The Brecon County Times Neath Gazette and General Advertiser for the Counties of Brecon Carmarthen Radnor Monmouth Glamorgan Cardigan Montgomery Hereford

SHOCKING DEATH OF A WOMAN BY FIRE —On Sun- day a woman named Jessop, aged fortv pio-ht vears .V'S" f -'S If «1'SeSn ioni+od Woolwich, 'when her dress became t? f ln fcw moments ,she was enveloped in flames. Before the fire was extinguished she was so dreadfully burned that she died in the course of a few hours at Guy's Hospital.

SHOCKING COLLIERY ACCIDENT. An accident very similar in character to that which recently occurred at Waibottle, produced on Friday evening a deal of great sorrow and uneasiness at Wash- ington. Between six and seven o'clock eight men and one boy were drawn up the shaft in a double-decked cage, the breakman having dharge of the machinery at the top, called Taylor, being a man of experience. Owing to some cause or other a stoppage was not effec- ted at the proper place, and the omission was no sooner perceived than the poor fellows who were exposed to death in consequence shouted and screamed, and one of their number, named Briggs, made a desperate attempt to escape by leaping out of the cage. He, however,'fell backwards, and down the dreadful abyss from which he had'jnst risen. His companions were not so fortunate as those who remained in their places when there was the same calamity at Walbottle, for no sooner did the iron carriage reach the chocks near the pulleys than the wire rope, which no doubt was severely tested, broke, and tke entire party of men was precipitated down the shaft. The miners fell headlong in one confused group into what is known as the "sump," at the bottom, and were mutilated and killed. A portion of a pair of trousers, which seemed to have belonged to the boy, were found hanging to the framework, as they had been torn from the body. The breaksman, Taylor, through nervousness or a sense of responsibility, decamped, and had not been heard of or seen up to a late hour the same night. One of the sufferers is John Smith, known as the C umberland hero in wrestlirig; and a second is named Todd. As soon as the disaster became known to the people in. the neighbourhood, there was a scene of lamentation and woe round the pit mouth. Many of the men were married, and have left families.—Neivcastle Chronidle.

RECEPTION OF THE BELGIANS.—Mr. Bucksfone has kindly given free admission to the Haymarket Theatre to any of the Belgians in uniform visiting London in July next. DOCKYARD BALLAST IKON.—The following is a copy of the report of Dr. Percy relative to the quality or value of the iron ballast laid down as paving in her Majesty's dockyards :—" Dr. Percy to the Secretary of the Admiralty.—May 8, 1B67.-Sil'If I remember correctly, it was in the autumn of last year that I had an interview with Admiral Sir John Hay at the Ad- miralty, respecting the dockyard ballast iron, which has excited so much attention. I then expressed my opinion to Sir John Hay that the appearance of the broken sur- face, or as it is commonly termed the fracture of certain specimens of that iron, indicated its suitableness for the Palliser shot; and I suggested that an application should be made to the proper authority at the Arsenal at Woolwich to test the correctness or otherwise of my opinion. My suggestion was adopted, and after the lapse of considerable time a report on the subject from .the Arsenal was presented to the Admiralty. I have read and maturely considered that report, and I main- tain now, as I did at first, that the trial at the Arsenal was wholly inconclusive, nay, even useless. It might reasonably have been expected that the trial would have consisted in actually casting a shot or two of the metal in question, when decisive results would have been ob- tained but no such trial was made. Some of the ballast iron is strong mottled,' and closely resembles in appearance the variety of pig-iron which is used in the manufacture of Palliser shot at Woolwich. If some of the ballast iron be too white for the purpose/it might be rendered suitable by melting it in admixture with a due proportion of grey iron. I venture to predict that hereafter much cheaper pig-iron than is now purchased at the Arsenal for the Palliser shot will be found equally I good for the purpose; and this is a pecuniary question in which, I presume, the Admiralty is deeply interested. The analytical results obtained by Mr. Weston demon- strate that much of the ballast iron is adapted for the manufacture of bar iron of good quality.—I have, &c., JOHN PERCY, M.D., F.R.S.—The Secretary to the Ad- miralty." COURTS OF PROBATE.—The compensation annuities payable to proctors and other officers of the abolished ecclesiastical and prerogative courts decreased by deaths to the extent of 2,0771. in the year 1866. The cost of maintaining courts of probate in England and Ireland amounted to 112,2321. in that year, and thr fees received (' having reached 140,0861., left a surplus of 27,543Z.; but these compensations, amounting to 99,543., turned I the surplus into a deficit of 71,689l. to be paid out of the public purse. The fees charged in the Divorce Court appear to have amounted to no more than 2,5961.

