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(for foniifln fetsprofotri.
(for foniifln fetsprofotri. {We deem It right to state that we do not at all tlnw UantUy ourselves with our Correspondent's opinions.] We have been told by those who delight In the study of physical science that when the son, in his progress, pMses through the equator in one of the equinoctial points, the day and night are equal all over the globe. The stunted tribes who shiver and freeze in the long- drawn night of an arctic winter, the voyagers upon the lone, lone sea," the busy millions crowded together in the temperate zone, and the swarthy negro that languishes upon the ahrnbless sands of the tropics- all these, twice a year, have exactly twelve hours sun- light. The day and the night Me evenly balanced to a second. As the time rolls on, and the daylight, in its never-ceasing wrestle with the darkness, obtains the advantage, the days grow longer and hotter until at Midsummer there may be said to be no night at all in our latitudes. The clock has long tolled the hour of ten before the last shades of twilight have faded from the western sky, and by two o'clock in the morning a quick eye may discern the faintest glimmer of the dawn in the east, showing that the sun has had but very little cool It seemed but an hour or two before that he went down behind the hills in a flood of light and glory; yet here he is again in what are called the silent watches of the night, preparing to send down his rays upon the ocean as well as upon the land, to illuminate vast continents, to dispel the shadows which have gathered over fertile islands, to chase away the mists which enshroud the course of mighty rivers as they pursue their everlasting way towards the great receptacle of the waters below the firmament, to transform the appearance of the heavens, and to gladden the surface of the glittering seas. But with respect to the equinox, and the equal divi- own of day and night, every schoolboy knows that the 21at of March, and the 21st of September in each year are the dates thereof. Of the two seasons inseparably associated with them, perhaps the Spring is the more welcome. It seems to come to us in order to release the earth from the iron grasp of winter, to awaken vegetation once more into active life, to clothe the gaunt branches of the trees with tender foliage in all its varying shades of greenery, and after months of darkness and depression to infuse cheerfulness into the world once more, and to bid its citizens look forward to brighter days of promise and of hope. But there is another association which is bound up with the time through which we are now passing. Who has not heard something of the equinoctial gales ? "The wind bloweth where it listeth; ye hear the sound thereof, but cannot tell whence it cometb, or whither it goeth." And these equinoctial gales burst upon sea and land so suddenly, they are so destructive and merciless in their effects, and there is so little warning of their approach, that one can scarcely avoid conceiving the idea of their having been imprisoned for long months in some mysterious region afar off, when, being unloosed they swoop down upon the civilized earth with a full determination to make their presence known. Sometimes they come from the barren regions of the North, at others they come from the genial clime of the sonny South, then from the dry and; arid East, and next from the humid and watery West but from whatever quarter they blow at the time of the equinox, they fully answer to the Scriptural descrip tion of a mighty rushing wind," just such a storm as St. Paul experienced in his voyage to Rome, when he was shipwrecked at Malta, and of which he has given such a graphic account in the twenty-seventh chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. It appears only a week or two ago that Parliament assembled for the despatch of urgent and important tMtsinem;" yet. here is the 33aster Beoess close upon us. The Commons, however, will not have quite so long a holiday as they would have enjoyed If Parliament had met earlier or Easter fallen later. Then they would have adjourned for a clear fortnight; now the vacation is to last only from the 27th Instant to the 6th of ApriL The Chancellor of the Exchequer has promised a few days more at Whitsuntide if honourable members are good and get on with their work. The Lords will, as usual, take a longer holiday than the Lower House; indeed, ever since the opening of the Session their lordships have been in the position of men ready for the transaction ef business, but with no business to transact. They have met at five, and adjourned at a quarter-past. 8caroely any Bills have yet come up from the Com- mons, and few Governments care to introduce mea- sures first into the Lords, for it is found that time is not saved thereby. But the peers will have an abundance of work by and by, when the Bills have got through the House of Commons. The expression "Go te PutneyI" has often been wed as conveying an intimation to an unwelcome visitor that he was at once to take his departure for a terminus not particularly pleasant er agreeable. Hun. dreds of thousands throughout the kingdom know of its name only from the fact of its being the starting point for the University Boat Race, and would find it Impossible to tell whether it was in Middlesex or Surrey. Once a year the streets of this waterside vil- lage, so constantly washed by the tidal waves of the Thames are thronged to their utmost capacity, and that is on the day of the famous aquatic contest for the remit of which all England waits. At other times It seems as far removed from the busy haunts of men," as though it were 500 miles from London, instead of being so near. The ivy-mantled tower looks down upon a scene of calmness in the village itself, which finds its true reflex In the silent river, which is eter. nally leaving Putney behind, and making its way to- wards the great city with its spires and steeples so plainly Men in the distance. Another threatened outbreak of the Cattle Plague In this country has excited the utmost alarm and dismay amongst the owners of our flocks and herds. When this destructive pest first appeared in Islington nearly twelve years ago, there was at first some un- certainty as to bow it should be dealt with, for the authorities wr8 totally unprepared to cope with such a visitation. The consequence was, that within four months 27,432 besets had been attacked, of which number 12 680 bad died, and 8,898 had been slaughtered. It spread rapidly over the whole coun- try an,i in one year, of a quarter of a million animals which had bton seised with the distemper, only 32,180 recovered. Now, however, no cattle are allowed to die of the disease. They are slaughtered on its first symptom*, and some compensation is made to the "nor by the local authorities. The Privy Council has resolved to put in force inexorably what is called the atamping-out" process, and only a few days ago, in the east of London, 123 eows were destroyed beoause the distemper had seized upon a few of their number. At a time when animal food la such a W,, it is discouraging to read of more than a hundred healthy beasts, in full yield of one of the most necessary portioM of the food of a great city, •lain like vermin, their carcases buried in lime, and every trace of them put away on the mere suspicion tbat they may have caught the infection. Yet, in the poosent state of Our knowledge, tbia is the only course which can give us even a chance of coping with the danger. There is no possibility of dealing with the disease by way of preventing its spread except that of sacrificing at once not only the