The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-06-03 00:00:00

TflF STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER.

THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AND THE
DERBY DAY.
In the House of Commons, on Tuesday night, the
following discussion arose on Mr. Disraeli's motion—
"that this House at its rising do adjourn until Thurs-
day next :
Wr W. Lawson did not dispute that that motion might be
In accordansewith the general wish of the Home, but at the
same time there was a considerable minority who disap-
proved it. lb was the fashion for members in bringing
matters before the House to say that the question ti,ey were
discussing was not a party one; but he thought the present
motion was a party question. It wits supported by the party
of sentiment end opposed by the party of sense. (Laughter.)
Ile agreed with an hon. gentleman who had told them that
one-halfibt their lives was made up of sentiment, and that life
would be a poor thing without it. But the question was
l
whether the sentiment here was one sufficiently wor.h of
support. to overbear the reasons which could be add cee
against that moilon. That he ventured to say was rest
one of those motions which oueht not to he carteeor
even proposed, against the feelings of a n considerable d
a vespectable minority. The practice of aejournisg to the
Derby was not thirty years old, and the minority agai tit
was increasing slowly, ont steadily. In 1872 they numbered
58; in 1871 they were 69; in 1875, they reached 81, anti it
they went on` at that rte they would some day or other
throw out the motion. It was a bad precedent to adjourn
the House in honour of any particular sport Just
now horse-racing was the popular sport, but some day they
might be called on to adjourn in honour of ninon shooting.
(A laugh) Not long ago a letter appeared in The Times from
Admiral Row, who said that were it not against the law,
he would go a gocd hundred miles my day to see a cock light
and who knew but that some day the House might be called
upon to adjourn for that pastime? (Laughter.) He was
encouraged to ask some hon. gentlemen opposite to vote on
that motion even against the Goverament, because he had
seen how nine of them, headed by the hon. baronet the
member for Mid-Kent, voted on a question of adjourn-
ment against their leader the other night, and he hoped
they would do so again. (A laugh). The newspapers in-
formed them during the autumn that the Prime Minister
went to refresh himself by attending the St. Leger
Race in Yorkshire, but that, unfortunately, while he was on
his journey there a collision occurred at the railway station
when great excitement and alarm arose, in the midst of
which, however, the right hon. gentleman preserved the
most dignified calm, never even raieng his eyes from the
Standard that he was reading. (Laughter.) In a debate in
that House they had been told that horse racing was an
inspiriting, a noble, a manly, and a national amusement;
but he denied that it was in any way bound up with3the
honour or the wellbeing of the country. He was quite sure
it was not connected with the main euance of Church and
State (laughter), though he believed that when a horse
which won the Derby went home to his native village
In the West of England the churcn hells rang a merry peal.
(I laugh) That, however, was not enough to make it a
national question, because in Lancashire, after a contested
election, when the Conservatives won, the church bells
rang and flags waved from all the breweries. (Laughter.)
Horse racing was not noble, it was entirely a money-making
business, like stockjobbing The Sultan of Zanzibar while
in England was taken to Ascot, and he remarked that they
ran horses in his country, but they ran them in a straight
course and for the mere glory of winning, whereas in Eng-
land, if he was rightly informed, the case was different,
and many laca of rupees passed from pocket to pocket the
day alter the race. Not long ago there appeared in all the
papers a memorial from the owners and trainers of horses to
the Jockey Club against the practice of " tips" being given
to the public by "touts." But if they really wished to pre-
vent that, why did they not put forth authentic information
to the public? The fact, however, was that these people
wanted to keep the whole thing daik in order to put money
In their pockets. He read last year in a journal that was
not very squeamish—the Daily Telegraph—s description of
the Derby. It said that Epsom Downs would contain "the
grandest assemblage of blackguardiam on the face of the
earth ; " and a little further on it added (there was no
accounting for tastes), "the sight is one of the prettiest in
the world." (Laughter.) What, he asked, would they
think of a Home Rule Parliament were it to adjourn all
the business of the nation in honour of a scene of that
kind? A. French writer, referring to the motion of ad-
journment for the Derby made in that Howe last year,
said it was "opposed by a revolutionary member, named
Sir Lawson' (laughter); further observing that if such a
thing had been proposed in Franee for a race on a week day
there would have been a "charivari terrible "—what-
ever that might be. (A leash ) We did things differently
here. We adjourned on Wednesday for gambling, and
we kept the Sunday strictly for drinking. (Laughter)
He was not objecting to people going to the Derby it they
liked, but only to the House doing so in its national capa-
city. (Hear, hear.) After speaking on the subject last
year, he saw a paragraph in the paper stating that Sir
Wilfrid Lawson had been seen at the Derby in a scarlet
coat and a green tie (Laughter) He should not have
objected to the statement it it had been true, but he would
have given a reward of £lOO to anyhody who could have
proved it The Pall Mall Gazette said it might very; fairly
be argued that the presence on the course of an Assembly
of the first gentlemen in Europe mlgtit redeem the !Derby
from the state of decadence into which it had tenet), and
lend it a little at the respectability of which it stood
so much in need. (Laughter.) His opinion wail that
they had better make themselves respectable before they
attempted to elevate the Derby (Laughter.) It indi-
vidual members wanted to go to Epsom, he would 'say by
