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of the Reichsrath must be assured by the unbiassed selection of the representatives of the empire."

26. Concluded in the Court of Session, Edinburgh, the case of Asher, widow, v. Rennie, a claim for 1,000l. for breach of pro

ise by a Glasgow merchant. This was the second trial of the case, a verdict having been returned, in the beginning of November last, for the defendant. That verdict was set aside by the Court as being contrary to evidence, and a new trial granted, which now ended in the jury unanimously returning a verdict for the plaintiff, with 750/. damages.

In a letter dated from Windsor Castle, the Queen acknowledges the sympathy manifested by all classes of her subjects on the occasion of the alarming illness of the Prince of Wales. "The universal feeling,' ," writes her Majesty, "shown by her people during those painful, terrible days, and the sympathy evinced by them with herself and her beloved daughter, the Princess of Wales, as well as the general joy at the improvement in the Prince of Wales's state, have made a deep and lasting impression on her heart which can never be effaced. It was, indeed, nothing new to her; for the Queen had met with the same sympathy when, just ten years ago, a similar illness removed from her side the mainstay of her life, the best, wisest, and kindest of husbands. The Queen wishes to express at the same time, on the part of the Princess of Wales, her feelings of heartfelt gratitude; for she has been as deeply touched as the Queen by the great and universal manifestation of loyalty and sympathy. The Queen cannot conclude without expressing her hope that her faithful subjects will continue their prayers to God for the complete recovery of her dear son to health and strength."

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Replying to a request for his opinion on the subject of a Church Defence Instituion, the Archbishop of Canterbury writes :— 'There seems little doubt that vigorous and persistent efforts are being made by those who desire to destroy that connection between the Church and the State which I regard as equally beneficial to both. I can therefore have no hesitation in saying that some systematic organization, to meet these efforts and keep the public informed on the subject, is much to be desired; and I think that the clergy and laity of our Church will do well to aid in the work which the Committee of the Church Defence Institution has undertaken."

27.-Renewed anxiety regarding the Prince of Wales, the single bulletin now issued daily at noon recording that his Royal Highness had passed the night quietly, "but convalescence is retarded by a painful affection above the left hip, attended with some feverishness.

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28. In accordance with an application madeon her behalf, Christina Edmunds, charged with wholesale poisoning at Brighton, was

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Addressing the "Druids" at Oxford, Mr. Cardwell remarked:-"We are not a Continental Power. We are not a Transatlantic Power. We are an insular Power, with the largest foreign dominions and the most scattered dominions of any Power in the world. The natural consequence is that our first arm is afloat, and it is the navy. The next is that we desire to have at hand an army like our navy, first-rate in quality, but not large in quantity. If we were a Transatlantic nation, we should have no relations requiring an armed force with regard to Continental nations. we were a Continental nation, we should require a larger armed force than we now possess. Being an insular country we have Continental obligations to which we may be called upon to do justice, and for that purpose we ought to be prepared." His brother member, Mr. Vernon Harcourt, spoke on the annual increase of the national expenditure.

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At the annual New-Year reception, the Emperor of Germany said that the endeavours of all ought now to be directed towards utilizing the peace, which, as he hoped, was now secured for a long time, in order to strengthen the foundations on which their present greatness had been established, and for the development and culture of all intellectual as well as material possessions.

1.-Subscription invited for a 5 per cent. Hungarian loan of 3,000,000l. at 81.

The Bishop of Orleans resigns his place in the French Academy, in consequence of the election of M. Littré, whom he described as a materialist and a socialist.

2.-Died, aged 84, General Sir James Jackson, Colonel of the 6th Dragoon Guards, a veteran of the Peninsula and Waterloo, and one of the oldest officers in the British army. From his firmness with a mob at Carlow, in 1841, the General was known as "Justice-to-Ireland Jackson."

3.-A lion-tamer named M'Carthy torn to pieces at Bolton, while exhibiting his power over the animals in Manders' menagerie.

5.-Died, aged 54, Sir Francis Crossley, M. P. for the Northern Division of the West Riding.

Died, at Westbourne Road, Edgbaston, aged 72, Joseph Gillott, the first manufacturer of steel pens by machinery.

