Easter excursion trafi1 has beea considerably in excess of tbat ot any preYlOUB year. It is solacing to ono's patriotic feelings to know that the Army and Militia Reserve-men haye turned up in the nio;t satisfactory manner allover the Couutl Y If hitehcill Review. 1 n order to investigate the cOLteDts cf the Pari" Exhibition the visitor wiH have to w"lk twenty miJeg. X 0 less than thirty perSOllS were summoned at Maidstone on Saturday and Onod for keeping dogs without a license. A man employed in a brewery at Sheffield, while taking a thermometer out of a vat on Saturday night to ascertain the temperature, was overpOi\eJec1 by the fumes, fell in, and ws suffocated. There is an extensive strike in Catalonia, and 130 factories have had to stop work, A nephew of the King- of Burmah, named Moong Lat, who has resided for some years as a State prisoner lit Cannanore, ha3 been baptised by the chaplain of that station.—Times of India Vesuvius is showing some signs of an eruption. On the evening of the 23rd a column of flame roie at short intervals from the crater. The number of young men in the kingdom of Spain who this ytar attain the age of twenty, when they bCC0me liable to be called upon to serve in the army, amoulJts t 150,869 Of these, however, nearly half are declared to be physically unfit (or service, or are excused for some other reason and of the remaining 75,000, about 20,000 are re- qu1rtd for the navy, for the army maintained in the foreign pcs3essions of Spain, or have purchued exemption from mili. tary service by paying £ -80 each te the State. The rest form the contingent of recruits for the preaent year. The Standard says that Portland will be the rendez- vous of the ships now preparing to form the fleet for the Channel and North Sea, and to that port the coast-guard and turret ships will proceed as soon as ready. .An observing correspondent eulogizes our Premier's turn-out, and thinks it the neatest thing in town. TIH horse is a strongly built high-stepping bay, the servants in light chocolate livery, with every button like burnished gold—the carriage itself a quite unpretending one, with the tiniest of coronets on the panel, while inside, as it rapidly p"lsses, you just catch a g:imp6e ot that wlÜte, strangely immovable face which is never looking towards you, but is always apparently engrossed in studying the dimensions of the coachman's back. The Premier scarcely ever Fees a a bow, aLd would hardly ever recognize a press interviewer if he got Into the vacant seat in the brougham to have a taik.-eourt Journal. Thirty-five British and foreign wrecks were reported during the past week, making the total for the year 485, or a decrease of 255, as compared with the correponding period of last year. Vessels and cargoes were approxi- mately valued at £ 350,000, including British property £ 25°,000. Reports of the sufferings from famine of the popula- tion in Brazil continue to be most grave. 0 less than 50,000 fugitives from the interior are assembled at Aracaty alone, and they die off at the rate of 100 per day. At Bar- balho cat and other animals starved to death are eaten raw. In other places the dogs lire upon the unburied human bodies. The Uniúd Service Gazette has it on trustworthy authority that the necessary machinery has been completed for calling out every naval reserve man of the mercantile marine in the United Kingdom, If deemed necessary, and wheu put in motion forty-eight hurs will suffice for actually placin the mell on board the several ships in which they may be detailed to serve. The ship Southesk, of 1,150 tons, Captain Grey, R.N.B. sailed from Gravesend on April 25, bound for Bris- bane, Queensland, and had on board 115 sing1e men, 63 single women, 9 married people, 78 children betwem the ages of 12 and 1, and 9 infants, making a total of 363 souls, equal to 315 adults. The single wumen are under the care of Mrs. Jaap. Dr, J. Raphael Joseph acting as surgeon-superinten- dent. Last Saturoay night Mr. Archibald Forbes narrated in the largest public hall in Wolverhampton his lecture ou his personal experiences as Correspondent of the Dailll Sem during the Rus!O. Turkish war. The gathering was a very large one, and included Dr. Bond Moore, well known as Olle of the Stafford House surgeuns during the late war. The lecturer was received with mnch enthusiasm his graphic ciescriptions were listened to with wrapt attention, and he was frequently and warmly applauded. 