creatures which are actually ill, but ail who have been so placed as to render it even possible that they may have caught the complaint. la this matter clearly science has yet something to discover. Curious are the ways of what la known M Fashion. Some > ears ago then was great distress in the City of CJovencry, because ladies's vadenly left off wearing the Coventry ribbons; now the silk weavers of Lyons have to mornn the caprices of an institution which seems to be almost as fieile as the goddess Fortune. ladiesne longer drees themselves in eilk attire, consequently the demand i" less, and there is a falling off in the way ef employment. I v is, at the same time, contended in some quartet, that the silk of to-day is inferior in quality and durability to that of ten years ago, that it is oileH an as to give it a better temporary appearance, and th.t jate with other fibres of a similar character are adiirti'. If this be so the question is how a pur. chaser of silk is to detect a bad article. The oil, it appears, will snow oa the paper in which the fabric is wr pi^d and if jate Is in the material, it can be asoert*ix>ei by anyone who has the presence of mind to hfild the threads over the Same of a candle. The Earl of Aberdeen, who was the Chairman of the Royal Commission on Railway Accidents, has been giving us some very useful information respecting the working of railways in the United Kingdom. Many now living are old enough to remember the predictions of ruin which accompanied the general construction of railways in this country. Through the extinction of the mail coaches, turnpike roads were not only to fall into decay, but the breed of horses was to suffer serious deterioration, and what was to become of the guards and drivers no one seemed able to tell. What does Lord Aberdeen tell us now ? Why. that 270,000 persons are actually en. gaged in the working of railways in Great Britain I These are quite independent of and distinct from the enormous amount of labour represented in the con. struction of locomotives, carriages, and goods wagons, the making of iron and steel rails, the printing of tickets, the manufacture of official uniforms, to say nothing of the industry employed in the making of the lines in the first place, and the building of the stations. If we take again the supplying of the rail- ways with signals, we shall find that this has been ele- vated into a science, which has occupied, and must continue to occupy the serious attention of some of the best intellects of the day. Those who go down to the sea in ships, and do busi- ness in the great waters, have every reason to be thankful that there is such an organization as the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Last year twelve new lifeboats were placed upon the coasts of the United Kingdom, and the committee are quite prepared to station others wherever there is a proba- bility of their being useful. In the same period the Institution's life-boats had saved the lives ot 515 persons, besides acting to rescue 19 vessels from destruction. For these services, and for saving 85 lives by fishing boats and other means, one gold medal, eight silver medals, eighteen votes of thanka in. scribed on vellum, and £2,814 had been granted by the Institution. This is a record of a truly noble work which is not less useful because it makes such very little noise in the world. The War Office in Pall Mall, and the Horse Guards and the Admiralty in Parliament-street, stand out con. spicuously in two chief thoroughfares of London, while the headquarters of the Royal National Life- boat Institution are in a back street of the Strand, overlooking the river. The mission of the three great government establishments is to destroy life; that of the unpretentious one, supported by voluntary con- tributions and not by the national taxes, is to save. A country so dependent upon its maritime enterprise must, even from the commonest and most selfish of motives, not to speak of higher sentiments, do all in its power to prevent its chief resources being crippled by the warring elements with which, from our geographical situation, we have to contend. It has long been our national boast that we rule the waves. This, of course, strictly speaking, it is beyond human power to do; but we can at least adopt such precautions as will preserve from their destroying violence the great majority of those whom they have all but overcome.— Wouldst thou," so the helmsman answered, Learn the secrets of the sea Only those who brave Its dangen Comprehend its mystery." It must be a gratifying reflection to a maritime people that the dangers of the sea are braved, and its mystery is comprehended, not only by those who sail its surface in quest of commercial enterprise, and as representing our naval power, but also by those who venture upon Its depths for the purpose of rescuing the lives of others who have been exposed to its manifold perils.
MURDER of a SAILOR at LIVERPOOL.
MURDER of a SAILOR at LIVERPOOL. At the Liverpool Assizes, before Baron Huddleston, James Young, 21, a labourer, has been indicted for the wilful murder ot William Grimes, a sailor, at Liverpool, on the Both ot December. The evidence showed that the deceased man, his brother, and a companion were passing along the Yauxhall-road on the evening of the 30th December, when the prisoner, or one of two companions who were standing with him at the cornea of a street, called out, Hey, Larry." The deceased replied, There s no Larry here," and it was alleged that after some few words the prisoner pulled out a knife and stabbed the deceased twice in the breast, He then ran away to the house of a woman, to whom he gave the knife, and told what had happened. The deceased died after being removed to the Northern Hospital. On behalf of the prisoner it was urged that he was attacked by the deceased, and only inflicted the stab under provocation. The jury, however, found him guilty of murder, adding a recommendation to mercy. The prisoner, who throughout the trial had main- tained an almost stolid demeanour, trembled violently when he saw the judge put on the black cap, and heard the usher commanding silence. He raised his eyes imploringly, clasped his hands together, as if in prayer, and exclaimed in piteous tones, Spare me, my lord, spare me 1" The Judge, addressing him, said—James Young, you have been duly convicted of wilful murder. The jury have given careful consideration to your case, and they could not find any circumstance to enable them to reduce your crime below murder. They have accom. panied their verdict with a recommendation to mercy, which I shall have conveyed to the proper quarter, but I can hold out to you no hope of a mitigation of the sentence I am about to pass upon you. You have had the advantage of being most ably defended, and every- thing that could be urged in youc favovr has been urged. I am now bound to pass upon you the sentence enjoined by the law for the crime of murder. I exhort you to be penitent and to make good use of your time between this and the carrying out of the sentence. The sentence of the Court is that you be taken hence to the prison from which you came, that you be there hanged by the neck until you be dead, and that your body be buried within the pre- chits of the prison in which you were last confined. During the passing of the dread sentence the Eisoner, the expression of whose countenance strongly dioated the agony he endured, repeatedly inter- rupted the judge with appeals for mercy. "Spare me, my God," he cried; "Spare me; Lord have mercy on me; Lord have mercy on me 1 While uttering these words he was removed by two warders.
FATAL CARRIAGE ACCIDENT.