6.-James Fisk, jun., of Erie Railway notoriety, assassinated in the corridor of the Grand Central Hotel, New York, by Edward Stokes, who fired three shots, one of which inflicted a mortal wound in the abdomen. Fisk, who retained consciousness to the last, was closely attended by Gould and Tweed. There had been a long and scandalous litigation between the assassin and his victim, originating in the arrest of Stokes for taking away a woman named Mansfield, with whom Fisk had illicit relations. Stokes gave evidence against Fisk in a libel suit in which this woman was concerned, and moreover threatened to publish letters from Fisk to her, revealing various secrets connected with the Erie Railway. Fisk had just obtained an injunction forbidding the publication of these letters, and also induced the grand jury to indict Stokes for conspiracy.

7.-M. Vautrain returned for Paris by 121,158 votes, against 93,423 given to M. Victor Hugo.

8.-Trades Union Congress at Nottingham, attended by seventy delegates, representing 255,710 constituents.

9.-Count Arnim presents his credentials as German Ambassador to M. Thiers.

Royal Commission gazetted "to inquire into the property and income belonging to, administered, or enjoyed by, the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and the colleges and halls therein (whether held or received for their corporate use, or in trust, or in whatsoever other manner), including the prospects of increase or decrease in such property and income; and also to report the uses to which such property and income are applied, together with all matters of fact tending to exhibit the state and circumstances of the sanie, and the condition, management, and custody of the said property and income."

9.-Speaking at Liverpool to the members of a Working Man's Conservative Association, Lord Derby, who presided, explained the nature of the work before his party, and the means by which it could be best accomplished. The Conservative party ought not, he thought, to grow slack and indifferent about public affairs because they were in a minority of 100 in the House of Commons. If political life were what many people consider it—" a soaped pole," with 5,000l. a year and lots of patronage at the top-if the end and object of all party efforts were the holding of office for a longer or shorter time, he might agree with them; but the holding of office was only a means. Power was the end, power over the legislative and administrative conduct of affairs; and a party which at the lowest estimate includes two-fifths of the House of Commons, may exercise very great power when those who sit opposite to it are notoriously divided into sections which have hardly an idea in common. "Don't let us spoil our own game," his lordship said. "Don't let us lose power in running after place. If we become the majority it is our duty to accept the responsibilities of that position. But for myself I tell you frankly, though I should rejoice to see a strong Conservative Government in power, I had infinitely rather, in the public interest and that of your party, see the Conservatives forming a strong and compact Opposition, than have them, for the fourth time in twenty years, holding office without a tolerably assured majority.' Lord Derby contended that recent Irish policy naturally strengthened the position of those who assailed the Church in England, advocated a reduction of the national debt in times of prosperity like the present, and expressed his strong opposition to all Ultramontane and Home Rule demands.

10.-Home Rule demonstration at Limerick, in favour of their new member, Mr. Butt, who admitted that the Church Act and Land Act had done much good, but that they had been grudgingly given. "There had been other legislation in a contrary direction—the last Coercion Bill, for instance, which, had it been enacted in England, would have driven it into rebellion. Another thing was the persistent refusal to release the political prisoners, the men who had led the forlorn hope of the Irish nation." He concluded by calling on the people to receive all classes and all creeds into their union.

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directions for its use should be so framed as not to be interpreted as a sanction for excess, 9r necessarily for the continuance of its use when the occasion is past. They are also of opinion that many people immensely exaggerate the value of alcohol as an article of diet, and since no class of men see so much of its ill-effects, and possess such power to restrain its abuse, as members of their own profession, they hold that every medical practitioner is bound to exert his utmost influence to inculcate habits of great moderation in the use of alcoholic liquids."

12.-Rev. John Selby Watson found guilty at the Central Criminal Court of the murder of his wife, and sentenced to death by Mr. Justice Byles. Regarding the plea of insanity urged on his behalf, the prisoner, before sentence was passed, said, "I only wish to say that the defence which has been maintained in my favour is a just and honest one.' The Crown afterwards gave effect to the jury's recommendation to mercy, and commuted the extreme penalty to confinement for life.

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Vice-Chancellor Malins makes an order for the compulsory winding up of the European Assurance Society.

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Died at Cannes, aged 67, M. Jean Barthélemy Arles-Dufour, an eminent French free-trader.

13. The Metropolitan Board of Works take formal possession of Hampstead Heath on behalf of the public.

14. Last bulletin issued regarding the Prince of Wales, who was reported to be making satisfactory progress, and daily gaining strength.