MUSIC AND THE DRAMA. Amongst the greater lights of the musical world we must not forget those old established favourites, Mr. and Mrs German Reed. Time only serves to develop in them those qualities which we admired in years gone by; nor does any sign of decay diminish their powers of amusement. Having dropped the line of detached characters this interesting couple have taken two partners and started a new style of entertainment, half comedy, half burlesque. For this purpose. they secured the services of the talented author of Ours" (Mr. T. W. Robertson), and certainly "A Dream of Venice" does great credit to his literary abilities. Throughout the dialogue is smartly written, and some of the situ- ations are exceedingly droll. Two beautiful views of Venice are executed in Mr. Telbin's happiest style, and* cannot be surpassed. Mrs. Reed as "Dr. Maiy E. Walker," Mr. John Parry as her bashful brother, and Mr. Reed as a grinning snob are inimitable. Miss Susan Galton is a great help in the musical part. of the play; as she has a very pretty soprano voice, and is a fair singer. At the close of the drama, we have the" Doge," the" Adriatic," and another ffigure (we presume the Grand Canal), who come to astonish the bewildered Mr. Reed. This gentleman's costume un- dergoes a strange change also, and he becomes one halt'a''Gennaro" aud the other half Regent-street in dress. We could not forbear laughing at the comic c gct-ups of 200 years hence, and the new method of ladies expressing their feelings by means of erectile pet- Z, ticoats. Some sharp hits at the future ages, and some ca- pital burlesques of •' Lucr zia Borgia," mingling quite easily with the comic jjsongs of the day, brought this laughable piece of folly to an end. Afterwards Mr. John Parry brought out a new sketch called Merry- making at Eveleen Hall." He might have added at the Gallery of Illustration" likewise, for all the audience were convulsed with laughter at his amus- ing imitations of the "Cornet" "Fireworks," a Young Playcr;r;a" Rustic's Story." This gentleman is a born mimic, and has wonderful powers of expression in his eyes and hands. The crowds that throng this small house nightly testify, at least, that the performers do not fall in public esteem. We must call attention with regret to another disappointment at Covent Garden—and on two grounds. First, because of the illness 'of Mdlle. Patti; secondly, because we think the manager scarcely kept faith with the public. No one, of course, dreams of blaming the fair singer for her bronchitis; but the manager might have ascertained sooner the state of matters, and announced his change earlier in the day than 7 p.m. This would have enabled those who wished to with- draw. As it was, those who came to hear" Don Gio- vanni," and remained to hear Un Ballo in Mascfeera were -scarcely satisfied with a third-rate performance, and -their disapprobation was expressed in no mistak- able terms throughout the evening. Signor Mario was but in indifferent voice. His acting and style are always admirable. Those who have mastered the obstacles to correct and fluent vocalisation should re- member that there are some other things besides these to conquer, to qualify them for eminence on the operatic stage. Let the young and careless actors take notice of Signor Mario's polished demeanour, his mode ••of approaching a la(ly,, so courteous, his ease and grace, even when sorely perplexed for a note. Mdlle. Fricci did not particularly please us as Amelia." She "Should recollect ,that an ugly and ill-made brown meire even when heightened by the addition of .CIR ordinary waterproof cloak, is scarcely the fitting dress for a court lady of rank. In this respect the between her and the other characters was painful in the extreme. Nor is a violent straining of the voice, which cul- minates in a scream, the proof either of a trained vocalist or a goed musician. Despite a certain tele- graphic motion of the arms, Mdlle. Morensi was a competent" Ulrica" and sang with force—a remark which we cannot apply to the Page (Mdlle. Nau). Pro- bably this diminutive person would sing well if she had -any voice. But her small pipe is completely lost in the ( vast space before her, and a small and childlike treble is .•all the perceptible result of her efforts. Signor Graziani ;pas Renato" (& much ill-used husband) made decidedly the "hit" the .evening. The lovely air, "Oh, Dolcezze perdnte," was beautifully sung, and he was •obliged to singitoncc more—the only encore during the ¡' night. We must put in a word for the voice and acting "of Sig. Capponi, who gave on Friday night proofs of j high qualities, which would justify his being entrusted with more arduous parts. In the ball scene" the ap- j pointinents struck us as a trifle faded. But the Punch- i inellos" and other buffoons were well done, and very ■amusing. A -clever danseuse apeared too and was made to repeat one of her surprisingly nimble pirouettes. The production of Meyerbeer's chef d'auvre, "Les • Huguenots." has given unqualified satisfaction. A Btyoii,er cast it is impossible to rind anywhere. It was, i.'if we mistake not, in the rule of Valentine that Aladame Titiens made her debut, now some nine years t ago. During the interval between that time and the i present she may, fairly be said to have made the j character her own. Thoughout the bill the whole of {■the parts are well filled nor could we wish to alter any I of the very numerous personages. On Monday even- ing the opera was repeated; but the house, though j graced with royal presence, was scarcely more than half full. The tide, of fashion has set in the other i direction; and the lessee of the other establishment, j-seaue in his powerful patronage, thinks he can treat his subscribers as he likes. It only remains j for them to point out to him his mistake. A mese charming Urbsno than Madame Trebelli never was seen. She is full of grace and fascination. There was no second opinion as to the delivery of her two fcirs, especially the second (No No!) which was im- peratively redemanded. Herr Rokitansky was the Mareello/'in our opinion the best representative of the character on the stage. Any part he undertakes he carrieeout conscientious.y, while his magnificent voice is heard rising far above .those of his companions. We fancy some one must have hinted to him to restrain his abundaEt energies, for he sang his music in a much more subdued tone than when first we heard him in FalstalT. The great song of PifF-PafF," which presents almost insurmountable difficulties, was capitally done. -But there is scarcely any one able to do it justice. Madame Titiens is of coursers fine in Valentine as /anything the operatic stage can boast. But we venture ,to recommend a period of rest from her great exertions, for even her unequal powers are beginning to show •some slight cigns of fatigue. During the last month her effortshav0 been far beyond till c usual lot of singers, and she may reasonably claim some relaxation when the Parisian favourite makes her appear- RNceon the 4th of June, as she is promised to do. That day bids fair to be a remarkable one in the