TOWN & COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVII, Issue 6510, 7 January 1882, Page 4

TOWN & COUNTRY.

Caictibbtjbt Bah Faib.—The Canterbury Bam Fair will be held this year on March 23 and 24 next.

Lyttblton Pbisbttebian Bazaab.—The goods unsold at this bazaar will be disposed of by public auction in the shed this evening. Dbainagb Pummns Engines.—A fall trial of the pumping machinery was expected to take place yesterday afternoon, but it has been postponed for a few days. Ihtbboolouiax Wbathkb Exchange.— The following message has been received:— "Sydney, Thursday: Moderate depression to S.E. of Tasmania. B.W. winds on the south coast of Australia, and calm in Sydney. Weather generally fine. Barometer: Portland, 300; Hobart, 295; Sydney, 298." Tbamway to the HaATHCOM.—The arrival of the Helen Scott, with the rails required for the tramway down the Ferry road, will enable the Company to at once proceed with the formation of the line, which no doubt will prove a great convenience to the public, and a profitable branch for the shareholders. AGBIOUI/rUBAI, AND PASTOBAI ASSOCIATION.—An ordinary meeting of the Committee of the above Association was held yesterday afternoon. Arrangements were made for the proposed trial of reapers and binders, and a quantity of other business was transacted. A report appears elsewhere. Dbain Boa».—The Drain road, leading to the Drainage Board pumping station, is being out down to its permanent leveL Though during the process a good deal of dust it raised, ultimately the residents in the neighbourhood will have the value of their property considerably enhanced by it. Stbbbt Accident.—Yesterday a lad named Piper was driving a butoher's cart round the junction of Lower High street and Madras street, opposite the Caversham Hotel, when a little boy who was crossing the road was knocked down by the vehicle, and a wheel fajßed over his foot, crushing one of the toes, t is probable that proceedings will be taken against the driver of the cart for his carelessnesi. Lebston Pbesbytbbjan Church.—The annual meeting of this congregation was held on the evening of Jan. 4, the fiev J. W. Oree in the chair. The Treasurer submitted bis statement of accounts, as follows: —Beceipts : Balance from last year, £2 3s lOd; collections, £69 15s 9d; seat rents, £BS; teameeting, £4O 8s 3d; entertainment, £7 0s 9d; total, £204 8a 7d. Expenditure, £lB2 2s 9d; thus leaving a balance in hand of £22 5s lOd, which was considered satisfactory. After a vote of thanks to the retiring Committee, the following gentlemen were elected a Committee for the ensuing year:—Messrs D. Scott, John Murison, D. Eellahan, James Murison, John M'Vinnie, W. Jamison, W. Nixon, John Lowry, C. Hunt and B. M'Conkey. Mr W. Johnston was apDointed Auditor, after | which the meeting was closed with the Nene- { diction.

! Death of an Oed Settles,—We regret very much (says the Titnaru Herald) to hear of the death of Mr Cornelius Dark, which took Slaoe at Ohristohuroh on Deo SO. The eceased had to undergo a very painful operation in Ohristohuroh about two months ago, but he bore it well and there was every hope of his recovering full health again. He rallied after the operation, returned to Timaru, and gradually regained strength. Early last week, however, he took a turn for the worse and left for Christchurch again to consult his medical adviser there, and it was muoh to the surprise of his many friends that the news of his death was received. The deceased waa one of the oldest settlers in this district. He and his brother were among the first to take up a run in the Mackenzie country. They settled there about iB6O or 1361, and have, despite many hard winters, resided there ever since. We are not aware of the exact year in which the " Dark Brothers," as they have always been kuo*n, arrived in New Zealand, but this we do know, that two better colonists, in every sense of the word, than the deoeased and his brother, oould not be found any whero in the Colony. Thhatbb Boyai. —■ Last night " The Sohool for Scandal" was performed at the Theatre Royal. The comedy was presented by the company when they were here in their former season, and the remarks made upon it in these oolumns on that occasion need little qualification. Miss Louise Pomeroy is too great an artist to play any character ia differently, and therefore always deserves credit for thoroughness. Her Lady Teazle is j no exception to the rule. Bho is not the' ideal perhaps that playgoers have pictured to j themselves, but she gives a Charmingly j natural rendition of the rdle. Last night at the olimax of the " screen scene" her face was a study for a painter. Without uttering a word she expressed b/ her scornful look at Joseph Surface more than language oould tell. Mr Flemming's Charles Surface was apJroptiatoly light and careless, Mr Leake's oseph was sufficiently sententious—by the way, his unpowdorod hair was an innovation. Mr Hoskins' Sir Peter was as finished a picture as anything in his rijperioire. Messrs Wallace and Hamilton can be " braoketted" for their capital impersonations of Sir Oliver and Mr Crabtree respectively. Mr E. D. Mowry must be complimented for his Bir Benjamin Backbite The other characters were up to the average. Occasionally there wera indications of imperfect acquaintance with the text. While for this it would be unreasonable to blame the artists, it must be regretted that a too brief study should pre* vent their doing themselves full justice. The audience called the representatives of the prinoipal characters before the curtain several times, and paid Mr Flemmiag the high compliment of recalling him after his exit in the •• screen soene." To-night "Led Astray" is to be reproduced.

