The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-02-02 00:00:00

ntistett Ft Il cans (11,tellig Cat.

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

THE GREEK ARMY.—According to the law for 1878,
voted lately by the Greek Chamber, the Greek army
is now composed of 28,000 men-16,288 infantry,
4,044 light infantry, 2,608 gendarmes, 852 cavalry,
2,013 artillery, 1,107 sappers and miners, 300 attached
to the hospitals, and a number of officers and sergeants
on special service. The annual expense for the main-
tenance of the army is estimated at 20,000,000 francs.
A NEAT REMINDER.—AffabIe old Gent (who has
just paid, but inadvertently forgotten the usual
douceur). "Not much business doing just now,
appaently."—Waiter (severely). "No, Sir. 'Seems
to me that all the gentlemen have left town ! [Old
gent recollects himself.]—Punch.

ELECTORAL DISABILITIES OF WOMEN. On Satur-
day a short Bill in the Commons was printed to re-
move the electoral disabilities of women. In Acts
relating to qualification and voting of Parliamentary
electors the masculine gender, it is proposed, shall in-
clude females.
NATURAL HlSTORY.—Animals lick each other from
motives of affection. The reverse is generally the
ease with man—Fun.
COMPARISON BETWIXT LONDON AND NEW YORK.—
A New York paper gives the following comparison
between London and New York :—" London is
healthier than New York. The mortality in London
is only one in forty-one, whereas in New York it is
one in thirty-four. Yet London is five times as large
as New York, with only one-third more park room.
Central Park, containing seven hundred and seventy-
six acres, Li just double the size of Hyde Park; the
boast of England. Leaving out Hyde Park, the
Central Park is larger than any other two parks in
London. The Oroton water is the purest supplied to
any large city in the world, Yet, with the purest air-
age and the finest water, more persons die every year
in I\kw York than in any other large city on the surface
of the globe, whose statistics are known. What is the
cause ? It is found in our dwelling. Too many people
live in the same house. Too many sleep in small, dis-
mal, ill-ventilated rooms, attics, cellars, and the middle
one of three rooms deep. And London streets are
kept clean, both from mud and heaps of garbage and
other putrifying matter. Nothing but the grossest
negligence on the part of its officials could reduce New
York to such a sanitary condition as would augment
her rates of mortality above those of London, which
has sat a tithe of the natural advantages of New York,
in a sanitary point of view.

PHILOSOPHICAL.—The mildest thing won't stand too
much. Milk and water will turn if the weather comes
it to warm.—Fun.
BEES AS WEATHER PROPHETS.—That humble little
insect, the busy bee, has now laid upon its shoulders
the burden of forecasting the nature of coming winters.
If it nearly closes up the entrance to its hive a severe
winter may be looked for; but if the entrance remains
open a mild winter is to be expected. ANorth German
observer is responsible for this statement, and it will
not be difficult for bee keepers to test its exactness.
At present, says the writer, open doors are general,
and a winter of unusual mildness may be confidently
looked for. The o?en doors are found here, and so far
the winter has been unpleasantly mild. What the
bees cannot inform supon is, as to the causes that are
operating to produce these mild winters. Have the
Britishers to acknowledge that some revolutionary
meteorological influences on the other side of the
Atlantic are at work to Americanise that glorious
institution
,of ours, an English winter? Every two or
three days comes beneath the waves of the great
western ocean the announcement that a storm of
American origin is passing on, and will sweep over
our tight little island; and come they do, fast and
thick, putting Jack Frost to flight and drenching us
with rain, or smothering us with mud. Has the
extensive clearing of the vast American forests any-
thing to do with this phenomena? Gardener's
Chronicle.

GERMAN BIBLIOGRAPHY.—It appears by an official
notification issued at Leipsic that the total number of
new German (i.e., published in Germany, Austria,
and Switzerland) works and new editions published
during 1877 and entered on the official Booksellers'
Register (corresponding to our entry at Stationers'-
hall) at Leipsic was 16,437, being the highest number
yet reached in any year. The total number of such
new works and new editions (for the same countries)
registered at Leipsic daring the last ten years (1868-
1877) was 144,155, giving an annual average of
14,415, but it is only within the last four years that
this average has been reached and exceeded. In the
year of the Franco-Prussian War (1870) the number
fell behind that of the preceding year (1869) by 911 ;
sbut the next year not only made good this deficit but
showed an improvement amounting to 220 new books.
The real increase, however, may be considered to have
commenced in 1874, when 15,016 new works or new
editions were registered; in 1875 this was increased to
15,759, in 1876 to 15,857, and now 1877 has exceeded
the decennial average by 2,022.
WOMEN CLERKS AT RAILWAY DEPOTS.—The Bir-
mingham Post says it may not be generally known that
an experiment, first tried at Birmingham, in the way
of employing women for some parts of the book-keep:
rug connected with the railway goods traffic is being
extensively carried out all over the London and North
Western Railway Company's system. A little over
three years ago Mr. Nichols, the traffic man,ager at
the Curzon-street Station, commenced to employ
women to make abstracts from invoices for the ledger
accounts of credit customers, and for forwarding to
the railway clearing-house. The work is not difficult,
but requires to be perforlaed with care and accuracy.
There is at the present time at the station a comfort-
able office, in which some fifteen women, most of
them young persons, are engaged in this work. Their
hours are from nine a.m, till five p.m., with an interval
for lunch, and they receive from 10s„ to 17s. a week
for their services. It has been found that the work
is done much more accurately than by male clerks, to
say nothing of the greater neatness which is also dis-
played. The work affords excellent employment for
fairly educated girls whose parents do not wish to
rend them into shops and factories, and the success
attending it promises to lead to further developments "
in the same direction.
Ti-is DELICACY OF SNAILS !—ln France the snail is
becoming a fashionable article of diet, and for some
time past a particular place has been appropriated for
their sale in the Paris fish-niarket. "Snails," says
one of the French journals, "were highly esteemed by
the liomans, our masters in gastronomy, and are now
raised in many of the departments with success. In
the sixteenth century the Capuchins of Fribourg pos-
sessed the art of fattening snails—an art which is not
lost in our day; for in Franche Comtd, Lorraine, and
Burgundy they raise excellent snails, which find a sure
demand in the Paris market. There are now more
than fifty restaurants, and more than twelve hundred
private tables in Paris, where snails are accepted as a,
delicacy by from eight thousand to ten thousand cus-
tomers. The monthly consumption of this mollusc
is estimated at half a million. The proprietor of the
Snaillery near Dijon is said to net over 7,000 francs
annually."
ENCUMBRANCES —The Toronto Globe states that a
farm Was sold recently at the church door of a parish in
Quebec to the highest bidder, with two old people as
encumbrances :—" They handed over their property
to their children on condition that so long as the old
people lived those.. children should lodge, clothe, and
beard them suitably to their condition, take them to
Divine service on Sundays and feast days and bring
them home, place a horse and vehicle at their dispo-
sal on demand, fetch and fee the priest and doctor
when desired, keep in good order the best bed re-
served for them until the death of the survivor, allow
them access to all buildings and lands they may wish
to enter, satisfy all their necessary wants, spiritual or
corporal, and in times of sickness furnish them with
due luxuries, and, finally, at their death bury them in
the parish cemetery, provide an ordinary funeral ser-
vice, and a memorial service at the end of the year,
besides having ten low masses chanted for the repose
of their souls. The new possessors of the property
failed, and now the property is offered for sale, sub-
feet to the charge in the deed of donation. This is a
very common practice in Lowor Canada,"

HOMEWARD BOIIND.—(MufUns has had a day with
the 'ounds on the old 'oss as runs the bread cart.)—
Keeper: Good sport, Guv'nor ?—Muffins: Capital!
—Keeper: Killed ?—Muffins (thinking with pride of
his own hairbreadth escapes) : No, by George; pre-
cious near, though. Keeper (thißking of his phea-
sants) Ah? bad job that ; we's well nigh overrun
wi' sich vannin hereabouts. [Muffins is perplexed.—
Judy. _

THE CHURCH.—The Bishop of Worcester. speaking
on Monday at Leamington, said the only thing which
could annihilate differences existing within the Church
of England and preserve her unity WdS cmtiuually
deferring to the authority of Holy Scriptures. Could
they but agree to adopt God's Word as their rule, both
for faith and practice, all differences wou'd sink to
nothing. The more they approached to this state of
things, the more harmonious would the Church be
and the more good would it accomplish. Mr. Newde-
gate, addressing the same meeting, attlibuted the
present activity of the laity to a consciousness of dan-
ger to the Establishment unless mr)vements within
Were SU pressed.

GAS EXPLOSIONS.—'
Times :

." Gas Manager" writes to The

"I have been expecting that some one would call the
attention of the public, through your columns, to a very
.simple remedy for one of the most fruitful causes of gas
escapes—namely, water-joint pendants, one of which in all
likelihood was at the bottom of the accident at Southport.
This apparatus is ill understood by the bulk of gas con-
sumers, who seem to forget that water will evaporate, and
very quickly too, in a heateß room, so allowing the gas to
escape in such quantity as to cause a serious explosion in a,
very short time. The evaporation of the water in the pen-
dant and the risk of accident arising therefrom may be pre-
vented by adopting the following simple and effectual
remedy. Fill with water the water cup at the top of the
outer tube of the pendant to within an inch or two of the
top, fill up the remainder with rape or sweet oil, and the
pendant will then be safe and require no attention in this
respect for a lifetime. reildants, if drawn down during the
evening, shoold always be pushed up again before retiring for
the night."
BRITISH INTERESTS.—In anything but Turkish Cou-
pons.—Punch.
COLONIAL SYMPATHY FOR INDIA.—The Mayor of
Auckland, New Zealand, in sending a contribution to
the Lord Mayor of London for the Indian Famine
Fund, writes :—" The amount is, of course, small.
compared
.with that forwarded by larger and more
wealthy cities in the Australian colonies, but I am
sure that it will be received as an evidence of that
community of sentiment which animates every part of
the Empire, and which gives promise that whenever
any great calamity—whether of famine or of hostile
armament—may threaten the welfare of any portion
of that empire, the warm sympathy and vigorous
effort of the British race throughout the world will
respond with the force and potency of a united
nation." The Lord Mayor in reply said :—" In this
emergency the assistance of the colonies has been most
kindly rendered, and most practically valuable, and
their action fully bears out your belief that, in any
great calamity affecting the welfare of the British
Empire, colonial aid may be most surely counted
upon."

AN OLD TERM WITH A NEW MEANING.-Armis-
tice.—An arrangement the meaning of which is
optional, and by which a successful belligerent is
enabled to take advantage of his less fortunate and leEs
cunning adversary, who may be imbued with a higher
sense of honour as regards a flag of truce.—Judy.