annals of the musical world, for Verdi's "Don Carlos is to be produced at Cement Garden on that evening. Let us liqpe that the success of this venture will com- pensate for Mr. Oye"S past shortcomings. Of the Kaouiof Signor Mongini we tan only .speak in terms of qualified praise. The same coldness which we remarked in his Gennaro is also perceptible in this character. Could he not make his aspect less for- bidding by- wearing his hair a little more on his fore- head ? We cannot compliment him on the effect of brushing it right off his face. It is seldom that he forgets his frozen attitudes and warms into anything j like passion. At times he sings splendidly; and then relapses into painful indifference and wooden stolidity. As great feats of vocal power, we may point out a fine "crescendo" on B flat and climax on C also some beautiful fakctto notes, which might come from anywhere. The part of the Queen is efficiently played by Madame Sinico. The whole of the pretty scene, with the steps down which Valentine., and afterwards Raoul, descend, was charmingly sung. As to the chorus, they are respectable and nothing more. In the famous Rataplau" they failed to catch the time correctly though we are fully alive to the difficulty of singing two airs at once in the same time. The benediction of the daggers was fairly given; but was surpassed by the well-known septet in the duel scene. In the grand duet in the fourth act. the tenor and soprano distinguished themselves. But we still have fresh in our memory the recollection of Grisi and Mario in this unrivalled piece of dramatic music, and it will take a long time to efface it therefrom. On Monday last, Madame Puzzi gave her concert in the St. George's-hall, Langham-place. The attendance was large, but the programme scarcely so good as that of her matinee noticed a fortnight ago. A work of the size of St. Cecilia is tco ponderous to occupy a whole afternoon. No disrespect is meant to the gifted composer; but we must allow we thought the work somewhat dull. Whether it was that the chorus was weak, or the solo singers second-rate, or impatience to hear the better Italian and French singers kept till the last, we do not know. Somehow relief did follow its conclusion. We may notice, as being above mediocrity, a ballad, Father whose blessing," nicely sung by Mrs. Patey-Whytock; and a trio, and a chorus at the end. Serious music does not seem to be Mr. Benedict's forte, and his songs are better than his cantatas. Moreover we cannot entirely forgive the compiler of an Album de Mario" carefully transposed below the compass of any tenor wishing to sing the songs contained in it. The first part of the concert was scarcely relieved from stupidity, and the good pieces at the end were sung just as people began to go. We are requested to state that a grand amateur con- cert in aid of the Epileptic and Paralytic Hospital wiJ"' take place on Tuesday, June 9th, at Willis's Rooms, under most distinguished patronage. Several well known amateurs will appear, and there will be performed for the first time in England, a selection from Gounod's new comic opera. "La Colombe." We feel sure this is quite enough to induce the charitable, and lovers of piusi<> A- attend in large numbers,

MURDER IN A LUNATIC ASYLUM. I, On Friday afternoon an inquiry was held at the Es- Sex County Lunatic Asylum., Brentwood, before Mr. C» C: Lewis, the coroner for that division of the county, re- lative to the death, of Joseph Weider, age 72, an in- mate of the asylum, who was killed by a fellow-patient, named George Blomfield, under the following circum- stances. The deceased and Blomfield had been very goorl friends; they both laboured under some religious delusioiij and that circumstance probably brought them more frequently into each other's company. They retired to rest in the dormitory on Thursday evening, as usual. They got up on Friday morning, and having dressed, returned to the dormitory to make their beds' wheii Gilmore, one of the attendants, at about a quarter past six, heard a noise as if some one Was breaking the windows. The attendant went into the dormitory, and saw the deceased on his hands and knees on the floor, and Blomfield standing over him, holding up a chamber utensil by both hands over his head. Before Gilmore could reach him, Blomfield struck the deceased on the back of the head with the utensil, and it was thought that he had struck him be- fore. The attendant seized Blomfield, who straggled, and tried tokick the deceased -on the face. He was at last secured and removed, and attention was then di- rected to the deceased, who was on his hands and knees upon the floor, and bleeding from wounds on the head. He was in an insensible state, and it was apparent that he was mortally wounded. Dr. Gilland, one of the medical officers of the institution, did his best to re- lieve the poor creature, but he died in two or three hours. The jurv accordingly returned a verdict of Wilful murder*' against Blomfield, and he was 'Com- mitted for trial at the next Essex assizes.

MURDER AT BEDFORD, LEIGH. On Saturday night a young man, named Henry Far- rington, who resides near Bedford, Leigh, railway sta- tion, deliberately murdered his wife. They have only been married about eighteen months, and their do- mestic life has been of a miserable character. On Mon- day the deceased woman separated from him, and went to reside with an uncle, named Peers Stirrup, putting her youngest child, about a year old, cut to nurse. On Thursday he carried away the child from the nurse, whilst his wife was at work, and in the evening she went to his house for it, when he locked her in, and produced a pistol, with which he threatened to shoot her if she dared to leave the house. She succeeds! in escaping, but did not secure the child. Saturday night, about ten, the man went to the house of a person, named Riley, in High street, Bedford, and sent Mrs. Riley for his wife, when he demanded that she should return to her home. The deceased refused, and wished to take her child with her. He said he would not let her have the child; he would swing for it first; and he followed her to the door, pulled the pistol out of his pocket, and shot her in the head. She fell on the door step, cfoite dead. The mur- derer had the infant on his left arm when he committed the crime, and ran with the child down High-streai,o- wards the brook. He dropped the pistol on the ground. A by-stander, named Paul Stones, picked up the pistol and followed Farrington, seized him, and at once took him to the police station at Leigh, where he was locked up on the charge of murder. The prisoner is about 25 years of age, "and is a collier In the employment of Messrs. John Fletcher and others, Volunteer Pit, A.ther- ton. The prisoner took the clock out of his house, and rave it and 3s. to a watchmaker at Leigh, named Clieet- £ am, on Thursday, in exchange for the pistol, and he manufactured the bullen, or rather leaden slug,himself. Deceased was about 26 years 65 age, and was employed as a silk weaver. When apprehended, the murderer said that he did not regret the deed he had perpetrated.

