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CARMARTHEN COUNTY COURT. I
CARMARTHEN COUNTY COURT. I This court was held on Monday, before T. H. Terrell, Esq. We report the only cases of interest. Taylor v. Harries.-This was a jury case, tried by Mr John Jones, Cwmburry; Mr Henry Davies, Bre- menda Mr Henry Harries, King-street; Mr Richards, Moelfre and Mr J. Evans, King-street. Mr Davies, Carmarthen, for the plaintiff, and Mr Lewis Bishop for the defendant. The plaintiff is William Henry Taylor, a groom with Major Hill, and formerly ostler at the Boar's Head Hotel, Carmarthen, and he sued Mr W. Harries, a commercial traveller, living at Carmarthen, for Y,6 2s 6d, for taking care of his horse while at the Boar's Head. Mr W. H. Taylor, the plaintiff, said that in December, 1866, he was ostler at the Boar's Head. On the 16th of that month the defendant agreed, in the presence of Mr John Olive, in the bar, to give him 2s (;d a week for looking after his horse, which was at livery at the hotel, and his trap, saddle and bridle. The horse re- mained in charge till July, 1867, when he went out to grass, and remained out till the end of August, when he was brought back to the stable, and remained there till November 27, 1867. During that time, plaintiff attended to the horse, and when absent, a helper, to whom he paid 9s a week attended to the horse for him. Plaintiff received several sixpences for washing the trap, and on several occasions, he received Is 9d or some such sum for singeing and trimming the horse. He never received anything on account of attending to the horse. Had often asked defendant for something on account, but defendant wanted to quarrel, and on one occasion threatened to give him something he would not like (laughter) and on another occasion, when asked for money by the plaintiff, he said that he was out of collar" (laughter.) Had never asked him for payment again till he sent the bill, in January, 1869, because there was always a bother about it. By Mr Bishop-The agreement with the defendant was made on the same day as he went ostler to the Boar's Head. Plaintiff had no wages from Mr Olive only had what he could get from people who brought horses to the stable. Mr Mclvett's horse was there. He attended to it, and received 3s 6d a week; by con- tract. He charged defendant for the time the horse was out at grass, because he had a great deal of trouble in catching him whenever defendant's friends wanted the loan of him. Defendant often lent the horse to different parties. [Plaintiff produced several account books in which he had been accustomed to enter his receipts.] Defendant with the horse and trap was away sometimes for a week but not often. When he was away the other things had to be kept in order. The defendant took the horse away from the Boar's Head, because he was badly kept; but he could not expect him to be well kept when he would not allow him corn. Several persons used the horse by defendant's leave. Mrs Olive used him. Did not charge for those occasions. Very likely the horse came in from grass about the end of October. When plaintiff agreed to take charge of the horse, defendant said he had been paying the previous ostler, Morris, 3s 6d per week, which he thought was too much and offered 2s 6d, which plaintiff accepted. [Plaintiff here put in a memorandum which he said he made at the time the agreement was made but some erasures had been made and the writing re- written.] Defendant distinctly promised to pay 2s 6d a week for looking after the horse, and 6d extra when- ever the trap went out. Every horse coming for the night paid commercial pay-Gd per horse and trap, and 3d for cleaning the harness. When training Minossa, plaintiff received 3s per week, by contract. By the Jury—When other parties had the loan of defendant's horse, they gave me something. Mr John Olive, of the Boar's Head Hotel, said the defendant agreed to pay 5d per feed of corn, and Is 6d per night for hay did not include anything for the groom for attending on the horse. He corroborated the evidence as to the agreement made between plaintiff and defendant; but could not exactly say it was on the same day as the plaintiff went to the hotel as ostler. It might have been it was in the same week. Had heard plaintiff ask for something for looking after the horse defendant said he would give it him another time. During the earlier portion of the time that the horse was under plaintiits care defendant was in employ. By Mr Bishop-There was some talk between plain- tiff and defendant about something being given for extra work. When in employ, defendant was often away for a week, sometimes longer. Sometimes he took the horse and trap, sometimes he did not. Knew nothing of the ostler's charge for other horses. The ostler received no wages, but had what he could get. The defendant's horse when out at grass, was often used he came in from grass about the end of Septem- ber or the beginning of October. [Mr Bishop proved by an hotel bill, that the horse came in at the beginning of October.] Witness had the entire control of con- tracting with the servants of the hotel. By Mr Davies-Defendant always paid the ostler for grooming the horse, before plaintiff's time. The defendant was then examined, and said that he never made an agreement with the ostler for any fixed sum, that his agreement with Mrs Olive, when he first put his horse there in 18G5 was not to give anything to the ostler, but what he pleased. He paid 2s 9d a day at that time. By Mr Davies-Did not give the previous ostler 3s 6d a week, but just what he chose. Could not tell how much, exactly. Did not know that plaintiff only had what he could get from persons frequenting the hotel. Did not know, as a commercial traveller, that it was a custom at hotels for the ostler to have just what he could get. Knew there were fixed charges for the ostler, sometimes, and if he did not pay the ostler personally, he had to pay it in the bill. Was not out of employ during the greater part of the time, plaintiff took care of his horse; was not behind hand with pay- ing Mrs Olive. Mrs Olive was compelled to sue him before she could get her money from him. By Mr Bishop—Refused to pay Mrs Olive, because his horse had been misused. Was out on his journeys for nine weeks, and the horse was out at grass for another nine weeks and three days. The judge told the jury that if they thought the plaintiff was paid by fees instead of wages, and that there was an agreement between plaintiff and defen- dant, they must find for the plaintiff with the full amount claimed; but if they thought anything ought to be deducted for the time the horse was out at grass, they could do so. 0' The jury gave a verdict for the plaintiff for 15. DAVIES v. LEWIS.