Municipal Council of Paris, at dinner at the Mansion House. The company numbered about 120. The principal toasts were responded to by Lord Lyons, Lord Beauchamp, Mr. Kirkman Hodgson, M.P., M. Léon Say, M. Vautrain, the Bishop of Winchester, and Archbishop Manning. M. Say, speaking of the Anglo-French commercial treaty, said he thought it would be a great misfortune if the treaty were repudiated, as the result would be to give an impetus to the Protectionist party, the result of which would be disastrous to both countries.

On the 19th MM. Say and Vautrain attended a meeting of the Common Council at the Guildhall, and presented an address, together with a model in bronze of the Hotel de Ville before its destruction, to the City of London, in token of gratitude for the succour it had rendered to Paris in February last.

M. Vautrain, as the President of the Municipal Council of Paris, addressing the Court, said his honoured friend, M. Say, and he had been sent by that body to express to the Lord Mayor and to the citizens of London their deep thankfulness for the sympathy and the material aid shown towards the people of Paris on the siege being raised. He mentioned a touching fact, that while the food sent from this country was being distributed, some who were not in absolute want said that, though they were not in need of the bread which was being given away, they would break it in their families in remembrance of the feeling evinced towards them by the English people.

The French people, it was said, were much gratified with the reception their distinguished countrymen had met with in London.

19. THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON.-The Emperor Napoleon returned to Camden House, Chiselhurst, accompanied by the Prince Imperial, attended by Prince Joachim Murat, Count Clary, Count Davilliers, Dr. Baron Corvisart, and others, who had remained with the Emperor during his recent stay at Torquay. On the return journey the Emperor was at all points received with every demonstration of kindly feeling, and at Bath particularly nothing could exceed the heartiness of the welcome extended to him by upwards of 2000 persons who had assembled at the station.

-INTERNATIONAL YACHT RACES.-A series of international yacht races for the Queen's Cup, which was won by the celebrated schooneryacht "America" in 1851, took place near New York between Mr. Ashbury's yacht, the "Livonia," and vessels selected by the New York Yacht Club. The days selected for the races were October 16, 18, 19, 21, 23, 24, and 25. In the first race, the American champion, the "Columbia," beat the "Livonia;" in the second, the same vessel won the race; in the third, the "Columbia" again competed and lost; in the fourth, the "Sappho" beat the "Livonia." This victory gave the Yacht Club a score of three to one, and much interest consequently was felt in the fifth race, as it was the deciding contest if the Yacht Club won it, giving them four out of seven. "Sappho" was again elected as competitor to the "Livonia." The

The

start was made at 11 a.m. At 1 o'clock the "Sappho" was three minutes and a half ahead. At 1.40 p.m. the Lightship was rounded, and on the way home the "Sappho" led by half a mile. There was a good breeze, and the "Sappho" won the race.

23. AGRARIAN MURDER IN MEATH.-An atrocious murder was committed in the county of Meath. Mr. Edward Bryan, a farmer residing at Carrick Springer, near Moynalty, was shot dead in his own house. Deceased had held thirty-five acres, at 30s. an acre, under Dr. Sadleir, who managed the property for the Board of Trinity College. He had allowed his nephew Peter Brian to occupy a small hut at one end of the farm, but recently desired to get possession of the holding, and took proceedings to evict. When the case came before the magistrates they suggested that, as it was a family dispute, it should be settled by the arbitration of the Rev. Mr. Ginty, P.P., and the result was an arrangement that young Brian was to get 10%. to take him to America. He was not satisfied with the award, and remained on the land until Sunday, the 23rd, when the deceased told him he should be put out on the following day. There was no expression of ill feeling on his part, nor any threat by others. It is a curious fact that a few hours before the murder was committed Mr. Sadleir had been speaking to the assembled tenants about granting leases of their holdings. At the inquest but little additional information was elicited. Margaret Cussen, niece of the murdered man, stated that she was sitting at a table, on which was a lighted lamp, about half-past six o'clock on Sunday night, reading a newspaper, while the deceased was seated on a stool, with his back to the window, facing the door. The inner door of the porch was closed, but the outer one was open. She heard a noise like an explosion in the chimney, or in a pot which was on the fire, and thought the deceased had fainted. She shook him, but he never spoke, and she saw that he was dead, as he had been in perfectly sound health a moment before. She ran for his wife, who would not believe that he was dead. She had not then observed that the glass of the window behind was broken. She had not seen any one about the place. Dr. Ringwood deposed that there were six gunshot wounds in the back of the neck, any one of which would have been sufficient to cause instantaneous death. was impossible that the deceased himself could have inflicted the wounds. The jury returned a verdict of "Wilful murder against some person unknown." Brian, the nephew, was taken into custody.

