The Sun. — London, England, 1869-09-02 00:00:00

--- 1 ; 71-1 E 7RUE STORY Of LADY BYRON'S - - LIFE." TO THE EDITOR OF THE TINES. - - Sir, —It is not only with regret, but with sur prise, that I notice the tone of your Monday's ar ticle on Lord Byron. After an interval of 30 years an article appears in a monthly periodical which not merely contradicts flatly every theory which has hitherto been formed on the subject of which it deals, but also seems itself to be one tissue of exaggerations and improbabilities, yet it is ac cepted without questioning. I believe a direct refutation of most at least of the charges contained in this article to be quite possible. This, however, I have at present neither the means nor the opportunity of making, and therefore leave it willingly to abler and fitter bands eau mine. Still there are some general considera tions which may be borne in mind before we finally pass sentence on one of the greatest men our coun try has ever produced. The story is nasty enouLli ; still we are forced to touch lightly on one or two points in it. Lord Byron, we are told, formed an infamous attach ment with a lady whose character has hitherto been deemed by all the world to be at least as pure as that of her accuser. In order to indulge his passion in secret he marries. By this he gains two advantages--firstly he adds the crime of adultery to that of incest ; and, secondly, he renders the discovery of both a thousand times more probable than it otherwise would have been. Again, he does not marry a foolish, loving doll whom he might, perhaps, win over to be his accomplice, 'but a lady of Spartan virtue, of a most deter mined character, and with a will of her own at least as strong as his own. To proceed, he commences operations by putting himself utterly in her power by allowing her to guess his hideous secret. To induce her to keep this secret he syste matically and brutally ill-treats her, finally turning her and his daughter (whom by all accounts he loved devotedly) out of his house. This year, by the bye, of incestuous intercourse with one woman and persecution of another is also the year of most continuous and splendid mental activity in his whole life. To hide his cruelty and render his secret secure, Lord Byron next forgoes an account of how two doctors come to him on behalf of his wife to try and prove him to be mad. While in the cue he also forges a loving note, which he pretends that he has received from his wife, and then leaves England and the object of his guilty passion for ever. During the rest of his life he studiously courts inquiry into the subject of married life, though his secret might be discovered in a thousand different ways besides the single one of a direct statement from his wife ; and, finally, he dies like a hero, beloved and respected by all, who ever knew him. Before dying he leaves his journal as a legacy to Moore, on the distinct understanding that it is to I be printed, as he considers that it will for ever clear his character. After swallowing the past statements, we have, of course, no difficulty in be lieving that this private journal was also a tissue of lies prepared for publication, otherwise it must blast his character for ever. Of this, however, we cannot be sure, since beft:re publication Moore was bribed by Lord Byron's relatives, Lady Byron ap parently among them, to burn the whole journal, an act which has been often and justly censured. ' All we know of the contents of this journal is that Moore, who probably was the only person who read it, remained all his life Lord Byron's most steadfast friend and defender. Nor is this all we are called upon to believe. Lady Byron, we are told, retires from the world, refusing absolutely to make any reply to her hus band's solicitations, either to clear his name or her own, and maintaining a dignified silence till her death approaches. Then, when it can do no good either to herself or to her husband, she determines to load his memory with infamy for ever by reveal ing what she had refn=ed to reveal at his request, and to hide which the journal had been burnt un published. In order to make her statement abso lutely incontrovertible, she does not put legal proofs in the hands of her lawyers, but prefers to make a verbal communication to a chance acquaint ance—an American, who had already made herself famous as a special pleader. After an interval of some years this hideous story is given to the world iu the pages of a magazine. Surely, under these circumstances, we should suspend our judgment until the matter has been thoroughly sifted, and not yield to the morbid longing to believed every thing strange and horrible. It would not be difficult to retaliate on Lady Byron that argumentum ad honzinent her defender makes such liberal use in her attack on Lord Byron ; but this would be not merely unjust and unneces sary, but also below the dignity of criticism. There is but one word which we would say in conclusion. It is this :—ln judging of Lord Byron's character, let us either accept his works as a whole as a wit ness to it, or refase to receive them at all. Do not let us call his appeals to his wife, to his sister, to his child, to his friends mere hollow, claptrap, and call him, as is too often done, a Childe Harold without his morality, a Conrad without his single virtue, a Don Juan without his excuses, and say that whenever be paints a fiend he paints himself, whenever he draws an angel he copies his wife.— Your obedient servant, G. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sir,—As the solicitors of the descen.lants and representatives of the late Lady Noel Byron, for - whose family we have acted for upwards of half a century, we request your permission to publish in the columns of The limes the following observa tions relative to an article which has just appeared in Macmillan's Magazine. The article in question is entitled " The True Story of Lord Byron's Life," and Mrs. H. B. Stowe is announced to be the writer of it. Of the paper itself we should probably have abstained from taking any public notice if it had. appeared in a less respectable journal than Mac millan, or if even in this periodical the authoress had been allowed to tell her story without editorial preface or comment. The editor of Macmillan, however, has not only admitted Mrs. Stowe's article, but he has prefixed to it a note in which be authoritatively proclaims to the world that " the paper on Lady Byron's life and relations to Lord Byron is the complete and authentic statement of the whole circumstances of that disastrous affair." Nay, more, " that this paper is, in fact, Lady Byron's own statement of the reasons which forced her to the separation which she so long resisted." Again, the editor states that the contribution of Mrs. Stowe supplies " evidence at once new and direct " on Lady Byron's history. We, as the family solicitors, beg most distinctly to state that the article is not " a complete " or authentic statement " of the facts connected with the separation, that it cannot be regarded as Lady Byron's own st itement, and that it does not involve any direct evidence on Lady Byron's history. Instead of direct evidence, Mrs. Stowe has no thing to communicate but her recollections of a conversation 13 years ago, and her impressions of a manuscript which she states that Lady Byron at that time gave her to peruse, and which, according to her own showing, she read under very great excitement. These circumstances probably account for several obvious errors into which Mrs. Stowe has fallen, such as assigning two years instead of 13 months as the period during which Lady Byron resided under the same roof wi!h her husband, and similar inaccuracies, to which, for the present purpose, it is unnecessary to Without for a moment conceding that Mrs. Stowe's narrative contains a complete account of Lady Byron's relations with her husband, we must protest against it as being. prefessedly—first, a most gross breach of the trust and confidence stated to have been reposed in her ; second, as inconsistent with her own recommendation to Lady Byron.; and, third, as an ignorant violation (at least we shall, in charity, suppose Mrs. Stowe to be ignorant) of _.the_express Or= of Lady Byron's last will and tes- 'r • tamea Fiat, 44 relates to 4 breach Um Stowe states that she was consulted in an inter view which, to use her own words, " had almost the solemnity of a death-bed," not as to whether ,:Le would unrler 4 ,ake a redaction of Lady Byron's married history, but only as to the policy of pub lishing such a history at all ; secondly, hirs. Stowe, on her own