-This was another jury case, tried by Mr Rees, stationer, and Mr H. Howells, who replaced some jurymen excused. The plaintiff, Mr William Davies, Nantcwnlle, farmer, sued the defendant, Mr Evan Lewis, John's-town, butcher, fortio Is 6jd, the balance of an account for some sheep. Mr Snead for the plaintiff, Mr Davies for the defendant. The dispute was whether the sheep were sold for 2 jd or :3id per lb. and the circumstances were these. About November, 1868, the plaintiff sold Mr Philip Lewis, a butcher, at Carmarthen, 20 sheep at 31d per lb.; but as the plaintiff was not at home when the purchaser went to weigh them, he threw up the bargain. The same sheep were afterwards purchased by the defendant; and the plain- tiff swore that during the higgling, he declared that he would not sell them cheaper than he had sold them to Phillip Lewis, previously, viz, 3td per lb. The bar- gain was made partly at the field, and partly at the Black Ox, Abergwilly, in the presence of a man named Daniel James. The defendant swore that he agreed for 2id, and wrote his pocket-book, Bought of Mr Davies, Pantcwnlle, 20 sheep, at 2d per lb. that the plaintiff said the name of his place was spelt wrong, and altered it to "Nantcwnlle;" that the whole of the bargain was crossed out, and re-written by defendant, and handed to plaintiff, who said" Quite right, Lewis." Daniel James corroborated this. On the other hand the plain- tiff swore that the writing had only extended as far as Pantcwnlle," when he interrupted the defendant in his writing, and said that the place was spelt wrong and it was urged by Mr Snead that the price of the sheep, 21d was written in afterwards, and crossed out again, in order to evade the claim. The plaintiff also swore that the book was not handed to him after the bargain bad been re-written, and that he never did say that it was all right. Daniel James and the defendant both swore that when asked to throw something back, the plaintiff said that the sheep were cheap enough at 21d, and he would not give anything back. Mr Snead asked Daniel James whether plaintiff did not say that he would sell the sheep at the same price as he had previously sold them to Phillip Lewis, viz., 31d; but the witness did not answer the question. But he re- membered the defendant, saying, Never mind what Phillip Lewis has offered;" what will you sell them to me for," and the defendant replied 2yd per lb." It was proved by Phillip Lewis, the man who bought the sheep first of all, that from the time that he bought them till the time the defendant bought them, sheep had gone down, and were about as low as he had ever known them—It was contended by Mr Davies that it was entirely a question as to whether the plaintiff agreed to that contract written in the pocket book, or whether he did not. Mr Snead denied that the plain- tiff ever agreed to the contract of 2-4 1d; but supposing he did, he w as an old man, obliged to wear spectacles, and the price might have slIpped his eye, a figure 3 sometimes being made by men of the defendant's posi- tion, something similar to a figure 2.The Judge said it was entirely a matter of contract; it was true that the plaintiff had defective sight, but he could see plainly enough that his farm was spelt wrong, and the inference was that he could have seen the figure quite as plainly. The question for them was did they believe the whole of the contract was written in the presence of the plaintiff, and accepted by him.—The jury retired for a few minutes, and gave a verdict for the plaintiff, for the full amount.—Mr Davies applied for a new trial, on the ground that the verdict was in direct opposition to the evidence oral and written, and also,, as it seemed, in opposition to the opinion of His Honour.—His Honour took time to consider, but said he was not at all satisfied with the verdict.
[No title]
Dr Ullathorne, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Birmingham, in a recent pastoral made some injurious remarks upon a Roman Catholic paper called the Universal News, and the proprietor has served his lord- ship with a writ for libel,
LITERATURE.—MAGAZINES, &c.…
LITERATURE.—MAGAZINES, &c. I After noticing the usual magazines and serials for the mouth, we find on our table several that escaped atten- tion. Among them are THE REGISTER.—This new magazine to which we called attention at some length last month is firmly taking up a position that will endure and become of special interest. It contains a memoir of Lord Liver- pool and of Principal Forbes, with a sketch of the early days of Sir Martin Frobisher reviews of several lives of distinguished men; recent biographical incidents; memoirs of eminent persons recently deceased, includ- ing Viscount Strangford, Sir R. Mayne, Rev H. Cooke, General Edwards, Mr James Disraeli, and Dr Krummacher a long register of births, marriages, and deaths So far as we are able to judge this magazine is carefully conducted and reliable in the smallest details. THE QUIVER AND CASSELL'S MAGAZINE are replete with good and useful and entertaining mat- ter, acceptable to readers of all classes, and almost every taste. CHAMBER'S MISCELLANY.- We welcome with peculiar pleasure the re-issue of this instructive and entertaining series of cheap tracts. We use the word tracts because it is that selected by the publishers, but it by no means conveys to the general reader a true conception of the Miscellany, published so long ago as 1844. Unhappily we are old enough to remember its first appearance, when it was eagerly read by the masses, for there was not then such a plethora of eheap books as now, multiplying so fast that no man in business can find time to read a tithe of them. The Miscellany was in truth a literary treasure, and it is not less valuable at this moment. It consists of sheets of thirty-two pages, neatly printed. Each sheet is devoted to one subject, and is sold for a penny. They will comprise moral tales, popular practical pieces, favourite ballads, historiettes, biographies of remarkable persons, illustrations of moral and social economy, hints on domestic management and sanitary regulations, lessons in science, accounts of countries and geographi- cal discoveries. It will not be strictly a re-print new subjects will be introduced from time to time. As in this part we have a tract on Abyssinia and Theodore, which is quite new. Besides this, there are-" Life of George Stephenson," "Maurice and Genevieve," Picciola, or the Prison Flower," and Cases of cir- cumstantial evidence." We can most cordially re- commend this new edition of Chamber's Miscellany. HE KNEW HE WAS RIGHT — Mr Anthony Trollope's new serial story maintains its interest throughout, and is worthy of the distinguished novelist's reputation. Sixteen parts have now appeared. ILLUSTRATED TRAVELS, EDITED BY H. W. BATES, ASSISTANT SECRETARY TO THE ROYAL GEOGRA- PHICAL SOCIETY.-The second part of this work bears out all we said of the first. It is a typographical gem. The character of the type and the style of setting are in good taste, while the illustrations are finely drawn and printed with care. This is just such a work in every respect as was required, containing something about many countries and people, told in a simple yet attractive form. Very much is ts be learned from its pages that the educational appliances of the country do not furnish. In this part we have "Notes on Spain," A Visit to Paraguay during the War," "A Journey in Alaska," A Bird's-eye View of Madagascar," and A Journey through the Soudan and Western Abys- sinia." THE CHILD'S BIBLE -(Cassell, Petter and Galp- in).—We are delighted with this charming edition of the Bible. The form in which it is printed, in large clear type right across the page without being broken up into verses the expressive illustrations and the omission of passages that a parent would hesitate to read to his child, are merits that cannot fail to win for the Child's Bible" a place in every family throughout the country. Five parts have already appeared. We have no hesitation in giving it unqualified praise and recom- mending it to the heads of families. CASSELL'S SHAKESPEARE.—This fine edition of our great dramatist has reached the sixtieth part and is we imagine nearly completed. CASSELL'S ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF ENG- LAND.—This new and improved edition of a work which has obtained a wide circulation is brought down to the reign of Queen Ann. It forms a handsome set of volumes, but what is of more consequence the narrative is reliable and told with such fulness and eloquence that the classes for whom it is specially intended cannot find anything to equal it. THE WORLD OF WONDERS-(Cassell, Petter, and Galpin).-We have here the fourth part of a book full of curious things in science, art, and history. Many of the papers are explained by illustrations. There are no less than thirty-four articles in this part, em bracing such subjects a3, The rising of the Nile," Glaciers," The Pitch Lake of Trinidad," The Golden House of Nero," A wonderful weed," An extraordinary sleeper," "The fishing frog," and "Educated Fleas."
IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.I
IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. I THE QUEEN'S SPEECH. I The imperial Parliament was opened on Tuesday by Royal Commission. The Commissioners were the Lord Chancellor, Earl de Grey and Hipon, the Earl of Kim- berley, the Earl of Bessborough, and Viscount Sydney. The attendance of Peers was not numerous, but the back benches on both sides of the House were filled with ladies. The speaker took the chair in the House of Commons at two o'clock, but long before that time a considerable number of hon. members had assembled. Neither Mr Gladstone nor Mr Disraeli was present, But the Govern- ment was represented by Mr Childers, Mr Goschen, and others, and the Opposition by Mr Hardy and Mr Ward Hunt. On the Commons being summoned to the Upper House, the Lord Chancellor read the Queen's Speech as follows :— My LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,—I recur to your advice at the earlist period permitted by tho arrangements consequent upon the retirement of the late Adminis- tration. And it is with special interest that I commend to you the resumption of your labours at a time when the popular branch of the Legislature has been chosen with the advantage of a greatly enlarged enfranchisement of my faithful and loyal people. I am able to inform you that my relations with all foreign Powers continue to be most friendly; and I have the satisfaction to believe that they cordially share in the desire by which I am animated for the maintenance of peace. I shall all times be anxious to use my best exertions for the promotion of this most important object. In concurrence with my allies I have endeavoured, by friendly interposition, to effect a settlement of the differences which have arisen between Turkey and Greece; and I rejoice that our joints efforts have aided in preventing any serious interruption of tran- quillity in the Levant. I have been engaged in negotations with the United States of North America for the settlement of questions which affect the interests and the international relation of the two countries and it is my earnest hope that the result of these negotiations may be to place on a firm and durable basis the friendship which should ever exist between England and America. I have learnt with grief that disturbances have oc- curred in New Zealand, and that at one spot they have been attended with circumstances of atrocity. I am confident that the Colonial Government and people will not be wanting either in energy to repress the out- breaks, or in the prudence and moderation which I trust may prevent their recurrence. GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,—The Estimates for the expenditure of the coming financial year will be submitted to you. They have been framed with a careful regard to the efficiency of the services, and they will exhibit a diminished charge upon the country. MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, The ever-growing wants and diversified interests of the Empire will necessarily bring many questions of public policy under your review. The condition of Ireland permits me to believe that you will be spared the painful necessity which was felt by the late Parliament for narrowing the securities of personal liberty in that country, by the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act. I recommend that you should inquire into the present modes of conducting parliamentary and municipal elections, and should consider whether it may be possible to provide any further guarantees for their tranquillity, purity, and freedom. A measure will be brought under your notice for the relief of some classes of occupiers from hardships in respect of rating, which appear to be capable of remedy. You will also be invited to direct your attention to bills for the extension and improvement of education in Scotland and for rendering the considerable revenues of the endowed schools of England more widely effectual for the purposes of instruction. A measure will be introduced for l applying the principle of representation to the control of the couuty rate, by the establishment of financial boards for counties. It will be proposed to you to recur to the subject of bankruptcy, with a view to the more effective distribu- tion of assets and to the abolition of imprisonment for debt. The ecclesiastical arrangements of Ireland will be brought under your consideration at a very early date, and the legislation which will be necessary in order to their final adjustment will make the largest demands upon the wisdom of Parliament. I am persuaded that, in the prosecution of the work, you will bear a careful regard to every legitimate interest which it may involve, and that you will be governed by the constant aim to promote the welfare of religion through the principles of equal justice, to seeure the action of the undivided feeling and opinion of Ireland on the side of loyalty and law, to efface the memory of former contentions, and to cherish the sympathies of an affectionate people. In every matter of public interest, and especially in I one so weighty, I pray that the Almighty may never I cease to guide your deliberations, and may bring them to a happy issue. THE HOUSE OF LOIWS. At the evening sitting there was a numerous gather- ing of members in both Houses, but the proceedings were essentially humdrum and uninteresting. The rhetorical performances in the Upper Chamber may generally be forecast by the appearance of ladies. When Lord Derby, or any favourite orator, is expected to speak, there are bright hues and rustling dresses in the gallery and a ceaseless fluttering whisper seems to pervade the house waking the peers from their usual sleepy lounging on the soft red benches. But on Tues- day night the galleries were almost bare, and the noble lords below suffered from their habitual languor. It must be said for the mover of the Address, Lord Carys- furt (better known as Lord Proby, for some years a mute but, as Controller of the Household, gorgeous member of House of commons), that he spoke out well with a vigour and confidence not often exhibited in that assembly. Lord Monck's diplomatic training might perhaps be discerned in hia calmer manner and more measured tones. The choice of two Irish peers was, of course, at the present moment intended to have pecu- liar significance. As a staunch Protestant, Lord Carys- fort declared his conviction that the Irish Church would be strengthened rather than weakened by disestablish- ment. Lord Monck, another Irish Churchman, went further, and, referring to his colonial experience, de- clared himself opposed to all connection between Church and and State in any case. Lord Derby and Lord Malmesbury were both present to countenance Lord Cairns's first appearance as leader of the Conservatives in the Upper House. There was a studied absence of aggressiveness in his remarks. His legal prepossessions peeped out in almost the only challenge which he offered to the Ministerial programme in the Queen's Speech. The paragraph relating to the conduct of elections seemed to point to inquiry rather than legislation. The usual course under such cir- cumstances when the Crown desired investigation was to appoint a Royal Commission, and he doubted the existence of any precedent for the suggestion by the Crown of an inquiry by means of a parliamentary com- mittee. The mention of the Irish Church elicited a sarcastic reference to the strange collection of phrases and almost fortuitous collocation of adjectives and sub- stantives to be found in the penultimate sentence of the speech. Discussion would be premature concerning a scheme not yet propounded but it would be interest- ing to know how far the seconder represented the views of the Government as to the mischief of establishments under all circumstances. Almost the only cheer from his side was drawn by Lord Cairns's remark that, ac- cording to such a view as Lord Monck had expressed, the question at issue was not in any way an Irish ques- tion, but one applicable to all places. He regretted that no Education Bill was promised, and