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otherwise have started. His sole opponents for a stake worth a thousand pounds were Bethnal Green and Stornoway, and consequently he was made a warm favourite, there being no liability to penalties for previous successes in the race now under notice. The Derby favourite was in front throughout the last quarter of a mile of the course, and opposite the stand enclosure was running apparently within himself, while Bethnal Green was under the whip. The jockey of Cremorne, fancying he had his opponent thoroughly beaten, took a strong pull at him when rather too close home, whereupon Bethnal Green got up level, and the rider of the former was compelled to shake his horse up and to set him going again. Answering the call made upon him, Cremorne shot out from his opponent, leaving him as if standing still; whereupon his rider dropped his hands, and the horse won, hard held, by a neck."

The St. Leger, as of yore, proved all-attractive to the Yorkshiremen, who assembled in crowds to witness, not as many of them hoped, another victory for John Scott, but the success of the Newmarket mare. The withdrawal of King of the Forest, who, according to his Ascot running, where he beat Hannah easily, should have been very near winning, and the questionable positions held by Bothwell, Digby Grand, and other animals, deprived the race of the interest which it would have possessed had they all met; but, nevertheless, opinions were divided as to the result, although there could be no doubt that Baron Rothschild's filly bore off the palm for the perfection of condition. On many sides she was objected to as being a comparatively small mare, especially when viewed in juxta-position to such large-framed animals as Albert Victor, Général, Rose of Athol, Bothwell, &c.; but what was wanting in quantity was made up in quality. The race appeared to be run at a very good pace and, although Ringwood looked dangerous at one time, opposite the enclosure, Hannah had the foot of her opponents throughout, and won easily by a length, much as Achievement did. By this running the two-year-old form of last year is confirmed, and, although from various causes in the early part of a season it seems to be utterly reversed, yet it generally re-establishes itself towards the cooler months of the autumn. The time of the race, when compared with that of previous St. Legers, is slow, but this is fully accounted for by the fact that the horses started at the first attempt, close under the rails of the new saddling enclosure, some seventy paces or more beyond the post. Indeed, few spectators believed it was the actual commencement of the race when they saw the competitors wheel into line from following one another in Indian file in the usual procession, and disappear behind the crowd at the apex of the course. On Friday the Cup was run for by a moderate field, and fell, as did the Goodwood and York Cups, to Shannon. How she would have fared had she met Hannah or Favonius, neither of whom was entered, matters not, but with her penalty for winning at Goodwood she had some difficulty in shaking off Barford, who was never before considered a horse of a very high class.

16. VERDERERS' COURT.-For the first time since 1848, a Court of Verderers for Epping Forest was held at the Castle Hotel, Woodford. The stand which has been made against enclosures and encroachments on the forest for some time has resulted in bringing about the revival of this ancient court, which has been long in abeyance; and, the proper number of verderers having been recently completed in consequence of a requisition of the freeholders, a court of "attachment" was called, whereat all forest officers were summoned to attend," as well as such of the freeholders as might have complaints to make in regard to trespass on the rights of the Queen and all her Majesty's subjects, both rich and poor, within this ancient royal forest, who were there to be heard in open court as heretofore." At twelve o'clock, the Verderers, comprising Colonel Palmer, Sir Antonio Brady, Mr. Alderman Thomas White, and Mr. George Edward Wythes, took their seats, and a large number of persons interested were in attendance. When the list of masterkeepers, purlieu-rangers, and under-keepers was called, no one answered to the first-named offices, and it was stated that most, if not all of them, had been long dead, and their places not filled up. To the call for under-keepers, Robert Runding, a hale old man, answered, and advanced to the table amidst laughter and cheers, caused by the fact that at last one out of a long list had responded to his name. He and the other under-keepers tendered presentments to the effect that various lords of the manors had at different times cut down trees, enclosed portions of the forest, and made encroachments; to which Mr. Metcalfe, solicitor to the lords of the manors, replied that these things had been done only by agreement, or purchase of the right. After some discussion, Mr. Tindal Atkinson said that it was now clear what was intended to be done,-namely, to enclose and cut down trees as fast as possible before the Commissioners under the recent Act could frame their scheme; and he called on the Verderers' Court to interfere.