admission, returned to Lar' i y. Byron the brief memorandum paper which l a d been entrusted to her, with these statements of her opinion that " Lady Byron would be entirely justifiable in leaving the truth to be disclosed after her death, and recommended that all facts neces sary should be put in the hands of some person to be so published ;" thirdly, Lady Byron did, by her last will and testament, executed a few days only before her decease, bequeath to three persons as trustees all her manuscripts, to be by them first sealed up, afterwards deposited in a bank in the names of suchtrustees, and she directed that no one else, however nearly connected with her, should upon any plea whatsoever be allowed to inspect such documents, which the trustees were alone to make use of as they might judge to be best for the interests of her grandchildren. Mrs. Stowe is not one of these three. Her paper is entirely gratuitons and unauthorised. It is, as we have said, not con sistent with her own counsel ; it is an offence against Lady Byron's dying wishes, and the authoress has written in utter disregard of the feelings of those grandchildren of whom she speaks in a vague, ful , some way, as " some of the best and noblest of mankind." The appearance of the volumes about Lord Byron by the Countess Guiccioli is alleged by Mrs. Stowe as the main reason which induced her to publish her story; but if Lady Byron's descendants, her per sonal and trusted friends in this country, suffer the slanders of the Countess Guiccioli to pass uncontra dicted—for, to use Mrs. Stowe's own expression, of what value was the outcry of " the mistress" against the wife?—their silence should surely have led Mrs. Stowe to hesitate before giving to the world a state ment which, however, it may affect the memories of the dead, must inevitably inflict much pain on the living. " Lady Byron's own statement" is in the posses sion of those who love her memory too well to make a rash use of it, and if the world is ever to learn the true story of Lady Byron's life it will learn it from them. It would have been in better taste if M s. Stowe and the Editor of Macmillan's Magazine had imi tated the " religious silence" which the latter so much commends in the case of Lady Byron. Mean while, Lady Byron's descendants and representa tives entirely and absolutely disclaim all counte nance of Mrs. Stowe's article, which has been pub lished without their privity or consent. We are, Sir, your obedient servants, WFURTON AND FORDS. 8, Lincoln',3-inn-fields, Sept. 1. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TISIES. Sir,—ln justice to those who are dead and canno t speak for themselves the public ought to pause be fore its accepts the statement of what Mrs. Stowe calls the " true story" of Lord Byron's married life. Whether, if it be true, it was wise or right to bring it into general notice, is a question on which I will not enter. But is is true, or is it even vraisenzblable ? At present, be it remembered, we know nothing about the nature of the written document which Mrs. Stowe professes to have received from Lady Byron. It may contain some evidence of the in cestious intrigue with which Byron is charged ; it may simply express suspicion, conceived at the time, or even, perhaps, long afterwards. Awaiting fur ther information on this head, let us look at the probabilities of the story as it stands. Mrs. Stove asks us to believe that Lord Byron married his wife for the purpose of " cloaking the infamy" in which he was living, and that he " expected " her to con cur in the arrangement. If that was so he had everything to lose and nothing to gain by " expel ling" her from his house, as Mrs. Stowe calls it, when he found that the expectation was not rea lized. Again, as Lady Byron was thus " expelled," we are asked to believe that she was willing to re main under the same roof with her husband and his paramour, although she had been long before (Mrs. Stowe's "two years" may serve as a proof of the careless manner in which the story is to!d) ap prised of the guilty relations between them. Further, Mrs. Stowe has he'rself quoted Lady Byron's letter to Moore, in which she says that be fore quitting her husband's home she consulted Dr Baillie on the question of his sanity, and that " with the concurrence of his family." Who were the persons thus taken into Lady Byron's confi dence ? Lord Byron bad but one near relation living, and it would be false delicacy to ignore the fact that she is the person pointed at by Mrs. Stowe's. scandal. Lastly, though it may be just credible that a wife who had endured so much should, on being " driven from " her home seek out the guilty pair (as Mrs. Stowe describes) for the purpose of saying good-bye to them, is it possible that she could have consented (for it must be presumed that she did consent) to her child being named after the lady in question? That is a fact in the case of which Mrs. Stowe has taken no notice. If, however, Lady Byron did not know of the intrigue before she left her husband, Mrs. Stowe's whole story breaks down. lam aware that the scandal has been long whispered about, it is pro bable that it would come to Lady Byron's ears, and possible that she attached some importance to it. She may have said as much to Mrs. Stowe, and the memorandum which she placed in that lady's hands may be nothing more than the recollec tion of her married life, as bearing perhaps on the first suspicion that had been whispered in her ear. If it contained anything in the shape of proof, it is marvellous that it should have been cancelled all these years; still more marvellous that it should at this period have been placed at the disposal of a literary lady accustomed to write for periodicals. Assuming that there was not a tittle of foundation for the charge (and, as yet, we have no evidence of any), we may, per hapi guess how it arose. On the separation Lord Byron went abroad, and the first work which he wrote was " Manfred." Mrs. Stowe says that no one can read "Manfred" without perceiving that her story is true. I confess that I draw an inference directly opposite. Mrs. Stowe asserts that Lord Byrons mind was agitated by an "insane dread of detection," and yet she would have us suppose that he took the first opportunity of suggesting to the public mind the crime which he had committed, and that at the very momentwhen all the gossip of Eng landqui vi ce i n speculating about the was on th e causes of separation. It is almost impossible that a man with such a secret on his soul should have written " Manfred" at this time. It is easy to un derstand how, in fact, he came to write this poem. with himself was the time in which he wa s mostaotwar mood y himself and with the world, and the gloomy of Manfred was a reflex of his own feelings. Ho , could not better express that mood than by imagin ing some dark sin in Manfred's past life. At this time his intimacy with Shelley had commenced, and it was one of Shelley's fancies that the list of forbidden degrees of consanguinity in marriage had no foundation in nature, but was simply a (lake of priests to restrain human liberty. On this idea the original plot of the Revolt of Islam (which Shelley published two years afterwards) was based. Now, it is likely enough that Shelley's conver sation, which may perhaps have borne reference to the argument of his coming poem, suggested to Byron's mind the circumstance of Manfred's story; and it is not unnatural that some people on reading it should fancy that they saw a clue to the mare vealed story of his matrimonial troubles. I spy nothing about the matter, more or less ir relevant to the maia question, which Mrs. Stowe has put together with the view of blackening Byron's memory, if ever man left the impress of every attri bute of his being on his works, it was Byron ; and no one who has examined his character as thus re vealed can suppose him guilty of the calculating meanness which Mrs. Stowe imputes to him re specting the alleged fabrication of _the letter to Lady Byron, and other circumstances discussed in the article, Caritou Club Aug. 31. •C. P. ' - lunlT OF T3IE PUBLIC JO _ The Times discuses the question of compulsory ecluca • tion in agricultural districts, and asks could such a scheme be made practicable? It must be always remembered that in a matter like this you can never force a body of men against their will. Where, in the general opinion of their class, there is a clear case of right and wrong, or of expediency, the minority will be ready to defer to the majority. But on this subject the law would, we fear, be regarded by the labourers, their masters, and not un