the deck since the vessel left New York, went to his cabin about twelve o'clock, leaving the second officer in charge. The passengers were all in bed, and everything seemed going on well. About two o'clock on Saturday all were startled from their slumbers by a dreadful crash, which seemed to shake every part of the vessel. Men, women, and children rushed on deck in their night-dresses to see the bows of a large vessel projecting over the deck of the "Ville du Havre," and to hear the rushing of the water into their own illfated vessel. The terror which prevailed among the passengers paralyzed their efforts to save themselves. From the force of the collision the mainmast and mizenmast fell, smashing in their fall the two large boats of the steamer and killing numbers of passengers, and from the rapidity with which the vessel went down the crew were only able to launch the whale-boat and the captain's gig. The most intelligible account of the collision is given by Aleide Lalanze, who was one of the French stewards on board the ill-fate! ship. He says, "The night was clear and starlight, but there was no moon shining. We had our head-sails and topsails set, and were going before the wind at about twelve knots an hour. I went to bed at about half-past nine, and was awoke by the collision. I immediately rushed on deck, saw the 'Lochearn' astern of us, and heard some one call out that we were sinking. I went back to my bunk for the purpose of putting on a pair of pants, and found it already up to my knees in water. On returning to the deck, I went to help get one of the long-boats over the side. The passengers were all rushing backward and forward, some crying, Save me! save me!' while others fell down and prayed. They were all so excited that we could do scarcely anything. I tried to help some of the sailors to get a boat off, but the passengers were all jumping into it and frustrating our efforts. As soon as our ship began to fill she commenced to lean over on the port side. This, I think, accounts for the snapping of the mainmast, which brought down the mizenmast with it. The captain just happened to come out of his room before the collision took place, and as soon as he opened his door he saw the Lochearn's' jibboom over the bulwarks. After going on the bridge, he made every endeavour to keep the people quiet and to get the boats over, but the passengers all seemed so terror-stricken that we could do nothing scarcely. It was fearful to see the women and children running about the deck crying and entreating us to save them. We did all we could for them, but the time was so short that that all was very little. As soon as I saw her going below water, I jumped off the rail astern and swam towards the Lochearn.' The cries of the struggling people behind me I never, never can forget, and I seem to hear them now ringing wildly in my ears. After being in the water a few minutes I got hold of a buoy, which enabled me to keep afloat for nearly an hour, when I was picked up by one of the 'Lochearn's' boats. From what I have heard, I should think the Lochearn' was seen five or six minutes before she struck us." The "Ville du Havre" sank in

about fifteen minutes; but two of her boats, with the boats of the "Lochearn," saved eighty-seven of the persons on board her. They were transferred at noon of the next day to the American ship "Trimountain," Captain Urquhart, which brought them safely to Cardiff. The "Lochearn," on her part, was so much damaged by the collision that it is a wonder how she kept afloat. Her bowsprit was knocked quite out of the keel, and the entire bow of the vessel was shattered, being crushed flat, so that she would have filled and gone down but for a bulkhead 25 feet aft of the stem. In this condition she was unable to sail a mile, but drifted 210 miles, until the 28th, when she was met by another ship, the "British Queen," Captain Marsters, bound from Philadelphia to Antwerp. This was in mid-ocean, 1300 miles from land. The crew and officers, with two passengers, thirty-three in all, were then glad to quit the "Lochearn" and seek refuge on board the "British Queen," which brought them to Plymouth. The "Lochearn" was left to founder at sea. Both the French Government and the Board of Trade in Great Britain instituted official inquiries, to find out who was in fault, and what was the cause of this lamentable affair, which occasioned much distress at New York among the families of the passengers drowned. The result of the inquiries was curious. The English verdict acquitted the "Lochearn" of all blame, while silent about the French ship. At the same time the French decided that the "Ville du Havre" was not in any way in fault, but proceeded to impute the catastrophe to the "Lochearn."

