The Express. — London, England, 1866-02-01 00:00:00

LIFEBOAT S ERVICES.—During the storms of the peat year the National Lifeboat Inatitudon, by its life boat and other means, contributed to the saving of TOT persons from different wrecks on our oeasta. The institution also ex pended £21,374 In the same period on its lifeboat establishment.. inaddition to granting £4,960 for rewards for saving life and exercialag the lifeboats. The committee of the Institution earnestly APPEAL to the public for ABSISTANCK, to enable them to meet the continued heavy demands on the institution's 153 Lifeboat Stations. Contributions are received b the London an. Country Bankers : and by the Secretary Lewis, Esq., at the In stigation, 14, John-street, Adenoid, London. jrOIIN BROGDZN. nitlGlll AL GOLD MAIN MANUFACTORY, V 111. inirmarreArraur. oOVIINT-OAIWZN. JOHN BROGDEN'S GOLD CHAINS. JOHN BROODER'S GOLD GUARD CHAINS. JOHN BROGDENII G OLD ALBERT CHAINS. JOHN BROGDENS GOLD BROOCH CHAINS. MESSRS. WATHERSTON and SON, Goldsmiths and Jewellers, Ware Ready b ut the Lospectioa a Great Variety of JEWELLERY, Latest WEDDING PRICSENTS De sin suiIsb trIRSW-Y °r ll DIET& It Pall-mall IMM, &W. LONDON must have a SUPPER and MUSIC ZOOM torGentleme&—Remember, we wait for you at "Theatre & MUM," atter the Covent-mitre Pantomime, and the Eke ou'rpregili. TO 001.1119PONDIMS. Amitosis's's Molded for • 4 The Express • London Imolai :=, all be A She Moe, 10, Boweriesirsol. by Two k m on IM dig cd palollealloo. aensasr . TRIS iron's, BROTHER SAIL Masora Bothern, Bank =dr:Compton ; Vises Nally Moore, Snowdon, dod.— IN TIE HAYKARKST , Yews Warren R D. ?Mar ; Mess Bosky, Howard a Wright—FlSH OUT Olt WATIS. PRINCESS% TM AMMO, QUIRT LODGINGS.—After which rr IS 21.1V13 TOO Lin TO MIND. Mews. G. Melville, L Mead, D. Murray b. Cilium P. VW" I. G. G. Mgr. • egg, sad R. Os*owl: Mires L. Moore sad L lodger.. LYCZIIIL Tins Erwin, THE 111178TRIOUS STRANGER. Mr. H. Widdkorob.—THE MASTER OF RAVRNSWOOD. Mears. Toontor, Jordan, Vowln. Sworn Widdicomb, ntspatriedr, Evans ; Moodarnor Twain, Elsworthy, Loren; C. Lading. ußlTAxxy_ Tate Inman. OLD DADDY LOWQIOB AND 818 REGENT fILICUS.-111. and Mdme. etertaenbach.—Menor Bona —The Golden ltaln. —Johnny Day . — Biz Survivors from the Crew of the eteantahlp London will appear.-01mar.—And BITTER GOLD. 111011 . FATIR AT LONDON•IRIDQL TI DAT goralogg, Sh. iniensca. X. no. zo.soaaow Montag. Sh 41m. --Mimosa. SE. Ma LONDON. THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 1. "Ir throughout the whole range of material " interest, that affect the well-being of a com " munity there be any one subject of greater el importance than another, without doubt that " subject is the adequate supply of food for the " people ; and yet this is a subject which in our " country has never hitherto been considered to "any useful or practical end. What should we " think of a General who should make no inquir;es " into the means that existed for the daily feed " ing of the army committed to his charge f Ard " yet we supinely acquiesce in the apathy which " has allowed the English Government to remain " in ignorance of those means, with reference to " the sustenance of those millions of which the " nation is composed. Nay, more ; we have " allowed jealousies, prejudices, and the nude " finable apprehensions of ignorance, to oppose " every attempt at inquiry in this direction." Thus wrote the eminent author of the " Pro " greas of the Nation," twenty-six years ago, and his words have not lost one jot of their applicabi lity to the present day. In 1860 the late Pam' CoNsonr cried shame upon us, in the presence of the most distinguished statists of Europe, then congregated in London, for our ladles in this respect. And Lord STANLEY, speaking last autumn at Birmingham, during the session of the very Association to whom a quarter of a century before Mr. Portrait addressed the sentences we have quoted above, lamented that the work re commended by that emiaent man still remained undone. Unfortunately, to show the reasonable ness and necessity of a measure is not enough to secure its success. When, after long years of ger mination, an idea becomes firmly established in the public mind, there is yet a most formidable ob stacle to be overcome before that idea can be put into practice. It is the vis inertia of the govern ment machine, whose wheels creak and groan in ind'snant protestation against the impelling power which so rudely disturbs its corgenial inactivity. Thus has it been with agricultural statistics. At first met with defiant hos,:li4 by the Tory squires who claimed to represent in Parliament the inter- ests of the farmers of England ; then opposed on argumentative grounds, or what pained for su:h ; then tardily acquiesced in and " damned with " faint praise ;" until at length the point was reached at which, thanks to the persistent energy of Mr. CAIRN who of late years has stood to this subject in loco parentis, the Government, with the asset grace it could assume, announced that some thing should be done. In March of last year Mr. Crum inquired ;n the House what step. were to be taken to carry Into effect the resolution of Parliament with re gard to the collection of agricultural statistics ; to which question Mr. MILNER GIBBON re plied that a sum of money for that purpose would be asked for during the session, and on the 12thof June the House vo:ed 10,0001. to be applied in obtaining the necessary informa tion. Before the end of that month of June the disease which has now attained to such • magnitude made its first appearance in London, and in • short time gave proof of its malignity in the ravages it committed ; one cowkeeper, in Islington, alone losing more than one hundred cows. On the 29th September, a royal commission was issued for an investigation of the origin and na ture of the " contagious or infectious disorder " now prevailing among the cattle of Great " Britain." Still the Government made no sign with regard to a most important element in the in quiry opened by the Commission. The Commissioners, with praiseworthy diligence, opened the examination of witnesses on the 2nd of October, and on the 24th of that month their Secretary wrote to Mr. Mrtzerx Grusorr, represent ing " the importance of obtairing correct infer. " motion respecting the number of horned cattle " and sheep in the country." " Such returns," the Secretary adds, "if they were in existence, " would be valuable on the present occasion." The reply from the Board of Trade is a curiosity in the way even of offici►l correspondence. " The repro " sentation of the Commissioners has received the " prompt (the reply bears date 3rd November) and " anxious consideration of 'my Lords,' and they " concur with them as to the importance," "If such information were obtained it could •' not fail to be of great utility and interest at "the present time to the agriculturists, as well as "to the public at large. It appears that this " country is almost exceptional in not possessing " returns of the number of its cattle. Unfortunately " it is for the chief division of the United Kingdom \ a. THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 1, 1866. "—England and Wales—that there is an entire " absence of information," In. Doss not this read as though these facts had come in the light of sudden snd astounding revelation to "my Lords"? They had been patent to everybody aka for some years, but the sensorium of "Boards" is pro verbially dull. The idea once grasped, however, energy is to take the place of repose, and " my " Lords will take immediate steps to invite the co " operation of English agriculturists in a work of " such manifest interest and importance." Accordingly, on the 6th of December, by which date some 47,000 cattle had been attacked by the plague, " my Lords" write to the Home-office "to " move Secretary Sir Ozone& GREY to cause the " county magistrates of England and Wales, and " the corresponding authorities in Scotland, to be " informed of ',the steps about to be taken by the " Board of Trade, for the purpose of ascertaining," arc. fte. Sir GEozox GREY'S notion of prompt ness differs somewhat from that of "my Lords ;" for on the Bth of December a circular letter was sent from the Home-office, "moving " the Lords- Lieutenant to render any assistance which might be necessary. We have thus traced the progress which has been made since the money was voted in June last, in order ti place clearly before the public the amount of delay which has been allowed to retard the progress of a business that demanded the utmost despatch. " My Lords " have acted on SHEEIDAN'S principle of not doing to-day what could by any possibility be put off till to-morrow ; they have gone on in a careless, happy-go-lucky sort of fashion, and the crash has come, finding them, like the foolish virgins, sleeping. And even now that they have been roused into action, who can say how soon we shall get the particulars which everybody is look ing for so anxiously ! We have just been informed that the return is to be made on the sth of March ; but, judging from past experience of the promptitude of "my Lords," it is too much to hope that the results will be known before the middle of this year, if so soon. But by the middle of this year half of our stock owners may be ruined, and our people, ban gri, mat gre reduced to the condition of vegetarians. We shall be told, no doubt, of the difficulty of organizing a plan involving the sending out "the very large number of schedules required." But in this country such an operation is by no means novel ; and we are much mistaken if the Census Commissioners required more than six months for the printing and distribution of a very much larger number of schedules than are requisite for the supply et all the owners of cattle in Great Britain. The delay which has already taken place is indeed the more inexcusable, insomuch that ample means were in the hands of the Government, through the elaborate and highly efficient organi zation of the registration officers of the kingdom, for the collection of such information as was needed. The operation of taking the census of the people of all England was much more difficult and trouble some than a census of cattle can be ; for in the one case every nook and corner of the country had to be searched on the chance of finding a stray unit of population, whereas cattle are usually located in herds, and the number of owners is in most cases pretty generally known. And yet in less time than has been trifled away in cor respondence in this instance, the names, ages, and other particulars of every man, woman, and ch"d in England were enumerated, and their numbers approximately known. Why so excellent and so ably managed ar organization has been now dispensed with we lave not been informed ; but such is the case, and the officers of Inland Revenue are to undertake duties for which, as far as we know, they have no special qualification superior to the registrars. On the contrary, they do labour under this very decided disqualification, that whereas in nine cases out of ten the registrar is indigenous to his district, the exciseman is a bird of passage, who may be moved from place to place at the discretion of his superiors. However, it is now too late to alter what has been done. It is plain that the whole sub ject of agricultural statistics must of necessity be dealt with broadly and in a serious manner by the Government very soon, and then the most fitting organization for their collection must be adopted, as the public interests require, and not as the individual fancies of any department may suggest. But with regard to this census of cattle, it is also plain that if it is to be of the slightest earthly use so far as the present cattle plague is concerned, another three months ought not to elapse before the enumeration is completed and the result pub lished. If the Board of Trade arrangements are not sufficiently in a forward state to admit of the possibil; ty of this despatch there must be heavy blame somewhere, and we trust that in such case the new Parliament will have a word or two to say on the subject not very agreeable to official supineness. OUR CONTEMPORARIES. (THIS DAT.) THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT. The Times dwells upon the uncertainty and the difficulties pat is the way of the new House of Commons by the doubt on the subject of the Reform Bill ;—what it is to be ; what will be done if it is passed, and when it is to be brought in—the anoouncemeat that nothing is to be done in the matter till after Easter reminding one of not a few instances in which a brief respite has been followed by an absolute reprieve. In that world of thought, which is the common property of all of us, every H.P. must feel as if he carried about him a terrible disease, the crisis of which must come be'ons next August, bringing perhaps death, perhaps health, perhaps a lingerie. existence belonging rather to the former than the latter. The best thing parlia ment can do is to set to work on the ordinary and heavy business of legislation as seriously ant steadily as if no such sentence were hanging over its heed. It has to wipe off long arrears. It has to provide, if possible, that the country shall one day look back with food regret to the self-denying, patriotic, business•litre habits of the het House of Commas that could be sent to represent, io a special