all means let them go; but there was no reason why the
House should cease its legislative functions because:a par-
ticular race was coming off. The advocates of the measure
could not p!ead that they wanted a holy day, because the
House was going to asjourn for a week on Tnurstieta Be-
sides, they had the Easter vacation not long ago, audit could
nr t be said they were overworked in that House. (Lauehter.)
There was a Bill down for to-morrow which lie was sure the
Home Rulers would not mind coming down to support, and
they might also have some interesting speeches on colonial
marriages (L iughter.) He hoped hon. members. would
seriously consider whether the motion was one which tended
to promote the credit and dignity of the House. He felt
that if hon. members would but give it a moment's consider-
ation they would see that the opposition to it was not with-
out reason, and he hoped on this occasion to have a good
following of members on both sides who would protest be
their votes against a proceeding Which was somewhat incon-
venient and slightly mischievous, altogether childish, and
thoroughly contemptible. (Hear.) 1
Mr. Bromley-Davenport said he had been in the habit of
going to the Derby for the last twenty years, and he intended
to go to-morrow, in spite of the annual performauca of the
hon. member for Carlisle. The hon. baronet had got up
speeches on this subject for several years nand, g, and he
(lit. Bromley-Davenport) could not help thinking that
public business might gam by their being dispensed with.
(" Oh I") Perple might Say what they liked; the Dzrhy
was regarded as a general holiday, .at least in the
metropolis, and he did not see why an attempt shoUld
be made to prevent members of the Hause from en-
joying it.. The hon. member for Carlisle had a line
of his own a very useful line, so doubt—aid he
ought to remember the proverb "He cuter ultra crepidam."
Let him stick to temperance questions and not meddle with
other matters. (" Oh !") The hon. b zrouet was supposed
to have been at the Derby last year. He would not say he
was (laughter), but on the afternoon of Darby Day last year,
when he (Mr. Bromley-Davenport) was at Hyde Park Corner,
he saw a carriage pass with a gentleman in it rather dusty
and apparently very cheerful (laughter), bearing a most re-
markaole resemblance to the hon. member, and carrying a
doll in his hat. (Laughter.) ,
Mr. Assheton deprecated the question being treated as a
jocular one. He thought it was a matter for serious con-
sideration whether the House was justified in wasting a day
for the sake of the Derby. Wear, hear) Lord Palmerston
was unable to give any better reason far such an aojaurn-
ment as was now proposed than that the Derby might be
said to be our Isthmian Games. It hon. members desired
to go to the Derby they could do so, but there was reason
why those who wished should not stay behind to do
the national work. It was said the offleials of the House
required a holyday, but as the House was about to
adjourn for a week that argument did not apply. Another
argument was that it was a good old custom to adjourn
over Derby Day. Well, he denied that it was either good
or old. (dear, hear.) He believed a time would come
when people would wonder that so late as the year 1876 the
House of Commons at its busiest time adjourned It pro-
ceedings for a whole day to see a horse race. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Bright thought the hon. member for Carlisle had
an especial tight to ask the House of Commons to consider
the matter in the light in which he viewed it. The hon.
Member asked them annually to consider a Bill on another
subject, and he was met constantly by the argument
that it was impossible to make people temperate by Act
of Parliament. Well, they could not altogether prevent
gambling and betting by legislation, but they could at least
avoid effete' g a bad example to others. (dear, hear.) They
could avoid giving the sanction of that Assembly, whose
character was us high as that of any Assembly in the world,
to an amusement which, although it might be said to
be innocent in itself, was, nevertheless, the cause of an
enormeas amount of evil and vice. (Hear, hear.) Let hon.
members take their minds to any considerable town in the
country—to Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, or Newcastle
—and bis own experience would teach him, not that he
ever gambled, but we must know that in all these towns
there was a practice of gambling and sporting in connexion
with horse races—particularly in connexion with this
race—which was inflicting untold and incalculable evil on
the country (Cheers) He had no objection to a holyday;
he might be, in fact, looked upon as one of the idle mem-
bers of the House; but they were going to separate for a
week, and, therefore, the pretence of a holyday could not
be offered on this occasion. Be believed with the hon.
member for Carlisle ad with the hon. member opposite
who had spoken SO judiciou.slv and creditably that the
character of the Rouse would stand higher in the
country, and higher wherever their debates were read and
known of, if they abandoned the custom which the right
hon. gentleman proposed they should follow now. (Cheers.)
He should be git d if the House would reject the motions; if
not, he hoped that it would be the last time that the pro-
position might be made. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. R. Power said if he were a member of an Irish
Pat Lament and two Derbys occurred in a year he should
be in favour of adjournieg twice a year. (A laugh) It
was said the practice of adjourning dated back only 30
years, but he thought 30 years was enough to stamp
the practice. There never was a Darby without a Derby
doe, anti it seemed now there must never be a Derby with-
out a Derby debate. He should feel ashamed of any coun-
tryman of his, and he certainly should cut II; acquaintance
(laughter), who opposed the aoj ournment 01 the House. He
had three reasons tor voting for the adjournment—first, he
was fond of sport; Second, he thought it was the duty of every
good citizen to encaurage a great and ancient national
pastime; and third, he believed he would meet more of his
constituents on the course than anywhere else. (Laughter.)
The House divided—ayes, 207 ; noes, 118. Majority for the
adjournment, 89.

