NEWS BY THE MAIL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 51, 13 January 1872, Page 8

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

The English papers by the last mail are only up to the 16th November. For items after that date we are indebted to telegrams in the American journals. An imposing demonstration was made on the Bth December at Birmingham in favor of radical reform in the House of Lords, and of the limitations, to its power to defeat or suspend beneficial progressive legislation of the House of Commons; Mr Dilke addressed the meeting, and while speaking was frequently interrupted. So great was the confusion he was obliged to desist. Resolutions were adopted to protest against the principle of hereditary legislation, and to demaud the withdrawal of legislative functions from the Bench of Bishops. Lieutenant-General Scarlett died on the 7th December. Bombay, via London, December Ist.

—The cholera in the worst form form is raging with great violence in the city of Delhi. Princess Alexandra has totally recovered from her recent indisposition. A fire at Warwick Castle on the sth December did irreparable damage. The great hall, the dining and other rooms were also gutted, and the destruction of ancient armory, pictures and curiosites was very great.

President Grant's message is favorably received in London. The papers generally express satisfaction with the spirit in which he deals with the relations between the two nations, and the opinion is almost unanimous that the condition of the country was never more flatteringly exhibited. The "Times" on the President's message congratulates the American Government on the dexterity in its diplomatic representatives in Europe during the Franco-German war, in preserving an impartial attitude without losing the opportunity of displaying practical sympathy for both sides. Paris, December 10th.—A telegram sa ys : —The weather here is intensely cold, and the mercury to-night indicates 21-| degrees below zero (centigrade). The river Seine is lightly frozen over, and a heavy full of snow impedes railroad traffic.

In the French Assembly, on the 7th December, a motion was made by M. Duchatel for the removal of the Assembly and Seat of Government to Paris. The motion gave rise to an animated debate which promises to be a protracted one, although there is little doubt that the proposal has a majority of the Chamber in its favor.

The appeals of Communists, convicted of the murder of Generals Lecompte and Thomas, and sentenced to suffer death, have been rejected by the Commission of Pardons. There is no hope that Thiers will interpose to remove this final decision. Cremieux, one of the four Communist leaders condemned to death by the Court-martial at Marseilles,was executed on the Ist Den. He was taken from his prison at an early hour this moraine, conveyed a short distance outside the walls and shot. He died bravely, refusing to be blindfolded. His last words were "Vive la R^publique."

The Saxon Diet was opened on the 2nd Dec. by the King, who, in a speech from the throne, congratulated the House on the prosperous condition of the Kingdom, and declared, in unequivocal terms, his adhesion to the German Empire. For the first time since the occupation of Rome, the Italian Parliament met in that city on 27th Nov. The opening speech was delivered in person by his Majesty King Victor Emanuel, in which he alluded to events connected with the occupation of the city, and said that Italy was restored to herself, had reconquered her place in the world, and he was convinced that Rome would remain the seat of the Pontificate. The relations between Italy and all other nations, his Majesty said, are friendly, and he believed that peace would continue; but he warned the Parliament that they would be held to strict account in the future if they neglected to perfect a thorough organization of the military and naval forces of the Kingdom.

From Brussels, on the 28th Nov, we learn :—The agitation against the Ministry is unabated. Petitions to the King for the dismissal of the Ministers are pouring in from all points. An immense mass of people assembled in front of the Palais de la Nation. The appearance of the multitude is threatening. Troops are on the ground. Shouts of " Resign" are heard on every side of the Palace. The temper of the people is dangerous and the situation critical. An impression prevails that the Ministers will yield and tender their resignation to the King. Subsequently the Ministers tendered their resignations to the King. The people, satisfied with the accomplishment of their object, dispersed, and order prevails throughout the city. The general character and behaviour of the vast company forming Mr Gladstone's meeting at Greenwich, is thus described by an eye-witness: —"It would be necessary to go back to the days of the agitation of the first Reform Bill to find a parallel for the imposing open-air meeting which assembled on

