THE SUEZ MAIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LI, Issue 5602, 7 February 1879, Page 6

THE SUEZ MAIL.

HomefSit? 6 fOUOWiDg ******■'■*** .^CONSTANTINOPLE, ■'aatSsSSS® 4 *-- f^^saaftsfiS. functionaries. Kassan u 4 1T “ jam^yiSgdin , «*Ma£

in Barbary, as Governor, virtually In honour* able exile. As Hhc Timea correspondent ex plains, this is the same Mahmoud Daraad who exercised such .baneful influence oyer the mind of the Saltan daring the war, ana is now convicted of sending from the palace to the commanders of the aWCy direct orders, which led to disasters, on documentary evidence which S ulieman Pasha has produced at his trial. According to one account,. “so great is said to have been the exaspention of the Sultan (hat hie first impulse was to have both his brother and brother-in-law executed for high treason, and only on the representation of the Ministers did be consent to have merely the first confined .and tbs second exiled. On tbe night of the sth inst,, when the discovery was made, no fever than ;80 arrests were made, among, them a number of . officers, • who were the aame night transported on a manof-war to Smyrna.” _ \ Money is most urgently needed, if reforms are to be effected m Turkey. Touching the finances of the Porte, (he Chancellor of the Exchequer stated iatheHotue of Coprmons that the Government had instituted inquiries into their condition, and that the gentleman to whom they have'.entrusted the task has been placed by the. Porte on the. commission which is to revise itswhole financial system. THE RHODOPE COMMISSION. f " Our minor incident of the Parliamentary session requires a vhrd. Prequeht’ reference -has heeh made in the Hottsebf Comment by members on both sidCs to, the report of the Bhodope Commission, ’and the Governipent, has been asked to state ; what steps they propose to take with reference so it. The Chancellor of the. Exchequer, in. ah ■ ■ Un-. guarded moment, intimated that they jiroposed to make a motion tora grant in aidof the sufferers in the Bhodope district. The mariner in which ; - received was signifidtiptly ' suggested' hyj A; question from Mr Hrihbard, fiunself a Cod* servative, who asked'■whether the; Government had any information that the country Was on the verge of,;a period .of distress’ greaier ■than had ! beCh “known for ■tnojny • years. Mr Cross, rinAirered this questionfor-. xrially, taking as hopeful a view as is* - possible ;<ff the state of our great townr and menufpri-;, taring districts. But Sir Stafford Sorthcptb 1 met' th'e rising'storm' by frankly abandoning the project, almost as soon as it was-an l bounced.: In truth . there is Chough id (he condition of .thing? • irt'■Home' 1# Government ponder its ways,- 'The'failure of the West ot England Bank’ is’bufr.another; sign of thickening troubles. It spreads the area of distress in middle-class families,' riot a few of whom lind -thenlselves 'i suddenly deprived of all their means.' Meanwhile* (he stagnation of trade is- felt everywhere y’ (he ‘working classes, both in the towns and hamlets,: are distressed, and the : poorhCuabs 4re f filling rapidly, or already overflowing. ; ! THE EUROPEAN CRISIS. The aspect of affairs in Europe ia fOr the moment a little brighter. The Czar has returned to St. and speaks hopefully frorii his side of the' question. In Cpnstantinople a new MinistPy ts beginning once more with projeotoofreforin. Austria and the Porte'are said’to haVeiettled tleirdifferanbes as to .Novi Bazar. The ene awkward, farifi is .that the commission -appointed to define the .boundaries be'tweeri tne new Boumelia 1 And. .Bulgaria have been driren back by violence. ‘While these matters afe adjusting themselves, wo may 'go back upon the history which is mating! '• * The Pans correspondent of'" T?he ‘Times* gives an ariecdote,’on the authority ■#fi a confidant of one of the two chief actors, chief inSdfints of the Berlin’ Conference!