The Brecon Reporter and South Wales General Advertiser

COLONEL DA WKINS AND HIS SUPERIOR OFFICES. The case of Dawkins r. Lord Sokebv occupied the attention of the Court; of Common Pleas for several days last week. The actioa arose out of circumstances which have been frequently before the public. The plaintiff was William Gregory Dawkins, a captain and lieutenant- 'eal oolonel in the Coldstream Guards, and he sued Lord Rokeby, the colonel of the regiment, to recover dances for false imprisonment in placing him under arrest, and for causing him to be compelled to sell his commission, or to go upon half-pay. The defendant pleaded Not Guilty, ander the ^Mr/^Karsiake, in opening the case, said that the plftintiff was the son of Colonel Dawkins, of the Cold- Streams, an officer who served with distinction under the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsula. Tne plain- tiff had himself been for many years in his regiment, and he sarveS throughout the Sebastopol campaign. The action was brought for the investigation of some cireumetanoe that ought to have been disposed of before a court-martial, a tribunal which, however, had been refused to the plaintiff. The facts extended over several years, and there had been a great deal of cor- respondence upon the matter, but, in general terms, the charges now brought against the defendant were these :—That some time ago he ordered the arrest Iof the plajntiff under pretence that he had committed a military offence that ho had not in fact committed, -and that having caused his arrest he neglected to being the plaintiff before a court-martial. That having done this some years ago, the defendant had from time to time made statements alone and in company with other officers who owed Colonel Dawkins a grudge. and at last they had induced the Duke of Cambridge, without allowing Colonel Dawkins a court-martial, to call upon him either to go on half- gay or to reign his commission altogether. The learned counsel having stated the circumstances in detail, complained principally that the plaintiff had been placed in arrest, and so kept for 1-1 days, for having refused at the camp at Ash, in 1860, to shake hands with Colonel Lord Rokeby, his com- manding officer, at the same time, however, sa- luting him as his superior. This conduct, it was contended, was no offence against military law, and it further would be urged that even if offence had been committed, it was illegal to keep the plaintiff under arrest for more than eight days without bringing him before a court-martial. A great deal of correspondence took place in reference to a variety of complaints which were made, and matters went on till the 30th June, 1884, when Lord F. Paulet told the plaintiff that he waa utterly nnfit to com- mand, and that he should not .cotnmand so long as he (Lord F. Paulet) had anything to do with the_ regi- ment. This course was acted upon on the occasion of a. review in Hyde-park, which took place in July, when the .plaintiff was superseded, and when he asked what he was to do he was told that he might go horns. Fscm that time insult after insult was heaped upon him, ana at the court of inquiry which was held Lord iRokeby justified thg statement that the plaintiff was unfit to command by referring to what had taken place at Ash m I860. xn 1805 there was another out Oj- inquiry, when the old story and others were again r aaea up, and Lora Rokeby and other officers said that the plaintiff s temper was so infirm that he was not fit to command, and Lord Rokeby even went so far as to say that the plaintiff was mad at times. Upon the report of the court of xcquiry the commander-in- chief ordered that the plaintm ehoaiaresiga or go upon half-pay, and he refused the plaintiff's repeated re- quests for a court-martial, before whichpEooeedicgs of a regular kind could be taken, ana evidence on oath received, instead of the mere statements upon which courts of inquiry acted. The result wag that the plaintiff was compelled to leave the regiment and go upon half-pay.. The plaintiff was then examined at great length, and the case came to a conclusion on Friday atternoon, when Mr. Justice Willes said he was of opInion that the questions brought before the Court were entirely of a military character, to be dealt with by court-mar- tial, and could not be taken cognisance of by a court of law. He therefore nonsuited the plaintiff.