Oxwovd Vitkh Statistics.—The returns I for the Oxford District for the quarter ended Dec. 31, are—Birthf 31, death* 2, mum'sees 1. The total* for the year are—Births 104, deaths 16, marriages 8. Lrows' Toobists.—This company pjnyed to a well-filled bonne in Ashburton on Thursday evening, and their performance w M highly appreciated. Last sight was the latt ol their season in the township. 1.0.0.?., M.U.—The usual quarterly meeting of the Loyal Papanui Lodge was held on Deo. 30, 1881, when the following officers wero elected : -G.M., Bro Georgo Sharpe ; Jtf.O., Bro Hugh Keldaj ; V.G., Bxo B. H. Godfrey ; KJB., Bro W. Jackson. Prov Q.M. Woodford and D.P.G.M. Fester were present, and installed the newly-elected officers. Two members were initiated and one proposed. After some routine business, the Lodge was closed in the usual manner. Bush Fires os ths Pskikbuijl.—The 1 Akaroa Mail states -.—Then bare been many fires burnin/ during the week. One greet fire on Messrs Lehevre's and Armstrong's properties swept the brow of the hill up to Brazen Hose, and deatroyed a good deal of fencing and it is feared a considerable cumber of sheep. A good deal of cauntry hse been burnt at Wainni, and it is said Mr A. O. Knight has suffered soma Iw through fences being dent roped. At Peraki Messrs Snow and Anson bare had a great fire, and at Waikerikikeri Messrs Sandys end Co., Masefteld Bros, and Mr J. Daly bare had great ' fires. Tussock Fibbs at AaHßtraxos.—The excessively hot weather of the past three week* has so dried up the tussock and cthtr long grass in the Ashburton district, that a spars in sufficient to fire whole acres of it, ard imperil all buildings in the vicinity. Several of those fires have occurred recently, and put neighbouring houses in great peril. A tussock fire in the river-bed yesterday, spread so alarmingly fast and over such an area of land that the Fire Brigade was summoned, by the fire-bell, to extinguish it. This was done with some labour; but had it not been taken in time, a cottage or two, aa well as the Old Men's Home, would have had a narrow escape. SpanrGBTOS Tmpibascb Eoctstt.—The above Society held their second public meeting on Wednesday evening, when Mr J. Bmith read a very interesting paper on "Total Abstinence, and the object and benefit of Temperance Societies." The Bev J. 8. Smalley occupied the chair; and after some further discussion, three came forward and took the pledge. At this stage of the meeting, Mr E. Turner, on behalf ol the bacheloreof Springston, presented Miss Alice Wills with a beautifully bound boot, as a slight mark of their appreciation of her kindness in preparing the bachelors' tray at the late tea meeting. Mr Smalley thanked the bachelorson Miss Wills' behalf in a particularly amusing manner ; and after votes of thank* had been accorded to the speaker and the Chairman, a very enjoyable meeting war brought to a close in the usual way. Ltttbitoh Bbsatta.—The prixes won at the regatta were presented to ths winners at the Oolonistd' Hall, on Thursday evening. The recipients were loudly cheered on going for their prizes. The protest entered by the Danedin crew against the Lyttelton crew in the Four-oared Inrigger Bace was considered by the Judges, and decided in favour of the Lyttelton crew. The BegattaCommittee voted the sum of £lO to the Danedin crew ; and the Christchurch crew, instead of pulling the race over again to decide the second prize for the Inrigger which resulted in a dead heat, generously gave it up to the Dunedin crew. Ihe representative of the Dunsdin crew acknowledged' the kindness, and hoped that next year they; would compete again with more satisfactory results. With regard to the protest lodged by Lyttelton against Kaiapoi, for second prize in the Double-sculling Bace, the Judge* decided that the race be rowed over again, or' the prize forfeited. An error occurred hv the list of the crew of the Lyttelton boat inthe Inrigger Bace, which should hare been ae» follows:—Gh Graham stroke, T. M'Donnell 3,, T. Harkiss 2, W. Fitziinunons bow, J. Donovan cox. The alteration in the crew from that given in the programme took place just previous to the race. The Weliingtocyachtamen intend giving the Xarifa a reception on her returning to Wellington. Her sail-ing-master has been requested to wait at Wellington Heads, should he arrive at night.. antQ morning, so that the yachts in Wellington might escort him up the harbour, in> honour of his having won the Yacht Bace< here.

