been rebuilt in 1874, and was a copy of the Gaiety Theatre. The building was insured for 3,000l.

27. THE MASONS' STRIKE.-Mr. Bull, the contractor for the new Law Courts, having been in Germany some time for the purpose of selecting for himself men capable of work, and willing to come to this country to serve him, has been so far successful that he returned to the works yesterday morning with 129 German masons. In each instance the men have signed a contract for twelve months, their pay averaging from 7d. to 9d. the hour.

28. THE ST. GOTHARD RAILWAY.-The German Government has informed the Federal Council at Berne that, subject to the ratification of the German Parliament, it will contribute a further sum of 10,000,000f. towards the cost of constructing the St. Gothard Railway.

--

WILLIAMSON V. BARBOUR.-The great case of "Williamson v. Barbour," in the Rolls Court, terminated on Wednesday, Sir George Jessel deciding in favour of the plaintiffs. Messrs. Williamson & Co., Calcutta merchants, sought to reopen the accounts between them and Messrs. Barbour & Co., of Manchester, for the past twenty years. Messrs. Barbour were their agents, and they alleged that the agents had, while professing only to charge commission, made a great variety of minute profits on purchases, insurances, discounts, packing, &c., to which they were not entitled, and which amounted in the aggregate to more than 100,000l. The defence was that Messrs. Barbour had followed the custom of the trade, which permits such overcharges, and that Messrs. Williamson knew all about them. Sir George Jessel, in a lengthy judgment of extraordinary clearness and vigour, decided that Messrs. Williamson did not know, that no trade custom could override the plain provisions of law and right, and that the accounts must be reopened. It is said that the investigation of the accounts in Chambers will take ten years, after which will come an appeal.

DECEMBER.

3. MOUNT STUART HOUSE, the Marquis of Bute's mansion at Rothesay, was destroyed by fire to-day. The fire burned nearly all day, and when it was put out nothing of the main building was left but the bare walls. A large amount of property was saved, including most of the valuable paintings in the picture gallery, but some of them were damaged. The men of her Majesty's ship "Jackal" assisted in putting out the fire. There were no efficient appliances at hand for that purpose, and it appears that in Rothesay, a town of 9,000 inhabitants, there is no fire-engine. The Marquis and Marchioness were not at home, but were expected to-day, and preparations had been made for their reception.

4. FATAL ACCIDENT.-In Hackney Old Churchyard, a few yards from Mare Street, stands the mortuary chapel of the Rowe family, a somewhat dilapidated stone structure, erected by Sir Henry Rowe, in 1614, on the site of a then ancient chantry attached to the south side of the old church of St. Augustine. Of this building and ground (about 15 feet square) the Marquis of Downshire is now the freeholder by inheritance. It contains some beautiful old monuments and relics of the family. As Miss Godwin, one of the officials of Hackney church, was showing two gentlemen the interior a day or two since, the arch of a vault forming the ground they stood on gave way, and precipitated one of the gentlemen and Miss Godwin into the opening thus made, about 9 feet deep, several large pieces of stone falling upon them. The poor woman died in about twenty minutes after being extricated from the débris. The gentleman was much bruised, but was enabled to proceed to his home after receiving medical attention.

THE TELEPHONE.-Colonel W. H. Reynolds has just concluded a contract with the English Government by which the Post Office Department has adopted the bell telephone as a part of its telegraphic system. In a recent telephonic experiment in connection with the cable, 21 miles long, between Dover and Calais, there was not the slightest failure during a period of two hours. Though three other wires were busy at the same time, every word was heard through the telephone, and individual voices were distinguished.

7. RAILWAY ACCIDENT.-This morning a singular casualty occurred to a goods and passenger train on the Poole branch of the London and South-Western line. The train, which contained a few passengers, was proceeding from Wimborne to Poole, when the axle of a carriage snapped in two, and this caused four carriages to be pitched into the river. Fortunately, the passengers were at the rear of the train, and escaped injury. The carriages were considerably injured, and goods were lost.