MUSSULMAN PILGRIMS.—The Cairo Correspondent
of the Cologne Gazette writes that seven vessels, with
3,700 pilgrims, arrived on the 11th inst. at Tor, the
quarantine station on the Siiaia peninsula. Of the
passengers, 13 died during the passage; among them,
as it is pretended, only one of cholera. At Tor,
where there are now 5,000 pilgrims in quarantine, five
cases of cholera have happened. The pilgrims suffer
besides, from a kind of diarrhcea, which has the
character of cholera. The sanitary authorities have
resolved not to allow any one of the pilgrims to leave
Tor before the complete cessation of the cases of
disease. It creates apprehension to hear that English
mail boats call on the way from India to Europe at
Dshidda, to pass then through the Suez Canal.
MosT CIVIL !—Polite Little Girl (who with her
nurse, brother, and sisters, has been shown over a small
cocoa-nut matting factory). "Thank you so very
much for your kindness !"—Thirsty Workman. "Quite
welcome, Miss! We should like to drink your 'ealths,
Miss !"—Polite Little Girl. "0, thank you ! That is
very kind of you! We shall be delighted! Good after-
noon !"—Punch.

SALMON IN AUSTRALIA—The Melbourne Argus says:
Sir Samuel Wilson, who a year or two ago expended
the sum of £l,OOO in an attempt to introduce salmon
into Victoria, has made a fresh effort, and on this
occasion with more promise of success. The salmon
ova hitherto has been obtained from England, but
after the failure of the last experiment Sir Samuel
Wilson determined to try whether better results could
not be secured with. ova from California. He there-
fore ordered, through the Californi4n Acclimatisation
Society, 50,000 Californian salmon ova, which arrived
by the last Californian mail in fine condition. The
ova had been skillfully packed, and had been carefully
attended to during the veywee. Immediately on its
arrival it was taken to Ercildoun, and the very next
morning several hundreds of the young fry were
hatched'. The result of this experiment in accli-
matisation is being watched with the greatest interest.
A DocToß's COUNTER-IRRITANT.—The prescribing
Chemist.—Pancit.
TECHNICAL EDUCATION. The Goldsmiths' Com-
pany, with a view to the encouragement of technical
education in the design and execution in the works of
art in the precious metals, have resolved to give an
annual prize of £5O for the best design, and also £5O
for the best model of some article in gold and silver,
which, when manufactured, shall exceed 30 ounces in
weight; an annual prize of £25 for the best execution
and workmanship of some such article; three prizes of
£25 each for the best design, model, and execution of
some article of less weight than 30 ounces ; and prizes
of £25 each for the best specimens of chasing or
repousse work and engraving. Objects cf jewellry
and personal ornaments are not to be the subjects of
design. All the specimens sent in will probably after-
ards be publicly exhibited. The competitors must
be British subjects, and the objects must be delivered
before November next. The company have also re-
solved that a travelling scholarship of £lOO per annum
may be awarded to a student who has shown excep-
tional talent, and who shall have obtained a prize for
design for three successive years, in order to enable
him to study art in the precious metals on the
Continent.

THE LONDON MASONS' STRIKE.—On Saturday, the
strike roll of the London stonemasons was less than
that of the previous week by some five-and-twenty
men, so many musons having been added to the num-
ber of those working at the 10d. per hour. The strike
roll now numbers about 600, and all these received the
usual strike pay of 18s. each, with is. extra in the case
of married men and for each child under the age of 13.
During the week the strike committee have sent home
to Scotland and the provinces five men in excess of the
number of those that have arrivtd in London.—.A
general meeting of the Central Association of Master
Builders of London was held on Tuesday, principally
to take into consideration the question of placing the
new arrivals of workmen from Scotland, who are
somewhat in excess of the present demand for
labour. It appears that all the stated require-
ments of the larger numlytr of firms have been met,
and the papers quite filled up, 1,200 masons in London
being now at work at the old prices.
No -RHETORICAL PHRASE.—In the course of a leader,
The Times remarks :
As for the strength of this country, it would be, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer truly says, as great as it was in
former times, and greater in proportion. That is no
rhetorical phrase, but strictly a statement of fact When
this country fought single-handed against the enormous
military power of Napoleon 1., it began with a small and un-
considered army. The Continent made light of it. Napoleon,
although he knew our capacity for defence, could not bring
himself to believe that we could put into the field any formid-
able body of troops. Ile didnot estimate the strength of that
endurance which comes partially from the character of
the people, and partially from the enormous resources
which have been piled up during centuries of comparative
peace. That character is unchanged, and, in truth, we have
only to look at the warlike spirit among a considerable part
of the community to see how highly developed is the temper
of pugnacity. Nor were the national resources ever so great
as they are to-day. They are greater not merely absolutely,
but relatively, than they were at the outset of the long
French war. The equipment of the army is superior; the
population is more numerous and more contented ; the
national wealth has grown enormously; and that carrying
trade which is the basis of our maritime force exceeds any-
thing dreamt of by past generations. It is a simple state-
ment qf fact to. say that we could repeat the trials of the
French war if we cared to make the same limitless sacrifices.
THE INFANT MIND.—A charitable society now
exists which has established a home where "minds,"
i.e., little children whose mothers and fathers are out
all day, may be left. The minds are taught plain
sewing and to make little mats to keep them out of
mischief. This is a genuine case of mind and matter.
—Fun.

TRICHINOSIS.—A serious outburst of
_Trichinosis is

stfila by The Veterinary Journal to have occurred
at Leipsic in Germany. All classes of the community
have been attacked by it, and at Stettin alone there
were forty-one cases in one week. In America, too,
the same journal states that—

Trichinosis is either becoming more prevalent In the
United States of America, or it is more closely investigated
and readily recognised. An outbreak occurred in Indiana in
1.574, but only nine people were affected, and three of these
perished. One pig was the origin of the outbreak; its flesh,
tvhich had been converted into smoked sausages, and was
full of trichinae, had been eaten in an uncooked state. The
Western States, which are the chief pig-rearing regions, are
much infested with 'trichinosis ; aud an examination of the
flesh in pigs in South-Eastern Indiana proved that from three
to sixteen per cent are affected. It is calculated that in the
Western Stat.s five million pigs are killed every winter for
the consumption of a large portion of the United States;
and if only four per cent, of these are trichinosed, the
total number disposed of for food would be upwards of
200,000.
Considering our extensiv,e imports of pigs from Ger-
many, and park from America it would appear that
our immunity from this terrible disease must depend
on the fact that we habitually cook our food well.—
Mark Lane Express.

THE EMPRESS OF AUSTRIA.—Her Imperial Ma-
jesty the Empress of Austria arrived at Claridge's
hotel shortly before one o'clock on Saturday
last from Cottesbrook - park, Northampton, at-
tended by Baron Nopsec' Count Larisch, the
Countess Festetics Count Clam Galles, Dr. Lang,
Count Henry Larisch, and Prince Lichtenstein.
The Empress with the Countess Festetics visited
the ex-King of Naples on the way to her hotel.
In the evening, Her Imperial Majesty received
the ex,King of Naples and the principal members
of her Court at dinner at Claridge's. The Empress
after dinner with the ex-Queen witnessed- the
performances at Jingler's Cirque. Her Imperial
Wjesty, attended by the Countess Festetics and
Count .Henry Larisch, went to the eleven o'clock
Mass, on Sunday, with the Sisters of Mercy in
Carlisle. street, Westminster. During the afternoon
the Empress, attended by her lady in waiting and
chamberlain, paid visits to the Prince and Princess of
'Wales at Clarence-house, St. James's ; the Duchess of
Cambridge, at St. James's Palace; Princess Louise
(Marchioness of Lorne), and Princess Mary (Duchess)
and the Duke of Teck, at Kensington Palace. In the
evening, the Empress and the whole of the members
of her Court, Princo Lichtenstein, Prince Kimsky,
and the personnel of the Embassy, dined with his Ex-
cellency Count Beust, at the Austro-liunaarian Em-
busy, m Belgrave-square.