15.-Tried at the Central Criminal Court, before Mr. Baron Martin, Christina Edmunds, charged with murder and various attempts at murder by poisoning. It was sought through medical witnesses to give effect to a plea of insanity set up on her behalf, but it was rejected by the jury, who on the 16th returned a verdict of guilty, and the prisoner was sentenced to death. She thereupon made a statement which led to the empanelling of a jury of matrons, who received the assistance of some medical gentlemen in court, and finally decided that there existed no ground for arrest of judg

ment. It was stated that there had been no occasion before for empanelling a jury of matrons at the Central Criminal Court for about fifteen years. The extreme sentence in this case was also commuted to imprisonment for life.

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The Rev. J. S. Drew, rector of Oving. ton, Hants, writes regarding the case of Mr. Watson, who, along with his wife, had been members of his congregation when at St. Barnabas, South Lambeth :- "She was always fretful and often violent in temper. She always sat with him in his study while he was at work, he hardly ever walked out without her, and in all their intercourse he bore himself towards her with the most admirable patience until that fatal moment when, through some outrageous provocation on her part as I cannot doubt, he gave way to literally ungovernable rage. I hoped until the last day of the trial that I should have had an opportunity to make this statement in court, and thus show the nature of an influence which was ever so dangerously near and ready to work on the morbid susceptibility of the unhappy man. Now, having also forwarded this testimony to the Home Secretary, I take the only course which remains open to help in rescuing my unfortunate friend from his melancholy doom, and to clear from infamy the name of one of the most considerate, kindly, and honourable men I have ever known."

The first railway train connecting Turkey with Europe enters Stamboul.

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mixed schools do not and cannot exist. further declared that proselytism was carried on in national schools, negatively, by keeping Catholic children from any knowledge of religious doctrine and positively by teaching anti-Catholic doctrines. Thousands, he stated, of Catholic children received religious instruction "from Presbyterian or other heterodox teachers, recite anti-Catholic prayers, and read in the schools the Protestant version of the Bible."

17.-Statue of Benjamin Franklin, a gift from the printers of the city, unveiled in New York on this the 166th anniversary of the philosopher's birth. Mr. Horace Greeley said

on the occasion: "I love and revere him as a journeyman printer who was frugal and didn't drink; a parvenu who rose from want to competence, from obscurity to fame, without losing his head; a statesman who did not crucify mankind with long-winded documents or speeches; a diplomatist who did not intrigue; a philosopher who never lied; and an office-holder who didn't steal."

News of a rebellion in Loodiana arrives in London.

18.-The Emperor of Germany, proposing a toast at a meeting of the Chapter of the Order of the Black Eagle, said :-"We celebrate to-day a double anniversary of the most important events of Prussian history. On this day, 171 years ago, the first King of Prussia was crowned. This day last year my acceptance of the German Imperial Crown, unanimously offered me by all the princes and free towns of Germany, was proclaimed. Conscious of the obligations I have assumed, I, on the first anniversary of this great event, again express to the illustrious presenters of my new position, in presence of their representatives, my deeply-felt thanks, hoping that by our united efforts we shall succeed in fulfilling the just hopes of Germany.' The Bavarian Minister then, in the name of the King of Bavaria and the illustrious federate allies in the Empire, proposed "The health of the German Emperor, William the Victorious."

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It is decided at a Cabinet Council that Great Britain would not consent to have the American indirect claims submitted for arbitration.

- Explosion in Gladstone's cartridge factory, Greenwich, injuring about thirty girls employed there.

19.-M. Rouher addresses the electors of Corsica, insisting that the country could no longer support the internal dissension prevailing. "The supreme duty of parties is to immolate to it their resistances and ambitions, to respectfully solicit the high manifestations of the national will, and then to dissolve themselves or to become reconciled under the salutary authority of the definitive Government created by the country. Order, the liberty of all, cannot henceforward have any other basis."

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20.--Rumour being busy during the Kerry election with the name of Mr. Bright as an advocate for Home Rule, he now writes to The O'Donoghue: "To have two representative legislative assemblies of Parliament in the United Kingdom would be, in my opinion, an intolerable mischief, and I think no sensible man can wish for two within the limits of the present United Kingdom who does not wish the United Kingdom to become two or more nations entirely separated from each other."

Died, aged 87, General Sir Alexander Lindsay, one of the oldest generals of the Bengal Artillery.

22.-The Versailles tribunal pronounce sentence on the murderers of the hostages in the prison of La Roquette. One, Gerson, was sentenced to death, and fourteen others to various terms of imprisonment.