—, “It is : well : ;kriowri "that' on ‘June |2l. the, pefgpliations as to Bulgaria were suspended, And that Prince Bisriiarek personally intervened to get "them renewed, but how they vrefe renewed’has been a secret. WeU, at 3 r p,rii..the Brace called on Lord Beacopsfield, wholiad 1 been 'rather uri well,'and made particular ■ inquiries' respecting his health, after which the cbnversafioii turned on trivial matters. The Pririoe' ■ was in • capital spirits. Dramatic literature ’ was spoken of, the Prince told some stories of Berlin society, spoke with much humour of some German ladies, of the German national character and manners, and then asked how Lord Beaconsfield liked his ‘ Very weD, indeed,’replied Loi‘d>Beft6bm>fidd. ‘lhave been cordially received on aH bauds, amid I had a proof of it anhour ago, in the readiness with which the railway company has placed a special train at my disposal, which will take me back on Monday with my colleague and our suite.* The Prince inade no answer. resumed the conversation in the tone in which it had begun, and after half an hour’s further talk took leaver An hour later Lord Beaconsfield was informed that Russia agreed to resume the negotiations on the basis laid down by England. On the Russian diplomatists learning from Prince Bismarck (hat Lord Beaconsfield was prepared to break off negotiations, they made the requisite concessions without referring afresh to the Emperor.” DEATH OF THE ROBBER KING. The Hungarian papers announce the desth, in the prison of Bzamos-Djvar, of the celebrated bandit, Bosza Sandor, known, in Hungary as the “Bobber King." He was bom at Szejedin in 1813 ; and both his hither and grandfather were robbers by profession. His achievements, however, soon’ eclipsed those of his, family, and he was admired as much as he was feared. The reckless courage with which he attacked the police, and even military escorts, on the high road in broad daylight, his generosity towards the poor,‘and his gallantry towards women, made Mm a Sort of national hero. Some 30 years ago few people of the wealthier classes ventured to travel in Hungary without paying him tribute. His bands Were well armed and organised, and the szeg6ny legenyek (poor fellow), as the bandits were called in those days, found many sympathisers and accomplices among the peasantxy. He was first imprisoned in 1836, but escaped in the following year by the assittanoe of his mistress, a Eeasarit woman named Kati, whose husband o had killed by blowing bis brains out with a pistol. During the revolution of 1848, Rosza Sandor was pardoned by Kossuth, and he then organised a free corps wMoh did good service against (he Government troops. After the suppression of the rising Sandor resumed his former career. He did not again fall into (he hands of the authorities until 1856, when he was betrayed by one of his companions, whom he shot as the soldiers were advancing; to capture him. After a trial which lasted three years Sandor was sentenced to be hanged) but the sentence was commuted to imprisonment tor life. Ho remained eight years in the fortress of Kufstein, and was then set at liberty in virtue of a general amnesty. But he soon resumed his old pursuits. In 1868 he attacked, with some of bis oompauions, a railway train at Felegyhazo, The Government mt a body of troops, under Count Gedeon Baday, to capture him) and tour years later he was again brought before (he criminal tribunal, together with a number of Ms accomplices, among whom were several magistrates and Mgb civic functionaries. Ho was again sentenced to death! and the sentence was again commuted to imprisonment fur life. The prison to which ho was then sent is the one in wMohhedied. TEE HERO OF BBIWAB. General Roberts, the hero of the viotoiy of Peiwar, is ono of the Inokiest men in the profession, for he is still only * major in his own regiment of Bengal Gunners. Major IWy, R.A., whose " araurnbly directed fire with his three < field-guns.* was so effectually brought to bear on the enemy’s position, a Almost equally Imsky in having so early an opportumtyofgaininff distinction. ? Heins well known on the Staff at Portsmouth tome eight yean ago, when the good-looking Sidney Parry wae the life.and eoul of private ; theatricals. He went out to Madras with his brigade in 1871, and was the aide'd+caap of General Elmbirsb at Bangalore until he wae promoted to his majority last year. He came home with Ms wife in October, and after six yean’ service expected to enjoy his leave in England ) but he tonnd to Me honor on landing that the brigade to which, he was promoted was under Orden for India, and already on board ship) so ho was obliged