According to the Classified Directory of the charities
of the metropolis, it appears that the total income of the
religious and charitable societies for last year was
£4,651,132, the societies numbering 1,030. In the preceding
year there' were 1,050 societies with a total income of
£4,114,849. City Press.
The Clyde, 1,145 tons, Captain S. Teasdel, char-
tered by Sir Arthur Blyth, K.C.M.G., Argent-General for
South Australia, left Plymouth on the 26th inst. for Port
Adelaide with 377 emigrants, under the charge of Dr. J. C.
Verco, surgeen, among whom were 80 single female domestic
servants under the care of Miss Charlotte Wale, matron.
The quantity of American fresh beef and mutton
landed at Liverpool last week was again very large, consist-
ing of 5,282 quarters of beef and 1,050 carcases of mutton.
There were no arrivals of live stock.
The Adelaide Observer, of Dec. Ist, gives a sad
account of the effects of drought in Queensland. There
have been great losses of cattle and great sufferings amongst
the people from the want of water. Hundreds of small
farmers are said to be "almost hopelessly ruined," and,
The Observer adds, "it will take years of prosperous seasons
before the colony recovers from the shock."
A slight improvement in the health of the Pope
was reported on Monday. His Holiness is, however, still
confined to his bed by the swelling in the legs.
At Sheffield, the ratepayers have defeated the Cor-
poration, who desired to promote a Bill giving, amongst
other things, power to carry out extensive schemes of street
improvements. One of these schemes would have interfered
with the graveyard of the parish church, and against this
there was much opposition. A poll of the ratepayers was
demanded, and the result was made known on,Monday, when,
out of a total of nearly 30,000 votes recorded, there was a
majority against the Bill of nearly 4,000.
, Her Majesty will hold Drawing Rooms at Bucking-
ham Palace on the 24th February, 21st March, and on the
7th and 9th May. The Prince of Wales will hold a levee at
St. James's Palace on the 9th February, and another at the
beginning of March.
A Parliamentary Return just issued shows that the
revenue derived during the last financial year from the
duties on spirits, malt, wine, etc., was thus chargeable :
England, £20,734,441 ; Scotland, 45,431,169 ; Ireland,
£5,360,112. The other sources of revenue were made up of
contributions in the following proportions :-lEngland,
£21,367,449; Scotland, £2,323,044 ; Ireland, £1,304,612.
This, however, does not include the postal and telegraph
services, which • cannot be apportioned between the three
countries separately.
Galignani says that advices from all parts of the
French coast describe the weather as terrible during the
last few days' The wind has been blowing a violent gale,
accompanied with snow and hail. At Cherbourg, Nantes,
and Brest all the vessels in the roadstead were forced to
strike their topmasts, and it is feared that many disasters at
sea have occurred.
"Why is no clerk in Coutt's Bank allowed to wear
a moustache? "—Truth.
A bill "to amend the law concerning the peerage of
Ireland," introduced into Parliament by Mr. Plunket, Mr.
11. Herbert, and Mr. Macartney, has been printed. .The
, preamble of the bill states that "it is expedient that peer-
-1 ages should no longer be created which do not confer the
right to sit and vote in the House of Lords," and the bill
' proposes to repeal so much of the Act of Union as relates to
the creation of Irish peers.
The Vatican has Eroken off all intercourse with
Russia, Prince Ouroussoff having refused to transmit to his
Government the Pope's complaints about the persecution
of the• Poles on the ground that they were not in the habit
of receiving censure from anybody.
it is said that Victor Hugo composes fifty verses
every morning to "keep his hand in," burning the results,
unless he hits upon something worth keeping.
In London, on Saturday, the -statue of John
Stuart Mill on the Thames Embankment was unveiled in
the presence of a large assembly of ladies and gentlemen.
The statue, which is of bronze, is in a seated position, with
books and other emblems of study by the side. It is mounted
upon a small, neatly carved pedestal of Portland stone,
having on its frontage simply the name " John Stuart Mill,"
resting upon a very nicely executed spray of laurel leaves.
The contract of the work is stated to have been £1,500, but
the committee have, it is understood, a surplus of some
£5OO, winch they intend to apply to some educational work
in connection with the memory of the deceased gentleman.
A collision took place on Monday on a new line of
railway which the Great Nortnern Company is constructing
from Grantham to Derby and Ilkeston, causing the death of
one man and shocking iejuries to five others.
It is said to be in contemplation by the Corporation
of London to confer the honorary freedom of the city upon
Mr. Henry M. Stanley, in recognition of his discoveries in
Central Africa
A Bill introduced into Parliament by Dr. Lush to
amend the Medical Act, 1858, proposes to repeal section 40
of that Act, and to enact that penalties of £2O shall be
inflicted on any persan who shall falsely assume a medical
. title, or on any unregistered person who shall fill up a cer-
tificate of death. An exemption is granted to persous hold-
ing "a medical diploma, degree, or title from some uni-
versity, college, or body in any British possession or foreign
country entitled to grant the same."
The Central Committee of the Red Crescent at Con-
stantinople make a pressing appeal for help, stating that a
considerable number of wounded soldiers are flocking into
Constantinople from all parts, with nearly 150,000 refugees,
victims of the war, from the scene of the military opera-
tions.
"Hobart Pasha has a supreme contempt for
Russian torpedos. Writing home to Eome of his relatives,
last week, he said : Torpedos are practically harmless. I
have no fear of them, for a good guard and a careful look-
1,
out will make a fleet safe from their attacks.' "—Truth.
It is announced that a society of capitalists of Am-
sterdam has obtained from the Khedive the concession for
draining lake Mareotis, of which the origin dates from the
breaking of the dykes of Alexandria in 1801. It is hoped to
make 30,000 hectares of ground available for cultivation,
chiefly for vineyards.
"This story is absolutely true. A few days ago a
lady in London, on sending for her maid, was told that she
was absent, and on making further inquiry she was informed
that she had "gone to take a dancing lesson." The lady
naturally asked what on earth the maid could want with
dancing lessons, when the following answer was made :
' Please, my lady, she has been invited to a fancy-dress 1.20.
She is going as Queen Elizabeth, and wants to be a credit-to
the character !'"— Vanity Fair.
Galignani states that a party of Chinese operatives
who arrived in Paris some weeks ago have commenced work.
A portion of them are engaged on the foundations of the
structure which is to be erected on the Trocadaro, whilst
the others are occupied with fitting together the portions
of the edifice, all in wood, which came from China properly
numbered as a guide to the workmen. A temporary work-
shop has been set apart for the men in order that they may
not be incommoded by the curious. The woodwork has been
merely cut to shape in China; the painting and gilding will
be done at the Trocadero.
"I am told, that a portion of money for which
Ministers are asking' is to be expended in the purchase of
the Turkish ironclads, which are being completed in Eng-
land for the Porte."—Truth.
We understand that the Queen was graciously
pleased to express her wish to confer the vacant Garter on
the Earl of Beaconsfield ; but the offer was, with Her
Majesty's permission, declined.—The Times.
The Times of India says a foreigner has been found
in the Allahabad for taking sketches of the arsenal, etc.
He has been placed under surveillance till inquiries are
made, Rumours says he is a Russian spy.
On the night of the 14th Signor Parisis, a wealthy
citizen of Palermo, was carried away from the heart of the
City by four masked brigands, who subsequently obtained
£2,500 for his ransom.
In the Quartier Mont Parnesse, Paris, a few nights
ago, 200 persons were present at a subscrip'don ball where
the musicians, dancers, and company were all blind.'
Don Francis d'Assissi, the husband of Queen Isa-
bella, has given the Queen of Spain a diadem in brilliants,
and to King Alfonso the batOn of commander-in-chief which
belonged to Ferdinand VI.
It has been proposed in the South Australian Par-
liament to offer a prize of £4,000 for the best machine for
reaping, cleaadug, and bagging, corn in the field.
Last year the value of petroleum imported was
£1,772,239, against £1,424,196 in the previous year.
Sir James Fergusson, the defeated Conservative
candidate for Greenock, in addressing a meeting on Saturday
afternoen, alluded to what he termed the "war scare" of
the previous day, and declared that the news of the
Ministerial crisis, arriving on the polling day, did much to
injure his cause
The death of Dr. John Doran, F.S. A., has taken
place, lie was a member of an old family from Drogheda,
awl was born in 1807. In early life he resided in France and
Germany, and began his literary career at 15 years of age
with a melodrama produced at the eurrey Theatre He was
for eleven years editor of a weekly London newspaper, and
at various periods durieg many years has been acting editor
of the Athemrum lie was a constant contributor to the
leading reviews and magazines, and he published many im-
portant works, the best known of which are " Table
Traits," published iu 1834; "Their Majesties' Servants," a
History of the English stage, 1863; and "Saints and
Sinners," 1868
An inquest has been held in London concerning the
death of William Riches, aged forty, the proprietor of the
" Wheatsheaf " Tavern, in Keaton-street. It appeared from
the evidence that the deceased had stewed steak for supper,
and portion of the meat lodged in his windpipe, and, before
anything could be done, he expired. Dr. Parrmore said that
when he was called in he found life extinct. The cause of
death was suffocation lay choking. The jury returned a
verdict of "Accidental death."
Mr. H. H. Vivian, M.P., speaking at a large
county meeting at Cowbridge, Glamorganshire, expressed
Isis stroug opinion that this country would not go to war
with Russia. There were, he believed, several members of
the Cabinet with strong pro-Turkish sympathies, but the
majority were as strongly opposed to involving this nation
In a war which appeared to be so distasteful to the people.
Sunday last was Hospital Sunday in Sheffield, and
collections were made at the majority of the churchee and
chapels on behalf of the medbial charities. In consequence
of the continued depreFsion of trade and the accompanying
distress, and of the bad weather which prevailed throughont
the day, there was a falling off in the amounts; but ills
expected that between £1,500 and £2,000 will be contributed.
During the ten years that Hospital Sruiday has existed in
Sheffield about £17,000 has been contributed to the medical
charities by these means.
The Lords Justices gave judgment on Monday
against the Postmaster-General in an appeal on a case repre-
senting many others, and involving an amount of about
' twenty thousand pounds. Mr. J. B Saunders, an inspector
, of one of the electric telegraph companies taken over by the
Post Office in 1868, claimed that the assessment of his com-
pensation should be based, not oely upon his salary, but alto
upon the allowance evhich the comenuy made to him for per
-
Kenai expenses when absent from head-qnarters. The Lords
' Justices held that Mr. Sc.unders was entitled to ceropensa-
, tion in respect to what he could save out of the allowance
made to him.

