Flintshire Observer Mining Journal and General Advertiser for the Counties of Flint Denbigh

A DUEL IN AMERICA. The dulness of life at Washington in the month of May has been relieved this year by two gentlemen kindly volunteering to fight a duel. The unfortunate persons who are doomed to live in that city all the year round, and whose spirits are apt to be affected by the dispensation, have thus been furnished with a now and cheerful subject of conversation. It is said that at one of those lively evening parties which occur two or three times a season, even in Washington, General Lawrence, of the United States Army, made some remarks to a lady concerning Baron Kussarow, of the Prussian Legation. The Prussian Minister (Baron Gérolt) is a gentleman who, by reason of his experience and discretion, is not likely to be drawn into a personal" difficulty;" but the younger disciples of the diplomatic art who render him their valuable assistance in circumventing Mr. Seward, are not so guarded, and the good opinion of a lady is of more consequence to them than the smiles of ancient and white-headed gentlemen like their chief and the American Foreign Secretary. Baron Kussarow therefore challenged General Lawrence, and the American, nothing loth, went forth to the field of combat. The distance was fifteen paces—the Baron fired high and the General fired into a stump. The re- sult was that no one was particularly damaged. The inoffensive stump alone had reason to complain. The principals would fain have had another shot at each other, but the seconds refused them this consolation. A member of Congress tried to get the Legislature to dismiss General Lawrence from the army and ask for the recall of Baron Kussarow; but the House de- clined to take up the quarrel. It remains, therefore, for the lady who set the fire alight to put it out. It is possible, however, that (like other ladies) she may not be so expert in the latter as in the former interesting operation, and perhaps the best thing that Baron Kussarow can do is to get transferred to a post where there is no General Lawrence to mar his hopes.

MR. C. BUXTON AND HIS CON- STITUENTS. The following letter has been addressed by Mr. Buxton to one of his constituents, who had remonstra- ted against his subscribing to the Eyre Prosecution Fund:— Dear Sir,—I have received your letter, and have no right to complain of the severe tone you have thought fit to adopt. Throughout this unhappy Jamaica business, I am well aware that liiy course has been highly disapproved by some ot ".y mo!:t respected supporters: but 1 q. sv.re you would have despised me, and I should have despised myself, had I, feel- ing so intensely on this subject, have suffered that considera- tion to silence me. On one point you are completely deceived. I have not, as you think, denounced Mr. Eyre for his conduct during the suppression of the disturbances. So far from it, I have re- peatedly said that much allowance was due to a governor in a time of great panic and emergency, and I have deliberately refrained from commenting oil his conduct during that crisis. On the other hand, I have never wavered in the opinion that there ought to be a judicial investigation into his con- duct in putting to death 350 men and women on and after the day of his own official announcement that all disturbance was at an end. That conduct may be shown to have been justitiable-iiay, to have exhibited admirable force and firmness. Great num- her of the wise and good think O, and you agree with them. But am 1 really wrong in my opinion that acts of that kind ought to be examined, not in a newspaper controversy, but by a competent tribunal? Candidly, now, would not you feel that yourself, had these persons not been negroes, but Irish or English mcn Y So long as the demand for that investigation was made upon a charge of murder, I refused to concur in it. When that charge was dropped and the investigation was demanded upon a simple charge of misdemeanor, 1 could not with honour have stood aloof. You urge that the attempt to prosecute Ir. Eyre in Shrop- shire, and General Nelson in London, having been made and failed, it is cruel persecution to continue such endeavours. On this point I have felt the greatest hesitation. There is, I admit, a shocking look, almost of malignity, in such persis- tence. It is, however, my deliberate judgment that acts of the kind referred to ought not to be condoned from any re- gard, however honourable and humane, for the feelings of the actor. It would be very painful to me to suppose that these pro- ceedings would entail pecuniary ruin on Mr. Eyre's family. Happily it is notorious that sums vastly beyond all possible cost arc at his disposal. I, for one, shall be glad to learn that the present Government has undertaken his defence. Ilaiiy of 111'. Eyre's warmest supporters are my personal friends. I admit and admire their chivalrous spirit. But let me on the other side assure you, what I know to be true, that Mr. Mill and his coadjutors are swayed by no base ill-will towards Mr. Eyre, but by the most disinterested public spirit and sense of duty. They are and will be subject to an almost overwhelming torrent of public indigna- tion. Xow, I am painfully deficient in that "pure and perfect courage which is the tirst of political virtues, and I shrink with a timidity of which I am myself ashamed from the irritation this step will excite. Still, I am not so mere a coward as not to challenge a fair share of the obloquy and expense which these proceedings must involve, when I be- lieve them to be founded in justice and highly important for the protection of our subject races. I feel it due to myself to publish this letter, not that I expcct to convince anyone that 1 have acted rightly, but in the hope of its showing the more candid of those who have condemned us that I am not influenced by the cruel malignity which many seem to suppose. I have carefully excluded every word that might seem to prejudice the case. I am, dear Sir, yours very faithfully, Signed CHARLES BUXTON. P.S.—I ought to say that I write w ithout any concert "ith the Jamaica Committee, to which I do not belong.

