The Express.
London, England, 1868-12-31 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 31, 1868.

OAKBY'S INDIABURBBR KNIFE BOARDS,
trim la U. awe.

°ABET'S WELLINGTON KNIPE POLISH.
Pockets M. mak; time. 11.1. Is.. Is. G.L. osel do. mob.
OAKEY'S SILVERSMITHS' SOAPS (non-Joir-
curial), for olooning sad poliobiag ollror. olootroiplaio. olio.
Pam. to 'Weft It mei.

oAxEre CABIN= GLASS PAPMR, Ramey
sad Ow. Cloth. Bleak Lead. ta

SOLD e=1::...r0, by ironmongers, grocers,
shank* as. Wholerbo by JOILN
IDAXISTIEbs= SOxS. mazy sad Mad; kurol ulna. ibmicirlam
rood. B.

TILE LOMBARD EX(IIA NGE AND NEWS-BOOM.
—lt is singular that, notwith-tending the number of com-
mercial associations which arc to be found in the City of
Loudon, there should be no large central establishment,
at once a news-room and an Exchange, whither men en-
gaged in various branches of common:* might resort for
the transaction of business. In other large commercial
towns—in Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham, and
Liverpool, for instance—such a general place of meeting
is invariably to be found, and has generally proved highly
successful. At last an attempt is about to be made,
under very promising circumstances, to supply the un-
doubted want of such an institution in the City. On New
Year's-day, the City Offices Company (Limited) will open a
large portion of the ground-floor of their magnificent new
building in Lombard-street, as a general Exchange and
news-room, to be called "The Lombard." This handsome
apartment, which includes a space of no less than 7,200
square feet, divided into bays by handsome columns, will
be comfortably furnished, and amply supplied with home
and forcign newspapers, telegrams, maps, ►tlases, price
currents, Ac. It is lighted by two large skylights, and
late in the afternoon, or on dark days, will be illuminated
by six sun-lights. Within the building there is a telegraph
office, and the walls have been fitted for the reception of
the advertisements of ship-brokers and others. Upstairs
there is a smaller room, comfortably carpeted and provided
with well stuffed seats, where letters can be written in
greater quietude than can be expected below, and at one
end of the news-room there are a dining-room and luncheon
bar. ♦ considerable number of gentlemen have already
become members of the new institution, and fresh sub-
scriptions are being received daily.

- -
A meeting was held in St. George's-hall, Brad-
ford, on Tuesday—the mayor in the chair—to consider
whether some atepe could not be adopted to provide cheap
and rational amusements for the public, and to counteract
the evils arising from the associations of the beerhouse.
Reference was made to the successful steps taken in Leeds,
Glasgow, Manchester, Preston, and other places, by
mechanise' institutes, working men's clubs, temperance
societies, &c. A resolution in favour of the objects of the
meeting was adopted.
PROPOSED ENCLOSURE OF MITCHAM COMMON.—
Active steps are now being taken by some of the most
influential residents of Mitcham with • view to apply to
the ensuing parliament for powers to purchase the mano-
rial and other privileges in Mitcham-common, for the
puirose of enclosing the same and converting a portion of
it into a publii, park and recreation grounds. TllO common
compute* over 1,200 acres of land, and is partially covered
with twee ; and there are common rights to pasturage.
HOAX AND I(OBlt}hY.—A cruel hoax, resulting
in Jobbery, Las just Leen perpetrated upon the friends of
at the prisoners in Maidstone Gaol. It will be remem-
bu ed that at the Maidstone assizes, held in July last, •
pilot rimmed George Baker and two Deal boatmen named
William Frost Spears and William Middleton, were sen-
tenet d to six mouths' Lard labour each for conspiring
together to deft uud Captain Burttall, Lloyd's agent at
14 4261., by fahely representing that they had rendered
tel tam 'services to the British ship Olivia, for which they
claimed remuneration to the above amount. Their term
of imprisonment does not expire until towards the end of
January next, but their friends received a communication
puipm tiug to come from the prisoners, shortly before
Chris hum, informing them that from some cause or other
• poi Con of their sentence had been remitted, and that
they expected to be released by Christmas. Bokire they
could be relate d, however, there were certain charges
which they had to pay, amounting to 301., and they re-
uuested that that amount should be remitted to them, and
it the same time that their clothes and watches should be
sent to • certain address, which they gave. This friends of
the prisoners were rejoiced at the intelligence, and gladly
scraped together the stated amount and transmitted it,
with the clothes, watches, &0., to the address given.
Christmas-day arrived, and finding the prisoners did not
come home, their friends wrote to them at the prison, and
then found that they had been made the victims of • dia-
giaceful hoax, and had been robbed of the 301. and the
other articles referred to. The perpetrators of the hoax
Lave not been discovered.