fastening of the doors, and that the same person was
intrusted with the opening of the doors in the morning.
As far as is at present known, all the doors were found
fastened as they had been left. The window, how-
ever, would enable the thief to drop his booty in the
shape of a roll of very moderate size into the heeds of
a confederate, and the opportunity of doing this with-
out the observation of the police would be a matter
of tolerably easy accomplishment with the aid of
others concerned in the plan. It is conjectured
that some one, beving entered the exhibition-room
as a visitor, contrived to secrete himself in some
part of the premises; but, having succeeded in
putting the picture into the hands of the other thief
by the window, it is diffieult to see how be could
himeelf escape without detection, whether in the
night by the window or after the place was opened in
the morning. There are, however, two entrances to
the house, one from the street, the other by a side
door opening itito a yard through which persons of
various occupetions pass to some stables and a shoeing
forge. This side dour is connected by a narrow and
dark passaze with the principal entrance from the
street, so that a person may contrive to escape being
seen here; and quietly slip out when the porter had
unlocked the door and gone to attend to any other duty.
These matters, however, are in the hands of Mr. SU.
perintendent Williamson, of the Police, and the detec-
tives, and as we learn with his advice Metors„ A__.
have offered, the large reward of £l,OOO for informa-
tion leading to the recovery of the stolen picture, some
speedm igtelligenne may. be, looked for. It must be
toleribljeviderit 'Pat stichl'a robbery was not con-
trived with thd- view of selling the picture, as that
would be a thing next to impossible, and the mere
offer of it would b 3 certain to bring the thieves to
detection in almost any part of the world. The de-
scription of the picture given at the time of the sale
and the engraving in the Illustrated News must have
made it known far and wide."

