The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-03-13 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NE WS

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

An Austrian captain of artillery has committed
suicide under extraordinary circumstances. He was
condemned by court-martial to several days' confine-
ment in barracks for some trilling offence. He listened
quite coolly to the sentence, but immediately after-
wards fired two shots at himself from a revolver, cne
taking effect, and fell dead before the assembled mem-
bers of the court-martial. _ _ _

_
An important capture of twenty brigands has taken
place ten miles from Assiout. They bad retired to a
cavern. The gendarmes endeavoured to capture them;
Two or three were killed. The gendarmes then waited.
Two ineffectual sorties were made to break the cordon
they had formed, and in four days the band sur-
rendered.
The New York tramcar strike has ended. For three
days the strikers effectually obstructed travel, and
caused a riot, when 1200 policemen were necessary to
guard the streets and escort a single tramcar through
the jeering crowds who obstructed the route by over-
turning waggons and blockading the passage.
A Land Tenure and Transfer Bill has been intro-
duced by Mr. Inca, Q.C. Its object is threefold—(l)
to extend the powers of limited owners to deal with
land; (2) to limit the right of the settlement of land,
and to diminish the evils attending it; and (3) to
abolish the law of primogeniture.
The following members of Parliament, specially
associated with the representation of labour, have been
elected members of the Cobden Club: Mr. Charles Fen.
wick, Mr. W. Crawford, Mr. William Abraham, Mr. B.
Pickard, and Mr. John Wilson.
A shocking fatality is reported from Newcastle
Emlyn, Carmarthenshire. Miss Evans, daughter of
Mr. James Evans Cilgwa, was on a visit to a corn-mill,
on the banks of the river Tiry, when on passing some
machinery her dress caught one of the cog-wheels, and
she was drawn into the grinding machine. Her limbs
were mangled in a shocking manner before she could
be extricated. The young lady succumbed to her in-
juries.
It is reported from Youghal that a procen-server
named Ahern, going to serve summonses near Villiers-
town, county Waterford, on fishermen who refused to
pay more than 10s. each on their 30s. fishing licenses,
was stopped by a number ot men dressed as women,
who took from him his papers, stripped him, tarred
him all over, and then set him free.

It has been decided to invest the surplus funds of
the National Aid Society, amounting to about S6o`)o,
in the name of the Princess of Wales to form 'a fund
to be used, whenever needed, for the assistance of
British soldiers and sailors in time of war.

The manager of the Royal Aquarium, Westminster,
states the use of the Imperial Theatre, as a theatre,
will shortly be discontinued, and as soon as the neces-
sary alterations are completed, will be utilised as an
extension of the main building, for the various exhibi-
tions which have hitherto been held in the main
building.
It is the intention of the German Emperor to direct
in person next autumn the manceuvres of the 15th
Army Corps, which garrisons Alsace. Lorraine, and that
its manceuvres will offer special interest from the pre-
sence of two cavalry_ divisions. _ _

At Worcester Cathedral on Saturday the Rev. Dr.
Gott, late vicar of Leeds, was installed as Dean of
Worcester, in succession to Lord Alwpae Compton,
promoted to the Bishopric of Ely.

The failure has been annoUnced at the London
Bankruptcy Court of Messrs. Payne and Courtney,
shipbrukers, of 150, Fenchurch-street, trading as "G.
H. Payne and Co." The liabilities are stated at
£lO,OOO, against assets estimated at G 20,000.
Robert Wilson, an engine driver, of Glasgow, was
missed from his engine after passing Stonehaven, and
on search being made his body was found in the four-
foot-way shockingly mutilated. It is believed that
that he had fallen over the rack of the engine, and
death must have been instantaneous. He leaves a
widow sk.a family.