23. Sir Wm. Jenner gazetted a K. C. B., and Dr. W. W. Gull a baronet.

24.-Nonconformist Conference at Man

chester, called to insist upon "united literary education by the State, and separate religious education by parents, or the voluntary agency of religious committees." In a paper on the political relation of the Nonconformists to the Liberal party, Mr. Richard, M. P., said:-"Our quarrel with those in power is one purely of principle. We have no intention to withdraw our confidence and support from Mr. Gladstone. He is the Minister of our predilection, and we are proud of his transcendent abilities. But if it comes to be a question between allegiance to a party and loyalty to principle, we cannot hesitate. We are willing to exercise patience, to make concessions; but to adopt a course which will involve the sacrifice, or the surrender, or the serious compromise of these vital principles for the sake of any man or party is what we cannot, what we ought not, what we must not, what we dare not, and, by God's help, what we will not do. Several members of Parliament took occasion when addressing their constituents at this time to censure in strong terms this Nonconformist revolt."

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Severe gale in London; one of the lesser towers of the new Palace of Westminster blown down.

25. For the first time since his illness the Prince of Wales walks for a short time in the open air. Active preparations now commence to be made for a special thanksgiving service at St. Paul's.

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February 2.-Closing a series of letters "Invasion Panics," Mr. Vernon Harcourt writes in the Times to-day: "I confess I am much more afraid of being run over by a hansom than I am of being slaughtered by a German. If I felt as certain that Lord Elcho would protect me against the one, as I am sure he will preserve me from the other, I should feel quite happy. But when we are asked to insure against risks, which ex hypothesi it is impossible to calculate, because they depend upon events which cannot be anticipated, and, therefore, cannot be measuredwhich defy the test of past experience or existing conditions--we are utterly helpless. It is this unintelligible system of political arithmetic which has brought us to the too intelligible sum of our public expenditure. It is a very good thing to have a large margin-but a margin presupposes some limited and known dimension which it circumscribes. I have always understood that an unknown infinity was superior to a margin."

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3.-Earl Granville informs Mr. Fish that the British Government do not consider it to be within the province of the Geneva tribunal to decide upon the "indirect claims." British case now made public sought to show that the claims to be referred to the tribunal were claims "growing out of the acts of certain vessels in respect of which the Government of the United States alleges that Great Britain has failed to fulfil some international duty. "If in the judgment of the tribunal there has been such a failure in respect of any specified vessel or vessels, the tribunal may

adopt at its discretion either of two courses. It may award such a gross sum as the arbitrators may deem just, to be paid by Great Britain in full satisfaction of all well-founded claims on the part of the United States, 'growing out of the acts' of the vessel or vessels in respect of which there has been a failure of duty; or, on the other hand, it may content itself with deciding as to each or any vessel in respect of which there has been a failure of duty, the measure or extent of the liability which on general principles may justly be deemed to have been incurred by such failure. In the event of the second course being chosen, the office of examining and adjudicating on the validity of particular claims 'growing out of the acts' of the specified vessel or vessels is remitted to a board of assessors.

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Died at Montreux, Switzerland, Père Gratry, a popular preacher of the Gallican Church.

6. Mr. F. S. Powell, Conservative, elected for the North-West Riding by 6,961 votes, against 6,917 given to his Liberal opponent, Isaac Holden.-Captain Nolan, a Home Rule candidate, elected for Galway by a majority of 2,165 over Mr. Trench.

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Parliament opened by Royal Commission. The Royal Speech made reference to the deliverance of the Prince of Wales from imminent danger. "I purpose," it was said, "that on Tuesday, the 27th inst., conformably to the good and becoming usage of former days, the blessings thus received shall be acknowledged on behalf of the nation by a thanksgiving in the Metropolitan Cathedral. At this celebration it is my desire and hope to be present. The slave trade, and practices scarcely to be distinguished from slave-trading, still pursued in more than one quarter of the world, continue to attract the attention of my Government. In the South Sea Islands, the name of the British Empire is even now dishonoured by the connection of some of my subjects with these nefarious practices; and in one of them the murder of an exemplary prelate has cast fresh light upon some of their baleful consequences. A bill will be presented to you, for the purpose of facilitating the trial of offences of this class in Australasia.' In connection with the Treaty of Washington, cases had been laid before the arbitrators on behalf of each

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