frequently by the clergy, as an equal violation of their interests and of their rights. No Govern ment can be in a position now-a-days to enforce a law against such resistance as this. Nor, we fancy, are many of the advocates of this innova tion sufficiently acquainted with the idiosyncracies of the agricultural labourer. Ignorant and helpless as he may be, he is, perhaps, for that very reason the most difficult of all persons to urge or even to per suade. Ignorance is generally timid, if not suspicious, and the labourer looks with a very doubtful eye on the schemes of his betters for his advantage. The truth is, unless your force is unlimited, the power of legal compul sion is in proportion to the intelligence of those whom you would compel. It needs some reflection, and something of the wider experience which learning brings, before a man is disposed to let his wishes be overruled by others. If the labourer is to be treated as a kind of peasant with no will of his own, by all means bring compulsion to bear upon him. But the very aim of this movement is to make him a man and to treat him as one. In that case the first steps must be gently and cautiously taken, or be will take fright, and the first effort of his dawning liberty will be to resist you. Meanwhile we certainly ought to make sure that the means of sound education are placed within the reach of all. Let us see that the supply is ready as the demand springs up. There is one thing we cannot do ; we cannot on a large scale create by law a new demand. In considering the state of affairs in Ireland, the Standard says it must not be imagined that we are advo cates for tenancy at will, for we quite recognise all the evils which might possibly arise from the continuance of a system which was forced upon the Irish landlords by necessity. They were held up to public odium for the neglected condition of their estates; and the only pos sible method they could adopt to stop subdivision was by keeping the tenant in such a dependent position as de terred him from the practice. Our observations only go to prove that, although some few bad men have occasionally abused their powers, the real bulk of the Irish proprietors have acted towards their tenantry with a liberality and consideration which in no way justifies the hostility evinced against them, or affords an explanation of the present condition of that country. If we desire to learn the true cause of the discontent, and the consequent crime which prevails among the Irish peasantry, we may learn it from the concluding passage in the last letter of the commissioner. He found, although the Catholic bishops were moderate in their tone when alluding to the land question, " that nearly all the younger Roman Catholic clergy whose ideas on the subjeect he endeavoured to ascertain have been more absolute in their tong, have denounced the landlords as a class severely, and have declared, with remarkable unanimity, that nothing ought to content the tenant save a perpetual or very long inte rest at a rent to be adjusted by the State." Can we be surprised to learn that one of the more enthusiastic pupils of those teachers of injustice should have cried out, even in his auguest presence, "We have pulled down the tyrant Church, and we will next pull down the tyrant landlords ? " Will the British Parliament aid them in their efforts ? The Post thinks that a working man's mission to Ame rica, as a "special commissioner" to inquire into the state of the working classes there, and the relations be tween labour and capital, is an idea worthy of encourage. ment. What Mr. Conolly cau do perhaps best is, to give a workman's view of the condition "of working men in the States. Upon his own estimate of what this duty involves, it will be quite enough for one man. He proposes not only to investigate the condition of the natives, the legal position of their Trade Unions, and in what respects they differ from those of England, but to follow up the stream of emigra tion from the sea-board till it settles in the Far West, taking note of the different kinds of labour to which emigrants of different nationalities apply themselves— especially those of England, Germany, and France. It is as regardi the information he can collect upon this bead that his report will be of use. It would be interesting and valuable to know what the effect of strikes has been in America, or to what extent their action may have been modified or prevented by boards of conciliation, or by any other court of appeal. Nay, it would be of importance if, six or twelve months hence, Mr. Connolly should report that the experience of strikes in America has been the same as in England. In that case, English workmen would surely make an effort to avoid having recourse to them in future. Any light, moreover, which Mr. Connolly can throw on the social habits of the working classes of America engaged in corres ponding occupations with those of our own would be welcoulod, But general American society has been described by more competent hands than his, and though his views upon the effect of the school system, in snaking "the lads more skilful artisans, better citizens, and better heads of families," might be interesting to working men 'with American proclivities, very little importance will be attached to it by the members of Parliament who have contributed to his expenses. "Ne sutor ultra crepidam." Mr. Connolly goes upon a working man's mission to America in the belief that no one understands trades unions better ; and if he " sticks to his last," he may bring back some useful information. The Star remarks that the Empress and the Prince lm pedal have paid their sad visit of official pleasure to the home and the birthplace of the founder of a dynasty which is now once again nearing its hour of peril. Their recep tion appears to have been as enthusiastic as the most de voted adherent of the Imperial family could have desired. The cordiality with which they were greeted couldscarcely have been other than genuine. The Corsicans are proud of the name which has made an obscure island famous throughout the world, and which, after the lapse of a gene ration, renewed that fame in the person and achievements of the nephew of the modern Caesar. If Corsica were France, the Napoleons might look forward with tolerable certainty to a long lease of power; but unfortunately Corsica is only an island in the Mediterranean, the population of which is French in no other sense than the Arabs are French, and far less so than the Lower Canadians, who still retain all the characteristics of their emigrant ancestors. The Corsicans will have no voice in the solution of the grave problem which will one day—it may be soon or it may be later—show how much or how little France has learnt during the long years of her probation. Perhaps the Emperor yet believes in his star. That fatalistic tendency which is traditional in his family has, at all events, the merit of imparting strength at a time when even the strongest will would be tempted to grow weak. But there is no reason to believe that the Empress was sustained in the painful ordeal of receptions and cere monies through which she has been compelled to pass by any such belief in fate ; and her hurried visit to Corsica will hardly live in her memory as an episode in which the burthen of power was easy to bear. The Telegraph refers to the melancholy death by drowning of two schoolboys at Rossal, and insists upon the impor tance of • teaching boys to swim. A boy who knows nothing about the use of his fists, is regarded with utter scorn, though the penalty for his ignorance is only an occasional thrashiug. It is twenty times easier to learn how to swim than how to box, and the possible penalty for his ignorance is not a black eye—it is death. We do not believe, however, that the difficulty rests with the boys. There are few lads in these islands who do not take kindly to the water : nay—as shewn by our story, which is a type of many others—they are only too ready to indulge in dabbling and splashing about in dangerous places ; and it cannot be seriously affirmed that they would find swimming- . drill more tedious than any other branch of their physical education. The responsi bility, we repeat, lies with those who had the power to make the knowledge of swimming easy to every pupil in the school, and who neglected to do so. The defence will be, of course, that Rossall is not alone in this grave the mischief prevalence the of m sgtu grave iltonly and renders cul pable. It is simply disgraceful that in a country like this, where the sea is not six hours' journey from the