if a public writer, in commenting upon a matter of public concern, exercised honestly his powers of criticism, he would be justified in so doing, even although the facts might fall short of what he had supposed them to be. The criticism in such a case was privileged, and he was entitled to the protection of his privilege. Verdict for the plaintiff-damages, one farthing.

3.

London Trades Demonstration in favour of Reform. For days previously the League party had given out that this was to be one of the most mighty gatherings yet witnessed in support of their principles, and much pre-arrangement and negotiation was undertaken with the view of permitting it to pass along the thoroughfares in an effective and orderly manner. The day turned out to be unfavourable for such a demonstration. The anticipated 200,000 workmen dwindled down to between 25,000 and 30,000, and the march from the parade-ground, Whitehall, to Beaufort House, Chiswick, was accomplished in a quite peaceable, if somewhat irregular, order. Many of them, indeed, did not reach the scene of the display till evening had set in, and some then turned homewards without taking further part in the demonstration. Brief speeches were made by Mr. Beales and Colonel Dickson. One Leicester, a glassblower, spoke with exceptional vehemence :Every stage of that contest had called forth its martyrs, and they had a martyr before them in Mr. Beales. The question was, would they suffer these little-minded, decrepit, humpbacked, one-eyed scoundrels who sat in the House of Commons to rob and defraud them any longer of their rights-whether those who had squandered the people's earnings like water should continue to do so? From one end to the other of this land their fiat had gone forth that they meant to be free.. What had Lord Derby done? He had translated Homer. But he could not make one of those beautiful specimens of glass work which had been carried in procession that day. There was not a stocking-weaver in Leicester, or a clodhopper in the kingdom, rendering service to the State, who was not quite as useful as Lord Derby. What the people meant to do was to drive the devil out of the House of Commons and let God Almighty in." The crowd dispersed with cheers for Bright, Gladstone, and Beales.

4.-At a Reform meeting of the London Trades to-night in St. James's Hall, Mr. Bright urged continued agitation and organization. Mr. Ayrton, M.P., censured the Queen for not recognising the people when they gathered in such numbers in front of one of her palaces. Mr. Bright at once repudiated the insinuation contained in the speech of the member for the Tower Hamlets. "I am not accustomed," he said, to stand up in defence of those who are possessors of crowns. But I could not sit and hear that observation without a sensation

of wonder and of pain. (Loud cheers.) I think there has been, by many persons, a great injustice done to the Queen in reference to her desolate and widowed position. (Cheers.) And I venture to say this, that a woman, be she the Queen of a great realm, or be she the wife of one of your labouring men, who can keep alive in her heart a great sorrow for the lost object of her life and affection, is not at all likely to be wanting in a great and generous sympathy with you. (Loud and prolonged cheers.)" Mr. Ayrton afterwards sought to make an explanation, but could not get a hearing.

4. The Convent of Arkadi, Crete, attacked by the Turks, was blown up by its defenders, and between 300 and 400 killed.

6. The Roman Catholics of the metropolis hold a meeting in St. James's Hall to express sympathy with the Pope.

7.-In consequence of the activity of the Fenian plotters in Ireland, the Lord-Lieutenant issues a proclamation placing such portions of Kildare and Mayo as had not been previously proclaimed under the provision of the Peace Preservation Act.

11. The last detachment of French troops leaves Rome. At eight o'clock this morning the French flag upon the Castle of St. Angelo was hauled down and the Pontifical hoisted in its stead. General Montebello said to the Pope on leaving: "The Emperor withdraws his troops from Rome, but not his supporthis Majesty leaves in the Eternal City the protection of France." His Holiness granted his benediction, and promised to pray for the Emperor. "It is said that his health is not good; pray for his health. It is said that his soul is not at peace; pray for his soul. The French nation is Christian. Its chief ought to be Christian also."

In the Divorce Court Sir James Wilde lays down an important legal precedent in the case of March v. March and Palumbo. Hitherto the Court had been in the habit of making provision for a woman out of her husband's means; but where the wife was the guilty party, the same rule was not applied. Mrs. March, the respondent, had an income of about 1,400/.; and the judge now directed that 2007. should be appropriated yearly to the education of a child of the marriage, and that 440. per annum should be paid to the petitioner. The jurisdiction for this purpose had been recently created by statute, and the judge pointed out the grounds of public morality and policy on which it is founded. "It would be of evil example (he said) if this Court were to decide that the entire fortune of a wealthy married woman was to be reckoned as part of the prospects of an adulterer, or the resources of a second home for the guilty woman."