expressed his curiosity to know what were the hardships from which ratepayers were to be relieved. Lord Granville's leadership of the Liberal party in the Lords, broken for a time by Lord Russell's appear- ance in that body, was last night resumed. He assured the House that the papers as to the Conference would be produced as soon as the question was sufficiently settled to render their publication politic. Want of precedent was a small objection to an inquiry into elec- tion practices, which, with or without precedent, would certainly be useful. No one was more sorry than him- self that education could not be dealt with at present, but there would, with so much business on hand, have been no good in bringing in a bill. He was startled by Lord Cairns's ignorance of the bad effects of the rating law. He should have thought that no one, either learned or unlearned, could be ignorant of the com- plaints made all over the country of the hardships inflicted upon the poorer class of occupiers by certain portions of the late Reform Bill. No one could say that it was not a hardship upon the poor man to be called upon to pay his rates for the whole year, and then to be turned out, perhaps next morning, by a profligate landlord, who might let the house to others at a higher rent, in consequence of the rates being thus paid. However, the Government desired to interfere with the Retorm Act as little as possible. THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. The mover of the Address, Mr H. Cowper, and the seconder, Mr Mundella (the" working man's candidate" for Nottingham appearing in a Court suit), went through the trying ordeal which they had good- naturedly allowed to be imposed on them with becom- ing fortitude. Travelling for the most part closely within the lines of the Queen's Speech, Mr C'owper indulged in a mild voluntary" as to the ballot. An improvement in the moral tone of the people would be better than a mere mechanical contrivance for prevent- ing undue influence, and would be worth waiting for; but if it seemed likely to be too long in arriving, there would be no help but reluctantly to accept the ballot. Mr Mundella was less reserved in his acceptance of the baliot as a measure not to be delayed. Mr Disraeli was as reticent as Lord Cairns in regard to the circumstances attending the resignation of the late Government. He was also as amiable and concilia- tory in the tone of his criticisms, which, it only need be added, were identical with those urged in the Upper House. The Government should either have entrusted the inquiry as to the election proceedings to a Royal Commission or have moved for a Committee in either House on their own responsibility. It would be wise to give the Corrupt Practices Act fair play, one thing being quite clear, that none would be able to appreciate sufficiently the influence of the Act of last year until there had been another general election. As Mr Gladstone was about to rise, Mr White inter- posed, asking why Spain had not been congratulated in the Royal Speech on a change of government. Mr Gladstone's answer was that it would be premature to do so till a definite and settled Government had actually been established. He explained that the object of the proposed inquiry as to election practices related, not like the Act of last year to the punishment, but to the prevention of breaches of tranquility, purity, and free- dom of elections, a remark which was cheered from below the gangway, being interpreted, doubtless, as a reference to the ballot. The principle upon which the Queen's Speech had been framed was that it would be an idle mockery to set down more subjects than there was any prospect of disposing of during the session, and if it had a fault it was that, even as it was, it in- cluded too much, not too little. More interesting than Mr Gladstone's speech was the notice of motion which he gave earlier in the evening that on the 1st of March he would move that the Acts relating to the Estab- lished Church (Ireland), the Acts relating to Maynooth, and the first resolution of the House of Commons in 1868 relating to the Established Church (Ireland) be read, and that the House should im- mediately resolve itself into a Committee to consider said Acts and resolution.
ITHE WEEK ABROAD.
I THE WEEK ABROAD. M. Tardieu, the celebrated chemist, has made some interesting and important experiments with red stock- ings imported from England. After extracting the colouring matter, he introduced a certain quantity of it beneath the skin of a dog, which died in twelve hours. A rabbit similarly treated ex i red in eight hours, and a frog in four. Opening the animals, M. Tardieu re-ex- tracted the red colourmg matter from their bodies, and with it dyed a skein of silk. In his report, communi- cated to the Academie des Sciences, M. Tardieu con- demns the use of coraline (the ineral poison to which the fatal stockings uwe their brilliant but decep- tive hue) as an article of general commerce, and recom- mends that the importation of red stockings from Eng- land be absolutely prohibited. The cotton manufacturers of Normandy have drawn up a petition entreating the Emperor to give notice of the expiration of the Treaty with England, and to return to the tariffs which can alone restore their lost prosperity. They say they are ruined by the treaty. England finds a new market in France, while they are undersold. Never, they say, were so many stoppages known, and they point to the tariffs of tbe United States as the cause of its prosperity. These gentlemen do not see that if, as they say, free trade benefits England so much, it must also of necessity benifit them, or explain how it happens that the Treaty has so greatly increased the total trade of France, and specially the wine trade of the South. It is curious that just while they are complaining of being undersold by England, Manchester should be complaining of being undersold by France. The truth is, we believe, that in both countries there is more capital employed in the cotton manufacture than is needed. People won't buy calico at any price unless they want it, and if one and a half yard, is produced where one yard is wanted, prices must fall below the level of profit. The other day, while the cure of the Madeleine Church was discussing business in the vestry with a friend, a small insignificant looking person entered and desired to speak with him. The cure, with his well- known air of a tambour majeur, curtly told him to sit down and wait. The small man, however, remained standing. This displeased the cure, who exclaimed. Monsieur, I desire you to seat yourself." Instead of complying the gentleman paced rapidly up and down the room until the cure, fairly irritated, insisted in so peremptory a manner as to compel obedience. In about a quarter of an hour, business being finished, he turned to the stranger, Monsieur, what is it you desire P The latter replied, in a thin shrill vioce, M. le Cure, I wish to inquire at what hour to-morrow you will be able to baptize an infant, for whom I am to be sponsor?" An hour was named, and he was told to write his name, and that of the godmother, at full length in the register book, which was presented to him for that purpose. To the surprise of the cure he wrote down, Fancoise d'Assise, Roi d'Espangne, and Isabella, Reine d'Espagne." To complete the scene, there entered immediately afterwards the ex-Queen herself, attended by another personage, whose face is now sufficiently known to the Parisians. They had waited until they were tired for the reappearance of the ex-King and had at last come in search of him. Professor Max Mullor has been elected one of the eight foreign associates of the French Institute. We have accounts from the West Indies which say that the utmost confusion (these are our informant's words) prevailed both in Cuba and Hayti, and that large quantiese of arms and ammunition have been smmuggled into the disturbed districts both from Jamaica and the Bahamas. THE OVERLAND AlAii,The Overland Mail has ar- rived bringing advices from Bombay to the 23rd and from Calcutta to the 19th of January. Lord Mayo