"For the benefit of Cabinet Ministers and others.
whose ideas of geography are vague, it may, perhaps, be Se
well to state, that the Dardanelles are about 200 piffes fro=
the Bosphorus."-2'ruth.
Between eight and ten o'clock on Monday night
burglary was effected at Pared ,n Hall, the residence of Mr.
Loftus Arkwright. master of the Essex hounds. Entrance
was obtained by a ladder into Mrs. Arkwright's dressing:
room, the thieves securing the door from the inside weili!
wooden wedges, gimleted to the floor. They got Cl sr
away with their booty, which consisted of four gold watches,
some bracelets, rings, and other valuable jewellery. The
burglars left behind them a jemmy and a false moustache.
Monday's Magnet says the moderately severe frosts
of last week have proved an efficient and salutary check
the undue undue development of vegetation.
The Charivari (the French Punch) has a large sketch
of the British lion "preparing to show his teeth." Tb..,?,
noble beast is sitting up like a poodle, and displaying a P.:".
of utterly toothless jaws, into which an adroit dentist isrit
the act of introducting a most formidable-looking set 01
false teeth.
The simultaneous release of many bad characters,
consequent upon the Royal Amueety of minor offenders, ill
causing considerable uneasiness in Italian cities. The
police, however, are instructed to redouble their vigilance,
with a view to maintain public security.
A mew kind of cloth will soon find its way into the
market, made of feathers from fowls and other birds
generally. It is stated to be lighter and warmer than woollt,
cloth, to be waterproof, and capable of being dyed heaut
fully and at little expense.
The Royal crown which the Princess Mercedes is
destined to wear as Queen of Spain -is composed of near
lY
five thousand brilliants, several weighing as much as fiftee?
carats each, besides other precious stones. In Spain there 11
no regular Coronation ceremony.
Trimethylamine extracted from beet-root residnel
Is, according to 'Charles Tellier, capable of being use
u
for refrigeration, so as to produce ice at 2s per ton.
"The Levant Herald insists, that 'the Queen 14
England has addressed an autograph letter to the Czar/
urging him to conclude a speedy and satisfactory Peaces;
Has there been a letter, besides the telegram, which 11'.,
read by Sir Stafford Northcote ?"—Truth.
In Lisbon on Saturday (26th) a shock of earth-
quake was felt, being the tiiird during the present winter.
"The Shah of Persia, strictly incognito, may be el'
pected in England about May next. It is to be hoped thate
he will bring his own umbrella with him this time. On th
last occasion, when on a visit to the Duke of Sutherland,
and being caught in a shower of rain, he borrowed ea
umbrella from a gentleman, but on reaching the house ke
chucked the machine into the air, and away it went whirl:,
ing to its destruction to the great indignation of the owner.
—Court Journal.
A recent run of the Essex and Suffolk hounds had a
rather ignominious finish. The fox ran into a hen-house
at Birch Hall, and curled himself comfortably round in one
of the nests. Doubtless he had been there before; but the
place will know him no more.--Nark Lane Express.
The negotiations between the representatives of the
Northumberland colliery owners and representatives of the
miners, with a view of arranging a sliding-scale and settlins
q
the present wages dispute, have failed. The negotiation
occupied three days, and were concluded on Tuesday, ‘Yliell
a circular was issued, simply stating that the committee
had failed to come to an agreement.
"About a fortnight ago a War Council was
It was attended by Lord Beaconsfield, Mr. Smith,
Hardy, and the heads of the different army and nay,' r-
partnients. It was then ascertained that it would require -
twenty-two days to send 23,000 men to Gallipoli, and to re:
place troops forwarded to the Dardanelles from Malta a?"
Gibraltar. One of the main reasons why this bold Ville/
was not pursued was because the odds were considerablY
favour of the Russians being beforehand at Gallipoli, ba,,.d 0,
time race been inaugurated between England and
—Truth.
The fifth annual conference of the Licensed
Victuallers' Defence League commenced at Nottingham 00
Tuesday, Mr. J. Wadham presiding. The report urged the
trade not to allow such an event as the dissolution of Flir:
liament find them unprepared, and in the presence 0„.1
complicated question of Foreign Policy, an appeal to to°
country should not be ignored as impossible.
The number of workmen employed at the present
time at the workshops of Herr Krupp, at Essen, amounts. to
8,500. The area of the ground enclosed by the wall which
surrounds the factory is 400 hectares, 75 of which
covered with buildings These latter comprise 1,0 r.,
furnaces, 298 steam-boilers, 77 steam-hammers of variou'
sizes, 18 rolling mills, and 291 steam-engines, with a colleo'
tive horse-power of 11,000 horses.
The American Exporter, a new and very excellente
New York commercial paper, gives prominence to.til
rapidly-increasing trade with Great Britain in various
articles of food. Refrigeration is being adapted to the pre;
servation and transit of fish, poultry, and fruit, as well 00!
meat, and the poultrymen of New York are said to 11
building a refrigerator estimated to hold seventy tonS
poultry, for supplying ocean-going steamers. Canada 1.
sending fresh fish to London, and it is intended to shiP
venison to our markets from New York.
The Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, speaking on Mondal,
evening at the annual dinner of the Plymouth Chamber 9?:
Commisrce, referred to the Eastern Question, Ile said 10-
2
was quite true that our best interest was peace, and ins
much as we did not covet that which belonged to others,
if we went to war we had much to lose and very little to
gain. He trusted we might continue to maintain our Pr!"
sent neutrality so long as it could be deine without huraihe- •
thin. The people of England seemed to lave strong C 0 e:
fidence in the word of the Czar, but if that word failed n.
we should not hold our Government blameless should theY
not have prepared themselves for what would follow.
The Peace Society has issued a circular expressini
regret at the indications recently shown by the GovernlUell,
of a departure from the policy of neutrality and non-inteL
vention in the war, to which they had previously consistentlY
adhered. "11 is impossible," the circular says, "not to re"
gard the despatch of the fleet to the Dardanelles, and the pro-
posal about to be laid before Parliament for a large incre
Of armaments, as being a menace to Russia and an encours,-,
ment to Turkey, and as calculated to interfere disastronsus
with the progress of negotiations for peace." The comraitteo
U
call upon their friends throughout the country, to
their protest, in every way they can, against this vote for th,e
augmentation of the armaments, as, in their judgment,
of danger to the cause of peace."
An inquest has been held at Kingsley, near Altoni
on the body of Aaron Dawes, aged seven. On the Ist lip
December the deceased was at play with two other boys
st
a meadow, when a sheep-dog, which came by, snapPed
the deceased and bit him in the right hand, causing a
wound. The dog subsequently strayed to a neighbonriT
village, where it bit a man, who at once shot the an a,
The mother of the deceased washed the wound, which Or,
healed, and the deceased went to school until the 23rd int.,
when he was taken ill. His symptoms became so alarraw,&
that Dr. Woods, of Headley, was called in and he at onre,
pronounced the case one of acute hydrophobia. Therahs
ceased died on the following morning in convulsions.',
jury returned a verdict of "Deaths from hydrophobia. Ii
The Paris fires for 1877 numbered 2,192, of
three alone were attributed to malice. The loss is estiras.•••

at £95,000.
i.ce IS
Her Majesty, according to present arrange rn en _
_t
expected to remain at Osborne till about the middle of
month, keeping the anniversary of her wedding-day, the lu
of February, in the Isle of Wight.
" ona
In Blackburn and the immediate neighbour the
there are, it is computed, 2,0,000 persons engaged ibn
cotton trade, which, through the war, has been in a 're
guishing condition. Months ago the masters express' ct;
determination to reduce the wages 5 per cent. all rertbe
but through the united efforts of the representatives o,,ste,
factory workers the proposal was shelved. The War v.vevii
however, has paralyzed the cotton trade to such an e%y
that a reduction of wages to the extent of 10 per cent.
be regarded as inevitable throughout this district, r 1,4
downward change in the wages question is attribute
a "
the operatives to the present political complications.
es,
A meeting of the committee of the Eastern 1211„ft,
tion Association was held in London last SaturdaY, S'Ag
Mundella, M.P., in the chair, at which a resolution w,or
unanimously passed thanking the Earl of Carnarvon
having resigned his seat in the Cabinet rather than can'?
in the determination of the Government in faYour

armed intervention.
in consequence of failing health, Mr. HenleYr svelis°o
has sat for the county of Oxford in the Conservative inter „i
since 1841, has issued an address stating his inteotioll;o
retiring from the representation. The right hon. gentlevi,,od
was Presieent of the Board of Trade in the first and see`its.
Administrations formed by the late Lord Derby, but irldik
drew from the latter in February, 1859, because he ,asei
approved of the reduction of the county occupation francs
to the extent professed in the Government Reform
of the disfranchisement of the forty-shilling freehol '
a.,,ig
Mr. Henley is in his 85th year.—ln a lengthy notice on„;:o
retirement The Times remarks :—"Though Mr. HenleY
taken but little part in the business of this Parliarnen'efeess
retirement will leave a great blank in tile House of
mons. His length of public service and singularly I:Tow
individuality of character secured him a weight ans,"" or
sideration independent of the number of his sPee,e'`,..lolo
votes in the House. lie is the most venerable tYPe 01 3;tfae
of public men not likely soon again to find a representut
at once so thoroughly one of themselves and so elnillehor
a statesman. Mr. Henley was in instinct, habit, and "
big one of the first of country gentlemen."
A Russian, writing in a friendly spirit towq.cle:
England, demurs at the hereditary style and title ofasaso
Imperial Highness, the Grand Duchess Marie of iLoier
being sunk, since her arrival in England, to give Place trod
second one, attained on marriage, which he says is con ,0311
to the universal law of precedence and custom threnf"tae
Europe. He says that in any court or official pale, aS
Princess Royal of England appears as she ought to
50,',
Her Imperial Highness the Crown Princess of Gernrod
and the "Royal Highness, Princess Royal of Eng, flier
follows. The Princess Louise appears as "Her RoYaa.oeSS
nets the Princess Louise," the married title of
of Lorne," following—Court Journal. • ire°
The Sh dield Telegraph • says that Belgian %tor
girders continue to arrive in Sheffield, and are being e,1236
sively used in the construction of buildings Instead p:lers,
competition being, as hitherto, confined to rolled gir see
a novel feature in those just supplied is that they
riveted. the
An election of a clergyman, consequent 1-1130dor
sudden death of the Rev. Charles Hall, took place at Fl
ton, near Bicetter, on Monday. , The right of electinlictise
vicar is vested iu the luiuseholders of the parish, irresPeotler
of sex, a privilege which is possessed by only five to Pi
i places n England. The Rev. Thomas Ivens, the curs
charge of the parish, was unanimously chosen.
A very valuable silver mine is said to have beel3„taio
covered in Arizona by two brothers. It is in a Men" 00
which was always supposed to he a mass of iron oleçeiø
digging down five or six feet the prospectors struck tail•
of silver ore which assays from 1,000 to 2,000 dols. to tq11230
and is two hundred feet wide The discoverers. Wfare,
aid of one ruin, took out, it is reported, twenty tons'
worth 25,900 dots. in two weeks. 001
The correspondent of TAe Standard, writirighealie
Rome. says :—"The Courier, which is understood to !cog
mouthpiee of an ex-Minister, writes very bitterly resin
ilsol
the conduct pursued in London on the occassion of Of,
King's death and says it has produced a most P.6elot
impression in Italy. The omission of all rfference te 023t1l
Emmanuel in the Queen's Speech was felt very deepr,
rticle
Italy,' says the Courier, concludieg a very bitter a _eraea`'
not readily forget this conduct of the English Govo::, she
towards it, the effect of which cannot be cancelled
~%itity
sending the Garter to King Humbert on the persoria“—
tive of the Queen." Waej
Sir 'Wilfrid Lawson, M.P., addressed a Cr°,ight,
meeting at the Birmingham Town Hall on llondaYcewen'S
in support of the Permissive Bill. He regarded alt,,c'ensiiig
Bill as a revolutionary measure, es it would give .11h0u5014
boards power to increase the number of puhll9-„to tbei
whereas what was wanted vi as to reduce or exterinnad give
evil altogether. He agreed with the Bill which °'°°do
0,
publicans power to sell as gin that spirit dilute
water, but should prefer the liquid being all ivatfo`uo tiot
hibition in liquor laws had always caused gler
triumphant successes. ivertiSe'
A Vienna journal contains the following at„
ment Anna Agrikoi, sick nurse, watches dea" —ootd,
repairs straw chairs, applies leeches, I,
and makes
desserts, and delicacies." a Well
"The other day a Government official went to
,rjer
known firm of m usical instrument makers with a la!g__uever.!
for military band equipments. He was informed.? n..oo"ros/
to his astonishment, that the firm in question ban !„,i.
work in hand, that although their men were emplo?!.3fof
and day, they could not undertake any fresh orne'
long time to come "—Whitehall Review. tl3lht
itS
theT
Cleopatrahe r uniou rNseveldileehhhas sustained
one re
transit from Alexandria to this country has blessst,
dieted. 'the obelisk is as sound as when it left
the nearest approach to an accident in conneir:H;Tase;
it either Oil the voyage or since its arrival at theti'v"e'sasifeirl
Docks was on Saturday night, when 1111 socitio
perched himself on one of the sides of the ohe,
insuring off as he thought a distance of two fe.et atar,
some pdualublit elinop
ballast, he fell to the bottom and fractured lils,ff,,DaVr;
question of the site is still unsettled, great Ilifticno,"' a A
t ere-%aus
been experienced in the way of the rroposats fide grw
Needle either at Westminster, Horse Guards
or on the gardens adjoining the Thames ral

