The Express.
London, England, 1868-08-25 00:00:00

MEETING OF FRE GENERAL ComxrrrEE.

The general committee St. Peter's Hall. In the
absence of the president of the association, Professor
Pniturs took the chair. _ _

.....—..,
The CIiAIRMAN said the special purpose of the meeting
was to receive invitations from different places in the
United Kingdom to hold the next meeting of the associa-
tion in.

Invitations were then read from Exeter, Edinburgh,
Liverpool, Brighton, and Bradford.
The meeting was then addressed by gentlemen from the
various towns named, and ultimately the choice fell upon
Exeter.

An inquest was held on Friday at Athlone, on
the bodies of the five artillerymen who were drowned on
Monday in Lough Ree, by the upsetting of the boat in
which they were. The first witness examined was a gun-
ner named Edward Quinlivan, one of the survivors, who
made his escape by swimming a distance of half a mile to
the shore. He stated to the jury that the only cause which
led to the unfortunate occurrence was in hoisting a sail,
and as the men did not properly understand how to manage
the vessel when the sail was up, a side wind was blowing
strong at the time, which caused her to go on her side and
upset.
ALLEGED MURDER BY A WlFE.—Michael Dur-
ham, a butcher, about 40 years of age, was killed on
Saturday afternoon at his stall in Plymouth market under
the folio ng circumstances:—The deceased was much
given to drinking, and in the habit of frequently leaving
his business to resort to public-houses. Anne Durham,
his wife, 35 years of age, was a woman of very passionate
temper, and frequent quarrels took place between the
parties. During these quarrels the wife used to give way
to violence, using frightful threats, and throwing 41b.
weights, cleavers, knives, bones, or pieces of meat at her
husband. On Saturday they had been quarrelling
throughout the day at their stall in the market, and at
half-past 5 o'clock in the afternoon both were inside the
stall, the husband employed in dinning out the bones of
a brisket, when suddenly the wife rushed out, exclaiming,
" Michael is bleeding." Several butchers from the ad-
joining stalls ran to the man's assistance, among them
two of his brothers. On being taken up he was found to
be bleeding from a punctured would immediately over
his heart. He feebly asked, " Who done it 'r" and expired
in a few minutes. Two surgeons who were called in were
of opinion that the wound was inflicted with a knife found
by his side. The wife has been taken into custody on a
charge of wilful murder. She admits having during the
day threatened to stab the deceased, but declares that the
wound was inflicted on himself by the deceased during a
struggle that took place between them. The prisoner
has three young children, one of 11 another of 9 years,
and an infant of four mouths. The body of the deceased
awaits a coroner's inquest. The woman was brought up
before the magistrates yesterday. The medical evidence
went to prove that the wound must have been indicted by
the deceased himself, and the charge against the wife was
dismissed.

THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS IN THE SOUTH.
—The change of weather during the past ten days or so
has been most beneficial so far as regards the roots,
turnips, and pastures. A considerable quantity of rain
has fallen in this southern district, and everywhere the
meadows and pasture lands exhibit an immense imrove-
ment. Great efforts are being used to make up for the
falling off in roots and turnips. From the hop districts
the accounts as to the effects of the late rains are various.
Where the hops bad been much damaged by the continued
drought, they had gone too far backward to recover, and
no amount of moisture can be of more than slight service.
On the contrary, where the gardens were in good heart and
had been able to withstand the influence of the long
drought the rain baa been of great service, and the im-
provement in such grounds has been considerable. The
effect of the violent storm of Saturday morning and night
has been very disastrous. The estimate of the yield has
been considerably reduced, but there is yet a capital crop
on the Dines, if there be but fine weather for the rest of
the picking.—Swwer Adrertiser.
tiOnn KresiwoTow Muarerm.—Viaitore during
the week ending 22nd August, 1868 :—On Monday, Tues-
day. and Saturday, free, from 10 cm. to 10 p.m., 14,737;
on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (admission 6d.),
from 10 a.m. till 6 p.m., 2,366; national portrait exhibi-
tion, by payment, n,634; total, 25,736; average of cor-
responding week is former years, 11,332; total from the
opening of the museum, 7,678,676.