held his first levee on the 16tli of January, and recei ved the Nepaulese Embassy, at the head of which is the Com- mander-in-Chief of the Nepaulese army, Sir Jung Bahadoor's brother. The Countess of Mayo gave her first at home" to a select circle who wished to bid farewell to Sir John Lawrence, who, as already an- nounced, left Calcutta on the 19th of January. His departure took place soon after sunrise. The roads were lined with troops and volunteers and crowded with spectators, and a hearty cheer, led by Lord Mayo, was given as the steamer moved away from Prinsep's Ghaut with the departing Viceroy on board. Two royal salutes were also fired. Captain Lockwood C. Taylor and Captain Henry Wood, 10th Hussars, son of Lord Halifax, have been appointed aides-de-oamp to the new Viceroy. The Indian papers publish details df the earthquake in Bengal of which we were informed some time since by telegraph. The shocks were felt in various parts between the 10th and 14th of January. They were most severe in Cachar and Assam, and did considerable damage to buildings in Shillong, Nowgong, Tezpore, Seebsaugor, and Silchar. The barracks at Chinsurah also were thrown down. In Silchar the sur- face of the earth is said to have undulated, bringing down houses and trees, and opening out in cracks through which water ejected. Among a denser popula- tion, or in a closely built city, the destruction of life and property would probably have been great, but the tea districts are very sparsely inhabited, and no great loss of life is reported. The earthquake was felt as far west of Calcutta as Dinapore, but the capital itself seems only to have experienced the outer wave of the convulsion. Cachar, where it was most severe, is on the line of volcanic action which, stretching from the Eastern Himalayas, runs down the coast of Burmah, where there are several extinct volcanoes, to the eastern Archipelago, where volcanic phenomena on a large scale are of frequent occurrence. In the same district in which the earthquake was most severely felt an outbreak of some of the native hill tribes had taken place. The Looshai clan of Kookies, on the eastern frontier of Sylhet and Cachar, had risen, and devastated the two tea plantations of Woodlands and Soonarhundee, and killed several of the coolies. A body of armed police was at once sent out against them, followed by a detachment of the 7th Native In- fantry, under Lieutenant Logan. The death of Captain T. C. Anderson, Bengal Staff Corps, is an- nounced. PARIS.—MONDAY.—Since the death of the Prince Royal of Belgium, the Marquis de Lavalette has been engaged in trying to bring about an understanding with Prussia, and it is said that orders have been issued to the semi-official press to cease troubling Count Bis- marck. At least this is the last political rumour afloat, and an article in the ConstiitUiorinel, evidently meant to smooth the ruffled feathers of the irritable Prussian bird, goes a good way to confirm its truth. However, a new difficulty has suddenly sprung up, and now Belgium is fiercely assailed with blows which fall in- directly on Prussia, an d the independent press joins the tne suomissive journals in the attack. The cause of so much vituperation is this. The French Eastern Com- pany and the Belgian Grand Luxembourg concluded a treaty of fusion, and when everything was settled the Belgian Government stepped in and forbade the banns de par Ie roi The reason of this injunction may be pretty clear to most people, but the French papers, blinded with anger, affect not to see it. The Liberie asks why the Eastern Company should be refused a privilege accorded to the Northern Company, which runs over Belgian territory, and M. de Girardin after- wards shows where the shoe pinches, by stating that a couple of years ago, when he insisted on the impossi- bility of France supporting the existence of the Prussian quadrilateral on her frontier, the union with Belgium, both commercial and military, was dangled before his eyes as an offset. He already saw the Belgian army marching under the orders of the French Emperor. However he now considers it clear that the Belgian army is following in the footsteps of those of Baden, Bavaria, and Wurtemberg, and will form in reality the advance guard of the German legions. The journal of M. Rouher says that the Cabinet of Brussels has com- mitted a grave error. The Pcuplc, the organ of the Emperor, writes more strongly still. It asks what the Belgian Government can mean by behaving thus in return for the kindness of France and the moderation of the French Government, and goes on to show that the conduct of Belgium is at variance with its free trade doctrines. The fact is that the French Government has experienced a heavy reverse in being refused the control of a strategic line, the possession of which would have given umbrage to Prussia and have mitigated the failure to get the fortress of Luxembourg. SPAIN.-FitIDAY. -The Spanish Constituent Assem- bly was opened yesterday. The proceedings began about three o'clock in the afternoon. Senor Santa Cruz, the oldest deputy, acted as president pro tern. Marshal Serrano read a long address, and then declared the Cortes open in the name of the nation. Twenty-one guns were fired outside the building to announce what had taken place. Serrano then called upon the assem- bly to give three cheers for the national sovereignty, and all present responded. At this point (says a special tele- gram in the Daily News) the crowd, which had rushed in and filled the galleries, to the exclusion of holders of tickets, began to give cheers for the Provisional Govern- ment, Prim &c., and a good deal of confusion arose. The President vainly endeavoured for some time to re- store order. Cheers for the republic were also given, and these were met by counter cheers for the Monarchy. The confusion then became very great. Cries of Order" and Silence" arose on all sides, The Presi- dent rang his bell and struck the table for several minutes. Ultimately Serrano succeeded in restoring order and good temper by vociferously shoutiug, "Viva the sovereignty of the people!" The proceedings ended quietly. MONDAY. —Senor Rivero has been elected president of the Spanish Constituent Assembly by 168 votes against 50 given to the Republican candidate, Senor Orense. Senores Vega, Armijo, Martons, Cantero, and Valera have been elected vice-prsidents. TUESDAY—The Spanish Government are resolved not to lose Cuba without an effort to save it. To-day we are told that in consequence of the bad news which was published yesterday, G,000 additional soldiers are to start immediately for Havana. GREECE.—MONDAY. —The news from the East to- day is reassuring upon the whole. The reply of the Hellenic Government to the declaration of the Confer- ence is stated in a telegram from Paris to be completely satisfactory. Moreover we are imformed on offical (Turkish) authority that all the Cretan chiefs who were still in rebellion have sent in their submission, and that tranquillity now prevails throughtout the island. On the other side, however, must be set the death of Fuad Pasha, which occured on Saturday, and which is stated to have caused great and general sorrow at Constanti- nople. Fuad Pasha's successor will not be named until after the funeral. MONDAY. Count Charles Walewski reached Mar- seilles yesterday with the reply of the Hellenic Government to the Paris declaration. The Con- ference will reassemble to-morrow or Thursday to receive the communication. PRUSSIA.—MONDAY.