donkey bray louder than usual, and on going out saw that the animal had left its stable. The thought then crossed his mind that as his wife regularly went to the stable to feed the donkey, something might have befallen her. He went at once to the stable, where he saw stretched upon the ground the lifeless body of his missing wife. Her face was downwards, and her shoes, bonnet, cap, and apron had evidently been torn off by the donkey. One of her hands had been bitten completely through, and the bones were fractured. Even her stockings were much torn. She had been in the habit of feeding the donkey, but on no occasions during the three years the parties had had the animal had it shown any viciousness. The jury returned a verdict of "Kicked and bitten to death by a donkey."

23. BANQUET TO THE PRINCE IMPERIAL. The Prince Imperial was entertained this evening at mess by the officers of the Royal Artillery stationed at Woolwich. The officers present comprised only those belonging to the regiment and attached to the garrison, space precluding a more general invitation. There were about 150 present, and Major-General D'Aguilar, commandant of the garrison, presided. On returning thanks after his health had been drank, the Prince said: "General D'Aguilar and officers of the Royal Artillery,—I thank you for the kind words I have just heard, and for the hearty manner in which you received the mention of my name. I hope that the officers of this Royal Regiment of Artillery will allow me still to consider myself as belonging to this corps. Thanks to the hospitality of England, I have been enabled to carry on the traditions of my family, which has always been a family of gunners. I have not been able to obtain an education in my own country, but I am proud of having had for companions the sons of the men who have fought with us so bravely on many a field of battle. At all events, I never can forget the two years I have spent in this garrison, or fail to estimate highly the honour of belonging to a corps whose motto is "Ubique quo fas et gloria ducunt."

24. A SNOWSTORM has been experienced in Scotland equalling in severity, in the Edinburgh district at least, that with which the year began. It commenced early in the morning, and continued, with but short intervals, throughout the day.

The greatest quantity of snow appears to have fallen in the counties bordering the Firth of Forth, in the border district, and in Aberdeenshire and the neighbouring part of Banffshire. The Peebles line was blocked between Eddleston and Leadburn, and the Formartine and Buchan, Macduff and Inveramsy, and other branches of the Great North of Scotland Railway, were rendered impassable for some time by heavy snow wreaths. Much more disastrous has been the effect of the gale at sea. A Dunbar fishing-boat was capsized during a squall on Tuesday evening, and the crew, four in number, drowned. Other four fishermen, belonging to Cairnbulg, were drowned off Fraserburg by the

upsetting of their boat. Three small vessels were sunk in the Clyde at Greenock during the gale.

25. THE EXETER KEREDOS.-Judgment was given to-day by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in the longpending litigation respecting the reredos in Exeter Cathedral. At the instance of Archdeacon Phillpotts, who is Chancellor of the diocese of Exeter, Bishop Temple held a court of inquiry into the legality of a handsome new reredos which had been erected in the cathedral; and, with Mr. Justice Keating as his assessor, his lordship pronounced the structure illegal, and ordered its removal. On appeal to the Court of Arches this decision was reversed, and the judgment of Sir Robert Phillimore has now been affirmed by the Judicial Committee. Each side pay their own costs.

-THE "LA PLATA" AND THE "COSPATRICK."--The official inquiries into the loss of these two ill-fated vessels have been concluded. In the case of the "La Plata " Mr. Balguy said that the Court were agreed unanimously that the vessel, on leaving Gravesend, was perfectly strong and seaworthy, that she was not overladen, that her cargo was properly stowed, and the trim was not the actual cause of the loss. He added that there was not the slightest shadow of evidence for the imputation of drunkenness that had been made on the captain and the first engineer, and on the first, second, and third mates. With reference to the other charges, the Court would take time to consider their judgment. They were unanimous in exonerating the captain. In that of the "Cospatrick," the Court are of opinion that some of the crew or emigrants must have got into the forehold to plunder the cargo, and by the use of naked lights or matches must have set fire to some of the inflammable material lying about; and while exonerating the officers from the charge of negligence in not getting the boats more quickly in readiness, they held that all ships carrying passengers should be compelled to exercise their crews regularly at fire and boat stations.

