day and Thursday. After a brief conversation the Committee proceeded to discuss the clauses of the Bankruptcy Bill.

10.-Royal Assent given to the New Explosive Bill, consisting of nine Clauses. Clause I is made up of the short title of the measure. Clause 2 provides that any person causing an explosion likely to endanger life or property shall be liable to penal servitude for life. Clause 3 provides penal servitude for twenty years for attempting to cause explosion or for making or keeping explosives with intent to endanger life or property. In Clause 4 fourteen years' penal servitude is allotted for making or possessing explosives under suspicious circumstances. Under Clause 5 all accessories in either of these categories will be treated as principals, and under Clause 6 the Attorney-General can order an inquiry in suspicious circumstances, and can cause the apprehension of absconding witnesses. Clause 7 provides that under this Act no manufacture of explosives can be undertaken except by leave of any general clause. Clause 8 provides for the search for and seizure of explosive substances, and Clause 9 contains the various definitions required under the Act, and directions as to its application in Scotland and Ireland.

Tercentenary of Hugo Grotius, the illustrious Dutch jurist, celebrated at Delft.

11.-Lord Alcester (Admiral Seymour) presented with the freedom of the City of London and a sword of honour, Lord Wolseley, who had previously received similar honours, being presented with an address of congratulation in a gold casket.

Came on in the Dublin Commission Court, before Mr. Justice O'Brien, the trial of "Joe Brady, the first called in connection with the Phoenix Park assassinations. The evidence of guilt having been already detailed (see Jan. 20th, Feb. 8th-17th, &c), it may be necessary here only to mention that between this date and the 17th May a conviction on the capital charge was obtained against Brady, Curley, Fagan, and Kelly, the latter, after the jury had twice disagreed. They were each sentenced to death. Caffrey and Delaney pleaded guilty, and were also sentenced to death. Caffrey was executed along with the other four next month (see May 14th) but Delaney's sentence was commuted to penal servitude for life. Fitzharris, the cabman, and Mullett were also sentenced to penal servitude for life. The Commission, it may be mentioned, sat for twenty-eight days, and passed judgment on sixteen of the twenty-four "Invincibles" apprehended in January and February last. Five turned informers, one died in prison, one was released on condition that he left the country, and one (Doyle) could not be arraigned at the time on account of illness.

12-Replying to Mr. McLaren, Sir William Harcourt said there was no truth in the statement that a political section had been added to the Criminal Investigation Department. A certain number of intelligent officers had been set apart to track and arrest persons engaged in a conspiracy to murder, to burn, and destroy. There could, in his opinion, be no more dangerous or mischievous fallacy than to describe such a conspiracy as a political

offence.

Fund opened at the Mansion House in aid of the widows and orphans of the fishermen drowned on the east coast of England during the recent gales. His Lordship stated that 382 men and boys lost their lives, and in consequence there were 146 widows, about 400 orphans, and many aged parents and other dependent relatives to be provided for,

13.-In both Houses of Parliament Royal messages are read recommending that pensions of £2,000 a year as an acknowledgment of services in Egypt be granted to Lord Wolseley and Lord Alcester, and the first of their male heirs. The vote was agreed to on the 16th, but afterwards departed from by payment of a lump sum, £30,000 to the former, and £25,000 to the latter.

Died at Cannes, Arch-Duchess Marie Antoinette, daughter of Ferdinand IV. of Tuscany, author of various poetical works, published under her own name.

14.-Died at his seat, Swallowfield Park, near Reading, aged 57, Sir Charles Russell, a recipient of the Victoria Cross for bravery before Sebastopol when serving with the Grenadier Guards, and M. P. for Westminster 1874-82.

Died, aged 75, Dr. William Farr, late of the Statistical Department, Registrar-General's Office.

15. Died, aged 60, Frederick Francis II., Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin; distinguished himself during the Franco-Prussian War.