sense, the gentry of England. By doing is usual and proper work, sad so keeping the public attention fixed on public business, it may even reverse its sentence, and find itself living on as if by the law of continuity. Indeed. that is the best answer that could be given to the demand for reform, and by far the most likely to be successful. The Daily News observes that for • whole generation there has been no meeting of parliament so portentous or so interstirtg as that of to-day, when • new period of political activity sets in, and • policy of principle is to be entered upon. The great interests of our foreign relations, important as they are, pale before the vividness of our eamarn about several domestic questions, say one of which would give importance to the opening of au ordinary cation of an existing parliament. The Fenian conspiracy. thv Jamaica scandal, the cattle plague, the Irish land and eltureh questions ; the renovation aid improvement of oar river basins, and espeally that of the Thames ; the puri flattioa of our Malawi end the disposal of the 'image of oar towns; the oontrol and amendment of parts of our railway system; a thorough review of our poor-!aw ad minharation—these are questions which eau hardly wait the pleurae of the opponeuts of • reform bill ; and we most hope that they will be brought forward st moo, if the Worm bill is not to be promoted till clan epos Faster, or after it. The element of novelty, too, in a fresh parliament is always large, and the excitement otouriosity, stimulated tostbior by the changes in the cabinet—is pest accordingly. One more incident there is which the national heart feels too deeply to need er to endure many wards about. When the Cleansing have amen their Speaker, and swore their oath, end are ready for business, the Queen will meet her parliament once more, and there is not a members( either hones. nor a citizen who will be in the streets mat Tues day, nor the humblest listener for the news down in the country, who will not be animated and sheered by the long desired interview between the Sovereign and the represen tatives of the nation. The Herald says that the ministry not only meets perils- meet inoomplete, but also without a policy ; for the charac ter of the reform bill, in which lies its whole importance, has still to be decided, and on Ithe Jamaica, Irish, sod chart* questions nothing has yet been determined. The government, moreover, is not only weak in its want of principle or decision but in its want of debating power and political prestige. Mr. Gladstone will assume the leaders i ship of the House of Commons—a position of which his antecedents seem to show that he is absolutely incapable, and which, unless the Ethiopian has changed his skin, wi" soon put the House of Commons into confusion. And prac tically he stands alone in the duty of defending the govern ment against the assaults which threaten it from so many different quarter; for his colleagues are hardly straw enough to defend their own departments. The Telegraph anticipates the event( al session which nominally opens to-day will renew to the people of Eng land stormier debates and angrier discusioss than any that ruffled the tranquil surface of the " long parliament" now historically identified with the name and memory of Pal merston. If anyone in the cabinet still cherishes doubts as to the wisdom of reform—which will be the chief topic of the session—if anyone holding office is not ready to work with his whole vigour of body and brain to carry . the bill through the house—the sooner such a waverer quits his place the better. The ministry moat know by this time that any hesitation or timidity, any paltering I with the question, will be sternly and swiftly resented. The bolder the measure, within certain well-understood limits, the greater is the probability that it will pass ; and that probability will be strengthened if the trimmers in the house—who are chiefly anxious to avoid the trouble and expense of another electoral contest—receive a distinct in timation that, defeated, the government will appeal to the country. The Star sketches the probable corm of the mourn tive leaders on the Jamaict question and with regatl to reform, and instances the demonstration at Manchester, cn Tuesday, as indicative of the fate of a 61. rate-paying bill. The reformers of Lancashire, as well as in other parts of the country, hays offered the government a fair compromise—a reasonable ultimatum ; and the Star hopes that ministers will not commit the grievous error wbich won'd be involved ht its rejection. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. (alarm's rimsonsits.) PORTUGAL. MOON, JAL 30. General Prim has arrived here, and is the guest of the Marquis Nina. The Cortes have approved the new press law. SPAIN. MADRID, JAN. 31, EvrcNa. In to-day's sitting of the Senate General Concha proposed that only two Senators should be allowed to speak on the address to the Queen, namely, one for and the other against it. THE SPANISH PASSIVE DEBT. MADRID, JAN. 3L The usual monthly auction for the Sinking Fund of the Passive Debt took place to-day. The prices fixed by the government were for the Ist elan in terior 31.80, and for the 2nd interior 17.75. Private tenders were made from 31.25 to 32 for the Ist, and from 17.16 to 18 for the 2ad interior. No offers were made for the exterior. OUTWARD CALCUTTA, CHINA, AND AUSTRALIAN MAILS. YALTA, J. 31. The Syria, from Marseilles on the 28th inst., arrived here yesterday at 6p.m., and left to-day at noon for Alexandria. The Ripon, from Southamptonen the 20th inst., arrived to-day at noon, and will leave at 6 p.m. for Alexandria. LLW INTELLIGENCE. (THIS DAY.) -.-- JUDICIAL COMMITTEE OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL. - (Present, Lord Chelmsford, Sir R. Vaughan Williams, Sir J. Colville, end Sir Laurence Peel.) The sittings of the committee were resumed this morning, when judgment was given in several caws argued before their lordships some time since. ZVANS AND OTHZZB v. THZ —PETITION OP SIGHT. This was a petition of right from Victoria. The pen. titioeers were large railway contractors and bid been employed by the government at Melbourne to conetruot the Geelong Railway sad other works. The essitract exceeded one million sterling, and the question rebind wee as to the interest to be deducted by the government :- 10 per cent was to be deducted on the certificates of the engineer and to be invested in railway debentures when the sum reached 10,0001., and then a question was started whether, in addition, 74 per mit. should be deducted. The difference with interest was about 7,0001., and the petitioners appealed from the decision of the Supreme Court of Vittoria. Lord Chelmsford, in delivering the judgment of their lordships, recapitulated at considerable length the facts of theca's, and said the came had been twice argued. The question of the 7) per cent. had been started in the course of the case. Their lordships set aside the judgment below for the crown, and decided in favour of the contractors, but as the question of the additional interest wee now raised in the other court no costs would follow. Judgment for the appellant COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH. After Term Nit Prins sittings at Westmisster.