The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-24 00:00:00

THE. HAYMARKET NIGHT HOUSES.

We have ascertained some curious facts in connection
with these establishments. In one an attempt has been
made to constitute the society of the place into a club, it
being thought that under such a title the proprietor
might carry on his traffic with complete im-
punity. Male visitors were invited to subscribe a
sovereign each to promote the idea, but this request was
simply a matter of form. At the club a whole relay of
scouts gave warning, not only of the approach of police,
but of any. one not introduced to the select manager
of the institution. Ladies were not excluded,
and, indeed, were prominent figures in the
bar-chamber of the den. To realise thoroughly
the Pall-mall or Piccadilly notion of a club, a
porter received every guest, and passed him on to
a second porter, who was fenced behind a
counter. If these blackguards were satisfied with
their scrutiny, the " club " man went re-
joicing into the delightful pentralia, where his face
might be gashed with broken tumblers and his had pretty
certain to be turned with gooseberry champagne cup.
We have alluded to the quarter historically in the past
tense, but if an active constable could be found, he might
use our description with effect any night in the week.—
Pall Mall Gazette.

The Bishop of Manchester at Salford took occa-
sion to refer to the decay in the observance of Church
festivals, and expressed a fear that it was to be attri-
buted to lukewarmness with respect to religion itself.
It is considered probable that a petition will be
presented by the supporters of Mr. King-Harman against
the return of Mr. Greville-Nugent for Longford. A.
meeting is to be held on Wednesday to discuss the ques-
tion.

The daughter of a Sheffield tradesman, aged 17,
who had just returned from boarding school, has died
through taking vermin killer. She had been desponding
for some time, and had been heard to say that she desired
to die.

The Edinburgh Courant announces the death of
Mr. Peter Blackburn, of Killearn. He was principally
known for the active part he took in the struggles which
some of the Scottish railways had to undergo in the
earlier period of their existence.

The bill providing ;or the abolition of the custom
of making attachments of wages to satisfy judgments
recovered in law suits has been printed. The Act is
only intended to apply to the wages of " servants,"
" labourers," or " workmen."
The Exeter Gazette is informed that notice has
been given to the Town Clerk of Exeter of the filing of a
bill in Chancery to restrain the Town Council from pol-
luting the mill-leat and River Exe by emptying into them
the sewage of the city.
.Keble's Margate Gazette understands that it is in
contemplation to form a watering place at Westgate,
and thousands of pounds have already been expended in
the formation of roads, &c. A sea wall and six
hundred houses are under contract to be built upon the
estate.

An ex-policeman in Sheffield has chosen a curious
time for hanging himself. One of the deceased's sons, a
young man of 23, had been receiving a few friends to
celebrate his birthday, and on going into the cellar he
for.nd his father hanging there, and quite dead. The
father had refused to join the son's party of friends.

The "Counteg3 of Derwentwater " is at present
receiving more company than usual, and many of the
people in the neighbourhood of Consett are apparently
quite convinced that she is the heiress of the vast estates.
To confirm the faith of the wavering, a report has been
circulated that the " Countess " has received a letter from
the Queen.

The Financier states that in the course of a weeh
or so three applications for foreign loans will be made to
English and French capitalists ; one from Spain for
£2,400,000, one from Peru for 42,000,000 nominal, and one
from Monte' Video for £600,000. Italy will want a loan
later in the year. There is no truth in the rumour of a
Portuguese loan.

The public will be glad to hear that there is no
foundation for the report which has been circulated
of the death of Mr. Munzinger, of Abyssinian celebrity.
Letters from that gentleman, dated the 27th of March,
have been received at Berne, in which he states that he is
rapidly recovering from the injuries received in his en-
counter with the assassins last winter.

Dean Close writes on the Deceased Wife's Sister
Bill thus :—" I still conscientiously believe that there is
no direct prohibition of such marriages in Holy Writ, but
were I called upon to vote on the question as it now
stands, considering all the facts and arguments bearing
on the case, I should decidedly negative any alteration of
the existing law."

There will be some little delay, the Homeward
Mail believes, before the contemplated reduction is made
in the establishment of brigades of Royal Artillery serv-
ing in India, as the India-office authorities require the
opinion of the Indian Government on certain points
regarding the distribution of the brigades, which has to
be supplied before the proposed changes will be sanc-
tioned,

A correspondent of the Scotsman writes: "I am
sorry to say that letters have been received announcing
that Mr. Archibald Geikie, director of the Scotch
Geological Survey, who has been on a scientific
expedition to the Lipari Islands, was stricken by fever
soon after his arrival there, and has suffered so much in
health that he has been compelled to abandon his re-
searcches, and is now on his way home."

In order to improve Cambridge rowing the Uni-
versity Boat Club has offered a prize of the value of £6O
to be competed for by the best eight-oared boats on the
river at the King's Lynn Royal Regatta, which is to be
held on June 8, under the patronage of the Prince of
Wales. This fixture is perhaps the best that could be
made, although it clashes with a number of college exa-
minations.