27. THE SHAKER COMMUNITY in Hampshire have left Mr. Herbert's barn at Ashby, and have taken to the open road. Being houseless, they have naturally suffered much during the severe weather which has prevailed. The women and children are living in a tent, but the men have slept in the roads. At night they light fires in a field which they possess, and sleep as best they can while lying around. One of the community, Miss Julia Wood, a lady considerably over seventy, was visited by her nephew, who endeavoured to persuade her to return to her friends, but without success. He consequently obtained an order from the Commissioners of Lunacy for her apprehension as insane, and went, in company with two medical men and a female nurse, to take her in custody. After a long search over the parish of Hordle, Miss Wood was found in a cottage at Bashley, about two miles from the barn. She was pronounced insane by the medical men, who signed the necessary papers for her removal to a lunatic

asylum. Miss Wood was then forcibly put into a carriage and driven off to the Laverstock Asylum. On entering the carriage Miss Wood called on the representatives of the press to bear witness that she was being taken against her will.

FUNERAL OF SIR CHARLES LYELL.-The great geologist, whose death, at the age of 77, took place on the 22nd of this month, was buried to-day in Westminster Abbey. Dean Stanley read the service and the lessons. The Queen's carriage and the Prince of Wales's were among those which followed the hearse, and Mr. Donald Cameron of Lochiel, one of the Grooms-inWaiting, placed upon the coffin at the last moment a memorial wreath of white camellias and hyacinths, to which was affixed a paper with the words, "A mark of esteem from the Queen." Public feeling was much shocked before the interment of the body by the proceeding of the Middlesex coroner, Dr. Hardwicke, who, not having been summoned by the family to hold an inquest on the occasion, insisted some days after Sir Charles's death upon going through that formality, and had the coffin forcibly opened for the purpose; the reason given being that the deceased had met with a fall two months previously, which might have accelerated his death. The subject was brought before Parliament, and the coroner met with a severe rebuke.

MARCH.

2. FIRE AT EDINBURGH.-A serious fire occurred to-day in the first flat of the Advocates' Library, Edinburgh. Just as the cleaners were preparing to leave the premises, flames were seen proceeding from the flue of the furnace used for heating the water which is led through the building. Catching hold of the wood, the fire soon communicated with the books, and before the arrival of the fire brigade of the city a large portion of the library was placed in jeopardy. The flames, however, were soon got under, though not before about 1,000 volumes had been destroyed. These consisted principally of geographical and historical works.

SERIOUS RAILWAY ACCIDENT.-The express train which leaves Lichfield for Birmingham by the London and NorthWestern route at 9.15 a.m. met with an alarming accident the same morning. Whilst turning a curve near Brownhill Station, the driver observed a coal train standing on the line in front of the engine, and at once shut off steam and endeavoured to bring the train to a standstill. At the moment the express was travelling at a high rate of speed, not being timed to stay at Brownhill, and the efforts of the driver to avoid a collision were therefore unavailing. Seeing this the driver and stoker jumped off, thus, in all probability, saving their lives. The engine of the express

and the guard's van of the coal train were smashed to pieces by the force of the collision, and several of the carriages and trucks were greatly damaged and broken. There were about fifty passengers in the train, and as soon as possible they were removed. Some twenty persons were then found to have sustained various injuries more or less severe. Three or four of the passengers were seriously injured and left at Brownhill, the others being either conveyed to Birmingham or taken back to Lichfield. It is stated that one man was thrown forward and his head forced through the panel of the carriage in which he was sitting.