iimaoss its inlandllrobrook o to r w n r be so littl e k nown . It is the easiest to acquire of t w h h e e where art almost o swimming e every village should all vu a l n e d t, physical accomplishments ' it rewards the learner almost im me di ate l y b y g i v i ng him one of the pleasantest of all physical enjoyments ; and yet not a week passes in which we do not have to chronicle deaths from sheer ignorance of what is very nearly as simple as walking. Even the sailors of Great Britain, as a rule, are much more ignorant of swimming than the soldiers of France. The Daily News observes that the three great State n i . ? t s h , are some a t useful least knowledge.ol. ; i i g P trials whi c h are now going on, in which three boroughs are answering b e f ore spec i al tri b unals for the i r e l ectora l s akkirahmenenptarlianadmethnet comes Country t to legislate next year for the reconstruction of our method of election, there will be before ample evidence of the evil against which it has to guard. We need not anticipate the reports of the commissions which are in quiring into electoral corruption at Norwich, Beverley, and Bridgwater ; but it is already ev id en t , w h atever those reports may be, that in each of those boroughs corruption does win snore than honesty. The peccant boroughs comport themselves very differently before the commissions, Norwich is corrupt enough to fear disfran chisement, and yet hopeful to evade it; and there are probably quite enough honest voters in the constituency to save it from any such humiliating doom. Beverley has less hope, and therefore less fear. It would not deserve to have two members even were it pure, and it has but small hope of keeping one now it is confessedly corrupt. The truth consequently comes out more freely at Beverley than it does at Norwich, and the utter and universal corruption of its muni cipal elections is completely admitted—the Town Clerk himself being witness. But Beverley is nothing to Bridgwater. This celebrated western borough seems to have resolved at last to make a clean breast of it. It is one of the habitual criminals of our electoral system, and it probably regards its political existence as already.for felted to the State. Like Beverley it could have no claim • to two representatives if it were even a model borough ; but as the worst sinner of all the berouglssiogioup I -•- niE SUN, LONDON, THIJR -DAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 2, 1869. CROWNING_ TILE EDIFICE, I have always maintained that the Emperor of the French had no other politique than one of contingency ; that there was no forecast in his view of affairs ; and that, like a bad whist player, he played simply with reference to the trick on tho table; and had not the most distant conception of its influence on the whole game : that an air of great reserve, a remarkable talent for silence, an eye like a window of ground glass, admitting little light within, but obstinately refusing all information to those without, lent great aid to the impression of his thoughtful and reflective character. I know well that such as en joyed the privilege of closer intimacy with him saw these disguises, and read him with a far more just estimate of his capacity. We have only to remember the Italian campaign, with its abrupt ending after Solferino—the luckless Mexican expedition—and later again, his utter discomfiture at the results of the late war in Germany—to see that he fore saw nothing, provided for nothing; that though he looked mysteriously, and uttered his oracular platitudes with the air of profound thought, he neither took in the greatness of what was passing before his eyes, or had the very vaguest conception of the consequences that must follow. A a pool may be muddy without being deep, a man may be moody without being imaginative ; and a brooding temperament may pass muster with many for a thought inl disposition and a constructive ability. I can web imagine that a far abler man might have had less brilliant success. His stronghold throughout his whole career has been the exact opposite his character has presented to every trait and feature of the people he ruled over. Todleben's earthworks never presented a more formidable front to the Allied artillery than did this impassive tem perament to the furious assaults and biting sarcasms of this excitable people.—Cornelius O'Dowd in Blackwood. DOWN IN A DIVING- BELL A correspondent of the Daily News gives an interesting account of a descent in a diving bell. He describes the progress and works of the Admiralty Pier at Dover, and explains how the work ,is carried on under water. Princes of the Blood have been denied the honour of a descent, but this writer obtained the estimable privi lege. With regard to the dress be wore, the first impor tant matter he explains is that whether it is the coal mines .of England or Wales, the sewers of the City of Landon, or the bottom of the English Channel which you are about to explore, you must pull huge woollen stockings over your trousers, add a pair of thick overalls to these, divest yourself of upper garments don something scrubby and ticklish, which is half jacket and half shirt, and does duty for both ; put on massive boots with soles and side and tops as of cast-iron, and crown yourielf with a hat which looks like a dish cover in oil-skin. Thus equipped you are ready to meet your fate. Out in this dress, into the street, down through the works then ready, It is impossible to say how the diving•bell may affect you. Your friends have warned you pleasantly that you will bleed at the . ears, nose, and mouth ; that men have been known to become deaf for life after just such a trip as you are about to take. You learn that the regular divers are nearly all deaf, and that the shouting you have noted between them is a necessity. You will, under advice, " keep bawling" whenever the ear tingling begins. We approach and are brought under the monster weight, the diving-bell. While under the bell you seize first a central board and next an iron handle, and are soon seated inside it. Glancing upwards and around, you find yourself in a small apartment some six feet across and five feet high, with iron sides and roof, but without a floor, and which has hammers and other implements hanging in it, and stowed away conveniently in a sort of shelf. Above you are half-a-dozen bull's-eyes of glass, through which the bright sun shines. Your guide seats himself on one side of the bell, and after you have followed his example on the other he gives - the signal, and the flooring of green sea at your feet comes up to meet you. Dropping very gently and gradually down, the four sides of the bell meet the water at exactly the same time. A gurgling sound over bead, and the sea is rippling . over you. and you are veritably under water. The sun still shines through the frothy bubbles you can discern through the thick rough glass; and you learn that they are lenses of great power, and how a diver's garments have been known to burst into a positive flame through the tiny windows acting as burning glasses even while under the water. The dreaded buzzing takes possession of your ears. Shouting his questions out in obedience to instructions, you are conscious of several small reports, as if some children's balls had been secreted in your head and had suddenly burst. Then there is more singing, accom parried by hissing, as if an effervescing mixture were being stirred up in each ear and was in frisky condition ; then some sharp, darting pains, as if the corkscrews which have by this time supplanted the bubbling liquid as tenants-at-will had. developed the properties of lancets, and were shooting out to meet each other, as if in a mimic bayonet charge - through your head; then a plugging feeling as if you were being tightly corked up ; then some more reports, and you are better. Take it on the whole, the trial has not beep so bad as you expectd. Out of and through the bright but thick green liquid a particularly smooth and well-laid pavement comes up to meet you. On this the bell settles. The water is speedily forced out by the air, and the pavement is almost dry. We leave our seats and stand on it. We are on a portion of the outer part of the pier. The atmo sphere is astonishingly bright and clear. The smallest print could have been read at any time without difficulty. This is due to the extreme smoothness of the sea. Let it be ruffled ever so little on the surface, and the work below has to be performed by candle-light. More signals, and we are conveyed along the entire length of the pier below water—are conveyed, that is, by its outer