Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1879-07-12 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

IMPORTANT MEETING OF GONSBRVITIVES.— Ati,er the Cabinet Council on Monday a meeting of the Conservative members of Parliament was held at the Foreign Office to consider the present position of Government business. All the Ministers attended, and about 250 gentlemen assembled. The proceedings were of an informal character. Lord Beaconsfield, in a brief address, thanked the adherents of the Government for their constant support during an eventful Session. They had given votes of Imperial importance in the House of Commons, thereby materially supporting the policy of the Government. He dwelt on the importance of passing the Army Discipline Bill. The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the decision of the Cabinet on the flogging question. Several other speakers followed.—We (Press Association) are assured that no arrangements as to the state of the Government business generally, or to any other measure than that of the Army Discipline Bill, were made known by the Ministers. It is stated that provision has been made for a constant attendance of members of the House of Com,nons undl the Army Discipline Bill has been read a third time.  Fora CABIN OP St7ICIDII.—Mr Thomas Fletcher, a town councillor of Blackburn, committed suicide by hanging himself on Monday. Losses in business speculations are said to be the explanation.—On Monday afternoon a man named Gillender, belonging to Whickham, committed suicide by drowning himself in the river Tyne, at a place known as the Battery, midway between Dunston and Derwenthaugh. He was speedily rescued by a man named Hepplewhite, but died about an hour afterwards. —An elderly man, named John Lowes LongCaffe, aged 69 years, committed suicide at Stanhope, under circumstances of a very determined etaracter, on Sunday morning. It appears that deceased, who is stated to have been in averydeaponding state of mind for some time, went to bed as usual on Saturday night, and on the following morning was found suspended by the neck from a beam in the room be had occupied, quite dead and cold. —A grocer and draper of Grassby, near Brigg, named Joshua Barkworth, for many years a leading local preacher amongst the Primitive Methodists in North Lincolnshire, committed suicide by hanging himself in his own barn on Frida) evening. The deceased, who was much respected in the neighbourhood, had got into pecuniary difficulties by becoming surety for a friend.  The body of Miss Hyde, actress, who was drowned at Bath the other day, was recovered on Tuesday. In consequence ef the bad condition of the crops in Prance, the Minister of the Interior estimates that 500 million francs will have to be disbursed for foreign grain. It is stated that the ex-Empress of the French will probably retire from the world altogether, and take up her abode at the Carmelite Convent of Burgos, in Spain.  FAILURE AT Bassarmin.---At the- Bradford Bankruptcy Court on Saturday a petition was tiled on behalf of Benjamin Bottomley, builder and contractor, of Manningham, Bradford, who estimates his liabilities at £64,000. The prize of £2OO for the best essay on coffee public-houses has been awarded to the Rev. Wm. Cunningham, of Trinity College, Cambridge. There were 122 competitors. The death is announced of Lord Ossulston, eldest son of the Earl of Tankerville. His lordship was an officer of the Rifle Brigade, and was serving with his regiment in India, when he was attacked by cholera, with a fatal result.