Pontypool Free Press and Herald of the Hills

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. In the HOUSE OF IOHDB, July 6, the Prisons Bill was passed through committee without material amendment; the Tramways Bill was withdrawn. Lord Redesdale called attention to a correspondence between himself and the Postmaster-General respecting the Introduction of certain clauses into private Bills for the protection of the telegraphs. The Lord Chancellor explained that in certain private Bills clauses were introduced forbidding the promoters to interfere with the telegraph wires, as in some instances it had been found that persons after obtaining powers from Parliament had broken up the streets and cut the tele- graphic wires, greatly to the public inconvenience. It might be as well the clauses referred to should be incorporated in Some general measure, but it was not contrary to Parlia- mentary practice to require from persons who asked for special powers from Parliament that they should do nothing to injure public property. Lord Granville thought the Government ought to give a pledge to introduce a Bill on the subject next Session, and Lord Beaconsfield, thinking it desirable that a general Act relating to the matter should be passed, undertook to take the question into consideration. The Lord Chancellor stated, in reply to Lord Oranmore and Browne, that he was not aware that a clergyman to whom he had given an appointment was a member of the Holy Cross. The remaining business was disposed of, and their Lord- ships adjourned. The HOUSE OF COMMONS had a Morning Sitting to forward the Navy Estimates. In answer to questions from Sir W. LawsonandMr. Gour- ley as to the despatch of the Fleet to Besika Bay, the Chan- cellor of the Exchequer said it had been seat there to be in a more convenient and central position for enabling the Admiral to communicate rapidly, if necessary, with the Ambassador at Constantinople and with the Government at home. The squadron consisted of eight ironclads—the Alexandra, Swiftsure, Pallas, Sultan, Devastation, Rupert, and Hotspur, with one unarmoured frigate, the Raleigh. With regard to the superior eligibility of the Suez Canal station alleged in Mr. Gourley's question, there was no particular reason why any more than the one ship already told off for the duty should be stationed there. Mr. Parnell denied the accuracy of the report of a speech recently delivered by him at a public meeting, and which, it was alleged, contained words that were offensive to the House and Mr. Speaker. The Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mr. Gladstone ac cepted the explanation, the latter right honourable gentle- man observing that the House itself could afford to pass over any disparaging remarks, but that it would never tolerate any attack upon their Speaker. Mr. Blake withdrew his motion, calling attention to the conduct of Mr. Parnell, and the subject dropped. On the motion to go into Committee of Supply a debate occurred upon the system of instruction at the naval Univer- sity, Greenwich, and upon the question raised between Mr. Reed, M.P., and Mr. Barnaby, the Chief Constructor of the Havy^ as to the stability of H.M.S. Inflexible. The House then went into Committee of Supply and in three-quarters of an hour the remaining Navy Estimates Were agreed to. with the exception of Vote 11 and Section 1 Vote 16. On the report of Supply of the Army Estimates, Mr. Boord moved the omission of the item of £ 315 for the rent of Plumstead-common, but, on a division, the House affirmed the Vote by 146 to 59. At the Evening Sitting, Sir. E. Jenkins called attention to the report on the proceedings in the court-martial on Cap- tain Roberts, 94th Regiment, and moved the presentation of an address to her Majesty praying that she might be pleased to reinstate him in his rank in the army. An animated debate followed, and eventually the motion was negatived by 137 to 72. Mr. Whalley was again calling attention to the Priest in Absolution when the House was counted out at ten minutes past one o'clock. In the HOUSE OF LORDS, July 9, the Duke of Buccleuch submitted a motion to the effect that upon hearing the petition of the Earl of Mar and Kellie, the House do order that at all future meetings of the peers of Scotland for the election of a representative peer or peers, the Lord Clerk Register should call the title of Mar in the roll of peers of Scotland at such elections, in the place and precedence to Which it was declared by the resolution and judgment of the House, on the 26th February, 1875, to be entitled, according to the creation of that earldom. Lord Huntly moved as an amendment the previous ques- tion, on the ground that the adoption of the motion was ■ultra vires of the House of Lords, unless the matter were referred to the House by the Crown. A discussion ensued, which was brought to a termination by the Lord Chancellor suggesting that the most satisfactory Way oMealing with the matter would be to appoint a Select ComniMee to consider the subject and report their opinion to the House. The Duke of Buccleuch's motion was then withdrawn, and a Select Committee was appointed in accordanee with the tord Chancellor's suggestion. Lord Fortescue called attention to the large proportion of the educational endowments of England and Wales which had been already dealt with under the Endowed Schools Acts of 1869 and 1870, and moved for returns in connexion With the subject, arguing in favour of k>cal inquiry to ascer- tain the educational wants of a district in preference to the action of a central authority. The Duke of Richmond and Gordon said that though Lord Fortescue objected to the action of a central authority, Parliament had decided that the Endowed Schools should be dealt with by the Charity Commissioners, and he denied that there had been any failure on their part to effect the objects which had been assigned to their care. The motion for the returns was then agreed to. The Prisons Bill was read a third time and passed, and the other business being disposed of, their Lordships ad- journed. In the HOUSE OF COMMONS, the Chancellor of the Ex- chequer in answer to Sir J. Hay, stated that the Govern- ment has determined to refer the designs of the Inflexible to a Committee or Commission of experts independent of the Admiralty. In answer to Mr. Anderson, Mr. Bourke said,-On the llth of December Dr. Kirk addressed a letter to Mr. Stanley conveying to him an intimation from Lord Derby that he had no authority to make use of the British flag as giving countenance to his proceedings in the interior of Africa. As Mr. Stanley's movements are not published at Zanzibar, and were only known to the American traders, Dr. Kirk asked the American Consul to forward his letters to Mr. Stanley containing Lord Derby's intimation. We have not yet received an answer from Mr. Stanley, nor have We yet heard that Dr. Kirk's letter has reached him. In reply to Mr. Whalley, Mr. A. Egerton said the Admiralty was not aware whether certain naval gentlemen belonged to the Society of the Holy Cross, and though the legation might not be sufficient to justify the dismissal ef a eliaplaiii the Admiralty would regard with great disfavour connexion with a Society which had been condemned by the Episcopal Bench. In a newer to Mr. Anderson, Mr. Hardy said the Review at Windsor had no connexion with the despatch of an expedi- tionary fs>rce to the East. Mr. J. Lowther moved the second reading of the Bill for facilitating the confederation of the South African Colonies, which had passed the House of Lords. Mr. Courtney proposed the rejection of the Bill on the ground that none of the South African Colonies desired a scheme of confederation. The amendment was seconded by Sir C. Dilke, who con- demned the Bill as unconstitutional. Air. Knatchbull-Hugessen thoroughly approved the action Of the Government in the Transvaal, and gave his hearty support to the second reading of the Bill. No man, he said, acquainted with the South African Colonies could deny that confederation would be a most excellent thing. On the order of Supply, Mr. Rylands called attention to the Report of the Committee recently appointed to inquire nio certains matter relating to Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum, and Mr. eross, in reply, while admitting that the expense of the asylum was considerable, said that the ques- tion was under the serious consideration of the Govern- ment, and he hoped another year would show considerable Improvement. n-- __L _L -1 Mr Shaw Lefevre called attention to me recent reptuu ui. ^ice-Consul Freeman as to the insurgent Christians of Bosnia Sad to the discrepancies between this report and the previous Reports of Consul Holmes, and Mr. Bourke, in reply, con- tended that there was no discrepancy between these re- ports and that Vice-Consul Freeman had, in fact, substan- tially' confirmed the accuracy of Consul Helmes. Among othermatters, he mentioned that Vice-Consul Freeman had hown the "impalement story" to beamistake, an t defended With some warmth the trustworthiness and independenee of our Consular Agents. Sir H. Wolff asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer Whether the Government had received any information as to certain extreme severities committed by the Russian troops in their progress through Asia Minor and on the Danube, ■but no answer was given to the question. Mr. Laing en- forced the necessity of instructing our Consular Agents to acton the principles of impartial neutrality, and Mr. Ritchie made some sarcastic remarks on the ideas of impartiality Prevailing on the Opposition side, while Mr. Dillwyn and Mr W James agreed with Mr. Shaw-Lefevre as to the con- flicting nature of the testimony of Consul Holmea and Vice- Consul Freeman. General Shute brought before the House the injustice inflicted on certain officers of the Coldstream Guards by the Prolongation of Colonel Wellesley's term of service as Mili- tary Attaché in Russia beyond the period of five years, Which gives him the rank of full Colonel in the Army and Passes him over their heads. Sir W. Barttelot, Sir H. Bavclock. Colonel Mure, and Captain Nolan also spoke on the subject, pointing out the hardship of the arrangement, but bearing testimony to Colonel Wellesley s merits, and admitting that at the present time it was impossible to remove him. Mr. Hardy, in reply, pointed out that this was not a five Je.irs' appointment, and that Colonel Wellesley at the present moment was performing an important public service Of a inilitary character. The House then went into Committee of Supply, but no votes were agreed to. Several Bills were forwarded astage, and the- House adjourned.