A GHOST IN LONDON. At the Bow-street Police-cuurt, on "Friday, Frederic 'Cousins (17), Henry Jackson (17), George Spencer (15), Walter Solomon (15), John Brown (21), Arthur Knight (21), William Durham (16), George "Young (25), and Charles Carr (21), were charged with creating a dis- turbance in Woburn-square, and obstructing the police in the execution of their duty on Thursday night. It appeared that onThursday right,as on several previous nights, a large crowd assembled "to see the ghost," sfiicl the noise and disturbance were such that, the police found it necessary, in order to put a stop to the riot, to clear the square altogether. In doing this they met with considerable resistance, particularly from the prisoners,all of whom refused to go away, and en- deavoured to maintain their ground. Tn some instances, being backed up by a compact crowd resisting in the same way, they presented a very formidable obstacle to the officers in clearing the square. Two (had struck the constables- Several of the inhabitants complained of the uproar and riot as excessively annoying and even alarming to all the inhabitants. In two houses, where ladies were ill, apprehensions were entertained that the invalids might suffer seriously from the deprivation of rest and tranquillity. All the witnesses were asked by Mr. Vaughan whether they had seen the ghost, and replied in the negative. One gentleman said there was a rumour that some person had been seen in sure.dressed upin a white sheet.—Mr. Vaughan said It was really difficult to believe that in this age the public should bo so credulous as to turn out ;iu large bodies to see what no -person who had appeared in court to day had seen, and -what they would not seei'f they'wait- edin Woburnsquarefor fifty years. They had gone there with theirmmds excitedly the inventionofsomefooHsh persons, who wanted to see how people could be deceiv- ed by a representation that they had seen something in a. ■sheet., which, if it had ever been seen at all, was not a ghost, but some person who., if he had received a good thrashing, would have abstained from repeating such .conduct, and the ghost would never have been heard of •again. These victims of credulity and ignorance crea- •■■ted much annoyance by disturbing the quiet of the neighbourhood and preventing reasonable people from -passing to and fro with as much freedom as they ought. There was a considerable'dist'inction between the cases. Much allowance might be made for credulous boys, but some of the prisoners were of an age when they ought to know better. If people could not be got to exercise their own common sense, and keep awayfrom these disturban- ces, it would be a question whether they were not indic- table for a nuisance. Frederic Cousens and Henry .Tack- son, who had gone so far as to kick at the door of a house in the square, with a foolish notion of exciting the ghosfc to come forward, must each pay a fine of 7s.; George Spencer and Walter Solomon, who had themselves been knocked down by the crowd, might be discharged with a caution; Brown, who had insulted a policeman, must pay 10s,, or be imprisoned for seven days; Knight and Young must each be bound over in ,CIO for six months and Durham, who had also committed a slight assault, must be imprisoned for one day. Carr dis- charged with a caution. The Lancet gives a simple ex- planation of the cause of the excitement. A patch of light, which the credulous have magnified into a phan- tom woman in white, is produced by the reflection of a gas lamp passing through a gap in some bushes. The Lancet suggests that if the lamp were temporarily ex- tinguished the ghost would disappear.

The Prince of Wales stood sponsor to the infant son of Viscount and Viscountess Royston, at the Chapel Royal, St. James s, on Saturday. VOLUNTEER REVIEW AT LIVERPOOL. -On Saturday afternoon last the first volunteer review for the present season took place at Kensington, near Liverpool, under the inspection of Colonel Bruce, actingvolunteer officer of the district. The general details were managed by Major Bousfield, and there were on the ground about 5,000 men, including the different arms of the service— light horse, artillery, rifles, and engineers. The weather Was exceedingly favourable. THE DIVISION ON fR. LAING'S^AMENDMENT.—In the division on Friday night Mr. Lamg received the sup- port of 236 Liberals and 70 Conservatives; in the min- ority there were 150 Conservatives and 29 Liberals. The minority also comprised General Peel, Lordi Jran- borne, Right I-Ion. J. W. Henley, and most of the Minis- • e bor°u ghs affected by Mr. Laing's amendment rw!^ln and are at present represented by 39 viX,?rVnpV+eu and 37 Liberals, being nearly equally di- IfTpctpd o t J °,S(1 Conservatives whose seats are thus Those mo^l63 f?rtho amendment and 22 against it. Snfive^f v^0 rePresent constituencies the repre- sentatives of which are to be increased by Mr. Laing's Sanne!S7 V°ted with him" The following do not appear to have voted: The Right Hon. S. H. Wal- E2 kfr R tef' 'T- A- Eo^ck> Lord Dunkel- lm3 Sir R. Collier, Mr. Horsinan, and Sir R. Palmer. POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES.—The census report, embracing returns as late as December last, estimates the total population of the United States at 34,505,882, showing an increase since 1860 of 3,062.56 1. This increase was principally in the west. There has been a considerable decrease in the population of the South. It is reported in New York that General Massey, the Fenian, has arrived in Canada.

THE SALMON FISHERIES. ( The Special Salmon Fisheries Commissioners, ap- pointed under the Act of 1865' to inquire into the legality of fixed engines used for the capture of salmon, de- livered some important judgments at Carlisle on Satur- day, by which they have declared illegahnd condemned an immense quantity of nets on the English shoie of the Solway Frith. The claims were made last month, when a great deal of oral documentary evidence was received, as reported in The Times. They were claims' made by numerous persons living at Bcwness and other places adjoining the Solway Frith to use certain nets fixed to stakes which are driven into the seashore, and called by the names of poke-nets and stream nets. The poke-nets are used for catching salmon, and the stream- nets are alleged to be used solely for white fish. There were also claims made by Lord Lonsdale to use raise- nets, which are also nets fixed to stakes driven into the shore, and this claim was made alternatively either for raise-nets or for trap-nets, or, lastly, for what are called stake-nets proper. His Lordship's claim was for one of these kinds of nets; and there was also a claim for a raise-net on the part of the proprietors of Rockliff Marsh. The localities within which all these nets were claimed to be used immediately adjoin each other, being all in the Solway Frith and estuaries of the Eden and Esk, and they all had this common feature—that the nets are fixed to stakes[ and they are used in tidal waters. The Chief Commissioner, in delivering judg- ment, reviewed the general principles of law which governed all such questions. At common law, inde- pendently of any statute, every person who chooses may fish in the sea and in the tidal parts ef