Blackheath on Saturday afternoon, Oct 28, to hear the Prime Minister give his constituents of Greenwich an account of his Parliamentary stewardship. The preparations which had been made for his reception were of the simplest description. At the far end of the heath, with Shooter's Hill in close proximity, a strong but exceedingly rude hustings had been erected, with a projecting platform in front for the orator of the day, and a strong but not veiy large enclosure for the accommodation of persons who had been supplied with tickets. The enclosure, which might accommodate perhaps six or seven hundred persons, was densely packed with eager upturned faces, and its best seats close under the platform were occupied by working men, who seemed to be perfectly lost in admiration at their distinguished member's eloquence. The crowd outside had been growing from twelve o'clock, at which time dark converging groups could be seen on all parts of the wide heath making their way towards the hustings. The early arrivals amused themselves by calculating the probable numbers present, which of course increased every moment up to three o'clock. Ten, twenty, thirty thousand were the successive numbers named. Our own impression was that at the moment when Mr Gladstone came to the front of the platform not much less than fifteen thousand voices gave strength to the almost unanimous cheer with which he was greeted. There was a small knot of malcontents in a remote corner, who by their early demonstrations, such as drum-beating, &c, showed their determination to make the meeting, if possible, a fiasco. But so general was the expression of a different feeling that this small knot became rapidly subdued, and gave little or no interruption to the Prime Minister during his long, important, and interesting speech. We were curious enough to inquire, after the termination of the meeting, how Mr Gladstone had been heard by the extreme outsiders, and we were surprised as well as gratified to learn that very little had been lost, and that the most telling portions had been distinctly heard and immensely relished by the whole of the vast assemblage. Another point upon which we were anxious to get information was as to the character and status of the persons assembled ; and we ascertained, beyond possibility of a doubt, that the vast majority were working men and electors of the par excellence working man's borough of Greenich. These men were inclined to be cold and critical at first, but as the Prime Minister warmed in his admirable speech the meeting visibly warmed with him. At its conclusion, the feeling had risen to perfect enthusiasm ; and as Mr Gladstone, accompanied by his wife and son, drove away in an open carriage, the working men ran like madmen to line the road upon each side, and to cheer the carriage and its occupants as they passed rapidly along. It is never very warm on Blackheath in the latter days of October, and Saturday was an October day of the most approved intensity. No less than one hundred and seven newspaper reporters sat with clattering teeth under the platform, and they, in common with the immense crowd, felt that Mr Gladstone had exposed his bronchial tubes to a severe ordeal when he came to the front uncovered, and notwithstanding universal cries of '•' Put on your hat," evinced by hie gestures and unmistakeable determination to go through his day's work bareheaded. It was said that, in anticipation of disorder, a strong body of the metropolitan police had been ordered to the ground; but we can say that we could observe no more than Captain Baynes, the efficient superintendent of the local force, the mounted orderly who followed him, and about half a dozen of the ordinary men, who in a sinecure sort of way kept order in the immediate vicinity of the hustings.

Home rule is still the topic of the day in Ireland. The country rings with the cry. As the political atmos. phere is very still just now it is heard the more distinctly. If one were to judge from the press, the people are in a state of intense excitement about it; but there is really no ground for alarm. It is quite possible that when other subjects of discussion come up to supply fresh matter for editorial comment the agitation, which is only a flutter of the

' papers, will subside. It will certainly not be allowed to rest for any lack of energy on the part of the leaders of the movement, who eagerly lay hold of every circumstance to keep attention alive and give an air of great importance to a very small organisation. A painful case of hydrophobia has occurred at Tarn worth. George Hollis, assistant-keeper at Catton Hall, near Tamworth, was bitten by a strange dog in June last. No notice was taken at the time, as it was not known that the dog was mad, but a few days ago the distressing symptoms appeared, and the poor man died in all the agonies of this fearful disease, One of those accidents which sometimes takes place in the city and cause such havoc and stoppage of business occurred a few days ago in Gracechurch street. About four o'clock a dray belonging to Messrs Young and Bainbridge, brewers, of Wandsworth, was being driven by one of their servants, when from some cause or other the horses suddenly became restive and unmanageable, and the dray, with its ladder protruding -behind, was backed into the shop front of Mr Kibble, jeweller and watchmaker, of No. 22, Gracechurch street, about two doors from Lombard street. The large plateglass front was shivered to pieces, and the valuable stock of watches, clocks, and jewellery scattered in the roadway. The accident happened near one of the shafts being driven for the main drainage —of which there are several in the stree t —and the kicking of the horses in their struggles to free themselves from the reins, which had become entangled with their legs, terrified the large crowd which, as a matter of course, soon collected. A number of the swellmob and light-fingered gentry —always on the alert for such accidents —were quickly on the spot, under the pretence of "assisting," and, of course, made the most of such an opportunity of helping themselves and confederates. Seeing how matters stood, the neighbours and a number of friends under the direction of the police, joined hands and formed a ring round the scene of the disaster, and thus quickly put an end to the practices of the light-fingered " helpers." The police rendered every assistance by stopping the carriage traffic at once, and it was mainly owing to their prompt exertions that much more valuable pioperty did not go a missing. Several bushels of broken glass were picked up, and these have to be carefully looked through for diamonds and other precious stones, as well as pieces of gold, before the exact loss can be ascertained. The "Irishman" states that the Fenians, properly so-called, had no hand or part in the late raid of " O'Neill and his reckless followers" on Canada. It adds, however, "We should by no meanshave objected had the project succeeded, asit would have somewhat embarrassed our amiable rulers." The " Irishman" says it has no wish to see its countrymen engage in such desparate enterprises unless some substantial advantage is to be gained for their cause as against England, which is not to be expected from isolated raids, and it hopes to hear that but few Irishmen were engaged in *• this latest folly." A letter of M. Xavier Baymond, published in the " Journal des Debats," says that the Marquis d'Harcourt, before leaving for Rome, stated that the words of the Pope as reported in his despatch were—" All I wish for is a small corner of the earth of which I shall be the master. Not that I desire to say that if the offer were made to restores my States to me I should refuse it."

