The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-02-19 00:00:00

Pliallaneous ;I,intelli9ente,

HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL.

SIDITIMICNT FOR A NIGGARDLY Hosl.—"Drink
to tn.., 000 with thine eye."— Punch.

MR. BitIOHT ON " RECIPW,CITT."—A working
man in Coventry, having written to Mr. Bright ask-
ing whether, if invited to do so, he would attend a
public meeting in Coventry, to defend the principles
Of his commercial policy, has received in reply the fol-
lowing letter:—

" Dear Str,—l thank you for your friendly note. I cannot
come to a meeting in Coventry. Sly engagements make It
quite impossible for me to attend meetings. I think, if the
question of Protection were not found useful for political
and party purposes in your town, Coventry would 1.0,11
agree with the rest of the country that the verdict given
twenty years ago In favour of Free Trade is one which can-
not he reversed. Ills Impossible to re-establish a system of
taxation over the whole country to sustain a particular
nuomfacture in Coventry. I write so briefly, having little
time, and am, yours truly osigned), Joint ILMIT."

Tim DON DOR. —The condor appears in its glory
among the mountains of Quito. Its ordinary haunt is
at the height of Etna. No other living creature can
remove at pleasure to RO great a distance from the
earth ; and it seems to fly and respire as easily under
the low barometric pressure of thirteen inches as easily
as at the sea shore. It can dart in an instant from the
dome of Chimborazo to the sultry coast of the Pacific.
It has not the kingly port of the elude, and is a
cowardly robber : a true vulture it prefers the relish
of putrescence and the flavour of death. It makes no
nest, but lays two eggs on a jutting ledge of some
precipice, and fiercely defends them. The usual spread
of wings is nine feet. It does not live in pairs like the
eagle, but feeds in flocks like its loathsome relative, the
buzzard. It is said to live forty days without food in
cat i tivity, but at liberty tis very voracious. The
usual method of capture Is to kill an old mare, (better
than horse, the natives say,) and allow the bird to
gorge himself, when he heroines so sluggish as to be
easily lassoed. It is such a heavy sleeper, it is poseible
to take it from He roost. The evidences in favour of
and against its acute smelling powers are singularly
balanced. For reasons unknown, the condor does not
range north of Darien, though it extends its empire
through clouds and storms to the Straits of Magellan.
—Tht Andes and the Amazon. By James Orion, MA.
DR. L IVI NOSTONF. —A letter from Mr. Charles
Livingstone, consul at Fernando Po, brother of Hr.
Livingstone, to the distinguished explorer's daughter
residing at Hamilton has been published in the Glasgow
Herald, and says:—.

II I had a note from Mr. Vredenburg, our commissioner
ist Loandes, which shows that the mendacious Portuguese
are not all dead yet. It was accompanied by a letter from
a Portuguese traveller to the Interior, who had just re-
turned, and gives some impressions the natives got of your
father when he crossed the continent In 1.854, though it adds
the fact, of which your father was not aware, that be had
to drink the mange, and was cut to pieces by the natives,
as some of the poison showed that It had taken effect on
him. Poor Vredeliburg has sent this letter to the Foreign
Office, as he thinks 'it leaves but little hopes of the safety
of Or. L.' As the natives told our Portuguese this yarn in
June, 1868, it would appear that your father managed some-
how to put all his pieces together again. I have written
to Vredenburg that the mutsuge and cutting-to-pieces
part of this yari. come out of the two calabashes of Cue ha
(drink made of honey). 'With much secrecy,' says Vreden-
burg, 'the native told the Portuguese that Dr Livingstone
was a fetish man. He tinged every day with the sun—i e.
observ. d with the seitabt—never slept in a house, and had
no fear of wild beasts. Ile had an animal in a bon to which
he never gave anything to eat (chronometer), but always
when he was travelling he talked to it, and asked it the
road—which lie never asked of any one. From time to time
he opened papers and began to talk to them. Ile passed
rivers without a canoe; and did many other wondrous
things."

A STNANGE DCEL.—Mr. Cross, naturalist, of
Liverpool, had a few days ago a consignment of ser-
pents from the West Indies, and among them a female
python, which, while on the passage, gave birth to 35
toting ones. Mr. Ore.'s premhes inlj in a stable,
from which they are divided by a two brick wall : in
this stable was a horse, and it would seem that during
the ni,,ht one of the lsrge serpents burrowed trim
tinier its cage, or in some other way managed to escape
and to wriggle through an aperture in the wall.
Having gaited access to the stable, it must have cJiled
itself round the horse, for marks which prove this were
I found upon the horse's back. A fearful struggle
enstlid, in the course of which the horse, having bitten
the gement near the head, succeeded in freeing itself.
The accident and its results do not appear to have been
, discovered until 7 o'clock the following morning, when
' the carter entered the stable, and observed that the
horse was unusually timid and nervous, and on closer
examination he noticed that its back was marked as
if beaten with a thong. Presently he observed the
glittering body of a serpent suspended as it were from
the manger. The serpent was quite dead ; a portion
of the head had been eaten away, and the lower part
of the body, which rested on the ground, bore the
marks of having been trampled by the horse's chow.
The horse itself was uninjured.

