The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-02 00:00:00

A CONTENTED PEOPLE.

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We have become so accustomed to the accounts of
magnificent entertainments and brilliant displays
which reach us successively from every part of
the world visited by our royal princes, that
the simplicity of the reception which,
awaited the Duke of Edinburgh in Ceylon is quite(
refreshing. The island of the cinnamon groves had
no wealthy native rulers emulous to pour their trea-
sures at his feet, it had no enchanted caves or extraor-
dinary pyrotechnical achievements to boast of, but the.
people, nevertheless, found means to give their
royal visitor a cordial and appropriate wel—
come. The fruits, foliage, and flowers with.
which the fertile island abounds were brought
into requisition for graceful decorations, and
the young sportsman was gratified by a veritable
elephant kraal at Labugam. The Ceylon Observer
boasts that the absence of more ceremonious pomp
gives evidence of the contentment of the people
under British rule. " Our island," it says, "cazz.
compare with only one of the smal%r provinces
of the vast Empire whence the Prince has directly
come to us. No native rajahs are here to greet him
with barbaric pomp, and we can produce no military
display, because, happily, we require no strong force
to coerce a contented people."

LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET.-(THIS DAY.)

Sales probably 8,000 bales. Market quiet.

bhale pits are to be included in the incidence of
the Mines Regulation Bill.

The Excise officers at Inverness have just stumbled
on a whole set of " arrangements " for illicit distillation.
Thera are hopeful symptoms of a revival in the
iron trade of Bolton and the surrounding districts.

FEVER AT FAnmwonTir.—Scarlet fever has lately
been very prevalent in the Farnworth district, and many
deaths of young and adult people are reported.
Bellingham, one of the men charged with the silk
robbery at Newcastle, has pleaded guilty. He received
a sentence of six months' imprisonment, and was after-
wards admitted as evidence against his companion Muir,
who was remanded,

THE TRUCK ACT.—The Home Secretary does not
intend to sanction an inquiry into the working of the
Truck Act in Scotland ; but will give a general support
to Sir David Wedderburn's measure for putting an end to
evasions of the act.

MURDER IN ABERDEEN.—On Thursday evening
a lad named Todd stabbed a boy named Watson with a
pocket-knife in the neck, in Castle-terrace, Aberdeen.
Watson died almost instantaneously. Todd was appre-
hended by detectives in the Gallowgate about midnight.
A. letter has been sent to the Rev. Brabazon
Grant, rector of Ranconrath, County Westmeath,
threatening him with death unless he sends away his
whole staff of Protestant servants. A coffin wa painted
at the bottom of the notice with Mr. Grants name
upon it.

FATAL VELOCIPEDE ACCIDENT AT D UNDEE.—
A lad, named Taylor, went out last week to have a ride
on his velocipede. The machine must have upset, as
shortly afterwards the poor fellow W 9! found lying
on the road quite insensible, with the handle of the
machine jammed in his mouth. When lifted, he expired.

An extraordinary incident has occurred in Indian
waters (says the Times of India). The captain of the
Rocket, a small steamer that had come through the
Suez Canal, saw two dhows bearing down on him. He
incontinently took them for pirates, and fired upon
them, wounding if not killing several. The dhows were
simply native craft from Bombay, whose crews were starv-
ing for water, and wanted to beg a lithe from the passing
steamer.

A discovery of some interest has just been mado
at Lillebonne. . A tradesman, in excavating a piece of
ground at the back of his house, laid open an apartment
about twenty-five feet by eighteen feet, entirely covered.
with tesselated pavement work, generally well preserved.
On the four sides are hunting scenes, represented by a
forest, stags, horsemen, and dogs, very effectively por-
trayed. In the centre are a male and female figure of
natural size, the former of which is unfortunatelyinjured.
The drawing is good, and very effectively worked are the
coloured tesselhe.—The Architect.