—The Upper House of the Prussian Parliament has passed the bills for the confis- cation of the private property of the King of Hanover and of the Elector of Hesse by a large majority in the form in which they passed the Lower House. Count Bismarck, in defending the bills, charged both the King of Hanover and the Elector with deception. With regard to the Elector, the Prussian Minister said that the prince was at the bottom of the efforts made by cer- tain journals to bring about war between France and Germany, and the only way to put an end to those efforts, which he characterized as "criminal," was to stop the supplies by which they are subsidized Public opinion in France and Germany," Count Bismarck added, is worked upon as if war were daily imminent between the two countries. It is the interest of both nations that an end should be put as speedily as possible to these lying intrigues by cutting off the means by which they are fostered. The Prussian Government has always actively endeavoured to prevent the circula- tion of false war rumours. It is fully convinced that all European Governments are animated by peaceful inten- tions, and it requires that the public both in France and Germany should entertain this belief. Even in the interest of national dignity, it is necessary to stop the sources whence newspapers are subsidized openly to incite a brave and warlike nation like the French to make war upon Germany. I have many times been reproached by the press for not preserving a proper diplomatic calm in the face of such endeavours. Those who can restrain their anger at such baseness have national feelings differently organized to mine." AMERICA. -BIONDkY.-Sorne rather important news comes from America by the cable. The House of Representatives has passed a bill repealing all laws authorizing the issue of bonds excepting for railroad subsidies, or for the conversion of coupons into registered bonds. The House has also passed bills pro- hibiting secret sales of bonds or gold by the Govern- ment, and prohibiting the acceptance of national currency by banks, corporations, or persons as collateral security for loans. It is stated that General Grant, in response to the formal notification of his election to the Presidency, declared that he would faithfully discharge the duties of his office and call around him men who would earnestly carry out the principles of economy, retrench- ment, and honesty, but he declined to announce the names of the members of the Cabinet until the nomi- nations were sent to the Senate. A Philadelphia telegram reports that the steamer Nellie Stevens was burnt on Thursday night on the Red River, Arkansas; sixty-three lives were lost, and forty-three perogns were saved,
THE ANNUAL CLOSE SEASON. I
THE ANNUAL CLOSE SEASON. I Long and intimately connected with salmon fishing matters in many districts, I feel anxious and well-pre- pared to take my stand with those who on practical grounds come forward to insist upon the wisdom of uniformity of close season for salmon production, and uniformity of closed markets against salmon sale. When our rivers are at last thoroughly restored we may perchance find it well to modify the limits of our close season, but until that restoration be accomplished we can have no practical knowledge upon which to act with safety. The principle of uniformity is one of such importance that if it in any way be assailed we must work hard to maintain it. Uniformity we have secured to us all over England and Wales, so far at least as Act of Parliament can secure it; but even that amount of security is now sought to be tampered with, and Acts of Parliament, as some of us know to our cost, are un- stable, and oftentimes lifeless and unreal things. They can be repealed, amended, or quietly ignored, and allowed to lie a dead letter as the case might be. With respect to stone weirs, for instance, we hear of the too hasty repeal of our older salmon laws spoken of as a terrible disaster to the salmon cause. I might also instance cases where ill-considered amendments of salmon Acts have passed into law which law by and bye was found highly detrimental to the cause those amendments sought to serye. My present purpose calls upon me rather to point out the lifelessness that must necessarily exist as to all good results to be looked for in any district where a salmon Act replete though it may be with wise provisions, is in some vital par- ticulars ignored or well nigh allowed to exist only as a dead letter, so far as its practical action upon that special district is concerned. Two weeks ago the readers of Land and Water were supplied with reports emanating from portions of those three districts which have so persistently cried out against the annual close season laid down in the Salmon Act of 1861. The reports to which I allude come from the Towy and Carmarthen Bay rivers of South Wales, the Taw and Torridge of Devonshire, and the Fowey of Cornwall. As an impartial advocate whose only motive is a desire to promote as far as in him lies the welfare of the English salmon fisheries in general, as well as the welfare of the particular districts in question, I ask the special attention of river conservators to those sug- gestive cases which I would now comment upon. The present position of each of the three rivers, as repre- sented by the reports to which I allude and from infor- mation gathered elsewhere, is peculiarly instructive in its bearing upon the question of close season. In all three districts there has been much agitation brought to bear upon the salmon fishery inspectors personally, upon public opinion, and upon the Home Office, for the purpose of effecting a-in my opinion-very undesir- able change in one of the main principles enforced by our recent salmon legislation, which principles were laid down with a view to increase the national food supply as represented by our salmon fisheries. This agitation I believe to be founded in a great measure upon a want of knowledge of the subject in all it bear- ings more especially is this the case, I believe, as regards the poorer working fishermen belonging to the rivers in question. I fear much that certain improved theories held in high quarters, and, to my mind, all too quickly made public, will greatly increase the difficulty of instructing the want of knowledge to which I allude, and which has caused, and is still causing, so much embarrassment with respect to the management of some of our salmon fishery districts. There is nothing so convincing to common-sense Eng- lishmen as an argument drawn from indisputable facts. Therefore when the fishermen of South Wales, Devon- shire, and Cornwall clamour against the close season provided by the Salmon Act of 1861, and affirm that that close season is not suitable for them tecause it has not been able to increase the amount of salmon taken in their rivers in the legal fishing season. In such cases my best argument is to bring forward and appeal to facts, as I have done on a former occasion, and with respect to another river than any of those I now bring forward. Let the facts speak for themselves. Im- partial men can, methinks, draw but one inference from them. Doubtless every one who reads this article has already read the three reports published two weeks ago. It is mainly upon those reports I am commenting. In the first place from only one of the three districts that ask for an extension of the present fishing season (the Taw and Torridge), are we told that any increase in the take of salmon has occurred since the Act of 1861 came into being. In that one district the increase is allowed to have been very marked, and moreover not only has salmon been materially increased, but the run of salmon has been observed, I am informed, during the last year or two to take place much earlier than it had done in the previous years. In fact the Taw and Torridge salmon fishery appears, from what I can learn, to be getting some earlier fish. We are all aware what an important matter that is to establish. Many men deny that improved legislation can bring earlier fish into the rivers, but it would appear that in this CiLO it has already done so to a certain extent. The Board of Con- servators were unanimous in attributing the improve- ment of the Taw and Torridge fishing to the action of the Acts of 1861-65. I would have you mark that this district is the only one out of the three districts from whence we hear the question of extending the fishing season still agitated, that can lay claim to have allowed the two recent Acts of Parliament to be living instru- ments for good to their rivers. The Acts have been worked on the Taw and Torridge, the prescribed close time has been observed, and therefore the goodly con- sequence has followed, and