It

24. FATAL FALL IN HUNTING.-Mr. W. Rigden, of Faversham, master of the Tichborne hounds, was thrown from his horse in the hunting-field, and killed instantaneously. Though seventy-nine years of age, Mr. Rigden was always to be found with his hounds, and at the time of the accident he was riding along the grass in a line in a sharp burst, near Leeds Castle, when his horse put his foot in a hole, and not being able to recover itself, it threw its rider heavily on his head, and the fall dislocated his neck.

-SIEGE OPERATIONS AT CHATHAM.-The Commander-in-Chief held his annual inspection of field-works in connexion with the school of military engineering at Chatham on a much grander scale than usual. A mimic siege in which about 4000 troops took part, was the leading feature of the day's operations. The Duke arrived early, accompanied by his staff, and by many foreign officers of distinction who were visiting this country. Thousands of spectators manned the lofty bastions of the Chatham lines. We subjoin the following short sketch of the day's work.

First came the explosion of the mines which have for some months been the scene of mimic underground war between a supposed attacking and defending force, the realities of actual service being imitated even so far as frequently nearly to suffocate some of the belligerents. The mines of the attacking force were exploded and a lodgment effected and quickly entrenched by a party of Guardsmen, who showed by their skill and energy that they valued the privilege of receiving instruction in the more scientific work of their profession.

The effects of charges of gun-cotton, as compared with gunpowder, were shown by the explosion of 40 lbs. of the former against 100 lbs. of the latter laid loosely against a formidable stockade. The smallness of the bulk of gun-cotton, and consequently the ease with which it can be handled by a very few men, gain it a great practical advantage over its rival. Its effect on the stockade was at least equal to, if it did not surpass, that of the gunpowder. The great beams of timber were more cleanly cut through, and if at first the power of the gunpowder, judged by its effect on a second stockade placed to protect a wall in rear, seemed greater, a more careful examination proved that the second stockade had been injured by the falling timber, and not by the gas evolved. The torpedo explosions were, however, even more striking. Six mines extending across the Medway, and charged with only 50 lbs. of gun-cotton, placed ten feet below the surface of the water, were exploded successively, the columns of water being thrown up in masses far exceeding, and in height surpassing, the most famous fountains. This explosion was followed by a more practical experiment. A steamer, supposed to be a friendly vessel, was allowed to pass harmlessly over the torpedo, while a raft towed behind it, and carrying some figures which some believed to be men, was blown into fragments as it crossed the spot where its buried enemy lay concealed. The actual charges in war would be from 100 lbs. to 500 lbs., and their effect may be anticipated from the results obtained from the small charges actually employed.

Following the mining operations were the trials of the new boat pontoons of wood and canvas against the old red cylinders known as Blanshard's pontoons. Bridges of both descriptions had been constructed across the bathing-pond, which, owing to its stillness and want of stream or tide, scarcely afforded a proper test of their powers when in use on service. A steam sapper, or traction engine, passed safely along the roadway supported by the new pontoons,

being very skilfully driven by its conductor, and a sixty-four pounder gun, weighing 98 cwt., which crossed and recrossed at great risk but yet in safety, broke through and was precipitated into the water when passing over the bridge of Blanshard's pontoons.

The spar bridges and suspension bridges, especially one constructed of Jones's iron gabions buckled together, were well worthy of close inspection; while the numerous earthworks and batteries, showing every variety employed in war, afforded a practical exemplification of field engineering as invaluable to officers who are studying for their examinations as interesting to all who really care for the military profession.