FATAL CARRIAGE ACCIDENT. Bombay has lost one of her best men by the death of Captain G. F. Henry, superintendent of the Penin- sular and Oriental Company. For many years Cap- tain Henry had taken a leading part in all public affairs. He held several important public offices, and was respected by everybody who knew him. He entered the service of the Peninsula and Oriental Company thirty years ago, and eleven years since was appointed to the post of superintendent of the company's Bombay branch. Captain and Mrs. Henry left home in a mail phaeton, the former driving, with the lady by his side, two grooms being in the hind seat. The phaeton was a light four-wheeler, and was drawn by a pair of bays. Opposite to the Zenana Mission House, as the carriage waa coming smartly down the incline, the off horse stumbled, and in recovering himself lunged heavily forward, snapping the pole about the centre. The front end of the pole fell on the ground and the traces got twisted about between the two horses, which took fright at the noise and at the heavy traces and chains rattling against their sides. They ran away at a tremendous speed and dashed into a garden wall. The violence of the concussion threw Captain Henry clean out of his seat, and he was hurled to a distance of thirty feet; falling head foremost on the hard metalled ground. The base of his skull was fractured, and death resulted in a very short time.
BUTCHERS' FESTIVAL at the…
BUTCHERS' FESTIVAL at the METRO POLITAN TABERNACLE. The twelfth annual gathering of the master and workmen butchers of the metropolis, on the invitation of Mr. and Mrs. H. Varley, took place on Tuesday evening, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle. The company assembled at four p.m. to the number of 2,000, of whom 400 were master butchers, and the remainder servants. In addition to this im- posing assemblage hundreds surrounded the doors, F T om 411618 w&s no apace left in- side. lea>was served in the vestry and schoolrooms, respectively for the masters and men; and that it was no lenten fare may be inferred from the statistics of the commissariat. To I 330lbs of cooked beef were added 696 • be. Of ditto pork, with bread and cake in suitable proportion. Any attempt to compute the number of cups of tea served and consumed would be out of the question (remarks the Daily Nem). After tea the hOjS of Mr Spargeon a Orphanage assembled on the pltfolm. and, under the direction of Mr. Monttm Suuitb, sang some well-selected part music. At half-past six the Earl of Shaftesbury took his seat on the platform, and the more important portion of tho proceedings were opened with a hymn, and a prayer by the Rev. Mr. Ctiarlesworth, after which Mr. Varley addressed a few words to the meeting. He regretted rhe absence of Mr. C. H. Spurgeon on ac. i count of severe indisposition, and suggested that some member of the assemblage should go to the nearest tele- graph office and send a message of sympathy to their beloved friend. The anniversary which they were then met to celebrate, was celebrated first in Nottincr-hill twelve years ago, when only twenty. seven working butchers attended and its growth and success might be estimated from the fact that considerably upwards ot 2,000 butchers —masters and men-were at that moment assembled within the walla of the Tabernacle. Mr. Varley pro- ceeded to denounce in vigorous language the national vices of gambling and drunkenness, telling the as- sembled butchers that the total abstainers in their trade would work the drunkards clean over the block." This trade allusion was received with immense cheer- ing by the meeting. Other speakers, including Mr. J. Spurgeon, and Messrs. Gibson and M'Call, followed, and after a second address by Mr. Varley the proceedings termi- nated with the usual votes of thanks. A blind lady, Miss Honey, Bang with much sweetness and expres- sion several hymns in the course of the evening.
RAILWAY DAMAGES.
RAILWAY DAMAGES. At Liverpool Assizes the cause of Ssott v. the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company has been heard, and vm an action brought by the plaintiff, a governess, to recowr damages for is juries sustained by her in a collision on the defendants' line. Mr. Russell, Q.C., and Mr. Hey wood appeared for the plaintiff; Mr. fllggin, Q.C., and Mr. Jordan for the defendant company. In 1873 the plaintiff, a young lady of 25 years of ag), took a situation as governess in the family of Mr. Wood, of Brinscall-hall, near Blackburn. Shereceived a salary of JE50 per annum, also having her contrast ticket from Blackburn to Brinscall paid for by Mr. Wood, as Bhe lived at Blackburn and travelled back- wards and forwards each day to and from Brinscal. On the 11th of November, 1875, while returning from Bainscall in one of the defendant company's train., there was a collision, In which the plaintiff was thrown backwards and forwards, and received a severe shock to her system and injury to her knee. A Mr. Orrell helped her from the carriage in which she was travelling, and eventually she was taken home and put to bed. The injury to the knee was so severe that she was unable to stand, and even now can only get along with crutches. Five years previous to the accident the plaintiff had suffered from an attack of rheumatic fever, which had given her great pains in the limbs and joints at the time, but both she and her mother stated that all the effects of that illness had passed off. The defendants admitted their liability. The jury assessed the damages at 9850. The cause of "Murphy v. the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company" was. also heard, and was an action similar to the last. The plaintiff, a wine merchant and traveller, received in- juries on the 17th of September last in an accident which occurred near the defendanta' station at Tithe- barn, Liverpool, owing to the carriage in which he was travelling running off the line. The company admitted their liability. The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff— Damages, £ 1,400.
THE PRINCE OF WALES WITH HER…
THE PRINCE OF WALES WITH HER MAJESTY'S STAG-HOUNDS. On Tuesday the Prince of Wales, accompanied by the Earl of Hardwicke, left Paddington by the eleven o'clock train for the purpose of hunting with her Majesty's stag-hounds. The Prince and his party arrived at the Slough Junction of the Great Western Railway at noon, and drove in a char-ct-banc Mid four to the fixture, which was at Two-mile Brook. Here the Prince was met by a large field, among whom were the Earl of Yarmouth, Mr. Richardson Gardner, M P., Mr. Hall Saye, Mr. Bowen May, and most of the usual followers of the Queen's hounds. Mr. Goodall, the Qaeen's huntsman, had brought a splendid stag, which on being loosed, led the chase towards Eton College and the Thames. Upon reaching the Brocas the animal plunged into the river, and was followed by the hounds, and surrounded. Eventually it cleared itself, and swam down stream, pursued by watermen in boats and punts, past the rafts to Windsor Bridge, which was thronged by excited crowds of spectators. On clearing the bridge one of the huntsmen and several boatmen again essayed the capture of the deer, but al- though at least half a dozen boats and punts joined in the pursuit, the noble animal evaded capture, and passing under the weir swam rapidly oast the grounds of Eton College till it reached Black Potts, the fishing villa of Dr. Hornby, the head master. The deer having landed upon the Bucks shore was still inaccessible, till a hound attacking it, the animal once more dropped into the Thames, and, swimming as far as the Victoria. bridge, escaped into the private portion of the Home park, where it was loet, and had to be left. The chase down the river was of an extremely animated and exciting description, hundreds of the townspeople join- ing in pursuit. The Prince of Walec and his party, after the hunt, returned to town by the Great Western Railway.