to return to India within nT^ — without literally having had .• get his clothes washed i n to There was no use in remonrtrat:* ?o«e Guards, for every one was out g of at > m October, and there was no one *]L ! out the battery, as his captain had ta h sick certificate. On arming i n Ua- [ ln a sent up to Sitzapore, which i 8 bv i? • consent one of the most God-forsaken * 611 In Bengal j and when he found himself there, with two young subalterns amli , of leave nntfl the Horse Guards wS ho P« to send oat a captain, he thought of the nnlnckiest and worst-used nf But all this was changed by the was summoned by telegraph to loin vv column. On their march the strictly limited, and aiield-offlcer was S,®-* 1 * to one camel, to curry his tent and qoired. The tent is j ust big enough uv® ,?* bedstead and a smatf portnLtcam hot even room for a washstand, and aiul* hing has to be done outside al f re »co Sr men are in good spirits : but it v.,T cold, and there is a great deal of y

THE INDIAN RAILWAYS In the present state of Indian finance • satisfactory to find that the receipts fmnl ti* guaranteed railways are increasing p ' the revenue accounts for the th. a«> rf Jnn. Wt il . pprar , ’Z ,*£ deducting the working, maintenance, other charges, receipts to the j £612,019 have been realised in excess 0 f a guaranteed interest paid by Gov«n.», l&e The nebreoeiptsfor the half-year am05f£2,961,561. It is true that this is less th the amohnt received during the coircrS impwiodof 1877 i b.t t£ that period were exceptionally high n»: g to the large grain traffic caused 8 by $ famine in Southern India. Mr iu Danvers,' in his annual report for me the Thdian railways, states that during th? year the famine traffic increased the rewir by about £600,000. Excluding this S tionUitem, the aggregate surplus profit, {„ the half-year of the four lines on ~“ r S?wS ed f? iegna r teea i nte?ert^ more than half the profits realised during 1877 i This was chiefly owing to the We increase of revenue in the case of the Grdt •Indian Peninsula line- On the other hand ;the deficit on the remaining four lines during i the past half-year was nearly as much as if ■Whs for the whole of 1877. Altogether how' ever, the result of the half-year’s working j, encouraging. 5

RUSSIA AND THE HEELIN’ THEATY Although Russia appears to have failed for the time in forcing from Eoumania the con* 'cession of a permanent military riVht of war through the Dohrudscha, it is “somethin more than the “ harebrained chatter of irresponsible frivolity ” which testifies to the facts that the European Commission is being impeded in every possible manner in the execution of the duties imposed upon it by the Treaty of Berlin, that the insurrection is j Macedonia is still being fomented by Russias I agents, and that not only are the Russian armies in European Turkey being strengthened, but the fortifications of Boorgas are being pushed steadily on. At the same time it is reported that tne Russian forces on the frontier of Asia Minor are being concentrated, and the comments of the St. Petersburg and Moscow newspapers upon our successes in Afghanistan are before us. All this, of course, may mean simply that Count Schouvaloff, holding still a desperately bad hand, wishes to be strengthened as far as possible in his fresh proposals to the English Government, and . that therefore the movements and the threats alike are only further movements in the game of “ brag” which has so far proved successful in England. But in any event it is clear that Russia is strengthening her military position now, and if England shows unexpected firmness she may find herself Arrived at a point from which she cannot easily retreat with honour, or even with safety. ARE THE CHINESE GRATEFUL? The Chinese lower classes, are, there is reason to hope, beginning to find out that the foreigner is not quite so great a barbarian as they have hitherto imagined him to be. Consul Jamieson, in his report on the trade of Chefoo for the past year, speaks of the liberal subscriptions by foreigners in aid of the’ sufferers from famine in Shantung and Shangsi. Last year over £IO,OOO was subscribed in the open ports of China, Japan, and in Hong Eong and Singapore, almost wholly by the foreign communities, and was dispensed by foreign agency directly to the sufferers themselves. This year the same thing has been carried on in relief of the Shangsi famine, the contributions beinglargely augmented by remittances from England aid America. The total dispensed this year nl be double, perhaps treble, what it was hit year. It is often asked: Are the Chinese grateful? Do they appreciate this voluntary kindness ? With regard to the better classes—the literati, and the Io«r mandarins —it is stated that they word rather see us and our charity out of the country together. But In the case of all tie recipients and their associates, the poor labouring class, it is otherwise. Some ot toe gentlemen who took part in the distribution of relief last year have since visited these®* of their labours, and they all state that nothing can be more marked than the change which has come over the demeanour of the people. In one district, at any rate, where a 'foreign missionary used to be received sometimes with hoots and hisses, generally with stolid indifference, he is now welcomed as a friend. The poor people said to one of tne distributors, “ Jtf it were the Emperor tiawere doing this, we could have understood it > but that you should come all these thousands of miles to give us food, entirely passes cm comprehension.”