'CURIOUS STORY OF A MODERN ENG- LISJI DUEL. An amusing story comes from Newcasiie-nnder- Lyme, where it has bean the one topic of gossip during tap last week. On a certain evening four pro- fessional gentlemen, residing in that town, were playing billiards, when one offered to bet that he could make a certain, stroke, which produced a re- joinder from one of the others that he declared WAS an insult and an attack on his honour. High words followed, and presently the injured one challenged his assailant to a settlement of the dispute with pistols. This was accepted, and the other gentlemen were requested and consented to act aa seconds. It should be stated that only the challenger was really in earnest in the affair, and that the others, regarded it as a joke. To make a long story short, the four repaired to the house of one of them; pistols were borrowed, but only a pair of horse pistols were procurable, and these were loaded by the:seconds, who put in the powder, but, unknown to at least one of the principals, slyly dispensed with balls. The challenger, who was through- out quite in earnest, having actually made his will, the party adjourned to the garden, a secluded spot, and were placed 30 paces apart, and the weapons were handed to them. At a given.signal both fired, and the challenged fell. His second ran to him, and, in raising J him, dexterously smeared his face with a red colouring | having all the appearance of blood. The other stood still, as if rooted to the spot, pale as death, and 1 trembling like a leaf, when he saw the effect of his I fire. The body of the fallen man was carried into the house, and surgecma were sent for, or pretended to be sent for, but no one was able to come. When the challenger recovered full possession of his senses, his j distress was painful to fitness. He topk the hand of J his suppoeaed d-aad opponent, piteousiy moaned his j fate, and cried aloud. After lying still for some time, j the dead man could stand it no longer. He laughed j and jumped up, startling the other even pore than J before, but presently it dawned on the mind of the j valiant challenger that he had been hoaxed, and, amid the laughter of', theothers, he rushed out of the house j in a state of mind more easily imagined than described. The whole story looks lika a hoax, but its truth is vouched for by one, at least, of the parties to this modern English duel.

A DEBAUCHED LIFE: SHOCKING DEATH AND PAINFUL DISCLOSURES. An inquest was recently held by Dr. Hardwicke, deputy coroner for Central Middlesex, at the Duke of York, Now Church-street, Marylebone, on the' body of Edith Bland, who resided at 4, Hanover-cottages, St. Johfl.'8-wood. Mrs. Sarah Bland, mother of deceased, residing, at No. 1, Shaftesbury-villas, Kensington, said My daughter was not married. She was living with a gentleman at No. 4, Hanover-cottages. I do not know anything of my daughter's death. She would, not eat, but drank hard. Swah Clements: I was servant with the deceased. She kept the house. I have been with her four years. She was not very well last Saturday night. On, Monday she was worse, but would not let me fetch the' doctor. She locked the door so that the doctor should I not come in. She was in the habit of drinking a great deal of brandy and spda. water, and brandy and water. I was with her on Monday night, and found so great a change in her that I sent for the doctor (Mr. James). When he came she had been dead ten minutes. In i answer to Mr. Hallam, the foreman, the witness stated ) that there was a gentleman lying in the next room to deceased. He was ill with delirium tremens. He was not well enough to drink with her on Monday. I Mr. William Reynolds James, surgeon, 23, Upper Gloucester-place, said: I, was, sent for to the deceased shortly after 12 o'clock on Tuesday morning. I found; j her lying on the bed quite dead. I had been in attend- ance at the house a week previously, but not upon her. [ have made a post-mortem examination. There are no signs of violence or-of poison. The jury here stated that they had observed a out over the lip, and a serious injury to the eye. The doctor said he had not noticed anything of the sort. The coroner said, you had better go and see the body again after concluding this portion of your evidence. Mr. James, continuing his evidence said: The stomach was quite empty, with the exception of a little pulp of orange. The cause of death was fatal syncope, through fa.tty degeneration of the heart. I did not examine the head. Charles Nevin said I am medical attendant upon the insane. I wag-engaged to attend upon Mr. Noel, whs was staying at 4,. Hanover-cottages. Ha was very ill from drinking habits. I have been in attend- ance upon him for a week. He was too ill to drink with the woman whilst I was there. He was in a dif- ferent room from her, an adjoining one. A Juror: Is this gentleman any relation to Lord GaiJasbofoughP Witness: I cannot say anything about that. As I was leaving the house at half-past nine on Monday night the deceased came out of her loom and. asked me how the gentleman was. The Foreman of the jury thought the doctor ought to have opened the head of deceased. Coroner: I agree with you, and I shall certainly reprimand him for that neglect. Sarah Clements, recalled, said she had not been enabled to induce her mistress to eat food for three or four days. She drank about half a pint of brandy a day with soda water. A Juror: Did not the gentleman give her < £ 300 ? Witness: He gave her some money, but I do not know how much. Mr. James recalled I have seen the body again, and I can assure you that all the marks on the face have come on since death. The jury returned a verdict of "Nataral death, I accelerated by habits of intoxioation." .d.