A TOUR ROUND THE WORLD.
A TOUR ROUND THE WORLD. Qalignani BaysA society has been formed ia Paris under the title of "Soci £ t £ des Voyages d'Etudes autour du Monde," for the purpose of organising annual educational and recreative 'tours round the world. In former days, when the means of locomotion was confined to slow lumbering coaches, a ramble through Europe was held to be an essential part of a young gentleman's education, and it was called the grand tour. The introduc- tion of railways and steamers has placed the Continent within the means of every purse, and to go round the world is now nearly ae easy as it was in the days of Triatam Shandy to travel over France. Tourists are no longer satisfied with the stereotyped routes to Paris, over the Alps and down the Rhine; they turn longing eyes towards coantries in which everything will be novel, and where they will find new aspirations. It was to meet this want that this new society has been formed, its object being to offer to young men who have finished their college studies a further opportunity of gaining a superior education by seeing the most important countries of the world in a (ingle year and under the most favourable conditions. Such a plan will certainly be appreciated by those who have refrained from undertaking such a long voyage on account of the great Irmo 81 time and inconvenience arising from constant transhipment. These discomforts will now be avoided, as the traveller will make the ship his home during the whole period of the tour, his cabin being spacious enough to serve at the time as his studio and his reating place, so that he will remain as inde- pendent as if he were travelling by himself. The Soclété des Voyages ld'E tudes, after fourteen months of careful research, has published, in French and English, Its attractive programme In the shape of a small pamphlet, in which will be found, briefly ex- plained, the object In view, the material and moral organisations as well as the itinerary of the first voyage. Professors will be embarked to give lectures during the sea voyage on the different countriell to be visited. Political economy, natural sciences, history, and climatology will form the subjects treated of. A library well stocked with works on travel will be placed at the traveller's disposal, and the "materiel" of instruction will be completed by collections of the pro- duce of the different countries visited. The voyage will last about eleven months, daring which the ship will visit Africa, the two continents of America, Australia to the Oceanic-Islands, Japan and China, India, and Egypt, to be home for the opening of the Paris Exhibition in 1878. In each of those countries excursions will be organized and the traveller during his stoppages will receive every facility to visit all that is worthy at note, and to draw his information at the beet sources, from letters of recommendation which the society will obtain from the distinguished patron- age under which it has been placed. Among the patrons of the undertaking is the Royal Geographical Society of London; and on the list of its promoters are found names well known in scientific circles. such as MM. Ferd. de Lesseps, Emile Levas- seur, Drouyn de Lhuys, Dupuy de Lavalley, Admiral La Ronciere-le Foury, &a. The departure for this voyage is fixed for the end of May, and numerous applications have been already made by persons desirous of participating in it. Tnat it will render great services to education in all its branches we have no doubt whatever.
THE IRISH SUNDAY CLOSING BILL.
THE IRISH SUNDAY CLOSING BILL. Mr. Russell, Secretary of the Irish Sunday Closing Society, in giving evidence before the Select Com- mittee on the Irish Sunday Closing Bill, said that the result of the canvas made throughout the country showed that of the spirit grocers in Dublin there were 341 in favour of Sunday closing, and 229 were against it. In Cork 9,172 householders for, and 1.499 against it; 29 licensed victuallers for, and 126 against. Belfast, 23,227 householders for, 2,809 against; 233 licensed victuallers for. 142 against. Limerick 5,292 house- holders for, 632 against; 92 licensed victuallers for, 101 against. Waterford 3,425 householders for, 195 against; 60 licensed victuallers for, and 36 against. Mr. Patrick Higgins, foreman cooper at Sir Arthur Guinness's brewery in Dublin, and President of the Coopers' Society in that city, in giving evidence, stated that, as an artisan, he was well acqnainted with the feelings of the working men of Dublin in regard to the question of Sunday closing. He knew very little of the loafers" who idled away their time at the street corners, but, so fur as the sober and industrious cUa* of the working men were concerned, they strongly objected to the proposal for closing the publiehousea totally on Sunday. Out of the 2,227 men employed on Sir Arthur Guinness's brewery, 227 might be in favour of Sunday closing, but the rat were decidedly against it. At the same time, they were of opinion tiat something should be dona to put down the beerhouses and Illicit drinking. If Mr. Smyth's Bill passed, all the lodging-houses of Dublin —and they were many-would be converted into beer- houses. He denied that he attended the Committee in the interests of the brewery, and said he was deputed to express the views of the Trades' Societies. of which there were thirty-four in Dublin, and all of them were against Sunday closing. Mr. Briscoe said he attended as delegate from the Journeymen Butcher' Trade's Society and from the Dublin Working Men's Club. Personally he was not a teetotaller, but be was in the habit of using the publichouses. At the same time, his impression, formed from personal experience and from conversation even with drunkards after they became sober, was that I the operatives were, as a rule, desirous of having the publichouses closed on Sunday. Very few of the working classes habitually went into the country for recreation on Sunday, but many of them visited the Botanic Gardens. The Working Men's Club, which he represented, consisted of about 300 members, and included all classes, from the highest mechanic down to a chimney-sweep, of whom there were several in the Club. It was open to all decent work- ing men, and any member could bring a friend. No beer or spirits were allowed to be sold, and when they gave a ball or held a social gathering intoxicating liquors were prohibited, and tea and coffee only pro- vided. The recent meeting at the Rotunda was not a working man's meeting in the true sense of the word, but was got up and attended by the publicans and labourers from the breweries. If the present Bill passed, he believed it would result in the establishment of more working men's clubs. Mr. Murray, another artisan, and secretary of the Working Men's Club in Dublin, said if the public- houses were closed, the men would give more of their wages to their wives, who would see that it was ex- pended in home comforts, and not wasted in drink. He had attended the recent meeting got up by the publicanB In the Rotunda. It was largely attended by brewers' draymen in frieze coats. Several persons who attempted to move amendments were summarily ejected from the platform, and he himself, being pointed out as a teetotaller favourable to the Sunday closing movement, was severely beaten and kicked and cuffed round the hall.