16. Serious fire, involving the destruction of the premises of Messrs. Kegan Paul, Trench, & Co., Paternoster Square. The fire was supposed to have originated at an old hostelry in Newgate Street, The Cat and Salutation tavern, from which it extended on all sides,

destroying property estimated at £150,000, whilst some of the losses of the publishers were wholly irreparable, and could not be estimated in money value.

16.-Died, aged 92, Colonel Joseph Simmons, C. B.; served in the Peninsula, taking part in the Battle of Vitoria.

Died, aged 62, Very Rev. James Robert Sweeney, Titular Abbot of St. Albans, and Provincial of the English Benedictines.

Reported annexation of New Guinea by the Queensland Government, who had despatched a police magistrate to the Island, pending an approval by the Imperial Government, which was afterwards refused.

17. In the House of Commons Mr. Parnell puts several questions with the view of eliciting whether prison officials have been allowed to hear conversations between Joe Brady and his legal representatives, or were being allowed to hear what passed between the men in custody in London and their solicitors, but Sir William Harcourt contented himself with the statement that if he should find the prison rules are inconsistent with the public safety he would ask power to act as the circumstances of the case might require.

Died, aged 68, Sir Philip Rose, founder of Hospital for Consumption at Brompton. Died at Nice, aged 83, Charles II., Duke of Parma.

18.-Circular issued from the Home Office to the police and local authorities throughout the kingdom directing their attention to the importance of exercising special and vigilant observation, with a view to preventing the acquisition by persons for unlawful objects not only of explosives adapted for such purposes, but of the materials with which, if possessed of a little technical knowledge, they would be able to manufacture explosives. Appended to the circular is a memorandum, drawn up by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Explosives, which enumerates the more important of the materials which are capable of being more or less readily applied to the production of explosives.

Wilson, Dalton, Curtin, and Ausburg charged with treason-felony. The prisoner Whitehead, who had been brought from Birmingham, was also placed in the dock. The man Norman, who had been arrested with a quantity of nitroglycerine in his possession, was produced as a witness, He deposed that his real name was Lynch. He was sworn in a Fenian in New York. He did not know O'Donovan Rossa personally, but the latter was known to the Fenian Brotherhood as "the old man.' The president of his Fenian club sent him with a letter to Dr. Gallagher, who, in consequence, ordered him to London, paying all expenses, and promising to provide for his mother and sister. Gallagher followed him to London, provided him with money on several occasions, and sent him to Birmingham for nitro glycerine. Gallagher told him it was intended to blow up the Houses of Parliament and Scotland Yard, and that O'Donovan Rossa would supply the funds.

19.-Parliament House, Quebec, totally destroyed by fire, the origin of which was unknown. The buildings were of recent date, having been erected to replace a previous edifice also destroyed by fire in 1854.

Died at Naples, aged 54, MajorGeneral William Wigram Barry, C.B. Saw much active service in the Crimea, being present at the battles of Alma, Balaclava, and Inkermann, and at the fall of Sebastopol; served also in India 1857-58, taking part in the siege and capture of Lucknow.

20.-Died at Brighton, aged 60, the Right Rev. G. R. Mackarness, a scholar of Merton, Oxford, brother of the Bishop of Oxford, and consecrated Episcopal Bishop of Argyll and the Isles, 1874.

21. An examination of the prisoners Featherstone, O'Herlihy, Carmody, and Morgan, charged with complicity in the dynamite conspiracy, resumed at Cork. The connection between Featherstone and Deasy, who had been arrested in Liverpool with explosives in his possession, was established. Evidence was given by the Glasgow chemists from whom a quantity of sulphuric acid had been ordered by O'Herlihy. His sister, however, deposed that the acid was used for making coloured inks.

An explosion, attributed like most other accidents at the moment to the "Irreconcilables," took place at Enfield, close to the Government small-arms factory. Burning tow and what appeared to have been a tin box were found near the spot, and a woman who saw the flash that preceded the explosion states that some minutes before she observed two men in dark clothes leave the place and run away. The amount of damage done was trifling.