notwithstanding the im- passable obstructions which still stand shutting out miles and miles of the upper breeding beds belonging to the district, nevertheless, under the fosterage of so much of the law as energetic conservators and their water bailiffs could bring to bear, this district has pro- portionately flourished. Salmon has increased and are observed to enter the river fit for capture at a earlier date each year than before that most restorative Act of 1861 came into being. At the meeting of the Taw and Torridge Board of Conservators practical working fisher- men, as well as one of the most energetic and practical of conservators, insisted that so far from its being a wise move to ask for an extension of the fishing season beyond the first of September, they considered that, as during August a large quantity of the salmon was well nigh ripe for spawning and totally unfit for capture, August might for the future be given up as an open month. I confess I am not prepared to second that view nevertheless it is highly suggestive as to the very divided opinion concerning the wisdom of t hose who ask for an extension of open season for this district. Methinks the guardians of Taw and Torridge may be well satisfied with the present law which calls upon them to shut up their valuable fishery on the 1st Sep- tember, and well satisfied with the good results they have reaped from that law. There are other matters for the good of their rivers loudly calling for energetic action, and I hope the North Devon Conservators will answer the call and proceed energetically in the good work of thoroughly restoring their most prolific rivers. The second district, the report from whence I wish to comment upon, is that belonging to the Fowey river of Cornwall. The outcry against the prescribed annual close time which proceeded from this dis- trict I have looked upon as of the greatest importance, for it was not uttered only by the too often careless or prejudiced conservators and ignorant fisher- men, but was vehemently echoed by one of our ichthyo- logists, who, being a resident in the neighbourhood, must of necessity be supposed practically to have in- quired into the subject, and therefore his opinion, I knew well, must carry a certain amount of weight. I cannot pretend to be a scientific icthyologist myself, nevertheless on practical grounds I utterly dissent from this scientific authority, who has been a chief instru- ment in keeping up the agitation for a change in the uniformity of our close season along the Fowey river. The fishermen and peasantry of this district have resisted the law from the first, and have maltreated their river in the breeding season and at all other times, seemingly agreeing, all of them, in the theory pro- pounded by one of their own class, i.e., that as Provi- dence sent the salmon that went up the rivers in winter man had no right to prevent them catching as many of the fish as they could. This has been the theory of close and open season put into practice along the Fowey river since the Act of 1861, and the result of the ex- periment that might have been anticipated is given in the inspector's report of last year. The report says: From all we can learn officially the take of fish has diminished in the Fowey." The Fowey is a much smaller river than the neighbouring Taw and Torridge, and in the matter of pollution it has far harder evils to submit to at present, nevertheless the effect of the two modes of treating the close season, against which objections are made from both districts, is worth a con- trast for the sake of the moral it suggests. The report, however, which came from Fowey the week before last gives a bright hope for the future of the river. Mr Buckland has been down there helping in his own energetic manner to open up obstructions by the application of free passes and ladders. Two paid water-bailiffs have been appointed, private gamekeepers are to assist in the protection, and as something of a make-weight against the weirs and china clay works that rob the river terribly of their natural spawning- beds, artificial hatching of salmon is being brought to the rescue. All this opens up a most hopeful prospect for the Fowey, and I trust those who seem at last to be working in earnest will not be too impatient for the results, for from my experience of the river nearly four years ago it will need much energy and careful management to rid it of those evils of long standing which still keep it impoverished. Mr Foster's sensible and encouraging letter is the best news piscatorial we have heard for many a day frcJm Cornwall. How very recent thoso efforts for the Fowey restoration are is evident from Mr Foster's report, and suggest a hint that until they have had time to bear fruit we have no right to expect the present close season can prove itself in any way applicable to the Fowey or other Cornish rivers. The third district which calls for comment is situate in South Wales, and contains the Towy and Carmar- then bay rivers. Two meetings have recently been held at Carmarthen, the chief topic discussed on both occasions was the question of extending the open season to the end of September. The fishermen were contending for Octo- ber to be handed over to them. This large and most important district, in the usual manner of those dis- tricts where we find the present law of close season complained of, has well nigh permitted that law to be, so far as protection to the breeding fish goes, a dead letter. The spawning salmon have been systematically, I may say, killed everywhere at all seasons. Had the Towy been protected there is no doubt it would now be in as flourishing a condition as are so many of our well- protected salmon districts. What a large number of persons suffer directly from the exceeding loss which is incurred by the thriftless ill-care bestowed upon this district may be inferred from the number of 400 fisher- men who, we are told, mainly look for support for themselves and their families out of the fisheries in the tideway and fresh waters belonging to Carmarthen Bay. Those poor ignorant fishermen, in their dissatis- faction with their present impoverished position, are not likely to see the question in a very true light. But the conservators of the river, whose duty it is to see that the law is wisely administered for the benefit of the salmon fisheries which are placed under their guardianship, must be well aware how very little that law has been enforced on the Carmarthen rivers. I fancy it must be to all a mere truism, that unless the breeding fish are protected the fishery must fall into decay. The breeding fish are not protected in this dis- trict. The fisheries, therefore, are falling into decay, and the fishermen are impoverished. How could the breeding fish be protected, I ask, when all the protec- tion provided last year, we are told for 200 miles of river side, was four water-bailiffs ? That is expecting each man to guard 50 miles of river side from the de- predations of, I should be afraid to suggest how many dozens of South Wales salmon poachers! The thing is simply preposterous, and I can hardly blame the water- bailiffs who, with one exception, were pronounced to be utterly worthless last season. They just pocketed the money of the board and quietly left the salmon poachers to perpetrate their ravages in peace. We all know something, if not personally, at least by heresay, of the character of South Wales salmon poachers. Trouble- some and dangerous customers half a dozen of them would be even to a large band of water-bailiffs; and, moreover, we all know how the farm servants, labourers, miners, villagers, all the poorer classes in fact, sym- pathise with the poachers, if they are not all of them more or less salmon poachers themselves. What then, I ask, could four men do, even if they set to work con- scientiously to protect the 200 miles of river allotted to them ? Nothing, or almost nothing, let them do their best. But it appears that three out of the four water- bailiffs provided by the Carmarthen Board were worse than useless, and it was declared impossible to obtain men