A CHINESE TRAGEDY. The Shanghai Courier publishes the following from Newchwang'; In the beginning- of February a dreadful tragedy was enacted in the district of Hai- chung, about 45 miles to the north-east of this port. AtChung Ti WO (boat dock), a small village in- habited by fishermen and small junk people, some conversions to the Roman Catholic faith took place a year ago, or rather an old man and his son, on their visit to Newchwang (30 miles from the port of that name) were received as members of the religion they had adopted. The rest of the villagers held to the faith of their forefathers. One day the two converts fired off crackers in honour of a holy picture which had been presented to them by a French priest, and then having placed the picture over the bang (brick bed-place), they knelt down to adore the saint represented before them. As they were kneel- ing one of their cousins or brothers (for I believe natives call such relationship by the latter title) rushed into the room with a hoe or some other instrument of husbandry, and nearly severed the head of the younger man. The father ran off for -ueisistance, and laid his complaint before the magis- trate, but when he got back to his house he was told that his son had been dragged to the Joss-house and then immolated. Not satisfied with one murder, the villagers, led by two uncles or relatives, having de- manded that the old man (over seventy years of age) should give up his new religion, on his refusal to do so tied him to a donkey with a rope round his neck, and "dragged him to the Joss-house, the poor fellow being strangled before he reached so far. The hearts of the two wartyrs were searched for, as it was thought they had been stolen by the evil spirit, and finally a hole being made into the ice the bodies were thrown in. All this happened on 2nd February, and strange to say the authorities have not done anything towards Punishing the murderers, nor have the bodies been re- covered, or any inquest been held."

.BURNING OF A THEATRE.—The Rotunda Theatre, Liverpool, was destroyed by fire early on Monday, morning the damage is estimated at from 220, 000 to £ 30,000. The Rotunda is the first Liverpool theatre Which has been burnt. The theatre accommodated about 2,000 people. About half-past four the police discovered the building to be on fire, and roused the inmates of the house at the extreme corner, and all got out safely. The theatre and residential premises were burnt out in two hours. The heat was so intense that though the ptreet was twenty yards wide, the shutters of the sh<^ on the opposite side of Scotland- road were charrra. The building was insured for 14.000.

THE BISHOP OF MANCHESTER ON OUR EASTERN POLICY. At a meeting held in Manchester on Monday, in support of Dr. Ziemann, the bishop delivered a speech on our Eastern policy. He ventured to say that for the last two years diplomatists and foreign secretaries had been peddling with this great question, and they were no nearer the solution to-day than when the insurrection first commenced in July 1875. Lord Derby had told them—he (the bishop) spoke of him with the greatest possible respect, and he did not know that any other Foreign Secre- tary moving on his lines could have managed better—that all through the transaction the aim of himself and the English government was to keep this country out of the war. He (the bishop) was no politician or statesman, but when persons who were simply gifted with the ordinary faculties of observa- tion saw how little light statesmen and diplomatists had been able to cast on these mysterious transactions, they began to think these ordinary faculties were suf- ficient for coming not altogether to an erroneous con- clusion upon the great and important subject. He ven- tured to say that they were never so close to the brink of war as they were at the present moment (hear, hear), and that of all the wars they had been engaged in this would be a war they would be less able to justify than any. About twelve months ago the English Government sent a fleet to Besika Bay. It was said to have been sent for the protection of the Christians at Constantinople, but it was felt in Constantinople and throughout Europe to be a moral and almost a material support to the cause of the Turks. It was not to his mind altogether improbable that the sending of the fleet to Besika Bay in May or June, 1876, had more or less sustained the Turks in their dogged determination not to yield to the united force of Europe, nor in any way to abate one jot of the pretensions to govern these subject provinces in that violent and dogmatic way which Dr. Ziemann had so graphically described. Now again in the month of July, 1877, a year later, the English fleet is again in Besika Bay, because, as the Chancellor of the Ex- chequer said, it was a convenient situation to operate from. Convenient for what purpose, he might ask ? A year ago the fleet in Besika Bay was regarded as a support to Turkey. He ventured to say. that to-day the presence of the fleet could only be regarded as a menace to Russia. What the English nation ought to do was to resolve to throw in her lot with those who were endeavouring to remove the cause of the present distress. (Hear, hear.) So long as Turkish misrule and Turkish misgovernment prevailed in those provinces, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and England generally would have to subscribe to relieve it, because it would be chronic and perpetual. (Cheers.) He never could see why this country could not have received the Berlin Memoran- dum. The Andrassy Note, he admitted, was a feeble document. It merely provided for certain represen- tions being made to the Sultan, to exact new guaran- tees for good behaviour which we asked should be secured. Our Government accepted that feeble Andrassy Note but when in the month of May, 1876, there came out a more stringent document-the Berlin Memorandum—which was agreed to by Russia, Germany, and Austria, and accepted without hesita- tion by two other of the six great Powers—Italy and France—our Foreign Secretary declared that the English Cabinet would not act upon the lines of that Memorandum, and held that it would not succeed in producing the result which it seemed to sketch. He had attended the meeting with much pleasure, and he should not be true to his convictions, or have the courage of his opinions, if he did not, probably at the risk of a good deal of obloquy and misrepresentation, state to them what he thought.

====== SALMON POACHERS. The Fishing Gazette says that in the Ouse and the mouth of the Humber porpoises and grampuses have again made their appearance this season, as they have of late years been increasingly doing, for the purpose of feeding upon salmon. The destruction caused to the salmon fisheries about Hull, Goole, &c., is simply incalculable. It has been computed that one of these creatures destroys from a dozen to twenty pounds weight of salmon per day, besides other fish. They have this week and last been seen coming into and up the rivers named above in hundreds. The beasts are as savage as sharks. On one occasion some pleasure boats were out on the river near Goole, when some of these fish boldly charged the boats, and the fishermen who had command of them, considering they were in absolute danger, immediately returned to the shore, the people in the boats being terribly frightened. In bygone years the. immense havoc played by these oreatures with the salmon was brought under the notice of the Yorkshire Salmon Fishery Board, and they promised to de something to remedy the evil. Some time back they held a meeting, Mr. Buckli.nd being present, at which various suggestions were w red, and it was finally agreed that not only should extra re- wards be given to the fishermen for killing or cap- turing the depredators, but that a general raid should be made upon them in boats. This has not yet been made. Efforts have been made to shoot them by gentlemen in yachts and boats, but without much success. Not only have porpoises and grampuses very hard hides, but they rarely present a good shot, coming te the surface suddenly and going down again with equal quickness. That something will have to be done, and that without delay, is clearly apparent to those who daily see the destruction produced.

IN THE MIDST OF BURSTING SHELLS. An Oecasioual Correspondent of the Standard, writing from Widdin, in giving a description of the firing at Widdin, says The Turkish fire was slow but steady. Osman Pacha was for some time in the largest battery at the far end of the fortress. While there he told a private soldier to fire very carefully at one of the Roumanian batteries which was very hard at work. The first shot fell right in it, and he repeated this three times, the shell on every occasion bursting in the Roumanian battery. Osman Pacha was so pleased that he em- braced the soldier and made him a serjeant on the spot. We had only one man wounded during the whole day, which is really marvellous when you consider the number of shells fired. The reason is that as soon as the first shell is fired nearly every one secrets himself in his cellar and there remains until the firing is over. All the Turkish women imme- diately rush to the large gate of the fortress; for as you enter the archway, on either side are two doors which open into a large dark space more like a dungeon than anything else. Some time ago these places were used as stables, but of late they have been cleaned out, and a now only used as a protection for the Turkish women, who crowd these in 'great numbers. A great many of the houses in the fortress are so peppered and damaged that they will require to be entirely pulled down and rebuilt. The schoolhouse near the mill is completely gutted. I saw one house literally blown to pieces by the bursting of a large shell in it. There is nothing but one wall and a little bit of the roof remaining. During all the firing which has taken place for the last few days not one shell has_ fallen on the hospital. A shell did fall on a house facing it, and bursting, a large piece went through the hospital wall, and fell in an empty ward. Several people have had • very narrow escapes. A Turkish woman with two children was sitting in her house on the second storey whtfn a shell Entered below, and, exploding, blew out two sides of the wall and part of the roof, leaving the woman and her children unhurt. Another shell fell in a room where two men were asleep, and burst without injuring them, although it smashed everything in the room into atoms. Of all the people here, the Turks are by far the most indifferent, for while all the shops are immediately closed, the Turkish coffee-houses are always open, and there the Turks col- leet to drink their coffee and smoke their nargili or cigarette, and chat away quite regardless of shells bursting on all sides of them."

