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A MUNIFICENT BEQUEST - After the funeral of Lord Henry
Seymour (which took place early in the morning of last Saturday, at Père La
Chaise, In his mother’s vault, only attended by Lord Hertford, Vicomte Daru,
and five members of the Jockey
Club), his will Was Opened)
and the hospitals of Paris were found to have inherited a rent-roll equal
to £36,000 sterling per annum. As all this property came through his mother,
the late Marchioness,
England had no claim on it; indeed,
the testator, born In Paris, never set foot, on British soil in his life. Four favourite horses enjoy an annuity and exemption from saddle-work.
THE “GREAT EASTERN” has been densely crowded with visitors this
week. The grand saloon, which had been closed
in consequence of damage done to the furniture by some evil-disposed persons,
being re-opened for inspection. It is stated that no public intimation will be
given as to the exact time of her departure from the Thames,
in order to avoid the inconvenience which might arise from a crowded state of
the river. Mr. J. 0. Lever, M.P., on Wednesday sent in a final proposal to the directors. He
offers to charter the vessel for £20,000, cash down, to coal her both ways, and
to pay the port charges on both sides of
the Atlantic.
THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH CABLE.—Mr. F. C. Webb, an emminent engineer has recently been making a number
of exeriments, with a view to ascertain the present electrical and mechanical
state of the Atlantic cable, and the conclusion at which he has arrived is that
a serious faults exists at about 263 statute miles from Valencia, and that the
cable between that spot and the Irish shore is comparatively perfect. He has
been unable to’ decide absolutely whether the cable is mechanically severed,
but at the same time he thinks there is reason to believe that such is not the
case. He is of opinion that if the fault which exists’ on this side, as well as
that which which is said to have been discovered in Trinity Bay, Newfoundland, could be removed the
insulation would be so far improved as to render the cable again available for signalling.
NOVEL GEOGRAPHICAL
TUTOR. —Mr. Porter, of Cumberland, has
recently convented a level and verdant plain on his estate into a map of the world
of great and singular interest. It really gives learners an expertness in
geography much beyond what they acquire from books and maps. The spot is about
860 yards in length from east to west, and
180 in breadth from north to south. It is enclosed by a wall of dwarf
dimensions. Thirty-six marks are made on it (east and westwards), and eighteen
on the north and south, fixing the degrees of longitude and latitude at ten
degrees, or 600 miles asunder. Four pieces of oak timber are laid down, thirty
feet long and eight inches square, with poles at the distance of three inches,
or five miles from one another, thus making thirty-six inches a degree, and
comprising in ten of them a distance of 600 miles. The scales afford an opportunity
by cross log lines of determining particular towns and cities In the same
manner as we operate with scale and compasses on paper. The continents and
islands are made of turf, the sea is gravel, and the ‘boundary is a border of
box at particular places on this novel ocean of gravel; posts are set up indicating trade winds, currents, &c.
FORESTERS’ FETE AT THE CRYSTAL
PALACE.— On Tuesday
morning some thousands of the followers of “Bold Robin Hood” treated themselves
to an official visit to the Crystal Palace. The extraordinary appearance of the
men as they passed through the streets of London
attracted much
attention. Many of the leaders were dressed in cocked hats. green coats, and stage boots, while many of them
wore on their backs a singular preparation of sheepskin, to indicate that they
were “shepherds,” a title of honour conferred upon those who have passed through the principal offices of
the order, such as “woodwards,” rangers,” &c.
Others who were less extensively decorated carried flags indicating their
respective lodges; and when one procession happened to meet another at a
turning the fraternisation which took place was something wonderful. In order to accommodate the
vast numbers who were expected to visit the Palace the gates were thrown open
as early as half-past eight o’clock, and from that time, during the whole of
the morning, the Foresters flocked in by thousands, special trains having been
started from London-bridge and Pimlico every few minutes, in order that there
might not he an undue crush. Many of the lodges round Camberwcll, Peckham, Norwood,
and the neighbourhood
walked in procession to the Palace. An abundance of out-door amusements were
provided. We have been furnished with the particulars of the viands consumed by
the bold Foresters at this festival. We find that there were 8 tons of meat;
51,314 lb. bread; 310 barrels draught ale and porter; 870 dozen bottled beer;
14,780 quarts tea, coffee, and chocolate; 2470 quarts milk; 46 Cheddar cheeses;
404 lb. fresh butter; 30 lb. salt; 15 cases eggs; 213 lb. mustard; 31,000 buns
at ld. ; 350 ice puddings; 340 dozen various pastry; 500 Crystal Palace
puddings; 8000 ditto cakes; 2340 Bath buns; l and a half tons of fine loaf
sugar; 850 dozen sodawater, gingerade, and lemonade. More than 700 persons were
employed in the refreshment department. As many as 63,181 persons were present,
the largest number, we believe, ever assembled a Sydenham in one day.
THE STRIKE AND LOCK-OUT.—A meeting of the executive committee of the Central
Association of Employers was held on Tuesday. Messrs. Trollope and Sons
reported that their firm had now 127 men at work, the ordinary operatives of
the building trades, all of whom had gone in under the declaration. They
thought they might fairly consider themselves as having resumed work; and, that
being so, they saw no objection to the employers opening their shops at once.
After some discussion on the subject, it was unanimously resolved “That it
would be inexpedient to reopen the shops until the Messrs. Trollope had an
adequate number of men in all the branches of the building trades.” The meeting
then adjourned until next Tuesday.—On Tuesday evening the adjourned meeting of trades delegates, convened last week for the purpose of
considering the present strike and lock-out in the building trade was
held. There was a number of delegates from various
trades present. Mr. Potter secretary to the Conference of United Building
Trades, entered into an explanation of the state of the movement up to
the present time. Several of the delegates followed, speaking of the support of
tbeir trade associations in the nine hours movement,
and strongly condemning the “obnoxious document.” The shoemakers’ delegates
said they were supporting a strike of their own trade at Oldham,
but still they were determined to make a levy for the builders. The secretary
of the engineers said that they proposed to give £1000 towards the movement.
The grant had been agreed to by the executive committee, and only wanted the
sanction of the general body. Other promises of support followed, and the
meeting again adjourned. There were signs of discontent already manifesting
themselves among the men as they began to feel the pinch of poverty. Their
funds appear to be running short, and at the pay-day last week a considerable
deduction was made from the scanty sum previously allowed them; but agents have
been sent down to different parts of the country to collect subscriptions among
their fellow workmen; and the spirits of the men on strike were buoyed up with
the hope that the treasury will be speedily replenished.
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