anywhere in the neighbourhood of those rivers that could in the least be relied upon to do their duty. That assertion, made at the recent meeting, is highly signincant as to the protection the breeding salmon of the Carmarthen rivers receive. I regret much to say that other South Wales officials, in a far higher station than the water-bailiffs, appear no less careless and to my mind, far more culpable concerning the public trust committed to their care. I am alluding to the disregard of the Salmon Acts recently shown by South Wales magistrates at Swansea, who, the other day, when salmon poachers were brought before them and con- victed of fishing without a licence, fined the men the nominal penalty of 6d, whereas the Act of 186.5 pro- vides (see sees. 3-5, 36), that the minimum penalty for such an offence should be twice the amount of the licence duty. If magistrates will act in this manner of course the law must be dishonoured, and poaching en- couraged. At the late meeting it was resolved to dismiss the three useless water-boiliffs and consign the entire 200 miles of river side to the care of one man Ten pounds reward is offered for information against poachers, and it may be that so large a reward will have a salutary effect. Up to this time the Carmarthen Bay district, as far as protection goes, is in much the same state it was in when the Royal Commissioners received evidence concerning it in 1860, The salmon have not been pro- tected in close time, and therefore the fishing has not improved. The chairman who presided at the last meeting of conservators urged this fact upon the assembly, and sought to gain a majority of his brother conservators to consent to do their duty as guardians of the salmon fisheries he pointed out how the close time provided by the Act of 1861 ought to get a fair trial before it could be either just or prudent to apply for a change in that close season which had been so strongly recommended by the first authority on the subject. But the chairman's words were not heeded, the fisher- men in their ignorance were eager for the extension to be recommended to the Home Office, and the majority of conservators appeared willing enough to get rid of the matter by letting the fishermen have their own way. One gentleman gave as his reason for voting for the extension that he had pledged himself to the Inspector of Fisheries as well as to the fishermen to do 80, although, us was reported in Lend and IVater last week, he said he really knew nothing about salmon himself." The possession of such a conservator is, I should say, a doubtful advantage to any salmon fishery district. The hopelessly unprotected position of the breeding fish in this district is suggestive enough of the reason why the present close season is found of no avail to increase the salmon. Tho fact is the close season has not as yet been observed at all, for although fishing below may cease the poachers above unceasingly carry on the capture. To bring into a strong position of relief the hopelessly inadequate staff of water-bailiffs (even had they proved ever so conscientious), that were provided by the Car- marthen Board of Conservators to watch over the lowy and neighbouring rivers, I may bring forward the Moy river and Ballina district in Ireland, The water shed of this district embraces something about the same number of square miles as the catchment basin of the Carmarthen Bay rivers. The staff of water-bailiffs pro- vided by the Ballina Board numbers 56 men, and this staff is supplemented by private watchers numbering upwards of 250 meb, or some 300 water-bailiffs in all. Large as was this staff, we are told that during the last winter they have at times been wholly overpowered by the poachers, whose ravages during the last few years are stated to have been so great in the upper waters belonging to the Ballina district that a very great decrease is reported in the take of fish below in the legal fishing season. As a suggestive hint to English conservators I would stato that the almost impossibility of checking poaching in the Ballina district, even with the above large staff of paid water-bailiffs, is con- sidered by many to be caused by the non-uniformity of the Irish close seasons, and more especially because of the open market permitted for the sale of salmon at a season when by far the majority of Irish rivers are sup- posed to be enjoying their fence time. It is a suggestive hint, and one worth remembering, that at the first meeting held in Ireland, about a fort- night ago, by the newly-appointed Irish salmon fishery inspectors the advisability of amending the Irish law in this matter, and introducing the principle of uniform close season so much needed there, was strongly urged upon the inspectors. I cannot now enter further upon this matter,but it is a fact that the Irish salmon districts are gradually of themselves assuming year by year more general uniformity in their times of open and close season, but the Irish law still remains in an un- satisfactory sate in this particular. It is most useful to draw attention to the fact that while in England and Wales men are trying to undo the wise provisions for securing uniformity which we now have on this side the channel, their more experienced neighbours in Ireland are bestirring themselves to secure for all their rivers that very boon which the South Wales, Devon, and Cornish fishermen would compel us to cast away.—MARK HERON in Land and Water.
THE INVIOLATE POUND.
THE INVIOLATE POUND. Mr Bagehot has published from the Economist a very able series of articles intended to promote the assimila- tion of English and American money, with a preface in. tended to persuade his readers that, so far from ancient prescription in these matters having any weight,-any title to respect at all, save and except on the ground of habit, all the facts go to show that the early prescrip- tions of all nations in respect to coinage are utterly with- out political value, and havu grown up from the personal needs of the Sovereigns in rude times, not from any con- sideration to the wants and wishes of the nation whom they have governed. This preface is very amusing, but without much bearing on the practical problem which Mr Bagehot has to consider as the argument from pre- scription. with regard to coinage at least, is scarcely likely to be urged on those high Tory grounds on which traditional views of the Throne and the Constitution are defended. We do not say that the penny, the shilling, and the pound, are not in some sense enshrined in British hearts, so that we can even imagine the ascent from farthings to pence, from pence to shillings, and from shillings to pounds, presenting itself to the British tradesman as a distincion in some sense deeply im- bedded in the very principles of Nature possibly enough indeed, he may not unfreqtlently have vague analogies hovering before his mind derived from his coinage and act as if he thought, even if he does not absolutely think, that four operatives are about equivalent to one trades- man, twelve tradesmen to a nobleman, and twenty noble- men to a Sovereign (on the throne). But however, strong a bold the distinction of our coinage may have taken,—and we imagine that they have taken a very strong bold,- on the British mind, we do not suppose that even the omnipotent Householder would quote the immemorial coinige as a proof that the interests of the people in the matter bad been clearly understood for many ages: all he would be apt to think would be that what was so old was very difficult to change, not that its age was in any sense a proof that those who first introduced this coinage knew and cared more about the wants of the people than modern governments can do. The British householder is probably quite willing to admit that he is much more prudent and powerful now, much better able to under- stand what he wants and to procure it, than his ancestor centuries ago. He asks for no proof that railways, and telegraphs, and modern ironmongery, and modern cut- lery, are excellent things, which are vouchsafed to him, and were not vouchsafed to his anoestor. He would not