RUSSIAN PRISONERS IN TURKEY. The Correspondent of The Times, writing from Therapia, gives the following account of a sad event which has hap- pened in the barracks ot the Arsenal, where the Russian prisoners are confined An unfortunate prisoner had been induced by some ill-advised Russian sympathizers in the town to try and escape, and neither he nor they could devise any better plan than that he should throw himself out of a hi-li window on to some flagstones beneath. The result of this foolish attempt is that, instead of being shortly exchanged and sent home again to his friends-who must be thanking Providence for his extraordinary escape. in the torpedo attack on the Turkish fleet at Sulina—he is lying dead and buried in some forgotten graveyard on the Bosphorus. He fractured his skmll and died two or three days afterwards. As this story will be made great capital of by the enemies of the unfortunate Turk, and as we shall have all kinds of sensational falsehoods of the cruel treatment to which Russian prisoners are subjected it is as well that an eye-witness of the treat- ment they actually receive should be recorded. The prisoners are in large airy rooms, well fed, decently dressed and have good beds they are also occasion- ally exercised. They are allowed to do anything they like-smoke, play cards, write letters (these are, of course, subjected to inspection), and read news- papers. I trust an emphatic denial will be given to anything that should assign the death of this unfor- tunate man to cruel treatment or harshness. He had simply himself and his friends to thank, and it is to be earnestly hop-d that this true version of the story will find its way to Russia, or many an unfortunate Turkish prisoner may have to suffer in reprisal. It is satisfactory, however, that the personal friends of the Russian prisoners are aware of the good treatment they receive, for a telegram was received here a few days ago, vidi Vienna, from the relations of Lieutenant Putschin, who was captured at Sulina, expressing their deep sense of gratitude for all the kindness and attention he has received.

MONEY ORDERS AND POSTA^ NOTES. A Blue-Book has been issued containing the report of a Committee appointed under a Treasury Minute of April 11, 1876,. to inquire into and report upon the present system of Post Offioe money orders, and upon a scheme of Postal notes suggested by Mr. Chetwynd, the Receiver and Accountant-General of the Post Office; and also to report whether it would be expe- dient to provide, either as a substitute for or in addition to the present system a postal draft payable to order. The late Mr. George Moore, of the firm of Copestake, Moore, Crampton, and Co., # was the chairman of the Committee, and its other members were Mr. A. Earnshaw, of the Paymaster-General's Office; Mr. Frank May, chief cashier of the Bank of England Mr. A. C. Thomson, controller of Post Office savings banks; Mr. S. Walliker, post-master of Hull; and Mr. T. W. Weldon, manager of the London and Westminster Bank, St. James's-square branch. The Committee, after taking evidence, reported on the 22nd of July, 1876, that they were unanimously of opinion that the existing money-order system affords a secure mode of remittance, and that it would not be desirable, having regard to the safety of the Post Office as well as of the public, to alter the conditions under which orders are issued, beyond a readjustment of the scale of commis- sion, which they suggested. They were further of opinion that it would be desirable to issue, concurrently with money orders, postal notes, under certain condi- tions, which would afford additional facilities for the safe and rapid transmission of small fixed sums at a reduced cost to the public. The scheme relating to postal drafts they did not recommend for adoption. A form of the proposed note is given in the report. The holder, it is stated, may fill in the name of the per- son to whom, and the money order office at which he wishes the amount to be paid, and the person so named must sign his name on the back hereof. If the blanks be not filled up, the amount will be paid to the signa- ture of the bearer at any money-order office in the United Kingdom." The rates proposed are Id. for notes under 10s., and 2d.' for notes of 10s. and not exoeeding £1..

DEATH OF MR. J. C. MARSHMAN. (From Tuesday's Times.) A very useful, if not a very distinguished career, ended on Sunday. Mr. John Clark Marshman, the eldest son of Dr. Marshman, the well known Baptist missionary of Serampore, was born in August 1794, accompanied his father to Serampore in 1800, and from 1812, when he was only 18, was the moving spirit of the large religious undertakings managed by Dr. Marshman and his colleagues. For nearly 20 years he held the position of a secular bishop, choosing, directing, and providing for a great body of mission- aries, catechists, and native Christians scattered in differents parts of Bengal, collecting and earning for them great sums of money, while living like hi3 colleagues on £ 200 a year, conducting an enormous correspondence, and, as appears from an entire litera- ture of pamphlets still in existence, quarrelling ener- getically with everybody whose zeal or intelligence he deemed inferior to his own. He at last decided to surrender the Mission, till then a sort of peculium, into the hands of the Baptist Mission, and thence- forward betook himself to secular work, though never abandoning his projects for the evangelisation of Bengal. He started a paper-mill-the only one in the country-founded the first newspaper in Bengalee, the Sumachar Durpun, established the first English weekly, the Friend of India, which in his hands speedily be- came a power, published a series of law books, one of which, the Guide to the Civil Law," was for years the civil code of India, and was probably the most pro- fitable law-book ever published, and started a Christian Colony on a large tract of land purchased in the Sunderbunds. All his undertakings except the last succeeded, and the profits and influence acquired through all were devoted in great measure to his favourite idea, that education must in India precede Christianity. He repeatedly risked the the suppres- sion of his paper by his determined advocacy of religious freedom, enlightenment, and open careers for natives, and, indeed, it would have been suppressed but for the strenuous support of the Kiug of Denmark, to whom Seraiijpori? LiitMi ttoiongm*. ",v¥1u otm aliiiuy* g-ling professional man he expended R30,000 on building and maintaining a College for the higher education of natives, a College still worked with the greatest efuccess. He endured for the sake of the same cause a curious form of persecution. Knowing Bengalee as only skilled native pundits know it, and law like a trained lawyer, he was asked by Government to become Official Translator, and after a mental struggle, for he de- tested the thankless work of the office, he accepted the post. The salary was Rl 'ooo a year. Mr. Marsh- man's impetuous ways had made him hosts of enemies, he was editor of his own journal, and for ten years he was abused every morning in language such as only Colonial newspapers use, as the "hireling of the Govern- ment." Although a morbidly proud and sensitive man, he bore the abuse in absolute silence fr.r ten years, never replying by a word of defence, and during the whole time paid away the whole salary every month in furthering the cause of education, and this in silence so complete that his own family win pro. bably learn the fact for the first time from this slight sketch. In addition to his labours as journalist, millowner, translator, compiler of law-books, and general referee on all religious questions, Mr. Marsh- man was an earnest student of Indian history, wrote the first, and for yeass the only history of Bengal, and prepared for his greater work the History of India, which he finished and published after his return to England in 1852. His knowledge of India, Indian affairs, and especially Indian finance, had gradually become profound. He was not a philosophical historian in any sense of the word, but his knowledge of his subject appeared to be almost limitless. He had, as Sir John Kaye, just before his death, said in the Academy, read every book, andalmost every manuscript in existence relating to India, and could relate the measures and feats of the British Viceroys as if he had been private secretary to all of them. In England, how- ever, he was not recognized; he failed after four sharp contests in entering Parliament Sir Charles Wood, unaware of his special official merit, his great capacity for managing the details of finance, refused him a seat in the Indian Council, and though his services to edu- cation were, at the instigation of Lord Lawrence, tardily recognized by the grant of the Star of India, he was compelled to occupy himself in the affairs of the East India Railway, where as chairman of the Committee of Audit he rendered most efficient, but, of course, unrecognized service, and in writing books like his History of India and the Lives of Carey and Marshman. To the last he remained always an Indian, caring principally for the fortunes of the great Empire he had helped to guide, and lending the aid of his apparently endless knowledge to any one who consulted him, and who knew enough to know whrll he ,vas obtaining freRh material. He was finish- ing when he died a complete series of biographies of the Viceroys—a work which will now scarcely appear—and may have left a paper he was strongly urged to prepare, summing up the conclusions about India to which his long and varied experience had brought his mind. Those conclusions were startlingly opposed to those of many of his contemporaries, but were held with im- movable tenacity. Among them were these—that India could never be converted by Europeans, and that the business of missionaries was to raise up "native apostles that India could be safely governed for £ 30,000,000 a year, and that all the rest was wasted on irritating over-government and timid military pre- cautions that natives ought to be admitted to every office, military and civil, except the Executfve Council that no public works, except railways, should be aided by the State; and that the next phase of the history of the Peninsula would be, probably after the lapse of another century, an attempt at self-government as a vast Mussulman power, with a new, and probably extremely separate, civilisation. He rarely spoke of his fixed ideas, how- ever, turning them over in his mind for himself, jURt as in earlier years he had turned over and concealed his knowledge till of all who knew Mr. Marshman probably not three were aware that he had given years to Chinese, that he had read intelligently all the great Sanscrit poems, and that he once knew Persian as thoroughly as most diplomatists know French. The World remarks:—"Few old Indians will be more regrettod than Mr. John Clarke Marshman, who died on Sunday last in his eighty-fourth year. There was no man since Mr. Kaye's death who had so thorough and familiar a knowledge of the records of our great Eastern Empire and his History of India is by far the most readable and useful work of the kind ever published. He preserved his activity of mind and body almost to the very last, continually ready, aided by the most devoted of wives, to take the lead in all works of kindness and charity a man of high character and lofty principles, in every way a worthy son of John Marshman, the good missionary of Serampore. There are many natives of India who 1 remember Marshman Sahib' as the kindest- hearted Englishman who ever dwelt among them."