AN ALARMING ACCIDENT happened on the same day at the Jerusalem Chamber, Cowper's Court, about mid-day, when most of the leading merchants of the City had assembled beneath the dome of the building, to the number of about 200. A man who was employed upon some adjoining premises lost his foot-hold, and came with a tremendous crash on to the skylight of the Jerusalem Chamber, sending the glass flying in all directions. He, however, managed to sustain himself by means of his arms, but his position was exceedingly perilous, owing to the slight support offered by the fragile sash. Every one present thought that he must soon fall, but in a moment an old gentleman, nearly eighty, rushed to the rescue, and grasped the labourer by the collar until sufficient assistance arrived to place him on the roof in safety. The man was terribly shaken and frightened, and also sustained some severe cuts from the broken glass, as indeed did several of the gentlemen down below, two or three of whom had to procure medical assistance. Had the man fallen, nothing could have saved him, for the distance from the roof to the ground must be nearly sixty feet. Others, too, would have been killed or severely injured by his descent.

- A COURT-MARTIAL. The members of a general courtmartial, which assembled at Chatham garrison by direction of the Duke of Cambridge, have just passed a more than usually severe sentence on a soldier belonging to the 2nd battalion of the 16th Regiment, named Robert Kelly, with the object of endeavouring to put a stop to the desertions and fraudulent re-enlistments which now prevail to so great an extent in the army. The accused originally belonged to the Royal Artillery, from which he deserted, making away with the whole of his regimental necessaries and uniform. He then re-enlisted at Sunderland in Sept. 1873, in the third subdistrict, having previously falsely declared that he had not served in the army before. Within a few weeks he deserted from the third sub-district, and almost immediately re-enlisted at Middlesborough, selecting this time the Grenadier Guards, again receiving a free outfit, kit, &c. On July 4th last he once more deserted, and on the 7th of the same month enlisted at Chatham for service in the 33rd Brigade Depôt, again falsely declaring that he had never served in the army before. He was, however, a short time since detected as he was again on the

the eve of deserting, and handed over for trial by a general court-martial, by whom he was sentenced to five years' penal servitude, and to be dismissed from Her Majesty' service with ignominy.

3. SHIPWRECKS.-A telegram from Melbourne has informed us of the loss of two Australian steamers. The "Gothenburg" was wrecked on Flinders Island, Port Darwin. She had on board 85 passengers and a crew consisting of 35 men, and 3,000 ozs. of gold. Only four passengers were known to be saved, and three boats full of passengers were adrift. The "Norseman" was wrecked on the Bunker group, but the crew were saved.

MURDER OF MR. MARGARY IN CHINA.-Intelligence has also been received by telegraph of a terrible tragedy in the East. An exploring party was despatched some time since by the Indian Government, under Colonel Horace Browne, to enter SouthWestern China through Burmah. It was joined by Mr. Margary, a civil engineer, of the Chinese Consular service, who was despatched from Pekin to act as Chinese interpreter to the expedition. Letters were received from this gentleman describing his daring journey from Shanghai to the Burmese frontier, a route which had previously been impracticable to Europeans, and stating that he everywhere found the Chinese mandarins civil and the people "charming." He joined the expedition safely at Bhamo, in Burmah, but on the 22nd of February they were attacked at a place called Manwine, in Chinese territory, by several hundred Chinese and natives, and Mr. Margary and five Chinese servants were surrounded and killed.

4. A GAS EXPLOSION occurred this evening at Messrs. Dickinson's, 168, New Bond Street, where "The Roll Call" is being exhibited. An escape of gas being perceived, the manager insisted on the bags containing the gases used for the illumination of Miss Thompson's picture by limelight being removed from the gallery. They were taken into the basement, where shortly afterwards a violent explosion took place. The contractors in charge, being hurt, were removed to St. George's Hospital; their injuries were not found to be dangerous. It was resolved for the future to use ordinary gas when artificial illumination is necessary. No damage whatever was done to "The Roll Call," or to the valuable collection of water-colour drawings exhibited in the gallery.

A DARING ROBBERY was effected on the same day at a jeweller's, Mr. John Neal, Edgware Road, by some expert burglars, who drilled through the iron shutters, and then through a large square of plate glass, and, by means of a hooked instrument, drew through the aperture so formed all the gold chains, rings, and other valuable jewels within their reach. A robbery of the same description has also been committed in Commercial Street, Leeds. About seven o'clock a man went to the shop window of Mr. Smith, jeweller, and breaking a pane of glass with