25. SALE OF THE "MURILLO."-This notorious steamer, which last mid-winter ran down the "Northfleet" off Dungeness, and then sought to escape the consequences of the act by steaming away into the darkness, without making an effort to rescue any one amongst the hundreds which the collision sent to a sudden grave, was sold at Lloyd's Captains' Room, Royal Exchange. For the last two months the ill-starred vessel, which was taken possession of in Dover by the marshal's deputy on the 23rd September, has, in custody of officers of the Court, been lying at her moorings in the West India Import Dock. As might have been expected, no proprietary claim has been made upon her, and thus this Glasgow-built boat, only seven years old, 738 tons and 502 register, fitted with the most improved machinery, was brought to the hammer. Notwithstanding the vast number of persons present, there were but few bidders, so that in nine minutes from the time the auctioneer opened the proceedings his hammer declared that Messrs. Salcedo and Co., Spanish merchants, Gracechurch-street, City, were the purchasers of the "Murillo" for the sum of 7050l. One-fourth of the purchase-money was at once placed in the hands of the marshal of the Court, the remainder to be paid up within fourteen days.

30. FAST LIFE. The following curious epistle was written by a young man named George Haymen, who was committed a day or two ago to take his trial from one of the police-courts upon the charge of robbing his employers, a firm in the City, of a large sum

of money, with which he was entrusted to pay into the bankers. The prisoner, it should be stated, is not twenty years old, and in the course of a few days he had squandered 1167. The letter in question was addressed to a young man with whom he was on terms of great intimacy. It was as follows:-" My dear H.,-You will no doubt think me very unkind for not writing to you before, but I do so now to tell you that I have been having a jolly good spree. I have been staying with a jolly nice little woman all the week-in fact, ever since I took my hook. I dare say you all consider me a

fine fellow, but the temptation was too great. I have never been out of London, and I will tell you the whole spree I have had. On the first night to the Oxford, then supper, then home to a regular palace. Saturday, the Oxford in the afternoon, then dinner, then to the Alhambra, then to Scott's to supper. Sunday, made everybody drunk on champagne. Monday, boozing all the morning and afternoon; in the evening, went and took a box at the Oxford, and had two or three ladies-made them all drunk with champagne. We all went to the Argyll Rooms, and then to supper. Tuesday, boozing all day; went to dinner, then to the concert at Covent Garden, then to the Argyll, then to Scott's to supper-all jolly drunk. Wednesday, went for a walk in the morning, in the evening had a box at the Oxford, supper, &c., &c. Thursday, went to Pavilion first, and then to Argyll to have a dance; then, of course, supper, &c., &c. Friday, went to Argyll and Oxford, then supper; and Saturday, to Oxford in the morning, and Alhambra and Argyll in the evening-of course, supper afterwards; then every day have had dinner, &c., served in first-rate style at the house; of course, champagne to further orders. So you see I have not been concealing myself. In fact, I have passed the governor's house several times, and have been living in the next street all the time. Any amount of cabs, you know. I have not walked a single mile all the time. I can tell you I have had a fast time of it, and no kid. I have had the best little woman in London, bar none. She had one of the girls confined here on Saturday-such a lark. I was going to

ask you to come and spend Sunday with us, but thought you would not like to come and see such a scamp. I suppose they are all in a nice stew about me. Do you know what F. and Co. [his employers] intend to do in the matter? but it is a caution to think that I have had my run so long. Remember me to —. I dare say they have a good opinion of me, but I cannot help that. Talk about fast life, if you had been with me for the last week, it would have opened your eyes. What with the Haymarket night-houses, &c., &c., it is a place. You can tell that he will find his ring pledged at Arnold's, in the Broadway. If they had not made such a row about it, I should have got it out, but now he can do it himself. I feel very much obliged to him for the loan. It was all through that ring that I have done what I have done, but by the time you find this you will no doubt hear of my death. Look in the papers carefully for 'Suicide at an Hotel.' I cannot say where

it will be, but somewhere up West. I shall not do it where I have been staying. Give my last and best love to Aunt and Nelly, and tell them they will never see me again alive, and I extremely regret causing them all the trouble I have; but I have always said that I would have a jolly spree before I died, and I have kept my word. God knows I have had a spree, but it is all over. I should like to

see your face again, but all the coin is gone, and I must go too— only spent 1167. on women and wine in ten days. Very moderate, don't you think? I must now conclude with kind respects to all, and love to yourself. Don't forget me, old boy.-Yours for ever, "GEORGE HAYMEN."

THE RAILWAY ACCIDENTS of the month have been as frequent as ever, but there has been no remarkable holocaust.

DECEMBER.