•
Four thousand joiners and carpenters in New York
went out on strike on Monday. Some of the masters
have acceeded to the demands put forward by the men.
The March session of the London Central Criminal
Court opened on Monday. There are 113 prisoners for
trial. Applications were made to postpone the trial of
Mrs. Bartlett and the Rev. Mr. Dyson for murder, and
of Mr. Hyndman and others for sedition until the
A.pril sessions, which were granted.
Mr. Altred Assolant, a once well-known novelist and
an English hater of the first water, has just died in a
Parisian asylum. He gave up his literary career after
his uhsuccessful attempt to gat into the French
Academy in 1878.
The elections to the Victoiian Parliament have re-
sulted in the return Of 54 Ministerialists, 18 Opposition
members, and 14 Independents. All the Ministers
been elected except the Hon. John Dow, Minister of
Mines.
One of the latest inventions with which America is
to be credited is an automatic device for setting up
type by electricity. By means of this apparatus and a
synchronous telegraph the merry compositor in his
hour of luxury or of debility may set up his copy at
the office from the sanctitude_of his domestic hearth-
stone.

Mr. D'Arcy, solicitor, who has been boycotted at
Newcastle West for months past, has been awarded
£344 by the county of Limerick grand jury for the
malicious burning of his hay in October. The allegation
was made that Mr. D'Arcy burned the hay himself.
This the grand jury did not believe.
At Huntingdon, James Hall, of Bythorn, has been
committed for trial at the assizes for discharging his
labourers who were alleged to have voted in the Liberal
interest at the last election.
A shock of earthquake occurred on Saturday at
Marano-Marchesato, near Cosenza. Several houses fell
in. One person was killed and several others injured.
An extraordinary case of juvenile suicide is reported
to have taken place at the college at Bordeaux. where
a student, aged 17, a member of a rich family, was
found dead at his desk. A letter was found by his side
containing the following words: "I am tired of life
and have poisoned myself."
The marriage of the Infanta Eulalia to the Infante
Antonio was celebrated in the Palace Chapel on Sunday.
morning, in presence of the Queen Regent, the members
of the royal family, the Ministers, and the Diplomatic
Body. There were also present deputations from both
Houses of the Cortes, the principal civil and military
authorities, and many other distinguished personages.
The newly-married pair left for Aranjuez in the after-
noon.
Captain Leash, of the steamship Pactolus, of London,
had Ns certificate suspended for six months by Mr.
Rothery, Wreck Commissioner, at Newcastle, on
Saturday, for careless navigation of his ship, whereby
she was lost on the coast of Brittany in February last.
The presentation of the medal and clasp to 26 Royal
Engineer Volunteers who served in the 10th Company
of the Royal Engineers in the Soudan last year took
place at Newcastle on Saturday afternoon. Sir Gerald
Grahana attached the medal to the uniform of the men,
and subsequently delivered an address, in which he
eulogised the patriotism of the men who had received
the medal, and expressed regret that their comrades
who went out had not received them. He urged the
importance of inceasing the capitation grant to volun-
teers, and desired that the sea coast defences should be
completed.
By the completion of the Collingwood Impe-
rieuse at the end of the present month, two important
additions will be made to the effective list of ships of
the Royal Navy. Both are heavily armed barbette
. ships, carrying ten modern breech-loaders each, the
former having a tonnage of 9150, and the latter of
7390, and both can be ready for the pennant in three
months. As soon as these are out of the dockyard
hands, the Edinburgh, a ship of 9150 tons, is to be
advanced and completed by September.
The body of a seaman has been found in the river,
'War Weston Point, Cheshire, with two deep incised
wounds in the forehead and one on the skull, which
have obviously been inflicted with some sharp instri-
went, wielded with great force. The seaman is un-
known. It is supposed that he has been murdered on
some vessel, and flung overboard.'