,g.n9sy 1

The Daily News also says :—" Some particulars as to
the picture may be interesting, and they perhaps may
-be best given from the paper presented to the visitors
while it has been on exhibition. This states that the
'picture is the celebrated portrait by Gainsborough of
the beautiful and witty Georgians, Duchess of Devon-
shire. It measures n 9 by 45 inches, and was in the
possession of the late 11Ir. Wynn Ellis for thirty years,
and was purchased, as above stated, by Messrs. Agnew
for 10,100 guineas, IA the sale of Mr. Ellis's collection.
Gainsborough has faithicaly portrayed upon canvas
Horace Walpole's description of the Duchess The
Duchess of Devonshire effaces all. Her youth, figure,
flowing good nature, sense, and lively modesty, and
modest familiarity, make her a phenomenon.' She is
dressed in white, with a blue silk petticoat and sash,
and a large black hat and feathers. The head is
turned three quarters to the right, the eyes directed
towards the spectator, the hair profusely curled,
powdered, and falling on the shoulders ; the complexion
Is very brilliant, and the arms are folded across the
waist. The background of the picture consists of sky,
with trees on either side of the figure."
"While the picture has been on view it has been
visited by from 200 to 300 persons every day. Messrs.
Agnew and Sons had announced that it was to be
engraved by Mr. S. Cousens, R-A., and during the
short time which has elapsed since they purchased it
and it has been exhibited, they had received applica-
tions for proofs to the amount of more than £l,OOO.
"From the fact that no attempt was made to steal
anything else from the premises, it is clear that the
obtaining of this picture was the sole object which the
perpetrators of the theft had in view. On every
side.the greatest sympathy is felt for Messrs. Agnew,
whose pecuniary loss is very great; but it is felt also
that in an artistic point of view the loss of such a pic-
ture is a national one. Immediately on the affair being
discovered, telegrams were dispatched to the principal
ports to prevent-the escape ot any person with the
picture, other active steps were taken, and a reward of
£l,OOO has been offered for the apprehension of the
thief or thieves." f '
The Daily Telegraph of Tuesday says:—" There is little
to say in addition to 'what h'Xs been already published con-
cerning the portrait of Elizabeth, Duchess of Devonshire.
Inspector Micklej ihn, of the detective department of Metro-
politan Police, Suotland-yard, has the case in hand, and fresh
bills have been printed and circulated, with a photographic •
copy of Mr. John Scott's engraving. The size of the cut
painting is 60 inches by 45 inches ; and the description
of the subject is as follows: 'She is dressed in white.
with a blue silk petticoat and sash, and a large black
hat and feathers. The head is turned three-quarters to the
right, the eyes directed towards the spectator, the hair pro-
fusely curled, powdered, and Whirr on the shaulders ; th
complexion is very brilliant, and the.arms are folded =Olt
the waist. The background of the picture consists of sky,
with trees on either side the figure.' The offer of a thousand
pounds reward is repeated, and persons possessed of informa-
tion are directed to give it to Superintendent Williamson, at
the offices in Great Scotland-yard."