SERIOUS CHARGE OF Henry Jones Smith, lately managing cie» to Messrs Adamson and Ronaldson, snip brokers and owners, of Leadenhall street, Oliver Robert Strickland, manager t 0 Zealand Shipping Company, appeared oew* the Lord Mayor, on Deo. 18, on an ad]ournJ summons, which charged them with consp ing together to defraud the firm above ffl tioned. This case has been several plunder investigation. The specific ca»o against the defendants was that Smith, was employed by the prosecutors as chaw £ clerk, having been engaged in 1875 in chu* ing three vessels for them, named the t On, the Dilpussund, and the Lactura, ot . Hew Zealand Shipping Company, had ffl»“ an arrangement with the other dofen ’ Strickland, that one-fourth of the com®-' chargeable on those, vessels should divided between them, the , 0 f alleging that they had been doiraudt the amount so paid. The answer the charge appeared to be that what done was a common practice in tne eJ trade, and that tho prosecutors tbcw-t had on several occasions done tne . { thing i but it was also proved tea defendant Smith had admitted that n done wrong, and entreated the him back to his employment. 5“’ " having intimated that me ease for tn oution was concluded, the l® ar ß e ~j UavH for the defendants addressed the ■W", la their behalf, and argued Jrf, charge of conspiracy entirely'nme“ and as regarded Strickland m there had not bean the slightest a concealment, and that every one or , 3 aaotions was fully recorded m tne the How Zealand Shipping “^^hw?beS W S^ e(1 thajfhad taken place. »long investigation, decided uiw the (marge against both defenoan > ■tihfcSSliiwt'i” “Si's i,.i stain on his character. applause at the result. THE BDISOH WGSJ- en t that Mr. Edison authorise9 tho eD hie light is produced an ifiqy of platinum and but a duotor is noUTordinary iebV<r arrangement of the metal, w /jn con®, anflewith a new discover of tion with radiant energy» ft given tig ht current is made to genera

■ By slight modi- ■ —jpi" l we „f the conductor he has I i( *,*S » Darnell battery a I f^ ons f L read by. A simple I °^ alD tronS e nOII S ’ to ouch lamp I h SS aPP 4r,ltU \ircSrio ; trit shaft I the amount “; rr eu u:d makes it from New York JL son announcesthat ho has ton that Mr ® * , measuring the cur* * r /ected » m c Votric light, and that h» Lnt owd in ttie _i._j.tin2 loss m sub* ; nven fion f° r Se i* at P rewat ’n experiments for reducing the OMt engsg^.'®! w J d when there are hushed *» Siutheresultspubl^ • fp,ONIRIC MILLIONAIRE. A>. SS who died a few days ago m Count T 1 "ft* Of francs a year from life slone, A • , purchased from insurance companies. As the B 4rearsola this speculation j .uccessful so far as he was oonf**} Te ihougb he was on terms with «rned' •* he could not bear the ** S. and de * iwd - mu ° U ,*° ideso f h* T °S “ t property in trust for Xp£ S U « the French law do this, he went to ith the intention of bequeathing QsceT*! mi M {jj C puke of Bruntffldonc. He found, however, that the VtxJoU™ rules also m Genera, and C°" ' ‘_ ore than in France can a scan own will Then he came to Kndand, tf naturalised, and made a will, m «tvStSto U with a shilling, and rise that had to be divided amour » I<ft wof philanthropio institutions. But, cE ? w»me P f«Uer and it was evident that ggwttisaaw fiaci in favour of his son, who had never. him cause of offence. Count Nicholas, &>herit» aU hi, father's wealth. Simno s rear, besides personal property of vti nntcld value. The late CountPotocki SStoTof u.. of Sconce a celebrity in the mnsioil known as the fnend and benefactor of Chopin-

MISCELLANEOUS. The Tangnwd,— The Admiralty have at w p Wn up all hope of recovering the wreck TtieTinguaid. Arrangement* ate being iSo SSSt tie iron mast, of the ve»e£ &t present obstruct navigation. Torgjaei mar possibly bo used. "ifo remains of the late Mr George CruiksiMikvtre removed on the 29th nit from for oil-wen Cemetery to St Paul’s Oathe(ini lie Dean gave his consent to the burial in tie Cathedral immediately after the d«th of Mr Cruikshank, but owing to repairs vhich were in progress in the crypt, the reception of the remains was deferred. Toe boiler of the engine of the np London mail tram exploded in Pensanoe station on -Satodav afternoon. The dome of the engine ms burled through the roof of the station, and in ccmine down crashed into a first-class carriage, h'o one was injured. That are rumours at Constantinople of the discover? of a plot to depose the Saltan, and the late Ministerial changes are attributed to this circumstance. Some of those who occupied prominent posts in the late Ministry are and to be implicated in the conspiracy; the heir presumptive to the throne, as well as the brother and cousin of the Sultan, are said to be strictly guarded, and strong patrols are : moving about the streets of StambouL Ewarchid Pasha, formerly Minister of Justice, has been appointed Governor of Angora.