DIECOVERY OF SILVER COIXS.—An interesting
discovery has been made in the churchyard of
Corriemouy, Glemlirquhart. Among the earth turned
up in digging a new grave was an old metal dish, which
proved to be a copper pot filled with silver coins, each
about the size of a sixpence. They were packed edge-
ways very closely and carefully, and were evidently
of ancient date. From specimens brought to Inverness
and examined it appears that the coins are silver pen-
nies issued by one of the first three Edwards ; experts
are not quite agreed as to the proper method of distin-
guishing between the coinage of these three Sovereigns.
Great numbers of suchcoins have been found at various
times all over the country ; no doubt they were hidden
during the troublons times that began with the
aggressors of Edward 1., upon Scotland, and continued
during the succeeding reign. The Crown of course
claims the "treasure trove;" but the finder, who is
understood to be Mr. Macdonell, farmer Buntait, will
receive due compensation. The vessel was turned up
in a part of the churchyard which did not appear to
have been previously disturbed. The number of coins
found is 570.

FOOT AND Mown DISEABE.—A dyspeptic gen-
tleman said he thought be must be suffering from the
fd it and mouth disease, arising from having over-
nicht 11,,illad into a Heory Supper—Pt:Neu.
DEATH OF A WELL-KNOWN JOURNALIBT.—MF
George Hogarth, for many years well known in con-
nection with the London press, and at the author of
several popular works on music ('' Memoirs of the
Opera," "Musical Biography and Criticism," etc.),
died on Saturday morning last, having passed his 86th
year. In his early life Mr. Hogarth was a Writer to
the Signet, at Edinburgh, where he was much associ-
ated with the literary celebrities of the day, including
Sir Walter Scott, lockharketc., mention being made of
him in Professor Wilson's "Noctes Ambrosianac." In
1830 he came to London. and was engaged on the Morning
Chronicle as a writer b ith on political and musical sub-
jects ; and was afterwards appointed musical critic to
the Daily News, on the establishment of that paper in
1846, under the then editorship of his son-in-law, Mr.
Charles Dickens. This office Mr. Hogarth assidu-
ously fulfilled until his failing health led, in 1866, to
his resignation and retirement from the active work
id a daily paper. He also held for many years a
similar appointment on the Illustrated London News,
besides having contributed to magazines and periodi-
cals, and edited various works, both musical and
literary. For a few seasons Mr. Hogarth was secre-
tary to the Philharmonic Society.

EMIORATION TO QUEENSLAND.—New Emigra-
tion Act of 1809.—Under this Act persona paying their
passage to the colony receive a Land Order for the
selection of forty acres of best agricultural land per
adult, and twenty acres for each child between one
and twelve }ears ; after from three to five years' resi-
dence they are entitled to the freehold. From 40 to
10,330 acres can also be obtained by selection before
survey from area, of agricultural and pastoral lands
estimated to c attain 20,000,000 acres, at 154., 10a, and
54. per acre, payable in ten annual instalments. As-
sisted passages are granted to farm labourers, plough-
men, sheplierda, gardeners, mechanics, and other
eligible persons. Free passages are granted to female
domestic servant, and to married farm labourers and
shepherds, with not more than one child, and under
twelve years. Free passengers, except female domestic
gement., on payment in the colony of the coat of their
p ,smage are entitled to select forty acres per adelt, and
assisted passengers, on payment of the halame of the
cost of their passage, are also entitled to select forty
acres per adult. Statistics and information respecting
the colony may be obtained on application to the
Queensland Government Offices' 32, Charing-cross,
London. DOUGLAS, Agent General.
FALSE ALARM IN CONVOCATION.—Great fear
waa felt in truly serious quarters for the safety of the
Church of England. But our Temple has not caved
in.—Punch.

THE ASSAULT BY CAPTAIN MADDEN.—Captain
William Wolsey Madden was again brought before the
magistrates at Manchester on Monday, for the assault
on Mr. Clarke and Mr. Browne, two American gentle-
men. at the Queen's Hotel, Manchester, on Saturday
the rith inst. It was again urged that the prosecution
had no desire to press the CllBl3, although it was an
outrageous assault and quite unprovoked, if, as
alleged, the prisoner was insane, and would be properly
taken care of. Mr. Clarke said he had never seen the
prisoner, nor spoken to him, previously to the assault.
Br. Clay, who had examined the wound on Mr.
Clarke's Mad after the assault, 1461,1 he found Mr.
Clarke bleeding from a very had scalp wound, two
icohes in extent. The blow by which it had been
inflicted had fallen in a slanting direction, and fortu-
nately no bone was broken or the wound might
have been dangerous. As it was, it was doubtful
whether the result might not be serious, but Mr.
Clarke's good constitution had saved him. If the life-
preserver had fallen directly, at a right angle with the
surface of the skull, nothing could have prevented the
skull from being broken. The magistrate said the
Bench felt much sympathy with Captain Madden's
family, who wished him to be given over into their
charge, and they had little doubt he was in a state in
whiiih he could hardly be considered answerable for his
conduct; but the offence in the eye of the law was one
of felony, and they had no jurisdiction to decide
whether he was mad or not; they must therefore
commit him for trial at the assizes. He might have
committed murder, and they would have had to send
him to the assizes then, and this affair was really next
door to murder. The defence, under these circum-
stances, was reserved. The prisoner regarded the
proceedings with indifference and was committed for
trial.