IMPORTANT DECISION: THE EXTRADI- TION TREATY BETWEEN ENGLAND AND FRANCE'. In the Chancery Court, on Saturday, before the Lord Chancellor, Mr. M*Mahon moved that a writ of haeascorpus be issued to bring up the body of Victor Widemann, that he osight be discharged from Clerkeu- well Prison, in which he was detained preparatory to his being surrendered to the Government of France on a charge of fraudulent bankruptcy. He said the ground on which he relied was simply this. That the extradition treaty had expired by the Frsrxsh Govern. ment having given a six months' notice on the 4th of last December to discontinue it. The Attorney-General; The French Government has withdrawn that notice. Mr. M'Mahen contended that as nothing was said in the 6 and 7 Vic., cap. 75, which was passed for the ratification of the treaty, about either of the contract- ing parties being ai liberty to withdraw a notice of discontinuance, the treaty was not received by the with- drawal of the notice given by the French Government in December last. He contended that under the notice of the 4th of December the treaty expired on the 5th inst., and that the before-mentioned Act itself was now abrogated by that notice. The language of that treaty was explicit and unequivocal, to the effect that in six months' from the giving of such notice the treaty should expire, and consequently such notice once given was irrevocable. It could hardly be pretended that a simple diplomatic note from one of the French minis- ters could have the effect of reviving or prolonging the existence of an Act of Parliament which would other- Wl^have lapsed by its own provisions. withouthearing the Solicitor- General, who appeared m opposition to the motion, the Lord Chancellor said taa Act of Parliament waa in force as long as the con- vention was in force. The convention was a conven- tion whereby certain stipulations were made for the de- livermg up of persons charged with crimes in the two countries. He would not enter into the details of the Act, for he did not know the nature of this case. The only question before him was whether thia convention was m iorce. It was certainly in force unless a cer- tain valid notice had been, given by either of the con- tracting parties that it should be discontinued. Now, what were the facts of this case P On the 4 th of December. notice was given by the French Government to determine it at toe emj of six months—that was to say, by the 4ta mau.—and ifc would then have expired had not the French ambassador by a note, dated the 2.1st of May, intimated the desire of his Government for the continuance ot the treaty for six months more. Surely the contracting parties might agree by that means to keep the convention in force for that period. HaagreeG. with t.he learned counsel in this, and if six ir,onthe had expired before intimation was given by the French Government of their desire that the treaty I should coatinue. till December next the Act of Parlia- ment would have expired, because the convention itself in that case: would have coma to 03. end; Thia J applieafcbu lades <^e8eoiroamsflan«s8ajnus^,be.c«s#aeiv <

THE MINISTRY AND THE COUNTRY. A large and enthusiastic meeting of Beformers was held in the Mechanics' Institute, Bradford, on Thurs- day evening, the 2ht of SJape, to declare continued confidence in the Government, and to petition the Queen for a dissolution of Parliament. The meeting had 'been called by the Bradford branch of the National Reform Union, and was presided over by Mr. Alder- man Brown. Amongst the speakers was Mr. Bright, of Eochdale. The meeting was also addressed by Messrs. A. Illingwqrth, E. Thomas, S. Holmes, J. Cooke, W. Byles, AI. rman Eawson, J. Wilkinson, W. H. Arnold, S. C. Kell, and other gentlemen well i known locally as earnest Reformers. The following resolutions were unanimously adopted:— "That the warmest thanks of this meeting are hereby most respectfully tendered to Earl Russell, Mr. Gladstone, and the rest of her Majesty's Ministers, for their firm adherence to the measures of Reform introduced by them to Parliament, and supported by tha petitions of the people, and for their noble vindi- cation of consistency and principle in the honourable course they have pursued. That this meeting expresses the strong sense of its indignatiou at the indirect, unworthy and factious means by which the Opposition has prevented the passing of the Reform Bill introduced by the Govern- ment, and, also, its deep regret at the loss of the benefits which the country expected from a measure which was not only wise and reasonable, bat which would also have afforded a settlement of the Reform question for a considerable time to come." A petition to the Queen, of which the following is a copy, was also adopted, and ordered to be signed by the chairman on behalf of the meeting:— "TO THE QUEEN'S mOST EXCELLENT BlAjESTY. "May it please your Majesty,— "Your Majesty's most dutiful subjocts, being in- habitants of the borough of Bradford, in public meet- ing assembled, this 21st June, 1866, beg to approach the throne with the warmest attachment to your Ma. jesty personally and aa their sovereign. They beg to represent to your Majesty that the present Commons House was elected under circum- stances unfavourable to the question of Reform from the position of the Ministry then in office in relation to it; that nevertheless, so strong was the anxiety of the people for the settlement of the question, that a large majority of the members was returned pledged to a-a extension of the suffrage; that many of them have betrayed the confidency reposed in-them. that by factious opposition to the very moderate measures of Reform introduced by Your Majesty's Government, they Ijava designedly wasted the best part of the Ses-, sion, and have rejected with insult the claims of the working classes. Your petitioners feel justified, there- fore, in humbly, rubmitting to your Majesty that the! pa^ty in Opposition to the Eeform Bill in the present; House of Common's does not possess the confidence of: the people. 41 X our petitioners humbly pray your moss gracious1 .Majesty not to accept the resignation of Ministers, in. whom they have entire confidence; but to authorise J them to appeal to the country on the Reform Bill by; J an immediate dissolution of Parliament. J And may your Majesty in this and all other matters; be directed by the counsel and providence of the all-! wise God." Meetings of a similar character have been held at Derby, Lambeth, Rochester, Finsbury, Ipswich, Brighton, Cheltenham., Halifax,Nottingham,Hudders-j field, Shields, Bristol, Darby, Hoxton, Sunderla.nd, j Birmingham, Newcastle, &c.