(Before the Lord Chief Janice.) This was the first day of the after term nisi pries sittings. The hit oontained 144 causes ; 63 are remands, and 81 new causes ; 71 are marked for special juries. In the case of Pike V. Schnsdhorst, a special jury case, which was an action for an alleged misrepresentation in the sale of a photographer's business in the Strand, the learned counsel Mr. Chambwe,Q.C.(with whom was Mr. Philbriok), and Mr. Huddleston, Q.C. (with whom was Mr. Henry James), conferred together, which restated in the record being withdrawn upon terms agreed upon between the parties. ANOTHER oar OF 100,0001. BY ma PEABODY. The Tints announces another noble act on the part of Mr. Peabody. That gentleman, it seems, bag placed in the hands of the trustees an additional sum of one hundred thousand pounds for the same purpose as the former en dowment: his donation now amounting to a quarter of a million. Such a gift from one person is, probably, the Times remarks, the most splendid set of munificence on record. But the manner of this gift is even more admirable than its magnitude, and is, in a still greater degree, beyond any expression of our thanks. It is made during the life of the donor. That he may increase the happiness of the poor of London, Mr. Peabody, who is not himself au Eng lishman, nor bound tow by any peculiar ties, has denied to himself the use and the pleasure of a quarter of a million of mosey. By 'a very p.rtial ►pplic►tion of the fund which hes been yet made, no lass than 850 persons have already been rescued from the degrading con dition of ►heir former dwellings ; and the Tunes ventures to doubt if the trustees will be able to di-cover any more useful appropriation of the money than a work of this kind. The collateral advantaps of the fond in furnishing an example of what may be profitably done in the way of good buildings for the poor are of great importance, and a still further benefit from the splendid example is that it may naturally elicit others of the same character on a scale more proportionate to ordi nary means from other benevolent persona If everyone would do but half as much in his own immediate neigh bourhood, according to his ability, as Mr. Peabody has done for a strange country, the condition of the pour would soon cease to present those sad and difficult pro blems which now mar the enjoyment of our highest pros perity. Mr. Peabody's name ought, in any case, to be always cherished in the gratitude of the public, mad be will be remembered by all classes of our countrymen as, both by act and by example, one of the greatest beaefsc. toes of the London poor. THE DORBETSHISE LLHOEHEL " S. G. 0.," the well-known correspondent of the Tines, confesses to a degree of astonishment on reading Lord Sbafteibury's letter on the condition of the Dorsetehire labourer, of which in his old age he did not think himself capable. He altogether denies that any such statement Ito that the noble lord has put forth with rezard to the labourers on the 18 fax me, if tree on them, could be proved to be true on almost all the se' Aar of the county. Both as to the state of the cottages, the hours of labour, end the value of perquisites, "S. G. 0." is altogether at variance with the noble lord. " I wish," be says, "Lord Shaftes bury would go through personally the length end breadth of the county, and study to arrive at the r eal truth; he world rota-n to St. Giles's a more red• if not • wiser man." But matters are mending. Wages must rise, for there is a call for labour elsewhere, which will soon lower the supply of able men in Donetehite to a degree which will make it • matter of necessity to pay them and lodge them better. There most be more cottages built, for the farms cannot be worked without them. Declining for the present any attempt to strike the balsnoe between Lord Shaftesbary'a facts and those of "S. G. the Daily Nears wi'l take what his lordship says as a truthful—no one can doubt that it is a sincere—represen tation of the average condition of the Southern peasant. It is melancholy to find it brought forward in vindication of the existing rural economy, or as a proof even of its comparative excellence. Possibly the collective earnings of such families as are described may provide them with the material comforts needful to make life ph7sically endurable. But at what a cost are these things purchased Hope is excluded. The head of the family can look for ward to nothing but the workhouse as the refuge, or the parish doles as the support of bis old age, when he is pest working ; and he can anticipate only • repetition of his own career for his children. What wonder if, with a prospect like this before him, and with urgent necessities pressing him every hour, all thoughtof the future is shunned, and the man lives like a brute wholly is the present moment' Emigration, which has relieved Ireland, is not likely to thin to any considerable degree the agricultural districts of England, until with the modification of the law of settle ment a freer movement ensues among the masses of the agricultural population, of which the first effect wig be to produce en approximately uniform rate of wages through out the kingdom, raising the average in Dorset and Devon, and lowering it is the same proportion in Yorkshire and L►ncashire, end thus stimulating emigration from the regions which it depresses to the United States and the British colonies. An exodus at some future time from the agricultural districts of England, parallel to that which Is depopulating Ireland, is not an impossibility. It only needs a beginning. In co-operation with this, the abolition of the monopoly in the soil, caused by the laws of entail and of settle ment sod the law of primogeniture, by producing larger investments of capital in it, would have the effect of improving. in an incalculable degree, the sondition of the English peasant. A mere abundant wages fund would exist for division among a smaller body of labourers. Whatever temporary alleviations may be wisely employed, emigration from the rural districts and free trade io the land are the asseetial con ditions of a