12.-Explosion in the Oaks Colliery, near Barnsley, causing a destruction of life unparalleled in the history of such calamities. About

six o'clock in the morning the whole of the hewers, boys, and drivers, numbering about 370, went down the shaft to commence their daily labour. They continued in the workings till twenty minutes past one this afternoon, when the banksman was alarmed by the sound of an explosion in the pit and a tempestuous rush of air and soot up the shaft. One of the cages, and the rope to which it was attached, were considerably damaged by the explosion; but in the face of those obstacles no time was lost by the authorities in descending the pit. At the bottom of the workings, immediately adjoining the shaft, eighteen men seriously injured, but still living, were discovered, and at once conveyed to the surface, where they were promptly attended to. The appearance presented in the workings showed the tremendous force of the explosion, which had changed the ordinarily busy scene of industry into a vast charnel-house. The bratticings and the stoppings had been torn down in every direction, and all means of ventilation in the pit were of course destroyed. The stables, in which were about eighteen horses and ponies, had been burned, and the whole of the animals killed. The sides of the workings were in many cases broken down, while the workings themselves were altogether unapproachable on account of the masses of coal blocking up the entrances. One survivor stated that, though the fire injured him but slightly, he was quite overcome by the after-damp, and believed he remained for some time in an unconscious state. On recovering somewhat he made his way with enormous difficulty to the shaft, stumbling almost at every step. In his progress through the workings he met with many prostrate forms. All were dead. In order to satisfy himself of this, he knelt over all those about whom he had any doubt, and with his ear close to their mouths listened to their breathing. Dead bodies lay on all hands-in some places as many as thirty or forty together. A few were without burns or bruises, but others were greatly disfigured, charred and blackened as if roasted. Between thirty and forty bodies had been brought to the surface when a second explosion occurred, the following morning, causing the death of a company of twenty-eight searchers who had gallantly volunteered to enter the workings. Among these were Mr. Jeffcock, mining engineer, Sheffield, Jewitt, Newcastle, Smith, manager of Lundhill Colliery, Sugden, deputy, and C. Seddon, under-deputy.

As

this second explosion not only destroyed any hope that might exist of recovering men alive from the workings, but made a renewed descent almost impossible, the distracted relatives, who till then had crowded round the pit, were now gently removed to places of greater safety. About five o'clock on the morning of the 14th, the signal-bell was heard to ring, giving indications that some one was alive at the bottom of the shaft. Mr. Mammott, who was in attendance, and Embleton, junior, resolved once more to brave the perils of the pit; and on

descending found Samuel Brown, one of the explorers of the previous day. When the cage came to the surface, the excitement was of the most intense description. Brown, though weak, was quite conscious and able to give an account of his experiences. He had wandered about the north incline for a long distance, falling over the mangled corpses of those slain by the blast. At last he found his way to the shaft and pulled the signal. He was of opinion there was no other living being in the pit. As explosion after explosion continued to take place, the consulting engineers resolved upon extinguishing the fire raging through the workings by filling up the shaft-an undertaking only accomplished after protracted and perilous labour. The bodies recovered were interred in the cemetery at Barnsley the following Sunday, the 23d, the different companies of mourners presenting most touching spectacles from the earnestness of their grief and the great number of bereaved widows and children. The Bishop of Ripon had been most unceasing in his exertions to impart comfort to the bereaved households. The Queen also showed her sympathy by two telegraphic messages; one inquiring for the particulars of the calamity, and the other announcing a gift of 200/. for the use of the sufferers. A relief fund was immediately organized, and contributions flowed abundantly in from all parts of the kingdom. The total number who perished through the disaster was set down at 340. Eighty-six were recovered from the pit; eighteen of whom were alive, though six of these died soon after being brought to the surface.