A SMART REJOINDER.—" I wish you would give me that gold ring on your finger," said a village dandy to a country girl, "for it resembles the duration of my love for you—it has no end." "Excuse me, sir," she said, I choose to keep it, for it is likewise emblema- tical of my love for you-it has no beginning." THE SHARP Boy. Mr. Spyker has a boy who nails" things. One day he remarked in the presence of both parents Ma, I saw pa kiss you in the woodshed last evening." "Hush, Johnnie; your pa never committed such a foolish act!" "Yes he did, ma, 'cause I thought it was Jane, and Jane says it wasn't her, but you!" Jane doesn't work there now

A COSSACK CAMP. The following interesting description of a Cossack Camp is from a Military Correspondent of The Times, who dates his letter, Cossack Camp, near Simnitcha, June 30 :— "Am I dreaming, or is this the Thirty Years' War? It is night. Round the spot where my tent is pitched lie regiments of cavalry. Across the broad Danube somewhere there is an enemy, but here a camp well ordered in appearance. Lines of horses standing tethered to long ropes, without danger of movement from their places or damage from ropes in front of them. If a fore leg passes over the rope where they are tethered, they remain quiet, or call with voice almost human in its expressiveness the man who knows how to loose them. And those men —how is their nature to be expressed? They are soldiers without the stiffness impressed en the military world by the father of Frederick the Great they are men with a discipline altogether different from the discipline of modern European armies wild-looking fellows, who bring their own horses half-shod to the campaign, fierce faces, and manners hitherto unknown. They are called Cossacks. Three regiments of them come from the Don, one from the Terek, and one from Kuban. The camp is all that could be wished in neatness, the horse stand quietiy in their places, the dress of the men is well cared for and picturesque. All is regular and soldier-like during times of duty for though the Cossacks, walk with a peculiar strut and swagger, often with their hands on their hips, they subdue their pride in the presence of an officer, and are very careful to salute him on all occasions when the salute is due. But this evening has been given to feasting and music, the Terek Cossacks espe- cially distinguishing themselves by the wildness of their revels. Hearing music and cheers this afternoon, I walked through lines of horses to tlie crowd, which gave way easily to a stranger. One of the officers immediately came up, introductions were made In due form, and the whole party was soon established within the Cos- sack ring. Around stood men of every age up to about 40, generally tall, averaging probably more than 5ft. 8in., for there were among them no small undersized men, but many over 6ft. high-not only tall, but broad-shouldered, muscular, and well fed. Indeed, the type seems to incline rather to stoutness than to loss of flesh as time turns hair and beard gray. The dress sets off the figure well. Loose baggy breeches tucked into boots with- out stiff soles, are almost entirely concealed by the single-breasted surtout, which is generally richly coloured in their own country but here, during the war, is, for the sake of distinction, to be always black. Beneath the outer coat is another, or rather a shirt, of the same shape, and lighter in texture, and celoured according to the regiment. The colour for the Tereks is blue. The hair of the men was generally black, closely cropped, with streaks of gray whenever the age of man appeared to be as much as thirty. The grave Caucasian faces, rather more oval than those of Englishmen, were bent inwards to- wards the cen tre of the circle, and there was much intensity in the gaze with which they watched the movements of certain dancers-men of the same regiment, who stepped out two by two and per- formed, not without grace, what can only be desoribed as a ballet. They stood on tiptoe, advanced and re- treated, curved their arms, elevating and depressing them in a certain ryhthmic cadence, and when the dance was over bowed gracefully to the men around them, who all the while had kept time by striking their hands together. The music was essentially barbarous-two drums, a sort of squeaking instru- ment like a short cracked clarionet, and, further, a wild chaunt kept up by the spectators. The singing was not; out of tune, but the air was of the simplest, consisting of only about three or four notes in all, which rose and fell in what must for want of any other name be called a tune. After a little dancing, more or less comic, seven men linked their arms, while others climbed upon their shouldeps forming a second circle above. This was done very quickly, and the living cage then moved round and round to the sound of wild music. While these men were gyrating with grins and shouts, amid the applause of the rest, two others drpssied In r.inrrprl pnstinnf! to renrespnt the mppt savage races of the Caucasus, bounded witnm the cage, as it may be called, and commenced a pan- tomimic dance with much gesticulation ani shouting. They pretended to attack each other, or rather to wish to attack while mutually prevented by fear. The acting was excellent, though full of buffoonery, and their jokes called forth roars of laughter from the crowd. In fact, they acted exactly like a couple of clowns in a circus, and played their parts admirably, the cage continuing always to gyrate round them. The fierce faces of the crowd were contorted with laughter, and the tone of it was like a roar or growl. Yet the men were all under discipline, for, at a word from an officer, they drew themselves up straight at attention and obeyed the slightest hint with alacrity, always making way for the stranger to see well what was going on. Mean- while, wine circulated freely among the officers in tumblers, and men were always on the wateh to fill an empty or half empty glass. The were shouts from deep throats and clashing glasses as they drank healths even while the game was prooeeding. At last the performers were tired and the cage broken up, when two Cossacks in their proper dress sprang for- ward with poignards in each hand and danced a war- dance, threatening each other, and sometimes placing the points of their poignards to their own breasts and backs, even to their faces just under their eyes. One of them, with a savage satisfaction, uncontrolled by thought, pressed both poignards so cloaely to his skin as to draw blood, just as boys do sometimes from sheer wantonness of energy. Then came a new dance, and when it was over we had out some horses of different breeds to look at- ugly little beasts, seme of them, but showing good points-evidently animals that would endure much work. On speaking of the riding of the men and training of the horses, our hosts offered to show what the Cossacks and their horses can do. In about a minute a straight run was cleared, a fur cap thrown down, and instantly a string of horsemen charged at full gallop. As they neared the cap each in turn swung himself round in his saddle, so as to reach the ground with his hand, and snatched at the cap. There were many misses, as there are at tent- pegging, and some tremendous falls but whenever the rider fell, though he rolled over like a ball, he kept hold of the bridle, and his little horse stopped short in full career. I threw down a little forage cap that 1 was wearing and offered a piece of money to the man who should pick it up. It was missed once, but seized by the second rider and held up in triumph. Then we sat down outside the colonel's tent to drink wine and tea, apparently without any apparent reason for one or the other, except that the evening was warm and that tea and wine correct each other. There were not many of us, but somehow or other we succeeded in finding the bottom of two small casks of wine amid a good deal of excited talk and healths. Always the men danced and sang out- side. A Cossack officer attached to the head-quarters of the Grand Duke arrived. We drank his health, and the men picked him up bodily and threw him into the air several times, always catching him again. He was big and burly, but the arms beneath him were strong and he rose and fell like a shuttlecock till, at a word from the Colonel, they set him down again. "There is nothing false or theatrical about these men. They axe simply following their national customs and their instincts, which are those of children. They are not Russians dressed up and called Cossacks, but the veritable descendants of Russian men who were banished to their present abode chiefly because their belief was not orthodox. Their women were not permitted to accompany them, so they began to make raids on the Caucasus for wives. Hence came two effeets. The beauty of the race was improved by the mixture of Circassian blood, and a desperate feud grew between the Terek Cossacks and the husbands or fathers of the stolen beauties, who did not, like the Sabine women, succeed in reconciling the antagonists. Thus, though always a mixed race from the beginning, it is a true race. Yet what do you suppose is the name and lineage of the commander ? His name is Lewis, of Maynar, and he is of Scotch extraction. Indeed, it is curious to see how many of the officers holding places in the service have foreign names. Whether the crossing of blood gives extra energy I know not, but certainly these Terek Cossacks have the energy and manners of children with the strength of men. If a visit is to be paid to another camp" a number of tlie Terek men go in a body, with wild -cries and the noise of a whole fair, to which alone can the absolute Charivari be at all compared. They pass by my waggon with shouting and beating of drums. Nothing seems to tire them out or lower their spirits. In this respect, as in others, they are grown-np children. But how well grown up Such chests and limbs as are seldom seen anywhere; broad shouldered, thin flanked, deep lunged, and showing by the brightness of their eyes and the animation of their expression that the body has been well nourished from infancy. Some of the movements of the dance were really graceful with the grace of straight, well-hinged limbs. In time of peace these Tereks produce five regiments, each 600 strong in war time the number of regiments is doubled. They bring their own horses, clothes, and arms the Government provides only rations, and these are supplemented by the men themselves, for they are great at foraging. They roam about here, and bring in huge bundles of grass for their clever little horses, and are paid only seven roubles each every four months. So then the Czar obtains this excellent Irregular Horse at the payment of less than £3 a year for each man and the absolute neces- saries in war, not including arms or clothing. Ifia man loses his horse in battle he either gets another or joins a company which fights on foot, for thev are trained shots and good skirmishers. The Cossks, too, furnish a guard for the Emperor, and are generally petted a little, though, with the pride of Irregulars, they think they are neglected in favour of the regular Cavalry. Their forefathers were pure Russians from Moscow and the Volga; their mothers the fairest among women. -No wonder they hold themselves by no means in cheap estimation. Though religious persecution drove those fathers in many cases from their homes, there are now among the men of each regiment many Mahomedans, who are known by their wearing white shirts instead of blue, and there appears to be no difference in their treatment from that of the others indeed, some of the merriest and best dancers were Mahomedans."