wall, and note its mingled strength and symmetry. We are now five-and-twenty feet from the surface ; but the work is smooth and even, and we see on each block of con crete its number and the date of its make. Many of them weighing ten tons each, are moulded with mathematical nicety and according to a fixed plan. Each fits into the other like the bits in a Chinese puzzles. Each monster piece is put gently into its place, and it there remains. No cement is possible, but the foundations of the mighty pier look as if they bad been turned out of a mould, so regular are they and so strong. More signalling and we move "to Dover " and " to France," as well as over the centre of the pier where the shingle lies quiet and still. Further on, and at a far greater depth, are the excavations for the further continuance of tne pier, where three.feet of mud and decomposed vegetable matter are being removed before the chalk bottom is reached, We have been down, three-quarters of an hour, and are brought up gently, and alight into the boat as it comes under, with ears which, though hissing a little, have almost recovered themselves, and so we are pulled round to some steps, which we ascend. There -are no submarine works like those of Dover, nothing of the same kind being carried on in the same way at the same depth. When the sections of the submarine wall or pier advance to the surface—that is, after they have been built up forty feet from their founda tions—they are rarely three-quarters of an inch out ; and this fact, taken in conjunction with their grand solidity and smooth beauty, make them the symbols of scientific might and skill, contending successfully with Nature in her moat difficult aspects, and through her sternest moods. • VERY CHEAP POSTAGE.—A curious story of two poor lovers, Whose system of correspondence was confined to an ingenious cipher of ink-blots on the outside of the letter, is told by the poet Coleridge. In one of his walks in the Lake district, he saw the postman offer a letter to the servant-girl at a village inn, who, after carefully' looking at the address returned the document to the postman, telling him that she could not take it in, as she was too poor to pay the postage. Thereupon, Coleridge stepped forward, and giving the postman the shilling required for the letter, handed it to the girl. To his surprise, she did not appear as pleased as he had expected; and when the postman was out• of hearing, she explained the matter by confessing to the poet that the whole of the letter consisted in its address and certain exterior blots and marks, and that it was the method adopted by her lover and herself to keep up an unpaid-for correspondence in the days of dear postage. MR. FORSTER AND Mn. BRIGHT. —Mr. Forster is, next to Mr. Bright, and before Mr. Milner Gibson became lazy and ineffective, the most conspicuous member of a school of politicians curiously identified with the North of England. Like Mr. Bright, he is a Quaker ; but while Mr. Bright's vehemence, bitterness, and unfair ness make hini contrast most strongly with the peaceable principles of the Friends, Mr. Forster has an honest intellect of his own. He is a true friend of the people, and is object is not to flatter but to serve them. Mr. Bright affects to love the people, and after a fashion he does so; but in great measure he uses them as dummies to effect his purposes, and sides against them to promote the special interests of his ou n order, the large moneyed employers of labour. Mr. Forster, in class one of the capitalists, is in sympathy one of the operatives. It has been truly said that while Mr. Bright's imagination is full of the social aristocracy he hates, Mr. Forster's is full of the working classes whom he loves. Ile has given to the trades unions a support and appreciation very rare indeed for ono of his class to give. Mr. Bright would, trample down with the sheer brute•force of : Multitudes a minority:of rank, thought, culture, and refinement, with the kind;of savage joy with which a conqueror would con. template a sacked and burning city; but Mr. Forster frankly `told the working men that he.thought the representation of minoriticunifialltilkPriA9ll*.i:=47-Att LAW AND POLICE, Tnn FRAUDS AT WooLwicu.—The three prisoners wpo were last week committed for trial on the charge defrauding the Government, at Woolwich Arsenal, were on Wednesday brought up for examination on other charges. The charges referred to the stealing of other stores from the Arsenal, and after some evidence had been heard in support of them, the prisoners were again remanded, the magistrato refusing bail. FORGED NOTES.—At the Thames Police-court, on Wednesday, an Italian, named Pignatelli was charged with conspiracy in trying to obtain money by means of forged advance-notes. An Italian sailor was charged with a similar offence. Both prisoners were committed for trial at the Central Criminal Court, and it was stated that there were a large number of cases against Pignatelli. The magistrate demanded substantial bail which he was not able to provide. THE CHARGE OF IMMORAL CONDUCT TOWARDS YOUNG GIRLS. The extraordinary letter of "IL II." to the daily papers, detailing how he followed a man about and around Leicester-square, said fellow annoying a young girl, and endeavouring to force her into low houses, has borne fruit. He said it was impossible to punish the fellow. Nevertheless (as we have already stated) Richard Risley, better known as Professor Risley, was charged at the Marlborough-street Police-court, on Wednesday, with assaulting Maria Mason, a girl about 11 years of age. Mr, West, on behalf of the Society for Ow Protection of Women and Children, appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Poncione for the defence. Mr. West was about to open the case, when Mr. Poncione objected, on the ground that the girl was not present. Mr. West said some pressure had been put on the child, but he did not think that was to be attributed to the defendant. It was com petent to go on with the charge of assault under the cir cumstances. Mr. Knox decided on hearing the case. Mr. West then said the defendant was charged with following about a little girl, with asking her to go with him into various houses, and with otherwise frightening her. He followed a little girl ;he tried on several occa sions to get her into different coffee-shops ; he asked her to go with him to his rooms, promising to give her a pre sent : shewed her a ring, and attempted by all sorts of inducements to get her to go into other places with him. There would be plenty of evidence to charge the prisoner with attempting to abduct the girl. If a young girl was pertinaciously followed about and inducements offered her to leave her parents, then he apprehended that the charge of assault would merge into a graver accusation. Mr. Knox did not think that the evidence went as far as that. It only shewed that the prisoner tried to get the child into coffee-shop; not to leave her parents. Mr. Hales, of Chaddle-terrace, said : I was in Coventry-street about twelve o'clock on Tuesday, the 22nd-ult. I was near the London Pavilion, when I saw a child, about 12 years old, whom I subsequently knew as Maria Mason, followed by the prisoner. I noticed that the child ran across the street rapidly. I saw the prisoner follow quickly after her. The prisoner overtook her in Leicester-square. The prisoner took hold of her cape, and pulled her towards the window to shew her the dresses. While pointing to the dresses in the shop the prisoner still had hold of her cape. The child got away and walked on, the prisoner following closely after her. The girl went straight on ; the prisoner overtook her, and turned round several times to see if anyone was looking at him. The prisoner watched his opportunity, then walked beside her and got her into conversation. In passing three coffee-shops the prisoner would have taken her in. She got away, and crossed into Little Newport-street ; he took hold of her again, and tried to get her to go the directly opposite way she was going. She resisted, and went into Hayes-court, where he laid hold of her cape. She got away, and walked in the direction of Greek-street, the prisoner talk ing to her allthe way, exceptwhen he saw anyone coming. The prisoner laid hold of her again in Frith-street ; the child set off running, the prisoner followed her until she got into a house, 27, Greek-street, a bootmaker's shop, kept by George Turner. The prisoner stopped for a moment, but, appearing as if he caught sight of me, he walked hurriedly away. As soon as his back was turned I went into the house, and saw the