13. While the public mind was excited by the Oaks calamity, another colliery disaster of great magnitude happened at Talk-o'-theHill, North Staffordshire. About 200 men and boys were at work in the pit when the explosion took place at noon. Shaft No. 1, leading to the workings, was much damaged; but No. 2 was in fair order, and down this crowds of eager volunteers hastened to search the pit. Their efforts were attended with considerable success. Fifty in a short time were sent alive to the surface, and throughout the afternoon twos and threes were frequently brought up in the cage to the relief of distracted households. Still the loss was considerable, and but for the overwhelming occurrence at Barnsley would have engaged the public mind as among the most calamitous events in the annals of colliery disasters. The deaths amounted to eighty-five. Evidence was adduced before the coroner's jury to show that the explosion had been caused by the carelessness of workmen in the pit exposing their safety lamps, and that in general there had been a lax observance of the rules laid down for securing the safety of those employed in the workings. As in the Oaks case, much public sympathy was shown, from the Queen downwards, for the bereaved and suffering families.

13.-Died at Edinburgh, aged 56, Joseph Robertson, LL.D., a zealous and accomplished antiquarian, particularly in the department of records and ecclesiastical history.

14. In an address to the electors of Guildford, Mr. Garth, M. P., charged Mr. Bright with never having dared to stand for his own place, with refusing to subscribe to the cotton famine relief fund, and with wishing to support the suffering workmen by loans that he might have them as serfs at his beck and call. A correspondence ensued, which ended in the charges being explained away. "On a review of your speech and your letter," writes Mr. Bright, "I came to this conclusion-that you wished to get into Parliament, and were not particular as to the path which might lead to it. You threw dirt during your canvass, doubtless knowing that if needful you could eat it afterwards. There are many men who go through dirt to dignities, and I suspect you have no objection to be one of them." Another correspondence relating to misrepresentations of Mr. Bright by Mr. H. D. Seymour in the Fortnightly Review was at this time being carried on. On the 25th January Mr. Bright was presented with an address by his workmen expressive of "their entire sympathy with and respect for him under the malignant slanders which had been urged against him as their employer."

15. In his speech at the opening of the Italian Parliament, the King promises that he will respect the Pontifical territory, and endeavour to distinguish and conciliate the Catholic interests and national aspirations which were interwoven and contending with each other at Rome.

16.-M. Deak's address in reply to the Emperor of Austria's Rescript adopted by the Hungarian Diet, and presented to the Emperor on the 23d.

19.-Fall of an iron girder at the Aldersgate Station of the Metropolitan Railway, causing the death of four people who were in the last carriage of a passing train.

22.-J. H. Surratt, an alleged accomplice in the murder of President Lincoln, and afterwards a soldier in the Pope's Zouave corps, surrenders to the American authorities at Alexandria.

At 5.40

25.-Yacht race across the Atlantic. The Henrietta, Vesta, and Fleetwing started from New York at I P.M. on the 11th, and the first of the three which arrived at Cowes was to receive a prize of 90,000 dollars. this afternoon the Henrietta appeared off Cowes, having accomplished the passage in 14 days 4 hours and 40 minutes. The Fleetwing arrived about twelve hours after the Henrietta, and the Vesta two hours after the Fleetwing. With the exception of the Dreadnought, the Henrietta made the quickest passage on record. She had no accident, did not lose a rope, and made the entire passage on one tack. She averaged throughout the passage 218 miles

a day. The Fleetwing when eight days out encountered a heavy southerly gale; the sea boarded her, carrying away her jibboom, and washed six men overboard, all of whom were lost.

26.-Mazzini issues a proclamation to the Italian people urging them to concentrate their hearts on Rome. "Rome," he said, "repre sents the mission of Italy among the nations; the word of our people; the eternal gospel of unification to the peoples. Can I bid her annex herself as a subaltern and an appendix to Florence? Can I, without profanation, counsel Rome to give the consecration of her prestige to a dying institution, and throw the gigantic shadow of her glory over the errors, the crimes, the servility to the foreigner, of a monarchy which uttered no word of protest in your favour in 1849; which has uttered no word of protest for you during your eighteen years of slavery; and which has declared, by the lips of its ministers, We will never go to Rome unless by permission of France and the Pope? No; Rome ought never to annex herself to Florence: we are all bound to annex ourselves to Rome. The material utility of Italy is nearly complete. All that we want is a symbol to represent that moral unity which can only be realized by the Republic. What we now have is the body without the soul. We await the soul from Rome; but Rome can only inspire the inert form with soul, on condition of preserving herself pure from the defilement by which it is now contaminated. Should Rome accept that, Rome, too, would fail; and with her, for I know not how long, the grand destiny of Italy in Europe."