23.-H.R.H. the Duke of Albany laid the foundation stone of the new buildings of the Birkbeck Literary and Scientific Institute, in Bream's-buildings, Chancery-lane.

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At the second trial of Timothy Kelly to-day in Dublin the chief approver Carey declined to confess in cross-examination by Mr. Sullivan that one of the objects contemplated by the "Invincibles" was murder. He would only use the euphemism "removal," which he held was not murder. The reason he gave for his having been selected as one of the four for the executive of Dublin was, he said, "Because of my previous good character this presumably referring to his conduct in the eyes of the Fenian leaders elsewhere. His position in almost all the attempted assassinations was that of " Signalman. These attempts the witness described as 'Warfare," smiling sardonically as he remarked, "All is fair in love and war." Some of the men who had been posted at different places on the scene where these attempts were frustrated were not, the witness explained, aware of the object in view. He himself, of course, was fully aware. His brother, who he confessed had been sworn in by himself, was generally intrusted with the task of taking up the arms from the "Invincibles" if their attempts should be successful. Speaking of the attempts on Mr. Forster, the witness made the statement that five of these attempts had taken place on one morning. He had approached the Sacrament of his Church after these attempts.

A telegram from Simla intimates that an important modification is to be made in Mr. Ilbert's Criminal Jurisdiction Bill, the principle of which had created much feeling in India. "When the measure again comes up for discussion before the India Council it is understood that, while it will propose to confer extended powers upon native magistrates, European-British subjects will be allowed to claim trial by one of their own countrymen."

The Lord Chief Justice gives judgment in the action raised by Mr. Bradlaugh against Mr. Newdegate for "maintenance," or unlawfully assisting Mr. Clarke in his action to recover from the member for Northampton the penalty of £500 for voting in the House of Commons without having taken the oath. His Lordship decided that, as "maintenance" consisted in one person who had no real interest in a case supporting another in its prosecution, and as Mr. Clarke had acknowledged that but for Mr. Newdegate's bond he would have been unable to proceed against Mr. Bradlaugh, it was clear that judgment must go against Mr. Newdegate, who would have to pay the costs between solicitor and client. If parties could not agree as to the amount the matter would have to go before an official referee and judgment would follow.

23.-Died, aged 81, Sir Thomas Howell, formerly Director of Contracts at the War Office; mentioned with commendation in Parliament for his exertions during the Crimean War.

24. In the House of Commons this afternoon considerable time was occupied at the opening of the sitting by a discussion on the second reading of the Metropolitan District Railway Bill, which was objected to on account of disfiguring the Thames Embankment by the company's ventilators. The second reading was ultimately agreed to, but by a large majority an instruction was given to the Committee to insert a clause in the Bill providing for the pulling down of the ventilators and the restoration of the streets and gardens to their original condition.

Fire at Greenock in premises belonging to the Caledonian Railway Company, and used by them as a sugar store and lye. The erection was completely demolished, about 350 tons of sugar were consumed, a pointsman's box adjoining the shed was also burned down, three waggons were destroyed and others damaged, and the telegraph wires overhead were broken. In all, the damage was estimated at £10,000.

About midnight during thick weather, the Liverpool ship British Commerce collided in the English Channel with the Glasgow ship County of Aberdeen, The former vessel sank almost immediately after the accident, and twenty-five of the crew were drowned, the captain and boatswain being the sole survivors.

25.-Came on at Glasgow Circuit Court before Lord Deas the trial of Henry Mullen and Martin Scott, charged with having murdered two gamekeepers on Devol Farm, near Port Glasgow, on the night of Saturday, 3rd February last. They pleaded not guilty, and a number of witnesses were examined for the prosecution, among them being a man named Kyle, who was in the company of the prisoners at the time of the tragedy. Verdict, guilty ; sentence death, and both criminals executed within Glasgow prison, May 17th.

Red Cross," a decoration for nurses who devote themselves to the care of the sick and wounded in the Army and Navy.

