NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2772, 5 January 1872, Page 2

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

: MISCELLANEOUS. Peek's, charges against the directors of the Overendand Gurney firm were dismissed. Kelly was acquitted for the Talbot murder amid tremendous excitement, at Cork. The Ministerial speeches at the Guild* hall banquet divulged no political rcvelations. Sir Charles Dilke, in a speech at Newcastle, made an elaborate and scandalous attack ou royalty, and advocated a republic in England. The Hampshire military manoeuvres were followed by the siege and storm of Chatham, after regular approaches by batteries and mines. Besides three American schemes for connecting the Pacific States with Japan, China, and Oceana it is proposed to lay a telegraphic cable from San Francisco to Melbourne, via Honolulu and Fiji. The agitation in the labour market is extending daily. The nine hours’ principle is conceded generally. The men are gaining a victory, and the foreigners brought to England are returning home. The dignity of Baron has been conferred on Mr Julius Reuter, by the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the brother-in-law of Queen Victoria, as a mark of his approbation for public services. The Tichborne case was resumed on the 7th November, when witnesses were examined in support of the claimant. Liardet and his son gave testimony, with other witnesses, favorable to the claimant’s indentity. A fireman named Ford was killed at a fire in the Gray’s Inn-road, while engaged in rescuing six person?. He received a public funeral and the Board of Works has provided for his widow and two children. A public fund is also being raised. The Times, on the occasion of the execution of the murderer of Chief Justice Norman in Calcutta, deprecated excessive sensitiveness respecting the Mahomedan movement in India, urging calm but rigorous application of the laws. The Emperor Napoleon and the Prince Imperial have visited Plymouth and several of the western towns, returning to Camdenhouse. They were inter vie week in American fashion at Bath, Exeter, and Chiselhurat, and the result as published in the papers appeared as monologue. Western ideas are penetrating Japan rapidly. Travelling in the interior is now unrestricted. Railways in the streets and to the country are projected. The Buddhist religion has been disestablished, and the monasteries have been confiscated. The export of native rice is permitted, and a large trade is expected. Australian canned meat has been introduced in Carlisle Gaol with very economical results. The experience of six months has shown a saving of over Lsoin a meat bill of Ll5O. The meat is used for making soup, and also as cold boiled beef on “meat days. ” The cost per can, containing a little over Gibs., is 3s 6d, including carriage from ‘Lojfdoh’ to Cftrijsje, The despatches of Captain Thrupp fully explain the loss of the Meg»ra The examination of the vessel by engineers showed the plates were worn to one-sixteenth of an inch in thickness, and several plates and girders were eaten through by rust. The valves of The pumps were choked with fragments of iron from the bottom of the ship. At a congregation held at Cambridge University on the 26th ult., the degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon the Eight Rev Samuel Tarratt Nevill, M.A., of Magdalene College, Bishop of Dunedin. On the same occasion, the degree of Master of Arts was conferred upon Charles Mosely Nelson, of Queen’s College, that gentleman being . resident in New Zealand. . The congregation also resolved that copies of the books printed' at the Pitt Press, on behalf of the University, be granted to the library of the University of Melbourne. The London School Board has been discussing the principles of further action. The principle is adopted and the payment qf fdes is to be kOmpriied. ' iEacil j case is to be judged on its own merits. The Nonconformists are assuming a threatening attitude against the Government on the practical working of the Education Act as regards denominational schools. The Roman Catholic heirarchy, by .way of complicating matters, issued a definite manifesto, demanding Catholic education in the Irish schools. The Irish members of Parliament are formally required to oppose mixed or secular education. The Court of Enquiry into the loss of the Rangoon found that the loss of the vessel was in no way attributable to any negligence of the captain and officers ; that they were right in first saving the lives of the passengers, and that after that was done there was no time to save the mails without assistance from the shore. A strong condemns* tilm ‘passed'oh absence of a prdper code of danger-signals at Gallo and dn tbft want of promptitude displayed by tbuTrihity steamers iu harbor. The Court also considered that the pilot erred in not going out a little further before he stopped the shipl The boxes recovered from the wreck contained nothing but newspapers. Mr Frank Bucklaud, Inspector of English Fisheries, has completed arrangements to assist the Tasmanian official? in arriving at a'copreet cpnpjusion when next a Salmon is taken m their waters. Ife has forwarded to Tasmania, by the ship Wagoola, two casts made by himself, tbe one repre. seating a Tay salmon of iGflbs, and the other a sea trout of ffibs. Great pains have been taken to make the oasts as true to life as possible j and Mr Bucklaud has succeeded with ihe assistance of Mr Rolfe, 'who has cleverly colored both fish, in producing a wonderful representation. A reference -td the casts will easily enable 'the authorities in Tasmania to decide whether the fish taken are salmon or not. : ■ : 11 Some idea of the losses inflicted by the nine-hour strike at Newcastle may be gathered from a statement by Mr Digby Seymour, the Recorder of Newcastle, who in charging the grand jury at the quarter sessions referring to local affairs, said that the loss WgM he estimated at a quarter qf a fanlljqp sterling. Onq firm alone had been compelled to refuse a contract of I §O,QOO ; that the lqcal shipping had suffered to tpe extent of U5Q,m A that number, Igsa small traders h a d bponfuiped. while the town hadlo§t many of itg most skilful workmen who bad emigrated toother districts or to Amenoa, and further looking at the effect upon the families, that tbe death rate had