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'IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
In the ROUSE OF LORDS, Jan. 23, Lord Stratheden and
Campbell called attention to the further correspondence re-
2,Pooting the affairs of Turkey, and regretted that their lord-
Chips were not in possession of more specific information as
to the present position of Eastern matters. He maintained
that if it were really the intention of Russia to occupy Con-
istantinople it was the duty of the other Powers generally, and
England in particular, to prevent such a step being taken.
Any measure taken to prevent such an occupation would
not be considered as a breach of neutrality In corclusion,
h (moved a resolution declaring that conditional or absolute
neutrality in no way preven ed the Governmnt from adopt-
ing Such Measures as were necessary to preserve the treaties
of 1856, and to guard Constantinople from hostile occupa-
tion.
Earl Granville said he had been startled by the doctrine
that if we aisisted Turkey against Russia we should not be
breaking our neutrality, and left it to the Government to
BaY whether they agreed to or dissented from such a decla-
ration. The maintenance of the independence of Belgium
lb case of attack was not a parallel ease, as there was no
Mention of neutrality in the treaties relating to that
country Ile c@ngratulated Lord Derby on his restoration
to health, and hoped he would be able to explain the
rumours as to his lordship's resignation.
,Loril Dorchester urged that we should have 9. clearer den-
paten ef the conditions of neutrality; and the Earl of
Faversham objected to a Russian occupation of Constanti-
bople, or to a large concession of Armenian territory to that
Power.

Lord Derby remarked that the conditions of British
neutrality respecting weich he had been asked a question
th'were clearly explained in his despatch of last May, and from
,e Principles laid down in that despatch we had not
"'Lied, and w d not intend to depart from them now. His
lordship said e.____‘? e the noble lord (Granville) entertains
any eUspicLi'in his mind that our formal assurances to the
Porte et neutrality were in any manner counteracted by
Unofficial encouragement or by hopes held out in a
Pertvate Manner, Ican offer in respect of such a suspicion
see
(nearmost absolute assurance that it is unfounded.
re, , hear.) We have never held but one lan-
''',age from the beginning to the present time, and I can
°ol3' say that no one connected with the British Government
Ihas been or could be guilty of what in the circumstances
rolild be the crime of encouraging brave men to persevere
n a hopeless struggle by holding out to them fallacious ex-
With respect to the complaint of the paucity
°the Papers now laid on the table he replied by stating
that additional papers were in course of preparation. With
regard to the rumour respecting his resignation, Lord Derby
Sale_
Di," MY lords, the only explanation which I have to
°'"e " SO short and of so simple a character that if I had
leiot been invited by my noble friend to give it I should not
'Lave thought it necessary to do so. An important step,
ahruY lords, was decided upon—decided upon, no doubt, after
Ceext°us and earnest consideration—by the Cabinet in the
ta—e-e7 sif which I did not concur. Had that step been
fessseeo and the course adopted by the Cabinet been
ds"ettelz.ed in your lordships' House it would have been my
e cis, srom the position I held, to undertake its defence, and
ae 0 not think that in a matter or grave national import
a rile° any man is justified in coming forward to defen
of easure which he does not in his conscience approve.
altear') My lords' under these circumstances I had only one
vi ative,and I adopted it reluctantly, but from a con-
ction of its necessity. (Hear, hear.) But, my lords, it is
sniatter of daily experience in public affairs that most
DiseeirPuttPcing emergencies often result in the most unexpected
tha "°4B, and before many hours had passed from the time
elle the step I have referred to was agreed upon, the cir-
eartances of the case altered, and, under the altered con-
cee"s, raY colleagues thought, and they did so quite
th-ststently with their formerly expressed opinions—that,
heeeeeircurastances having altered, they were no longer
erstd to take the step to which I have alluded. The cause
he,difference' therefore, disappeared of itself, and, that
dt'aulg, the case, I had no hesitation and no difficulty in with-
I .flog the tender of my resignation. (Cheers.) My lords,
hl._u not aware that I can be accused at the present time ol
heltu"vc,g,ectuated by an undue desire to retain
.th office
tmeetne honour to hold (" Rear,' and a laugh) , but I do
.not.
asseete that a time of difficulty and anxiety is one at whim
eil roan holding such a position is justified in running away
d °Fa it Unless under a conviction that it is his imperative
to a
With ° a° "
th respect to the proposed resolution, Lord Derby said
eeat he did not think their lordships would be disposed to
that resolution, and proceeded to say—
te'cs'rhe noble lord (Stratheden and Campbell) asks you
in Zay that neutrality, whether conditional or absolute,
tie;n° way probibts her Majesty's Government from adop-
t/. ' °am measures as may be necessary to conform to the
e_eaties m_ nostile oc-
isPation. Now whether that view be true or not, the noble
of 1856 and to guard Constantinople fro
:erdsaYsnothing in his resolution as to the policy or expedi-
"eY of t
hos aking the course he recommends. Neutrality may
Prevent us from doing something which upon other
it may be exceedingly undesirable for us to do;
I,
1141 at measure we could have taken within the last
seesve months to enforce and give effect to the treaties of
_ etso short of going to war I confess I cannot understand.
bear, hear.) It the noble lord thinks that we ought to
eleae sone to war to enforce those treaties, that is a definite
iem tntelligible view, and it is a view which the noble
ell was understood to express dissent.] 11
Cameti.as consistently maintained. [Lord Stratl.,rell, tedenh atnid
i
the (" a s
eo,2leference I should have drawn. The noble lord s, of
ea,v;,`/,, the beat judge of his own opinions, and I will only
wir tiQat it any man thinks we ought to have gone to
aed lo Maintain the treaties of 1856 that is an intelligible
)/er Pardonable view of the case, but it is not the view of
me • ,
Pelee, "LestY,
s Government or of the great majority of the
shrease(tiear, hear.) I will not, theref ore, waste your lord-
me in defending a course which, as far as I am allvaiii%
4,14 V with all but universal acceptance. Best whe t
guard :tard Says we might occ.upy. Constantinople—forl
.t_to
turd d ` agaenst hostile occupation is, in fact, to occupy i
site, °, that without any vice ation of neutrality, it is pus-
tosore.'he ' noble lord may be technically right . to rules he has found in books on International
worild'ut no-
You must look at the matter as the mass of men
regard it. When war is going on and a hostile army
thire°aening the capital of one of the belligerents, if a
not Party steps in and says "No, you must
de,e-R° to the capital ; we will interfere if you
toe_ that is a course which, in the general accept-
eetr _of the language, must be considered as incompatible
lego"tV attitude of neutrality. (Hear, hear.) If seven years
6alte eolintry had done what some persons advised—
declare that if the German armies advanced upon
by t,7,o:ie should interfere, it is quite clear that we should,
svae."'(fr,,i,g that attitude, have made ourselves parties to the
eaae tviear, hear.) I need not do more than say that the
erred to by the noble earl opposite is not one in
neLnecause there the territory was neutral territoryoind
I eZre bound to prevent a violation of that neutrality.
sair"a over very muck that my noble friend has
oeceeelie to the encroachments of Russia and the
are --el of stopping her and the plans which
bf s44lele'el to have existed at a certain point
the dise, Struggle. I remember . perfectly well
as
one
raised ession to which my noble friend refers. It
that ,s Y himself, and my noble friend used the argl umoefnat
Ivo ft la Power does not interfere in the earlstages
1 reit s dePrived of the right of interfering at ay aterstage.
faced etnber commenting on that observation, and I pro-
nierellat 1 said with the remark that I referred to it in a
aree4 speculative manner. I said if the matter was to be
"teetu'a might be held that interference was
vinever. more
r
hae,tee
sthan when one or other of the belligerents es six-
th t' BY the contest. I shall not trouble your lord ships
deeratfther observations. I do not think that it would be
eeotideti„e l should follow my noble friend in discussing the
very i,,:66, or, rather, the bases of peace, because we are
6 bris;lPerfectly informed of them. I have seen a summary,
the te'itnnunary, but I have not had officially communicated
seen, winch the terms in question, and the summary I have
brfie, will shortly be in your lordships' hands, is so
,r,espej.nd, from its brevity, necessarily, so obscure, in many
Iri`ne. p1,.48, that it would be impossible to discuss it, even if at
u ent stage of matters it was desirable to do so. There
our viewa on the conditions of peace,
erm,eos9 doubt, be many opportunities for your lordships to
fol,B,3:and all I need
oatereee'ne Present is that, while we have not in any manner
ctiat Wed. nor do we think it our duty to interfere, to pre-
-1 e es"e TUrkish Government from accepting those bases,
i ntader at the same time stated—and it is a statement
other Powers—that with regard to those matters of
of per,e'm concern which would be involved in the conditions
thee;eise.,lve claim to have a voice in he final settlement."
,Lora L
-11 st teeenhani thought that in the final settlement England
1,11 e her stand on the treaties.
the ,eeresolution was then disposed of by the adoption of
~,,' ereeleue
s_ ene u question,' and their Lordships adjourned.
with "
a , sP, OF Coen4oies was crowded from floor to roof
Ofth,:es'arge and excited audience. Every seat on the floor
bemire „,- rio°llse was appropriated at prayer thee,.hon. mem-
'`‘Line th had Missed the opportunity of securing a place
141,4 e 6 galleries on either side. All the galleries appro-
ti.re
toto the use of the public were also thronged, amongst
'eat i ra hang Midhat Pacha. All Ministers having a
lee, n tlee er
'gal w °use were present, and on the front Opposition
14(44 Cre the Marquis of Hartington, 2lr. Gladstone, Mr.
'and other prominent members of the late Govern-
le nefore
k " liar '
el-chequer ins of Hartington• asked the Chancellor of the
the Orders of the Day were called on,
ts°Vitigg th wrbether, after he had made his statement in
b,nt 14,0 \ ote of Credit, he would consent to an adjourn-
future. nigh, in order that full opportunity
4, receiv6yei? to consider his statement. This question
lactic., es, with some cries of " Nu" from the Ministerial
‘,..eThe el hue
`,,,41•11,,,it wyjr,ellor of the Exchequer replied that as the state-
ttie' se it LL he had to make was one of great importance,
lea 'an-lame would contain some new matter, he thought an
4ti Use Iv nt Would be advantageous, on condition that the
Irit, tu4'sstliowed to go into Committee without opposi-
-14 wittot at private members having motions down
Seetee ot 'raw them. Mr. Itylands, who had given
Rohaker. lea Preliminary opposition to the motion that the
teat eee eealve the Chair, withdrew it, and the House having
tr'oee
eh into Committee of Supply,
ts,na the p:wellor of the Exchequer rose, loudly cheered
heed wa,. Ithisterial bench, to make m a statement which he
e;110 be e 7; Perhaps, of greater importance than any which
eelelaree„hrought forward in his time. Abstaining from
Il aCS,`"arY remarks and from exciting oratory, he pro-
s eerlee to sumup the situation of the belligerents
tl, e„atttions of the European Powers to them Turkey,
he"; been defeated by Russia, and, having asked for
a o'" been informed that an armistice would be
ateAconditions which included an agreement to cer-
a ;:or a future peace. These bases had been commu-
aetelter Majesty's Government, not officially, but
Net 7tiritattve form and it was also said that
~LI deee„"ed greed to 'them. Nevertheless, although
- 'Oll-„besieniee- "adapassed, there was no news of an armistice
elcilivrisu ell and much uncertainty as to what was likely
.be oe_ , 11 prevailed. The reasons for this delay could
te7stre, all',',,lectrired. The bases of peace were somewhat
it might be that the armistice differed from
reeeld b ,solnethine was kept back, and that the Porte
S e
_et d,tet Ill,aced .1, -
.1' 'disadvantage. Although the Govern-
,:ifit Co'
refortelesire to advise the Porte, it was impossible
theeace wn from expressing its opinion as to the terms
kl,,s:iaoolOilte o'esapteieeinallY as erroneous views prevailed as to
.
„ Although several versions of the
t}le iiv°l'Bloern'a oad been received the following was
- , nuia
" Ji.
ricommunicated, though not officially, by
e
, :tteese,a4 tbassador to Lord Derby :,!--- .
' ,t ieraftlt, , within the limits of the Bulgarian nationality is
. leeernee, 2'°ooltrous tributary Principality, with a Christian
native Militia, and no Turkish troops, except at
letpoe`tuel7 to be determined. (Opposition cheers.)
ei,‘o the exist to to have some territorial increase equiva-
-154;11,e ieee, 'dog military stut us quo.
t, ,h.ltlity. godeence of Roumaian, with sufficient territorial
h 55 The t,,,,-ne rs.)
, Ltoetie7ePendence of Servia, with some rectification of
te:Adie• ..
4
_ tiv mrstra
Ma I,__
zegovina e
(01liellae autonom guaranteed
y to be sufficiently to
s"er.
,P.6elti,n'
v_rteefornlS for the other Christian Provinces.
or tear, ',nea ers.)
glieedrriteejealinfoitY is also to be paid to Russia in as pecuniary
Ihe 'int the r9rro, and there is to be an understanding for
tie
40,e e !gilts and interests of Russia in the Straits."
1,4' tttle-Zorbz!ililor then proceeded to remark at some length
4este ',Age' rd sweeping nature of the proposed changes
niseraise
„a_ administration of Turkey, which he said
41,grereet3, o_ueetions of interest to others besides the
,gti, eafre,speet ref_ must be matters of European concert.
ttrais,`,euarem,;,l ler_le ulterior understanding with reference
"eileS'esneemes tile rights and interests of Russia in the
th markedtee",g the
rked : Bosphorus and the Da.rdanelles, the
~etemitt,44!....rneaidt rOnyeTean any. thin,e or nothing,. It inmt bo
i.,0 47
,eteee e tegia„-: en Committee that throughout these pro-
declared that arrang, ments with eepea, neer, gation of the Straits are matters of Euro-
etaCssie" interar Matters in which this country takes the
rvi ,
eVolir 1 , Se) that even at the time when we were de-
v,., aonet
re
e, oeeeetion to observe neutrality in the war, the
144tteVelents Straits was not left out of sight, But
,„,liteers,.?f neitisTr the nal igation of the Straits are not
tei,llttiTerele e 'A ._leeterest only ; they are of European interest.
lo ere,...,saee'e lt attention to th's condition, however,
het'sleek‘o poinr
..I_eet as I had in view in dealing with the
11,i iveei;" ho se_ Wit that these are all matters with regard
etesyerateunderstandin o'engagement or treaty
Lre 11'4- (ci, 3 'a and Tur, , g r
ose eiev-reressed it to 11;1'€'1Y
'th are eera-) We I ' can be acknowledged or act-
expressed tide opinion openly.
fill "0 ri , which ,1,,, , a• .lio Powere of Europe. W e hold
Me 4hta we h, F flax° taken up, which is entirely based
Ye Under treaties which exist, and gasped-
Ilk
t 4 tr‘e‘litY of London ol 1811. (Quota.) I WY