THE CATTLE PLAGUE RETURNS. The following analysis of the returns for the last week has been compiled by Mr. W. Ciode, the superin- tendent of the Statistical Office:- The cattle plague has now completed the 52nd week of its prevalence, and during the year nearly a quarter of a million (248,965) of attacks have been officially reported, 80,597 cattle are stated to have been killed, 124,187 to have died, 32,989 to have recovered, and in 11,192 cases the results have not been specified. In addition to the foregoing, 51,343 cattle exposed to risk have been slaughtered while free from disease. In the aggregate more than 50 (50.5) in every 1,000 of the ordinary stock of cattle in Great Britain have been attacked, and to every 1,000 attacks, whose results have been reported, nearly 900 (861.3) animals perished. The epidemic has also extended to a considerable number of sheep, and since the com- mencement 4,463 are officially reported to have been attacked; of these 4,002 died or were killed, and 461 recovered or were unaccounted for. Daring the week ended 16th June 533 attacks were reported to bave occurred in Great Britain: vis., 488 in England, 27 in Wales, and 18 in Scotland. The number of attacks, viz., 533, shows a decrease of 454 on the previous re- turn. Correcting the total, by adding an average of attacks commencing during the week, but which may be subsequently reported, the number for the week will be666. The following 22 counties have from the com- mencement remained free from the disease—viz., West. moreland, Monmouth, the six counties of South Wales, Montgomery, Merioneth, Carnarvon, Anglesey, Wig- town, Bute, Argyle, Banff, Elgin, Nairn, Ross and Cro. marty, Sutherland, Caithness, and Orkney and Shet- land. In 61 counties no cases have been reported as occuring during the week. Seven counties show an increase of 35 cases and 17 counties, the metropolis, and two ridings of Yorkshire show a decrease of 489 cases.

A numerous deputation representing the in. habitants of the borough of Finabary, and including their two representatives in Parliament, waited on the Metropolitan Board of Works on Friday, and pre- sented a memorial praying the board not to build, as was proposed, on any of the 120 acres that have been secured for the laying out of a public park in the north of London. A proposition to sat apart twenty acres of the 120 to building purposes and an amendment in consonance with the wishes of the memorialists were afterwards proposed and discussed for some hours without any definite result, the consideration of the question having been postponed till next Friday. Killed by an Over Draught of Liquor.— A ehockingcaseof death from excessive drinking ooourrad at Stoskgort, Four labourers called at the Biaek Boy public-house, in Great Underbank, early in the morn- ing, and after partaking of some refreshment retired to Mr. Rush/ton's, the Albion Inn, in Little Fader- bank, where on arrival they called for a quart of beer. The beer was drawn by a girl, and in a few minutes she left the bar and went into an adjoining room. One cf the men was supplied with a quart breakfast can, which was filled with various kinds of liquors during the girl's absence from the taps. Whether the man who went to the tap, tossed off a draught of the liqaors, and then replenished the caE, has not yat beenaeoer tained, but to sash an extent did he, indulge that in a very short time he was a, corpse on trhe floor. On the police being (jailed in they found that the thzeo sur- viving men were in & dangerous state from the same souse, and assistance- fceiag prasssred, ths-f 811:- I" once xein'wad totàei2Dlic&.():ffh;Ð,-

CONSOLIDATED BANK (LIMITED).. Meeting of Shareholders. An extraordinary general meeting of shareholders was held on Thursday, at the London Tavern, to con- sider a proposition for the reopening of the bank; Mr. J. P. Haywood in the chair. The directors presented a report. It stated that they had carefully considered the best mode of in- creasing the .capital of the company, so as to strengthen its position, and they had coma to the determination to propose to add X400,000 to the paid- up capital, thereby raising it to one million sterling. The directors explained that this might be effected by calls on the 150,000 shares of < £ 10 each, M paid up, already issued, such calls being payable by instalments in three, six, nine, and twelve months respectively. But the directors foresaw great inconvenience likely to arise from this course, and therefore submitted the following alternative for the consideration and ap. proval of the shareholders. There still remains 50,000 shares pf the authorised capital of the bank un- issued. It is proposed to give to each shareholder the option o| subscribing for his rateable proportion of these shares at par, payable by the following instalments: .£1 per share on allotment, and £ l per share in three months, .