30.-Fire at the Crystal Palace, Sydenham, destroying or greatly injuring the Tropical Department, the whole of the Natural History Collection, the Assyrian, Alhambra, and Byzantine Courts, the Queen's apartments, the Library and Printing Offices, the Indian, Architectural, Model, and Marine Galleries. The fire appeared to have originated in a paint and store room in the north-eastern wing, and spread rapidly towards the main body of the building, along the flooring and other woodwork, which in the tropical end had become exceedingly inflammable. Being Sunday, there were fewer watchmen on the premises than usual; and some difficulty was also experienced in collecting the workmen belonging to the Palace to render the necessary assistance. Captain Shaw arrived with a detachment of the Metropolitan Brigade and performed services of the greatest value, afterwards formally acknowledged by the directors. The damage sustained by this national temple of instruction and amusement excited the widest feelings of regret among all classes.

31.-J. G. Bennett, New York, makes offer of his yacht Henrietta as a present to Prince Alfred. "The unbounded hospitality with which the American yachtsmen have been received by all classes in England will always

be remembered in the United States with the warmest gratitude, and I sincerely hope that you will not deprive me of the opportunity of acknowledging this most cordial reception by presenting the winning yacht to the representative of English yachtsmen." Prince Alfred, writing on January 22d, said he felt himself compelled to decline the generous offer, "with a sincere hope that such friendly rivalry may be the only description of contest in which our respective countries may ever be engaged. I feel assured that if my professional duties in command of one of her Majesty's ships should ever take me to your shores, I should there meet on the part of my brother seamen with a reception not less hearty than that which we have been happy to afford you here."

10.-J. F. Wilkinson, late managing director of the Joint Stock Discount Company, sentenced at the Central Criminal Court to five years penal servitude for misappropriating the Company's funds.

Double execution at Maidstone; Fletcher for the murder of a warder in Chatham convict prison, and Ann Lawrence for the murder of her child.

15.-A long series of isolated accidents on the ice was crowned this day by one of fearful magnitude, which took place on that part of the ornamental water in the Regent's Park immediately opposite Sussex-terrace. Although the ice there was looked upon by the icemen as unsafe, being formed chiefly of melted snow, there were, it was thought, about 500 skaters exercising thereon in the afternoon-some of them ladies--and no less than 2,000 others looking on from the banks. Suddenly, and without any warning, the ice at the sides gave way, and in a few seconds the entire sheet split up into fragments a few yards square. A general rush was made to the banks, which, unfortunately, broke up the soft ice into still smaller pieces. Score after score of those who had been enjoying themselves on its surface slipped down between the pieces and appeared to be at once sucked under the ice. At least 200 were at one time struggling in the water and screaming for help. A few with great presence of mind threw themselves flat upon the surface of the broken sheet, and thus not only preserved their own lives, but were instrumental in saving others. The icemen on duty, and spectators of all kinds and conditions, did their best to drag people to land, but in the wild excitement of the first moment's surprise many went down without a chance of recovery. Men, women, and children were seen clinging to the edges of the broken ice, shouting for the assistance which those who witnessed their sufferings were powerless to render, and in a brief time

sinking with a few faint waves of the hands above the water. A detachment of police was soon on the spot, and rendered great service in preserving order, and permitting systematic efforts to be made for recovering bodies. This unexpected and overwhelming calamity threw a feeling of sadness over the entire metropolis. The number drowned amounted to forty-one.

16. The Court of Queen's Bench gives judgment in the case of Hornby v. Clive, an appeal from the decision of magistrates at Bradford dismissing an information under the Friendly Societies Act against the treasurer of a society of working men, on the ground that the objects of the society, being partly those of a trade union, were not within the Act. The Lord Chief Justice confirmed the decision of the Court below. "I am far from saying (he remarked) that a trade union constituted for such purposes would bring the members within the criminal law, but the rules are certainly

such as would operate in restraint of trade, and would, therefore, in that sense be unlawful; and upon the same principle upon which a Court of Error held (confirming a decision of this Court) that a bond given by a master to observe rules which were in restraint of trade was so far unlawful that it could not be enforced in law, we think that these rules of a society of workmen having a like effect are in the same sense illegal. That is to say, if a civil action was brought on any contract or obligation arising out of the rules, they could not be recognised and enforced in such action."