NEWSPAPER SPATISTICS.—The Newspaper Press
Directory for 1870 contains a comparison of the present
position of the newspaper press with what it was in
1846. In that year there were published in the United
Kingdom 551 journals; of these 14 papers were leaned
daily—viz., 12 in England and 2in Ireland. In 1870
there are 1,290 papers, of which no ken than 99 are
issued daily. The magazines now in course of publi-
cation, including the quarterly reviews, number 626,
of which 251 are of a derided religious character, re-
presenting the Chureh of England, Wesleyans, Metho-
dists, Baptists, Independents, and other Christian
communities.

Ton "COUNTESS OF DERWENTWATER." The
Solicitor of the Admiralty (Mr. Bristow) applied, on
Friday in last week, to the Hon. Mr. Justice Willes,
under the Common Law Procedure Act, for her Ma.
jesty's writ of injunction to restrain the soialisaat
Countess of Derwentwater, her agents, servants, and
other,, from entering upon the lands formerly the
Derwentwater estates, afterwards belonging to Green-
wich Hospital, and now vested in the Admiralty, or
from interfering in any way with the cattle or pro-
perty thereon, or from committing any injury or waste,
thereon. The aplication was suppoited by affidavits
showing that the so-called Countess had been served
with a writ anti had not appeared thereto, that the
title of the Admiralty (tinder the grants from the
Crown anti the Greenwich Hospital anti other Acts) is
upwards of a century old, and that the unfortunate
lady who is annoying the tenants and giving so much
trouble is a int-re trespasser. The learned judge
granted the application, and directed the injunction
to issue immediately. The Sheriff and posse comitatus
of the county will have to imprison the Countess or
her adherents if further mischief is attempted by way
of them.

SHORT TIME AND HIGHER WAGES. The
joinersof Glasgow recently intimated to their employers
their intention to demand the nine-hours system of
labour and an increase of wages to the extent of a
halfpenny per hour on the present rate of 6d. OD and
after the let of March next. The masters have con-
sented to the advance in wages, but refuse to concede
the reduction in time. The men have a strong trade's
union, with branches all over Scotland ; but these
branches refuse to support their Glasgow brethren in
enforcing more than one of tiieir demands at a time.
A meeting was held in Glasgow on Saturday to consi-
der the condition of affairs, and it was resolved, nearly
unanimously, to persist in both demands. The trade is
unusually brisk just now.

RATEABLE PROPERTY.—The following extract is
from the Chamber of Agriculture Journal :

By a Poor Law return lately Issued It appears that the
rateable value of property in England and Wales for the
year ending Laily.day 1869, amounts to £131,945 710, being
an increase of £2 311,274 upon the rateable value for 1668
The gross estimated rental Is £96.974,679. Out of the 61.3
Unions Into which England and Wales were divided, the
valuations under the Assessment Act have been completely
revised in 593 cases. Middlesex, more, perhaps, from the
growth of property than from the circumstances of the
assessment, heads the counties with an increase in Its rate-
able value last 'ear of £159,554, Its contributions being
LA 206,064; Lancashire comes next, with an increase of
£357.736, its amount being £7,9?5,295; the West Riding of
Yorkshire shows an advance of £180,575, It. rateable value
being £4,041,897; Durham of £1411,666, its assessment
being £2.1102,139 ; Surrey of £146,891, Its rateable value
being £1,812,310; or less than Kent, which contributes on the
value of £3 679,996, although its increase last year is repre-
sented by only £67,066. The other counties which show the
largest lecresses are :—herbs. £33,854; Chester, i;37 246;
Devon, £20,065; Essex £69,222; Glocester, £33,472; Melts,
£27,359; Leicester, £97,153; Northumberland, £64,230;
Stafford, .g 33,739 ; emit Sussex, £46,003. Not an English
county exhibits a decrease In the rateable value of its property
last year, and only one Welsh Cardigan , which declined
£1,955. There Is little doubt that the lacrosse of local taxa-
tion will he seen, when the returns conic out, to be much
greater in proportion than the Increase in rateable value,
or, In other words, grows much faster than the means of
paying It.