TOTAL LOSS OF THE "ETHEL" AND AGAMEMNON." We learn from the Calcutta Englishman that a fatal collision took place on the 23rd ult, between the merchant ships Agamemnon and Ethel. According to the report of Captain M'Innes, of the latter vessel, both ships were being towed up the river, and the Agamemnon was towed about 150 yards ahead of the Ethel, but afterwards dropped down with the tide, apparently with the intention of anchoring on her port quarter or astern.. There appeared to be not suffi- cient water for her to anchor in that position, and she then steamed ahead across the bows of the Ethel, with the intention of anchoring ahead of that vessel, but in so doing the Agamemnon had a strong cant to the starboard, having the tide on the port-bow, which caused her to drift down towards the Ethel. When it was found that a collision would take place, the stoppers of the chain of the Ethel were cut, and more chain paid out, but while in the act of doing this, the Agamemnon's starboard quarter took the Ethel on the port bow, and in the collision the chain parted. The Agamemnon still keeping athwart the Ethel's bows, an anchor was let go from her, but just at this time the vessels took the ground and then separated, lying about half a ship's length from one another. When the Ethel grounded she gave a heavy lurch to starboard, righted again, but with the second lurch capsized, the Agamemnon going over about the same time. When the Ethel capsized t-he crew were in different parts of the ship about their duties. The chief officer, Mr. Holburt, was on the star- board side of the deck and forward, and when he found the ship going over, started to run aft, and it is supposed that he must have been killed by the fall of the loose spare spars from the top of the house on deck. Three of the crew of the Ethel and several of the crew of the Agamemnon were drowned. Those who were saved got to the weather or port side of the ship, and were picked up by the captain of the Rattler, one of the steam tugs, by which vessel they were all brought up to town. When the Rattler left there was only about three feet of the broadside of the Ethel and a few of her spars visible above the water. The Ayi~ memnon had totally disappeared. The Agamemnon was an iron ship of above 1,500 tons register, belonging to Liverpool, and was bound to London with a general cargo of rice, seeds, tfit, shellac, cotton, jute, hides, &g., The Ellul w&jitfi wooden vessel of 1,746 tons register, was bound Dundee, with the largest cargo of jue which ever Icft the Hooghly. The value of the ships and their cargoes amounted to about £lOO,COO. "¡"" J<IL-:¡; :d-=-a

WHOLESALE MURDERS IN AUSTRALIA. On the 17th March, at Conroy's Gap, near Yass, New South Wales, a man named Monday, or Collins, who considered himself to be unfairly treated by Mr. Conroy, a squatter, by whom he was employed as shepherd, murdered five persons under the following circumstances :— Conroy lived in a hut of four apartments, two in front, with two skillion-rooms at the rear; a passage runs through from the front entrance of the building into one of the skillion-rooms. On the left side of the passage on entering is a room used as a kitchen, and in this the prisoner and one of the shepherds slept. In the room on the opposite side the unfortunate man Smith slept, and in the sillion, entered by a door from Smith's room, the owner of the place (Conroy) slept. Mrs. Conroy slept in a detached hut or kitchen, not far from what may be described as the main building. It seems that during the night the prisoner rose, and with an axe murdered the shepherd who lay alongside of him. The noise awoke Smith, who slept in the opposite room, and on his i-tisliitig iii the prisoner struck him in the abdomen with the blade of a shcepshear, and then struck him several brutal blows with the axe. Conroy then appears to have left his bed and rushed with merely his shirt and nightcap on to see what was the matter, when he was murdered in a similar manner. Mrs. Conroy, having also heard the scuffle, rushed from the place whe e she slept, when she was struck in the abdomen with the blade of the shears, and then terril-ty gashed across the head and face with the axe. One of ti|e shepherds who slept in a gun yah near where the sheep were folded, at an early hour proceeded to the hut, where the prisoner had apparently ,mited his approach. On his enter- ing, the prisoner first disabled him with the blade of the sheepshears, and then struck him down with the axe. The prisoner then, it would appear, resolved to burii the bodies. Those of Conroy, Smith, and Mrs. Conroy he placed on the floor of the kitchen on top of them he placed the mattress from off the bed whereon Smith had lain, and over this he laid the bodies of the two shepherds, covering them over with blankets, &c. The prisoner declared his intention of murdering Michael Conroy, a son of the deceased, but, for- tunately, he did not visit the hut at the time the murderer was there. Monday, or Collins, was tried on a charge of murder at Maitland, in 1854, and was found guilty of man- slaughter. He received a sentence of fifteen years, ten of which he had served when he received his ticket-of- leave. He has been committed for trial.