BOARD OF TRADE RETURNS. The Board of Trade Returns for June show that the exports of British and Irish produce in the month amounted to £ 15,305,659, as against kt5,848,260 in June last year; and for the past six weeks to 295,234,830, as against £ 99,210,059 last year. The total value of the imports last month was P,29,810,370, as against C28,326,880 in June last year, and for the last six months E195,448,403, as compared with the first half of last year. As regards the imports, the amount of wheat imported appears to have been last week about a third greater than last year. Owing to the restrictions imposed through the cattle plague, the importation of live stock has greatly diminished, whilst 52,220 cwt. of fresh beef was imported during the moi ith. The quantity of raw cotton imported seems also to have been little over half that of June last year; but of flax the quantity was double. The amount of petroleum imported has considerably increased, as well as of raw silk, sugar, and tea; whilst the imports of wine and spirits show a. decline. As to the exports, it appears that the export of fire-arms, gunpowder, and coal was less last month than in June last year. The cotton, silk, linen, and iron manufactures exported were slightly greater, whilst the woollen manufactures ex- hibit a small decline. In accordance with the wish of the iron and steel trade, an attempt has been made in this return to distinguish the quantities of iron and steel rails exported from the United Kiugdom; but as mueh difficulty has been experienced in obtain- ing accurate information from exporters and their agents, in consequence of the indiscriminate use of the terms "iron "and "steel" for the same article, the figures cannot be relied upon. The account is pub- lished with some hesitation, as it is not considered snfficiently trustworthy to indicate the export trade in those articles under the two separate heads; the total quantity of rails, however, may be accepted as correct. In this return of the quantity of iron rails exported last month is given as 22,081 as against 17,014 in June last year, and of steel rails 34,264 aa compared with 16,894 last year. The Times has the following leader on the Board of Trade Returns The Board of Trade Returns for the month of June are still of the kind which financial authorities are agreed in terming unfavourable. As compared with last year's Re- turns for the same montb, exports have fallen off nearly 3t per cent., while imports have risen more than 5 per cent. This double process has been going on until imports are now not much less than twice the amount of exports. The more the figures are looked into the worse does the case appear. The price of almost everything we have to sell has declined considerably, while the price of what we have been buying has, under some important heads, been steadily rising. We send out, in fact, almost as much merchandise as we did last year-in some cases even more than we did last year-and we get less in payment for it. We receive, at the same time, less of what we can turn to account afterwards. Less wool, less raw cotton, less jute, and less hemp have been imported than last year. There has been, it is true, more flax and more raw silk, and this, so far, is satisfactory. But it is by higher prices and by increased amounts of corn and tea, and such like perishable goods, that the imports have been in the main swelled. The month's Returns are thus proof of a process even more exhausting than it would appear at first sight. They show us in the position of a spendthrift whose expenses tend more and more to advance beyond his returns, and whose complete financial collapse is a question merely of time. If we are not much alarmed at the prospect before us, it is not only because our down- ward course is somehow so exceedingly smooth. We venture to doubt, in spite of the month's figures, whether we are really going down. The public revenue, we may observe, is certainly not yet touched. The quarter's receipts have not only been in excess of all hopes, but they bear their evidence to a state of things as far as possible removed from stagnation. The Customs, the Excise, and the Stamp Duties, have all been more productive than they were expected to be. The Board of Trade Returns cannot, it is certain, have been telling us the whole truth. A long process of emptying which leaves the country fuller than it was before is a paradox for which some explanation or other must exist. It is also too pleasant news for us to accept it literilly-too kindly subversive of some of the best warranted rules both of common sense and arithmetic. We may remember, in the first place, that the Board of Trade Returns do not profess to show us our entire money relations with the outer world. What they do show is the declared or calculated value of what is passing either way through our ports. What we are sending out will be more highly paid for when it reaches its market than the Returns indicate. There are freights and profits to be added on, and these together will make a very marked alteration in the Board of Trade's modest figures. We must take account next of the yearly sums which reach us from abroad at no present cost to ourselves, and which represent, not goods sold during the year, but money permanently and profit- ably invested. There are sad deductions to be made here. Foreign loans count for some hundreds of mil- lions less capital, and for many millions less income, than they did five years ago. But we have still a good property, untouched for the most part, scattered about litre and there all over the habitable globe. If we were to cease exporting al- together, we should thus still have the means of obtaining large imports without in any degree disturbing the real balance of trade. That we are under no need of paying for what we receive ought not, as far as it goes, to be taken as a sign or a likely casue of financial ruin. Again, as to the general desline of prices in our exported goeds, this, so far from being alarmin g, is rather a proof that our trade is in the right way of recovery. Foreign trade, moreover, is not the only thing we have to live upon. Corn grown and eaten within the country; metals from our own mines wool from our own sheep, and woven into cloth to be worn on our own backs—all these count for nothing in the Board of Trade Returns, but. even in a manufacturing country like this, they count for a very large part of our year's comforts. We see, therefore, that we must not depend too much on the Board of Trade's figures. Some valuable information we may obtain from them, but by no means all we stand in need of to form a correct judgment of our case. We have been awakened rudely from our vision of a steady, ever-increasing plethora of national wealth, and we have fallen into some fear of an equally impossible drain of wealth that must leave us paupers in the end. If only we keep the power and the will to work, we may be quite sure that all will come right presently. The quarrels of our neighbours may do something to put off the revival, but they need work us no worse mischief than this, pro- vided we have good sense enough to keep clear of them our- selves. We shall have somewhat longer to wait, and shall pay a little more for our corn than we should pay otherwise, but the interval, even so, will not be intolerable. Our financial prosperity will need a ruder shock than it has yet received before we can regard it as even threatened in its outworks. It is clear, at the same time, that trade profits have not yet recovered from the very severe depression which has forced them down. Our year's receipts, however much they may still exceed our year's outlay, are less than they were four or five years ago. Trade dull and money plentiful is the order of the day just now, and it seems likely to con- tinue so for the present. But we may well doubt whether to the mass of our population this ought to sound badly, whether even it may not be of more cheerful omen than its contrary. Bankers would be the first class we should expect to find touched by it, but we find nevertheless that the dividends of our great joint-stock banks have not fallen. The chief sufferers have been the large employers of labour, and the classes which are directly or indirectly dependent upon them. This stands, of course, for a good part of the community, but it, by no means includes the whole. Those who were most thrown out fa the Me suc- cessful race for wealth are least hurt now that the race is over, and the prizes no longer to be competed for. Our middle classes, the inhabitants of our country towns, ,j and those generally whose position is one neither of riches ncr of poverty, find very little to complain about. A brisker trade would mean that they had to pay more for many of their articles of consumption, while at the same time they were more beaten out of the market than ever bv those into whose laps the revived trade profits had fallen. Not only the large manufacturers, but the much more nume- rous classes dependent upon them, are, it is true, crying out on the bad times, and looking fondly back to the happier season, now long gone by, when prices ruled high, high wages were paid without a murmur, and there seemed to be literally no limit which they might not by-and- by attain. But even to them the wholesome lesson the change brings with it will not, we trust, be without its advantages. A goods day's work will still bring a good day's pay but it will not bring, as it once did, three good days' pay, and leave the other two days to be spent in idleness and in getting rid of the earnings of the first day. When the good times come back again there will, perhaps, be less mistake about their meaning and the chance of their lasting on per- manently and without a break.

