The Sun.
London, England, 1870-06-18 00:00:00

VIE ASCOT MEETING,

Perhaps the most noticeable feature of the Ascot meet-
ing, declares the Post, was the favour—amounting almost
to enthusiasm—with which the great successes of Lord
Falmouth and Lord Zetland were received by the public.
In the case of these owners there is no necessity for
asking such questions as—ls this or that horse meant
to win, or is the money on? The most perfect straight-
forwardness ever marks their racing transactions.
In this respect they are conspicuous. And their silent
example is calculated to greatly assist the efforts of those
striving to eliminate from the Turf the objectionable
elements that have debased and corrupted it. A few
other owners of horses there are who also race as ]nglish
gentlemen should race. But it is humiliating and some-
what dispiriting to reflect that they bear so small a pro-
portion to those of the opposite category. It is to be
hoped that the sentiment unmistakeably prevalent at
the late Ascot meeting on this subject may exert a bene-
ficial influence. It could not be difficult, and it would
seem to be a laudable object of ambition, to attain the
reputation of running horses to win stakes, cups, and
plates instead of bets—to race for sport and excitement,
and not for mere gain. Those who cannot afford to do
this should simply not race.

.Mr. E. Howes, M.P. for South Norfolk, is
seriously indisposed.
Fishing in the French rivers began on Tuesday.
The banks of the Seine were crowded—indeed, there were
more men than ash, says the Figaro.
_

was

The schooner Zephyr, of Durham, was blown up
on Thursday through the accumulation of gas in the
cabin. Only a boy was on board at the time, who was
blown twenty yards from the vessel into the water • 444
was picked up with his head partially blown off ; he' died
soon after.
The Republican County Convention, which closed
its session at Wilmington, N.C., nominated a coloured
man for the Senate, and three coloured men for the Lower
House of the Legislature ; also, a coloured candidate for
sheriff. Great dissatisfaction is expressed by many white
and some coloured Republicans, and a new Convention
will probably be held.
The negroes of Ohio have held a meeting in.
Cincinnati to determine their future course in regard to
politics, or, rather, to decide whether they shall continue
to submit to their present bondage to the Radical party,
as they did at the late municipal elections. The result of
their deliberations was an agreement to disagree, but they
;resolved, almost unanimously, not to support any party
which advocates a high tariff.

The French Government has concluded a treaty
with the Societ6 du Cable Transatlantique Fran9ais,
which grants the Soci4t4 the right of amalgamating with
other companies. The exclusive privilege landing has
been relinquished, and in its place the French Govern-
ment have assured the company at equal rates, all public
And. private mesages not specially directed togo by another
route.
- - - -

Meetings of the Royal Commission on Scientific
Instruction and the Advancement of Science have been
held at 6, Old Palace-yard, on Tuesday, Wednesday, and
Friday, during the present week ; present the Duke of
Devonshire, K.G. ; the Marquis of Lansdowne, Sir John
Lubbock, Bart., F.R.S. ; Sir J. P. Kay-Shuttleworth,
Bart., F.R.S. ; Mr B. Samuelson, ALP. ; Dr. W.
Sharpey, Sec. R.S. ; Professor Huxley, F.R.s. ; Dr. W.
A. Miller, Treasurer R.S. ; Professor Stokes, Sea. R, S. ;
and the Secretary, Mr. J. Norman Lockyer, F.R.S.
Rain has fallen everywhere, and the sky remains
cloudy, with every promise of more showers. Thunder-
;storms have taken place in the south, south-east, and
north-east of England. The barometer has again fallen.
Temperature has now risen a little in the west. The
winds have varied considerably, and are nowsouth-westerly
inlreland, north-westerly in the west of Great Britain, and
chiefly south-westerly in the east. The sea is moderate
in the Channel, calm elsewhere. At eight o'clock yesterday
;morning the thermometer in London registered 61 deg.
,A-TTE3IPT TO MURDER AT MANCHESTER.—On
'Thursday morning, at Manchester, a pensioner, named
Joseph Consterdine, aged 74, whose wife had separated
from him in consequence of his brutality, attempted to ,
murder her in Every-street, as she was proceeding to
her work at a cotton-mill, about six o'clock. He took
hold of her by her right shoulder And said he had come to
finish her. He held in his hand a razor, and attempted
to cut her throat, but she successfully reaisted him until
assistance came, but received a gash under the chin about
half-an-inch deep, On being taken before the magistrate
he was committed to the Assizes.
THE BELGIAN ELECTIOUS.—News of some im-
portance arrives from Belgium. The elections which have
taken place this week for half the Chamber of Represen-
tativeshaveprovedvery unfavourable to the Liberal party,
-which has been for many years in power. Two members of
the Fiore.-Orban Cabinet, the Minister of the Interior
And the Minister of Foreign Affairs have not been re-
elected. What is more, the Catholics have carried a
great number of seats which were hitherto held by
Liberals, so that the Government, which hitherto had a
majority of 24, is now likely to belin a minority.
BOROUGH OF MARYLEBONE MEETING ON THE PER-
MISBI, VEBILL.—On Thursday evening a meeting of electors
payers of Marylebone was held in the Cambridge
and rate,.
manstrest, Oxford-street, and notwithstanding
Hall, New", -
state of the weather there was a large at-
the threateni,ng
tendance. Mr. J. A. Nicholay (representative of St.
Marylebone at the Metropolitan Board of Works) occu-
pied the chair, and varieus resolutions were enthusiastically
adopted, including a petition to the House of Commons, in
favour the Permissive Bill, an.d a request to the borough
members to support that measure when ,the second read-
ing is discussed on the 13th July next,