say, also, that as regards Austria, the repeated declarations
of that Power give us the conviction that she entirely
shares the views of Her Majesty's Government. (Cheers.)
I have, I may add, gone through all these conditions
of peace with the view to point out how largely
they affect the interests, and how greatly they may rouse
the susceptibilities, of the European Powers. (Hear, hear.)
We cannot disguise from ourselves the immense importance
of questions of this kind being raised at the present moment
with regard to so great a change as is going on in the direc-
tion of South-Eastern Europe. The key-stone of South-
Eastern Europe is at the present moment being removed
from its place. We have for centuries been engaged in
maintaining a state of things which is being made the
theatre of the greatest and the strongest modifications.
tut-key has been for a considerable time a great Power
in South-Eastern Europe. In any arrangements which
may have of late been contemplated there may have
been two views taken of the position of Turkey.
She might either be regarded as a State which was strong
enough to maintain herself against any single enemy which
might attack her—a State, therefore, which might stand
alone upon her own basis, and which might regulate her
own internal affairs without reference to the advice or
opinions of any other Power; or she might be regarded
as a State which, though not strong enough to maintain
herself without assistance from without, yet was a
Sovereign State within her own borders, and was sup-
ported by the guarantee of other and stronger Powers,
with time condition, implied or expressed, that those
Powers should have the right to advise her in certain
matters. Well, taking a general view of the circumstances
which have occurred within the last two or three years,
Turkey has acted upon the assumption that she was able to
dispense with, or at all events to disregard, the advice of
other Powers. She has shown an amount of gallantry
and spirit which we cannot but admire, however unfortu-
nate we may think it that she took the view she did of her
own strength and power. (Cheers.) She has contended
against tremendous odds—against a most formidable
Power—and though she has been vanquished she
cannot be said to be in a military sense humi-
liated. But the result of her defeat, the result of her
prostration, is that a very great change must neces-
sarily ensue in the arrangement of the south-eastern
portion of Europe ; and as all Europe is interested
in the condition of that part of the Continent and will
be obliged to have a voice in tae arrangement of it, it is
necessary to consider upon what footing the European
Powers are to meet and discuss the subject. One thing, I
think, we may very distinctly say. We must not now push
forward and sacrifice the Turks for the sake of European
objects. (Cheers.) They have suffered enough, and it would
be indeed crue Ito endeavour to make them suffer still more,
for the sake of objects which are European rather than
Turkish.

The Chancellor then proceeded to remark upon the acts of the
Government within tht last month, and after calling atten-
tion to the rapid advance of the Russian troops to-
wards the points where British interests were menaced, he
stated that on December 13 Lord Derby had addressed a
despatch to the Russian Government p _dating out the
daliger of even a temporary occupation of the Dardanelles,
and the Russian Government, in reply, sent a memo-
randum stating that the acquisition; of Constantinople
was not contemplated by the Emperor, and that its future
disposal could only be settled by the Great Powers of
Europe but the point of oricupation was left where it
was. On January 12 the Government, being of opinion that
any Russian occupation of Gallipoli would be an obstacle
to the proper consideration of the terms of a final settle-
ment asked for an assurance that no Russian force
would be sent to Gallipoli. In reply the Russian
Government informed us that they had no intention
to direct their forces there, unless Turkish regulars
were concentrated at Gallipoli. Nevertheless, the Russian
advance continued, and ultimately the Government, having
obtained the necessary firman from the Sultan, ordered the
Fleet into the Dardanelles. The Chancellor said :