27.-Boiler explosion in the foundry of Messrs. Davie & Sons, Orchard-street, Stirling, resulting in the death of six workmen and serious injury to several others.

28.-Died, aged 88, Rev. John Russell, well-known in the West of England as the "Hunting Parson."

In the House of Commons, replying to a question as to a conspiracy to murder in County Clare which the Irish authorities were endeavouring to trace to its source, Mr. Trevelyan mentioned the startling fact that there was in Ireland still remaining undetected 54 murders and 3,500 serious charges.

30.-Died, aged 92, Admiral Frederick Edward Vernon Harcourt, the eldest officer on the flag officer's retired list, having entered the Navy in 1810.

May 1.-International Exhibition at Amsterdam opened.

The new road at Hyde Park Corner, connecting Hamilton and Grosvenor Places, opened for public use.

Lord Shaftesbury presides at the eighth annual meeting for the Protection of Animals from Vivisection. Among the speakers were the Bishop of Oxford, Lord Coleridge, Lord Mount-Temple, and Mr. George Anderson, M.P. It was argued that vivisection was immoral and degrading, that it had never been of any use to the medical profession in dealing with diseases of the human frame, and that its total abolition was absolutely necessary. Resolutions in support of the objects of the meeting were passed, and Mr. Anderson congratulated upon the success attending his efforts for prohibiting pigeon shooting.

2.-The Prince of Wales lays the memorial stone of a new Indian Institute at Oxford, in presence of a a distinguished company, including the Marquis of Salisbury, the Archbishop of York, the Bishop of Calcutta, and many mer:bers of the Grand Lodge of Freemasons.

In the course of Delaney's trial to-day, before Mr. Justice O'Brien, the prisoner stated that though present in Phoenix Park, he had taken no part in the crime, and, for his own safety left the spot on Kavanagh's car. Brady and Kelley alone had committed the actual murders. He had been forced, under fear of death, to be present. Referring to the attempt on the life of Judge Lawson, for which he had been sentenced to penal servitude, the prisoner said that he had been compelled to undertake the murder of his Lordship, but that to save the Judge's life he deliberately pinched an arm of the detective, so as to draw attention to his own proceedings. Thomas Caffrey also pleaded the dread of death as a palliation of his presence at the assassination, and declared that he was not aware of the intended murder until about twenty minutes before it was carried into execution. judge sentenced both the prisoners to be hanged at Kilmainham on 2nd June.

The

3.-The Affirmation Bill debate dragged drearily onwards until shortly before midnight, when Mr. Göschen imported some interest into the discussion. He was followed by Sir Stafford Northcote. The Marquis of Hartington replied for the Government. Considerable excitement prevailed when the House was cleared for the division, which was announced at 1.30; 289 voted for the second reading, and 292 against. The Bill was therefore rejected by three votes.

Died at Woolwich, Margaret Anne Wrottesley, daughter of Field Marshal Sir John Fox Burgoyne, to whom she was of great service in the Crimea.

4.—Mr. Bradlaugh presented himself at the Bar, when the Speaker read a letter from him, claiming his right to take the oath and his seat. Mr. Bradlaugh made a speech of nearly two hours' duration. Sir S. Northcote moved a hostile resolution, adopted by 271 votes against 165.

Lord Dufferin left Egypt, having handed to Sherif Pasha his report on the condition of the country.

5.-A dreadful explosion took place at the shell factory at Priddy's Hard, near Portsmouth Harbour. Some men were engaged in filling shells, and it was supposed that by some means a fuse became ignited. The building was destroyed, and of the seven men at work six were either killed on the spot or died shortly afterwards.

6.-Guion steamer Alaska arrived at New York (Sandy Hook) in 6 days, 23 hours, 48

minutes after leaving Queenstown, the shortest passage (westwards) on record.

Died at Melbourne, aged 65, Sir John O'Shanass, K. C. M. G., thrice Prime Minister of Victoria.