BtTBH FIBE AT OXFOBD.—About 11 o'clock: on Thursday morning, a fire sprang up in tieOxford Bush, about a mile behind Messrs Feary Bros*, sawmill. Toward* the afternoon, a heavy nor'-wester spread the fire southeastwards, towards Messrs Feary Bros., and Messrs Soungman Bros', mills, burning with terrible fierceness. The flames were at one time all around Feary's mill and the workmen's cottages. The fire continued through the Native reserve and on to the adjoining sections to the west, creeping close up to the dwelling*. Fortcrately, aa yet, no building: I of any value havo been destroyed, but re-y | large quantities of timber, and about two ' miles of tramway, the property of Messrs Youngman Bros, and Feary Bros., and a large quantity of Mr Pl&akett's log fencing, have been burned. All the residents and the hands at the sawmills within a few miles turned out to assist in saving property. Mr Gorton, who was shearing, brought all the shearers with him to assist, and everyone worked with a will. The houses along the bush were cleared of their contents, aU the available horses, drays and waggons being made use of for this purpose. It waa only by the utmost exertion that the cottages in the vicinity of Feary's mill were saved, the fire having one side burned to within 10ft of the walls, and on the western side destroying a oouple of small outbuildings. The men were engaged most of the night in keeping - the fire from spreading towards the many dwellings in the vicinity, and putting out the sparks. The wind, fortunately, lulled toward; evening, and stopped the further progress ef the fire. On Friday, the wind was blowup easterly, and driving the fire back. The danger, however, is not yet over, for if a nor'-west wind springs up again, the tire may •till spread a considerable distance.

WsaißrAN Chfbch, Dpbham Stbkkt.— The quarterly meeting of the Durham street circuit was held in the schoolroom on Friday evening, the Bev A. Beid in the chair. There wera also present—The Beve W. Baumber W. E. Qillam, and a large number of officebearers. The return of church membership presented by the Chairman showed an increase of upwards of 90 on those of the preceding quarter. The Sunday School returns were also satisfactory. The financial statement presented by the Circuit Stewards, Messrs S. 0. Mouldey and If. Martin, showed' an income (including a balance of £B7 Gi lOd from last quarter) of £564 Is SJd; and an expenditure (including £135 granted to the Home Mission Fund, £2l to connexions! funds, and £7O to the various trust funds) of £4lO 5s Bd, leaving a credit balance of £152 15s 7;d. The trustees of the East Belt church property were authorised to proeeec at once with the erection of a parsonage on the site next the church. It has been arranged that the new church bo opened on Jan. 22, and that a tea and publio meeting be held in connection therewith on the following Thursday. The Committee appointed to make arrangements for the forthcoming Con ference gave in their report. The Col ft rence will hold its first sitting on Thursday, Jan. 19, when it will proceed to the election" of its oilicors, and will continue in session about a fortnight. Upwards of 40 ministers from all parts of the Colony will be present, and during the second week about the same numb?: of laymen, elected by the different circuit t, will be associated with them in the transaction of business. Messrs B. Dawson and E--0. Mouldey were elected by ballot as the la; representatives of this circuit. Mr W. Harn's has also a seatastreaiurerof one of the connexions! funds. Some discussion arose out of a resommendation from the local preachers'' meeting that services should be established in certain districts fin the neighbourhood oi the city where openings seem to present themselves, and the matter was eventually left in the bands of the ministers. lb*--meeting was closed with the Benediction.