"The Fleet was ordered to sail for this purpose on
,Wednesday evening, the 23rd instant. On the follow-
ing day 1 came down here for the purpose of giving notice
of the Vote which I am now about to move. At that time
we knew no more than we had known for a long time past of
what was proceeding with regard to the negotiations, and
we still supposed that those negotiations were entirely
hanging fire and that it was impossible to say bow long the
delay, which had now lasted something between three and
four weeks, might be prolonged and what might have oc-
curred in the meanwhile. It was, therefore, with a view to
protect those interests in the meanwhile that we felt our-
selves in a position to take that step with regard to the
Fleet; and it was under that view, among other considera-
tions, that I came down and gave notice of this Vote. But
the same evening, and late that evening, we received a tele-
gram which was not of an authentic character, and which has
proved in some particulars not to be entirely accurate, from
onr Ambassador at Constantinople. It contained the terms
of peace as far as he had been able to ascertain them. They
were to this effect—a pecuniary indemnity, a guarantee from
Turkey for payment, fortifications to be destroyed, Roumania
to be declared independent, and so forth. Finally, the ques-
tion of the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles to be settled, as
the telegram to us.said, between the Congress and the Em-
peror of Russia. (Cheers.) Such was the message as it
came to us, and it was entirely in accordance with
the expectations which we. had been led to form—that
this question of the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus
would be reserved by Russia for discussion between the
European Powers generally, and would not be made a
matter of separate discussion between Russia and Turkey
It appeared afterwards, however, that there was an incor-
rect transmission in the telegram, and it was corrected the
following day, when it appeared that the question
was to be settled not between the Congress and the
Emperor, but between the Sultan and the Emperor of
Russia. (Laughter.) That was entirely in accordance
with what we understood to be the aim of the Russian pro-
posals. We bad received from other quarters more or less
information which throws some light upon it, and I be-
lieve I may state now without the slightest doubt—in-
deed, 1 state it on my own personal authority—that I
know that the ulterior settlement for safe-guarding the
rights and interests of Russia in the Straits should be an
understanding to be arrived at separately between Russia
and the Porte; not, of course, excluding—because Russia
could not exclude—the Powers from consequently discuss-
ing thessettlement of those terms, but as between those
two Powers providing a separate arrangement could be
made so that whenever we come to the discussion, whether
in a Conference or Congress, the Porte, if her representa-
tives were admitted, would be precluded from taking an
independent part in the discussion, or bound to give
her voice in the way she had already agreed to do
with Russia. That is a danger which we have always
thought ought to be guarded against. (Hear, hear.) But as
the only information we received was to the effect that the
arrangement was to be made between the Congress and the
Emperor, and not between the Sultan and the Emperor, we
took a very different view of the matter; and also under-
standing from the form of the telegram that the Porte had
accepted or was ready to accept these terms of peace, we
considered that our sending out the Fleet was no longer
necessary, because if the Porte had accepted the
terms of peace on the basis of the armistice, it was, of
course, to be presumed that there would be no further ad-
vance of Russia against Constantinople, and that there
would be no danger of the tumults we had apprehended.
And if the question of the navigation of the Straits was to
be reserved for the consideration of a Congress, there was
not the occasion which we had before imagined for the
Fleet to go in and keep the waterway; and it was for that
reason that we sent a counter-telegram by which the Fleet,
which had been ordered to call for orders at the entrance of
the Dardanelles, was stopped."
The question of the despatch of the Fleet, however, was one
only of the moment ' • but the question of the attitude to be
assumed by England at the great council which must be sum-
moned was of far greater importance. The government de-
sired to go into council backed by the united voice and the
undivided strength of the country.
"It is a question," said the Chancellor, "whether we are
or are not to go into that Conference armed with the strength
of a united nation, and whether we are or are not to speak
with the voice of England as that voice ought to be heard.
(Loud cheers.) We hear a great deal that it is very painful to
hear with regard to the position, and, as many would
have you believe it, the humiliated or the degraded posi-
tion of England. I believe myself that all this language is
as mischievous as it is false. (Cheers.) England is not a
weak country. I will challenge a comparison between the
strength of England and the strengths of any other coun-
try you like to name, tried by what tests you please, and I
will say that England will come out second to none. (Hear,
hear.) There are points of weakness no doubt in England.
We have great wealth, we have a great and well-appointed
Navy, and we have a small but a very well-appointed Army
—an Army capable of quick and easy increase ; we have
positions which are of the utmost importance ; but above
all we have the support of a people who are by constitution
and by temperament lovers of freedom and supporters of
all that is noble, and who are ready at any time to shed
their blood or to expend their treasure in any cause which
they think righteous. (Cheers ) Ills not because England
frequently desires peace rather than war ; it is not because
England is slow to draw the sword and is quick to dis-
cover any other means of advancing the interests of
which she has the charge ; it is not on that ac-
count that anyone should be allowed to suppose either that
England has no strength, or that she is afraid to use the
strengths she possesses. By belief is that, put to the test
and roused as we might be, our strength would be found
as great and greater in proportion than it has been
in former times. But, Sir, I feel that there are certain
sources of weakness which we must not conceal. It is a
great source of weakness that we should have among us
those who perpetually go about decrying and making light
of the power and spirit of the country. (Hear, hear) lam
not one of those who attach great importance to what is
called prestige, or who would go and engage in the expendi-
ture of blood and of treasure for the mere purpose of keep-
ing up the glory of the country; but what I think is even
worse than maintaining a false prestige is the deliberate
attempt to damage the prestige of our country." (Cheers.
After some further observations, the Chancellor said that
the Government asked for this vote, not necessarily to be
all spent, but as a proof that Parliament had confidence in
the Government, and would trust them to use the whole
force of England if it should be needed. If this confidence
were refused, of. course the Government could not continue
to administer matters of this grave importance; but he be-
lieved that to place this power in their hands would be the
most certain means of avoiding war. The right hon, gentleman
concluded, amid loud and continued cheers, by moving the
following
"Vote of credit for the sum required beyond the ordinary
grants of Parliament towards defraying the expenses which
may be incurred in increasing the efficiency of the Naval
and Military Services at the present crisis of the war be-
tween Russia and Turkey, during the year ending the 31st
day of March, 1878."
The Marquis of Hartington rose and suggested that the
adjournment should be until Thursday, as the Vote was now
represented to he one of confidence, and was based on
papers which were not yet before the House.

Mr. Brighti whose rising was greeted with cheers from the
opposition benches, said :—Following the example of the
noble lord, I will not now enter into a discussion on the
main question before us. I (lid not wish to interfere with
the course of the right hon. gentleman's speech, although I
was much tempted to ask for a particular explanation and
I hope he will be able to give it. Ile stated that the
Government sent the Fleet into the Dardanelles with two
views. One was to keep open the water way, which
I do not very well understand (hear, hear), and the
other was to prevent tumults and disorders and perhaps
great loss of life which might possibly occur at Coestantii ogle
during the excitement in that city under the impression
that the Ittg•aien armies were near. But I want to ask
the right hon. gentleman whether at the time when a com-
munication was made to the Sultan that the Fleet was
going into the Dardanelles and that our Government
wished it to go there any communication of a like cha-
racter was made to the Russian Government. (Hear,
hear.) I ask the question because it appears to me, if
the object of sending the Fleet there was only that
which the right hon. gentleman explained to the House,
that the Russian Government in all probability would
have been quite willing to concur in that arrange-
ment. (Laughter from the Ministerial side and cheers
from the Opposition). No doubt the Russian Government
is just as anxious as our Government is—and I believe both
Governments are equally anxious on that point—that there
should be no tumult, or disorder, or sacrifice of life in Con-
stantinople. The right hon. gentleman will see that there
is no reaon why the Russian Government should not con-
cur in that step ; and, if that had been done, it would not
have been in any degree a menace, nor would it have pro-
duced the excitement which has unfortunately been caused
by it in this country. Another point is this, —I
gather from the right hon. gentleman's observations that
it is intended that this vote, if it be consented to by this
House, is not to be expended for the purpose of inter-
fering by any military force in the contest between
Russia and Turkey. (Hear.) That, I think, is to be
understood. If that be the case, then I should like to have
a fair explanation whether it is neceseary that England
should go with shotted cannon and revolvers bite a con-
sideration of this great question—(murmins, followed by
cheers)—with the Plenipotentiaries of the various Powers
in the Conference which is intended to be held, I think we
have a right to know that. I am not now objecting to the
vote, or advising the House as to its duty with regard to it;
but I think we have a right—and the people of this country
have a right—to know clearly and distinctly what are the
real and ultimate objects of the Government in the proposi-
tion they have submitted. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Gladstone, who was also warmly cheered by the Oppo-
eition, said :—I only wish—or at least I principally wish—to
add one very easy, and as I think a simple question to the
questions put by my right hon. friend the member for
Birmingham. It relates to a point of interest On which I
heard with unpriee what fell from my right hon. friend the
Chancellor of the Exchequer in his enumeration of and his
comments on the bases of peace. He said behind heard amateur
thatZere was to be a Prince of Bulgaria, to be chosen oy the
r(Eagetar Rt 1.53141. I listened with Surprise to that state.

meut. Would my right lion. friend kindly tell us-what source
that rumour came from? (Hear, hear.) Was it transmitted
home from Constantinople? I am very desirous of having
in my hands the best possible means of putting a fair value
on the rumour; and if I learn that it was sent home from
Constantinople, I shall know pretty well what it is worth.
(" Hear, hear," and a laugh) With regard to the question
raised by my noble friend, I would venture to say one word in
support of what has fallen from him. I came down to the
Douse under the impression that we were to be asked
simply for a military vote, based on considerations
connected with military subjects, and I own that T. was
entirely prepared to have gone forward with the debate
to-night on that issue. But my right hon. friend (the
Chancellor of the Exchequer) has himself greatly widened
the area of the debate. Ile asks for this vote as a vote of
confidence in the Government, and as a vote of confidence in
the Government on the ground of the conduct of the Go-
vernment in relation to this Turkish question all along.
(Hear.) Well, Sir, it is a serious matter, even with respect
to the length of the debate— and it is an extremely serious
matter in other points of view—for us to determine how
far it is necessary for us to enter upon that ground, and I
put it strongly to my right hon. friend that if we are to be
challenged to a debate the ground of which is to rest ulti-
mately on our opinion respecting the conduct of tho Govern-
ment during a long and complicated transactions of the
last two years and a half, we ought not to be so chal-
lenged at 24 hours' notice. (hear, hear.) I do not speak
of it as a question of convenience or inconvenience, but
upon much higher considerations. I think he will feel that
my noble friend's appeal is a just and reasonable one. (Hear,
hear.
Lord It..'Montagu, who was greeted with cries of '
oh,
oh," from the Conservative side, said he should beprepared
to vote the money to any extent, and equally prepared to
vote a want of confidence. He believed Bulgaria would
become a second Servia, worse than the first, and that the
giving of ports to Bulgaria and Roumania would lead, in
the event of a future war between Russia and Turkey, to
the commerce of Southern Russia being carried under the
Roumanian flag. He held that every one of the terms of
peace would be destructive to English interests. He asked
the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he could give an assur-
ance that a separate peace would not be made.
Sir R. Peel supported the suggestion of the Marquis of
Hartington that the debate " should be adjourned until
Thursday. If the policy of the Government were good they
would lose nothing by adjournment. (Hear, hear.) He
thought it should not go forth to the country that, to use the
words of the right hon. member for Birmingham, the money
was asked for by the Government in order that it might go
with shotted guns and revolvers into a congress of peace.
It was manifestly to be employed solely for the honour and
for the interests of England, if those interests should be im-
perilled. The right lion. baronet went on to contend that
the vote was not asked for as a vote of confidence in the
policy of the Government, but as a vote of confidence in the
Government, and such a vote would, he believed, be re-
sponded to by a remarkable majority.

Mr. W. E. Forster strongly supported the appeal for
the adjournment of the debate until Thursday, observing
that the Committee had not that evening before it the
materials on which to arrive at a sound decision on the
proposal of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He cer_
taiuly understood, he might add, that the right hon. gen
tlernan appealed to the Committee for a vote of confidence
but if, as the right hon. baronet who had just sat down
seemed to think, the appeal referred only to the last acts of
the Government, he would observe that the Committee did
not know what those last acts were, and that until the de-
spatches to which reference had been made were produced
it could form no adequate opinion either upon the recent
conduct of the Government or on the actual condition of the
country as represented by that Government. The Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer could in the circumstances, he
thought, hardly refuse a day to consider the subject.
Mr. Bromley-Davenport hoped the Government would be
firm and not give way. if they did, everybody knew what
would happen. The country would be agitated from one
end to the other. (Cheers, and cries of "Oh !")
After speeches from Mr. Trevelyan Mr. Lang, Mr. Beckett
Denison, and Sir W. Harcourt, the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, in reply to a question from Mr. Childers as to the
form of the Vote, said that any part not expended before the
end of the financial year would be returned in the Exche
quer. In answer to Mr. ,Bright, lie said that no noti-
fication of the despatch of the Fleet to the Dardanelles
was sent to Russia, because it was so soon countermanded.
It had been already stated by the Prime Minister that the
Government had prepared a communication, to be made not
only to the Russian Government but to all the other European
Governments, as to the objects for which the fleet had been.
sent. As to the manner in which the fleet was to be em-
ployed, he would read the telegram which was sent to
Admiral Hornby on the 23rd inst. It was in these words :
, " Telegram sent to Admiral Hornby, January 23, 1878.
"Most Secret.