Ad icqcsst was held on the sth hut. on the body of Mr Frederick Gye,for many year* ■ imager of the Boyal Italian Opera at Cerent Garden, at Dytchley House, the seat of Tiscoont Dillon. The evidence was to the ;tf«t that as Mr Gye, on returning from a tooting party, was in the act of assisting Sir Alfred Hereford over a sunken fence, the r~ of the latter went off, and the contents %ed in Mr Gye’s right side. A verdict of accidental death was returned.

A boy, aged fifteen years, was charged at Pentre on Monday with having attempted to ring hu little sister, aged twelve years, at Ihntrifant. The evidence showed that the prisoner, who is an incorrigible youth, and qnite bejond the controljof his father, took tie opportunity, when almost everybody was out of the house, of tying a rope to the ceiling, and attempting to hanghis sister in the niMt methodical fashion. Happily the rope broke. He was sentenced to a month’s hard labour.

The witnesses in support of the charge against Lady Gooch and her nurse, Anna Walker, of having conspired together to mlm o 5 a spurious child upon her Francis Gooch, with intent to cheat and deceive him, went before the Grand Jury at the Central Criminal Court on Dec, 10. Alter hearing all the evidence that was laid before them, the Grand Jury came into Court n ?™ e following presentment“ Ho rue bul against Annie Louisa Gooch and Anne Walker for misdemeanour,” Ho rear the Grand Jury were =aoruy afterwards discharged. A serious boiler explosion occurred in the Jo* mme of the Agecroft collieries, Pendleoun, on Monday morning. The stoker obKrred about eight o’clock that something was rong with one of the boilers, and snmmoned engineers, who found that the water was P th , e top of the boiler red-hot. They endeavoured to put out the fire, 6 tens to prevent an accident, but a ’went explosion occurred. To escape, the tX’ 811 i n num ber, had to pass through the ‘ffJ!f°n Etear ?’ and in doing so they ware » that the flesh came away rom their arms and faces. Ho hopes aw Uertamed of their recovery. Ihe council of Clifton College have elected hj ’' ‘ o* Eugby, as head master, iDMinto the Hev Dr Perciral, whose Trinity College, at Easter eCe!! . ltat tr k? BUrrcn derot the office scholar of Sn ¥ r was a classical ft® • C® l1 ***. Cambridge, Bell cE?ndtS r,and Felbwof St John’s at Bugby for 80111(5 l’ ear * bocn a master itS er lß ?3 SS i n Pru * Bia to IP3 am) ,?7 “ 8223, that of surgeons aumWof ii of dcntißtß to 25L The mt>er of inhabitants was 25,724,40*. failuAo/Ttar b ““ootion with the last week Banlc wa * turned I This case k the - r d Chancellor, *»d ‘t was statedw“ ltiga ?f Q for 80 7®"*. L examination # t n ® witness was under ttoweSni fourand a years,and A wnvemS 8 * hsUd nine months. Ch “^endSft l * ,ca tetwesn the Lord ot c °Pjrights and plates tion last w Pf ,v tew ™ rt waß told by aucBird ; e n eL \ Hatton’s song, “A £33 o{ a ‘ , 4m«iu B SnS OTO Tre «»” fetched '“AmU.fsES*’ s Jules Bochard’s :*lised b? the Sf a * i &2 f 2 , 128 - The total s>7Bs, * days sale amounted to