A sad discovery was made at Lengride, Preston, on
Saturday morning. An old man named Sharpies lived
alone in a cottage, which was snowed up. A way was
out, and the old man was found in his nightcap and
shirt, with scarf round his neck, suspended to a ban-
nister. He had become dejected at his loneliness, and
committed suicide.
On Saturday a meeting of unemployed seamen was
held at Cardiff Docks, when resolutions were passed
calling on tho Board of Trade to enforce the restrictive
clauses of the Merchant Shipping Amendment Act,
1880, with reference tl the employment of foreign
seamen on board British ships. There is at present
much distress among seamen at Cardiff from this
Cause.
The Princess Christian visited Stamford-hill on Satur-
day and laid the dedication-stone of St. John's Church,
in the presence of a numerous company.
In connection with the volunteer manceuvres at
Easter, the Duke of Cambridge has signified his inten-
tion of being present at the field.day at Dover, where
the principal gathering will take place.
Sir H. D. Wolff has received instructions to propose
Wady Haifa as the frontier and the substitution of
Egyptian for British troops there. The proposal to re-
occupy Dongola is not to be entertained. -
In the French Senate on Saturday the debate took
place on the treaty with Madagascar. M. de Freycinet
gave various explanations, and said that France had
acquired a veritable guardianship over the island. The
eleventh article imposed upon her the duty .of pro-
tecting Madagascar against attack. Ultimately the
ratification of the treaty was agreed to.
The question of the expulsion of -the French Princes
is to be brought befoie the Chamber in a new form.
M. Pichon will move for the appointment of a cora-
mittee ,to inquire into the organisation of the Royalist
party throughout France, and the political action of
the Princes and their friends by means of that organisa•
tion. •
On Saturiay the debate on the &Fit reading of the
Spirst Monopoly Bill was continued in : the Ger Man:
Parliament. Prince Bismarck was again prevented by
illness from taking part in the proceedings. It was
stated that at some future stage of the debate he hoped
to be able to explain the reason which has induced the
' Government to adopt the scheme. Eventually the bill
was referred to a committee.

A sad story of destitution was revealed On Tuesday
at an inquest on the body of a man named Edwin Jones,
34, a resident of Hanley, Staffordshire. The deceased,
who was a potter by trade, and leaves a wife and five
children, the youngest being only two months old, was
found frozen to death on the banks of the Staffordshire
Canal. From the evidence it appeared that he had been
out of work for a considerable time, and that for three
days he had had absolutely nothing to eat.
Replying to an address of welcome in Dublin from
non-subscribing Presbyterians, the Lord Lieutenant of
Ireland said he was sanguine that the outcome of the
present crisis would inaugurate happier days for Ireland,
and he indulged in the hope that b. wn&ld itness •
establishment of mutual confidence, bar :wry, and ti
quility throughout the land.
The London and North-Western Railway Company
have put all their men on full time at the Wolverton
carriage works. The men were put on short time in
November last. The new orders will affect over 2000
men. It is hoped at Crewe, where the employes are on
short time, that the activity will extend to other de-
partments.
The first fat lambs of this season were offered by
auction at Canterbury on Tuesday, and realised from
235. to 295. a head. They are unusually early this year,
and notwithstanding the severe weather they are fairly
good in oondition.
At Sunderland on Tuesday several hundred un-
employed British seamen and firemen marched through
the principal streets, and afterwards held a meeting in
the music-hall to protest against the employment of
foreign seamen in British ships to the exclusion of
Englishmen. A large number of the men of the Naval
Reserve took part in the procession, and many flags and
banners were carried. One banner bore the motto,
"Charity begins at Home." The meeting resolved
to bring the subject under the notice of the Govern-
ment, and to assist the agitation in the country as far
as possible.
Mr. John Brooks, member of the Altrincham division
of Cheshire, died at his town residence on Monday
evening after a brief illness. The hon. gentleman
was elected in the Conservative interest last November.
Canon Simpson died on Tuesday evening at Kirkby
Stephen, of which parish he was vicar. The deceased
was closely connected with several learned societies,
and was at one time Grand Chaplain of the Free-
ICASODS.