ENC.JI7RAGEMENT 'TO EIIIORATION.—In London,
last Saturday, a deputation of the Working Man's
National Emigration Association, waited on the Coun-
cil of the British and Colonial Emigration Fun 1, at
5, Westminster f'hambers, to ask their assistance. Mr.
Lynn, the president of the association, introduced the
deputation to Sir James Clarke Lawrence, 31.1'., the
Hon. Reginald Capri, Mr. Henry Kingscote, who
represented the Council of the Emi_ration Fund. Mr.
Jones explained to the council that the deputation repre-
sented a working men's association, having eleven
branches and about 1,300 members, and they heard that
the British and Colonial Emigration Fund was prepared
to help this important movement. The lowest amount
they required to enable them to go to Canada was
£5 2s, 61. from Liverpool, and they were anxious to
gat all the aid they could. Mr. Kingacote expressed
himself pleased to see them, and said that for every

working man who could raise £3 they would supply the
necessary surplus and send him to Canada. They had
had many otuer applications for help from various
clubs, and the council could not promise them a great
deal. The next emigration vessel would sail on April
14, and they might send two or three families from the
Working Men's National Association then. Their
funds would cot allow them to go to unlimited expen-
diture. Mr. Li no then thanked the council for their
promises, and the deputation withdrew.
A LARGE CLAIM.—A claim to the possession
of two estates in Lancashire and Yorkshire, worth
about £300,000, has been heard before Vice-Chancellor
Maims. The plaintiff, a shoemaker named Chetham,
who Rued in forma pauperis, claimed under certain
I entails created in the early part of last century; but
I there was an alleged case of concealed fraud in 1725,
when two leaves of a marriage register were gummed
together with the view of proving the illegitimacy of
one of the plaintiff's ancestors. The certificate of
legitimate birth not being forthcoming, the estates
passed Oct r to the female line of succession, now
represented by the present holders of the estates,
Nita+ra. Hoare and Clowea, it did not appear, how-
ever, that any attempt was made to discover this fraud
until 1868, and, under these circumstances, the court
held that the case could not be sustained.

HkItIE WE ARE Ana: e !—Of what violent 14 -
former are London powdered footmen probably the
followers ?—John Knox. —Punch.

GANZ L4ws AMEN DMICNT BILL. MIL P.
NV3 keham-Martin's bill, laid before the House of
(Nimmons, proposes that, except in the case of land
held under an unexpired lease originally granted for a
term of not less than five years, it shall be lawful for
tenants and persons employed by them, and having
their authority, to kill rabbits on the lands occupied
by them, any agreement or covenant to the contrary
notwithstanding," and any agreement reserving the
sole or exclusive right to kill rabbits shall be null and
void." A person killing rabbits in pursuance of this
bill is not to be bound to take out a licence for that
purpose. The Birmingham Daily Post is authorised to
state that it is proposed, in committee on this bill, to
include hares in the provision giving tenants the right
to kill rabbits.

ATF! METING TO HANG A DRUNICARD.—An in-
cident of a serio-cornic nature which has just taken
plane at Flessingue. France, deserves to be recorded.
The wife of a working man resolved to cure her
husband of drunkenness by hanging him, a very simple
and effective process. One night he reached his home
much less elevated than usual, And went to roost as
usual; in a few minutes he felt his wife put a rope
round his neck, and pass it over a beam, going imme-
diately after upstairs to hoist him up. The man
immediately slipped the noose off and fastened it to a
stove, and when the woman began to pull it went up
with a tremendous clatter. The woman, without
desiring to witness the success of her efforts, rushed
off to the authorities, and informed them that her hus-
band had committed suicide. When the police arrived
at the house, they found the man lying down and
smoking his pipe. His immediately arose and gave
his wife into custody for attempting to murder him !
MATRIMONIAL CHANCES —From the Man-
chafer Examiner

"A young inan,*of pious habits, 31, wishes to meet with a
pious, intelligent female, who desires a home.—Address
F. H., Post-oilier, Northwieh."

" A lady wishes to correspond with a tall, dark gentleman
about 40, in a good position • no others need apply ; one re-
siding in Manchester preferred." —Address, Ac.
" A bachelor, 20, In the cotton business, wishes to marry a
respectable lady with an annual income; as this advertise-
ment is bond fide, only names and addressee will be noticed.
Address, stating particulars. C. 0, host-office, Oldham."
" A widower, 37, in good circumstances, wishes to corre-
spond with a pious lady, of suitable age, with a view to
matrimony; means not so much referred as a person
capable of appreciating home.—Address A. M. W., Post-
office, Sheffield.'
A FREE BREAKFAST TABLE.—The Edinburgh
Chamber of Commerce has adopted a petition to the
House of Commons:—