RAILWAY UNPUNCTUALITY.
RAILWAY UNPUNCTUALITY. At the Bloomsbury County Court the case of U Leathle, v. The London and North Western Railway Company" has been heard, before Mr. Judge Russell, in which the plaintiff, a solicitor, sued the company to recover the sum of 8s. 6d. On the 24th, of August, 1874, the plaintiff took a ticket from thef Hampstead-heath Station to Hampton, the route being by Richmond, at which station the train was too late to catch the Thames Valley train to Hampton. He had to wait at Richmond, and proceed vid Twickenham to Hampton. The train arrived at Twickenham at 11.30 instead of 10.45, and as the last train for Hampton had gone, the plaintiff Bued for the price of his ticket, 3s. 6<L, together with the sum of 5s. for loss of time and want of sleep. Mr. Roberts, the company's solicitor, urged that the train was only about ten minutes late, and the company was not liable, as they had used every means to carry out their contract. He urged that the case of Le Blanche against the company ought to have prevented the plaintiff from bringing the present action, for Lord Justice James then decided that if a railway company could satisfactorily account for delay they were not liable for it; on the present occasion there was an excursion train from Southend, and had not the safety of the public been studied, the Southend excursionists would have been left out in the cold instead of the plaintiff. At this stage of the case the learned Judge con- sidered that where the general convenience of the public is sacrificed by a company running excursion trains for their own benefit they ought to be liable for any unnecessary delay to the general public, and con- sequently judgment would be entered for the plaintiff for the full amount claimed, with costs.
OPENING OF THE OTTOMAN PARLIAMENT.
OPENING OF THE OTTOMAN PARLIAMENT. The Ottoman Parliament was opened on Monday in the splendid Throne-room of the Dolmabatche Palace. There was present about 30 Senators, 90 Deputies, high functionaries, Ulemas, Generals, diplomatists, and journalists. All the headB of Legations, except the Russian, were present. The Speech from the Throne was read by the First Secretary of the Sultan. After stating that the Empire owed Its grandeur in for- mer times to the practice of justice, respect fQr the laws, and the good administration of the country, the Sultan In the speech declares that the gradual weaken- log of his Empire was due to the forgetfolness and abandonment of these who precepts up tUl the reign of the Sultan Mahmoud, who was the first to understand and commence reforma In the Empire and cause the country to enter the path of civilization and grogresi. The Saltan then calls to mind the fact that Is father, Sultan Abdul Medjld, continued the work of his grandfather by promulgating the Tanztmat, but that Its benefits were Impeded by the Crimean War, which compelled the Treasury to have recourse for the first time to a loan that peace having been restored, thanks to the efficacious aid of the Great Powers the allies of Turkey, and the Integrity of the Empire having been placed under the guarantee of the European Powers, the country would have entered upon a new era of progress and prosperity If Intrigues and culpable agitation had not paralyzed the efforts of the Government, which was obUged to maintain considerable armies and exhaust the Treasury by purchases of war material These causes, joined te the bad administration of the finances, involved the State In difficulties to such an extent that when an Insurrection broke out In Herzegovina too Government had to have recourse to exceptional measures, but as these measures consisted in reducing the interest on the debt they seriously affected the credit of the State, because they Ignored engagements contracted which the Porte had always respected. Called to the Throne In most difficult circumstances, His Majesty had first of all placed the forces of the country In a condition to Insure its security and independence, and had then devoted all his efforts to internal reform by promulgating a Consti- tutional Charter which, following the example of the most civilised States, made the nation participate In the enact- ment of laws and the administration of public affairs, and for this purpose created a Parliament composed of a Senate and Chamber of Deputies, a Charter which secures to all liberty, equality, and justice. The Saltan returns thanks to Providence for having been able to open the first Session of this Parliament, and he then enumerates the principal laws which the two Assemblies are called upon to discuss daring this Session Theae are an Electoral Bill, a Provincial BUI, a Bill on Commercial Regulations, a Code of Civil Pro- cedure, meatures for the reorganization of the Tribunals, the promotion and retirement of public functionaries, a Press BUt, a Bill for the organization of a Court of Ac- counts, and finally the Budget Law. The Sultan specially recommends the study and adoption of the Financial Bills, and he states that measures will be taken to offer the credi- tors of Turkey, with the concurrence and consent of their re- presentatives, the most solid guarantees for the execution of the engagements to foreign creditors, while at the same time reconciling them with the argent necessities of the Treasury. While awaiting the creation of Institutions In. tended to develope public Instructions the Sultan announces that he has resolved to enlarge at his own expense and under his patronage the existing civil sehool with the object of pre- paring youths to tlU posts In the public service. After paying homage to the patriotism of his people and the bravery and devotion of his Army, the Sultan proceeds to announae the pacification of the country and the restora- tion of peaceful relations with gervia HA also expresses hopes of a favourable Issue to tbe negotiations entered into with Montenegro, a result which would enable the Goveramnent to send the troops at present under arms to their homes to the great advantage of agriculture. Finally, the Sultan declares that though the Conleretl ce which met In Constantinople on the proposal of England did not result in a definitive understanding it has been none the less de- monstrated that both before and since the Conference the Government was and Is ready te anticipate In practice those wishes of the Powers which can be reconciled with existing Treaties, the rules of international law, and the exigencies of the situation. The Sultan concludes his speech as follows:- "My Government has constantly given proofs of sincerity and moderation which will aid In drawing closer the bonds of friendship and sympathy which unite us with the great European family." The reading of the Speech lasted twenty minutes, the Sultan standing before the Throne, his left hand rest- ing on his sword-hilt, his right occasionally stroking his moustache, the Sultan's plain dress contrasting with the gorgeous military and civil costumes surround- ing him. There were no seats in the room except the Throne. The Speech having been read, the Sultan withdrew, and on leaving was greeted by the soldiers with cries of Long live the Padishah 1" The assemblage was grave and silent. Cannons were fired at the close of the ceremony from the forts and ironclads, and at inter- vals during the afternoon. The official translation of the Sultan's Speech from the Throne at the opening ot the Turkish Parliament contains several additions to and modifications of the above telegraphic summary- His Majesty, speaking of the Constitution, says, Hence- forth all my subjects having become children of the same fatherland and living under one and the same law, will be called by one and the same name-Ouoman." Referring to the financial situation of the country, the Sultan recommends the Parliament to. adopt the proper measures for the complete re-extabttthment of the credit of the State. Regarding the negotiations with Montenegro, His Majesty said that the course which he Intended pursuing would be submitted to the deliberations of the Parliament at its first meeting. Finally, alluding to the Conference, His Majesty said "The disagreement between my Government and the Powers rests rather In the form and method of application than in the substance of the question. AU my efforts will be devoted towards bringing to perfection the progress which has been already realbd in the situation of the Empire and In all the .branches of. Its administration. But I consider tt to oe one of my most important duties to remove any cause ) which may be detrimental to the dignity and Independence of my Empire. I leave to time the task of proving the sincerity of my Intentions of reconciliation."