Information received from Hong4Cong, dated Feb. 1,
states that the German barque Auguste, which arrived
there on Jan. 30 from Cardiff, had a very narrow
escape of falling into the hands of South Sea pirates
whilst in the vicinity of Tupoo Island. On Jan. 16
nine armed native canoes, manned by 150 savages, were
observed approaching the vessel. The captain, having
been warned against these islanders when leaving
Europe, armed his crew, and the savages approaching
nearer, though warned off, fire was opened upon them,
and they were finally driven away, several being killed
and wounded.
The "Gazette" contains an official notice command-
ing the Peers of Scotland to meet at Holyrood Rouse,
on the 25th inst., and choose two of their body to sit
and vote in the House of Peers in the present Parlia-
ment, in the room of Viscount Strathallan and Lord
Saltoun, recently deceased.
Last week at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the
mean reading of the barometer was 29-49 in.; the
highest reading was 30193 in. on Sunday, and the
lowest 29.11 in. on Tuesday. The mean temperature
of the air was 32.7, and 71 below the average in the
corresponding week of the 20 years ending 1868. The
mean was considerably below the average throughout
the week. Rain or melted snow was measured on five
days of the week, to the aggregate amount of 030 of an
inch. The duration of registered bright sunshine in the
week was 8-9 hours, against 22-6 hours at Glynde-place,
Lewes.

Betreen the Ist April, 1885, and the 6th instant, the
Revenue receipts amounted to £81,208,469, as compared
with £80,684,568 in the corresponding period of the
last financial year, and the expenditure to £81,969,464,
as against £77,988,534. On Saturday last therc was a
balance of £6,916,144 in the Bank of England, and in
the Bank of Ireland of £931,515. _ _ _ • _

On Tuesday it was announced that a considerable
Improvement had been manifested in the hardware
manufacturing trade of Wolverhampton and Tyne
shipping trade.
On Tuesday night the General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church in Ireland met in Belfast, and
passed resolutions expressing loyalty to the Queen,
and declaring that any measure of self-government to
Ireland would be destructive of the best interests of
the. country.
The Armenian colony in Vienna has addressed a
petition to the Austrian Government complaining of
the oppression of their compatriots in Asia Minor, and
soliciting the intervention of the Powers in favour of
the reforms provided for by the Treaty of Berlin.
Intelligence has been received in Paris that the
Annamese "rebels "have killed a French captain and
ten men near Tourane, and advanced to within twenty-
five leagues of Hue.
The late Earl of Sandwich settled upon his second
son, the Hon. Victpr A. Montagu, a thousand a year
for life, and by his will left eighty thousand pounds in
legacies, making no reference to the life settlement.
The question whether the plaintiff was entitled to both
the annuity and the legacies came before Mr. Justice
Pearson, who decided in the affirmative. With that
judgment Lord Justice Fry, in the Court of Appeal, on
Tuesday, agreed; but as Lords Justices Cotton and
Bowen were of opinion that the annuity was satisfied
by the legacies. Lord Sandwich's appeal was allowed.
Prince George Eristoff, a gentleman in waiting to the
Czar, was brought up at Bow-street Police-court, on
Tuesday, upon an extradition warrant charged with
having obtained money by false pretences in France.
The prisoner was remanded for a week.
Mr. Henry Bramall, 58, steel merchant ana file manu-
factory, ,Oughtihridge, near Sheffield, committed
suicide by hanging during Monday night, alleging in a,
note that his self-destruction was owing to a horrible
charge made by his wife against him. He was missed
from his bedroom about half s past three in the
morning, and found by two of his sons hanging from a
beam downstairs. On the table was a note addressed
to his wife, in which, after alluding to the charge she
brought against him, be added, "As I am going to meet
my Maker, I declare, as I have done before, there is no
truth in it. Such a thought never entered my head.
You have tantalised me till I can stand it no longer.
I hope you will never do the same to any other man.—
From your honest husband, HENRY BRAMALL. Oh,
Lord, have mercy upon our souls."
A fire occurred on Tuesday afternoon at Mossley,
when a large mill belonging to the Brunswick Cotton
Spinning Company (Limited) was completely destroyed.
The mill was 26 windows long and five storeys high,
and contained about 60,000 spindles. The fire broke
out in the second spinning room at about half-past
three o'clock, the cause being the over-heating of a
shaft. The flames spread with the utmost rapidity; in
less than 15 minutes the roof was in a blaze, and by
about five o'clock the mill had been completely
destroyed. The damage sustained by the company is
estimated at £60,000, and is only partially covered by
insurance. Between 200 and 300 hands will be thrown
out of employment
Mr. A. G. Taylor, a member of the New South Wales
Assembly, was "suspended from the service of the
House" for alleged persistent obstruction. Within
a week he re-entered the Chamber, and the Speaker
brought ao action for trespass, which ;the Supreme
Court of the Colony decided in Mr. Taylor's favour.
The Speaker appealed to the Judicial Committee of
the Pi ivy Council, who confirmed that decision, holding
that the suspension was operative only for the current
sitting of the House.