[From Fun]
BEATEN OFF,
BY A "HACK," Tr' LT .
Long ago In the days when I started
To run in the races of life,
I was forward and fit and big-hearted, r
And eager to join in the strife. r
Bitter Need was the jockey who, spurring,

My limbs with some fleetness endowed
But an accident always occurring,

I merely walked in with the crowd.
From the pie of the turf, like Jack Horner,
I wanted to pull out a plum,
Built leading at Tattenham Corner
Some scrimmage was certain to come:
I was bored to the rails or I stumbled,
While backers were cursing aloud;
• dMY Degraded and hooted and humbled,
ti a I merely walked in with the crowd.
- -

Now my Derbies and Legers are donedor,
I'm a weed at the gate-money " speca ;"
Poor indeed are the races I ran for,
Yet I lose them by noses and necks.
Through the many defeats I've to suffer
I haven't the right to be proud
But I'd rather be third to a duff.r
Than merely walk in with the crowd.

TRADE WITH RIISSIA.—The declared value of
merchandise imported into the United Kingdom from
Russia in the last four months amounted to £2,163,078,
and the exports of British and Irish produce exported
in the same period £272 669.
INDIAN NEWS.— "The Ameer of Cabul proposes
to assume the title of Padishah. A council of nobles
we are informed, have consenttd to the change." This
is the first au4l3Entic proof of the "frenzied delight" of
the native princes at the new title which has reached
England. The Ameer, we understand, believes that
this change of style will let England know he intends.
to stand no nonsense. The Vice•Empeior of India
has telepraphed to town to know if, in view of these
Proceedings, he may ride on two elephants at once and
call blinseif a P..cliehatter.l—F,

_
. -deathi "

/ - TURNPIKE ItiOADS AND Tiltralrg-,--The S.
Committee ot the House of Commons on Turnpi
reiterate the opinion which they h Ave plevionslyi
pressed, that no time ought t,, be lost in bringing ,
tnrupiked roads under a be' ter system of ma:lag( rcl
vitleuei has been produced before them, both in
and previous ses-ipus, that.the condi, ion of severerE
the dis-turnpiked roads- is' rapidly deteriorating,
this experience leads the committee to urge stro
I. that any legislation to be effective should be corn
sory. Attention has been called to the fact that
Turnpike Acts Continuance Act of last session 1
for the first time, not inserted, as usual, among
public Acts of Parliament, and that public inconN
once has arisen in consequence; and this corami
recommend that no departure from this invari
practice of Parliament for upwards of thirty y
should for the future be made.

AN OPINION ABOUT RESERVE.—" As to
being, as you say, 'not open,' I don't know what
mean," she said. "You did not expect him to
close his inmost thoughts to us upon our first me&
and I like people to leave one something to find
I think people are very like chestnuts; when you
them quite out of their shells they soon lose all ti
gloss. I like a man for being a little reserved."—/L
Sister Rosalind.
A MUSICAL CRITIC.—An American musical
critic says :—" It was a young woman with as many
flowers rouud her as the planet Saturn has rings, that
did it. She gave the music stool a whirl or two, and
fluffed down on it like a twirl of soapsuds in a hand-
basin. Then she pushed up her cuffs as if she was
going to fight for the champion's belt. Then she
worked her wrists and hands to limber 'em, I suppose,
and spread out her fiugers till they looked as though
thy would pretty much cover the keyboard. from the
growling end to the little squeaky one. Then these
two hands of hers made a jump at the keys as if they
were a couple of tigers coming down upon a flock of
black and white sheep, and the piano gave a great
howl, as if its tail had been trod on. Dead stop—so
still, you cold hear your hair growing. Then another
howl, as if the piano had two tails and you had trod
on 'em both at once, and then a grand clatter and
scramble and string of jumps up and down, back and
forward, one hand over the Other like a stampede of
rats and mice more than anything I call music.'