A CHINESE VIEW OF THE DELHI…
A CHINESE VIEW OF THE DELHI CEREMONIAL. The Chinese paper, Shen pao, gives a long account ot the proclamation of the Queen at Delhi as Empress of India. The article concludes as foUows India, in respect to extent of territory and popula- tion, which amounts to some 210,000.000, is about equal to the eighteen provinces of China. That the Sovereign of England, separated by 10.00C lis, assum- ing the title only of Queen (Wang) in her native country, should be Empress in far-off India, and send merely an Envoy to represent her in that great do- main, is a circumstance strange and remarkable to re- flect on. Truly may it be asserted that in this world never has there been a greater appointment under sovereign rulers than that of the Viceroyalty of India Since the time when the Great Mogul (lit. ancient Emperor) of India was defeated by England, and the country annexed, Asia may be said to have contained but one Hwang-ti, i.e. that of China. Now that the Sovereign of England, giving way to the wishes of the Princes in India, has proclaimed herself Empress of that nation, another Hwang-ti has been added to our continent of Asia. The circumstance forms a great epoch in the history of the world, and as such we give prominence to the event. llistt Jtrltlltgcnte.
IlautDUs Jtrltlltgcnte.
HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL. IN GOOD COMPANY.—People have been won- dering why China should have taken the trouble to send an embassy to London, but now we have an inkling of the truth. The Celestials want a loan. Although an exclusive nation, this is a state of affairs in which they are not alone.-Judy. SUIOIDB AT AN ASYLUM.—Dr. Hardwicke, coroner, held an inquiry, on Tuesday, at the Central London Sick Asylum District Infirmary, Cleveland- street. Fit zoy-square, as to the death of James Bridge, age 68, a patient in the institution, who was sent from St. Pancras Workhouse on the 6th alt., suffering from cancer of the windpipe, which rendered it diffi- cult for him to swallow. The case was deemed a bad one, and on the 2nd inst. Dr. Lediard, resident medical officer, performed an operation on the windpipe, and artificial respiration had to be resorted to. At noon on Saturday the deceased was seen by a man in the street to break the large pane of glass in the window of his ward, on the second floor, and deliberately jump through into the paved yard below. On being picked up it was found that deceased had sustained fearful injuries from broken ribs and other fractures, causing almost instantaneous death. The doctor said that deceased's life was a great burden to himself, and the sufferings he experienced might have induced a sudden impulse of self-destruction. The Jury returned a verdict of "Suicide whilst in a state of unsound mind," but recommended the managers to provide a separate ward for patients showing suicidal tendencies. A WEIGHT OF AIPIPZOTIOlq.- Four tons of valentines have been returned to the Dead Letter Office in London from all parts of the kingdom, and are to be worked into pulp before being sold to the paper-makers. The bulk consists of valentines which were not taken in, as the persons addressed did not desire to be taken in either.Tudy. A HORSB WITH A CONSOIBHCB.— Bayard Taylor writes in the Atlantic Monthly of a horse which he says is not less than forty-one years old :—" This horse had a playful habit of snapping at my arm when he was harnessed for a drive. (I always talk to a home before starting as a matter of common politeness.) Of course I never flinched, and his teeth often grazed my sleeve as he struck them together. One day, more than a dczen years ago, he was in rather reckless spirits and snapped a little too vigorously, catching my arm actually in his jaws. I scarcely felt the bite, but I was very much surprised. The horse, however, showed such unmistakable signs of regret and distress that I simply said, Never do that again!' And he never did From that moment he gave up the habit of years; he laid back his ears, or feigned anger in other ways, but he never again made believe to bite. This cer- tainly goes far beyond the temporary sorrow for an un- intentional injury which may be referred to an animal's affection. What else is conscience than knowledge of wrong made permanent by a memory which forbids the repetition of the wrong ? ANOTHBK PARIS MYSTERY.—Another murder, hideous in its details, has been perpetrated in the very centre of Paris (says the Paris Correspondent of the Daily Ttlegraph). On Saturday an employs of the Great Louvre-Warehouses, a young man of 26, entered the house which he occupied with his mother and younger brother, at 61, Hue du Faubourg St. Antoine. When he had struck a match, he found hanging behind the door of a chamber, through which he had to pass to get to his. own, the dead body of a woman. Going forward with the light, the young man, whose name is Martial Lachaud, recognised the features of his mother, and ran down the stairs calling out madly for assistance. A picket of soldiers that happened to be passing accom- panied him home, and found that the body of the woman must have been lifeless for several honrsk A judtcial investigation proved that the murder had been carried out in the most systematic manner. Not only was the hanging of the victim accomplished with scientific accuracy, but a loose knot had been run round the middle of the body to support it. Besides this, the hands and feet had been tightly bound to. gether. The police have not yet been able to discover anything of the circumstances under which this extra- ordinary crime was committed. TAB Nzw COLOUR.—The new shades of yellow—amber, canary, primrose, or that called mandarin "—which are now all the rage, are said to have been invented in honour of the Chinese Ambassa- dors. That the coming of these eminent persons should cause a sensation in the fashionable world was only to be expected, but it is a little hard that every lady, whether her complexion will stand the contrast or no, should be compelled to wear mandarin or be con- demned as unfashionable. The next thing will be a rage for yellow jaundice I-Judy. Mo vis o LARGB Tia-ziis.-In Paris at present (says the Garden), instead of planting young plane trees as of old on newly-formed boulevards, large and well-furnished trees are planted. Thus the newly. formed Boulevard Henry IV. is furnished throughout with well-grown plants, with stems nearly 1ft. in diameter and nearly 30ft. high. It will be interest- ing to notice how they will pass through the summer. THK DBFBRRBD JUDGMENT.