" That all duties on articles entering largely into daily
consumption as necessaries of life are impoliiic, and ought
to be abolished. That tea, sugar and coffee, are now neces-
saries of life. That the increased consumption of these
favours habits of temperance among the people. That
the experience of the past quarter of • century proves
that large reductions of duty in articles of general consump-
tion are alway s billowed by • great increase of exports; and
that the total abolition of these duties would increase gene-
ral trade and benefit the public revenue. That, without
taking account of such benefit, any deficiency of revenue
ought to he met by a large reduction to the public expenditure
which might be effected without injury to the public service
and by the removal of unfair exemptions from certain direct
taxes. That the inhabited house duty is not fairly levied,
that real property is altogether exempt from probate or inven-
tory duty, and that the succession duties are calculated on
an inadequate scale The Chamber therefore pray 4 the
8011. to repeal the duties presently leviable on tea, sugar,
coffee and similar articles, and to provide for any conse-
iment deficiency by greater economy in the public expendi-
ture, and by the removal of partial and unjust exemption.
from direct taxation."

ENGLISH V. AMERICAN IRONCLADS.—The New
Yvek World of the 2nd inst. says :—"The Monarch, a
model of British men-of.war, or, to use the words of
one of our moot anti. Anglican contemporaries, 'a
marvel of naval architecture,' lies at anchor in the
harbour of Portlind, and alongside of her in humiliating
.ntrast are two dilapidated American monitors, which
s-em to have been sent there to illustrate, at the expense
of the national pride, the opinion of the Secretary of
the Navy—that they are good for nothing, except for
harbour defence, and not especially well adapted for
that."

THE GOLD DISCOVERIES IN TASMANIA.—The
following is an extract from the Cornwall Gazette

Tasmania is, we believe, about to afford another very
positive proof of the truthfulness of science. The great coast
range of Australia has been traced until it plunges into the
sea at Wilson's Promontory, and, crowing Bass's Straits, it is
again pinked up on this side, where we are oening out iu
nch profusion those "quartz—ore vein stone.," which geo-
logists assert to he the original position of gold. The quartz
we find, is plentifully specked with the precious metal, and
it is the opinion of experienced gold miners from the sister
colony that we are approaching a time when the aurifer-
ous wealth of the island of Tasmania will equal that of
her great Australian neighbours. The principal seat of
recent discoveries is • place called Waterhouse, situated
on the north-east coast, about 30 miles inland from Cape
Portland. Here numerous gold-bearing quartz reefs have
been opened; live or six hundred gold miners have encamped
themselves ; a small township is rapidly springing into
existence; and capital ia being expended in procuring suit-
able machinery for extracting the precious metal from the
ore, tither gold-lields !lave also been discovered. At a place
called Fingal, lying about eighty miles south-east of Water-
house, rich reefs have been opened, and good auriferous in-
dications have also been diacovered to the soul h.westward, at
a place called "The Den." The opinion of experienced men
from Victoria and other gold-bearing countries is that the
land in the vizinity of those places is a network of auriferous
quartz reefs, in which case the prospects of Tasmania are
bright indeed.
SMOKER'S PROVERB --It's an 111 Weed that
blows nobody any good.—Punch.
THE LOBBY OF TB& "HoUßE."—lt is stated
that the Serjeant-at-Arms has passed a Reform Bill of
his own for the liberation of m.robers of the House of
Commons from the ordeal of the lobby. In previous
Sessions a member who entered by the common en-
trance, who wished to retire to the library or the
smoking room, had to run the gauntlet through the
crowded lobby where some unwelcome constituent was
sure to be lying in wait. Brazen-faced button-holders
were the practised bandits who frequented this well-
known scene. If a member really wished to speak to
a constituent and could not arrange a more furtive
meeting, he was sure to rue the good nature villich led
him to leave the comparative safety of the House.
Now a strong guard of police protects the entrance to
the lobby, and members, happy in the enjoyment of
unwonted freedom from their oppressors, can see the
disappointed enemies of their peace transferring their
attentions to imperturbable policemen.

A SWEEPING NULLIFICATION OP MAER/AGES.
—The Amencan papers say that a strange complica
tion has arisen in the State of Alabama. The Su.
preme Court of the State has decided that marriages
solemnized during the war are null and void. The
reasons given are that the probate judges were not
judges in the legal genet., and could not legally issue
marriage licences. All such given during the period
earned were invalid. Nor can the legislature (so says
the Court) ratify a judgment pronounced, or action
done, by illegal authority. This announcement will
carry dismay into a great many households.

CANQUES ON BANKERS. —At the approaching
annual meeting of the Associated Chamber of Com-
nierce, the Chamber of Newcastle and Gateshead will
submit the following resolution on the above subject:—

" That in the opinion of the Auociated Chambers of Com-
merce the 4th section of the Act 21 and 22 Viet.. chap. 79
whereby bankers are declared to be not in any way respon-
sible, or to incur any liability, for paying a cheque which
does not at the time when it is presented for payment plainly
appear to be, or to have been, crossed, obliterated, added to,
or altered';, should be repealed, on the ground that no one
class of traders should be relieved from liabilities from which
no other class of traders is exempt."