ting

A SIGHT Bzrrzn.—A blind clergyman has
been appointed to the curacy of St. Paul's, Prince's-
park, Liverpool. Why not give the rev, gentleman a
bishopric? A good see weuld be such an agreeable
change for him.—Fun.
CATTLE DISEASES. —A return to the HOMO Of
Commons, procured by Mr. Batt, M.P. was printed
lately, from which it appears that, under the 10th
section of the Cattle Diseases (Ireland) Act, 1866, there
was assessed, on the 18th of April, 1866, at one farthing
poundage on all the Poor Law Unions, £13,474, and on
the 24th of July, 174, at the same poundage,
£13,966, 18s id. Under the certificate of the 18th of.
April, 1866, £17,859 4s: 11d, was received, and the dis-
bursements were £12,251 28. Si., leaving £5,608 2s. 6d.
to refund to the treasurers of Poor Law Unions.
Under the second certificate, the reeeipts were
£14,839 93., and the disbursements £14,476 193. 4d. A
specific account is given of the disbursements. The
amounts voted. by Parliament in connexion with the
cattle disease Were, in the last four years respectively,
£2,777 Bs, 2d., £1,893, £l,BOl, and £1,903.
THE KNOWING VULTURE !—ln the Isthmus
of Panama, the Gallinazo, a black vulture, is a very
familiar object (says Les Mondes). You see it every-
where, perched on the houses and walls, or walking
about on the streets and over heaps, of refuse. It
renders great service in clearing the streets, removing
carrion' &c., and there is no need of any law to protect
it. The Gallinazo is of a uniform black, but its head
and neck are entirely devoid of feathers. The Julia-
bitints iirranama hive a reason to give for this bald-
ness. They say that at one time the Gallinazo had
feathers on its head. After the deluge, Noah, when
be was opening the door of the ark, thought it well to
give a word of advice to the released animals. "My
children," he said, "when you see a man coming
towards you, and stooping down, go away from him;
he is getting a stone to throw at you!" "Very good,"
exclaimed the Gallinazo, "but what if he have one
already in his pocket ? " Noah was somewhat taken
aback at the reply; but he decided that in future the
Gallinazo should be born bald, in token of its remark-
able sagacity.
A TOUCHING INClDENT.—Pawnbrokers see
strange sights of all kinds, "from grave ta gay, from
lively to severe." The Brippel reports a CABO which
might form a pendant to Montague Tigg's shirt for any
artist in want of a subject. A little girl enters a pawn-
broking establishment, with something wrapped up in a
handkerchief. She takes a seat until her turn Comes, and
then approaches the counter and lays down her parcel.
The shopman proceeds to open it in his usual indifferent
manner, but his curiosity is suddenly aroused on finding
the contents to be a doll. "Now, my little dear," he
asks, "what do you want me to do with this?" The
girl replies, "Father is ill, and mother is crying be-
cause shehas no money to buy him physic; so I thought
I would bring you my doll and ask yoa to lend me
something on it." The shopman reflects for a moment,
looks at the chili, then goes into the back room where
the pledges are examined, comes back again, and
returns the doll to the little girl with something
wrapped up in paper. "Five francs on a doll," he
cries out to the clerk, and then goes on to the next
pledge. The touching incident is guaranteed as
authentic.
FREE PICTURES IN KENSINGTON GARDENS !
"W, R." writes to The Times:—" The crowds who
flock to Busby Park or Kew do not seennything more
fair than the tree pictures now in Kensington Gardens,
to which I beg te call the attention of all lovers of trees.
The hawthorns and horse-chestnuts are now in marvel-
lous beauty, though one rarely sees anybody taking
the least notice of them. All the blaze of the autumnal
bedding out ' is in point of beauty as nothing to what
is now afforded here by a few kinds of ordinary hardy
trees that cost little at first and take care of them-
selves afterwards. There is a little open/lawn with a
small lime tree in its centre quite near the Row corner
of the Gardens, around which there are several charm-
ing aspects of tree beauty. One hawthorn is about
forty feet high. Some of the central and unfrequented
portions of the Gardens are the most attractive.
Nobody can despair of growing flowering trees to his
heart's content in London after seeing the mountains