It was announced that mass would be celebrated at the Madjleine Paris, Nov. 15,in honor of the fete of Saint Eugenie. About 300 or 400 persons, including several Bonapartist notabilities, attended the Madeleine for the ceremony. The mass, however, was not celebrated, and the congregation, after waiting some time, left the church. Several persons circulated an address for signature stating that prayers would be offered for the Empress. Contradictory explanations of the affair are current. Some state that the Cure refused to celebrate a special mass, fearing illegal manifestation. According to others the Government prohibited the celebration. The Royal Albert Asylum for Idiots

at Lancaster has just received the very munificent gift: of £30,000 from a Yorkshire iady—Mrs Brook, of Gateforth House, Selby. In order to carry out the wishes of her deceased husband, the Eev Richard Brook, she has bequeathed the sum named to the institutution, and intimated that she is prepared to pay half of it at once. The Midland Railway Company have conceded the nine hours' demand to the men engaged in their locomotive and carriage department at Derby, over 2000 in number, commencing in January next.

The deprivation of Mr Voysey has been accomplished, according to the decision of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, and bis vicarage of Healaugh has been conferred upon the Rev Christopher Wyberg, vicar of Weeton, near Leeds. A serious riot has taken place in the Bareilly Jail. The life prisoners rose, broke out from their barrack, and about 70 tried to scale the prison walls. The police fired, killing seven and wounding about thirty of the convicts. Five managed to escape. The officiating superintendent, Dr Eades, had, it seems, ordered the sacred threads to be taken away from the Brahmin convicts, and some fanatic seized the opportunity to work on the feelings of the prisoners. An enquiry is to be "Held on the matter. A paragraph in a New York journal announces a portentious crisis in the affairs of the Fenian brotherhood. O'Donovan Rossa has resigned his position as one of a mysterious and formidable body styling itself the " Directory of the Trish Confederation," and he has also seceded from the " Allied Council of the Irish Confederation and the Fenian Brotherhood." It seems that Rossa has determined to " run" for the office of registrar of the City of New York—a post to which a very snug salary is attached. Some uneasiness, it is said, has been created in the minds of Rossa's quondam friends in Ireland, and s hints are dropped about the influence of " British gold." A small farmer residing in the hamlet of Villebeau (Seine-et-Oise) has, in a fit of mental aberration, deprived himself of sight, that he might no longer be a witness of the occupation of his country by the Prussians, who had burned down all his property in his presence, a member of the family perishing in the flames; He had often threatened that he would tear out his eyes, and everything that could be thought dangerous was kept out of his way. He, however, got hold of a book which described the Chinese method of blinding offenders of high position by placing a small portion of quick lime over the eyes and tying it down with a wet bandage. He procured some lime, applied it in this manner, and destroyed his sight. The New York papers appear to have been puzzled to find a heading sufficiently striking for their reports of the Chicago fire. The " Tribune" printed " Chicago in ashes," but this was outdone by the " Herald" with " Chicago charred."

It is stated that tobacco in any form may be *used with great advantage against snakes of all kinds. By pouring a decoction of it in suspected places they are driven away, and this fact is known to both the natives of Hindostan and to those of North and South America. If it can be administered to them it is certain death.