At Dunbar, Pennsylvania, a colliery explosion has
occurred. Fifteen persons were killed.
A strike has commenced among the soft-coal mlner3
in Maryland..
The guards of the Gould South-Western Railway
system of America have joined the strike which origi•
nated among the workmen. The engine men remain at
work, but the strike of the other train officials hinders
the traffic.
The death is announced of Sir William St. James
Wheelhouse, Q. 0., of Gray's-inn-squaxe, London. Sir
William who was 65 years of age and unmarried, was
called William,
bar at Gray's inn in 1844, and created a
Queen's Counsel in 1877, when he was also elected a
bencher of his inn. He sat for Leeds as a Conservative
from 1868 to 1880, and being the treasurer of his inn at
the openirg of the Royal Courts of Justice received
the honour of knighthood in 1882. At the genera?.
election he was a candidate for West Leeds, but was de-
feated by Mr. Herbert Gladstone.
Vice-Admiral Fellowes, senior officer in o ;amend of
the Channel Squadron, now at Gibraltar, died on Mon-
day on board her Majesty's ironclad Minotaur of con-
gestion of the liver.
There is still no prospect of a satisfactory under-
standing being come to between Sir H. D. Wolff and
Bloukhtar Pasha. The latter still insists upon the
British troops being replaced by natives, and declines
te accept any English proposals unless this is conceded
A terrible murder and suicide occurred on Monday in
Inniscorthy, a young man named Jordan shooting
another man, Somers, through the heart with a revolver,
and then turning the weapon against his• own breast,
shooting himself dead. Jordan had been an unsuccess-
ful suitor for the band of a woman to whom Somers
was married the previous week. He was believed to
be insane, and was closely watched, but on Monday
morning he eluded the vigilance of his friends, and the
tragedy occurred A few minutes afterwards.
An application was made in the Queen's Bench
Divisional Court on Monday on behalf of Mr. Ham-
mond, of Lewes, on the ground that ten trees which
they had planted in a street in that town were a
nuisance. The jury found them a nuisance, and they
had been removed. It appeared that there was no
power to give the prosecutor his costs under such cir.
cenosiances, and it was suggested that the Corporation
should be fined £5OO, that Mr. Hammond, might get his
costs, emo. The court fined them is., to one-third of
which Mr. Hammond is entitled.
The Marquip of Ripsin presided on Saturday at the
annual meeting of the members of the Royal United
Service Institution, at which the report was adopted
and the other business transacted., r, The gold medal
was awarded to Lieutenant Sturdee, her Majesty's ship
Bellerophon, for his- paper -en • the .changes in naval
warfare owing to the rata, the torpedo, and the sub-
marine mine. - -
The Court of Appeal -on Saturday decided an im-
portant case with reference to the lawof life insurance.
Mr. A. S. Canning had sent in- ft proposal to the Sun
Life Insurance office for arrinsurance of 'now on his
owls life. The proposal was aneepted• and a policy sent,
accompanied by a note, stating that no inartrancocould
take place till a premium had been paid. Mr. Canning,
without having paid the-lprerairag,- went three weeks
afterwards to the seaside, vslaeres Xle .4)4 ,from a. cliff
and died January 10, 1884., On Alaft,9tla at Annary a
relative tendered the Premium, which the company
refused to accept, and a special lury found a verdict
for Mr. Canning's representative,, which wasAiit-: aside
by the Divisional Court. Their lordship's dismissed the
appeal with costs, sustaining the judgments of -the
Divisional Court for the defendants.
At her Majesty's Theatre on Saturday night a most
remarkable scene took place. The opera of " Faust"
was being performed, but after the first act a long
delay occurred, and the audience became impatient.
FintOly the performance was prematuttly:steixd, and
the reenibeis of, the 'chorus came to the foofthts add
implored the audience to assist them or they must
starve. It was understood that they had not been paid
their salaries. In response to their appeal handfuls of
, coppers were showered upon the stage by the audience,
and in some instances were eagerly seramblad for.