—An amusing story has reached this country from Russia (says the Court rournal) :-A noble lady at the beginning of the reign of the Emperor Nicholas gave birth te a son, for whom it was impossible to find a suitable wet nurse. The mother was reduced to despair, when a young noble- man. her neighbour, offered her one of his peasant women. Thereby the child's life was saved. Then the young lord said to the mother, "Madam, yon owe me the existence of your son, and I hope that in return you will grant me something more than yonr esteem." It is not known what the nobleman asked for, but at all events the mother refused to grant his request. He threatened in consequence to deprive her of the wet nurse, who was the wife of one of his serfs, and the mother had no other resource left than to appeal to the lattice of her country. Time went on. The Czar Nicholas died, and Alexander II. mounted the throne. The other day, while the latter was passing a brilliant review, all eyes were fixed upon a colonel of his staff, a very hand- some officer. Suddenly a messenger rode up. "Colonel," said he, handing up a large envelope, "here is the judgment of the Senate." "The judgment! What judgmenW" asked the colonel. He broke the seal, and read with stupefaction:—" The Senate in its high wisdom, decides, after ripe deliberation, that the wet nurse of Lord shall suckle the son of the noble Lady Z, for the space of twelve months and six weeks." The baby mentioned in the judgment was the handsome colonel I He was than thirty-four years of age, GoOD MARCHING.—A letter from St. Peters- burg in the Allgemeine Zeitung says that the Grand Duke Nicholas has issued an Order of the Day which is interesting as an indication of the efficiency of the Russian troepe on the Pruth. In the middle of last month the Grand Duke ordered one of the Cavalry brigades under his command to make a forced march from Kischeneff to Odessa. The brigade, led by the chief of the General Staff and accompanied by a battery of Don CosBacks, left the head quarters of Kischeneff on the 12th of February, and, after a three days' march, it arrived at Odesqa on the 14th at 2 p.m. The length of this march was 176 kilometres, 90 of which were completed on the first day, and the whole distance would have been performed in two days if the weather had not been so unfavourable, the soldier8 marching nearly the whole time in a storm of wind, hail, and IInow, and on roads slippery with ice. Notwithstanding all these difficulties, the troope showed no signs of fatigue, and not a Bingle man fell out. The Grand Duke Nicholas, in the Order of the Day above referred expresses great satisfaction at the reseult of the experiment, and says that it is only such troops as these that would be fully equal to the performance of one of the most iJn- portant tasks of Cavalry—namely, to appear before the enemy and beat him where they are least ex. pected." The Grand Duke, who has for many years been Inspector-General of Cavalry, is known to be very partial to that arm of the service, and it is be. lieved that if war should break out he will so arrange his strategical manoeuvres as to give the widest possible scope for the employment of the large Cavalry force under his ordere6, A ROVBR. --Ân American Press despatch from Halifax, Nova Scotia, states that the bripantine Albion, which arrived at Halifax on the 4th of March frem Cienfuegos, Cuba, reported that on Ftbrnaiy 5, when thirty miles north of Gun Key of the Bahayoon Islands, a low, rakish-looking schooner, about iiixty tons, passed her. Shortly after the Albion came up with A Spanish brig from Cienfuegos for Spain. The Spanish captain reported that the strange craft had signalled him, and when be hove-to a boat's crew went on board his vepsel and took possession of whatever they wanted. When laat seen by the Albion the piratical craft was making for another Spanish ve<se). THB LA KB OF GlINEVA.Those who have travelled along Lake Leman have been often stmclc with the marvellous transparency of the clear, biuishly- tinted water. But they would certainly have imagined that it must be at least more transparent in summer, when it has a smaller quantity of muddy matter thrown into it than during winter. M, Ford, who has lately paid considerable attention to the subject, assures us that this is not so. On the contrary, he explained recently to the French Academy that the water is much more transparent in winter than in summer; but the explanation is utterly different from anything we should have been disposed to imagine. It is not due to the prevalence of muddy particles at one time of year more than at another, as the water appears always equally lucid. Bat in suncmer, owing to the higher temperature, the water is not uniformly heated, and there are thus layers formed of different densities. In the winter, en the other hand, the temperature is lower, of course, but then it t. uniform throughout, and thus the observation of objects at the bottom is not ec much interrupted.— Globe. A FATAL "RIDE TO YORK." -An extraordi- nary occurrence has taken place at Messrs. Stoodley and Harmøton's circus at Norwich. One of the per- formances included a representation of Dick Turpm's ride to York. The ride," as is well-known, results in the death of Black Bess, and she is born on hurdles from the circus. On Saturday the mimic representa- tion was converted into a reality, for when the grooms attempted to remove, mare, which figured as Black Bess, from the hurdles she was found to be actually dead. When jumping the turnpike gate she fell, and no doubt ruptured herself internally, b-" she got up and was ridden round the ring again, wh te cleared the gate and completed her part of the )rmaneg. That she was injured was not discovered until she was removed from the ring. FIRBS IN AmitRick.-From American papers of the 7th inst. it appears that New York hm osen visited by a destructive fire, the damage of which Is estimated at 2,000,000 dola. It broke out on the 6tb mst, in a block of buildings in Bond-street, occupied by jewellers, watchmakers, and silversmiths. The houses were iron-fronted, and considered to be tire- proof. Although there were 16 fire-engines and 10 lines of hose at work the destruction of the buildings was rapid, and 15 firms of jewellers, silversmiths, and watchmakers were burned out. Four of the firemen were injured. A fire also occurred in the hotel In KarnB City, Pittsburg, on the 5th. The proprietor's wife with five children were burned to death. Thirty guests were in the hotel. Six were injuted by jump- ing from the windows, and one was fatally burned. CONSUMPTION OF SPIRITs.