1Ir. Cecil Rakes addre sed his constituents at Chester on Monday evening. REferring to the great ques- tion of the day, the hon. gentleman said that England was standing forward as the champion of the public right of Europe. She did not grudge Russia some reward for a gallant campaign, but she would not allew treaties which expressed the public right of the world to be altercd in a corner "between Ol1e man who had got his foot on his adversary's neck and another who saw a dagger at his heart." On Thursday in la.8t week, the remains of an old Waterloo veteran, David Williams, were interred at Coal- brookdale. In 181e he enlisted ill the Royal Artlllerv, em- barked for Spain in 1814. an,) he was present at the battle úf Toulouse, April 10, Ib14. Returned to England, his brigade embarked for Ostend in 1815, and he served under GeUtral Picton at Waterloo. Ue was in tRe Army of Occupation in Paris for thiee years, and, returning to Chatham, was dis- charged without apensiou ill November, 1819 but ill March, 1S74, unùtr the RcyalWarraut referring to soldiers who had served preYious to and ill 181[, he became entitled to and nceived a pension of Is Get. per diem. He was in his 87th year. Several engagements with HIe Kaffirs are reported from the Cape of Good Hope, and di3a!fectioB appears to be spreading. The Governor of the Colony, in replying to an address at GrahamFtown, regretted that he could not hold out any hope that peace was near. A debt has been incurred hy the war, and a million and a half of money will be required to complete the railwaj's. The small chain makers of Cradley-heath at a meeting held on Monday, detennined to continue on strike till the increase in wages they demand IS granted by the masters. A UU8!!ian journal, describing the" curious" dress of the Highland regiments in Her Majesty's service ;;p<aksof them as being the "untamed" descendants of the Ancient Britons, whose fantastic garb they still affect. "They are huge, robust, red-headed men are these picturesque Highlanders few of them can speak the modern language of the English people; but still this does not hinder them from fighting well, and they make excellent infantry Bashi-Bazouksfor the British Army. Vanity Fair. Prince Bismarck's medical adviser, Dr. Struck, has intimated at Berlin that the Prince will be able, anct that he intends, to return to the capital in about a fortnight or three weks from this time. A disappointed poultry keeper who had exception- ably bad luck last season, closes b:.s chapter of lamentations by declaring that "every prospect pleases, and on1y hens are vUe "-Jlark Lane Express. The first catch of mackerel at Weymouth this sea- son tonk place last Saturday, and on Monday there was another "take." Mr. C. 8. Read, M.P., at a meeting of the Norfolk Chamber 01 Agriculture on Saturday, spoke on the Highways Bill. The hon. gentleman said that while generally agreeilJg with the measure, he regretted that personl11 property as well as real property was not to be taxed for the maintenance of the highways. He thought that some taxes, and particu- larly the tax upon locomotion, should be givfn to the countics to assist in maintaining the main thoroughfares of a disirict. He also thought that the receipts from the dog tax, and from gun license-, should 'e paid to the local aU1 ho- ritles in England, as was done iu the case of the dog tax in Ire1and. He further contended that quarries aud mines, the products of whIch caused considerable (1amage to roads.in their conveyance from phce to place, should be 85seued' at the same rate as agricultural laud. A hint to purchasers of Russian stock. all Saturdy last I passed some large work jtist as the men were going home. I heard one mall say to another, Well, Bill, are we going to war with the Roossians ? I don't know," repHed Bill, "I suppose the Roossialls are only waiting till we give them the money to do it! Vanity Fair. The Archdeacon of Chester delivered his visitation charge to the churchwardens at Overton Church Frodsham on Monday, remarking that we lived in times when it wa necessary to husband, and not waste, our energy; 10 be zealous, and not fussy." They might, he said, be official if they liktd, but he asked them not to be officious. The Midland Railway Company have introduced the use of the telephone into their txtenslve establishment at Derby, and are employing it in several of their principal departments, where It has been pronounced to be a complete success. At the Egyptian Hall, in London, on Monday night, Mr. Maskelyne introduced to a public audience Fanfare, a trumpeter, the lattst of his additions to the remarkable automatic figures exhibited in :Maskel) lie and Cooke's entertainmeut at tile Egyptian Hall. The difficulty of produdng the notes from the musical instrument Ileld by the figure has for the first time been successfully overcome, and duets and trios the automaton performed wIth extra- ordinary skiJl. 