A DIVORCE SUIT.—In the Court of Divorce, on
Saturday, the case of "Rowland r. Rowland and Miles"
was heard. The husband prayed for a divorce on the
ground of adultery. The petitioner, who was a major
in the sth Fusiliers Regiment. was married to the
respondent, who was a Miss Ewing, at St. Stephen's
Church, Paddington, in 1859. In 1863 the petitioner
went to India with his r.giment, accompanied by
his wife. There were four children, and the petitioner
and his wife lived together upon most affectionate
terms up to 1867. In that year, however, it was
found that the co-respondent, who was the adjutant
of the regiment in which the petitioner was a major,
had been discovered paying visits to the respondent
in the absence of her husband, who was with his
regiment in the Punjaub ; and one witness proved
seeing them in a position which left no doubt of their
being guilty of the crime imputed to them by the
petitioner. Mrs. Rowland was staying at Ferompore
at the time this occurrence took place. Ultimately
the co respondent eloped with the respondent. These
facts were brought before the court upon deposition
made in India. The jury found that the respondent
had been guilty of adultery with the co-respondent,
and they gave a verdict against the latter for £2,000.
The court pronounced a decree nisi with costa.

BANKRUPTCY RE.TURNS.—A Parliamentary re-
turn, compiled by the Chief Registrar of the Court of
Bankruptcy, shows that on the 11th of October last
there were 10,396 adjudications of bankruptcy pending
of which 3,878 were in the Loudon Court, 2,075 were in
the provincial district court. and 4,443 were in the
county court& Of these 10,396 adjudications there
were—on petition of a creditor, 903; on petition of a
debtor, 7,530; by registrars at the prisons, 1,1.8; on
petitions in fermi pauperis. SOB; and on judgment
debtor summons, 9. In 7.346 cases there was no divi-
dend, while of the 1,693 cases in which one was
declared, in 933 the dividend was under 2e. 61. The
sum of £641,403 18a. Gd, was the gross produce realised
from the estates._

•
DUEL WITH BARON ROTHSCHILD.—A duel has
just been fought at Nice between Baron Adolphe de
Roth,hild and M. j. Randouin-Berthier, Secretaire
Gen(val to the Prffet of the Alpes Maritimes. It
appears that before the recent rac,s at Nice the Baron
offered a piece of plate as a prize, anct upon its being
submitted to the committee of the races for inspection,
it was agreed that the committee respectfully decline
to accept and offer it as a prize. The matter was a
good deal talked about among visitors and residents
and at an entertainment given by M. Randouin-Ber
thier, an allusion to the circumstance was introduce
in the acting of a charade. The Baron was present,
but nothing appears to have been said at the time with
reference to the circumstance. Next day, however,

at the Cercle International words passed between tITe
parties, ending in a challenge to a duel, whieh was
fought with swords. The Baron slightly woundid his
adversary on the arm, after winch the parties all par.
I ,olc of a friendly dinner at Monsoi.

INViTaTIoN To Mn. BRIGHT T) ANERICA.—A
gentleman who has recently returned from the United
States, where he has been travelling. says it would be
dithailt to convey an iwpresion to Englishmen of the
popularity of Mr. Bright among all claws of American
citizens. When he VIM about to return to England an
idea was entertained of inviting him to America, and a
friendly contest was going on as to whether New York
or Boston should have the honour of first receiving him.
Ascertaining that the gentleman, who has been a mem-
ber of the English Parliament, Was personally ac.
qnainted with Mr. Bright, the President of Pullman's
Carriage Company entrusted him with a verbal mes-
sage ta say that if the right hon. gentleman would come
to America they would place at his disposal (and as
many friends as may accompany him) a railway train
from New York to San Francisco, consisting of hotel,
sleeping, and drawing-room carriages, to travel via,
Chicago, stopping at as many places as i.e migh twist
and as long as he might feel chspo-ed. On the arrival
of the gentleman in Liverpool he found that the invita-
tion had been put in writing, and forwarded after him,
and he has since taken an opportunity of presenting it
to Mr. Bright, who expressed himself much pleased.
Of course, in the present state of his health, unless it
should be deemed desirable that he should travel, he is
hardly likely to accept the invitation at preismt. It is
stated that everywhere, when the idea was mentioned
id his invitation, the wildest enthusiasm was ruani.
Listed.

