ITEMS BY THE MAIL.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1394, 3 August 1878, Page 3

ITEMS BY THE MAIL.

The iron-caiseon-vessel, containing the Cleopatra Needle, has been safely berthed on her cradle alongside the Addphi pier of the Thames embankment. The needle •will now be gradually raised at low water day after day by means of hydraulic jneks and traverses, until it has been securely lodged on a solid landing-place. Sir Michael Hicks-Peach has announced that if the Cape colony and other colonies interested would vote fair sums towards the maintenance of an electric-cable communication with Great Britain—that is, reidly with Madeira, her Majesty's Government would bo prepared to assist them financially. A man has been arrested at Wihelmshaven on the charge of predicting a day before the event that the Konig Wilhelra was going to rim into the Grosser Kurfurst. A Goetho Society has been founded at Vienna, after the pattern of the English Shakspeare societies. lis object is to found a Goethe library, and to isauo editions of Goethe's chief works at a price sufficiently low to place them within the reach of all classes. The betrothal of the Duke of Conr.aught to Princess Louise Margaret, youngest daughter of Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia, grand

niece to the Emperor of Germany, was cele- * brated at Balmoral Castle on the afternoon of Tuesday, the 14th inst. By command of her Majesty all the tenantry, keepers and workpeople were invited to Balmoral to drink to the health of the Prince and his intended bride. A large compuny assembled, and refreshments were served to all present. The toasts included the health of the Queen, the Duke of Conmught and his intended brido. They were drunk with Highland honors. Dancing followed, and the rejoicings were kept up till a late hour. The Queen has invited Prince Frederick Charles and his daughter, tho Princess Louise Margaret, to Balmoral.

Mr Charles Bradlaugh has applied in person for a certiorari, to bring up an order made on the 13th of May by the Middlesox Magistrates at Quarter Sessions confirming an order made on the 10th of February by Mr Vaughan, one of tho police magistrates at Bow street, directing that Go 7 copies of a book cdled the Fruits of Philosophy, which had been seized as an obscene work, should be destroyed, in ordtr that it might be quashed. Mr Bradlaugh said that by Lord Campbell's Act the Magistrate was bound to find three things first, that the publication was obscene; secondly, that its publication constituted a misdemeanor ; and, third, that it was a misdemeanor proper to be prosecuted as such. Mr Vaughan had found the first only, and not the two latter, and as he had omitted to find the two latter, so he had not complied with tho statute. The application was granted. The Guion mail steamer Idaho, from New York via Queenetown for Liverpool, struck near Connigbeg lightship, between the Connigbeg and Brandies Rocks, off the Wexford coast, during a heavy fog, and foundered. The Idaho was a large iron screw steamship of upwards of 3000 tons, built at Newcastle in 1869, and with engines of 400-horse power. She left New York for Liverpool on the 21st of May with 159, passengers, 51 horses, and 1000 tons of beef'. Some of her passengers had been landed with tho mails at Quaenstown. Nearly all the other passengers were on deck when she struck. Her boats, six in number, were immediately launched, and the chief officer, with hatchet in hand, prevented anyone going on board them until the female passengers had been first rescued. All were got out, and the captain was the last to leave. In twenty-two minutes the ship went down, and the last boat was only fifty yards distant at the time. After pulling about for six hours the boats made the Saltee Islands, where their occupants, who were in a wretched plight., were t.ken care of. They were_ conveyed to Dublin, 125 in number, by train on Sunday morning.