Shook of lahthquaicb.—A smart shook .of earthquake was felt at half-past 6 o'clock yesterday morning. Dbstbuotivb Fißsa. —Just after 12 o olook this morning the unusual epeotaole of two fires at one time was to be seen in Christohuroh. In Hereford street the Union Bank was found to be on fire, while a little further •way Mr D. Beeee's timber yard was a roaring sheet of flame. The brigade were busily employed for several hours in getting the flames under mastery, the bank, strange to My, giving them more trouble than the large timber yard. Details are given elsewhere, along with particulars of the InvereargiU fire.

Mastodon Mikstbbls.—A trout* of mbttreis bearing this title will appear at the Academy of Music on Thursday. They are at present in Invercargill, where they have been drawing fine houses—tho largest, in fact, it is sad, ever seen in tho place. Tho Mastodons include Messrs Morton, Jackssn, and Matlock, who were here with the Georgia Minstrels some years ago, and Mr Lewis, who was a member of South'e " Uncle Tom " Company. There are no less than eight "end men" in the troupe, who altogether number between 80 and 40. Mr Drayton, the advance agent, is now in town. Good Enough cos tub Colonies.—As i an exemplification of tho kind of trickery tho 1 Colonies have to submit to in dealing with \ firm* at a distance, it came out last night at I tho Borough Council meeting— M That tho two and a half inch pipes sent out for the waterworks bear the impress * Glasgow Gas I Company,' and that they are of wretched {quality, being full of holer. It was not eonjsidered necessary to test such small pips and some of them had burst after being laid ; in consequence they would bo tested in (Future. The Engineer had said that the boles could be plugged with nails." What tunny pipes these would have been for supplying Glasgow with gas l—Timaru Herald. TMr A. Broadfoot, the owner or the Ssaview ■state, on the boundary of whioh is situated tho township of North Scarborough, has made a tree Hffr to tee public of a broad approach on the front it Scarborough terrace to the DndoroUffs road. fbla will enable the public and owners of seotions h the township to on joy a beautiful marine view. UPractloo for All-England and Otago matches will je held for the future every eveninir on Itonoaster lark Ground, oommeneing oa Monday. | The Bev Professor M'Greger will eondnet the ferric*s at the North Belt Presbyterian Church fcmorrow. jAbal), in connection with the Yaldhurst sports, mil be held in the schoolroom on Friday. Jan. 13 JA meeting of those interested in the annual agatta on the Heathoote will be held at the Com£rclal Hotel on Thursday next, at 8 p m. la fraud trial of reapers and hinders, under the stspiees of the Agricultural and Pastoral Assooiatra.willbe held on or about Tuesday, Jan. 17. at jirnside. Fendaltown, on the property of HrW. £&ir. Entries to olose on Friday, Jan. 13. fee Patriot's Catholic Church, Kaiapoi, will be ajenanly opened on Bunday. Jan. 15, by the Bight BvDr Bedwood. Catholio Bishop.