A TOWN ALMOST DESTROYED RY FIRE. The
pleasant little town of Havelberg, situate at the con-
fluence of the Havel and the Elbe, hasbeen visited by a
teirible dMaster. Three nights back a fire broke out
which pread with the most alarming rapidity, favoured
by a keen east wind and the imp,ssibility of obtaining
a proper supply of water from the frozen rivers and
wells. About two-thirds of the town have been des-
troyed; many hundreds of people have lost everything
they possessed, and were only too happy to escape
with their lives. At the suggestion of the King, the
magistrates of Berlin have invited the inhabitants to
contribute clothing or money for the relief of the suf-
ferers. and 5,000 thalers a ere subsciibed at once at the
Exchange alone,
A NhW WAY WITH THE INDIAN.—The Presi-
dent made a remarkable speech the other day while
conversing with the chiefs of the Cherokee and Creek
nations (.aye the Nero York Times.) Here is the
debate :—lndian Chief.—" Mr. President, we call here
to-day to otf d. our fealty to you as our recogniz,d
guardian and ward, and to pray you, Sir, to continue
our good friend and father." Tne President,—" You
are welcome, and in reference to continuing your 'good
father,' as you say, I must answer that I have long
thought that the two nations which you represent, and
all those civilized nations in the Indian country, should
be their own wards and good fathers. lam of the
opinion that they should become citizens, and be
entitled to all the rights of citizens,—cease to become
nations and become States" This is the boldest and
bravest thing that has been said on this sad question.
"Tug RULING PASSION STRONG IN
The Pall-Mall Gazdte remarks :

The wills of two prelates recently deceased exhibit in a
very marked degree "the ruling pa.aion strong In death."
The late Bishop of Exeter wale special provision in his will
for carrying on the Tregony case, which to the uninitiated
laity seemed to involve no point worthy of posthumous
litigath as. The late Bishop of Manchester ;whose cinnection
with his diocese was marked by massy unhappy quarrels)
publishes and perpetuates a family feud which one might
have thought would have been healed by the lapse of time.
Many years ago his eldest daughter married one of his
lordship's chaplains—a man of exemplary character—with-
out the bishop's consent. She ill by will excluded from all
interest hi her father's property, who explains his act in these
term.—" This I do sod in anger, hut because I hold it a duty
not to let such conduct as hers and the person she is married
to prove successfuL"

THE VITRIOL ACCIDENT AT STAFFORD STAIIONT.
—Thome Earley, the owner of the vitriol which
caused the sad accident at Stafford Railway Station
last week, was on Saturday last taken before the ma-
gistrates at Stafford, on a charge preferred by the
Notth Staffordshire Railway Company of having un-
lawfully sent by that company ten quarts of oil of
vitriol without distinctly labelling the jars. Mr. Ten-
nant, solicitor, who appeared for the railway company,
said he had been instructed to proceed under the tith
and 11th Vick, for the recovery of a penalty of £2O by
summary conviction; but since his arrival in court he
had learnt that the London and North-Western Com-
pany, at whose station the accident occurred, regard-
ing the case in a more serious light than the North
Staffordshire Company intended to proceed also against
the defendant under the 24th and 25th Viet, which
made the offence an indictable one. M, Brough, for
the London and North-Western Company, said they
considered it their duty to press for the committal of
the defendant to the quarter sessions for misdemea-
nour. The bench suggested that there should be but
one prosecution, and after a consultation with a direc-
tor of the North Staffordshire, Mr. Tennant said that
company would join the London and North-Western
Company in a prosecution under the statute for mis-
demeanour. The case was then adjourned till next
Saturday.
AN UNPLEASANT MISTAK E.—FT4DI the • Editor's
Drawer," in Ha,-per's New Monad?, Magazine:—

. _
Although the first recorded miracle in the New Testament
was the converting water into wine at a marriage ceremony,
it is nevertheless not always safe to imbibe, even at a wed-
ding, unless you know something of the vintage. Mifitakes
will happen, as was the case not long since with the Rev.
Dr —, of Non ituryport, who was called down from his
chamber to marry a couple The hour was late, anti the
minister's wife, who had retired for the night, did not rise to
witness the ceremony, nuc gave her husband particular direc-
tions for the entertainment of the welithilg guests. " Dont
forget to pass the cake anti wine, Doctor,' said she. "The
cake is in the corner cupboard, and you'll find the wthe oh
the third right-hand shell in the side-hoard." The Doctor
promised obedience, and, putting on his garments, went
down to perform the ceremony. When he retuned to his
chamber, half an hour later, he found his wife sittum up in
bed, with an anxious expression on her face. " Doctor,' she
cried, "Did you give them any wine ? " "Certainly, my
dear, Just as you told me." "Not (rani the decanter on the
third shell of the side-board ?" " That is exactly where you
directed me to find it, wife."" Dear ! dear ! Did they drink
much of It ? " " Why, yes. they emptied their glasses. '
"What shall we do !--.Doctor, I made a mistake—it was
Ipecac wine you gave them. Oh, how sick they must be !
Do, dear, put on your cl,,ak and go right after them--they
can't have got far." The minister fOllllll his bridal party at
the corner of the next street. "What made you drunk the
wine ?" he asked. "Couldn't you tell by the taste that there
was something wrong about it?" The bridegroom answered,
between his qualms, " tqle whispered to me that it tasted
dretful queer, butt told her 'twas because we was gettin'
married !"