THE ANNUAL MORMON CONFERENCE AT UTAH. The annual general conference of the Mormons at Salt Lake commenced on Monday, the Stli of April, in the large new Tabei-iiacle recently erected in that city. A correspondent of the N, e tv York rimes says :— In former years the April conferences were held in the old Tabernacle, which seated about 3,000, and was not half large enough for the people therein assembled. The city folks were then requested to stay at homo during the conference meetings, in order to give the country folks a chance to get in the buildirg and hear, but the meetings were always crowded, and throngs were outside unable to get standing room in- side, or indeed to get inside at all. When the new Tabernacle was built it was supposed that there would be plenty of room in it to accommodate as many as would assemble and at the two conferences which have been held in it—last fall and this spring- the city people were invited to be present. There was not too much room, however, to seat them. For the holding of monster meetings, the Mormon head- quarters promise soon to become the most remarkable place on this continent. The Mormon community is certainly growing all the time. The new Tabernacle holds 8,000 to 10,000 people, and has been filled twice every day since, including Sunday so uncomfortably has it been filled, indeed, that Brigham Young de- clared that it would be necessary to have a gallery in the Tabernacle to accommodate the congregation. With e-alleries the building might be made tolioll 15,000 people, and the improvement suggested will IX) probably effected at some future time. Last fall only a small portion of the new Tabernacle was provideJ with seats, but the carpenters have been at work on it all thewinter, and the whole is now furnished with com- fortable resting-places. A large sounding-board has been erected over the speaker's stand, but the acous- tics of the building are still very unsatisfactory per- haps not one-fourth of the congregation is able to hear and understand—that portion consisting of those who are seated near the speaker and those who are at the other end of the building. Brigham said he would continue to work at the building and improve it until it should answer all the purposes of its erection. At these conference meetings Brigham Young pre- sides, ex officio, Around him, on the stand, are hundreds of the apostles, bishops, high priests, seventies, and other high Church officials, while before him are the thousands of elders, priests, teachers, deacons, ordinary Mormon men and women, strangers, Jews and Gentiles, the men occupying the side seats and the women the centre seats. The services 7Lisually consist of singing, prayer, extempore addresses of vast practicability, many of them calling on persons to go on various missions at home and abroad, proposing and adopting various Church enterprises, and the means of carrying them on, voting' for and against, but almost invariably for, the established Church authorities and for new incumbents to fill any vacancies that may exist. The conferences indicate what will be done or attempted by the Mormon Church generally during the interim between present and succeeding con- ferences, modified, of course, by any unforeseen circum- stances that may arise, virtually, the present con- ference commenced on Sunday, the och April, but technically, Oil the 6th, that being the thirty-eighth anniversary of the establishment of the Mormon Church, with six members, all told, by the original prophet, Joseph Smith, in the state of New York. The speakers at the present conference were B. Young, H. C. Kimball, D. H. Wells, J. 1". Smith, W. Woodruff, J. W. Young, G. A. Smith, G. (>. Cannon, J. Taylor, E. T. Benson, O. Hyde, O. Pratt. E. Snow, and Lorenzo Snow. The topics enlarged upon were how to secure a maximum of health, vigour, and vitality; the laws of life preservation of life; the due observance of the Sabbath; the furnishing of cattle, waggons, and pro- visions to help the immigration of poor Mormons from Europe dietetics the disease of swine's flesh, strong drinks, and tobacco the production of fish, chickens, beef, mutton fruit, and vegetables the cultivation of the land the manufacture of silk, wool, hemp, flax, cotton, and straw goods; home manufactures generally; the ignoring of foolish fashions; grasshoppers mar- riage of young men and women. About twenty men were "called" to go on "missions," destination not stated, to preach the gospel."

SACK FROM THE COUNTY! The Marquis Townsliend introduced to Mr. Paget, the magistrate at a London Police-court, a poor lad in a canvas dress, who appeared very ill, and to 'be suffering from insufficient food and clothing. The can- vas dress had been given to the poor fellow by the la- bour-master of the ivatchil workhouse, one of the poor- houses of the Stepney Union, who stamped the back of the jacket with the words "Sack from the county," and the legs of the trousers with the words "lazy scamp," and other words, and sent him out into the streets. Mr. Paget immediately despatched a mes- senger to direct the attendance of Wilding, the labour- master and superintendent of the casual ward of Ratcliff workhouse. He was asked for an explanation, and he said the pauper had a night's lodging and supper and breakfast in the casual ward, and tore up his clothes, and that he gave him a canvas suit and marked them with the objectionable words as a punishment. Mr. Paget said that the power of inflicting punish- ment on paupers for tearing up their clothes was en- trusted to the' magistracy and not to the superin- tendents of casual wards, and if' the youth had been charged before him lie should have investigated the case. Mr. Paget added that the case was not officially before him, but he could not help saying the conduct of Wilding was improper and injudicious, and that the public ought to be much indebted to the Marquis Townsliend for his interference. The law did not authorise labour masters to punish. casual paupers te ring up their clothes. The Marquis assured the magistrate that he should immediately communicate the whole -of the circum- stances to the Poor Law Board. The noble Marquis provided the lad with a new suit of clothes, and two pairs of new boots, as soon as he left the court. IUIU:<J.: :'t; :r..

Mr. Train's stay in England was short. He has returned to Ireland, and is now reported as staying at St. Anne's Hill, Blarney, a water-cure establishment, where he formerly recruited after a tour of "lecturing. A military critic in Monday's Times draws an un- favoui able sketch of the amount of uniformity exhibited by the militia regiments now in camp at Aldershot. Be writes:—"One corps marches with pioneers in front, furnished with their proper implements, according to order; another has no tools, and so might as well have no pioneers at all; while the practice of a third was thus expressed by the sergeant-major:—' Oh yes, sir, we have pioneers, Jut j the're such a hawk ward, hugly set of men that we dit n't bring them out.' 31 any such instances of want of sysiem might be enumerated, but the above may suffice to show the need of attention to organisation."