7.-The Royal College of Music, opened by the Prince of Wales, who was accompanied by the Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Prince Christian, Mr. and Miss Gladstone, and other distinguished persons. The honour of knighthood was conferred upon Professor Macfarren, Dr. Sullivan, and Dr. George Grove.

8. The Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the condition of the Highland crofters begins its sittings at the Braes, Portree. Considerable interest was excited among the islanders, and a large number gathered to witness the arrival of the Commissioners. Lord Napier of Ettrick, chairman of the Commission, presided.

9.—The town of Croydon received a royal charter of incorporation.

10.-New Central Fish Market, Farringdon Street, erected by the Corporation of the City of London, at a cost of £28,000, formally opened by the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs.

The Rev. Randal Davidson, son-in-law of the late Archbishop of Canterbury, appointed Dean of Windsor, in succession to the late Dean Connor.

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Great fire in Jersey City, U.S.A., caused by lightning striking the Standard Oil Company's works.

Died at Paris, Juliette Drouet, formerly an actress, and friend of Victor Hugo.

11.-Announcement made that William Chambers, senior member of the widelyknown Edinburgh publishing firm of W. and R. Chambers, was to be created a Baronet.

12. The Prince of Wales opens the Fisheries Exhibition at South Kensington, London, in presence of a distinguished gathering from all parts of the world.

13. The foreign fisher-girls and those from Newhaven who had taken part in the opening ceremony of the Fisheries Exhibition, received at Marlborough House by the Princess of Wales. The Prince and Princess, with the young Princes and Princesses, and Prince Henry of the Netherlands, went out on the lawn to meet the visitors, with whom they talked for some time. The fisher-folk were afterwards entertained in the servant's hall, and then taken in carriages, provided by the Baroness Burdett Coutts, to the Zoological Gardens, where they met fifty of the Irish fishermen. The whole party were subsequently taken to the house of the Baroness in Piccadilly.

of the Mint, as also of David Livingstone, and founder of the Paraffin Oil Company at Bathgate. In conjunction with Dr. Angus Smith Dr. Young edited a collection of Graham's papers bearing the title of "Chemical and Physical Researches."

13. Died at Putney, aged 63, Torben de Bille, Chamberlain to King of Denmark, for many years Danish Ambassador at the Court of St. James's.

14. - Serious railway collisions on the Caledonian line at Lockerby Junction, resulting in the wreckage of a Scotch express train and the death of seven persons. First, a Stranraer train came into contact with certain goods waggons proceeding northwards, and then in the height of the confusion the Scotch express rushing southward dashed into the station at the rate of between fifty and sixty miles an hour. It was utterly impossible to do anything effectual to avert a catastrophe, though the driver of the pilot engine had reversed his engine and put on the brake. The pilot engine, crashing into one of the goods waggons, was thrown on to the platform, and the train, tearing up the permanent way, plunged on, the displaced goods waggons ripping away the near sides of the carriages for nearly half the length of the train, and almost completely destroying one of them. Every effort was at once made to rescue the passengers, and, from the large number travelling south on their return home from the Whitsuntide holidays, it was greatly feared that the loss of life would be appalling. Happily the fatal consequences of the disaster were not so terrible as anticipated.

Died, aged 75, Karl Hutten, an able decorative artist of Vienna.

15.-Died, at Antwerp, aged 91, Ferdinand de Brackleer, a distinguished Belgian painter. Died, aged 68, Robert Druitt, M.D., F.R.C.S., F.R.C.P., a man of marked distinction in his profession.

16. - Commencement of hostilities in Madagascar by the French, Majunga being bombarded to-day.

Speaking at a meeting of the Irish National League Mr. Mayne, M. P. for Tipperary, said as Catholics they ought to remember O'Connell's words, that he took his theology but not his politics from Rome. They would pay all deference to the head of their Church, but the head of their political church was Mr. Parnell. At night a public meeting was held in Dublin in support of the Parnell Testimonial Fund. Mr. Sexton, M.P., violently attacked the Government. Both the English parties had learned during the last few years that they must strike Mr. Parnell down, or he