4lthough some of the higher notes were not so pure as those of the btst human plijers, the succus of the invention was placed beyond all doubt. Her Majesty held an investiture of the Imperial Order of the Star of India at Windsor on Monday. Experiments in the methods of destroying an enemy's guns whelJ captured have been some time in pro- gress at the Rojal Laboratory Department, RoYII.I Arsenal, Woolwich, and are now near completion It is found that in most cas'-s a lIb. slab of gun-cotton laid upon the gun near the muzzle wIll either hreak t-lie gun or 80 distort it as to render it incapable of being loaded, and attempts are now being made by ginlllar meaus to render the gun UP service- able by damaging the vent. It is proposed to furnish bat- terics of Artillery with discs of gUIJ,cüttOI1, lengths of fuze, and detonators for this service in the same manner as t'e Cavalry pidleerd carry the means for destroying railway mda1s aná bridges. The Lmperor of Brazil is to viit Europe again in June, 11' hell it iil stated he will be at the Paris Exhibi- tion. A Greek gentleman who has just returned from Athens informs us (Globe) that the CUlfent of fee'ing ill favour of Ellgl<1ud is woiideriully strong all over Greece. X ot only is this the case in the towns, but tbe peasants, who take II. keen and inldligent interest in 10reil'n affairs, are alwaJ8 arguing, "Ii 0111)' Euglcud will take us with her we shaH be all right." Tills 80rrespondent thinks that btèsides tl-e Greek arwy, which would make a respec-table figure, ther., wou1d be large nrmbers of volunteerll, Ü their pay were guaranteed by England. Preaching to the Hallamshire Rifles, at St. Mary's, Warley, on Sunday, the vicar, the Rev. T. Smith, clused his discourse as fullowil :—* Should the time ever arrive when j'our services may be required to fight tor your country, your wives, and your children, or to resht an invader who might hypocritically approach our shores to protect poor Chris- I have such f"Ith in my countrymen, such thorough confidence in their Christian character, their Irresistible will, that 1 fay with that grand old man, the member fur Sheffield, John Arthur Roebuck, Should occasion require it, England wll1 rise agRÍmt the world in arm?.' The death is announced of Mr. F. H. Moran, the trumpeter who sounded tbe memorable "Charge" at Balaclava when the order was received. Moran was dangerously wounded on that occasion. For the la3t lxteeu yearg he has been bandmaster of the 211d battalion of the 5th Fusilers. There has been a salo at Salt Lake of a portion of Brigham Young's personal property. Some of the articles fetched quite fancy prices. His gold watch rellllsed £ 180, anè. his guard £ 60. And it is SBId that if all the rs. of Brigham Youvg's chattels wId at a similar figure they would go far towards making a hanwome provisiou for the widows and orphans. The Earl of Aylefford's four-in. hand coach, which is admirably got up, commenced ru,:ming hetween Coventry and 13irmiugham. on Monday morning. It was drawn by four i-pleudid animals, whose harnes bore hJS lordship's crest. The coach was driven by the noble earl I1illlseJf, and its departure from the ancleut citr was watched with grcat interest. His Royal Highness tbe Commander-in-Chief has intimated tha. Army Restrve men may exchange into other regiment ta those to which hcy were first attached, ill. order to rejoin heir old regiments, provided both the giving and receiving regiments are in Ireland and that the strength of corps 18 not affected. A telegram from Washington says that no official information has been rcived by any oepartment of the Government as to prehmmllry 8rr<.mem{)nts having been made by the u,s1an Government, in San Francisco or else. where, for flttlug out crUlsen against England, ill &.LtlCipa. tien of the outbreak of war. In accordance with a resolution arrived at on Saturday afternoon, ahout 2000 men emplo)e.1 011 the North British Railway works at Cowlairs, near Glasgow, came out on strike against the increase of working hour" tv 54 from 61. A deputation walttd upon Mr. Drumuiond, the Super- intendent at Cowlairs, and enleavoureù tu bring about a re- conciliation, but withut auy effect. Mr. Drummond stated that the notice would not be withdrawn, and that the works would be kept open till FrhlayaftRrnooJ1, when he would consider what further gteps ahould be taken. The men then returm d to Glas¡;ow, where a mails meeting of the workmen W:18 being held, and reported the result of Ue interview. After cOIJsultation they agreed to abide by theIr former decision and remain out It was stated that pro. mises Of relief to support the meD on strike had heeD re- ceived from varioUl quarters. ) The BL1 to abo