At the Lambeth Police court, London, on Monday,
Henry Orispe, formerly an extensive hop-grower in
Kent, was charged cu remand with having attempted
to obtain money under false pretences, by begging
letters, from the Duke of Buccleuch and other noble.
tnen and gentlemen in different parts of the country.
The prisoner, who
_pleaded guilty, was sentenced to
three months' hard labour._ _

A new gold country is said to have been discovered
by a shipwrecked French sailor in Patagonia, between
the Straits of Magellan and the River Gallegos. The
man had collected from the sands sufficient to consti-
tute a little fortune when taken off the coast by a
steamer. He related his adventure on being landed at
Punta-Arenas, and the Argentine Government has sent
a mission to the spot to report on the prospects of the
region.
A band of ruffians on Saturday entered the asylum
for old men at Perpignan, and murdered there thq
chaplain of the establishment and the ours of Rive-
saltes, who was at supper with him. The murderers,
before coming upon the two priests, gagged the lay
sister. They are supposed to be Spaniards. The key
of the chaplain's safe was taken out of his pocket, and
a quantity of ready money and debentures payable to
bearer were stolen. He was a man of considerable
fortune.

At Sedgeley, on Monday, the Dudley Cluardians made
application for an order for payment of £B5. Three
years ago a man named Israel Abbis became insane, and
was removed to Stafford Lunatic Asylum. It has
recently been ascertained that Abbis was the possessor
of five freehold houses' and during his confinement in
the asylum a distant relative is said to have appro-
priated the rents. The magistrates made the order,
and directed the guardians to collect the rents.
Captain Chute. J.P., of Leebrook, county Kerry, was
proceeding home on Saturday night, when Iv, was
attacked by a party of men about a mile from Tr dee.
He was severely maltreated by his assailants, who also
stole his money and valuables. Captain Chute had
been under police protect;on until recently. Other
eases of moonlighting occurred in various parts of
Kerry on Saturday night.
The result of the poll of the ratepayers and owners
of property in Salford on the proposal that the corpo-
ration should become shareholders in the Manchester
Ship Canal Company to the extent of £250,000 was
declared on Saturday evening. The proinsal was
approved by 16,653 votes, against 2443; 30,000 papers
were distributed, and 20,800 were collected, but of these
4000 were unmarked.

At the meeting of the Dublin Corporation on Mon-
day, Councillor Clancy, Nationalist, moved to alter tle
names of Sackville-place and Sackville-lane to O'Connell-
place and O'Connell-lane. It was stated to be the
desire of every true Irishman to banish English names
from all their streets and thotoughfares. The Na-
tionalist Lord Mayor and other members, however,
resisted the motion as a troublesome proceeding, and
it was negatived by a large majority.
When the verger of All Saints' Church, Isleworth,
opened the place for evening service on Sunday, he
found that the silver alms-dish had been stolen. The
plate, which was left on the Communion table, was an
old one, valued at £5O. As the doors and windows
were all secure, it is supposed that the thief attended
service in the afternoon and secreted himself in the
gallery. A number of other pieces of valuable plate
were with the one stolen, but were left untouched.
Sir Thomas Brassey, the" Observer' understands, is
to be raised to the Peerage at the close of the session.
Mr. Arch and Mr. Howell have consented to serve on
the Sessional Committee for considering all schemes
proposed by the Land Commissioners for the enclosure
or regulation of commons. The other members of the
committee will be Sir W, Barttelot, Mr. R. Power, Sir
H. Selwin-Ibbetson, Mr. Winterbotham, and Mr.
Wroughton.
The produce statistics of New York show visible
supply of wheat 51,277,577 bushels, as against
52,150,000 bushels last week. Visible supply of Indian
corn 12,969,057 bushels, as against 11,504,000 bushels
last week.
On Sunday evening the Lord-Lieutenant and the
Countess of Aberdeen attended Divine service at
Rutland- square Presbyterian Church, Dublin. Their
presence was quite unexpected to the great majority of
the congregation. This was the first occasion upon
which a Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland had attended ser-
vice in a Presbyterian church in that country.
In his charge to the grand jury at the opening of the
Armagh Assizes, Chief Baron Palles congratulated
them on there being only seven cases for trial.
The grand jury of the county Leitrim, re ently
assembled at the Spring Assizes, passed a resolution in
which they expressed their dismay at the rumoured
intentions of her Majesty's Government with regard to
separate legislation for Ireland. They protested in the
strongest terms against weakening in any way the
power of the Crown in that county.
Late on Sunday night a party of moonlighters broke
into the house of a small farmer and carpenter named
Dunne, who resides near Rosstrevor, seven miles from
Newry, and, after smashing various articles of furniture
in the house, carried off a gun and a quantity of powder
and shot. Dunne and his wife were absent at the time.