j .4us:eu:t;um<? ^iiidfajcuc^ I tj, AHD GOLOITIAL. LOST IN THK BusH--A narrative of the suffer- ings experienced by two ladies who were lost in the bush between Bairnsdale and Stratford, Gipps Land, is furnished by an Australian contemporary They were driving a light conveyance, and left Mrs. Latham's, at Sandy Creek, about six o'clock, intending, if possible, to reach Stratford in reasonable time. The night was, howeve dark and stormy, and as a number of bush fires had been lighted for the purpose of burning timber off the land, the tiorse wandered from the beaten track, and the fair travellers got benighted. Finding that all attempts to regain the read were fruitless, they fastened the horse up to a tree, camped for the night, and wished for the morning. Of course they had no idea of sleeping, but the misery they encountered was more of a mental than of a physical nature, as there was nothing save the kangaroo and oppossum to disturb their rather unpleasant retirement. When the day broke, they succeded in finding the track, and- in an hour's smart travelling reached Mr. Dickens's Shakspeare Hotel, where the worthy host administered those comforts which were necessary to their recovery after a night's exposure to the equinoctial storm. Under the kind treatment of :Mr. Dickens, they soon regained their wonted cheerfulness, but have resolved never again to venture on a journey through the bush after nightfall. THE PLANET VEKUS BY DAY.The sight of the planet Venus in the mid-day sky just now, which has led people to write to the papers, declaring that they had seen some new and wonderful comet, recalls the memory of former occasions when the same phe- nomenon created far greater perturbation. Galiynani mentions the following facts On the 11th July, 1716, Venus was observed in full daylight in London. This was considered a miracle by the populace, and a harbinger of misfortunes. In 1756 the same pheno- menon caused such excitement at Paris that the police had to interfere and restore peace. At the present moment the planet is visible by daylight in Paris, and passes almost un- perceived. Arago relates that as General Bonaparte was one day proceeding to the Palace of Luxembourg, where the Direc- tory was to give him a banquet, he was quite surprised to see the people assembled in the Rue de Touron, gazing at the sky more than at himself and his brilliant retinue. lie asked" hat was the matter, and learnt that the object of their astonishment was a star visible at noon, and which they took for that of the conquerer of Italy, an illusion to which the General was not insensible. This star was no other than Venus. THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH'S WOUND.— The Lancet contains a description, illustrated with sketches, of the bullet with which the Duke of Edinburgh was wounded. The missile appears to have been one of those ordinarily used with a revolver. It is small and of conical form and, when extracted, was flattened and otherwise altered in shape at. one extremity. This I was no doubt caused by the ball having impigned obliquely upon the ninth rib of the right side of the spine, by which it happily became deflected, and, instead of passing through the body, pursued a course forwards to the position from which it was extracted. The medical officer who forwarded the sketch of the bullet, added that no bad consequences had resulted from the injury which the rib must have sustained. Too GOOD TO BE TRUE.—The Paris correspon- dent of the Morning Sta i- tells the following story, which, as he rightly says, seems too good to be true. He writes You will remember the adventure of the Prussian Engi- neer officers whose good pleasure it was to spend some days in the vicinity of Meudoii, and in the garb of workmen to drink at a cabaret, by an unaccounted-for accident frequented by the men employed in the manufacture of the portable cannon invented by the Emperor. The story goes that Marshal luel is particularly curious as to the manufacture of German Ivor, and wishing to ascertain precisely the amount of hops used in breweries alon the Rhine, sent a party of French Engineer officers to make inquiries on this interesting subject. By another unaccounted-for accident these officers were only interested in the manner in which beer was made in fortress towns. This peculiarity struck M. Bismarck, who, to save further trouble and expense, has obligingly forwarded Marshal Xiel plans of all the Prussian- Ithenane fortresses, together with a design of the best breweries in each of the Rhenaue frontier cities." A VfOMAN'S REVOLT.—At Madrid, recently, 4,000 women employed in a cigar manufactory rose in revolt, and seized and barricaded the premises. The Minister of Finance went to bring them to terms, but was saluted so hotly with stones, See., that he had to retreat. He retired from the scene of action, and sent down a body of police, with orders to take the factory by storm, in the midst of which a young girl increased the numbers within the factory by an infant recruit, whose unexpected arrival created considerable con- fusion. The police effected a breach in the outworks, and caj.iturcd 201) of the petticoated garrison, which did not prevent the remaining 3,800 from proceeding on the following day to the palace yard, where the Queen appeared on the balcony, and endeavoured to appease the fair malcontents. They retired on receiv- ing money distributed amongst them by her orders. NEGLECTING THLIR DUTIES. --The Italian de- puties are by no means so assiduous in the discharge of their Parliamentary duties as the exigencies of the country would seem to demand. The President of the Chamber has been obliged to address a circular to the members, inviting them to be more punctual in attending to their Parliamentary duties. 'Tor some time past," he writes, "the attendance at the sittings of the Chamber has been so limited that almost every day much time has been lost in calling over the list of names, and sometimes the voting of bills has had to be postponed, and the sittings closed for want of a legal number." The President deplores the results of this neglect on the interests of the country, which anxiously awaits the settlement of the financial question* at pre- sent before the Chamber. SINGULAR DEATH.—A fisherman lost his life in the Piracanjuba in a strange manner (says a Brazilian paper). Intending to fish one night, he threw a large baited hook into the river, securing its strong line to one of his legs, and lay down to sleep on the bank, in the expectation of being awakened by the jerk of any fish taking the hook. In the course of the night a young son that was with him heard his father crying out. He ran to the fishing place and found him gone. Next morning he procured some neighbours, and these, on going down the stream in.