iih act;ons for breach of promise of marriage has oeen Axed to be discussed on the iist of May. Three hon. members have iven notice of their intention to move that it be read a second time that day six months. A limited liability company is about to be established in Birmingham, to bo cailec the Sanitary Supply Association. It ili h ive for its o jec!s the development ot s^nitaTy science an i the 2.pp;ic';bn of the drainage and ventilation of public buiiditgs and private dwellings. The new dog-tax of 6i. will come into operation on the 1st of June next, but the licenses taken out previously wiil remain in force u til the end of the year. It is stated that the authorities o: Somerset House have already 10,000 tummoijses t,) ¿eaT with against persons for having dogs in their possession without licenses. Every one knows that woman's sphere of labour is much less limited in America than in this country but it gives one a new idea of 1 er range of duties te see an illus- trated advertisement of a horse-rake with a woman perched upon the implement as driver.-J[ark Lane Express. After luncheon on Monday, Her Majesty the Queen, accompanied by l'i-ii cess Beatrice and suite, went to the riding school of the Ro_ al mews, and witnessed SOe new military exercises by the 1st Life Guards. rhe Queen d Princess Beatrice took up their position in the gallery, and the men went through some" double ride" exercises atld various ether cavalry manoeuvres with the lance and the sword. In view of the present critical state of laffairs, the Liverpool Customs authorities, it is understood, have received instructions to exercise special vigilance in the examination of export cargoes, and considerably increased activity hat prevailed amongst the officials during the past few days. Japan has sent 15,000 dollars to the Chinese famko fund, among which are subscriptions from the Emperor, the Empress, the Queen-Mother, and the Bress. According to official returrs just issued, it appearL4 that the stoppages from the pay, &e., of soldiers for drunken-" ness amounted to JE179 3s 6d. in the financial year 1376-77. In the previous six years the aggregate amount of these fines exceeded the above sum in four years and was less in two years. The amount thus received is appKed to the purpose of grant- ing gratuities to well-conducted soldiers on their discharge from the army. An accident, which ended fatally, occurred in London on Saturday morning. One of the omnibuses plying between the City and the Edg eware-road was passing Chancery-lane, when a wheel came off, the consequence being that two gentlemtn who were on the roof WOlfe thrown violently to the ground. One of the gentlemen escaped with a few slight bruises; ..ut the other, Mr. Sandwith, of Hammer- smith, was picked up insensible. Though immediately carried to a neighbouring chemist s, where restoratives were applied, he never regained consciousness. His wife was one of the inside passengers. On Monday, amid a scene of great military enthu- siasm, a detachment of the first-class Army Reserve, num- berinz just 100 men. left Chester Castle, under escort of the 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers, to join the dep6t of that regi- ment at Wrexham. Colonel Briggs addressed the men before leaving, complimenting them on their excellent con- duct and the ready way in which they had responded to the call the country had made upon their services. Three cheers were given, and the men marched away to the station. Hundreds of people lined the rows ardeheered them as they passed down. "At the conclusion of an article in reply'to the question, To what extent are the recent reductions in wages compensated by cheaper commodities,' the Economist "ys :—'Altogether we do not regard it as an unfair deduc- tion that the cost of maintaining the household of an artitaft is on the average from 7 to 8 per cent. less than it was five years ago.' ..But; it is added, the recent reductions in wages in the coal and iron districts have reached a far more considerable percentage.' Probably the poor down-trodden farm labourer is just now about the best off of working men, taking the position of whole classes into consideration."