little girl. She made a complaint to me about the prisoner. I left the house, and followed the prisoner through several streets. The prisoner worked his way back to Leicester square. I saw him accost two young ladies—one about 15, the other about 12— one after the other. They looked disdainfully - at him, and walked on. The prisoner then went round' the 'slums about the back of the Alhambra, went into an oyster shop and had some oysters. At a photographer's there was a little girl, about 7 years of age, looking in at the window. The prisoner spoke to her, but she did not seem to understand. The child had her school. bag with her. The prisoner looked round to see if any one was watching. I got behind a group of men, and he did not notice me. I kept My eye on the child, and saw him lay hold of her ; but she left him and went into a house. The prisoner, .as he passed the house, bad some water thrown over him. The prisoner seemed very much an noyed, and said he would go and look for a policeman. I went and looked for a policeman also, and, seeing one turning into the street, I went forward and met him, After I had complained to the constable, the constable walked up the street, and the prisoner accosted the constable, and said it was a great shame that a respectable man could not walk along the street without being insulted. The constable, pointing to me, said, "This gentleman has some charge to make against you." I immediately demanded the prisoner's name, and I told him why I wanted his name. There were then a great many people gathering round us. The prisoner said, " I will tell you," and called me aside. I objected to hold any conversation with hini except in the presence of the constable. The prisoner at first would not mention his name ; then he said his name was Ricardo ; that his address was in the Strand ; that it was at No. 45, Surrey. street. I asked him for his card. The prisoner offered to write his name, and he did write something beginning with " Ris" on a small piece of paper ; but I could not make out the rest, it was so indistinct, as the prisoner's hand trembled so much. I told the prisoner I could not read his writing. The prisoner, speaking low, evidently not wishing the crowd to hear, said, " I am Professor Risley." I tole) him he should hear from me. The prisoner wished to follow me. I told him not to do so, and that be should hear from me. Mr. Knox said, before the cross-examination began he would mention that about two o'clock on the same day the mother came to that court with her daughter and the lady who kept the house in Greek -street where Maria Mason took refuge ; that he sent them round to Messrs. Shaen and Roscoe, who afterwards obtained a warrant. Witness Hales, cross-examined : I am a reporter. I watched the prisoner and the little girl about an hour, I think. While I was watching the prisoner I did not see any of the passers-by take notice of his conduct. Had I not taken notice of the prisoner's conduct should have thought myself unworthy of the name of ah Englishman. I mentioned what I saw to more than one police man—to three, I think. I told them the prisoner was following and dodging a little girl, and I did not think it was all right, because I had seen her run away. I did not see the girl Mason make any complaint to any one. I did not consider the two young ladies were in any danger from the prisoner, as they repulsed him. The prisoner did not seem as if he had been drinking ; he appeared to be sober. George Clark, detective, Scotland-yard, said : I found the defendant at the theatre, Nottingham, on Tuesday norning. I called him aside and read the warrant, and explained generally the charge. The prisoner said, "If I did touch the girl, it w with no bad intention. lam fond of children, and I m)ght have spoken to her in a fatherly manner." _ Mr. Knox :.fshall remand the case, and refuse bail, as of late there have been so many compromises of serious cases at this court that I cannot but hesitate to grant bail. An English paper advertises for. .sale a pew which " commands a view of nearly the whole con gregation." A correspondent informs the Church News that lie was present at morning service last Sunday at the City Church of St. °lave's, Jewry, of which the Rev. W. Scott is rector, and of which the annual pecuniary value is £l4O. The congregation, he states, was composed of one man besides the officials. PEWS .IN PARISH CinußcHts.—One of the last Acts of Parliament of the late Session related to pews. Pews and sittings may be surrendered to the Bishop of the diocese of a church or to the Ecclesiastical Commissioner's, whether the church be consecrated or unconsecrated, and from the surrender all rights of owner ship are to cease, and the pews and fittings to become subject to the same laws as to all rights and property therein as the pews and fittings of ancient parish churches. The words " church" and "chapel" in the Act are to apply only to those of the Established Church of England MEDICAL ANECDOTE.—The late Dr. Jenner, having discontinued his professional visits to a patient on account of her improved condition, sent a couple of ducks to the mother of the convalescent lady, accompanying the present With the following note : " I've dispatched, m,y dear madam, this scrap of a letter, Ter say that Miss Lucy is very much better ; A regular doctor no longer she lacks, And therefore I've sent her a couple of quacks." The lady itddiessed returned thanks with this " Yes, 'twat; polite, truly,_ my very good friend, Thus a I couple of quacks' to your patient to send Since there's nothing so likely a%' quacks' it is 01 , 16 lualarisakiglsav vsi, MICELLANEO US NEWS. TEE LATE MIL E. C. EGERTON, M.P. The senior parliamentary representative of North Cheshire is no more. Mr. E. C. Egerton has just died in Italy. The hon. gentleman was the fourth son of the late Mr. Wilbraham Egerton, of Tatton Park, and was a younger brother of Lord Egerton of Tatton. He was born in 1816, and in 1845 was married to a daughter of the second Earl Manvers. Mr. Egerton was educated at Harrow 'and at Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated 8.A., and obtained a fellowship. He represented Macclesfield from 1852 to December last, when he was returned in the Conservative interest for North Cheshire without opposition. When Lord Derby formed his third Government, in July 1860 Mr. Egerton was appointed Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and this office ho retained until Mr. Disraeli resign cid the Premiership nine months ago. The vacant seat has for a long time been held by Conservatives and by members of the' Egerton family. Members of the same house also represent Mid and South Cheshire. It is stated, that the Liberals will contest the vacant seat notwithstanding. Sir E. W. Watliin, the defeated candidate at the last election for Stock port, is mentioned as their champion. TIIE TIPPERARY SEAT. Election movements in Tipperary County are very vague and uncertain at present. On the Liberal side several candidates are spoken of, but it is positively affirmed that Mr. Munster will endeavour to secure the seat left vacant by the death of Mr. Moore. There is good reason to believe that a candidate on moderately Conservative principles will come forward immediately. Of this gentleman the Irish Times says that he is a good landlord and practices tenant right on his estates. " Already he is much spoken of as a candidate who will have very considerable support, as all the people want is a man who will make tenant right his motto in the next session of Parliament." ME. SIMON TO HIS CONSTITUENTS. Mr. Serjeant Simon, M.P., has been addressing his constituents at Dewsbury, and giving an account of his stewardship. His speech was quite of ter the stereotyped style which has been adopted by previous members. A condensed history of the Irish Church question, interspersed with appropriate comments, a passing reference to the policy of retrenchment, a note on the Endowed Schools Bill, an observation or so upon rating Sunday-schools, a sweeping condemnation of fraudu lent bankrupts, a word or two on trades unions, and a disquisition upon the liquor traffic—here we have the average speech, and here we have the address of Mr. Serjeant Simon. Being a Liberal, we may prophesy what ho would say about most of them without reading his speech. A pas sage at the end, however, on the liquor traffic, is worth notice. By implication he condemned Mr. Bruce's Beerhouse Act, as he thought such questions ought to be dealt with, not one by one, but as a whole. The judges, it will be observed, do not agree with Mr. Simon. They and