^ boat, saw the body en- tangled in the branches of fallen trees. On approach- ing, they were surprised by its darting swiftly on, as if towed; but after some time they succeeded in overtaking and securing it, when they discovered that the moving agent, and that which had probably caused the man's death, was a large fish known as the jahlt, which was firmly hooked, and in its struggles had caused the cord to cut the unfortunate man's leg to the very bone DISCOVERY OF FOSSIL OYSTERS.—Mr. Whittle of Chorley, is at present sinking a new shaft down the Arley seam of coal, between the Addington and Hor- wich stations, on the Lancashire and Yorkshire Rail- way, about a couple of miles from the foot of Kivington Pike. Two seams of coal have been passed, anciat a depth of 130 yards the sinkers have cut through a bed of fossil oysters two feet four inches in thickness. How far the bed extends it is impossible to say. The oysters are petrified into one solid mass as hard as flint, are all perfect in form and small in size, rather less perhaps than the London natives. The conclusion which im- mediately suggests itself is that the sea must at some very remote period have washed the foot of the Eiving- ton range of hills, two miles distant. The whole of "West very remote period have washed the foot of the Eiving- ton range of hills, two miles distant. The whole of "West Lancashire is alluvial land, and at one time was covered with a forest of oak, there being abundant proof of this in the fact that trees are frequently found embedded in the moss, and also in the bed of the Ribble. The skull and antlers of the gigantic Irish elk found not long ago in this river also point to the fact that animals of the mammoth tribe must have roamed through the forest which covered the country at a period since the oysters were embedded, and the upper coal strata formed. THE ELI PHANT AND THE ACROBAT.—At a menagerie exhibition at Bruges, in Belgium, the white elephant helped himself to a lady's handkerchief, and forthwith attempted to deposit it in his stomach, but before he could do so it was suddenly snatched from him by a well-known athlete at Bruges and handed to the lady. To the great consternation of the spectators, the elephant resented the interference, and elevated the athlete on his tusks. He, however, climbed on the elephant's back, and calmly sat there till the elephant was quieter. NOOSE FROM THE HOUSE OF (V-MMONS.—In consequence of his motion on the Irish Church, Mr. William Gladstone is henceforth to be called "Suspen- sory Bill. (Hear, hear).-Ceitsor. A JOCOSE EXECOTIONER.—Askern, of Yorlr, Calcraft's rival, who hanged Smith at Dumfries the other day, passed through Carlisle on the previous afternoon, and, being somewhat late, he went to the telegraph-office and forwarded a message in order to assure the officials who had expected him earlier. Our readers arc aware that people sending a telegram are required to fill up a form, stating the names of the sender and the person to whom it is sent. Askern filled up one side of the form To the Town-cleric of Dumfries but the other he loft blank. The office boy said, Write your name on this side, sir." It doesn't matter, does it?" "We require it in every case." "Very well," answered the hangman, "there it is." And he wrote in the vacant space, "From W. E. Gladstone! A CRAVING FOR BETTER Foop.<—An inquest has been held in London, on the body of a blacksmith, who died while undergoing a sentence of a twelve- months' imprisonment in the House of Correction, Cold Batli-fields, or rather the day after his sentence had expired. His wife said that he was a great eater, and that every time she had seen him since his incarceration he had complained that he was being starved to death. He made the same complaint to the doctor, and not without reason, for within a few months of his sentence he beca.me so weak from the 11 loss of flesh and the spitting of blood, that he was ad- H mitted to the infirmary, where he died. He appears to have had a craving for fleshy food that the prison diet did not satisfy. He told his wife that he ate all I the candle ends he could lay his hands on for the sake i of the fat that was in them and, whether this was true or not, it seems tolerably clear that his food was sufficient neither in quantity nor in quality to keep him in health and strength. The jury, nevertheless, found that he died from natural causes, although they de- bated the propriety of adding to their verdict a tag on the quality of the prison died. HER MAJESTY'S PUBLIC BREAKFASTS AT BUCK- INGHAM PALACE.—It is the intention of her Majesty the Queen, on the return of the court from Scotland, to hold a series of public breakfasts at Buckingham Palace and it is understood that the first of these entertainments will be given by the Sovereign upon the occasion of the arrival of his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh in this country. The breakfasts will be given within the royal gardens at Buckingham Palace, and marquees are now being erected and prepared for these festivities. The floral decorations will be of the choicest kind. Her Majesty's determination to hold these public dejeuners has, it is understood, been ar- rived at owing to the extreme difficulty she has recently experienced in receiving those invited to the drawing- rooms, in consequence of the number. At the forth- coming entertainments her Majesty will have the opportunity of becoming better acquainted with the guests, when the time (noon) at which they will be held will be alike convenient to the Sovereign and the fashion- able world. A SINGLE RECORD OF AN INVENTOR'S CAREER. —The inventions of Mr. (now Dr.) James Gale, for rendering gunpowder inexplosive, except when re- quired for immediate use, being one of the latest and most remarkable, has often been noticed but perhaps many of our readers are not aware that Dr. Gale has for many years suffered from total blindness but they will find in the story of his life, just compiled by Mr. John Plummer, and published by Mr. Tweedie, how nobly he has surmounted the trials and difficulties in- separable from his great affliction, and achieved mar- vellous success as an inventor, man of business, and philanthropist. The narrative is a simple record of Dr. Gale's career, but it abounds in incidents that invest it with peculiar interest. If it only afforded a ray of en- couragement to those to whom the light of day is for ever denied, it would be useful and worthy of perusal; but, beyond this, it is a valuable addition to the bio- graphies of self-made and self-reliant, but withal un- selfish, men, whose projects and inventions have been stimulated by an ardour and enthusiasm that may fairly be deemed heroic. THE POPE'S EVIL EYE.—A letter from Rome says The Holy Father has ordered the exile of Madame Bar- hosi-Prattocchi. This lady, well known for her beauty and gallantries twenty years ago, belongs to the Liberal party. Sharing in the stupid superstition of some people who con- sider Pius IX. as a person who casts an "evil eye," she has made use of the gesture-common in Italy as a supposed protection from the malevolent influence—which is called far la coma, at the moment his Holiness was walking past. 