TROITING MATCH FOR Cio.— -A trotting match
for £26 a side magi off yesterday morning at H vley, en
the Brighton road. The ponies belonged respectively to
Messrs. Bissau. of Brighton, and Jaques, of Lame, and
were both about 131 bands, and were driven by their
owners. The ground was in bed condit.o.i, and Mr.
Jaques's yony bad the choice in the betting at 6 to 6. The
curie was two miles, one out and home. The iisvoluite
wou by 20 yards. Time, 6 min. 66 sees.
RPAI( FA ITT. —Mille fl COCOA . --Grad Ul and
rienfortfrer.—" The 'lnsular marmot which Mr. Vow stishmhelt
Lim hi ..caret 1c pr.9•eretiou of ewes has sever-Leen
L 3 soy experimmeistaliet."—eivilliersioe Ussetta—L,AdmVassasuki

MTELLIORNOR FROM ABROAD.

(Troves asorsa's sesium)
MASSACRE OF EUROPEANS IN NEW
ZEALAND.
SYDNEY, Dm. 6.
The members of the sew cabinet have been re-
elected. Advice* from New Zealand state that
the rebel Maoris have committed frightful atro-
cities.

Fifty Europeans, with their families, have been
assissaared.

The government is accused of being lamentably
incompetent. Recruits are being enrolled in Vic-
toria to assist in quelling the rebellion.

PRI7EIBIA.
BERLIN, Deo. 30, Snows.
Twenty-three large export firm have requested
the senior board of the Berlin Trade Association
to urge the Federal Chancellorship to take steps
for establishing a North German Consulate in
British Colombia.

It is semi-officially declared that the proposal
(which proceeded from the government of Baden)
to introduce a reciprocal arrangement allowing
subjects of Baden and North Germany the option
of serving in either the North German or Baden
army, was officially oommunicated to the Presi-
dent of the Confederation as far book as June,
1868. The agreement arrived at on this point
owes its origin solely to a desire to facilitate the
rformance of military servico as much as possi-
ble for the subjects of both the States in question.

AMERICA.
NEW YORK, Dso. 30.
Oold closed at 1341—the highest quotation
daring the day was 1341; the lowest 1341.
Blehange on London, 1091 ; 6-20 United States
80nd5,1882,1101 ; ditto, 1886. 108; ditto, PK%
1101; 10-40 Bonds, 1051. Illinois, 142 ; Erie,
lei. Cotton, Middling Upland, 26. Petroleum,
standard white, 314. Flour. extra State, 6 dole.
Olie. to 7 dole. 66e. Corn, old mixed. 1 dol. 10e.

The Inman Royal Mail steamer City of Balti-
more arrived here at 4 a.m. to-day. All well.
Intelligence received from San Domingo
announces that the revolutionary forces have been dis-
banded, and that the revolt against the authority of Pre-
sident Baez has been abandoned.

AUSTRALIA.
ADELAIDE, Dec. 8.
The Treasurer's budget bait been approved by
the South Australian parliament.
MELBOURNE, Dee. 8.
. . .

A conference is expected to be held at Sydney
in February next to discuss the question of intaroolonial
free trade. The shipments of gold to England since the
departure of the last mail amount to 64,876 ounces.

THE LATE GALE.

SOUTHAMPTON, WEDNWODAY.

Rims fell her to-day. The Channel Islands mail
packet, due here on Monday night, was unable to
leave the islands until yesterday morning, en amount of
the weather. The New York mail packet Borussia, which
met with an accident in the Atlantic, has not yet reached
this port from Portland Roads. All the low level roads
In the New Forest are under wafer. Almost every day
Owe have been thunder and lightning in the neighbour-
hold, and travelling has been very difficult on amount of
the high wind.

TICAZIBLB STORRS IN THE _ATLANTIC.