THE DRAMA IN MANCHESTER.—No ICSB than
twenty. eight persons, including nineteen itinerant
actors, actresses, scene painters, and musicians were
put into the dock at Manchester, on Saturday, to
answer a charge of taking part in an unlicensed
theatrical performance at the Albion Music Hall, New
Islington, on the previous night. The principal pri-
soner was Enoch Simpson jun., proprietor of the
establishment. It was stated that there were about
600 persons present, consisting principally of boys and
girls, from seven to eight years of age. The perforni-
ance was held in a disused foundry. There was a
stage, scenery, footlights, and all the appurtenances
connected with a theatre. The charge for admission
was ii., and 2d. for the boxes. The police.officers stated
that the place was habitually resi,ried to by convicted
thieves. One officer stated that he had seen twelve or
thirteen convicted thieves there of a night. Simpson,
the proprietor of the place, addressed the bench, and
concluded by saying—
Had the witness stopped he would have seen the same
as in other places, the downfall of guilt and the triumph of
virtue. 11l have erred I have not erred wilfully ; iii have
done wrong I am sorry; and of course Heave raj self to your
mercy."

The female actresses, the mush•ians, and two other
of the prisoners were discharged ; Simpson, the pro.
prietor, was fined 15 or to be imprisoned for one month;
Carl, who carried on the gaming, 40s. or fourteen days;
and the remainder of the prisoners 10s. 61 or seven
days. Eight men and women, who fcruird part of the
audience, were discharged with a caution.

SAD MOMENTS !-" It is a sad moment in life,'
a cynic lately observed, "when you find that love,
glory, happiness, are altogether not worth a good
cigar." "It is a sadder moment still," replied a friend
"when you find that the cigar itself is bad."

TELEGRAPHIC ORTHOGRAPHY; —Among the very
interesting collection of instruments which the Post
Office authorities have brought together is the one
which was employed in the infancy of telegraphy to
detect Tawell for the murder at Windsor. It is one of
Cook and Wheatstone's five-needle instruments, and
from the letters of the alphabet, which are oimplayed
upon its stracge-lookirg diamond shaped dial, the
letter '• Q " has been omitted. This deficiency placed
a trifling orthographical difficulty in the way of
the clerk who had to telegraph instructions for the
arrest of Tawell, "Quaker," and eccasioned great
embarrassment to the person who had to receive the
message. "K
-w-a " was slowly spelled out by the
five needles; but as he knew of no word in the
English language which commenced in that fashion,
he imagined that there must be some fault in the
working of the telegraph, and called upon his col-
league at the other end of the wire to "repeat." The
same process was renewed several times, and always
with the same result, always "li-w.a," until a sharp
boy suggested that the sender should be allowed to
complete the word. His advice was followed, and
after the receipt of three more letters the word
" was formed, and at once, read phoneti-
cally, recognised as the equivalent for " Quaker." The
omission of the " Q" had compelled the transmitting
clerk to use "kw" for "(pi.

TRADE CoMPETITION.—Of Jim Baker, the
trapper, many a good story is told, and about the last
I heard of him was from General Marcy. Ile had
then eatabliphed himielf in a trading port or store at
the crossing of Green River, where he did a pretty
liiely trade with the Indians and emigrants. He was
prospering until he WM opposed by a Frenchman, who,
of course, stirred within Jim the most bitter animosity,
until it culminated in a cessation of all social inter-
course between them : in fact, the Celt and the Saxon
"cut" each other, thongh I do not suppose there was
another white man within a couple of hundred miles.
At the time of General Marcy's arrival this profes-
sional hatred had reached such a point that he found
Baker standing in his doorway, with a loaded and
cocked pistol in each hand, pretty drunk and in-
tensely excited. I dismounted and naked him the cause
of all this disturbance? He replied, 'That thar yaller-
bellied toad-eatin' parley-von over thar, and me,
we've been havin' a small chance of a skrimmage
to-day, we have, Cap.' I remonstrated with him
upon his folly, but he continued: "The sneakin' pole-
cat ! rn raise his bar yet; skulp him, Cap, if he
don't quit this yeare divine.' It appeared that they
had an altercation in the morning, which ended in a
challenge; when they ran to their respective cabins,
seized their revolvers, and from their doors, only about
100 yards apart, fired at each other. They then re-
tired into their cabins, took a drink of whisky, re-
loaded their pistols, and renewed the combat. This
peculiar duel had been maintained for several hnurs,
when 1 arrived, but, fortnnately for them, the whisky
had produced such an effect upon their nerves that
their aim was very unsteady, and none of their many
shots had taken effect." The general, being an old
friend of Jim's, took away him pistols, and administered
a severe lecture to him. He acknowledged that when
the whisky was in bim he had "narry sense."—
Dickens' s AU ths Year Round.