The Sun.
London, England, 1870-06-09 00:00:00

THE SPANISH THRONE.

In yesterday's sitting of the Cortes the amendment of
Senor Rojo Arias, which requires an absolute majority of
the Deputies to vote on the election of a monarch,
has been carried by 137 to 124. This was the
second time the amendment was brought forward, having
been previously voted on Friday, but requiring a second
decision. It is considered greatly to affect Montpeusier's
chance, as he has only the promise of about 100 votes,
which would not come up to the requisite standard. The
Ministers voted in the minority.

(CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAMS.)

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE BATH AND

WEST OF ENGLAND ASSOCIATION.

Sir Stafford Northcote presided yesterday at the an-
nual meeting of the Bath and West of England As-
sociation, and was warmly welcomed back from
Canada. The report stated that the funded property
of the Society amounted to £5,500 ; the number of
members was 1,097. The Council recommended that the
next meeting of the society be held at Guildford, and that
Earl Cork be president. These propositions were put to
the meeting and carried unanimously. Various formal
votes of thanks were passed, and brought the proceedings
to a conclusion.

COMPLETION OF THE FALMOUTH, GIB-
RALTAR, AND MALTA CABLE.
The steamers, Hibernia, Scauderia, and Edinburgh,
which have been laying the Gibraltar and Porthcurnoe
section of the British Indian Submarine Cable, arrived at
Porthcurnoe this day. The cable was immediately
spliced to the portion which was laid by the Investigator
yesterday. Communication to Bombay is now therefore
completed.

THE LATE SIR JOHN SIMEON, BART., M.P.
At a special meeting of the Ryde Town Council, held
on Tuesday, it was unanimously resolved to forward an
address of condolence to the family of the late Sir John
Simeon, Bart., M.P. The Mayor and ex-Mayor were
requested to draw it up and affix the borough seal to it.

AGRICULTURAL SHOW AT TAUNTON.
Twelve thousand two hundred and ninety-six persons
paid for admission to the Agricultural Show at Taunton
yesterday. The sum thereby realised was £1,482, being
the highest amount taken on any one day, with the single
exception of the occasion when the show was held at
Bristol.

EDUCATIONAL MEETING AT STROUD.
This evening a public meeting was held in the Stroud
Subscription Rooms, to consider the Government Educa-
tion Bill. Mr. Mailing- M.P., presided. The resolutions
passed were to the effect that schools supported with pub-
lic money should be open to children of all religious creeds
on terms of perfect equality without desiring to in-
terfere with the continued receipt of public grants by
existing denominational schools, subject to an efficient
conscience clause. That the meeting protested against the
establishment of denominational schools out of public
grants as a violation of religious equality ; and t hat no
grant of public money should be made to any school which
did not permit the absolute withdrawal of a child during
the time of religious education. The meeting heartily ap-
proved, 1 y resolution, of the course taken by Mr. Winter-
botham, Laal pledged itself to support him. The chair-
man opposed secular education. Mr. Winterbotham,
M.P., argued at length against denominational education.

CHARITABLE MEETING AT LIVERPOOL.
A meeting was held at the Liverpool Town Hall yester-
day, under the presidency of the Deputy Mayor, for the
purpose of promoting the exemption of charities from local
rates. A petition was adopted in favour of Mr. Muntz's
measure.

CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES' MEETING AT

MANCHESTER.

A congress of delegates from co-operative societies in
all parts of England is being held at Manchester this
week. A proposal to establish a co-operative bank to
receive deposits from stores and distributive societies,
which it was reported were in possession of large surplus
capital for which they could not find remunerative and
safe investment, and to lend sums to productive societies,
which, it was also stated, were in many cases straitened
in their business for want of capital, has been the
subject of much discussion. The tone of the conference was
almost unanimous in favour of this proposal, and yester-
day a resolution was adopted, approving it, and expressing
the feeling of the meeting that the present Is an oppor-
tune time to establish the bank provided sufficient capital
can be raised, and remitting the matter to the executive
for further development. Although no resolution has
been adopted on the subject, an universal feeling has
been expressed in favour of the extension of the produc-
tive societies. To-day a letter from the Bishop of Man-
chester, expressing himself in favour of co-operative
farming, was read and received with much applause.