£1 per share in six months, Xl par share in nine months after allotment. This will raise the number of shares issued to 200,000, and add < £ 200,000 to the paid-up capital. A call of £ 1 per share when found necessary will produce a further addition of = £ 200,000, thus making up the £ 400,000. The directors, as a proof of their confidence in the suc- cess of the scheme, are ready to assume, if required, one,half of the 50,000 shares among themselves. Any shareholder may apply for any number of shares be- yond his rateable proportion out of the shares which may not be taken up by other shareholders." After speeches from tha Chairman and Vice-Chair- man were read, the biflancesheet having,been produced, it was shown that time was only needed to again place the bank in a prosperous condition, the principal items being the amounts dije by the bank, < £ 3,017,942 Os. 5d., and the bills discounted, loans, and other securities tothe credit side were X4,061,705 7s. Sd., showing a considerable balance in favour of the bank. On the motion of Mr. Pender, seconded by Mr. Slater, it was resolved—" That this company be wound up vo- luntarily under the Companies Act, 1862, but in the event of the arrangement submitted being carried out, the meeting for the confirmation of this resolution be not held." A cordial vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the business. The proceedings were from beginning to end of a most unanimous and enthusiastic character, and—a rare event latterly-highly complimentary to the directors.

LODGINGS. It is always well, in taking or letting apartments, to have a written agreement, that there may afterwards be no dispute as to the terms on which they are let but wkere there has been no such agreement, it is the rule that the period at which the rent is paid, whether weakly or otherwise, is the term of tl;e tenancy, and corresponding notice to quit must be given. But if the lodgings be merely taken, for a short and definite term, with the understanding that the lodger will quit when that term has expired, no notice is necessary. The forms of agreement and notice between landlord and tenant which we have given in a recent number are applicable, with verbal alteration, to the letting of apartments. We have already mentioned, when treating of the subject of distress, that the goods of a lodger may be distrained by the landlord for rent due from the tenant; they may also ba distrained for the tenant's taxes; and it is, therefore, advisable in all cases to ascertain, if possible, the position of the person from whom the apartments are taken, and whether he is free from arrears. I The tenant or occupier of a house may distrain the goods of his lodger" for rent overdue, in the same manner that the landlord can exercise that power; and the same rules of law apply to both cases. The I door of the lodger's apartment, however, may not be broken open to levy a distress, for that is considered his outer door. If there be any inner apartments, and admission be gained to the first by proper means, those inner apartments may be forcibly entered. The householder can prevent the goods of the lodger being taken off the premises while any rent is due; but if the lodger be allowed to remove, his landlord cannot follow the goods, but must proceed for the rent in the county court, as for an ordinary debt. In the case of furnished apartments, the sum which I the lodger may agree to pay for their use is not con- sidered by the law as entirely rent, and therefore the householder is not allowed to distrain for the whole amount on property his lodger may possess. It is hold that a portion of the sum is for occupation of the apartments, and a portion for the use of the furniture; and it is only for the former that the householder may distrain. It is therefore well in letting famished apartments, to divide the amount that may be payable, assigning so much for use of furniture, and placing moneys received to that account until it is clear. If the occupant of furnished apartments absent himself, and there is reason to believe that he has left without intention to return, a police-cenetable may be summoned, the apartment broken open in his presence, and any goods or property of the lodger that are left behind may be secured. Then, after fourteen days' notice has been given by advertisement in the London Gazette, the property so taken may be sold, for pay- ment of the rent in arrear, unless the lodger previously appear to discharge the claim. The surplus of such a sale, after deducting the rent, must be reserved for the lodger on demand.-From a series of papers, "Landlord and Tenant," in the Working Man," 0 1

During the month of May 40,000 emigrants arrived at New York from Europe, making the total since the 1st of January 88,710. There is already a great rush to secure berths in the steamers going to Europe next spring by people anxious to attend the Paris Universal Exposition. Although the time is almost a year off, both the Cunard and Inman lines announce that their state rooms are nearly all taken. The Cobden railway station, on the Illinois Central Railroad, about twenty miles from Chicago, is the chief depou for the produce of numerous fruit farms ia the surrounding country. From seven to twenty tons of strawberries are sent daily from these farms to supply the markets of the north. Eight years ago these farms were portions of the primi- tive forest. Collision in the Channel.—At two o'clock on Sunday morning the French lugger Eugene, coal lader, from Sunderland, came in collision off Dungexiesa with the brig Ellen. The lugger sank immediately. The captain and crew were just able to scramble on board the brig, and were landed at Dover utterly destitute. They were received at the Sailors' Home, where they are lodged, clothed, and fed, and from whence they will be forwarded to Calais. Glorious Old Relies.