thorough cure of, perhaps, the most grievous ' industrial evil of English society. It is understood that the title of the bishop whom the Bishop of Cepetown is about to consecrate in the room of Bishop Colette°, will be not the Bishop of Natal, but the Bishop of Pietermeritsburg. PAILLIANINTAIY EXACTIONS TO COY& --Since the general election death has mad* two vacant tests In the new perli►meat ►bout to assemble, and at the same time that writs issue for sew elections to these, write will be sent out for London, Louth, Pontefract, and Sun derlsed, for whiete Mr. Gosehen, Mr. Chichester Fortescue, Mr. Childers, mad Mr. Fenwiek will severally seek re-elec tdoe, each after hie rt lent appointment to office under the government. Is Sunderland only, of these four, is there say preemie* of a content. The two seats vacant by death are Mvertos, when Mr. Deeman will «wised with Sir John Ray to emceed the late Lord Palmerston ; and Brecoe, where the Earl of Breakneck will probably be eke ed, without opposition, to take the pleas of the late Colonel Lloyd Watkins. the Court. OSBORNE, J Lit 31. The Queen drove out yeeteruay afternoon, attended by the Dowager Duchene of Athole. A Cabinet Council was held yesterday at the official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury in Downing-street. The ministers pre sent ware—Earl Russell, the Lord Chancellor, Earl Granville, the Duke of Argyll, Sir George Grey, the Earl of Clarendon, the Right Hon. Edward Cardwell, Earl de Grey, Sir Charley, Wood, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Duke of Somerset, the Right Hon. T. Milner Gibson, Lord Stanley of Alderley, the Right Hon. G. J. Goschen, and the Right Hon. C. P. Villiers. A deputation of the Markets Committee, °malting of Mr. Thos. Rudkin (chairma), Mr. Samuel Gibbins, end Mr. John Bannister, accompanied by Mr. F. Brand (comp• troller) bad an interview with the Right Hon. Sir George Grey, at the Home-of6m, yesterday. Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to appoint the Right Hon. Lord Napier, K.T., Governor of Madras. A telegram from her Majesty the Queen, ;1- quiring "in her ILafeety's name how Mr. Gibson is. and to *sprats her regret at beariog of his illness," was read to him at Rome by Mr. Odo Russell last Friday morning, and he perfectly understood its purport. The death of the eminent sculptor took plane the following day. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge, attended by Lady Geraldine Somerset and Colonel Home Purvey, strived last evening at her residence in the Amine sadon' Court, St. James's Pekes, from Cambridge Cot tage, Kew, for the Lesson. The Marquis of Ailesbury will arrive in town on Monday, in order to attend her Majesty u Muter of the Hone at the opening of Parliament on the following day. The Countess Granville is confined to her house by an attack of measles. Her ladyship is going on very favourably, es the malady Is in a mild form. Viacotint Sydney, the Lord Chamberlain of her Majesty's household, who is selected for the honour of pre senting the King of the Belgians with the Order of the Garter, leaves town for Brumels for that purpose a few days after the opening of parliament. The Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mrs Gladstone had a party last evening at their resi dence on Carlton-hones-terrace. His Royal Highness the Duke d'Aumale honoured the rilht hon. gentleman and Mrs. Gladstone by bit company at dinner. There were present to meet his royal highness—The Earl and Countess Russell, his Excellency the Austrian Ambassador, Lord Eliot, Lord sad Lady Dufferin, Lord and Lady Taunton, Mr. Arthur Peel, M.P., and Mrs. Peel, Mr. and Mrs. Gran ville Vernon, &c. A select party assembled after dinner. Mrs. Gladstone has fulled cards for an evening party on the sth inst. Sir Ivor B. Guest, Bart., has been entertaining • numerous circle at Danford Manor, near Wimborne, in Dorset. The following were amongst the list of visitors The Marquis Marquis sod Marchioness Townsend, Lady Violet Greville, Lady Sandyr and the Misers Sandy., her Grace , the Duchess of Cleveland, the Marquis and Marchlosew Of Bristol, Mies Prim-ose, the Hon. Mr. Eliot, the Hon. Captain Eliot, Mr. Loynd, I ,louel Overige, Vieeonnties Powereooort, Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Smith, Mr. John Ark wng* ht, Ac. On Tuesday night Mr. Lawrence Oliphant, the representative of the Stirling district of burghs in parlia ment, delivered an address in the Mnsie - hall,.Dunterniline, giving the impressions he bad formed in regard to the pre sent condition of the United States of America, which he has been lately visiting. Whichever way he looked at it, be said, the extermination of the negro seemed to him to be the only possibly result of their emandpation. Ile believed that even now the Union would be divided some day. Rossini has paid a visit to bidlle. Patti, at her residence, Villa Mario, near La Muette, In the Bois de 1 Boulogne. The Siicie publishes a long article against the consistory of the reformed church of Paris for its conduct towards M. Coquerel, jun., and M. Martin-Paechoud. The writer is particularly severe egiintt M. Geizot, to whose icilueece is attributed the conduct which the emmistory has permed. A letter from St. Petersburg, dated yesterday week, says :—"Everybody agrees that this is the most extra. ordinary winter that has ever been known in St. Petersburg. The weather is so mild and damp that we might almost fancy ourselves in hoodoo. The frosts have been slight and of short duration ; there has been a oonstant succes sion of rain and snow, frequently both together, and an occasional storm by way of variety. On Saturday the water in the Neva rare nearly four feet and • half, and upwards of three feet on the following day. This unsea sonable weather is very iejurions to trade, and what is of noises imperbmos to a great many of the residents of St. Petsraburg,it is unfavourable to the pursuit of pleasure. Th e 1 1 interval between Christmas and Lent is the fashionable season. At this period the theatres usually offer their chief attractions, and there are fashionable gatherings in the evening ; Troika drives, skating on the river, and eliding down the Ise-hills is the afternoon. But this year the skaters are in despair, and the Neva Skating Society are afraid of ening their house, which is built cat the Neva, disappear altogether, for the ice, which at this time of the year is usually more then two feet thick, is now so thin as to excite serious apprehension, that it may break up altogether. The picturesque eostnmes ►nd the graceful evolutioes of the ladies render the ground of the Neva Skating Society a favourite oleos of rendezvaes on a fine frosty afternoon. But such gatherings have, up to the present time, been of rare occurrence this year." The Gazette de Cambrai relates a sad accident which had taken place at the theatre of that town. In I pietas called La Vieillessede Brididi a pistol had to be fired, and, as is usual on each occasions, two had been charged with powder only for the purpose. At the end of the per formance one of the some shifters took up the weapon which bad not been need to put it away, when a boy between 13 and 14 years of age made a snatch at it, causing it is go off in the direction of his own bead. Two of the chill's fingers were broken by the wadding which had been rammerd down very tight, and his hand was otherwise so much isjared that amputation, the medical men thought, would very probably be oeceessay. A letter from Wiesbaden states that three days bask Copte.'n Vogler killed is s duel Idiatessat Bass de lisreeks/, mod eel, 70. The motive of the rasslbis was s dispute at the last wart ball. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS. Sittings at Nisi Prins at Middleeez.—(Befery Mr. Justice Nylon red r Common Jury.) HIGGS O. MAYNARD. - . This iris an action to recover damages for personal in juries. Mr. D. Keane, Q.C., and Mr. Joyce appeared for the plaintiff ; and Mr. Coleridge, Q.C., and Mr. Atkinson for the defendant The plaintiff was in the employment of Messrs. Black brim and Barnard, fancy box-makers in Lower Whiteman street, and the defendant, a coffee-roaster, carried on his business two doors off. There was a yard between the two promises, and on the 17th July last the plaintiff was loading a truck in this yard when a ladder on the defendant's premises fell througha window. The plaintiff hearing the crash looked up and a piece of the falling glass stuck in his left eye. He went to the Bye Infirmary in Moorfielia, thence to Bartholo mew's Hospital, acid afterwards he was under the care of Mr. Bader, of Guy's Hospital, a gentleman who was de scribed es the first eye doctor in Europe. He performed operations for cataract, and his opinion was that the plain tiff was going on very well, and that he would get a useful though not a good sight to the eye. As to negligence the plaintiff's ease was that the ladder could not have fallen through the window without want of care, and • witness was called who stated that ladder used inside buildings ought to have strata or stays nailed to the side of them to prevent their slipping. Mr. Justice Bylea expressed his strong opinion that there was no evidence of negligence to go to the jury, for there was nothing to show bow the accident had happened, or even that it was oonsequent upon an act of the defendant or his servant. He, however, after some discussion, asked the jury to say, in the event of the plaintiff being entitled, what the amount of his damages should be. .• The jury awarded 501., but a nonsuit was entered, leave being given to the plaintiff to move to enter a verdict for himself for this amount. COURT OF EXCHEQUER. _ Sittings at Nisi Prins.—(Before Mr. B aron Bramwell and Special Juries.) This was the AM day of the sittings at eisi prius after term. The list contains 53 rases, 19 of which are remanets sad 21 set down for special juries. COURT OF PROBATE AND DIVORCE. (Bofors the Judge °Millen%) Dr. Swabey for the petitioner ; Dr. Souks foe the re spondent. The =nine took place in 1844, the petitioner being the dat4hter of Mr. Crcealand a manufacturer at Hudders field. The respondent was the son of a woollen merchant, but he was himself a commercial traveller end he lived with the petitioner, when at home, at Huddersfield. There had been six children. It was alleged that about 1854 the respondent's habils berm, irregular, and his absences longer than his wife thought neceoary. She at last wrote to him demanding an explanation ; and in his •saver be complained bitterly of her relations, and from that time she heard no more of him till October, 1884, when he wrote to her begging her forgiveness and entreat ing her to invite him to return. She replied that sbe could have no confidence in him after his conduct to his owe father. In his rejoinder he demanded either permis sloe to live with her or • divorce. Be continued the correspondence for some time, until at length his wife told him that the tone of his letters made him simply contempt ible in her eyes. After the petition was filed his attorney wrote to say that any applicatic n for a judicial separation would be opposed to the utmost, but that if the petitioner would go fora divorce he would e apply her with the neces sary evidence of adultery. Ina case was not concluded when we went to prom] CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT. (THIS DAY.) (Before Mr. Commilaioaer Kerr.) Francis Alexander Wenham, who wee couvicted yester day of the offence of obtainiog mousy by false protegees, wes brought op for judgment, and sentenced to be inipri• weed sod kept to hard)abour for four months. 7 . . It will be remembered that the prisoner pretended to be as attorney, and by that means obtained a earn of 101. sod other monies from the prosecutor. THE CHLROZ orCIWILTT TO A CHILD. James Henry Harding, 18, wu charged with islonionsly causing bodily injury to James Stephen Pearce, with intent to murder him. Mr. Straight prosecuted, and the prisoner was defended by Mr. E. P. Wood. The oireumetaaces of this ease were of a very painful and distressing character. The prisoner, it appeared, had inohabited with a girl named Emily Ellen Pearce for about eighteen months, and the child in question was born four months ego. The prisoner and the girl lived at Peckham. and on the 10th of January the latter went oat for a short time leaving the child in bed, and the prisoner was sitting by the fire in the same room. As she was returning to the room the girl Pearce heard the child screaming, and on going into the room she asked the prisoner what was the matter with the child, and why it had been oryiog, and he said that it was briery, and wished her to give it the breast She took up the child for that purpose, and then observed that it was black in the face, mid it was unable to fats any food, and she exclaimed that it was deed. The primmer upon this, said to her, " Hold your tongue, there is nothing the matter with the child," and he then went out. Mr. Bloomfield. a surgeon, was sent for, sod upon examining the child he ascertained that it received an injury at the back of the head, and the head appeared to have bees pressed or squeezed very severely, and it had received other injuries of snob a character that even now it was stated that its life was not out of danger. The prisoner did not return home until late in the evening, and • constable, who