THE WEATHER AND TIIE CROPS.

A very severe thunderstorm which visited the Metropo-
lis and many of the country districts on Thursday
evening and Friday morning, was received with universal
welcome. Should the favour be repeated the benefit will
be incalculable. The rainfall on this occasion was very
heavy, but intermittent and disappointing. In London
at about half-past seven on Thursday evening rain fell
in heavy drops, but soon ceased, much to the regret
of those who knew and felt how much moisture
was needed in the country districts. The clouds,
_ _

however, again lowered and thickened, and shortly a;ter
eight o'clock the rain descended in torrents, accompanied
with vivid clashes of lightning'and heavy peals of thunder
Heavy showers, with thunder and ligetning, continued at
intervals long past midnight, the storm at about one in
the morning being tremendously severe. At Newbery the
'ightning was very vivid and the peals of thunder very
ud. The rain fell heavily for some time. The storm
of the same kind in other parts of the
country. On Friday morning the sky was still cloudy,
and the atmosphere much cooler. Meanwhile complaints
do not cease to flow in from all parts of the country, some
statements being so exaggerated as to need considerable
discount. From Bedford an account says :—" It is
believed that rain cannot now save the light land wheat
crops should it come plentifully at once, whilst the heavy
soils would be greatly benefited by it, and might
yield a fair average crop. The barley is doing
very badly, indeed, and under any circumstances
must be put down as well-nigh a complete
failure. The winter beans, which have for several
seasons done so well, appear to have ripened before the
pod is formed, and will, in consequence, be valueless.
The hay crop is a complete failure, and is not worth the
expense of gathering." From North and East Yorkshire
comes the complaint :—" Vegetation is literally parched
up. Pastures are like broWn paper in colour, and the
stock is fed with corn cake and other artificial foods, hay,
and potatoes, all of which are getting dearer. The
meadows aro bad, and the hay crop must be a failure.
Old hay has risen considerably. The first turnip crop is
completely lost, and the condition of the land is preventing
farmers from sowing the white turnp, although for this
variety there is yet time for a good crop should sufficient
rain fall in June. Stock is suffering much from drought."
It is to be hoped that the rainfall will continue, and
alleviate this state of fright.
In France the price of provisions continues to augment
daily. Bread, meat, and vegetablei are creeping up in
price. Corn and fodder have risen in proportion to the
continuance of the drought. The extreme heat and pro-
tracted drought have so parched the undergrowth in the
forests near Paris that, like tinder, it will ignite from a
spark. At Fontainebleau a few days since a portion of the
forest was burnt, and ,it was many hours before the progress
of the flames could be arrested. On Tuesday a fire broke
out in a portion of the Bois de Md, situate not very
distant from Versailles, and about a mile from Bibvres.
The Pompiers from the neighbouring towns were sum-
moned, but their efforts were useless, the trees burning
rapidly and fiercely, while of water there was not
a drop to be procured. A large body of work-
men were sent from Versailles, who with 120 artillery-
men, set to work to cut down the trees and dig
trenches in order to arrest the flames. Subsequently
60 Hussars and two brigades of gendarmes arrived and
took part in the work, but late on Tuesday night the
fire was still burning fiercely, and about fourteen acres
had been completely devastated. Letters from Algeria
confirm the news that the grain crop is extremely good,
and that the meadows have given an abundance of hay.
However, the country skirting the desert suffers from
locusts. The corn crops in Arkansas and Mississippi
have been severely damaged by a tornado.