'The Holy Father saw the movement and gave orders that Madame Barbosi should leave at once. An agent of the police, M. Ciampi, a great admirer of the lady, notwith- standing her age, nearly fifty, married her directly to save her from exile. There is every probability, however, that the expedient will not be successful.-Galignani. JAMMED TO DEATH !A,n inquest has been held in London on the body of tNIr. Cordes, aged sixty- two years. The deceased was foreman of the St. Katharine's Docks, and whilst proceeding along Bath- street, Mile End-road, with a pot of flowers in his hand, one of Messrs. Mann's brewers' drays came along and got close to him before he observed it. He stepped on to a curb close to a wall, but the standing room being only fourteen inches it became clear to the bystanders that he would be crushed to death, and they called out to him. He appeared to become paralysed at the imminence of the danger, and did not move. He was frightfully jammed against the wall, the whole of his ribs on each side of his body being smashed in. He was removed to the hospital, where lie died soon after. It was shown that no blame attached to the driver of the dray, as he was at his proper place at the head of the leading horse, and he did not see the position of the deceased until the accident had occurred. The jury returned a verdict of Accidental Death." PRAISEWORTHY MUNIFICENCE. Mr. Mark Firth, the Master Cutler of Sheffield, is about to erect and endow 36 almshouses, at a cost of £ 24,000. The houses are to be erected on a site of two acres of land, at Hanging Water, Ranmoor, a beautiful neighbour- hood, and a favourite quarter of the Sheffield well-to-do classes, and are to accommodate 24 single persons, either men or women, and 12 married couples. The charity will be open to natives of Sheffield, without respect to religious belief. Each single inmate will re- ceive 7s. per week, and each married couple 10s. A chapel will be erected for the use of the inmates, and there will be a house for the governor. Each house is to be two storeys high, and will contain a living room 12ft. square, a bed-room of the same size, and a cellar divided for pantry and coals, and gas and water will be laid oil to every house. WORK iN A SESSION.—The full numerical list and index of the papers laid before the House of Com- mons, and printed in (or belonging to) the Session of 1867, has been issued. The whole number of papers was 1,121. The public Bills of the Session, with the amendments and reprints, fill six volumes reports from committees, eight volumes reports from com- missioners, 24 volumes miscellaneous accounts, re- turns, and papers, 38 volumes making in all 76 volumes. In the Session of 1867 the House of Com- mons sat oil 128 days, for 1,043 hours in all, 112 of them after midnight—the average time of sitting being as much as eight hours and nine minutes. The House received 12,744 public petitions, with 1,145,216 signa- tures divided 1C4 times passed 146 public general Acts, and,222 private Acts. MARRIAGE DESECRATION.—The following scene recently took place in an East-end church of London :— It appeared that a widow of about thirty-five, with a large family, had persuaded a young man of twenty- four to marry her, and that when before the minister the question Wilt thou have this woman to be thy wedded wife?" was put to him, he replied, "Hold on a bit, guvner don't you be in quite such a hurry. I want to know more about business first. His com- panion behind him said. Go on, don't you be in a funk about it it's all right," but the bridegroom was not to be persuaded. After waiting some time the minister said, Let us pray," and the intended Benedict turned round to his friend for advice on this subject, upon which the answer was returned, that it was like going upstairs on your knees." There was a tremendous crowd waiting outside for them, and when they emerged from the church those in waiting freely bespotted them with flour, &c. The following morning the woman came to the house for relief, stating that she did not know where her husband was, or anything about A PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS.—A plague of locusts is scourging the island of Sardinia. Towards the end of April the municipality of Sassari pub- lished a manifesto offering 75 centimes for every kilogramme of locusts brought in. The result of this offer was an average supply for several days of 40 cwt. per day, in. days 10,000f. having been thus paid away. Then the reward was lowered to 59 centime3 per kilo.; and, unluckily, this reduced tariff was applied to several sacks of locusts which had been brought in the day before the abatement had been made known. This exasperated the gatherers, and a strike ensued. A letter from Sassaria says A day lost meaii3 so many myriads of locusts rescued from extermination, and overrunning the whole island. No one can form an idea of the thing without seeing it. If the hunt be not resumed to-naorrow, in a few ,days we shall see the crops of every kind, the corn in the fields, vegetables, meadows, the young shoots of the vine, utterly destroyed throughout the whole plain of the Sassarese. The muni- cipality has opened subscriptions for a loan of 100,000f. But this will certainly not suffice. If the Government does not come to the assistance of the parishes, contributing a share of the expense, it may give its tax-gatherers in the island of Sardinia a holiday for this year. SUICIDE THROUGH A DISAPPOINTED WHIM !— At Wellsville, Ohio, lived Andrew Bunting and wife. On the 30th ult. the wife pressed tlie husband to buy more furniture for the house, which was declined. At breakfast she repeated her request, and the husband again declined, whereupon she arose from the table in a passion, proceeded to a sideboard, picked up a cup of arsenic previously prepared, and threatened to take it if the husband did not come to terms. Her children cried, her husband sprang from his seat to prevent the woman from carrying out her wicked" design—too late to save her. In spite of his efforts, she managed to gurgle down a sufficient quantity to produce death; which, however, did not take place until between eight and nine o'clock in the evening, twelve hours after the poison had been taken. SYDNEY SMITH'S PREFERMENT.—The late Rev. Sydney Smith owed his first valuable piece of prefer- ment to the persistence of Lady Holland. Erskine was a constant visitor at Holland-house. As soon as he was made Lord Chancellor, Lady Holland laid close siege to him to compel him to confer a living on Sriitli. Erskine at last yielded, and Smith called on him to thank him for the appointment. The Chan- cellor disavowed all claim to being thanked "Lady Holland," he said, "insisted on my giving it to you; and if she had desired me to give it to the devil," lie added, he must have had it There was something of the same spirit in the remark of George III. when he nominated a man lie disliked to a bishopric. The person thus preferred coyly confessed himself unworthy of the preferment. To this the King replied that he knew that well enough, but the Prime Minister u-ould have it so, and he (the King) had yielded to the per- sistency. This mock-modest prelate may have been the bishop of whom Smith said that he looked so like Judas as to induce Smith at last to firmly believe in the apostolical succession -Saints and Sinners, bp Dr. Dor an. LEGAL ETIQUETTE.