the magistrates find the Act rather an acquisition. IRISH Curren RECONSTRUCTION. The recognition of the bishops as the leaders both of the Irish Church clergy and laity is now a settled fact. At a meeting of laymen, held in Dublin on Tuesday, under the presidency of the Earl of Meath, a resolution to the effect that the Archbishop be asked to convene the laity passed with only two dis sentients. The most rev. prelate had previously intimated his willingness to undertake that duty, so that the necessity for calling in the aid of the Dukes of Abercorn and Leinster is not apparent. The Times correspondent says it is probable that the Lord Primate will also consent to lead the movement, as it it understood that the Archbishop of Dublin has been in commu nication with him on the subject, and that the two prelates are in perfect accord in all essential matters relating to the reorganisation of the Church. Thus one formidable difficulty—the want of a leader whom the laity will unanimously follow—has been disposed of. Nearly all the dioceses are now in motion, the bishops taking an active part in the councils of the laity. At the last district conference in the diocese of Cork there was a numerous attend ance of both sections. ,The bishop himself was present and expressed a hope that the archbishops and bishops would be "in the front of the fight," but added the proviso that they were not to be expected to " live on air." He trusted that all ranks and classes would come forward and assist heartily in carrying out the commutation scheme. It was agreed on all hands that a very considerable sum must be raised in order to make good the deficiency of incomes of the clergy commuted in the diocese of Cloyne. THE. SUSTENTATION FUND. Subscriptions towards the fund to aid in the sup port of the Irish Church flow in rapidly. Three donations of £lOO, two of £2OO, one of £5OO, and one of £l,OOO are announced. A " Loyalist" gives £3,000 towards the re-endowment of the parish in which the bulk of his property is situated. THE IRISH LAND QUESTION. The explorations of the Times Commissioner have led - him to the neighbourhood of Nenagh, where the state of affairs is much the same as in the region, about Clonmel, Cashel, or Tipperary. The . condition of the tenantry is not, on the whole, unprosperbus. Great improvements have been made of late years. There is a considerable number of moderately-sized estates in the Nenagh district ; and the owners are usually resident, and in many cases good landlords. The position of the agricultural labourer has so far improved that the vast emigration going on of late years has almost entirely ceased. But in respect of the occupiers' tenure, the writer finds" the whole train of unfortunate phenomena" which are common in other districts. Almost everything that has added to the value of the soil during the last two genera tions has been done by the occupier. Yet leases in the Nenagh district are exceedingly rare, even for the briefest terms. On some estates they are peremptorily refused. The power which the landlord possesses of ejecting at will has been exercised in some cases to turn elections, and for far more objectionable purposes. "On some estates notices to quit are regularly served every year, in order to give the landlords the means of raising the rate of rent as they please, and I have been informed of cases in which a widowed tenant has been forbidden to remarry from mere frivolous whim and caprice." Large sums ars paid by incoming tenants to outgoing tenants, but no right is thereby created. The writer quotcs several examples. TheNenagh district has been free from agrarian crime during several years ; but the spirit undoubtedly pre vails. It is noticeable that several heads of the Roman Catholic Church are deeply interested in this ques tion and express themselves moderately; but the younger Catholic clergy are more extreme in tone, demanding a system of perpetual, or very long, leases, at a rent to be adjusted by the State. The Irish papers are busily occupied with the land question. The Freeman calls for "fixity of tenure," pointing as an example to the tenantry of Lord Lurgan, in the North, who enjoy this " fixity " practically, unassailably, " and by the custom of the estate in a manner so definite that they can transfer the right to fixed tenure by written deed of sale." The Dublin Mail protests strongly against some of the violent and extravagant schemes promulgated by its contemporaries. One proposition is that a fixity of tenure should be established with a maximum rent of twenty shillings per acre. The Mail thinks that the effect of such proposals must be to provoke that form of debate between the man who has and the man who has not which seeks the highway for its stage and a pistol for its argument. MR. 11. D. SHERIDAN, M.P. This gentleman, it appears, was " invited " by Mr. Kirby, the late manager of the Albert Insurance Company, to " negotiate for the Albert the purchase of other businesses." It is to be hoped that the mode and terms of these negotiations will be made the subject of a searching investigation. In th meantime Mr. Sheridan claims to show that the come pany profited by the transactions which he negotiated, and in proof thereof refers to the fact that the pub lished accounts of the company up to 1862 show that ip to that time the company had made a profit, and £50,000 of that profit was then divided. The cool -- um with which Mr. Sheridan refers to such a, statement as proof of his own defence Is peculiarly refreshing. The experience of the last few years has disabused the minds Df any who might have been disposed to take as proof the accounts of a concern which has been managed like the Albert. It does not say much for Mr. Sheridan's case if he has no better evidence to offer. He goes on to contend that he was as much entitled to commission, " annual or compounded," on premiums which he brought to the office by " the hundred " as " other agents who take but one or two policies at a time." If Mr. Sheridan has convinced himself that iu negotiating for the transfer of the business of one insurance office to another he was as much entitled to commission as the laborious canvasser who originally obtained the insurance, his view of the case will account for much that is astonishing in the booker of life assur ance companies. The policy-holders have in sured under the impression that their money would be properly invested, and would not be sub ject to more than the usual rate of charge for general expenses. If the commission due to agents. can be duplicated to those who negotiate for the transfer of the busi ness o f an office to another, the game is clearly one very profitable to the negotiator arid equally disastrous to the pOlicy-holder. Mr. Leone Levi . states that -during the last twenty-five years 272 life -assurance companies were registered, and of these 196 are no longer in existence. The amalgamation of insurance companies must have been a very extemive l as well to /Pi 149# 1 1*.i igkillgAs; , - ^T t""' ROBINSON: . CRUSOE. The stream of colonization to America has at length reached an interesting spot. in December last a party of sixty or seventy persons took posses' sion of Juan Fernandez, the island off the Cha n ' coast where Alexander Selkirk spent his so litarl, captivity of four years, and supplied the original (),'. " Robinson Crusoe." The colonists ' brought wit' them cows, fowls, agricultural implements, boats, They found a fertile soil, abounding in goats, MI wild horses, and donkeys. Very recent advices fro nl this interesting settlement represent it as prospering. TRADE AND LABOUR IN AMERICA. The great object of Mr. Cone s early life 11 been accomplished. Mr. Conolly, be it known, 1,, a member of the Reform League, and has-seen til° difficulties with which he so long strove to overcome' The franchise having been bestowed on his confer . 11 ! the bonds of labour, he has now to divert his energ ies to another channel. It is satisfactory to find Means of occupying himself unselfishly on belt" 10 of his fellow working men have been discovered. r iLi f English working men are ignorant as to the st at° trade and the requirements of labour in Ani cric :" Mr. Conolly has undertaken to lighten their dalfc ness. He is going out .to America, will 11 13 h• investigations, and the results will be VT R hailed. He is , confident that he •is t' l l ; man to undertake the work, for he plai i ''jj told a meeting which had been called to say far ewe to him that ho could do the duty much better thall any mere literary man. Perhaps he is right. ifi", any rate, his inquiries will be complete as far as United States are concerned. Ile will begin wits 1 ?o, seaports, and go out into the Far West 1 4 ' no kind of ground untrodden. DR. CUMMING AND THE POPE. The controversy respecting the supposed " tion" to non-Catholic representatives to be prese et at the General Council next December is not Ytte extinguished. The editor of the Westminster G a ' .e 1 . 