rivers, for all kinds of fish but at common law no member of the public has any rioht to fish by means of stakes driven into the soil, for by so doing he appropriates to himself the exclusive use of that which is common to all, and he excludes for an unreasonable time those who have an equal right to fish at that very spot. But though there is no right at common law to fish by means of stakes driven into the soil, or to exclude the rest of the world from fishing on any particular part cf the tidal waters, the Crown in nearly times either had, or at least professed to have, the right of not only excluding the public from certain parts of tidal wwi. and confer ring a several or exclusive right on some individual there, but also of authorizing that individual to use modes of fishing which at common law he would not be entitled to. Hence it is well settled that the Crown originally could lawfully create a several fishery in tidal rivers, and also grant a right to fish by means of stakes, weirs, or other apparatus fixed to the soil there. But owing to the great mischief caused by such grants, the Great Charter (Magna Charta, cc. 20,-33) for ever put an end to the right of the Crown to create anv more of these several fisheries, or to authorize kiddles—that is, fixed appliances for catching fish in tidal rivers. A series of statutes confirmed and reiterated these prohibitions again and again, so that it is now well ascertained law that no person at the present day can either maintain his right to a several fishery in tidal water or to use fixed appa- ratus for fishing there, unless he can produce, evidence from which it may be reasonably presumed that these exclusive and exorbitant rights at the spot in 'question were created before Magna Charta, or at least before the reign of Edward I., and have ever since been continously used. After reviewing the general bearing of the ancient statutes, the Chief Commissioner proceeded to deal with .the cases in detail. The first class of cases was that of persons who claimed poke-nets by reason of holding or occupying some property m the manor of B own ess. Bowness was .an ancient manor of which Lord Lonsdale is the lord, most of the tenants having been enfranchised under i& deed of enfranchisement dated16:S7, and the claim was made to use poke-nets as appurtenant to, or in some manner connected with, the ownership of property within that ancient manor. The usage which had prevailed during living memory was inconsistent, he observed, with the supposition that the persons so acting had anygraiit from the Crown. All the characteristics of ownership of property were want- ing. The evidence which had been adduced in support of the claims was only reconcilable with the-supposition that persons living at Bowness and in the neighbour- hood had all along been exercising what they considered to be their public franchise, .or right of fishing in the sea. It was tiue that for two or three centuries they had mistaken the nature of the public right and exercised it in an illegal manner—namely, by means of stakes and no one, bad ever thought of enforcing the law against them but the mere fact of this illegal usage being long tolerated did not show that it was legal or ever was legal to use stakes in aid of the public right of fishing, and there was no possible ground on which it could have had a legal origin consistently with the modern user. The commissioners had comedo the con- clusion that the poke-nets, by whomsoever used at Bowness, had been illegal both before and since the passing of the Salmon Fisheries Act of 1861,-and they must new be removed in conformity with the Act. With regard to the stream-nets, the question whether the Commissioner had jurisdiction respecting,them de- pended.upon the fact whether they were used to catch salmon. They had come to the conclusion that the weight of evidence established that the stream-nets were really used for salmon fishing, and, however legal they might be if used only in the open season, they were altogether illegal if used in the close season, and they would .therefore make an order .that the stream-nets claimed to be used within the township of Bowness.arc illegal, and must be removed. The next claims were on behalf of the landowners of Glasson and the in- habitants of Port Carlisle. The. circumstances of these claims did not substantially differ from the former cases, and for the same reasons the Commissioners had come to the same conclusion—that the poke-nets and stream- nets claimed by the owners of the Glasson, as well as by the.inhabitants of Port Carlisle,.are illegal, and must be removed. With regard to the cases of the Burgh Marsh proprietors, the Commissioners arrived at te conclusion that there is no reasonable; evidence that the poke-nets and stream-nets used .in ,186.1 and the four preceding years near Burgh Marsh were used under any valid grant from the Crown—they are .all illegal, and must be removed. The Chief .Commissioner then pro- ceeded to examine the claimsc-et up by Lord Lonsdale and the Rockliff Marsh proprietors to use raise-nets, and pronounced them invalid. He also disallowed Lord Lonsdale's variations of his claim. In conclusion, he said that upon the whole of the cases, though the Com- missioners had come to the general conclm-siou that none of the parties .who had preferrcddaims had a right to use either.a poke-.net, or a stream-net, or a raise-net, or a trap-net, or any other kind of net fixed to stakes in the Solway, they wished it to be clearly ,understood that this decision did not in any way affect the right of public to fish witti,ev.,ery kind of net having a mesh of legal size if not fixed to the soil. The .engines which they now condemned -would not be required to be re- moved till the present season is over, alter which, how- ever, all fixed nets of any description will require to be discontinued, and draught-nets, drift-nete,,or other nets not fixed to the soil will be the only legal modes of fish- ing thereafter. The effect of this decision will be to remove from the English shore of the Sulway 7,000 poke-nets, 1,500 stream nets, and the raise-acts referred to.

OCCURRENCES OF THE DAY President Juarez, who has captured the Emperoi Maximilian, is the son of poor parents, Zopotoklndians, from a small village in the Sierra de Oj aca. The Spectator says a riddle above par is going about on the Ritualistic question. Why was Eve the first Ritua- listic convert ? Because she began by being eve-angeli- cal, and ended by taking to vestments. The Herald says the announcement of the intended visit of the Emperor of Russia is premature, but the Cesarewitch and Cesarevena will shortly arrive on a visit to the Prince and Princess of Wales. Massachusetts journals relate, as an incident of Mr. George Peabody's early life, that he once arrived late at night, on foot, at the Stickney Tavern, in Concord, New Hampshire. Havingnomoneyhewentsupperless to bed, and the next morning stopped and sawed wood to pay for his lodging and breakfast. The Poet-Laureate is now enjoying at a farm-house near Farnham, Surrey, that quiet retirement which is denied to him and his at Freshwater. His eldest boy, Hallam, has quite recoveredfromthe severe illness (congestion of the lungs) with which he was seized