-There are but six officers surviving who took part in Lord Howe's famous victory on Jane 1, 1794, over the French fleet, under the command of Admiral Villaret de Joyeuse. These are—Midshipman (now Admiral of the Fleet) Sir William Parker, of Orion, 74; Midshipman (now Ad- miral and Senior on the Reserved List) W. H. B. Tremlett, of Royal Sovereign, 100; Mate (now Retired Admiral) E. Ratsey, of Defence, 74; Midshipman (now Admiral) Davies, of Glory, 98; Midshipman (now Retired Rear-Admiral) Hext, of Russell, 74; Retired Captain Barrell served as boy on board of Brunswick, 74. Huffianly Assault upon aWoman,—Michael Burns, a tall, powerful-looking Irish labourer, .was placed at tlie bar on Thursday, before Alderman Challis, at the London Guildhall, charged wiiih a. brutal and unprovoked assault upon the complainant. Mrs. Emily Brown, a very respectable, but delicate- looking female, said she resided at 22, St. John-street- road. She had been to Guy's Hospital to see her uncle and cousin, who are lying there suffering from the injuries they received at the accident which hap- pened at Guildhall just previous to th9 presentation of the freedom of the City to the Dake of Edinburgh. Her father was with her, and while they were passing the end of Farringdon-atreet she felt a dreadful kick in the small of the back. On turning round she saw the prisoner, whom she had never seen before, and said_ to him, Why did you do that P to which he replied, "_Go on, or I will do it again." Witness further said she had never spoken to him op.given him any cause for offence.—James Qaiily, the father of tho prosecutrix, corroborated her statement. He was be- hind, and saw the ruffian, kick his daughter, but had. •.not time to stop him.-Tha prisoner,, who said he wlia drunk ai the time, and who was now very sosry, was sen!.$«>• prison fesr wifck hd: labour,,

Railway Progress in Turkey.—The Smyrna correspondent of the Levant Herald, writing on the 1st, says" My telegram of Mofid-ay reported to you the opening of the great tunnel on the Aid in line on. the previous day, when an engine first passed through, the work, and crossed the plain beiond to within some six miles of the town of Aidin. The over-the-moun- tain temporary line had already been some time open to the contractor's engines, and the permanent way and bridges in the plain beyond have consequently been pushed on within recent weeks with an energy which has left rothirig to desire. The great thing, however, was to get botn the tunnels open, and, this being now done, what remains to complete the line may be regarded as engineering child's-work, which another month or five w.seks will easily and certainly bring to a aonclooion. It is now certain that tha formal opening of the line to Aidin will take place in the first or second week of next month, nearly the whole of; the permanent way being laid down and ballasted, and the only remaining piece of work of any (impo^sance—-the wooden viaduct over the EkisdePi— 1 being also, sapidly pushed- on to aompletiooc 4

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. I la the House of Commons on Monday, long before the Private bills had been disposed of, a vast number of members assembled, and great anxiety was exhibited, II Mr. Fawcett gave notice that he would next day put a question to the President of the Poor law Board doneern- Ing the management and lamentable condition, of the Lon- don hospitals and workhouses. n ,4.1 The Chancellor of the Exchequer rose ana said that tJie Hoble lord at the head of the Government and himself had, •fo. consequence of the vote given on a previous evening, and I In consequence of ulterior proceedings which had taken Place in that House, tendered their resignation to her Majesty. The Queen, however, had thought it necessary to take time before she would accept their resignations, sod had immediately on receipt of the communication the Government made preparations for her return to town, Where she would have an opportunity of a personal inter- view with the Ministers. The Queen was now on her way, and arrangements had been made by the himself to have an interview on the folio wing day (1 uescl at one o'clock, with her Majesty. He the House again to adjourn until Tuesday at six o ciock, When he should be able to communicate to Parliament her ^lyJ-o>oSusineSS was then gone though, and the ^A^imUar^statement was made in the Lords By Earl Sussell. Sussell. In the House of Lords, on Tuesday, after some private business had been disposed of, Earl Bugsell rose, amid breathless silence, asd s»id that himself and the Chancellor of the Exchequer had had thatafternoananmterviewwithher Haiesty, and the Queen was graciously pleased to accept the resignation of the Government. His lgrdsbip went over the nolicy exercised by her Majesty'3 Ministers in re- over the policy exercised by her Majesty's Ministers in re- Sard to the Befoim Bill, and stated that he wished the noble lord opposite (Earl Derby) had adhered to his resolution in the early part of the session, to da nothing to obstruct a measure of moderate Reform. The Government only now awaited her Majesty's selection of their successors to at once resign their seals of office. Their lordships then adjourned. In the House of Commons, after sojae pre'Karmary busi- ness had been gone through, The Chancellor of the Exchequer rose, amid mucn cheer- ing from the Ministerial side of the House, to announce that ing from the Ministerial side of the House, to announce that her Majesty had been pleased to accept the