GENERAL SUMMARY.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9160, 18 July 1895, Page 6

GENERAL SUMMARY.

LONDON, June 26. Ascot week, whicb closed on June 22nd, iB described as having been the moat brilliant, socially, in the history of that Royal track. It was notable, besides, in the final withdrawal from ti*e turf of Mr McC-lmont-horse, Isinglass, which crowned tho most successful career on record by winning the Royal Cup race, valued at about £2000 in money aud a cup worth £1000 more. He won altogether in purses, including the Derby two years ago, about £60,000. His dam was a cart horse, although a thoroughbred, and it is estimated that she could hardly have drawn in a cart her son's winning* iv gold. R-jpre. eutatives of the University of Pennsylvania having requested that the winners of the intercollegiate (American) games in the month of May may be allowed to come to England to compete with the teams selected from the Oxford and Cambridge Universities, a Committee from tbe Oxford and Cambridge Universities Athletic Clubs, after carefully considering the request, declined it on the ground that the con lest would be unfair, because the American team containing as it did, athletic representatives from all the universities iv the United States, should be met ou English ground by one made up in a simi.ar way, that is, of representatives from Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Dublin and the other Uuiversities of the country. Again the Oxford and Cambridge Committee felt that the first challenge to be conceded to Yale, in consideration of the fact of Yale having sent a crew to England in 1894.

The fact that Lord Dufferin had come from Paris at the preseut juncture has excited some uneasiness quite apart from English home politics. It has leaked out that tho present state of relations between England aud France is serious, if not threateniug. It has beeu suggested that Lord Dufferin has been asked to undertake the Lord Lieutenancy ot Ireland, but the fact is that he cannot be permitted to leave Paris until Anglo-French relations are very much improved. Tbe International Railway Conference, convened in London, held us first session ou Wednesday, June 26th, at tho Imperial Institute. It was opened by the Priuce of Wale- No less than 275 Railway undertakings were represented, with something like 125,000 mileage, and the delegates included representatives from fifty different countries, the he:uts ot nearly the whole railway system of Europe, the Pennsylvania and several of the most importaut ra Iways in tho United Slates. The Congress will sib till July 6th. The members went to As-jot ou June 20;b, and the Queen will receive the leading men at Windsor on July 6th.

The Afghan Prince, Nasrutla, who is visiting England at present, and who has the faculty of making himself disagreeable, went to Ascot on Cup day in a heavy fur coat, although the mercury marked 80deg. The father of tho Princo proposes that he stay in England until the end of August, much to the annoyance of the Prince and the Roy*! family,*but he will probably be persuaded to spend the remainder of his stay in Europe on the Continent.

The reckless firing of a revolver in the streets of Ballater, a little place near Balmoral, where the Queen is staying, by a young man named Thomas Dou, alarmed the viilago ou June 7th. Tho offender proved to bo the son of a farmer at Crieil, on his way to Balmoral to interview the Queen. De was found to be insane, and was put under restraint. Ho had in his pocket a letter addressed to the Queen, another to Mr Gladstone informing the exPremier that he (Don) was about to become the King of Great Britain, and another to Mr Vanderbiit offering to marry the mil lionaire _ daughter. He resisted arrest and fought desperately before he was overcome. At an auction sale of Lord Oxford's books tbe second folio of Shakespeare brought £540, believed to be the highest price on record. At the Redcar ironworks, Gainsborough, Yorkshire, on June 15th, thirteen out of fifteen boilers exploded. Masonry was hurled one hundred yards, and a volume of water a yard deep passed over the workmen. Damage to the extent of £50,000 was done, and nine persons were killed aad twenty seriously wounded. The Countess of Carlisle, Lady Hester Somerset, and other women with a mission have concluded to ask for the abolition of 5000 barmaids in England. The latter have risen in solid aud augry protest agaiusi being deprived of their livelihood. At an auction sale at Christie's on Saturday, June 15th, ninety-one pictures, almost all by British artists, realised £87,114. Gainsborough's portrait of Lady Musgrave aroused a spirited contest and sold for £11,550. This picture sold for £1000 ten years ago. It will be taken to the United States.