in the spring, at Marlborough College, where his parents stayed some time with him. The John Bull believes the following have accepted office in the Ritual Commission, although even now the arrangements are not definitely concluded. The Arch- bishops of Canterbury, York, and Armagh, the Bishops of London, Oxford, St. David s, and Gloucester and Bris- tol, the Deans of Westminster, Ely, and Lincoln (Regius Professor of Divinity at Cambridge), the Rev. Canon. R. Payne Smith (Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford), the Revs. R. Gregory, W. G. Humphry, f. W. Perry-, and H. Venn, the Earl Beauchamp. the Earl of Harrow- by, Lords Ebury and Portman, Mr„ A. J. B. Hope, M.P., JVIr. J. B. Hubbard, M.P., Sir R. Philimore, Dr. J ravers Twiss, and Sir Joseph Napier. MR. DISRAELI > THE IRISH CONSERVATIVE MEMBERS. --Some Irish Conservative members had an interview, on Saturday, with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for the purpose of explaining their views concerning the Irish Reform Rill. They went as a deputation from a meeting held a few days ago in the House of Commons, when there seemed to be a general concurrence of opinion against any material lowering of the franchise, county or borough, in the sister country, and in favour of an extension of boundaries rather than the grouping of boroughs with other small towns. Mr. Disraeli heard all the arguments advanced in support of exceptional franchise legislation for Ireland, and, in conjunction with the Chief Secretary, who has charge of the bill, he promised to consider them; but he gave not the slightest indication of what were the intentions of his colleagues, beyond stating that they desired to introduce such an Irish reform measure as would prove, he trusted, emi- nently satisfactory and beneficial. INCREASE OF RAILWAY FARES.—All the great railway companies in England have increased their fares for passengers, to compensate for the concessions recently made to the engine drivers. The additionallares are only charged for return tickets, and therefore do not affect third class passengers, nor travellers taking only single tickets. Tie change dates from 1st June. The increase will, generally befound to be about one-ninth of the whole return fare previously charged. Thus the first class fare'fromManchester toLondon and back was last month first class, 49s. One-ninth of the first -class fare addedto the 49s would make the sum up to 54s 5 d. The actual fare this month and hereafter will fee 54s 3d. The second class return ticket between Man- chester and London was, SCs.last month. One-ninth added brings the amount up to 40s, and that is exactly "-what the fare has been raised to. Again, the return if ares between Liverpool and London were last month— j first class, 52d<6d; second 39s. in both -cases would make the sums respectively 58s 4d and 43s 41. The actualfares printed in this month's time table ) .are 5Ss 6d and-43s 6d. Th^Great Westera, the London | ,and North-Western, the Midland, and allthe great lines | have simultaneously made the change. )' EEFOUX DEKONSTRATIONAT MAXCHESTEE.—The united Teform demonstration atManchester on Saturday even- ing attracted an immense.cencourse of people to witness it. The weather was exceedingly fine. It was composed mainly of deputations from London, Birmingham, ? Dublin, Liverpool, Leeds,. Brighton, and other towns, for whom carnages had been provided; the members of the.National Reform Union.at Manchester; the trades of Manchester j and members of the National Reform League at Manchester, and from some of the neigh- oouring towns. The members of the National Reform Union assembled in Albert square, and left it in pro- cession at half-past three tQiour o'clock, headed by the •executive and deputies from distant towns, in a line of Z8 carriages, and was followed by the procession of the trades and the branches of the National Reform League who had assembled in Stevenson's square at 4 o'clock. At intervals in the procession were about 25 bands, and -the flags andbanners were numerous without precedent. The procession occupied one hour and five minutes in passing a certain point. Acareful estimate of the num- Ders placed the total of people in the prooession at about 10,000. Fully that number of peop le proceeded the pro- cession to the place of meeting and the numbers assem- bled in the streets along thew hole line of, roi-ite, partly from sympathy, and partly from curiosity, would also amount to many thousands. Upon the ground ap- pointed for the meeting were erected six platforms with a complement Of speakers. Resolutions were adopted congratulating the Liberal party upon the progress ■which the cause of Reform has made, and urging- the necessity of continued and determined effort until the ballot, shorter Parliaments, aud theotherobjects airned at are obtainecl The services Or Mr. Bright, Mr. Glad- stone, and other leaders of the Liberal party were ae- knowledged. ATTEMFED ESCAPE OF 300 CONVICTS.—A portion of the high wall encircling the inclosure containing the work- shops connected with the Penitentiary has been taken down in the rear -,to enlarge the space, it having been found too crowded. The breach which, opensinto the fields back of the Penitentiary has been very carefully guarded, and not the slightest apprehension had been entertained of any attempt at escape in that quarter. Yesterday, at dinner, however, Martin Coffee, a despe- •rate character, who was sentenced to 15 years'confine- ment for robbery at the last session of the Criminal Court, and who hae been incarcerate din the Penitentiary but a few days, sprang suddenly to his feet, and brand- ishing a large knife over his head, called out, in start- ling'tones, "Now is your time, boy! Strike! strike! for your liberty!" Deliveringhimseif of these startling •words. Coffee sprang towards the door, followed by a motley crowd of desperate men, black and white, whom the hope of liberty had suddenly wrought up int0 55.11- .wonted daring. The guards, anticipaiing- no dernota- stration- while the prisoners were collected at dinner, had retired a little, and were loungiiigin the shade. Coffee, still clutching the murderous kliife, rushed to ihe spot where the wall had'been taken down, and made ft furious, onslaught upon the man who disputed his progress. The man, evading the weapon with which the muntiileennc n.rmed, felled him to thfc earth with afoilletof wood. f he instant the guards rushed up, and the crowd whi.di followed their now vanquished leader were overawe 1 and dispersedint.o the-^enclosure. The mutiny had been quelled on the moment, and, for- tunately, without a shot being fired, or a man, save the leader, hurt. Coffee is a desperate man, and "inGe his incaroeration has been sowing &e seeds of -the con- spiracy which developed yesterday. After ,he was secured he was made the subject of severe prison dis- cipline.-Nashville Press, May 14th. WILLS AND BEQUESTS.