CHAINING A WIFE.-An extraordinary case came before the Lindsey Bench of magistrates at Lincoln to-day. A publican named Wheatley, living at Saxilby, was charged by his wife with having, in company with his brother, pounced upon her, seized her, and dragged her upstairs, where she was chained to the wall in her bedroom, and kept there all night and the next day until four o'clock. The woman said they put the chain round her body and fastened her to the wall with the padlock produced. She had just a yard of liberty. The complainant was in bed all the next day from the effects of the treatment. A domestic said she saw

Mrs. Wheatley fastened up; she screamed very much during the night, but witness did not think she suffered much. She called for some one to go to her, but witness could do nothing. Her husband was with her all the time she was chained up. Another servant deposed to seeing her mistress chained up. She was craving to be set at liberty, but witness could not help her.

She

said she was suffering very much, and appeared to witness to be in great pain. The chain was a heavy one. The defendant, in answer to the charge, said his reason for chaining her up was that she had been drinking for some days previous. He chained her up on the advice of the village doctor, who thought the best thing he could do was to secure her properly. The defendant's brother said the complainant was drunk on the sofa; and, at the request of the defendant, he took hold of her arms and the defendant her feet, and in that way they carried her upstairs. Dr. Rainbird said the woman was constantly more or less under the influence of drink, and her husband asked him what he was to do with her. He referred him to the law, but a solicitor told the defendant the law would not assist him, and witness then told him the best plan would be to secure her while she was under the influence of drink, as she did much damage at those times, and had attempted to take her own life. He advised him to use a strap to secure her. After a long consultation the magistrates decided that the charge of assault was proved, but in the circumstances they did not intend to impose any penalty. The magistrates were of opinion that defendant had been mistaken in the power he had over his wife. He had the right to secure her from doing violence to herself, or himself, or to anyone else, but not in the way it was proved he had treated her. The defendant asked how he was to secure her, and the Chairman suggested he should get a woman to help him. The defendant said one woman was of no use. The Chairman said it was a most painful and difficult case. The defendant then paid the costs, 248., and left the court with his wife.

— The late MR. DURHAM, A.R.A.-By the will of the late J. Durham, A.R.A., F.S.A., Mr. Raemaekers, of Pimlico, London, has been left to complete his unfinished works. Mr. Raemaekers, who for the last twenty years has been the friend and associate of the late great sculptor, has received this token of the high esteem in which he held his artistic capabilities. Mr. Raemaekers will be recognised by his works exhibited in the Royal Academy.

66

9. THE EUROPEAN," a fine steamer, built eight years ago in the Clyde, left Algoa Bay early in November last with a crew of 72 hands and 30 passengers. On December 5 the ship was off Ushant taking what was supposed to be the usual course; the weather was hazy, the fog lifting and falling with a light breeze," and the vessel was going at the rate of twelve knots an hour. A little after 8 o'clock in the evening the ship struck heavily upon a reef which, it was subsequently discovered, was the Barre Meur to the westward of Ushant. Immediately before this Ushant light had been sighted, and the captain, perceiving that he had got much closer to the land than he had intended, or than was consistent with the safety of the ship, ordered the engines to be stopped and the helm starboarded. But it was too late. The European had crashed upon a sharp-edged rock, which cut her bottom open. She

began to fill instantly and hopelessly, and nothing remained to be done except to provide for the safety of the passengers and crew. Fortunately, the discipline of the ship had been well maintained; the captain was accustomed to exercise his crew in the boats, and thus there was no confusion when the order to man them was given. The women and children were first placed in safety, then the other passengers, and lastly the officers and men. The greater part of the mails were saved, but the diamonds and ostrich feathers, of which there was a considerable quantity on board, were lost. It happened most luckily that when the boats were launched the sea was smooth, and, after rowing about during the night, all were picked up this day and safely brought to shore by some coasting craft.