resignation of the Government. It had at first appeared to the Queen that some agreement might be come to by which the Eeform Bill could be carried without endanger- the Reform Bill could be carried without endanger. cr tlie principles contained in it. That o.t^y, however, the noble lord at ttie head of the Government and himself had had an interview with her Majesty. The Queen was. anxious they should retain office in consideration of the war crisis on the continent; because, however well their places may be I filled by others, they would not be so fitted to deal with fiereign matters as those who had all along been in corres- pondence on the subject. Having laid the whole circum- stances of the case before her Majesty, it was' at once seen that they could not do otherwise than resign. The Govern- ment, therefore, now only held their seals of office until her Majesty shall have chosen their successors. The right hon. gentleman then at considerable length explained the principles of the bill he wished to introduce, and said that having stated at the outset that they would stand or fall by ft heir bill, they had no other duty to perform: than resign. having stated at the outset that they would stand or fall by their bill, they had no other duty to perform: than to resign. He also reviewed the proceedings "which. ^itLd occurred throughout the debate, and intimated that her Majesty a Government had throughout been rather ungenerously dealt with. The House then adjourned till Thursday.

ACCIDENT ON THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY. An accident of an alarming character occurred at Twyford on Wednesday evening. It was the first day of the Henley Regatta, and there was more than the usual amount of traffic on the line. The branch train left. Henley to meet the down train from London, due at Twyford Junction at 6.20. The engine-driver on nearing the station put on the breaks to stop the train, but through some at present unexplained cause they did not act upon the engine, which continued its un- impeded course until it ran into an empty carriage standing on the line at the further end of the platform. The collision was so great that the carriage was smashed, and forced on to the platform, the engine being turned on one of its ends, and a large portion of the brickwork of the station destroyed. It was at first i, Lied that the accident was attended with fatal con- :t ences, but luckily such was not the case. Many he passengers were much bruised and shaken, and ■fhe utmost excitement prevailed at the station, which was greatly intensified by the screaming and shrieking of the passengers. A body of men -were at once set to work by Mr. Beaant, the district superintendent, who happened to be present, to remove the ddbris and another engine having been i,%om B,ding the traffic was again resumed,,

REFORM MEETING AT LAMBETH- I A meeting convened to support the Government in I the present political crisis was hold at the Horns j Tavern, Lambeth, on Friday night. The body of tha j hall was densely crowded with the electors and nott- J eleetors of the borough. The proceedings were throughout marked by the greatest unanimity and cornpletest order. Mr. Thomas Hughes occupied the chair, and amongst those present on the platform were: Messrs. W. R. Selway, Grenville, G. M. Murohy Dresser Rogers, C.C., John Richardson, C.C., and the Rev. J. Doxsey. The Chairman, who was received with enthueiastiø cheering, said he was extremely happy to be present at a meeting called to support the Government in the prasent crisis, and that seldom in the annals of our country, certainly not within the last fifty years, was there a crisis of so important, of so grave a character as that at which we were now arrived. He observed: One of the statements which have been most frequently made, both in and out of Parliament, and which I see again repeated in the Times of this morning, is that nobody wishes for Reform. Then again it ia said that no constituency puts any pressure on its representatives, that no constituency cares one straw about the matter; and then, when a con- stituency does put a pressure on a member, the same persons turn round and say, Oh, look at demo- cracy making delegates of its representatives." (Cheers, and laughter). I should like to ask those persons who make those charges what is the only constitutional way by which ministers can know whether or not the country wants Reform ? The only constitutional mode appears to be to look at the pro- mises put forward and the pledges made by members of Parliament in their election addresses and on the hustings (cheers). The Government, relying on the pledges made at the hustings, were not only justified in bringing forward this bill, but if they h,ad not 9 brought it forward—and brought it forward, too. in their first seseion-they would have shown themselves to be no friends of the people (cheers).. Now, let ua consider what the conduct of the Government was in bringing forward this measure. In the beginning of the session Earl Ruasell called the Liberal party together, and in a very manly straightforward, and statesmanlike manner, ex- plained the oourse the Government intended to adopt. In the House of Commons the bill was brought forward by Mr. Gladstone (great cheering). I am glad to hear that cheer. It was called forth by the name of a man that richly deserves it (renewed cheering). Mr. Gladstone brought forward in the House