[jllowiao f-vi authorities have issued the ! &a JroncWo “ d N ®" Zealand, vil 2 2; Thursday,/une?9, SSL SSu 17 { U Nov"?. h J hu " da J» Oct. 9 ; ,| w p more veswl.u T!lurßda y. Dec A S&TJ 3 the 70^- n lt>Bfc through

store ‘in. Early on Sunday morning the steamer Ben Ledi of North Shields, ran into and sank the schooner Loader, of Swansea, off St Ives. The captain, mate, and two men of the Leader got on' board the steamer, and were landed at Falmouth last night, but a boy named Peton was lost. Mr Henry Hiomas Bichardson, of Brynhyfryd, Pwllheli, who died last week, and was,, in conjunction with his father, the inventor of the tubular life-boat, has by his will bequeathed £IO,OOO at the death of his widow for the purchase and tfiaintenanee of lifeboat! at Pwllheli and Deal. He also gives £3OOO towards Bhosygwalian Church, Bala. The Prince of Wales has presented to the Sevres Museum the curious tomb in faience which was exhibited by him in the Indian section of the Uni venal Exhibition.

Two perwwu contemplate making a trip from San Francisco to Australia, in the coming spring, in a dory—the same kind of a boat in which the voyage was made from New York to Europe. ! The Harvard Boat Club propose to challenge the crack oarsmen of English Universities for an eight-oared race next summer. ; William Gnus, with olios " Lord Ashburton," has been arrested in San Francisco for extensive forgeries on the Union Bank of ■London, in •the shape of circular letters. His intended victim, E. J. Baldwin, millioanaire hotelkeeper, narrowly escaped. It has now been considered prudent (the Standard says! to make a further reduction in the strength of the Mediterranean fleet, The ships at Gallipoli ore no longer under the immediate command of i flag officer, BearAdmiral Sir John Oommerell having been removed and directed to return to England. The Agineourt, the second flag ship, has been taken from the strength of the Mediterranean fleet, and is now appropriated for service with the Channel squadron. The Shannon, ironclad, recently arrived at Malta from China, is also detailed for the Channel squadron, instead of for Admiral Sir Geoffrey Hornby’s command; and the Foxhound, which has been for many months detained in the Mediterranean, has now bora ordered to proceed to China. Another ship, tiie Seagull, which was intended to go up the Straits on arrival from the West Coast of Africa, haa had her orders cancelled. It Is stated that the employment of the English officers of the gendarmerie in the Tshataldja lines has excited the jealousy of the Turkish officers, and that the former will resign should Baker POaha not succeed in obtaining some redress for insults to whioh they have been subjected. Hannah Peace, who is alleged to be the wife of the man'Ward, alia* Peace, who was rooentlyaenteaced to penal servitude for life for burglary and shooting at a policeman at Blaokheath, was committed for trial at Bow street on Wednesday on the charge of having in her poeaession stolen property. Mr Poland, who conducted the prosecution for the Treasury, said every effort had been made to discover Whether the prisoner was married to Peace or not, but no trace of the marriage had been found. If she could prove that she was the wife of Peace, she ooulq not be held to be guilty of a criminal offence in having taken away the stolen goods in order to screen her husband. The prisoner said she was married, to. Peace, and that what she did was done under compulsion, and she had no guilty knowledge. It was stated that the proceeds of upwards of twenty burglaries Mid WtffOTffHKl , ...

A former named Beyndda, living at Borin, Tallyhaw, County Cavan, pas visited on the night of the 4th inst. by about twenty men, aimed with sticks, who broke into his house about half-past eleven, and beat and abused him violently. They afterwards carried him out of toe house on a door, again ill-treated him, and left him in a very exhausted condition. They took away hu gun, and before departing wanted him to take care or they would give him the death of Lord Leitrim. He says he does not know any of his assailants.