"Sail at once for the Dardanelles, and proceed with the
fleet now with you to Constantinople.
"You are to abstain from taking any part in the contest.
between Russia and Turkey, but the water-way of the
Straits is to be kept open, and in the event of tumult at
Constantinople you are to protect life and property of British
subjects.
"Use your judgment in detaching such vessels as you
may think necessary to preserve the water-way of the Dar-
danelles, but do not go above Constantinople.
"Report your departure and communicate with Besika
Bay for possible further orders, but do not wait if none are
there.

"Keep your destination absolutely secret."
It would not have been necessary to tell the Admiral to keep
his destination "absolutely secret" if they had published It
in that House. With regard to the adjournment, he thought,
on the whole, it was not unreasonable that it should be until
Thursday.

The further consideration of the Vote was accordingly
postponed until Thursday. _ _ _ _ . _ _

-
Mr. Sclater-Booth then asked for leave to introduce his
Bill to amend the law relating to the administration of
county business, and to make further provision for county
government, explaining that it would relieve magistrates at
quarter sessions of a great many of their functions hi the levy
of the county rate ; that it would select the petty sessional
area as the basis of elective districts, make provision for
county or main road,, give county boards the power to
enforce the provisions of the Rivers Pollution Act, and, if
they desired it, to take upon themselves the attitude of
river conservators. It contained other provisions in re-
ference to tl:e building of asylums and schools for imbecile
and other el ildren. The county board would be formed of
members eh aed by boards of guardians, by magistrates in
quarter ses,lons, and from petty sessional and other dis-
tricts.

In the discussion which followed Mr. Goschen thought the
Bill inadequate in regard to the composition of the Board,
and Mr. Stansfeld also criticized this portion of the Bill
unfavourably, and declared for direct election of these
Boards by County Suffrage. Mr. Goldney regarded the
Bill as too unarm in its scope, and Mr. Read objected
that the magistrates would exercise too great a pre-
ponderating power on these Boards. Mr. A. Peel, Mr.
Whitbread, Mr. Knight, Sir B. Leighton, Mr. llibbert, and
Mr. Wheelhouse also spoke, and leave was given to bring in
the Bill. The Valuation and the Highways Bills were also
brought in.

The Merchant Seamen Bill was read a second time and
sent to a Select Committee.
Some other business was disposed of and the House ad-
journed at five minutes to twelve o'clock.

In the Ilousn OF LORDS, Jan. 29, Lord Emly referred to
the correspondence which had passed between the British
Government and the Turkish and Greek Governments witn
reference to the maintenance of neutrality by Greece, and
commented on the atrocities committed on the Christian
population of Epirus and Thessaly by the Turkish irregular
troops. Considering that it was'in consequence of the ad-
vice of the British Government that the Greeks had abstained
from joining in the war against Turkey, he thought that
they ought to be protected against such treatment as he had
described, and he desired to know whether papers in re-
ference to this matter would be laid on the table.
Lord Houghton thought that if the Greeks suffered for
having kept faith with Turkey it would be injurious to the
political morality of the world.
Lord Derby feared that the outrages to which Lord Emly
had alluded had been committed in many instances, but
whenever they occurred they had been represented to the
Porte. With regard to the Greeks the British Government
had used nothing but friendly advice, which the Greek Go-
vernment had wisely listened to, and the papers when pro-
duced would show that the British Government had
endeavoured to compose the differences between the Greeks
and the Turks, but he thought that tne present moment
would be an inconvenient time to lay them on the table.
Lord Granville thought it desirable to know the character
of the arguments used by the British Government, and hoped
that the papers relating to the subject would be laid on the
.table without unnecessary delay.

•
Their Lordships then adjourned.
In the HOUSE OF Co3morts, in answer to Dr. Kenealy, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer said her Majesty's Govern-
ment had no knowledge of any understanding between
Russia, Austria, and Germany for an offensive and defensive
alliance. As regards one at least of the Powers, he had
strong reasons for doubting whether such an undentanding
existed. But the negotiations of the next few months or
weeks probably would show whether these rowers are
acting in concert or separately.
-

Maw. Cartwright asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer
whether Her Majesty's Government had asked the assent of
the Greek and Turkish Governments to the publication of
the correspondence that had been exchanged with each
such Government in reference to its attitude towards
Turkey; and whether such assent had been obtained; in
the event of either Government having refused such assent,
whether he would inform the House which Government had
objected.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer said he understood that
the papers were being prepared as rapidly as possible, and
as soon as they were ready they would be sent to Her Ma-
jesty's representatives, both at Constantinople and at Athens
Th order to ascertain whether the Governments of Turkey
and Greece assent to their being published.
Mr. Forster gave notice that on the motion for going into
Committee of Supply on the Supplementary Vote he will
move a resolution by way of Amendment. [The following is
the Amendment :—" That this House, having been informed
In Her Majesty's gracious Speech that the conditions on
which Her Majesty's neutrality is founded had not been
infringed 1537 either belligerent engaged in the war in the
East of Europe, and having since received no information
sufficient to justify a departure from a policy of neutrality
and peace, sees no reason for adding to the burdens of the
people by voting unnecessary supplies."] - - -

_
Mr. Chaplin asked whether the Government had received
any information of an armistice having been concltded, and
also whether it is true that the Russian forces are still
rapidly advancing.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer replied that the Govern
ruent had no knowledge of the conclusion of an armistice ;
hut with_regard to the secaud question he could give no
answer without notice.

In reply to a question from Sir H. Holland, Mr. J.
Lowthor said a telegram had been received that day at the
Colonial Office from Sir liartlo Frero, and which was as
follows :
-

"January B.—Galekaland on more cleared by columns
of Colonel Glyn, 24th Regiment, but Gaika rebellion' spread-
ing, and Fingoeland invaded from Sandilli's border. Com-
munications with Komglia restored, after two brilliant
affairs under Major Moore and Colonel Latnbert, 88th Con-
naught Rangers Colonial reinforcements arriving slowly.
Rebellion cannot be effectually and speedily suppressed
without larger force than we possess or have at present
prospect of collecting here. Commodore here, returned
Irons useful reconnaissance along coast."
- - -

_
A new writ was moved for Oxfordshire in the room of Mr.
Henley.
Mr. Howard, who had given notice to move for a Select
Committee on the Lancashire and Yorkshire Water Supply,.
postponed it, giving notice at the same time that he should
move the rejection of the Manchester Bill for appropriating
the waters of Thirlmere, and, if successful, would then renew
this motion.

Mr. O'Donnell, supported by Mr. Anderson, Mr. O'Connor
Power, and Mr. M`Laren, moved for a Royal Commission to
inquire into the administration of the Dunkeld Bridge Tolls,
and to ascertain the actual state of the accounts. The Lord
Advocate opposed the motion on the ground that the ques-
tion to be inquired into had already been settled by a trial
at Law and judicial settlement, and on a division it was re-
jected by 189 to 71.

Mr. Anderson moved the Second Reading of the Race-
coirses Licensing Bill, the object of which is to put down
the surburban meetings by requiting that no such ME eting
shall be held within the Metropolitan area without the
licence of the magistrate.

Mr. R. Power moved the rojection of the Bill in a lively
and amusing speech, and Mr. J. Lowther also opposed it,
pointing out that the Jockey Club has power to put down
all these abus es. Mr. Chaplin confirmed this, and asked
why the measure should be confined to the Metropo-
litan area. Mr. Assheton, while supporting the Bill,
advised Dir. Anierson to withdraw it for the present,
in order to see _what the Jockey Club would do. Sir H.
Selwin-Ibbetson concurred in this advice, but Sir H. James
maintained that the Jockey Club was powerless to deal with
this class of race meeting. On a division, the Second Read-
ing was carried by 84 to 82;

Mr. Hutchinson, in moving the second reading of the
Libel Law Amendment Bill (which, introduced originally
by Sir C. O'Loghlen, has been before the House for
several Sessions) explained that it proposed to relieve
newspaper proprietors of their lisOlity for the. bone
fide insertions of reports which were accurate, but libellous.
The Howe took very little interest in the subject, and
shortly after Mr. Newdegato had commenced a speech

in opposition to the bill, the second count of the evening
showed that forty members were not present, and the
House stood adjourned at five minutes past eight o'clock.

In the HoUSE OF COMMONS, Jan. 30, Captain Bedford Pim,
gave notice that on the motion for going into Committee
of Supply on the supplementary estimate for the naval and
military,servizes, he would move :—" That this House—while
giving ifrr Majesty's Government due credit for having
maintained the policy which they determined upon, .after
the solemn assurances given under his sacred word of honour
by the Czar, and which were published in the London Gazette
by his Imperial Majesty's request on ,the 21st November,
1876, viz., that he dcsired only the safely of the Christians,
and aimed at no aggrandisement whatever—is of opinion
that those assurances are now being deliberately evaded
by the proposed terms of peace, and by the advance of the
Russian army, and believes that the time has now arrived
when Coe immediate action of her Majesty's Government is
an absolute necessity ; and this House requests the Govern-
ment to place upon the table forthwith the estimates neces-
sary for placing the navy and army upon a war footing."

Mr. Ashley moved the second reading of the Criminal
Law Evidence Amendment Bill, the object of which, he
said, was to snake the administration of criminal justice,
both as regards the conviction of offenders and the acquittal
of innocent persons, better and more certain, by permitting
prisoners to be examined in their own behalf,
Mr. Sergeant Simon moved the rejection of the Bill, and
Mr. Rodwell advised its withdrawal.

A debate ensued, in which Mr. George Bowyer, Mr.
Herschell, Major Paget, Dr. Kenealy, Mr. Forsyth, Mr.
Russell-Gurney, Sir 11. James, and other hon. members
took part,

The Attorney General said he had-examined the provisions
of the Bill in detail, and expressed his belief that with
whatever good intentions they had been framed, they
would prove weak and inefficient in their working. At the
same time he promised on behalf of the Government to bring
in a Bill dealing with the criminal law, in which some part
of the present measure would be embodied, and under these
circumstances he should not oppose the Bill, but recommended
that after it was read a second time it should be referred to
a select committee.

Mr. Ashley having agreed to adopt this course, the House
divided :—For the second reading, 185 ; against, 76 ;
majority, 109.
The House then adjourned.