THE COLORADO BEETLE. The news of the appearance of the Colorado beetle in Germany will very naturally cause consider- able uneasiness amongst British farmers, and we are therefore not surprised to see the Royal Agricultural Society calling attention to the matter. By some strokes of good fortune, and not by reason of any particular merit in our preventive measures, we have hitherto escaped a visitation from this objection- able insect, yet who can say how long these fortuitous circumstances will continue to favour us? The next best thing to avoiding an invasion from the beetle altogether, is to be prepared for him if he should chance to put in an appearance. His ways are so insinuating that we can never consider ourselves safe, especially since he has been seen in Germany. If we should fail in preventing his being transplanted to these shores, we must endeavour to render his visit, and himself, as short-lived as possible. With this object in view, the botanical committee of the Royal Agri- cultural Society, having before them a letter and a document from the Privy Council in reference to the beetle, have recommended that a letter, signed by the President of the Society should be sent to the Privy Council, calling attention to the fact that the introduction of the beetle is more to be dreaded in materials used for packing than with the potato. Care is absolutely necessary in every way, for the Colorado beetle bears a striking resemblance to the Heathen Chinee in this respect, that the "ways of both are exceedingly "dark," The appearance of the beetle in Germany, the committee reports, makes the danger of its introduction into Great Britain much greater. The Privy Council have issued diagrams giving repre- sentations of the beetle in its perfect stage; but, as the committee points out, this precaution is insuffi- cient, as the insect is much more likely to be intro- duced during the late spring and summer mpnths in its larva or pupa state than as a perfect insect. It is, therefore, suggested that the Government should dis- tribute throughout the country figures of the insect in all its stages. Less than this would be an imperfect pro- tection, and it is difficult to see what the Government can do more. The Agricultural Society's Journal for 1875 contained a valuable paper on the beetle by Mr. Bates, and this paper was accompanied by a plate which showed the insect in every stage of development. The society should aid the Government by sowing this paper broadcast among English farmers, No other steps can be taken. We can only say, watch narrowly for the appearance of the enemy. Examination of all goods arriving from the United States at the port of landing would most likely prove futile, for the beetle manages to evade all his foes by the most secret pro- cesses. However, the question is one of the utmost importance, and we may place full confidence in the Government that not a stope will be left unturned to prevent the landing of this disastrous scourge upon British shores. It behoves Ireland, too, to be especially on her guard in this matter.-Erening Standard.

ON THE DANUBE. The following is an extract from the letter of the Special Correspondent of the Daily Telegraph under date, Rustchuk, June 24 In the midst of the fearful bombardment, which per. petually rends the air, I am trying to write a few lines to you. The English Consulate, in which I lately lodged, has been destroyed by shell, sent wantonly hither, in spite of the huge union jack which for a long time waved over its roof. The French, Greek, and German Consulates have also received many a missile, and the ambulances of the Red Crescent, which the Russians promised solemnly to respect, and over wbielf floated the flag of humanity, have been well-nigh de- stroyed. Two or three scores of inoffensive inhabitants lie mangled in the streets, some dead and some dying; the greater part of the town is seriouslv damaged, and a good portion destroyed. All this wan- ton evil has been wrought by Russian officers and their gunners, and a howl of rage goes up from the Chris- tians they profess to have come to succour. You need not wonder if our artillerymen, seeing he havoc wrought by these philanthropists, have replied some- what roughly, and thrown Krupp shells into tke smil- ing town of Giurgevo. The Turk is unspeakable," say his enemies, and all he does is wrong while any barbarity which Christians may choose to praotice has a good end in view, and being the result of unbounded charity, must not be judged of by any common stan. dard. The cruel burning of Rustchuk will tell its own tale some day in history. There yet remain people here who were present at the bombardment of this town by the Russians in 1854, and from them it is very interesting to learn the difference which exists between the ancient and modern way of paying artillery compliments. Then, as now, the Russians attempted to seize the island which, as you know, lies between Giurgevo and Rust- chuk. It was not a difficult task, and they were very soon there with their artillery, pounding away at the Turks very merrily. But to-day we have a different way of dealing with them. Only the other morning, for instance, somebody reported the Muscovs at work on the other side of that same island. "Send some Circassians and infantry across is the order and off went the men. Very soon we heard a well sustained musketry fire, whereupon we did our best to throw some shells over the heads of our men into the brushwood beyond. It was, perhaps, hazardous work, the more so as the Russians were falling back and our soldiers were advancing; still, I do not think we killed any of our men. Meanwhile they steadily pushed for- ward, and presently we had the satisfaction of seeing a fire on the island, which showed that at last our people had got the brushwood alight. Of course at this there was a shout of joy, especially as at that moment the men were seen returning in their boats, while the Russians were also well within view from a point some little distance up the river as they paddled away to the Giurgevo shore. They got a parting kick from our batteries while they were return- ing, and so the incident ended. Since then the Russians have let the island alone, and have con- tented themselves with keeping up the most awful fire conceivable upon our redoubts which line this bank. Had they, however, confined their efforts to such military exercises no one would have had cause to complain. Their fire was exceedingly bad; they did no mischief whatever to the works which they so fiercely attacked, while every now atid again our Krupp guns forced their pieces of artillery to retire. But at length they seem to have bocome enraged, and to have bethought themselves of the joy of destroying the town of Ri-igtchuk-beloiiging in greatest part, be it remembered, to the Christians, whom the Russians come to aid. I remember once pointing out to an enthusiastic atrocity-monger the fact that almost every one of the people who were said to have been murdered at Yeni Keni had at length returned to the village, and was pursuing the avocations of life with much more energy than any corpse could have been reasonably expected to display. "Yes," he replied; "that's all very well; but what do you say to the burnt and ruined houses ?" Oh, how I wished yester- day, when the Muscovite shells were raining on this unlucky town, that that worthy man had been here to see what mischief even Christians could wantonly effect ? Was tt not a proud occupation for the artil- lerists of the Csar to kill two dozen old women, several tiny children, and many inoffensive aged men, in an open place ? There was no other pretext for the bombardment of the town of Rustchuk than that these old persons and children could be .easily killed. No soldiers were there no guns were fired thence. The very old and very young alone remained, and the soldiers of Holy Russia battered them to death. Of course it was much better for them to be killed by the highly moral cannon-shots of those Christian champions than to have remained under the government of the unspeakable Turkyet they, poor souls, were strangely blind to all this, and preferred to live.