of Commons a bill for the lowering of the franchise. He did this because the Government meant business-because they had determined to carry some measure of Reform this year; and they well knew that the question of the franchise was the most important branch of the Reform question. You all remember the treatment he met with. You aU re- member how, at the instance of a great number of his own party, Mr. Gladstone was compelled to give up his own method and amalgamate the two billa. That was not Lord Russell's method, it was not Mr. Glad- stone's method, it was the method forced on the Government by the men of their own party playing false to them (cheers). Then, again, it is said that the bill was the bill of Mr. Bright (great cheering)- I am not going to answer that statement. You all know that Mr. Bright is not a man who keeps his senti- mentsshut up in his breast—that he would not have stopped short of household suffrage. I know perfectly well thatjffr. Bright and those who act with him were not satisfied with the bill, but, unlike the oth ^.section of the Liberal party, they accepted it loyally, aid all through the struggle stuck to the Government like men (cheers). Then it is said that the Liberal ma- jority has been lost through Mr. Gladstone's imperious- ness. I ask you to look this matter fairly in the fsca. Is it a proof of imperiousness that Mr. Gladstone has given up to the Opposition every point except those which he deemed absolutely material ? Is shat the conduct of a haughty and intolerant man who tries to put down honest opposition? Never was there a baser calumny uttered against a great man (cheers). My admiration for that noble man has been growing all through the session, when I saw how earnestly he battled to keep the promises he had made. Give me the leader who acts as if he had a work to accomplish, as if a woe was on him if he did not accomplish it (cheers). It is a disgrace to the House of Commons that they don't know a great man when they Eee him (continued cheering). Ail this session they have been like a pack of hounds let loose on the leader of the House of Commons. It hag been said also that the Ministry itself was not united. Thia assertion has been made, although ma.n after man stood up and pro- claimed himself the warm supporter of the measure,. But there was one man, the head. of my own profession, one of the greatest men in the Ministry—and those who said that the Ministry were divided asked, "Bat what does the Attorney-General think about Reform ?" What did he do ?-that man came forward the other night and deliberately stated that, in his opinion, tha time had come for household suffrage (cheers). As to the conduct of the Opposition during this contest I must say a few words. I know very well what a fair fight is, and I don't think that the Opposition fought a fair fight. They have been cruel to Mr. Gladstone and unfair to many men on our side. I don't blasna them for accepting the aid of the deserters, but I don't think that they fought fairly (cheers). Bat these are not the men of whom I have a right to complain* The real persons of whom I have a -rich't to complain are the men on our side. (A voiee;" Doalton and Co.") Ic is all very well to fight against an open foe; you can meet him fairly face to face; but it is very hard to fight when the second on whose knee you about to rest has a great prong on it to stick through you. This is the way we have been treated. aid than. the persons by whose aid the Government has baen defeated turn round and say that they neveir meant to defeat the Government; that the question of rectal and rating was not of any particular importance. If it was not, why did ^the> rally in fall force to defeat the Government (cheers) ? I understand that one of the resolutions to be proposed to-night recom- mends a dissolution instead of a resignation. It ap- pears to me that the Ministry themselves are the best judges in this matter; but at the same tima I think that if a great constituency like thia is in favour of a dissolution it is clearly bound to express its opinions in the strongest manner (cheers). As to the rumoured amalgamation between the Tories and our false friends the Adullamites, I have no fear that such a combina- tion could have any success. Tha meeting was further addressed by Mr. Dreseer Rogers, who said it would be impossiole to exaggerata the evils that might follow the resignation of the Ministry, for the Tory Administration might plunge them into the midst of the European war. He then moved a resolution thaDkiug the Government for their efforts in the cause of Reform, and suggesting that> a dissolution was the moat advisable course under pre- sent circumstances. After sosne observations from the Rev. Mr. Doxsey, the resolution was parsed by acclamation. Mr. Richardson moved a resolution expressing the confidence of the meeting ia Mr. Hughes, and thanking' him for hia speech and votes on the Reform question, and in the course of aa address referred to Mr. Samuel Morley as a fit man to represent them in place of Afr" Doulton. Mr. Morley's name was received with great cheering; and the speaker went on to say that be trusted by Monday the glad fcidiDgs would be flashed along the wires that her Majesty had determined on dissolving the Parliament. After several other speeches the resolution waa passed unanimously, and a vote of thanks having been passed to tha chairman, the proceedings terminated.