IPBOTIOTIVO THB Pbihb Mikistbb.—lt is •teething very new for an English Prime Mnister to hive a bodyguard of police, lit there is no attempt to conceal the fact tit Mr Gladstone is accompanied on his jarneys by a strong body of police and ajectivet. Some twenty men were closely a] the watch over him daring his recent jarsey from Ehowsley to Hawarden. pa Tababtta's Silvbb.—All hope of reottering the silver which went down in the Trarua in April last is not yet abandoned (sVs the Southland News). A correspondent, wfting on Dec. 30, informs ns that divers wie then waiting for a change in the weather topable them to make a.farther attempt to gait the treasure, to reach which, it is underatid, it will be necessary to blow off the mp deck with dynamite, so that it will ealy be imagined their task is one of more thk ordinary difficulty. K Tssw Exhibition Schbmb—A 41 fating exhibition " is stated to be in contealation by a respectable mercantile firm in Wdon. They intend to charter a large «tesW, let space in her for showrooms, and trail her round the world, the trip to occupy abotl2 months. The vessel will proceed froqLqndon to Capetown, Fort Elizabeth, Eas London, and Durban, the port of Natal; thei i by Fort Louis to Adelaide, Melbourne, Lau eston, Hobart, Sydney, and Brisbane. The it is proposed'to visit Auckland, Napier, Wei igton, Lyttelton, and Fort Chalmers. Ero: this point the vessel will " make" for Hoi again by way of the South American WeeOoast ports. OnrPATION OT MBBV BY THB BUSSIANS. •—TI Constantinople correspondent of the Dot] Telegraph writes:—" lamin a position? inform you that, notwithstanding all thatjas taken place, the town of Merv will ehorr be occupied by Bussian troops. The Sirdj Toukhme, one of the chiefs of the Tell Turcomans, has arrived at Merv to negate on behalf of the Bussian Governmemthe submission of all the Turcoman tribe! Meanwhile, and in view of the occupaticjof that town, the Bussian railway on the atern frontier of Persia has been completes* far as Kizil Arvat, and a dep6t of armijas been established at Askabad. The Busan authorities trust the occupation will be cjned out peacefully without serious oppoaon on the part of the British Government! Tscbs op thb Jbaknettb.—The following iegram received by the New YorTc Serdf from Professor Nordenskjold, dated Stocfolm, Oct. 13, throws some light on our race/cable messages concerning the diecovef of Mr Bennett's Arctic exploring eteafcr Jeannette:—"Captain Johanneien, comknding the Lena, of Professor Nordenaold's expedition, has just returned fronfakutsk. He relates that a Jakut from a Bund village reports having seen a stesir at the mouth of the Lena on Sept. 13 (tor gtjle), 1879. This steamer is supposejto be the Jeannette. The steamer Loui whioh returned on Sept. 19 to Troi > from Yenisei, reports that some Sam des from the mouth of the Yenisei last nter found two corpses of Europeans and; ottle of whisky. This is remarkable, as n< luropean crew is known to have been

lost ore last year." AiCbboic Act.—We take the following fromUJondon paper of recent date: —" A brave \n has gone to hit rest in the person of Cajkn Strachan, of the steamer Cyprian, of LivpooL Oanght in a fierce storm, the crew cthe Cyprian wore engaged almost from tlhour of starting in a long and sleepless stjggle to save their vessel. The measuii taken by their commander at each new cri of the steamer's danger would in tbemeejs have stamped him as a skilful and fearletaariner. He did for his vessel all that a captaipould do, and not until all was in ruinanthe cables parted did the gallant commavr bid each man look to himself, since onanship could avail no more. MeanwA a miserable little stowaway had coj upon deck. The lad had no kind of jsiness there. A waif of the Liverpool gutfo, what was his little life to that of the captL with bis wife and child ashore, and tbejure to make for them P But the gallant Ekchan unlashed from his own breast the lifeab, which would be bis best—in reality, btonly—chance of reaching the land, •lean sln that far, my boy,' he said, and with thiuast splendid performance the captain sed his mortal career. He was drowned, it the waif was saved, let us hope, to be use in the world. A subscription is to be rail for the noble Strachan's family." Bb-akit op Hbfjbbitan thb Labd Lbagueb " Some curious revelations," the St James\azetfe states, "have followed the re-arrest «Mr J. E. Heffernan, of the Cork Land Leak This gentleman was sent to fiol shortkfter the passing of the Coercion ill, to fj relief of all respectable Cork people; aiihis release immediately after the Land Billks passed was long a mystery to Land Leaers and loyalists alike. We have now i> explanation, and it is simple enough, me Government bad declared that it wj filling Kilmainham more in sorrow thi in anger j and to a readywitted crekre like Heffernan, who lived within anksy distance of Blarney Stone, it was thwork of a moment to find his way to thieak place under Mr Forster's waistcoat. The very day after the Land Bill became la{he wrote a panegyric on the measure ia> letter to Mr Forster, and Sromieed gfl behaviour; and the thing was one. TheHea of making a Government recruit of sjpfluential a' village tyrant' was too leductiland Mr Heffernan was released that he mig! bless the Land Bill. His tale tohisfellorfras that he had been let out