-In the year 1876 duty was paid on 29,950,288 gallons of homemade spirits for consumption as beverage in the United Kingdom. This quantity is less by 155,819 gallons than that of the preceding year. The 16,438,135 gallons for consumption in England show a decrease of 304,634 gallons but the 6,971,138 gallons for Scot- land show an increase of 98,668 gallons, and the 6,541,015 gallons for Ireland an increase of 50,146 gallonB. The 11,487,795 proof gallons of foreign spirits (not sweetened or mixed) entered for con-mmp; tion in the United Kingdom in 1876 were 294,855 gallons less than the quantity in the preceding year. The two returns together show a total decrease of more than 450,000 gallons, A RBMARKABLK MAP.—The Tinies of India says :—" A very remarkable Russian map ot Central Asia has come into our hands, says our Lahore con- temporary, which is extremely well executed and con* tains much valuable information, but which withal I* a puzzle. We refer to the fact that it has a number of green lines on it which concentrate into India or MAY be said to radiate from it. If the former they seem to indicate the various Russian lines of attack on India; if the latter, they may show the counter-attack which a Mahomedan 'Jehad,' under its sacred green (.-olourt may make against all Russian possessions in Asia. W II intend, if possible, to translate and republish it. thongh the best lithographic results at Lahore of the tnligi painstaking efforts are enough to deter one for ever from such a task." ENGLISH LADIES If AmisRick.-A Chicago journal (says the World) thus expresses its astonish' ment at the health and strength of English girls "All foreign travellers have remarked upon the superior robustness and health of the English women. An idea of the causes which produce this may b| gained from the following account of the habits AND dress and exercises of the daughters of the Minister Thornton at Washington. They dress the greatest plainness, their abundant light bait braided and tied with ribbons, their dresses rather short and free from unnatural expansion, and thefc shoes, which are not at all diminutive, bave solei thicker than any American shoemaker would dare to make. The miles that they waik, ride, or I pail on the river' are an unfailing source of astonishment to young ladies whose only miles are danced out on waxed floors. In Bummer or winter, rain, snow, or slu^h, they are out taking their exercise, accompanied by theit father or governess. At concerts, opera, or the theatre. Lady Thornton comes in brave with silk, laces, AND jewels; behind are the daughters, with their GOVERNED** dressed just as plainly as when out for a walk, intheuc long beaver-cloth sacques and plain broad-BRIMMED felt hats down over their eyes." TUB HATOHAM CAsic.- On Saturday the three months' suspension of Mr. Tooth, from the day of the publication of the sentence, expired, and the tmspen* sion will be continued for three years, unless he makef his submission in writing, which it is understood that he does not intend to do. As this is the first suspeO* Bion under the Public Worship Regulation Act, the practice of the Court in such cases should be publicly known. The 13lh section (37 and 38 Vic. cap. 85) vides that if the monition remains in. force for than three years the benefice shall become void, and the patron may present another clergyman as }* the incambent had died. Mr. Tooth, the patron, brother of the Incumbent, and the Act expressly declares that it shall not be lawful for the patron any time to appoint, present, collate, or nominate TO such benefice or suih other ecclesiastical preferment the incumbent by whom the same was voided nodelc this AcL"-Z%e Timet. CARP AND TJSUCH FOR THB THAMES.—- Friday in last week Mr. Francis Francis, Mr. W. Brougham, the Secretary of the Thames Angling Preservation Society, and several piscatorial friends, netted the waters of Sushy-park, by permission of the Fint Commissioner of Works, for thli purpose of ob- taining some carp and tench wherewith 10 STOCK TO £ Thames. They were tolerably SUCCESSFUL in this THFF* first effort. Twenty-five magnificent carp, from 8 tO 12lbs. each, and twenty tench were PLACED safely 111 the Hampton and Kingston waters in fi;Je condition* If these fish Bpawn as they may be expected to in JUN» they will stock these two reaches of the river. *>°R for the waters being very heavily BEAKED to netting in the last haul, a prodigious q laiitity of large carp would have been brought on shore, there being great abundance in the waters, The NET used on the occasion was a very fine one, made by M-^ARA. Reid, 0 Manchester, and with great liberality lent to THJ society for this purpose. Further operations take place shortly for the purpose of stocking other rewhee A MARRIAGB ON HOP.SICBAOX.-The FrankliO Gazette, published in Virginia, states that Mr. BrooK Haines and Miss Kate Drewry were married >N romantic style on the pablic highway, a short sinee, with the canopy of heaven overshadowing the and the smiles of a bright noonday sun beaming o" their happy faces, and the pure, balruy air of HE*V fanning the cheeks of the LOVELY brioe. Tni.« HAPP affair took place above Starry FREES meeting-hou The bride and gronm were mounted on two BEAUTY match greys. The Rev. Joel Meadow performed Interesting ceremony, and they, WITH their lively □anions who witnessed the same want on journey rejoicing. PBIUCB MILAN'S DECORATION.—Several DTF" tingnished French journalists WHO duricg the late y showed special sympathy with Sarvia have RECEDE the Servian Order of the Takova ( «.ys the CORT* Boondent of The Times) Now, yearn & £ ii*n> on visiting France, exhibited a desire I hi* tuting a decoration, and on its being ved position as a vassal did not warraui; i*. he plied he had already given orders for IC TO a PARIS HO » THE fact, and the Prince muot nave had A»Y « £ 2,000 worth of crosses, star*, and ribam S S,UPFF;0I» INL\ war breaking out, and ius |I» of his independence of Turkey, he 1<>»S uo TIM creating the Order of the Takova anri co-,ferriag Russia and Austria, wishing to BE friendly him, allowed him to decorate some of th- >r without committing themselves furt: *r. however, preserving the expectant fdle her, persisted in not considering THE O-ac.r existing. Such was the state >«f things The Treaty of Peace making Iln woutid-n 1 F JJ ot decoration, Servia, having al..in BECAME V ,arfag Turkey, ceases to have the right rhe A?M-NE- the War. In any case, P-IO«? MFLU* -;annoi many left of she decorations DA'JVEI-ED to "ltllt J