— Mark Lane Express. In their ire, some people are calling England a great polypus, which wants to claw over everything. Others, on the opposite side, show Russia's bearish clutches, and bid Europe beware of it. Ha says one, the Russians should have taken Gallipc li and Constantinople at once. and have destroyed the whole English fleet. But, never mind! Even now they can take possession of the Sultan and all his ministers, and thus floor England We are told here that Russia is arming ships in every port throughout the world in order to explode simultaneously on every English ship as soon as war is declared! Friends and foes to Russia all admit that she is working most diligently in secret and underhand, to be prepared for England's attack; and that Gortschakoff has planned this muddle for long, long years! "Paris Notes" in Land and Water. The attempt to raise the Eurydice has been un- successful, and in consequence of the falling tides no fresh endeavour is likely to be made for some days. "We have been authentically informed that Ad* miral Hornby has issued strict orders that no -one writing home from the fleet is to give the slightest information as to its whereabouts, or anything concerning even the ordinary cr extraordinary work of the ships; neither, at the same time, is any intelligence to be given concerning anything whatever connected with the well or ill being of the different ships or the fleet."—Evening Standard. Colonel Marcus Beresford, who has represented Southwark since February, 1870, has issued an %3dress to his constituents, stating that in consequence of the incessant strain of the past eight sessions he cannot continue to hold his seat for Southwark without prolonged leave of absence, and a comparative immunity from correspondence. As such a course is entirely opposed to his views of duty, and also on account of serious illness in his family, he has placed his resignation in the hands of the Couseivative C'CUECII, to deal with as they may think fit. A public conference in connection with the Midland Temperance League was held at Dudley oil Monday. The Rev. Dr. Cosens, who presided, suggested the opening of a limited liability cocoa house. Dr. Tctherick, physician, of the Wolverhampton and Staffordshire Hospital, read a paper on Alcohol: the galll or loss from its use." lie pointed out the advantages of alcohol in medical cases, but held that it was like a surgeon's knife, dangerous in unskilful hands He denied, however, that there was any strength oVitaitel from alcoholic drinks. £ 147,000,000 was spent in drink, and £ 140,000,000 was lost, and worse, for men were killed, minds overthrown, and homes rendered wretched. He recommended tbe establishment of cocoa houses. Dr. Heslop spoke stroncly against alcohol. He looked on alcohol as a superfluity. Wines, spirits, or beer meant the difference between misery and comfort, cleanliness and filth, proper medical attendance and premature death. The Emperor of Russia (writes the Paris Corre- spondent of The Times) is said to be very downcast. The explosion of the sentiment of *hich the acquittal of Vera Zasulitch is the signal, the rnmours of the movement iff Bulgaria, the attitude of the Roumanians, the probable policy of the Turks, and the hostility with which Europe has received the Treaty of which General Ignatieff claims the paternity, seems to weigh heavily on him. All these con. siderations, added to a need of money, which is becoming daily most pressing, lead |p the supposition that Russia will abaudon her unbending attitude and will agree to a compro- mise which will enable her to conform to European law without wounding the national susceptibilities. General Trepoff, who was fired at by Vera Zaslu. titch, has been relieved of his functions as Prefect of St, Petersburg and of the Police. At the annual meeting of the Salford Constitu. tional Association, held "n Monday night, Mr. Hardcastle, Af. P., presiding, a resolution was passed, on the motion of Mr. O. O. Walker, M.P., expressing confidence in the Governmmt, and, in view of the menacing position of fortign affairs, approving of the calling out of the Reserves and the placing of the naval and military services on a footing of the utmost efficiency, and strongly disapproving of the conduct of those who by their sjmpathy and encouragement are aiding the military despotism of Russia. Hobart Pasha arrived in London on Saturday evening by the South-Eastern Company's mail train from Dover. Noticing Hobart Pasha's visit the Whitehall Review remarks :—" The fact of three months' leave of absence having been granted to Hobart Pasha to enable him to visit England must be taken as showing that the Turkish Govern- ment does not apprehend having any call upon the services of its fleet for some time, or that the presence of the gallant English (flicer who has done so much for the Ottoman Navy in the past woulri not be required. Hobart Pasha's visit to this country, though non-official, will not be without its uses, and we may he sure that his arrival in this country will not pass unheeded by those in office who feel that this country may yet have a direct interest in the condition and efficiency of the Turkish Fleet."