—A Correspondent writes to us (Laic Times) to inquire what the etiquette is with reference to barristers advising clients without the in. tervention of solicitors. He makes the inquiry because the practice is being adopted by several barristers located in his district. All that can be said is that barristers usually refuse to see clients without the intervention of solicitors, and so far it is forbidden by etiquette, which we assume to be the embodiment of established usage-a body of unwritten law. But no measures can be adopted to enforce the law or im- pose penalties for disobedience. AMERICAN MARRIAGES.—The following recent specimens are given An impatient couple in Chesterfield county, Ya.. were married in a buggy a few days ago. The affianced bride made a journey to Richmond to select the wedding trousseau. She was met by her lover with a top buggy to carry her home. On the road they met the pastor of their church, and as the license had already been obtained, the impatient bridegroom insisted upon the ceremony being performed at once-the preacher on horseback and they in the carri;]!E"- with a farmer and his wife who happened to be present as witnesses. The Western papers state that a young couple rode into Otterville, Mo., a few days since, in pursuit of a parson to marry them. Learning that he was at a store in the public square, they rode up in front of the store, and calling him out. told him their errand, and he. without requiring t hem to dismount, married them as they sat, to the great amuse- ment of a crowd of spectators who had gathered to witness thE. ceremony. Oil IF HE HAD BEEN ALIVE — Although Lord Brougham spent most of his latter days at Cannes his biographers would scarcely have presumed to state without proper authority that in his old age he had made France his adopted country. There was n time when the deceased peer specially prided himself on being an Englishman, but his brother, the present Lord Brougham, gives us to understand that he was of a different mind before he died. The Municipa Council of Cannes had asked to have the deceased buried in their cemetery, and Lord Brougham gives his assent, saying, Certain as we are that, were lie living, he would prefer that his rem ins should be left in the country of his adoption." The compliment conveyed in this passage would be likely to make a greater impression on the minds of the simple and innocent townspeople of Cannes than the startling suggestion that Lord Brougham might possibly Oe present at his own funeral. CONVICTS AT GIBRALTAR.—It would seem that we had a scarcity of convicts last year for transporta- tion. We sent none to Gibraltar and as 214 of those who were there were discharged on licence in due course and sent to England (or died) in the year, the number dwindled down from 394 at the beginning to 180 by the end of the year. A costly establishment being kept up all the same, the expense per man amounted to £55 9s. 4d.. or £ 16,861 in the i:ole. Deducting the Value of the prisoners' labour OJ] The public works, the charge on the public was still AT.570. A little specimen of official ways crops up in the returns for 1867. The change from winter to summer clothing was ordered and made too early, while the nights and mornings were still cold. There is a salaried resident medical officer, but he was lut con- sulted, it being not the practice to ask his opinion. The result was a severe epidemic of chest affections, lasting through June and July, causing the most serious illness of the year. The Deputy Controller reports that the whole of the day, upwards of sixteen hours, is devoted to the industrial, moral, or religious training of the men. A good day's work is obtained at a cost of Is. 6d. to Is. 8d. per man. The diet for men at hard work gives, per week, 8 lbs. of bread, 30 oz. of fresh meat, and 10 oz. of salt meat, 5 lbs. of potatoes, and seven pints of soup, of cocoa, and of tea. A NEW AMUSEMENT FOR GENTLEMEN !—The velocipede is becoming a formidable rival to the horse in Paris. One velocipedist (it has been found necessary to invent the word) rolled down the Champs Elysees in Paris, the other day in an "Américaine," drawn by two velocipedes, on which were mounted two postilions or jockeis." The proprietor of the vehicle was un gentleman belonging to la haute fashion." We are assured, too, that lVL de Visin, the distinguished equestrian who rode over the steeplechase course of the Bois de Boulogne a fortnight ago without touching his horse's bridle, has made un match with Prince Achille Murat, in which M. de Visin on a velocipede backs himself against the Prince on horseback. The velocipedal skill of M. de Visin is said to be something extraordinary. A few weeks ago he undertook to travel on a velocipede from Angers to Paris, and actually went as far as Tours, a distance of about fifty- four miles. when the machine broke. THE STRAY DOGS OF PARIS.—If dogs in Paris knew the dangers they run, by leaving home without leave, they would never do so. On the outskirts of the city is a pound, a kind of large shed, where all property found straying on the public highway is pl:>.<cd, such as stray horses, cows, dogs, abandoned carts, etc. Facing the shed is a kennel where wandering dogs ;ve put. The cost for feeding, per day, a stray horse, is fixed at 2'40 frs. an ass, 1'20 frs. cow, 1'70 frs. a pig, 1 "20 frs. a dog, six sous a monkey or a marmot, nine sous; a hen, five; a canary or a parrot, two. Ac- cording to their age and value, dogs are impounded for a greater or less period, and at the end of a few weeks sent to the dog market, and sold for their expenses. Common cur dogs, however, if not claimed in twenty- four hours, are sent to the condemned kennel, twelve hours later they are hung, and every day a contra c tor comes and carts away the bodies to make gloves, but- tons, and coarse grease. The dogs are very impatient, and have a presentiment often of their fate. A story is told of a little dog that escaped from the hands of the common hangman," as the rope was about being "adjusted." The dog ran to the end of the yard, stood up on his hind legs, and commenced to dance, in an original and amusing manner. This "dance of death stayed the executioner's hand, and next day, a travelling sliow-man called and claimed his performing dog. M. Vois, the director of the pound, a very intel- ligent man, has an album of the most pathetic notes, to spare lost darlings, should they arrive.