of horse-chestnut bloom and other masses of tree
flowers here. Lot those interested see the old trees in
the central parts as well as the newer plantations,
which, however, are also beautiful."
INFORMATION WANTED.— IS the Mineral Colt
a descendant of the "Iron Horse ? "—Punch.
A MISQUOTATION. —A curious misquotation
occurs in The Times's report of Lord earner von's speech
the other night on the Vivisection Bill. His lordship
is represented as saying they all remembered the words
of the poet :
"He prayeth best who loveth best
Both man, and bird, and beast."
The words that Lord Carnarvon meant t) give, of
course, are—
"lie prayeth well who loveth well
Both man, and bird, and beast."
There is a verse in the "Ancient Mariner" beginning
as does the first line in the above misquotation, but
that verse runs :
"lie prayeth best who loveth best
All things, both great and small," dco.
COLOURABLE.—A contemporary announces
that a large sum of money has been given in charity
by a wealthy negro, and applies the term "generous"
to the donor. The word is out of place, for all pre-
sents from such a source must be given with a nigger'd
hand.—Fun.
NEW ARMY HEAD-DRESS.—The Horse Guards
authorities have determined to introduce A new head-
dress into the British Army (says the Whitehall
Review). They are about to adopt for all the inf ant ry and
artillery a helmet of black leather, shaped like the
white helmet which has been for some years worn by
our troops in India. The first corps upon which the
experiment is to be tried will be the Royal Enginerrs,
to whom the new helmet will be issued in the early
part of next year. The improvement this will make
in the appearance of our infantry and foot artillery
will no doubt be very great. The soldierlike appear-
ance of the German troops since they have adoptedthe
helmet must be manifest to every one who has seen
them. Amore ugly head-dress than the shako, a more
useless one than the busby, or a more inconvenient one
than the metal helmet can hardly be imagined, and it
would be an immense advantage to the Army if these
could be done away with, and a really serviceable
helmet, adapted to this climate in the same way that
the white helmet is adapted to India, could replace
them.
GIFT OF A FREE LIBRARY.—On Saturday a
Free Library erected at a cost of £5,000, and furnished
with 7,0(0 volumes of books as an Instalment of 10,000
promised by the donor' was given by Mr. Chadwick,
M.P. to the town of Macclesfield. The only condi-
tion attached to the gift was the adoption of the Free
Libraries Act to ensure the maintenance of, the library
which was unanimously done by. the ratepayers in
1874, soon after the gift was-promised. On ,Saturd,
Mr. Chadwick, in the presence of a large assemblage,
including his wife and daughters, the other borough
member, along with Sir Henry. Cole, Mr. Pennington,
M P.. the Mayors of Manchester, Salford, Stockport,
and Congleton, the local magistrates, the Town
Council, the School Board, and official bodies, pre-
sented to the Mayor, Mr. Thomas Unett Brockle-
hurst, a gold key as the symbol of possession, and re-
ceived an address of thanks. The Mayor afterwards
gave a banquet at the Town-hall, and Sir Henry Cale
responded to the toast of "Science and Art."
Lk GUERRE DES • FEMMES. —Mr. Punch is
informed that great satiafaction reigns among the
Members of the Women's Rights Associations through-
out the country, in consequence of the information re-
ceived of a revolution having been effected at Con-
stantinople by the "Softa " portion of the COM.
munity !—Punch.
THE BALHAIII MYSTERY.—The Times of Tues-
day said :—" The information gathered by the detec-
tive police and the statements taken by the Treasury
solicitors will be to-day submitted to counsel. With
reference to statements which appeared on Saturday in
some papers, purporting to be a brief summary' of
the report to be presented to the Home Secretary, the
authorities desire it should be known that none of the
supposed information' conveyed therein had an offi-
cial source. The facts gathered by theaaolice and the
unsworu teatiniony of witnesses in possession of the
Treasury have not been made available for publication,
and the summary referred to was not bated on the
report of the Treasury solicitors,

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