On Sunday night a house near Listowel, containing
10 cows, 10 goats, and 15 tons of hay, was burnt to the
ground. The building is within a mile of the police
hut, and is the property of a farmer holding lands from
which tenants have been evicted. The National League
held a meeting at the place on Sunday.
In consequence of the damage done to the permanent
way by putting down salt to remove ice and snow, the
North Metropolitan Tramway Company have notified
the local authorities that they will discontinue its use
in the future, and that the work of keeping the roads
clear will now devolve on the parish officials.
It is stated that the London and North Western Rail-
way Company, owing to the falling off in revenue, are
about to stop all, or nearly all, the new works over their
system, thereby throwing a thousand navvies, mostly
Irishmen, out of employment.
A letter has been received at Glasgow from the
Foreign Office stating that Lord Rosebery has in-
structed our Minister at Stockholm to thank the
islanders of Lepsoe, on behalf of the British Govern-
ment, for rescuing Miss Mouat, and that the Board of
Trade are requested to consider the question of re-
warding those who rescued Miss Mount under such
extraordinary circumstances.
From the Cape comes news of further tribal fighting
on the borders of Pondoland between the Pondos and
the Bacas, in which 30 men were killed.
Her Majesty has, on the recommendation of Mr.
Gladstone, approved of a pension of £l5O a year from
the Civil List to the widow of the late Principal Tulloch.
On Monday the Dublin Master of the Rolls sanctioned
a scheme proposed by the liquidators for the payment
of a first dividend of 10s. in the pound to the 15,000
creditors of the Munster Bank. It is estimated that
this will absorb a sum a 080,000, to meet which the
liquidators have to their credit in the Bank of Ireland
£890,000. The distribution is to be made through the
new Munster and Leinster Bank, which is to receive a
commission of 2s. in the pound on the amount disbursed,
agreeing to advance £lOO,OOO at 3 per cent, to enable
the dividend to be paid forthwith. Payment is to com-
mence in Dublin and Cork on the 31st inst., and at the
local branches between that date and the 21st of April.
The murderers of the Irish bailiff Finlay did no
think their hatred sufficiently satisfied by shooting him
through the chest, but after his death, as there is good
reason to believe, they discharged his own revolver
into his mouth. He had received a wound in his left
hand in the • Crimea which disabled it, and this left
him less power of resistance. His miserable widow is
left absolutely desolate, and has no prospect but the
poorhouse. _

The new play by Mr. Wilson Barrett and Mr.
Clement Scott, produced at Brighton on Monday, has
a curious history. The first two acts were written 16
years ago by Mr. Barrett for Miss Heath, but were mis-
laid and forgotten. After Mr. Barrett had made fame
and fortune, the lost acts came to light again, and,
calling in Mr. Clement Scott to his aid, "Sister Mary"
was brought down to date and completed. It is in
four acts, the action of which passes at " Rivermead-
on-Thames," at Bettcvs-y-Doe.d, North Wales, and
finally at "Hospital Fort near Majuba Hill," in the
Transvaal. The scenery has been painted by Mr. W.
Telbin.