NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 809, 4 May 1871, Page 2

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

A new process of preserving meat has just been perfected by Mr Richard Jones. It has long been known that meat preserved in tins by the ordinary process of heating in a chloride of calcium bath for a prolonged period, and then closing jthej orifice, is surrounded by jelly, which, with most of its juice, has been extracted from the meat, leaving a tasteless and exhausted fibre. To obviate this objection, Mr Jones exhausts the steam by a tube connected with a vacuum chamber, the meat being thus cooked with itsjuices left in their natural place amongst the muscular substances ; while the whole process can be effected at a lower temperature than has been heretofore used, and with less injury to t'je flavour and appearance of the meat. It is estimated that meat can be prepared in Australia or New Zealand, including freight out on tin plates, Ac., freight borne, and 5 per cent, commission for selling, at 2d per lb for 61b tins, and about 2£d per lb 41b tins. A Ladies' Life Assurance Company is one of the fruits of tho Act of last session, making it lawful for married women to assure their own lives with their Ovvn money, without the consent of their husbands. Tho Commercial World hears that a lady has offered to advance £2OOO if nine other ladies I

will j&ntribute a like sum, in order to provido the £20,000 necessary to deposit with the Court of Chancery beforo commencing business. It is stipulated that the board of management aud the employees of the Company shall be women. A Bill, is to be introduced by Government prohibiting bankrupt Peers from sitting in tho House of Lords. The rule, says the " Spectator," already exists in the House of Commons, and is a just one, as we do U ot want lawgivers who represent their creditors 5 but why do not the Peers go a step further, and, like the ■old Chamber of France, authorise themselves to expel any Peer whom a jury of Lords decide to have been guilty of conduct unworthy of his order ? That would be a cheek on yjce. This, after all, is only a new brand affixed to poverty. Suppose a Bishop had been a shareholder in Qverend, Grurney's] The " South London Press" thus describes the last trick of tho beggars : <' The plan is to run alongside gentlemen, claiming pity and succour on the ground of having just come out of a small-pox hospital, The trick succeeds 5 it is dangerous to have one's clothes contaminated by a person rubbing close, aud refusing to be sent away penniless, a nd a hastily thrown copper is the quickest talisman for'despatching an unpleasant supplicant." Within the last few years Belfast has risen to an eminence for shipbuilding that is only second to the Clyde or Mersey. Master M'Grratb, by his recent victory at the Waterloo Coursing meeting, brings, it is said, to Lord Lurgan, £IOO,OOO A policy of insurance for £6OOO was taken out upon the dog on its departure for Belfast. The Industrial Schools Act is coming into operation more slowly in Ireland than the promoters of the movement were led to expect. Only four Protestant schools of this class have been established in Ireland, while there are twenty-eight Roman Catholic schools. It is reported that a parish priest in county Limerick, up to February 15th, netted the sum of £2OO for marriage fees this Shrovetide. " This fact," says the " Limerick Chronicle," "is most significant of the prosperity of the agricultural class in this country." In Meath, the other night, a gentleman named Keeran, who was driving homewards from Kells, was stopped by four men, who produced a revolver and Bible, and compelled him to swear that he would relinquish all thoughts of taking a certain farm. He was then released. The Magistrates held a meeting on the subject. No arrests have been made.

A desperate riot and affray took place near Kilmogany, county Kilkenny, among a number of men returning from a funeral. Two, named John Wall and Thomas Shea, were very badly beaten with sticks and stozies, the former receiving such severe injuries that his life is believed to be in danger. Four of the rioters were arrested.

It is but a day or two, saya the "Dublin Mail,,' since we heard from alady who hail been visiting in a gentleman's house in Westmeath, who, being a stranger, was somewhat startled at the sight of six policemen drawn up under arms in the hall, as she passed to the dining-room. Upon expressing her surprise, she was informed that those men formed the escort of two or three guests who had come to dinner from their homes in the neighbourhood. The whole party slept in the house, and in the morning, when the guests walked with the ladies for a short time in the grounds near the door, they wero closely attended by their armed guard. These are facts.

A correspondent in the " Dublin Express" writes that the reign of terror is still at its height in the county of Westmeath. A comfortable farmer, residing in the neighbourhood of Kilbeggan, has received a notice that if he does not give up some land which has been in his possession for the last twenty years, he will be shot within a month. It is believed that the letter was written by the son of a former tenant of the land. A poor woman received notice recently that if she did not give up some land to the tenant that had formerly held it, she would be shot. In fear and trembling she requested the landlord to take the farm off her hands, sooner than brave the Ribbon decree. The landlord had done so, promising to return the land to her in course of time, if she deems it prudent to have it back. More than one snug farmer has lately paid black mail sooner than nsk the consequences of refusal. It ] s reported that some gentlemen are to close their establishments, and leave for a place of security, rather than yield to the demands enforced hy means of a widely-spread secret society. The police do their utmost, Mi in the present state of the law th ey are impotent. The will of Mark Lemon has been proved under £BOO. The "Lancet" states that Mr ; jtogbt is so far recovered that he will ; »e able on an early day to resume his parliamentary duties. . Hydrophobia has been so prevalent ft •£? nei R hDou r»ood of Wigan, that 2 la y or of that borough issued an order dirocting all dogs to be confined «>r a month. Two little girls, aged only eight - It ' * rc m custody at Warringtou Jirgcd with housebreaking. One of ™em was Beoil t{) brca]{ fl kitchen ; window and enter the house. A > ictim" wains the public that

there are a number of spurious florins in circulation. Care will ensure detection, though the counterfeit is described as good. Tho London teetotallers contemplate starting an hospital for the "treatment of disease apart from alcoholic medication." Tho experiment was tried with considerable success at the Lying-in Hospital, Endellstreet, a little while ago. The following singular advertisement appeared in the " Manchester Examiner aud Times" :—" A young gentleman in a manufacturing town, being addicted to oversleeping, wishes to meet with a steady man as ' knocker-up.' Attendance from six a.m. to four p.m., except Sunday, when his services will be only required at four p.m." The proposed establishment of a medical school for the medical service of the navy, in conjunction with that already existing for the army, is to bo carried into effect. There is little doubt that the authorities will utilise the Netley institution for that purpose. The " Tablet" confirms the statement that a Catholic Union is being founded in England, under the auspices of the Duke of Norfolk, to promote the interests of the Holy See by all moral means in its power. It is to be composed of laymen, but it will work in strict obedience to the Church.