Several of the foreign consuls in Cyprus having appealed to the Capitulations in support of wmipilm. jurisdiction in behalf of their compatriots, negotiations have been entered into bet woes the British Government and the Port for defining the jurisdiction over foreigners. The British Government (a despatch from Constantinople says) recognises the absolute sovereignty of the- Sultan, bat denies that the application of the Capitulations continues to obtain in Cyprus. Strange rumours (says the Times of India) are going about Bombay and Poona to the effect that Sir Bartle Frere has been asked to take charge of affairs in India, and that he has consented to come, though not without some little delay. It were idle to put faith on anything so vague, and indeed so unlikely; but the Home Government by bringing out of their pigeon-holes everything Sir Bartle Frere has ever written upon Afghanistan, and by issuing them all as State documents of toe first importance, are unconsciously ftmiiiHng the gossip. The semi-official Press at Home are, m addition, taking the present Government of India pretty warmly to task for their share in the Afghan embroglio. Surgeon-Major Wailicn has produced an instrument by means of which toe heartsounds are quite distinct. By applying the microphone over toe stomach, the Lancet says, we could hear the noise of water dropping into that organ from the oesophagus, and there is every reason to hope that Dr Wallioh’s improved instrument may be made available for the purposes of clinical demonstration. Dr Waflich intends shortly to test the value of bis instrument in cases of heart and lung disease. THa Ming of Bavaria is erecting at HerrenOhiemsee a royal ch&teau, on toe plan of that of Versailles. When completed it will be at least as large as the Boyal Palace at Munich. The building is to be spread over 15 yean, sod the estimated cost is 88,030,090 marks (£1,800,000). There have been several paragraphs published lately upon the subject of the dress enforced by the various London banks upon their clerks. It may be at well to state whit these restrictions are—l. Messrs Coutts and Co. do not allow their clerks to cultivate bends. 2. Messrs Eoare and Co. require the clerks to wear white neckties. 3. The “ counter-men" in the Bank of England wear black coats.

One molt of the stoppage of the West of Tfyglajui Bank at Bristol has been to lock up the load fund for the relief of the sufferers by the Abercame colliery explosion. Fortunately, however, tbs whole of the Mansion House fund is intact in London, and arrangements have been concluded for making it available in continuing (he weekly payments to the widows and orphans. The young King of Spain has just,completed his twenty-first year (he “ came of age” when he ascended the throne four years ago), and can scarcely look back upon the past 12 months with pleasure, lies the bosd that wearsa crown” Is a very hack-: neyed phrase, but singularly true in the case of Alphonso XII, Daring the post year he has been married, has become a widower, and Vnn narrowly escaped the bullet of an assassin. At last we have an extradition treaty with Spain, so that criminals will no longer be able to seek refuge in that country. The London Gazette of Hot. 29 gives the text of a treaty which was. concluded on June, 4,1878, petween Her Britannic Majesty end the Kiwi of Spain lor the mutual extradition of fugitive criminals. The treaty was ratified on Hov. 21, and came into operation on Dee. 9. The friends and admirers of Mr Gladstone are about to present him with a silver axe. It is an exact representation of the American axe which the right hon gentleman is aeon* tinned to use; The blade u composed or soua silver, sad is inscribed with the following words Presented to the Bight Hon W* B. Gladstone by a few admiring frienas. The handle is madeof ebony, and the occasion of the presentation will be Mr Gladstones birthday, on Dm. 29. f . . Mr 0. M. Spencer has been appointed Consul-General for the United States, at Melbourne, with jurisdiction In Australia, Tasmania,and Hew Zealand. Hto_oPP® in *£ ment was-' notified in the London Gazette or Hov. 26 last. _ . The charges against Mr AttriU, Mr Hunt. and Coward, the cashier of. the. Cfcpltel and 1 Counties' Bank, Ventnor, of v King, thclato manager, to defraind the Bsotc, came again before the Ventnor n»jp»tratas on Saturday. After liaviog heard the com-

pletion of the case for the prosecution, the magistrates dismissed the charge against Mr Atlrill, the chairman, saying that there was not sufficient evidence to substantiate it. Th| decision was received with groat applause in the Court. On the application, however, of the prosecution, the witness against Mr Attrill was bound over to prefer an indictment against him at the next assises. The case against Mr Hunt was withdrawn, and the hearing of the charge against Coward was further adjourned. It was stated that the Bank will lose about £9OOO by King's frauds, Mrßradlaugh summoned an inspector of police at the Bow street Police Court on Tuesday for detaining 670 copies of a pamphlet published by Mr Truelove, a magisterial order for the destruction of whioh had been quashed on appeal to the Queen's Bench Division. .The Magistrate said the order for their destruction had become nugatory, and he directed the officer to give up the pamphlets or to pay their estimated value, £l6. •The pamphlets were given urn and token away by Mr Bradlaugh in a cab. A sign of progress is reported from Scotland. The Established Presbytery of Glasgow hare passed a resolution, by 28 votes to 19, setting forth that in the present conditions of society it is desirable that pabUo ■ vehicles should run on Sundays, alike for works of necessity and mercy and to enable persons who live out of town to come into the city to attend public worship. These reverend reformers justly remark that there' ought not, in the xnatter of Sunday observance, to be one law for the rich and another for the poor, the former being able to uts tbeir own carriages, while the Utter are condemned to walk or to stay at home. Perhaps hy-and-by the Presbytery will come to see that the principle they have laid down applies to other matters than travelling. Does it not occur to them that the Forbes-Mackensif Act, by which it is made impossible for a poor man to obtain refreshment on the Sunday, is an infringement of it P A farmer, named James BraithWaite, was charged atßotfaerham on Monday with cruelty to a sheep dog. Because the animal did not go for some cattle when he told it to do so, he tied it to a railing and kicked it to death there and then. The Magistrates, who in-' dieted a fine of £5 and costs, said that the defendant was an inhuman blackguard, and was not fit to be a farmer.