19.-The Emperor Napoleon issues a decree authorizing members of the Senate and Legislative body to address interpellations to the Government.

21. Meeting at the Mansion House to decide measures for relieving the distress in the East end of London.

Conference at the London Coffee House concerning the alleged indifference of the working classes to public worship.

24.-Judgment given by the Court of Queen's Bench in the case of Bryant v. Footan action raised by the rector of Horton, Bucks, to determine his right to receive a marriage fee of 135. From the year 1808 to the year 1854 the fee actually paid was either 13s. 6d. or 135., with an occasional additional sum, varying from 2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d., for the publication of banns. There was no evidence as to what had been paid before 1808. Upon this state of facts it was argued, on the one side, that there was sufficient evidence from which to presume an ancient fee; and that the Court were bound to draw the inference that the fee was ancient, and therefore to hold it valid and legal. On the other side, it was insisted that the mere amount of the fee claimed, considering the difference in the value of money in ancient and modern times, showed that it could not be ancient, but, in legal language, rank." The case was argued at length in a former term, and the Court took time to consider their judgment. The judges were now divided in opinion, and therefore delivered judgment separately. Mr. Justice Mellor first gave judgment against the rector, that the fee was not legal. The rule laid down appeared to be that, in general, the presumption was to be made that the payment was immemorial, unless some evidence was given to the contrary. thought the "rankness" of the fee sufficient to disprove its antiquity. The Lord Chief Justice and Mr. Justice Lush were also against the fee, and Mr. Justice Blackburn in favour of the rector.

He

31.—Sir E. Landseer's long-promised lions for the base of the Nelson monument unveiled, with little or no ceremony.

February 1.-Tried, at the Central Cri. minal Court, the four prisoners committed on

the charge of scuttling the ship Severn. They were Holdsworth, an insurance-broker in Lor. don and Liverpool; Berwick, a retired merchant captain, living near Liverpool; Webb, chief mate of the vessel; and Dean, who pretended to act as clerk to Holdsworth. Captain Leyland was admitted Queen's evidence, and confessed that he was cognisant of the nefarious proceeding. The ship was scuttled by Webb boring holes in her bottom, and a logbook afterwards forged to show that she had been lost through stress of weather. The hull of the vessel had been insured for 9,500l., the freight for 3,600/., and some cases said to contain swords and fire arms, but really full of salt, had been specially insured for 1,500!. Altogether the insurances were at least 5,000/. beyond the value of ship and cargo. Suspicion was raised that the ship had been wilfully scuttled, and eventually a prosecution was instituted by Lloyd's Salvage Association. The defence set up by the several prisoners was in each case self-exculpatory at the expense of the others, and the jury found them all guilty, but recommended Dean to mercy as the tool of Holdsworth. After the verdict, it was stated that Berwick had on two previous occasions been directly charged with the wilful destruction of ships, and that no less than fifteen vessels, belonging either to him or his father-in-law, had been sunk at sea. Berwick and Holdsworth were sentenced to twenty years penal servitude, Webb to ten years, and Dean to five years.

1.-Mr. J. Stuart Mill, M. P., installed Rector of the University of St. Andrew's. His inaugural address had reference chiefly to the proper subjects of University training. He maintained that the function of a University was not to make educated men specialists, and that what the student ought to bring away was a general culture to illuminate the technicalities of his future special pursuits.

2.- A Reichsrath extraordinary, summoned by the Emperor of Austria early in January, was this day revoked in consequence of an arrangement having been effected with Hungary.

5.-Parliament opened by the Queen in person. The Royal Speech, read by the Lord Chancellor, made reference to the termination of the German war, the negotiation with the United States regarding the Alabama claims, the war between Chili and Peru, the insurrection in Crete, the union of the provinces of Nova Scotia, the famine in India, the condition of Ireland, and the supply of water to the metropolis. On the subject of Parliamentary Reform one paragraph stated, "Your attention will be again called to the representation of the people in Parliament, and I trust that your deliberations, conducted in a spirit of moderation and mutual forbearance, may lead to the adoption of measures which, without unduly disturbing the balance of political power, shall freely extend the elective fran