M^— LORD SANDON ON RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION. At the Crystal Palace, on Saturday, before an im- mense assemblage, Lord Sandon, Vice-President of the Council on Education, presided at the distribution of 4,000 prizes, consisting of Bibles and Testaments, to as many of the children of the London School Board, who had been selected as having the best knowledge of the Scriptures in a competition in which 82,000 children took part. The prizes were founded by Mr. Francis Peek, one of the representatives of the City of London on the School Board, and this is the seconmyear of the public distribution. The prizes, it has been arranged by the founder and the Reli- gious Tract Society, will be given in perpetuity. The biblical instruction given in the schools of the Lond <11 School Board is pronounced to be thorough and sys- tematic, and so arranged that during six years of sclit, life the chilldren, in passing from standard to standard, acquire an intelligent knowledge of the Bible, especially of the New Testament." The facts in con- nexion with this competition are worthy of note. This year no fewer tlfan t>2,uou or me eniiaren com- peted, who must have 'attended 240 times during the year in the school and the parents have shown the greatest desire, for their children to attend the re- ligious instruction, and notwithstanding that the Board provides secular instruction for all children who do not so attend, only 50 parents out of all the thousands under the School Board have withdrawn their children from the scriptural instruction. The teachers, it is stated, too, have so faithfully performed their duty in keeping their teaching free from sectarianism that there has not been one complaint from parents during the whole seven years the rules have been in force, while for three years so effectually has the religious difficulty been settled by the system, no debate has arisen regarding the subject. In the last election too, a hotly contested one, not one candidate proposed to alter the system thus adopted by the London School Board. The scene on Saturday was a very effective and touching one. The prize winners and 1,000 trained voices from the various Board Schools were arranged in the Handel Orchestra, while in the central transept a platform was placed for the ceremony. The children were of the artisan and labouring classes, dressed in their best clothes. The Palace Company have made very liberal arrangements for the admittance of School Board children, and propose to give certain profits to- wards the foundation of a scholarship. At the time appointed for the ceremony Lord Sandon entered upon the platform and was loudly cheered. He was accom- panied by the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol, Sir Charles Reed, Lady Reed, Sir E. H. Currie, Mr. A. Mills, M.P., the Hon. Lyulph Stanley, Mrs. West- lake, the Rev. Dr. Maguire, Mr. and Mrs. Surr, Mr. Thomas Hughes, Q-C., Mr. Picton, Mr. Mark Wilks, Miss Chessar, Mr. E. Buxton, Mr. Sidney Buxton, Canon Money, Mr. Pearce, Mr. Potter, Mr. Lucraft, the Rev. Styleman Herring, the Rev. R. J. Simpson, Major Pao-e, Mr. Collins, the Rev. Dr. Manning, Mr. T. M. wllHams, the examiner of the children, and 0tThe"children in the orchestra, led by M^. John Evans, having sung some hyirms, the whole of the vast gathering reverently standing, Lord Sandon, who was received with continued cheerin" said he had been rejoiced to receive and aceejit a like invitation to that which was given last year to hi, excellent friend and predecessor in office, Mr. Foster, to attend and distribute the prizes chained bv the best scholars in Scriptural knowledge. (Cheel".) He felt it was his duty to support Sir Charles Heed and "the London School Board with all his power in promoting the excellent systematic religious tena -iiiug which they furthering to the best of their power. One of the greatest features of the London School Board systematic religious teach- in was that all the children were taught to learn by heart some of the most precious parts in Scrip- ture. and "thus no child who had been instructed under this system could go into the world without iiovinrr in tiia mind nassasres which would be a warn- ing against the wrong path, and words of hope and trust in all the hours of his life. (Cheers.) Then, too, thorough fnstruotion was thus given in the leading characters of the holy Scriptures and this religious teaching was crowned by the Board insisting on all the childi%i having a thorough knowledge of the principles Gospels, so that the life of our Saviour wsfis imprinted on the heart of almost every child wL,n. the advantage of the curriculum of the London School Board. (Cheers.) He found that this -system of religious instruction was fully appreciated by parents, for out of 150,000 children who were in the London Board Schools, less than one in 3. thousand had been withdrawn from the religious teaching, and this small proportion might v'ry likely be accounted for by those members belonging to the Jewish faith. He found that no fewer than 82,000 children had voluntarily come up for examination in Scripture knowledge. The moral effect upon the children of the religious instruc- tion which they had received was very great, as was shown in the answers given. This movement proved to all, as politicians and citizens of this great State, that there was no religious difficulty whatever in our schools and it also proved this most gratifying fact, that people of very different Churches, of different political views, of different social occupations, of every phase of thought, and of every kind of character, might units Cordially and heartily to give the rudi- ments of our common Christianity to our people. (Cheers.) He hoped that these two points were now settled beyond dispute in this great metropolis, and in saying that lie could not help expressing an earnest ho, e—spekking in his private, not in his official capa- city -tha.t all the Boards of the country would see then way to follow the good example set them by the L'>ndon School Board. He knew that the number of Boairds was comparatively small that had banished all Bible teaching from their school-rooms and he would venture to express a hope that as time went on the 16 secular School Boards of England and the 38 School Boards of Wales would see their way to follow the example of the London School Board. The children who needed religious instruction the most-such as the children of dissolute pairent and the children with no parents at all—would not get any religious in- struction whatever if they did not get it in the day schools they would never otherwise have this infinite joy. Then it was to be remembered that the ministers of religion were overworked in the towns, and the fact that a large proportion of the children did not go to the Sunday schools was an answer to those who desired to see religious instruction left until Sunday. (Hear, hear.) His Lordship then addressed a few words to the children, impressing upon them to study the Bible and make it the standard of their lives. Loud cheers followed the conclusion of Lord Sandons' r address, and then the children sang some more hymns. The distribution of the Bibles then commenced, and The distribution of the Bibles then commenced, and the first child presented to his lordship was a 'poor blind girl, who was led up to the dais. She had passed at the Saxon-road School, Southwark, and re- ceived in two huge volumes the raised character Bible. The other Bibles and Testaments are printed so as to be specially attractive to children, in paragraphs, with side references, having excellent maps and a chrono- logical summary of both Old and New Testaments. The books are splendidly bound, and on the covers bear, in gilt letters, the occasion of the gift and the sentence-" The Word of the Lord endureth for ever." After a few words from the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol, The Rev. Dr. Manning, on behalf of the Religious Tract Society, presented Lord Sandon with a copy of the prize Bible as a memorial of the day, and remarked upon the fact that the number of competitors was last year 42,00(t while this year it was 82,000. Lord Sandon replied, and then Sir Charles Reed called for three cheers from all for their president of the day, who, Sir Charles said, was a true hearted friend of education. The cheers were heartily given, and then Mr. Peek stood forward. The children evidently knew him. for at onee all rose and spontane- ously cheered and the spectators, some 30,000, joined heartily in the chorus. Mr. Peek briefly spoke Qf the pleasure it was to see the great success of the gathering and of the work which he had been the instrument of beginning. The children then afterwards sung some secular pieces of a very pleasant character. The smaller members of the gathering had various amusements provided for them, and evidently enjoyed their treat very much.

SELECTED ANECDOTES. SAVING RIGHTEOUSNESS.—When Dr. Blomfield was rector of Cliesterford. it was the permanent annoy- ance of every Easter Day that a stream of carriages was passing through the village, giving it the appear- ance, and too much of the reality, of a noisy fair, while conveying the racing men of the day to New- market. The aristocratic sporting men would drive up to the inn in open carriage, playing at whist, and throwing out their cards would call to the waiter for fresh packs. To remove the scandal, it was only slowly that the Jockey Club was induced to alter the first day of the meeting to Easter Tuesday. The Duke of York, when applied to on the subject by Bishop Howley, declined to alter his practice, but added that, "Though it was true he travelled to the races on Sunday, he always had a Bible and Prauer Book in the carriage GIVING SATISFACTION.—The author of a History of Denmark having written freely on the arbitrary government of that kingdom, his Danish Majesty ordered his minister to complain of it to William III., who demanded what he would have. "Sire," an- swered the ambassador, if you were to complain to the king my master of a similar offence, he would send you the head of the author." "I cannot do that," replied the monarch but if you wish it, the author shall state what you have said in the next edition of his work." BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION. --When Lord Palmerston first stood for Tiverton, a female relative of his, an amiable and witty young lady, took a lively interest in her relative's election, and offered the compliment of a new gown to each of the wives of those freemen who voted for her relative, on which she was saluted with a cry of "Miss for ever/ when she pleasantly observed, I thank you, Gentlemen, but I cannot agree with you, for really I do not wish to be Miss —— for ever!" BRIGHTON AND GEORGE IV.—An illustration of the fact that the people of Brighton bear George IV. in more friendly remembrance than that vouchsafed to him hy the people of any other portion of the British Empire was given not long before the death of the late Mr. Thackeray. The latter gentleman having arrived at Brighton with the intention of giving lectures, applied to one of the local authorities for the use of an apartment in the Pavilion. The gentleman applied to, being an admirer of Mr. Thackeray's ability, did not like to refuse him what he applied for, but having a tolorably shrewd idea that the lectures would be the series on "The Four Georges," in which the fourth monarch of that name was dealt with in no very measured terms, he said, Mr. Thackeray, I should be sorry to refuse you the Pavilion but, come now, do you think it would be fair to abuse a man in his own house? Would not the Town Hall suit you ?" Mr. Thackeray glanced at him with an expression which told that he quite understood the Brightonian objection to the walls of the Pavilion echoing trenchant criticisms on its old master's delinquencies, and at once said, Yes, the Town Hall will do." A PLEASANT COMPLIMENT.—Lord Erskine, being in company with the Duchess of Gordon, asked, Are we never again to enjoy your Grace's company for a winter at Edinburgh ? Oh, no," said she Edin- burgh is a vile dull place I can't think of passing a winter there." He replied, As well might the sun say, here's a vile dark morning-I won't rise to-day." JESTING BY INCHES.—It being proved on a trial at Guildhall, that a man's name was really Inch, who pretended it was Linch; "I see," said the Judge, "the proverb is verified in this man, who being allowed an inch, has taken an L." Out of this joke of Joe Miller comes the jeu d'esprit of Liston upon his fascinating and petite wife. Some one having ad- dressed the lively little lady as "Mrs. L," "Mrs. Ell 11 said Liston, "Ioall her Mrs. Inch. "-Fantily Joe Miller. THE BISHOP AND LORD PAUIERSTON.-Dr. Wilber- foroe, Bishop of Oxford, and Lord Palmerston were on a visit in the country. The Premier offered to take the Bishop to church in his carriage the Bishop chose to go on foot. A shower came on just as the carriage overtook the pedestrian the Prime Minister put his head out of the window, with- How blest is he who ne'er consents By ill advice to walk; and the Bishop immediately retorted with- Nor stands in sinners' ways, nor sits Where men profanely talk. A SMALL CHARGE.—The following version of a charge delivered to his clergy by Bishop Blomfield, the Rev. Sydney Smith solemnly declared he did m write "Hunt not, fish not, shoot not, Dance not, fiddle not, flute not Be sure you have nothing to do with the Whigs, f But stay at home and feed your pigs And above all I make it my particular desire, That at least once a week you dine with the sq A CLERGYMAN'S JOKES.-A clergyman, a v. recently created quite a sensation in his housei. which consisted of seven grown up daughters. The iVv. gentleman was absent from home for a number of days, visiting in an adjoining county. The daughters received a letter from their father which stated that he liaiU "&M..L. 4AI wiaow Willi £ >iA opi Cfillaren, and that he might be expected home at a certain time. The effect of that news was a great shock to the happy family. The girls, noted for their meekness and amiable temperaments, seemed another set of beings there were weeping and wailing and tearing of hair, and all manner of naughty things said. The tidy home was neglected, and when the day of arrival came the house was any- thing but inviting. At last the Rev. Mr. X. came, but he was alone. He greeted his daughters as usual, and, as he viewed the neglected apartments, there was a merry twinkle in his eye. The daughters were nervous and evidently anxious. At last the eldest mustered courage to ask, Where is our mother?" "In heaven," said the good man. But where is the widow with six children that you wrote to say you had married? Why I married her to another man, my dears," he replied, delighted at the success of his joke.