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Colonel Palmer stated that the Court had full powers and would exercise them. The Verderers would consider the "presentments,' view the places mentioned, and give their decision at the next meeting of the Court on October 26th. At the meeting held accordingly on that day, it was decided to refer the presentments to another ancient and nearly obsolete tribunal, the Court of Swanemote. 20. MURDER OF JUSTICE NORMAN.-Mr. Justice Norman, who was acting deputy during the absence of the Lord Chief Justice at Calcutta, was murdered by a native while entering the Town Hall in that city. He had mounted the flight of steps at the entrance, when a man who had been concealed in a doorway sprang out and stabbed him in the back. The Judge turned round and was stabbed a second time in front; either wound would have been fatal, for they were directed with the accurate aim of one who was a master of the art. Mr. Norman died early the following morning. The assassin was immediately arrested. Being a Mahommedan, his act has been ascribed to the fanatical rage of the Wahabi sect, the

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Puritans of Islam, against the British Government, the duty of a holy war for the expulsion of their Christian rulers being constantly preached amongst them. It seems to be the fact, however, that the motive of this crime was mixed with private vengeance, since Ameer Khan, the chief person engaged in it, had been detained in custody, under Mr. Justice Norman's warrant, upon a charge of treason and conspiracy at Patna, and a motion by counsel for his release was negatived by the decision of this Judge. Ameer Khan, with others, had subsequently been convicted, but had appealed for a new trial, pending which he seems to have been let out on bail.

The Hon. John Paxton Norman was the senior puisne barrister judge of the Bengal High Court, and was officiating as Chief Justice on this occasion. He was in his fifty-second year, having been born October 21st, 1819.

SHIPWRECK NEAR BONCHURCH.-During a severe gale which swept the Channel on the night of the 20th, the " Underley," a fine iron ship of 900 tons, which was bound for Melbourne, with thirty emigrant passengers, was driven prow foremost on some rocks between Bonchurch and Luccombe, and stuck fast. Help was despatched at daylight from Ventnor and Shanklin, and all the passengers were saved; but the steward unhappily was drowned in the attempt to swim ashore.

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21. THE ROYAL FAMILY.-The Princess Louise and the Marquis of Lorne arrived at Campbeltown, and were received by the Provost and the civic authorities with a guard of honour formed by the artillery and volunteers. A banquet and great rejoicings followed. The Scotsman says, "" 'among the persons whom the Marquis and Marchioness visited, was Esther of the Caves,' a 'character' who now lives in a castle of her own, as she calls it, situated about two miles northward along the shore from Macharioch. She is a native of Ireland, and has been living in the caves for a great number of years. After the estate of Macharioch came into the possession of the duke, eight years ago, his Grace bestowed a sum of money upon the woman to send her to her own country. She did not, however, remain long there, and when she returned she built what is known as the Castle of Rocks, and styles herself Queen Esther. The Princess and Marquis ordered a large quantity of provisions to be sent to Esther. The Marquis presented the sum of 40l. to the tradesmen who turned out to the procession on Friday."

SECOND EXPLOSION AT THE MOSS PITS.-Early this morning the news of another explosion at the Moss Pits reached Wigan, and, the rumour being that there had been a further loss of life, there was a repetition of the excitement, and the roads were quickly thronged by thousands of persons, who hastened to the scene of the disaster. A visit to the colliery about half-past seven o'clock was repaid by a sight such as has never been witnessed since the getting of coal began. Rising from the mouth of the upmost shaft was a compact volume of dense smoke, which attained so great a height that the tall chimneys of the collieries and iron-works close by