rrsTjiT! *<v~* A "J -O .ti. hw MAUX )'Y. Our market to-day was very scantily supplied wnli English wheat, but the quality of the samples w. s foicr ably good. For all kinds the demand ruled heavy. a few forced sales were made at a decline in the s, compared with Monday last, of from Is. to 2s. per ( ::••• In foreign wheat, the show of which was rather v », very little was passing, and prices had a o..rv i tendency. The stocks in warehouse continue to ■: -e. tendency. The stocks in warehouse continue to ■; -e, Floating cargoes of grain were very dull, at last in the quotations. The supply of English barlej A of .foreign, moderate. Sales progressed slowly, and bte rates were with difficulty supported. Malt was hi1. en former terms, but the inquiry was by no means r.c.lve. The supply was tolerably good, Oats supported the late advance, but the business passing was omy mode- rate. The show of samples was rather limited. Leans supported former terms. The inquiry for them, however, was far from active. Peas were a slow inquiry. but not cheaper. English flour supported former terms, owini to the limited quantity brought forward; but foreign parcels were offered at reduced rates. The inquiry for "seeds nnd cakes was wholly confined to limited quantities, at Jy stationary prices. METROPOLITAN CATTLE MARKET, MOSPAV. The total imports of foreign stock into London last w< ek amounted to 0,106 head. In the corresponding wee' ]:IS year we received 12,491; in 1306, 10,489 in l'v'.O :'i,4i:3 in 1804, 6,082; in 1863, 6,342; in 18 2, 2,791; and in 1861, 5,S14 head. The supply of foreign stocc. here- to-day was only moderate for the time of year; hat its general quality was tolerably good. i'er tlie most part sales progressed steadily, at very full pvhw From our own grazing districts, as welllls from Scotland, the receipts of beasts fresh up this inon: again only moderate. The quality of the Le;e. i Scotch breeds, however, was good, The best Scots, vv.-vxr, Herefords, Ac., were in good request, at an advance in the quotations of 2d. per 81b. A few very superior aiiiiiials ised 5s 4d. but the general top figure for beef was 5s. 2d. per i-lb. The receipts from Norfolk, Siiifolk. Essex, and Cambridge- shire comprised 1,850 Scots, short-horns, and crosses from other parts of England, 400 various breeds: from Scotland, 67 Scots and crosses and from Ireland, 06 oxen, cows, etc. Although there was a large supply of sheep in the pens the inquiry for most breeds ruled steady, and prices had an upward tendency. The best Downs and half-bre is -old freely, at 5s. per 81b. We have no change to notice in I lie value of lamb.. Prices ranged from 6s. 4d. to 7s. 4d. per SIb. The supply was tolerably good. Prime small calves v ere rather dearer. Heavy calves were a slow sale, at late rates. Pigs were linn in value, with a fair average number en oiler. HOPS. The transactions in most kinds of hops have been on a limited scale, but prices have ruled firm. On the Cont;-«ent the trade has been steady, but the American markets ere quiet. A few fly may be seen in some of the gioi but. the accounts from the plantations are on the whole able. The imports into London last week consisted of 35 bales from Bremen, S5 from Rotterdam, 10 from Loulogne, 23 from Antwerp, and 33 from Dunkirk. Quotations:—Mid and East lients, MS to £ 7 10s. Weald of Kents, ,t4 10s. to £6 6s Sussex, £4 10s. to £5 5s. Paruhams, ?: to 48 8s. and yearlings, £3 10s. to C4 10s. per cwt. WOOL. The public sales of colonial wool areprogressing favourably. There has been a good attendance of home and i>ign buyers, and biddings have been animated at an auvanco of M. to id. per lh. in the value of fine sorts. English wool has been dull of sale at drooping prices. The import into Lon- don last week consisted of 5,500 bales from Adelaide, 4,570 Cape, 364 Port Beaufort, 1,076 Sydney, 1,110 bales Launceston. Current prices of English wool.FJeCCéS: Southdown hoggets, Is. 4d. to Is. 4M.; half breds, Is. 1): d to Is. 6 £ d.; Kent fleeces, Is. 4d. to Is. 5jd.: Southdown ewe and wethers, Is. 3Jd. to Is. 4d.; and Leicester ditto. Is. 3d. to is. 3Jd. Sorts": clothing. Is. 2d. to Is. and combining, Is. Oil. to Is. (id. POTATOES. There has been a fair supply of new English potatoes on. sale, for which the trade has been steady, at from ISs. to 2're per cwt. The show of old produce has been ra./i'c than equal to the demand. Last week's imports consisted of 23 tons from Boulogne, 197 from Dunkirk, and 2 from Amster- dam, Regents, 130s. to 160s. Flukes. 130s. to 170s. Hoch, 90s. to 110s. French, 60s. to 90s. per ton. TALLOW. The market is flat. We quote Y.C ,an the 40, 3,1. Town tallow 41s. 9d., net cash.