THE MARKETS, MARK-LANE.— MONDAV. The grain trade at Mark-lane has shown no fresh feature of importance. The attendance was not large, but a fair business was done. English wheat was in short supply, but good condition. Sales progressed very quietly, but prices were steady. Of foreign wheat there was a fair show on the Btands. Transactions were on a limited scale, but prices were firm. Barley was in moderate supply. Malting pro- duce was firm, and rather dearer; crmding sold at late rates. Atalt sold on former terms. For oats a fair inquiry prevailed, and quotations had an upward tendency. Maize also, with a fair inquiry, was hardening in value. Beans and peas were quiet and unaltered. The flour market was with- out feature aud quiet. METROPOLITAN CATTLE MARKET.— MOKDAT. The total imports of foreign stock into London last week amounted to 15,920 head. In the corresponding week of last year we received 31,857 in lS7t», 18,872 in 1875, 11,946 in 1874, 10,939; and in 1S73, 16,284. The cattle trade has ruled tolerably steady, and with a fair demand quotations have been firm. The receipt of beasts from our own grazing districts have been short, but the quantity and condition up to the average. The market was certainly steady and fairly animated, the list of prices being much the same as on Monday last. The best Scots and crosses sold at 6a. to 6s. 2d per Sib. The demand has been chiefly upon choice breeds. From Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Cambridge- shire we received about 1,000, from other parts of England about 2O0, and from Sc-tlalld 51 head. On the foreign side of the market there v as a tolerably good supply of beasts. Over 300 American came to hand, besides a good sprinkling of Danish and Swedish. 'Ihere Mas a steady trade at full prices. The sheep pens were more freely supplied. The market was decidedly firm, and late rates were readily obtained for all choice breeds. The best Downs and ha.lf-breds realised 6s. 4d. to 6s 6d. per 8:b. Lambs were steady, at 8s. 6d. to 9j. per Slb. Calves anil pigs were quite as dear. At Dept- ford there were 90 beasts and about s,000 sheep. The prices were as follow Inferior beasts, 4s. Cd to 5p. second quality, 5s. to 5s. 6d. prime large oxen, 5s. lOd. to 6s prime Scots, Cs. to 6s. 2d inferior sheep, 5s. to 5s. 6d.; second quality, 6s. 6d. to 6s. prime coarse woolied, 6s. to 6s. 6d. prime Southdowns, 6s. 4d. to 6s. 6J. lambs, 8s 6d. to 9s. large coarse calves, 5s. 6d. to 6s. prime small ditto, 6s. 6d. to 7s. large hoga, 48 to 4s. 6d. small porkers, 4s. 6d. to 5s. per 8Ib., sinking the offal. METROPOLITAN MEAT MARKET.— MONDAY. The demand for meat this morning was not so good, but, prices showed very little ehange. The supply was moderate —Inferior beef, 3s to 3s 8d.; middling ditto, 4s to 4s. 6d prime large ditto, 4s. lOd. to 5s. 4d prime small ditto, 5s. 4d. to 5s. lOd. veal, 5s. 4d. to 5s. i(id.; inferior mutton, 3s Sd. to 4s. 4d middling ditto, 43. 6d. to 5s 4d.; prime ditto, 5s. 8d. to bs. 8d. large perk, 3s. 4d. to 4s. 4d. small ditto, 4s. 4d. to 5s. and lambs, ss. to 8s. fed. per Sit) by the carcase. FISH. Fresh herrings, 5s. to 6s. roused ditto, 4s. 9d. to 7s. 6d red ditto, 3s. to 5s. pickled ditto, 5s. ud. to 8s Oil. bloater, 4s. 8d to 9s.; kippers, 6s. 6d. to 10s. 6d. native oysters, ISs 64. to 21s. Dutch ditto. 8s. 9d. to 10s. pearl ditto, 12s. to 13s American ditto, 5s. to 8s. 6d Spanish ditto, 4s. to 5s. Ostend ditto, 12s. to 14s. common ditto, 5s. to 103 6d. per hundred lobsters, 10s. to 33s.; crabs, 8s. 6d. to 30s.; mackerel, 2s. to 4s. mullet, 2s. 6d. to 5s. per dozen. TALLOW. s. d. I a. d. Town Tallow, per cwt. 39 9 Rough Stuff, per cwt. 14 9 Rough Fat, per Slbs. 1 8 j Greaves 11 14 0 Melted Stuff, per cwt. 29 0 I Good Dregs „ 6 0 Yellow Russian, new 38s. Od. per cwt. Australian Aluttoli Tallow SSs. 6d. Ditto Beef Ditto. 