risen from 25 to from 40 to 50 nr~the thousand. CHICAGO AFTER THE FIRE. The advertisements in the Tribune, the leading journal of Chicago, give a curious glimpse at the afflicted community. In a column of “ announcements ” we find some paper-dealers say “ that they have opened their safes, and find the contents in good condition.” “ The piano taken from North La Salle street, half a block north of Division, may be heard of at No. 71 West Lake street.” Masons in distress are told that the Appollo Lodge is open to them, and the homoeopathic physicians of the city are asked to meet “ for the distribution of aid for those of the craft who lost by the fire.” Another announcement gives a bird’s-eye view of vast possibilities of loss’. But the most touching column is headed “ Personal.” If so-and-so will call at certain places named, they will meet A and B, who long to see and hear of them “ Mary Ann M‘Donald, who lived with Mrs Goodkind, corner of Dearborn and Indiana streets has not been heard of since the fire. ” “Will Mary Lusk, Catherine Lusk, and James Laue and family inform me where I can hear of them ? ” Another advertisement appeals fo a father—“ Please call and get your boy Georgie.” The ordinary business advertisements tell of the calamity. A painter and glazier announces in large letters, “ I still live,” and gives his new address. A draper and tailor proclaims that he “is alive and well and, with a choice stock of woollens, is at his parlours. A watch company even professes to have profited by the fire. Its watches, “protected in vaults, passed through the great conflagration uninjured, and can be recommended as adjusted to temperature.” Another firm announce that being “warmly pressed,” they have removed their offices, and re-open at once on the new spot as fresh as ever. The insurance companies figure largely in the Tribune’s pages. The general tone of their advertisements is that they are ready to pay all losses at once, and to take new business. SINK OR SWIM. —A TIMELY CAUTION. : Mr R. H. Horne, “ a swimmer of fifty years’ practice," has published a letter inthe Times which is particularly opportune at this dangerous season of the year. He says:—Almost every man, woman, and child who cannot swim, when the/ find themselves suddenly out of their depth, throw up both arms and cry aloud for Iml p. —the most rapid of all methods for sinking ; in fact, the art of going down quickly is to throw up both arms. But if, instead of this, both arms are kept under water, while the hands “fight” the water, by beatng it down beneath them, and the feet and legs do the same sort of thing, by continuing to kick the water down beneath them—the person who does this cannot sink. He or qhe cannot sink while they will do this.; it is impossible. They Will jihus be able to keep upon the surface for that brief time |or want of which so many are lost. Furthermore, if the persons thus beating the water down beneath them -will only extend the arms a little, so that the palms of the bands may not only beat but pull the water towards then, they will then find themselves advance towards a bank, shore, boat, or other object, &nd will, in fact, And themselves swimming by what is palled the dpg-atrpke. Beyond this, the oply prescribe of min’d required is not to beat, kick, strike, splash, or pull too fast, as this is sure to cause loss of breath and exhaustion, and increase the confusion of mind. Be it sepecially remembered that all splashing is to be avoided as much as possible, —partly because it dashes the water up to the nostrils and in the mouth, and also because it is sheer waste of power. All blows and struggles must be made under the water, and riot at all upon the surface. As it is quite in vain to warn a drowning person not to try and seize upon the man who swims to save him, and thus do his utmost to drown his preserver by clinging round him and tryiug to get upon his shoulders (if the latter is so foolish or go over-excited as to allow this), I would recommend the drowning person to seize his preserver by the hair, who will at once, if a tolerable master of the art, swim away with him in quite a free and ep v sy manner. ; . - - ii-ii it ■ ■ :t i '