unconditionally; and, to do him justice, his I conduct from the time of his release to his re-arrest seemed to justify the assertion. But now the Cork Constitution, which has published the correspondence between Mr Heffernon and Mr Forstor, puts themattor in its true light, and we only wish we could be quite sure that this is the only case of the kind. Bead, however, in connection with the 'unconditional 1 release of other 'suspects, we can easily imagine that tho story of Mr Heffernan's imprisonment, release, and rearrest has created an unpleasant sensation m more than one distriot." « Wmr Hh was Bhatbk.—At a dinner given after the Wairau election to Mr Seymour, the defeated candidate, that gentleman, in replying to the toast of the evening, said:—"lt was quite true tho defeat had been a substantial one, and it was difficult to discover the reason. Perhaps, to some extent it was on account of the extension of tho franchise, as it had been remarked that tho late elections were verj like a leap in the dark on account of this. The residential vote might have had something to do with it, but ho thought more was to be asoribod to the faot that his opponent was a brewer. The brewing interest was a most important one at Home, and even here it was found that even some of the Good Templars could not resist the sweet influences of the beor barrel. He was told that up-country it had been said: •Who is SeymourP' «Oh! he's a runholder." 'And who is DodsonP' 'Oh! he's a brewer.' * All right; I'll vote for the brewer.' Even the noble savage when he came into town said: 'I no vote for Heomour; I vote for the man makee do beer."'

A Yoothfttli Vagabond.—Yesterday's Dunedin fierald says:—A particularly daring young freebooter will receive sentence at the Supreme Court to-day. His name is James Wilson, and though only a lad of 17, he has already served four rather long sentences for theft, and one of six months for breaking gaol. He is probably the ooolest young oriminal in tho Colony, and it seems when out of prison he lives a roving, marauding life, oooupying deserted huts about the country, and deporting himself as a veritable Ishmael. As an example of his peculiar forte, it may be mentioned that, after making a hole in and escaping from the Cromwell look-up, he went to a looal bank, and asked to borrow money on a building he owned —meaning the gaol he had just left—which he asserted to be sound throughout but for one small hole. Probably this for so young a scoundrel is unique. At first sight the boy looks rather prepossessing, but olose inspection reveals the oloven hoof to a physiognomist, who, however, even then is obliged to admit the youthful scamp has had a narrow escape of being handsome, nature having deoided to throw in a sinister cast at the last moment. On his trial yesterday for bis cAeftPoßtivre, so far the boy seemed quite self-possessed and at ease, taking voluminous notes, and submitting for his defence a somewhat plausiblyworded dooument giving his version of the case—a version, however, the jury did not believe, although not knowing the writer's previous history.

Fatal Accident at thb Blue? Regatta. —From the aooount published in the local journals of the fatal accident that occurred on Tuesday at the Bluff Begatta, during the raoe for the outrigged skiffs, it appears that as soon as the competing boats oleared the wharf, it was observed that the sea was likely to be too much for them, and, after foing a short distance, the Awarua Club's oat took a sea aboard and filled, and the crew at once began to pull for the shore. As their boat had two watertight compartments, whioh kept her well afloat, they afterwards turned and followed the other two boats, to render any assistance they might require. Meantime, the Bluff Harbour and Invercargill boats had reached the turning flag, beth boats being nearly full of water. As soon as they began to turn, it was found they were quite unmanageable, and, whilst in the act of turning, a sea took the Invercargill boat right on to the Bluff boat and both at once sank. Considerable excitement was occasioned on the wharf, and several boats at once put off to the assistance of the men in the water, but unfortunately they all arrived too late to save the lives of the whole of the crews. One of the Bluff Harbour Board crew men (Mr Andrew Robertson) was drowned, and up to a late hour his body had not been recovered. From the statement of one of the crew it appears that as soon as the boats went under the crews all took hold of them, and there was sufficient buoyancy to float them, but the deceased, who was only able' to swim a very little, persisted in climbing upon the bottom of the boat, when the boat sank, and he went down in sight of them all.

Hbatbd Biood. —It seems blood was near being spilled at an Alderahot review the other day. Writing about " one of the prettiest field days they have held at Aldershot this season," the London military correspondent of a contemporary says:—" The Duke of Connaught's Brigade formed the defending force trying to retire aoross the Basingstoke canal, with the enemy attacking them across the Long Valley. The Duke made a most vigorous stand, and certainly very few of the other force would have got across the Long Valley alive. But they did so all the same, and got so excited over it that the 74th Highlanders actually fixed bayonets, and rushing up to within forty yards of the Duke's position, were preparing to oharg» the 93rd and 82nd. The Colonel of the 82nd, luckily, with great presence of mind, put himself in front of his men and gave the order to ' cease firing,'' order arms,' which instructions were obeyed, and direotly afterwards the ' cease firing' soubded along the line. So no lives were lost, as there doubtless would have been bot for the action of Colonel Walters, who seeing the danger of the position, took upon himself to act independently, and thus prevent what might have proved a most unpleasant business."