37s. 6d. „ GAME AND POULTRY. Peafowls. 7s. to 14s.; guinea fowls, 33. to fu.; hares, 2s. lod. to 4s. leverets, Is. 6-1. to 45. Od rabbits, is. 3d. to 28. 6d. conies, 8d to Is.: pigeons, 6d. to Is. 6d. live quails, Is. 6d. to 2s. 3d.; hazel grouse, Is. to Is. 9d caper- cailzie, 5s. to 8s. 6d. Norwegian ptarmigan, Is. 3d to 2s.; American praiiie hens. 2s. t<j6s.; baunchea of venison, 65s. to SOs. each; foreauarters of ditto, Is. to Is. 6d. per lb. SEED LOXDOS, Monday, April 29.-Searcely any English Clover- seed yet appears, and the small stocks of f oreign prevent any material alteration in pi ice. The srasan being nearly ovtr, the sales are very limited, prices closing moderately low. Trefeil in reduced s*o,:k, but bo'ders areanxiousto clear off the littld they hold, and take less money in conse- quence. Canary Seed was in steady request at previous values Hemp Seed sold steadily at quite as much nioneyas previously. Foreign Tares were in limited demand, and lower to Bell. White and Brown Mustard Seeds were offered on lower terms, but few sales were effected, and no quotable change took place in the value of either sort. POTATOES. Moderate supplies of potatoes offering, but the trade is very slow, and prices rule in buyers' favour. Kent regents, 160s. tr> 200s.; E-sex ditto, 150s. to 150s. rocks, 1*8 to Victoria*, l £ Cv. to 2ivs.; flukes, 1606, to 2»0s. Vietcria4 live. to flukes, 1606, to 2»0s.

army ana the British fleet, the Cologne Gazette Un« never since its existence has diplomacy been called an? *° s°lve BU°h a novel problem as that of establishing anrtf^ct equality of distance between an army and a fleet, ♦ Secure to one and the other the possibility of return- qn » ^eir original positions if necessary. Not only is it a stion of flxinS upon a neutral zone between the whale 11 the elephant, whose movements must be calculated Pon different basis, but also between two armed Powers In » ?re liriDS- "ffl-ially. at peace, but who, in reality, are a state of platonic warfare be 1'he Odesra newspapers state that .3.000 labourers bave

A FRIENDLY JOKE! Qn^6 CU^ a Pa'r trousers is a sorry subject to parrel over, but small though the bone of contention it proved sufficient to induce two worthy Lyons hlor8 to risk their lives in a duel. The seconds, upon ( devolved the arrangement of the affair, how- f *r> determined to save their respective principals an!?1- ^'le Pos*ible consequence of their own temerity; J}11 in this they were aided by the latter themselves, all unaccustomed to the handling of a pistol and jTnfied at their position, begged that if the laws of ^°nr permitted it, they might be saved the specta- |.i pf slaughter by enacting their respective r6les with 6^es bandaged. They were assured that nothing w "Q code of honour prohibited this, and on the fatal the two were conducted to the park of the th T,etc where they were blindfolded according to rquet;t. obviate the possibility of a tragical ti the tailors were then placed back to back, thP'*t°l was put into their hands, the seconds left a wide berth, and the signal to fire was given. exclamation of pain, a muttered cry "I am (wPded," uttered by one of the witnesses, caused the jjj.'itants to tear off the bandage from their eyes v~»king be had hit the other. The discovery that k.eeP the victims of a friendly joke in no way t,y0* their indignation on the contrary, the Pcuple fool; ?at'8« which reives the affair, states that the tailors were delighted at the bloodless result of a,1<^ upon being told that "honour was ed," threw themselves into each, other's arms, bO ced, wept and finally proceeded to the neigh- tioj/j 8 wine shop, in order to baptise their reconcilia- 111 a bumper of Burgundy. —Evening Standard.