10. A ROBBERY has just taken place at Audley End, the seat of Lord Braybrooke. Lady Braybrooke, who was indisposed, had retired to her bedroom before dinner, and her maid had left her asleep about nine o'clock, and had gone downstairs to the housekeeper's room. The family were at the other end of the mansion, having just left the dining-room. Lady Braybrooke was awakened by a noise in the room, and then saw two men, whom she has since described, rifling a dressing-case on a table. With great presence of mind she jumped out of bed and rang the bell. The burglars, much surprised, hurriedly escaped by a ladder which they had procured. Several doors were found to be wedged, and fastened by gimlets, and it was some time before they could be unfastened. Two watches and chains only were missed, but there was valuable jewellery in the room. Lord Braybrooke has offered a reward of 500l. for the detection of the thieves.

- A SERIOUS OUTRAGE has been recently committed upon a puddler named Confery at Attercliffe, a suburb of Sheffield. Confery is employed at the Tinsley Steel and Ironworks, where there has for some time past been a dispute with the puddlers, the masters having insisted upon making a reduction in the rate of wages. The puddlers went out on strike, and Confery and a man named Kelly, with several others, had gone to work at the reduced rate. They were set upon by several of the men on strike, and for safety they ran into a butcher's shop. There they armed themselves with what came nearest to hand, Confery taking up a knife. They were followed by two men, Holland and Cleaver, the former arming himself with a cleaver. In the course of the struggle which ensued, Confery put his hand on a block, whereupon Holland struck his arm with the cleaver, nearly severing his hand from the wrist. Holland, who was a Warrington man, then made off, but Cleaver was taken into custody.

WORKING WOMEN'S HOTEL. The "Working Women's Hotel," at New York, founded by the late Alexander T. Stewart, is almost completed and will soon be opened. It has cost about $2,000,000 to build and furnish it, and that amount is given absolutely to the enterprise; but thus started, it is to be self-sup

porting. There are upwards of 500 private rooms in the hotel, some double rooms of 30 feet by 16 feet, which two women may take, and other single rooms of half that size. A number of reception rooms are provided, in which the residents may entertain their friends. The library is to be fully supplied with newspapers and periodical publications, and there are already 2,500 books upon the shelves. The main dining-room will seat 600 persons at a time. The house is intended to give to women who earn their own livelihood the best rooms, best furniture, best attendance, and best living at a charge for the whole not exceeding $5 per week. A large room is to be used for supplying meals, or selected articles of food, at the lowest possible price, to women who cannot be accommodated with lodging in the house. Mr. Stewart estimated that the hotel ought to make 1,000 working women independent, and 3,000 or 4,000 more nearly so. In the kitchen there is a griddle 7 feet by 13 feet for baking "griddle cakes." The kitchen will be under the superintendence of the great French cook, Edwards. Edwards has been the cook for the Grand Union Hotel at Saratoga for some time. His services have been permanently and exclusively engaged for the Women's Hotel. The great kitchen, under Professor Edwards' charge, has a capacity for cooking food in a thorough, scientific, and French style for 5,000 people. It is stated that Mr. Stewart was a great believer in the deserts of women, and those who ask for proof of it may look upon this vast hotel.

MR. WELSH, the newly appointed American Minister, arrived at Liverpool this morning, and was presented with an address of welcome by the Mayor, as well as with addresses from the American and Liverpool Chambers of Commerce. His Excellency briefly replied, and in the afternoon lunched with the Mayor at the Town Hall. Mr. Welsh reached London on the 12th.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN HORSES.-A new branch of international trade is springing up between America and this country, namely, in carriage and farm horses. The steamer Helvetia, which sailed from New York on November 24 for Liverpool, took out twenty-four American horses, some designed for farm work, but most of them for carriage use. It is only within the last few months that the trade in horses between the United States and England has reached any noteworthy dimensions, the first regular shipment from New York having been made last spring. The horses are not bought in New York city, but are purchased in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, and Western New York, at prices varying from $125 to $200, and more in cases of extra valuable stock. The cost of transporting a horse to Liverpool is from $60 to $75. They sell in this country at from $300 to $400 each, thus affording a fair margin of profit. The horses receive during their voyage four quarts a day of oats, besides soft feed and hay. Their narrow box stalls are bedded with sawdust, and a man is constantly, night and day, in attendance on them.