seemed like toys by its side, and which issued from the pits with a tumultuous roar that made the earth for scores of yards round vibrate as though shaken by an earthquake. High in the smoke the headgear was burning fiercely. Occasionally jets of fire shot up from the shaft into the smoke, and at the mouth of the pit a steady blaze showed that what little wood-work remained there was rapidly being consumed. The work of laying the pipes to the various sources of supply was commenced within a very short time of the explosion. The workmen were kept at work until three in the morning, when they left, it being intended that the cessation should be only for a very short time. Three police-officers were left in charge, and shortly before four o'clock they noticed that the smoke appeared to be very much increasing. They walked towards the pit for the purpose of viewing it more distinctly, and had approached within thirty yards of the crane when an immense sheet of flame and a terrific report caused them to turn and run for their lives. How they escaped injury is marvellous, for as they ran across the field they heard débris falling on every side, and when daylight came it was evident that there had been a perfect shower of broken timber and other materials, for it was spread over the ground in all directions. The report was heard many miles away; in villages four or five miles from the pit the houses were shaken. Gradually the great column and cloud of smoke diminished in size, and, comparatively speaking, was small in extent by half-past six o'clock; but an hour later there was another outburst of smoke and flame, which set fire to the headgear and engine-house. The steam fireengine could not be placed nearer than 375 yards to the enginehouse, and at about half-past eight the supports of the headgear gave way, and the massive iron wheels fell with a crash upon the opening of the shaft. They were broken, but not thrown down the pit; but the effect of their lying over the shaft was to reverse the ventilation for a few moments, to cause a body of smoke to issue from the downcast, and to create much terror among the bystanders, who fled in all directions. Up to this time and for many hours afterwards the sight presented by the column of smoke baffles description. The shaft is a very large one, 15 ft. in diameter, and from the mouthing the smoke rose as from a colossal engine, spreading into an enormous cloud, through which the sun could be seen by people many miles away, as through a piece of darkened glass. About nine o'clock another explosion occurred, and it was followed by several others, but none of them of any thing like the same extent.

The question whether the engineers were right in closing the shafts so soon after the first explosion had been fully canvassed among the colliers of the district and the friends of the deceased, and the inquiry into the deaths of those killed by the first explosion was being held when the second occurred. The jury did not assemble very punctually this morning, and the Coroner on their meeting referred to the fresh catastrophe, which had added five or

six more dead bodies to those to be viewed. Arrangements for flooding the pits were immediately commenced, though attended with much difficulty, in consequence of the immense amount of pressure required effectually to meet the force of the smoke at the upcast. But on the 30th the Times reported the quantity of water then entering the downcast shaft to amount from 70,000 to 80,000 gallons per hour, nearly 2,000,000 gallons per day. Some idea of the amount of labour involved in laying on this immense supply may be obtained from the fact that, although the work was commenced immediately after the explosion, and a large staff of men was constantly employed, it was not until late on the night of the 27th that it was completed.

30. CLOSE OF THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF 1871.-There was no closing ceremonial beyond the singing of the National Anthem. The number of visitors was-by season tickets, 1495; on payment of 18., 14,605: total, 16,100. The total number of persons who visited the Exhibition since its opening in May was 1,142,154. In a lecture delivered in the Albert Hall, it was stated that the greatest number of visitors was on Whit Monday, when 21,946 passed the turnstiles, and the smallest on the 18th of August, when there were only 5400. There had not been a single case of wilful injury to pictures, marble, or textile, or any instance of misconduct calling for the intervention of the police. No theft had taken place; and the arrangement which is supposed to have contributed to this gratifying result was the employment of retired policemen as check-takers at all the turnstiles. Looked at from the commercial point of view, the success of the Exhibition was complete. But one accident occurred during the season, when two ladies fell on one of the large staircases; and there was not a single quarrel or assault among the whole million and a quarter of visitors.

OCTOBER.

4. TERRIBLE COLLIERY EXPLOSION.-Another frightful colliery accident occurred at Aberdare, from an explosion of fire-damp in the Gadly coalpit, at six o'clock in the morning. As it took place at so early an hour a great number of the men had not descended the pit; but four men were killed, and three were badly burned. The rumour spread that a hundred lives were lost, and thousands of people hastened to the scene of the explosion. The morning was rather dull and hazy, as on nearly all the days on which past explosions have occurred. It is presumed that such weather retards ventilation, and thereby increases the risk of explosion.

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