8 is confident that Dr. Cumming is not invited to t 3.1; part in the proceedings, not to speak of his preach': anti-Popery sermons before the Pope and his P.r lates. The editor even hints that Dr. Omuta; cannot translate Latin—a charge to which roe expounder of prophecy lays himself open t o 5 1 30 t extent by his use of the word " Presbyterus." r , really the entire dispute looks very idle. Dr. Op. ming has written to Rome for information aedio whether he may speak at the Council. r ~1 1er doubtlesS receive a reply which, in deciding whe " ye he can express his views, will also decide whether may be present. • THE PILINCESS OF WALES. h e It is gratifying to learn that the Princess of „aie has enjoyed rest and quiet at Wildbad, and that -the has benefited thereby. The correspondent 01 te cl Standard says that on a recent occasion she requel o f General Knollys to carry to the Mnyor her sen7by the kind reception with which she had been 111 ! , te ti the inhabitants, adding, " that she had never pith any spa or place where she had been treated l'tra, more respect, or had been subjected to less il l sion." THE FUNDHOLDERS. int o The Bank of England directors have entere-A0 the reform of dividend payments with comle n ," 4 , - elc• spirit. A fresh concession has now been made. 0 : - De it holders may arrange for the payment of„', of dividends free of charge at any of the brane.u);cs - Bank of England, in the provinces, on aPP',ijes tion to the agent of the Bank at those br 3ll ' of respectively. The fee of ls. Gd. on presentatiocis powers of attorney for the receipt of divide ° 0 0 abolished. Lastly, stock certificates, with for the half-yearly payments, may be obtai e , i e d in sums of £ 5O, 2100, 2150, &c., by any stock exchange for inscribed stock. MILITARY EDUCATION. On The first report of the Royal Comilli° l l , ° ,Trtl)2 Military Education is expected to appear s Its main features are understood to be, the thoOtina remodelling of the cadet colleges of Woolwie:11,0oci Sandhurst, including the abolition of the expens's vicious system of a double staff with divided re4edir sibility ; the giving a more practical form to t 2 1 1 , 8„ 00 1 cational training . and general working of ofer college; and the introduction of a course of Pf r i c tlY sional instruction and examinations, to be ° f bran s w ill obligatory on the junior officers of every the service. It is believed that these refer n ' a ria be accomplished without any addition to 0° estimates. cotipa in THE FIRST OF SEPTEMBER. A toll The great day has arrived under wodeot. favourable auspices: The supply of birds is ' t i l etis are told, all that it should be ; but thew e 3 ;ostil d exceedingly plitimising, and the corn bas h :ticee'' been cut, so that there will be no bickering " e re farmer and landlord through trampling til e -aeol l : Partridge-shooting is decidedly preferable to P l oor" slaughter. There is something to be said for a' I 'oo which is so healthy (to the sportsmen). superior branch of shooting pleasures is I P 9t igb' it once was. Formerly the partridge-shooter 5 1 : tli 6 his own game, and honestly tramped 0 0°11: 0 ° stubble from morn till eve. Now the ga melic e kA3e lsl the beating; the birds are driven into suitableTfa and the daring sportsmen take their st, e "ie l i a line and bang away with pieces loade" attendant. The stubble, too, is shorter in thes e f foro machine-reaping, and thus less protection is e vo l;e; s to the birds. Clearly pigeon-killing is s ° e i t rY sport that all others must be brought as 11 But eveJob,t possible under its conditions. n i sig STREET RUFFIANISM. Our readers will remember the letter to th.-icte'r ;rl News, a little while back, in which the vir og go scribed how a well-dressed man pursu ed a Y° to $ O OO through the streets, and tried to entice he th e rer s te l low house. It is now stated by the Starthat arree,.o whose movements were described has beq, eli ice' at Nottingham under a warrant,.and that ''l,o V ol against him will be investigated at on e of t' courts. . TIIE WELSH EISTEDDFOD• ae C i l its The Welsh Eisteddfod this year show s a ced e l necline in interest: The spurt which PlTtoittioea revival as an institution of transcendeniv e re l e o importance has died out, and it will pro ° f it) ° t og rise or fall (according to the view taken o iee' r jo interesting musical festival. This Yea r , t lie 1) 1,0 is now being held at- Holywell, and thong P it is the are there singing their uncouth languag e, ts that the chief attractions are the concern; e. ~e, most important personage Miss Edith W 3 . o loilg to songs are, many of them, in the " old bardbl but cl 5 and so the local prejudices are indulged; Englishmen, the proceedings are dull. f h tic s WEATHER. Jellt - ° Mr. Allnatt, the meteorologist corresP en as t°l,lio Times, hastens to record his observations t o ro month of August. Usually he is contentoicil his letter days after the month 00 . 00 ef, e h e expatiates has passed away ; now he s teri 0, 6 month has finished its course. T h e ir 10 4 - et, I P has to tell us about the freaks of th, 0 , 3 bare' pl ov h ' clouds may be briefly summed up. j' e , v erY . 105 was abnormally high; the rainfall WO f 10, otr„ only P 44 inches—three-quarters ° , O floc' t o6fr below the average. The thermonle te ' tl ie n . 4 curiously: Great heat was observed fr°11010'; to the 29th ; for three of these days a 11 ,, te e lif, ° " t ere'; was reached, 9.9 deg. in excess of the "`„. r egi u °, 01' - a century ; on each of them 76 deg. 1"-ejeci vi This time of bustling heat had been Pr, h e c 0 03. 0 0 of cold ; on the 12th 4.3 deg. below tu ° o 50 1 ) leoi recorded. The end of the month also is' so cold at Eastbourne from which Mr. Al l t o ol { in r tl l3 as elsewhere ; but still a great chang ll e fret" caused, Mr. Allnatt says, by a squall/ 11 ' north-east. PRICE OF GOLD. 0 06 —0 - _ t p ot: 4lo p The quotation of gold at Paris is about s o oVi e , of the short exchange on London is 25f. 15c•,. Pi n t 131.- 0 9 to 0 43 n comparing these rates with the Englie l ;;;ope,„,3 4° ' pia. 101 d. per wince for standard old. 1. -4,)v -gold at the above price is nearly 1-10th ~dea • g , • _ o r .- than in Paris. 0 01 l c DVERTISEMZST. I --}lolloWily'S- Oinnr-e5.01/*l7bil . T li ntr plaints a i e e c t t e i o re n . asy-bAe..—.------.-""ll the varieties of e 0,1,05,:„,,,,i,--0,1 .. • ell , A this ointment t readily and effectively wice a day upon the nterSta7ecluct-libil i t r iirii i supporting the strength by suitable nourisho,-thros-'ols, d s n i e m isat p rr l ug e ee m mtio e en a d n tts s hwe diphtheria, ulcerated or reltis9" r g iP3 d ttl : e tation of the windpipe, quinsey, and all otheted, ne o it' L i y ill ha h v a e v e e au th ee e d ir rep r a o ir r e es ! P F d 11°110 O A 04 11 iete AO' f ores 01 '9 ,p meat is the most trustworthy remedy for a yi d elle - el, °f external throat ailments, and may . be safell 9- oe% , 9 '9 9 0 di ore rc e employed in every case without regard constitution. It is highly extolled for its / ti ll (114 spasmodic coughs, chronic hoarseness, el l 9 able discharges from the throat and DOge* PE L E LTy On Georgina tie 31 P st e Peel, ,i, IV ie°l tra ct ' TROTTER -On the tford-0 Ist inst., at 11, Efer 00. fair, the wife of Wm. Trotter, Esq., ° I 9 6 Corr c ll O rno E . p i 3; e . - 3. - , 0 14' , 11 0 . 13 , f I a a R t s T eTrinh.Se. Gervvri 'l4or''. 0, 4 .1 1 o MARRIAGES. John, -' As'l t nay, Walter Connell, of Warwick Lodgo , ~, Se' 6 to. tD ° Fanny Snewin, of 5, Rector y riles, SNEwiN -On the 31st ult., at St. oetcu-stior J0h, 9 ' 0 9 )9 Williao to Plot' 3DITEAGII-SMITH-On the 31st lt , eldest son of John WVeagh, o u f the Tolellioll-°. t smith, e 1 or bill. 19 only daughterp EofAlTtofibser. /3 DOA , Lim:lox-On the 31st ult. at Clifton, r Ot t I 1 liov Liddon, R.N., aged 78. Terry, formerly of the 25th Regt., aged 8 e it ad TERRY-On the 31st ult.. at Winchester, Cs.°9ll° Si? Yount-On the 31st inst. at , Princ'terrafirtes, George Young, Garter ' Principal iiing-at 74. - 00' A141f9e3 WILI A° - 2 1 London: Printed and Published b it ~, 0 of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at TIM SUN Orilee i gido , - in the Precinct of the Savoy, itt tilQ c9 4llt Y Q ThWtdaY) sePtiazter 2 4 :116?!. - ;