—The will of the late Dowager Countess of Jersey, who died on January 26th last, was proved on the 22nd nit, by the executors, the Hon. Fre lerick William Child Viiliers and Mr. Chas. Fane, the personalty being svorn under £ 300,000. By her WIll ann comClls tne Liountess leaves her important in- terests in the banking house of Messrs. Child and Co. in trust, after discharging certain specified claims to pay half the profits to the Hon. Frederick Villiers, and the 'remainder to the Earl of Jersey and his successors, and npon the decease of Mr. F. Viiliers, to pay the whole to Lis Lordship. Mr. Villiers is by special provision, ap- pointed guardian to those now, or in future interested in the deceased countess's share. The countess leaves a considerable number of legacies, among which there may be mentioned the following:—To the trustees of the late Princess Esterhazy's settlement, 2C7,500; the trustees of the Hon. F. Villier's settlement, £ 7,500 to the Hon. Fred. Villiers, 915,000; to his wife, Lady Eliz- abeth Viiliers, £ 5 000; to the Earl of Jersey £ 10,000; to the Hon. Robert Viiliers, £ 4,000; to the Hon. Reginald Villiers, £4,000; to Lady Julia Wombwell, £ 1,000; to Lady Caroline Villiers, £ 2,000; to Mr. Charles Bayly, £ 1,000; to Lady Augusta Paget, £ 1,000; to Sir Augus- tus Paget, £ 500; to the two children of Lady Adela Ibbetson, £ 15,000; and to each of her godchildren R50 or a jewel of the like value; to her executor Mr. Charles Fane, £ 2,000; to the Hon. Mrs. Augustus Villiers, the Countess has left an annuity of £ 300; and to Lady Har- riet Ponsonby, her niece, E200 per annum. To the Middleton Schools she bequeaths 95,000 Consolidated Three per Cents., to the Middleton Almshouses, zC50 per annum; and 2210 per annum for the maintenance of the Monumental Chapel at Middleton. Her ladyship also gives the Hon. F. Viiliers a life interest in her house in Berkeley-square and its contents, and, after provid- ing liberally for her servants, she leaveshim the residue of her property. Her ladyship, who attained the age of eight-two, was the eldest daughter of the tenth Earl of Westmoreland, and Anne, his wife, only daughter and heiress of Robert Child, Esq., on whose demise she succeeded to his interest in the banking business. Her ladyship survived her husband, the Earl of Jersey, seven years.—The late Miss Charlotte Raine, of Wind- sor, Berks, who died possessed of 225,000 has bequeath- to St. Giles and St. George's Refuge for Destitute Chil- 10 Children, the London City Mission, Church Pastoral Aid Society, Society for Promoting Christianity amongst the Jews, Wins dor Royal Infirmary and Dis- pensary, and the Metropolitan Free Hospital, each a legacy of 9500.-The late Joseph Cragg, whose person- ality was sworn under zC25,000, has left to the Merchant Seamen's Orphan Asylum, Marine Society, School for Indigent Blind, and Middlesex Hospital, each a legacy of R500. The wills of the undermentioned persons were recently proved:—William Harvey, zC120,000 person- ality Thomas Neve, 980,000; Sarah Norton, 970,000; William Coxhead Marsh, £ 50,000; John Butterfield, 9101, the Rev. Charles G. Cotes, £ 45,000; George Lenox Convngham, 930,000; Anthony Lax Fisher, M.D, £ 30,000 Richard Raine, Esq., £ 30,000. — Illustrated Tjnwsl.Mt. ATad/IC Tne Appeal Court of Berlin has just condemned the responsible editor of the Kladderadatsch to 15 days' imprisonment for having attacked the doctrines of tha Catholic Church, and especially the dogma of the Im- 1 maculate Conception.

FOREIGN NOTES. The French Emperor is now the owner of Vela's status of the Dying Napoleon. This statue is one of tne pro- minent features of theExhiDition. It is proposed to form a volunteer encampment in the park of Mr. L'Estrange, near Hunstanton Norfolk, in the course of the summer. A held day will be held, at which it is expected his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales will take the command. The New York Legislature has passed and the a,, Governor approves the law enacting that on and after the 1st of May, 1867, eight hours of labour, between the rising and setting of the sun, shall be deemed ati^ ne.d to be a legal day's work, in all cases of labour and service by the day, when there is no contract and agreement to the contrary. RAILWAYS IN RUSSIA.-It is the intention of the Rus- sian Government to sell the St. Petersburg and Moscow Railway. The capital expended upon the line, including the amount paid for rolling stock, is about £ 12,000,000, but the return realized upon this outlay has been at the rate of nearly 8 per cent per annum; and, as the traffic is expected to increase upon the completion of the lines now in progress, it is believed the sale of the underta- king will produce £ 16,000,000 to the Russian Treasury. Durino- the last six years the assistance afforded by the Russian Government to the construction of railways in the territories under its sole control has been about £ 18,000,000. A BOOK BY JEFFERSON DATis.-II, is already under- stood to be the purpose of Jeff. Davis to set towork writ- ing abook—giving a history of thesecession movement, the Southern struggle, and his own adventures froui December, 1860, to May, 1867. Davis will probably be able to make out an excellent case for himself, showing that he has been a political sage, a military hero, ana a patient martyr. If, without being pretentious or egotistical, he would make a clean breast of the whole matter, and expose honestly all his experiences and knowledge, his book would be a really valuable contri- bution to the history of the times. But it is already pretty generally known that his administration was ex- tremely unpopular in the South, and that a large por- tion of the Southern people attribute the downfall of the Confederacy to his incompetency. -New York Times, May 15. INTERESTING DTSCOVEny.-The Nil of Alexandria ob- serves: Every one is talking for the last few days about a treasure found in the province Fayoam. The story goes that an old resident of the province waited lately in a mysterious manner upon his Highness, and asked permission to make a search in the garden of an ancient Coptic convent, now abandoned, with the view of discovering a treasure which old manuscripts des- cribed as being buried in a certain spot. The Viceroy granted the necessary permission, allowing the appli- cant to retain a third of what he might discover. The researches commenced, and are said to have speedily brought to light a treasure consisting partly of ingots and partly of very ancient gold pieces rather larger than napoleons, of a total value represented as about 50 millions of francs. The discovery having been tele- graphed to Ras-el-Tin, the Viceroy left to investigate the matter in person. Can it be the cashbox of Ameno- polis XXXVII., which that monarch lost in a journey, according to inscriptions on the obelisk of Luxor ?" FEVER IN THE MAURITIUS.—The Globe has from a pri- vate source intelligence from the Mauritius to the 6th April, to the effect that a malignant fever was raging there, paralysing commerce, impeding agriculture, and resulting in a mortality exceeding that of 1854, which carried off7,650 inhabitants. In the last six weeks the deaths in the whole colony had numbered 7,494. The fever has not been confined to the lower classes, but has penetrated the merchants' offices, the Government de- partments, shops, &c. Nearly all the troops that were in Port Louis have been seat to Flat Island. Owing to the precautions taken, there has been but very lirtle fever among the military. The fever, however, is of a nature that with proper precautions and prompt and judicious remedies, does not preclude the chance of re- covery. The official statement of the mortality to the 31st March, showed that in Port Louis SOio persons had died of fever; Pamplemousses, 1078 Riviere du Rem- part, 318; Placv, 77; Grand Port, 60; Savanna, 44; Black River, GG5; Plaines Wilhems, 202; Moka, 172. BELGIAN COAL AND IRON.