A libel case in connection : with the whilky trade terminated on Saturday evening 'at Dublin, in a verdict of BlOOdamages for the plaintiff, Mr Eoe. The defoldanta were the Dublin Whisky Distillery Company, and the libel complained of was contained in a trade circular, in whioh it was stated Mr Bee always used foreign barley, like other distillers j that there was no difference in the product of native and foreign grain ; andthatthsrewas not enongh produced at home to supply all that was needed by the distillers. Great consternation was recently caused at Balmaoara and other parts of Loch Alsh, on the west coast of the county of Boss, by a severe shock of earthquake. Hie house# trembled and the windows were violently shaken, but no damage is reported. At Bumacara the chock was felt at 5 o'clock, and'at Plookton, five miles distant, between 7 and 8 o'clock.

Anew tea has just been introduced into Paris which has the virtue of preserving the brilliancy and beauty of early youth up to the ripest age. This tea is called the Serins tea. It is composed of exquisitely refreshing and balsamic plants, growing on the foot of the mountains of Mecca and Libanus. It has the properly of rendering the skin firm and soft, and gives a youthful and fresh colour to the complexion. It is, moreover, so pleasant to the taste that the sultanas of the East make it their daily and favourite beverage. This tea was first discovered by the Dervish Cheikh-Omer, who made it known to the Sultan Osman I. It was Cheikh-Omer, also, who made known the celebrated Mocha coffee to his Sultan. In France it was known during the reign of Louis XIV., and perhaps it was owing to this preparation that all the women of that period were young and boautiful. The Serfcys is made like any other tea. It is infused for about five minutes, and drank hot. The tea-leaves afterwards, well stewed down, form an excellent eau de toilette for the bath.

A story comes to ua from Liverpool pain* fully illustrative of the adage that “ one half the world don’t know how the other half lives.” A whole family, consisting of ft mother and six children, have been smothered daring their sleep, apparently by the fumes of a coke fire. The victims were found lying side by side upon the floor of a room hardly large enough to contain them. They were found on the bare boards, some of the bodies being utterly naked, and others having only portions of the scanty clothes which they wore during the day upon them. The mother’s name is Cameron, the widow of a ship* carpenter. She was aboutJ4l years of age. The children are—Elizabeth, 9 years; Mary, 10; Duncan, 13; Flora Anne, 14; Angus, 18; John, 15. They lay calm, as if no great struggle had taken puce in death. The two youngest children were entirely naked, and the mother wore the clothes she bad on during the day. The boys were partly undressed, having but their shirts and trousers on. In the cold of a cheerless night they had sought warmth by means of a charcoal Are, and ignorantly perished in its fumes. - .

The decision that both the Princess Alice and the By well Castle were to blame for the Thames calamity appears to have a more onesided result than might have been expected. The effect of the judgment, just delivered by the Admiralty, is to make each vessel liable to the other for one-half the damage resulting to each from the collision up to £8 per ton. The tonnage of the Bywell Castle is 1376, and that of the Princess Alice 251. On this footing, therefore, the London Steamboat -Company would have to pay about £350 to the owners of the Bywell Castle, and to receive from them about £7OOO. The whole liability of the Princess Alice in respect of 1 any claims whatever is limited by Act of Parliament to £ls per too, or £8765. The chairman of the London Steamboat Company says the owners of the Princess Alice, though dissatisfied with the judgment so far as it affected them, are not disposed to appeal unless the owners of the Bywell Castle determine to do so. Seeing that the highest authorities have decided that ” the Princess Alice was negligently navigated, and therefore brought about the collision,” it con scarcely be accepted as an equitable result that the owners of the Bywelf Castle should bo made such heavy peconiaty sufferers.