THE MARKETS. MARK-LANE.—MONDAY Business at Mark-lane was on a moderate scale, but a fair amount of firmness was apparent. English wheat y,aá sparingly offered. Millers were not willing operators, nor were factors eager to sell, consequently the actual business concluded was not large. An advance of 2s. was required, but the business done was mostly at an advance of la, per quarter on the week. Foreign wheat, of which a fair supply was on offer, was firm, and about Is. per quarter dearer. A moderate supply of barley was on offer. The trade was quiet but steady. Malt sold at previous quotations. Oats were in fair supply. Full prices were realised, with a quiet demand- Maize was steady in value, but not in active request. Beans commanded more attention; but peas ruled quiet. The flour market was rather firmer, but still not active. METROPOLITAN CATTLE MARKET.—MONDAY The cattle trade throughout was firmer. Supplies were rather short, and in addition the weather was somewhat more favourable for killing. The deliveries of beasts from our own grazing districts were moderate. Sales progressed more freely, and the best breeds were decidedly better the top price for Scots and crosses was 6s. to 6s. 2d. per sib. In secondary and inferior sorts the improvement was not ss marked. From Lincolnshire, Leicester- shire, and Northamptonshire we received about 900, from Norfolk, &c., about 500, and from other parts of Eng- land about 250. The foreign side of the market was fairly supplied. There were about 300 American and a fair number of Danish, besides some Spanish and Swedish. the trade was more animated and prices were hardening. The sheep pens were moderately well filled. The market was quiet but steady, at about late rates. The best downs and half-breds sold at 6s. to 6s. Sd. per 81b. Lambs were lh m, at 7s. to 8s. 2d. per 81b. Calves and pigs sold at previous quotations. At Deptford there were 100 beasts and 1,000 sheep. Coarse and inferior beasts, 4s. 6d. to 5s, second quality ditto, 6s. 2d. to 5s. 8d. prime large oxen, 5s. lOd. to 6s.; prime Scots, dfce., 6s. to Gs. 2a. ^arse and inferior sheep, 5s. 6d. to Gs. second quality ditto 68. t. 6s. 4d. prime coarse woolled sheep, Cs. 4d. to 6s. 6d. prime. Southdowns, 6s. 6d. to 6s. 8d. lambs, 7s. to 8s. 2d' large coarse calves, 5s. to 5s. Sd. prime small ditto, Gs. to 6s. 4d.; large hogs, 4s. to 4s. Gtl. neat small porkers, 4s. 6d. to 5s. per 81b. by the carcass. METROPOLITAN MEAT MARKET.—MONDAY. A moderate demand prevailed for the better qualities of meat, and the quotations for such continued pretty firx*. Price's :-Inferior beef, 3s. to 3s. 4d. middling ditto, 4s. to 4s. Sd. prime large ditto, 4s. 8d. to 5s. 4d. prime smr«Jl ditto, 5s. 4d. to 5s. lOd. veal, 5s. to 5s. 4d. inferior mutton, 3s. to 4s. middling ditto, 4s to 5s.; prince ditto, 5s. 6d. to 6s. 8d. large pork, 4s. to 4s. 6d.; small ditto, 4s. 8d. to 58. lamb, 6s. 4d. to 7s. per 81b. by the carcass. t SEED. LONDON, Monday, July 9 —Foreign stocks <JI Cloverseed continue to be held too high for the views of the buyers. There was rather a better demand for good Trefoil and former prices were well supported. Canaryseed was in slow request, at rather less money. Dutch Hempseed realised quite as high rates as previously. Tares Foreign were sold at moderate prices to a limited extent. Good samples ot English Rapeseed were scarce and fully as dear. White Mustardseed was in steady demand, at full prices. There was nothing passing in brown for want of quality. TALLO\Y s. <X. g. d. Town Tallow, per cwt. 42 0 Rough Stuff, per cwt. 15 6 Rough Fat, per 81bs.. 1 9^. Greaves 12 0 Melted Stuff, per cwt. 30 6 Good Dregs 6 0 Yellow Russian, iiev 43s. 9d. per cwt. Ditto Ditto old OÛs. Od. Australian Mutton Tallow 42s. Cd. „ litto Beef Ditto 41s. 6d. PROVISION. LONDOK, Monday, July 9-The arrivals last week from Ireland were 608 firkins Butter and 5,114 bales Bacon, and from ioreign ports 26,021 paokages Butter, and 3,100 bales Bacon. Foreign Butter has come to market in larger sup- plies, the sale has ruled steady with little or no change in prices except for the finest Dutch, which advanced about 8s. per cwt. In Irish transactions are upon a very moderate scale. Bacon has sold well the finest Irish and Hamburg sizeable at the close of the week advanced 2s. per cwt. Lard The finest Waterford Bladders have been reduced to 60s. free on board, which has brought on some buying. Butter, per cwt. s. s. Cheese, per cwt. s. s. Dorset 130 to 134 Cheshire. 56 te 70 Friesland 118 120 Double Gloucester 64 68 Jersey doi. 90 94 Cheddar 74 79 Fresh, per doz. 13 15 American 42 52 Bacon, per cwt. Hams: York 94 96 Wiltshire 86 88 Cumberland 94 96 Irish, green, f.o b. 80 82 Irish 94 98 Irish, green, f.o b. 80 82 Irish 94 98 HAY. WmTECHAPEL, Saturday, July 7.—At the market to-day there was a short supply of Hay and Straw on offer. Trade was good, and prices dearer for good old Hay and Clover, but new rather slack. Prime Clover, 100s. to 140s. in- ferior, 85s. to 95s. Prime meadow Hay, 90s. to 134s. inferior; 70s. to 858., and Straw, 44s. to 57s per load. POTATO The supplies of potatoes continue on a moderate scale, and trade remains steady:New Jersey kidneys, 220s. to 2ÖÜ8. Cherbourg ditto, 200s. to 230s. Jersey round, 190s. to 220s. Cherbourg round, 200s. to 220s. per ton. Old potatoes realise from 5s. to 6s. 6d. per cwt.