7. THE POLICE AND THE PUBLIC.-During the last few days very serious charges have been brought against the metropolitan police, the result of which amounts to the imputation of a widely-spread system of perjury among certain members of the body. In one instance the victims were a small party of officers who visited the Argyll Rooms one night, and were recklessly charged by the police with assaults, drunkenness, and various offences, which they clearly disproved. Another case was that of Mr. Bell, a barrister, which led to an inquiry before Sir Thomas Henry. Mr. Bell's account was as follows::- "On the 27th of October I had my luncheon at home at about half-past one, and left at about two o'clock for the purpose of going to my chambers at Stone's-buildings, Chancerylane. I was perfectly sober. As I was walking on, when on the steps at Warwick-place, two young men, arm-in-arm, pushed me and laughed out. I saw it was done for the purpose, and walked through the gates, and told them to behave themselves. The stouter one said, 'I will thrash you.' Not accustomed to this behaviour, I raised my umbrella with the intention of striking him, but I thought better of it, and asked him for his name and address, which he refused to give. I then offered my card in exchange. He still refused, and said I was drunk, and had better go home. I looked for the police, and in Bedford-row saw a policeman, and walked towards him. When I reached him, I told him to be good enough to take the names of the young men. The defendant is the policeman. The young men were in sight when I spoke to the constable. He told me I was drunk and causing an obstruction. I told defendant he had no right to say so, and that I was a barrister. I walked slowly on my way, and the constable walked behind me. Some twenty or thirty boys followed me, and echoed the cry that I was drunk. The constable said, 'You know you are drunk.' I said

H

he had no right to turn me out of my way. At the corner of Bedford-row he made a stand and said, 'Will you or will you not go?' I said I would not. He then seized me by my right wrist, and placed it under his arm. Before he laid hold of me numbers were calling out that I was drunk. I said, 'Who charges me?' Defendant said, 'Never mind, you'll find out.' I said, 'Do you charge me on your own responsibility?' He said that did not matter. I took out a card and wrote his number down, E 368. He took me off at the rate of four miles an hour. I was not in good health, and it tired me. At the Foundling I asked him to stop a cab. He said they never took their prisoners in cabs. We went on to Hunter-street. I told him who I was. At the station he let go of me for the first time. He pushed me into a back room, and said the sergeant was not ready to enter the charge against me. The defendant eventually beckoned me into the next room, saying that the charge was ready. I said, 'Very well; I'll go quite quietly,' for I saw he was about to put his hand on me. He said he should

see that I did do so. He laid hold of me by the wrist and collar of my coat. I said, 'Take your hands off; you are exceeding your duty. As he persisted, I said, 'If you don't take your hands off I will throw them off.' He held on, and I, by a sudden twist, threw his hands off, pushed him aside, and stepped into the dock. I said, 'I will do that every time you exceed your duty. I know what your duty is, and what my rights are. Sergeant Clifford was at the desk. He asked me my name and address, &c., which I told him. I gave him my card. The charge was given by the defendant -viz., that I was drunk and disorderly, and caused a crowd to assemble in Bedford-row. The sergeant said, 'Don't you also charge him with assault?' and defendant said that he did, and the charge was entered. I was told to follow the defendant to be locked up. One constable said, 'Where are we to put him?' and the sergeant (Clifford) replied, with a laugh, ‘Oh, in the drunkards' cell.' When I was in the cell, I said, 'You are not going to put any one else in this cell?' and he said 'No.' I had previously asked to be allowed to communicate with my friends, and Clifford said I could send for one of them, but it was not usual to send for more. I said, 'Then please send to Mr. Statham, 50, Woburn-place. He is my doctor.' Clifford replied, 'We never send for doctors.' I said, 'Medical evidence is everything in a charge of drunkenness.' He said, ‘We never send for them unless the prisoner is too drunk to stand, or unconscious. I asked them to send for their own police doctor. He refused to do so. I asked them to send for my friend, Mr. Ellis, of the Chancery bar. I gave the address. Clifford then said, 'You'll have to pay for the cab.' I said, 'Of course; you will send it on directly?' and the sergeant said he would do so. The cell into which I was placed was like some dog kennels I have. There was a thick stench round of a nasty smell which came from the closet. I was visited occasionally by officers. I asked to see the inspector several times. About half-past six o'clock he came to see me. I said, 'Do