-Official statistics of some interest have just been issued with regard to the course of the Belgian iron trade in the first quarter of the cur- rent year. The exports of pig iron from Belgium to March 31, this year amounted to 2,579 tons, presenting a diminution of 2,262 tons as compared with the corres- ponding period of 1866. The exports of rail to March. 31, this year amounted to 22,724 tons, against 10,915 tons to the corresponding date of 1896. The deliveries made to Russia were the cause of this great augmenta- tion, having amounted during the first quarter of this year to 20,350 tons. The import of pig iron into Bel- gium in the first three months of this year amounted to 13,855 tons, while in the corresponding period of 1865 they were 6,64,8 tons. England appears to have sent to Belgium 12,201 tons of pig iron in the first quarter of this year, whiJe the corresponding total in the first three months of 1866 was 6,567 tons. The exports ofooalfrom Belgium in the first quarter of this- year declined to 804,941 tons, as compared with 940.365 tons in the cor- responding period of 1866. AN EPISODE or THE CRETAN INSURRECTION.— A corres- pondent writes from Smyrna, on May ISth, as follows On the 19th inst., the Turkish schooner Pendi Zeher, Captain Ahmed Mahamoudoglou, arrive! here from Candia (Heraclion) in Crete. Amongst the cargo were five large bells consigned to a Jew named Moses Salari and having a teskere-in due form from the Turkish cus- tom-house in Candia. As soon as the bells were landed ^i10 "Iew se^ a^)OU' finding a purchaser, and stated that the bells were part produce of the pillage of certain Cretan churches and monasteries" by "the Turkish troops, and that they_ had been publicly sold in the market-place of Candia, with other ecclesiastical ob- jects, such as silver lamps and candelabra, priests' vestments, a no the like. As soon as this became known here amongst the populace, an angry crowd assembled to debate what should be done to put a stop to what they looked upon as a profanation. After a very short colloquy they proceeded en masse to the governor, the archbishop, and the consuls, insisting that the local authorities should put an end to the scandal. The re- sult of this demonstration has been that the bells, have been sequestrated at. the Custom-house. The Russian Consul appears to take a keen interest in the matter. THE CZAR IN PARIs.-Tho Czar of Russia arrived at Paris on Saturday, accompanied by two of his sons. He was received at the Northern Railway Station b .7 his Imperial brother of France, and the Idonarclis were loudly cheered, we a-e told, as they passed through the streets to the Palace. For the amusement of the crowned heads, dramatic entertainments are given nio-htlv at the Tuileries. The piece 011 Fri day night was entitled the Commentaires de Cesar," which was produced for the first time in lf-'G5 at Compeigne, and of which the author is the Duke IcMassa. The performers were very distinguished 1 lie Princess Metternich, in the cha- racter of acoachma 1, the Countess Pourtales, as France Madame de Bonrg ing, armed with a trident, as Eng- land; and there were besides, the Marquise de Galiifet thePrincess Ponj atow^ka, and Madame Conneau whilst the men's pa^ts were filled by the Duke deMouchv. and Marquis de Can • and others. Prince Metternich was seated at the pntuo, and did duty for an orchestra. The King and Qiiee.-i of 1 he Belgians, the Prince and Prin- cess. of Prussia, r,,1 tire numerous other Princes now in Paris, were iire-e ns were also the Minister, the Ambassadors, and a brilliant party. Among the Am- bassadors was the Pope's Nuncio, who for the first time assisted at a theatrical representation. The farce, for such It is., excited much laughter, and was well acted. THE FC SILVER MARRIAGE."—The 25th anniversarv of the weddi ig-day of their Majesties the Kins: and Queen of Denmark was celebrated on the 28: h ult., at Copen- hagen, with great rejoicing. The festivities of the day were ushered in at an early hour by bands c-F music marching through the streets playing the reveille. The city was gaily decorated with flags (among which were many Greek, Er glish, and Russian), garlands, flowers, inscriptions in verse and prose, &c. At ten the Royal family and the Crown Prince of Russia attended divine service at the church of Our Lady. At noon their Ma- jesties received at the palace a deputation from the choral and vocal societies of Copenhagen, who sane a song specially composed for the occasion. The Kmo- and Queen, with the Royal family, li?' e ted to the «in <?- ing from the balcony of the palace, and when it, wasV'-er 0 -n and the singers had given some enthusiastic chee-s His Majesty came forward and heartily thanked all the members for the pleasure it had given him. After this there was a grand reception, amended bv all the Minis- ters and dignitaries of State, and no less than 60 denuta- tions from different parts of the country, and renresent- tng several public bodies, including the two Houses cf ^]!e -!iV ~S i^g' the judges, the clergy, the army and navv the Merchants' Society of Copenhagen,the Brefhren-at- Arms, representatives of Danish West Indian colonies &c. Several presents were given to their Majesties' among which were a large an d~beautiful silver vase from ro,-n the Prince and Princess of Wales, and another from King George of Greece, a silver tea urn and teapot from the Crown Prince and Princess of Russia, aud some beautiful articles are manufactured at the Roval Danish Porcelain Works. The inhabitants of Flemburo- and other parts of North Schelswi g have also sent presents to what they still considertheir rightful King andQueen. but the collections have had tobe made in secret Seve- ral largo amounts have been collected with a view of founding benevolent institutions in commemoration of the day. The Corporation of Copenhagen celebrated the occasion by providing a dinner for 7,300 poor people. Ihe, inmates of the hospitals and workhouses were simi- larly treated. A "children's festival" was given in the garden of Rosenborg Castle. During the festival the following telegram was forwarded to Her Royal High- ness the Princess of Wales:- More tha.n 5,000 chiJehen celebrating the day with a junvile festival in Roser bo-sr Garden send with childlike love and attachment the warmest wishes for the speedy recovery of vour Roval Highness. May God bless your Royal Husbaml. vour- eelf. and your children. In the pvpnimn-Tnnm'ti.n 50,000 people assembled on the northern°common to witness a splendid display of fireworks, and the city ra, illuminated. The culminating point of all the fes- tivities was a grand gala party and ball, given by the King and Queen at the Castle of Christiansborg in the evening. We are authorised to state that that the Archbishop of Canterbuav has become the patron, and the Arch- bishop of Armagh the vice patron of the Poor Clergy Relief Society.