Although the afternoon's operations may have been more amusing to the unprofessional spectator, the morning's experiments were of greater interest to those who entered more deeply into the subject. The attack on the lines shared the many inconsistencies and almost absurdities which are inseparable from sham fights when the combatants actually meet. There were assaults from the parallels and lodgments repelled by sorties from the garrison, there was firing from the batteries, explosions of mines, and, finally, escalading; but although the whole scene served as a sample of mimic warfare, there were incongruities which somewhat destroyed its effect. Some of the regiments failed to avail themselves of cover, and showed ignorance of the principles of skirmishing-notably one detachment, which knelt down in line behind a post and rail fence in front of a strong earthwork occupied in force by the enemy. The volunteers engaged did their work well; and indeed the only arm of the service which appeared out of place was a detachment of dragoons, whose horses, it must be supposed, had been spared during the long siege, and who sacrificed themselves by charging across a small open space under the heavy fire of infantry securely entrenched. This movement was no doubt a false one, but it clearly arose from anxiety on the part of the general to utilize in some form all the force under his command.

The day terminated with a march past in the Brompton barracks, the Commander-in-Chief and the visitors from London returning by an evening train. Samples of nearly all that engineering art could show of war had been compressed into one day's inspection; and if success be a criterion of skill, talent, and labour, the officers and men of the Royal Engineers may be rightly congratulated on the results attained. The march past resembled all other parades. The troops looked well, the volunteer engineers presenting a soldierlike appearance.

25. COLLIERY EXPLOSION AT SEAHAM.-Another fearful colliery explosion occurred, which caused the deaths of twenty-eight men and boys, and a great number of horses. Seaham colliery is about six miles from Sunderland, and is the property of Earl Vane. The explosion, which occurred about half-past eleven o'clock at night, was coinci dent with the firing of a shot by a stoneman, who was engaged in blastng a mass of stonework. In the village and at the town of Seaham

Harbour the shock of the explosion was distinctly felt. Great alarm and consternation prevailed, the general opinion being that an earthquake had occurred. The older and more experienced pitmen, however, soon divined the real cause, and in a short time there was a rush towards the pit-shafts. It was found that the masonry on the south side of shaft No. 3 had been blown down and scattered to a distance, and the iron-work violently torn. No hope was entertained from the first of recovering alive the twenty-nine or thirty men and boys who were known to be in that pit. The other shafts were uninjured, and the miners engaged in them escaped.

NOVEMBER.

1. WRECK OF THE "RANGOON."-This Peninsular and Oriental Company's Steamer, with passengers and mails for Australia, struck on the Kadir Rock, about a mile from the mouth of the Point de Galle Harbour at 6 p.m. and sank six hours afterwards. The "Rangoon," an iron ship of 78,0007. value and 1780 tons burden, was commanded by one of the oldest of the Peninsular and Oriental Company's officers, Captain Skottowe, who upon this occasion was making his last trip before retiring from the service, having never previously met with a casualty. The purser of the ship, Mr. Liversage, was wrecked for the second time, he having been on board the "Colombo" when that vessel was lost. The wrecked vessel had taken on board the Australian mails and passengers arriving by the Indus from Suez on the previous day.

Intelligence of the disaster reached Leadenhall-street nine hours. after its occurrence. We subjoin extracts from a letter of Lieutenant Bridges, which appeared in the Times of November 29.

"Leaving the harbour last night at 6 p.m., pilot on board, almost dark when we weighed, we struck on one of the numerous reefs at the entrance, and the ship sunk in 5 hours in 12 fathoms, about 41 miles off the mouth of the harbour. Most providentially there were (a most unusual thing) two ships at anchor out there waiting to come into the harbour, or, at the very least, the discomforts would have been very great, and probably great loss of life. We left at six, as I said, leaving the mail-boat behind. When we got about half a mile out she came out to us; we stopped about ten or fifteen minutes to hoist her up, and it was then the current drifted us broadside on out of the channel, and when we went ahead again straight, thinking, I suppose, we were still in the channel, she struck a reef on the right hand side of it, first starboard side forward, then the keel aft, and bumped very heavily, came off, and commenced filling. We anchored, but kept for a short time turning ahead to keep the engine-pumps going, and parted the cable, then