bad bees seat for, asked him what be had best doing to the child, and he replied that he had not done anything to it, but that it had fallen out of bed, and had so received the injuries, and he added that he liked the child too well to do it any harm. There was ao direct evi dence of the prisoner having inflicted the injuries upon the child, but on the part of the prosecution it was con tended that as no one else was in the room at must have been the primmer who indicted them. The defence that was set up for the prisoner was that the injuries had really been indicted accidentally. The jury, however, after a brief deliberation found the prisoner Guilty of assaulting the child with intent to murder it. The leaned judge in gaming sentence told the pd• soner that only a few years ago be would have been liable to be hanged, and he might consider himself very fortunate that he was not now charged with murder. He considered his offence nearly u bad, sad he should therefore sentence him to be kept in penal servitude for 20 years. THE POL(CE COURTS. (THIS DIY.) ILUiLI3OBOIIGH-STREET. WZDDED MISKIIT. David Deady, a r;hogriTan, retTcling at No. 1. Market. place, Great Portland-street, was brought before Kr. Knox by Pearce, one of the warrant officers, charged with assault log his wife, Margaret, a rather good-looking young woman . . . llrThdward Lewis, of Great Martborotigh-etreet, ap peared for the emsplainant, and said tie parties wens married about five moetbs ago, the oomplabunt having at the time about 140/. They went into a greengrocery business, and through the Weaver's doodad ell the limey was expended, and since it bad been expended be bad been gully cf a series of violent smolt. o n plainint, and had threatened to have her hi e . Mr. Knox asked whether it was through ( hi* Mr. Lewis said he believed not. It was syr usage. He thought after hearing the wife's worship would consider it • case where tik e might be applied, and the prisoner by tb as taught that he could not illtreat his wife with ir • Hui comphinant said she had been married et the prisoner being her hatband. Yesterday abo ut ha atrack her and said he would give tin - He then took up a razor and put it is his - took it from him fearing that he would do a to her or himself, About 1 o'clock he vas out of the window. On Monday he beet her, arm, and kicked her in the stomach. H e woe V of ating her every other day, and she was 1% Would 'lobar k ll Ur or himself. Mr. Sem asked the complainant whether kit drank, sad abe said be did not. In answer to Kr. Lewis the oomplsiaant rld ibe • bar d her husband, an be was constantly taki ng , te Mr. Knox slid the question was was the pi law sighs His conduct seemed more lilts that re sane man. The ooiiiplainsat said she did not want to lire , husband, as she could keep herself. She bad she was married, and it was all goo,. 'note she was applyiog for the warrant, her hasimed, the things. They bet all their money because b would not get up in the morning, and ha sold th e although they had so means of living helmet • watch with the mosey. Mrs. Harris a lodger is the same house, yid, primmer beat his wife yestercl e y. sod beard th en quarrelling, and the wife calling out as if struck. The prisocer asked whether his wife was sot of coming home at 1 in the morning drunk, lad t said she never saw the complainant drunk. The landlord of the house was called, and he i although the prisoner sold off the things, the sanctioned it. He considered the complainsat but bad • doubt whether the prisoner was lift The prisneer, who mid that be was Waned 1 to leave the police and go into business, mid be unhappy life since he bad been married, and all I tunes were analog to his wife persisting in gin sister's instead of staying at home. He had toe, to go to on a railway. His wife's conduct nr much that he was like a madman. LOWill said all She complainant wanted ne prisoner eland keep away from her. The prisoner said he did not wish to part front she would keep from her sister. Mr. Koos said it was clear the who,* were leni t y asd dog life. He did not think it one of ONUS e g which it was absolutely necessary to put the *tauter and send the prisoner for hard labour. With 0 lion at a braise on the complainant's arm, which r been the result of a tight grasp, he saw nose of , peerancee usually seen in such mess. He thought plainest and the priiooar had better part. The prisoner said he did not wish to part fin He only wished her to leave her sister. Mr. Lewis said bar sister was her only Iran, now keeping her. Mr. Knox it was the old story. The L--eto -••••• and then the wife rushed to the motherin• wa in law, snd she was then embittered against liertaitan would advise the prisoner to keep from his We mouth, as he bad a situation to go to, and if Meier good facile( in her heart, by that time she wall better of it. He would take the prisoner's ma Banos in 501. to keep the peace for three months. WESTIitINSTER. lINPROVOIND AND DISOILACIFUL MAL John Beckley wan charged with being or four others in a wanton and unprovok ez j a ati father and son an they were quietly punning down Victoria street ea the previous night. Philemon Haskell, a respectable-looking mw, at 10 o'clock last night he was with hia sou se f home, in Victoria-street, when they were NW tacked. Defendant and three others were tight pavement walking arm-in-arm, and they i drove complainant and his son into _ sod then defendant knocked oomplaissot dowe hint, at the same time his sot wsa pushed up thrown into the road. As the defendsnt and 1,- approached, he said to one of them, " You sad the old and the other two can do it for one." Complainant was kicked in the lip, nal , was knocked down by a severe blow on the George Henkel', the son, confirmed his WWI meat, describing the attack as fearfully moan provoked. Defendant said be had enlisted yesterday Royal Regimen, and was walking with throe s' rides when he was pushed foto the road by MO psaioes, upon which the younger Haskell stone party, and on defendant endeavouring to part pommel fight essuad. A constable was celled, who proved that " drunk, and that both complainants were and the younger Haskell bleeding. Defendant was sentenced to au weeks hard the House of Correction. RacooNmos or Lora Sravicr..—An ins =moth% took plaws on Monday last in thee factory of Messrs. Dent, Allmoft, and Co., Ps is this city, when John D. Allcsolt, E.q., semen the foremen sad heads of departments those who employed there by himself and predecessors twenty or thirty years. Three had been in the ithwaids of foki years, seven over thirty the others from twenty to thirty y plaieed that his object wee to pr a e then a stantial proof of his appreciatio• of their I of service—to do by them as be had does those of equally long service in the warehouse at Lona viz.. to present to them a new year's gift the 'mould di year's salary. After which short address and the mat sloe of his beet wishes for the real well-being sign pinion of all, an envelope containing a cheque vas hesid to each of the 24 present, the whole having hem on years in the service of the firm.— Worcateratirt Chan MIL. JUSTICE SNOOK SENTENCING • IPUILE.-• At Dublin yesterday, after the Fenian Terence *meta been found guilty, the prisoner, in reply to the deasla did of the croon, as to whether he had anything to why sentence should not be prononnoed epos him, 01-4 wish to sty that what Savage stated is falls. I WWI/ him till I saw him oa the table. I have sense him or been at his house. It is also wrong to ilsaltd,l, w.a employed in the Irish People office, although I only feel proud of it. I would only feel it as haw-- Judge Keogh—We cannot allow this. You kep' he convicted on the clearest evidence. Thera was, is question at all for the jury ; sod your mussel IPSO by the nature of the evidence, to remain sliest. rat a dreadful instance of the madness and infanta' etal people engaged in the abominable conspiracy. Yea ell shoemaker by trade, a militiaman by orcasiossloallis. Tr wore arrested, you were bailed out, and you rsceivi i t the mercy sod wesideration of the Crown, but th e you are at liberty you proceed to prepare vesper ' purpose of taking away the lives of your fallowethelt That is exactly what would result from yourettratgal and reckless folly. Let me suppose all the shoesaben Dublin, with tea times as many Minis bullets, WWI and pikes, do they for a moment think th at a maul cavalry would rash against their pikes, to slit will and pleasure, or that foot soldiers would Oa to be shot down ! Have they redacted on an thing a l an Armstrong gas ? Why, one discharge of earitl o would sweep the whole of Dom to data Y destruction. I hope this will be orandsred . l o : men who have been deluded by then 006 who have bees keeping themselves In comanat safety. You have been trea•ed with great warn tion, and you have acted with groat baseness Is bed* after being bailed oat, gone to prepare weapon—meg for your owe destruction. And this dolts by sheer* oat of place, who, I maces, are maintained by the collected from the unfortunate dupes in this coastff so° the other side of the Atlantic. Prisoner—No. so. .10 Keogh—What a set of men to establab any anal° goverament His lordship, after some further obeineele upon the prisoner the sentence of the coat, *0 kept in penal servitude for seven years. The Cou.tditT EXPLOSION NEAR WIDAN.- 41 burial of the bodies of the 30 men sad boys terrible explosion at Messrs. Mercer and Enna wes imi l, ks took li p iffy lace , on Saturday y"srand Wigan, O r listn 11ts of the interments were at Asbtoc, others at Lam CLand • few of the bodieswere taken to bl Z Oreen, lace, Hindley, and Wiedlethav, ofr i Helens. Many of the deceased had made provisisal their families by paying to sick and burial societies_ 11 neighbourhood, sod in some few instances a condi/ sum will be received from these sourest and from that' =and. In other caeca, however, there i s mselate and this Mr. Mercer has done a gnat deal 101 l Many of the wealthy maidens be the district have MOP a desire to lend their assistant. in the work, an N B /1 bible a fund for the relief of the sufferers will net on foot. Offen of help have also been fa sward parte of the kingdom. Mr. Hisao*, Inspestor, has not yet made a second sixaminaties nine. and the cause of the explosiow remaas as apiary as ever. OUTRAGE AND INTIMIDATION IN THE C0171 1 157i Lenanw.D.-011 het Friday evening, a yam sues Kenny, sou of a fanner on the Ardagb estate. Imo"' laid sear his own house, and beaten in the most sloe smansr, by three men. One knocked him down asks. and thee all fell on him, and kicked and best him .is Se head till they left hilts for dead. After sorsa i rg mine to himself, and his serous. brought help . _l7O be was able to get Items, coveted with frightfulom • bruises. Th. raw of this barbarous trestmeat father having tendered for the repairing of a rail. however, whin be found his eon severely brat" MO up. He had previously been fold that it woala be for him if he took it. He also received, thalldll .....wi tZ a threatens. leeftr. His banded load also di lag not to assalle to the matter. In this In;;;Ir hi l ysA g law been lobos& above the law of the boa. ht Keen y had formerl7 the making of th e roads. have been very active in asking for the offeedele.ww" to this without asnalt—Dublin Sunk; Mail. • [ OPENIN On the Eno vsNom, the &Eitel Sped DEPUTA' To-day a deacon Woe iced clergy i whose his grace th Palace, to pr " We, the of England a within the d Ogress yerr late the sale their diverail established a efiloiesey of many dermal twin to set plain, we ea acres, In era ealated to n Metal, ma ealebratlon I a tuitional Arehdeao sad oaplaia• whe, he laic The ASCE se follows Nobody can gravity of t by the lona costly been diocese I hm instance of be ultintat way, bat I ascertain di not- allow. church is real positi shall be I beg to an sole no' to Imre; and different p prinsipk righteous rowed as His as the depute PROPOBJ DEPUTA This m nary (tbi sesoalattoo fee esourini the &are& pedal reel egathg to • Vita — Ms. I%se I rbily naitti imp* of C mal " poi Norther* ealthosiasi htva h oe Britain. Banffshire head la SoeDea I beady the oo s hot Okla has a eutoot c 'Oa Zigews • Awe Ail II at, „_ We. "" CIL r tt tflbs s th e i e . - 7n nth r a u = ic t roD 72 6 Tied --7 ,,, tat r &boys lir * alb* I lonelsehy4 e acills " 4ol 4 ti MO la f Of Z NI hoc her e melt d ee tang eg l:: 6 e Prim* l e Ate thaw y : 1 t to li ee * * , b e tl ii t4 'bud slat sus S i 44 til l Pii - Z n y seat sod isd! I. skid e im% tbsis se as l a w, k. 4 Mid th. 7"'"' • ad be Sw o t& the onyhe i i inset en gegeg , II lift !aced by y d rid be hi ,„„, sndellkt dm ij i ; 1 is goin g t a 10 isd vs nt Q.; it'd Psi Oath et bore** wens Wk s so of Sloss he otatnithcosi With th e ue . which sil t bic. LOW d thooght the y , C. rt Inn Wad, L , r ill "114 w or sissi beanie:ea 11 his We Si d it there eel 5 she wosldels 5 er's OVR 640. Montle. ASSAULT. , qaped with% .ed small Nis inning the is it. 5 4 nail son CO RTC re right was t they inuoedis into the ee k t dons tag kid uP VIM an Ind his sous se sod I villa • it for the's lip, sod IS Os the byp his When do y muds al • rietirai tkrei • by use Cita struck to pert Int hit dd.. re Perk* is' hard Magi I —An fantod io ti. sisre tun • Co., Passo asosehisi hors lecessors tor s. rn in the ihirty ymPs; Tom He 6 thin a • a at their 110 had dos d 4 r,, , .ir