The firm is one of the oldest in the West of England, and the manufactory was celebrated for a make of black doeskin cloth. The damage to stock, building, and machinery is estimated at from 7,000l. to 9,000l.

29. EASTER MONDAY was generally observed as a bank holiday, not only in London, but throughout its most distant suburbs. There were nearly 50,000 visitors to the Crystal Palace, 12,603 to the British Museum, 23,174 to the South Kensington Museum, 5,175 to the Royal Horticultural Society's Gardens, and 34,955 to the Zoological Society's Gardens. The numbers were smaller than on last Easter Monday-a fact which is probably due to the occurrence of the holiday so much earlier in the season. At Hampstead Heath, which was visited by many thousands of persons, mostly of the artisan class, a large number of the visitors signed papers protesting against the contemplated erection of a hospital for contagious diseases at Hampstead, stands for that purpose, with pens and ink, being placed at all the entrances to the heath.

The Lord Mayor, the Sheriffs, and others of the Corporation, went in state from the Mansion House to Christ Church, Newgate Street, where the Spital sermon was preached by the Bishop of Ely, who in the evening was one of the guests entertained at the Mansion House. At the Mansion House the usual Easter Monday banquet was given, and upwards of 200 guests assembled.

About 3,000 men took part in the metropolitan volunteer fieldday, which was held on Barnes Common. The forces were divided into two bodies, an attacking and a defending party, the former under the command of Lord Ranelagh, and the latter under Lord Truro. Volunteer operations also took place at Alexandra Park and elsewhere, and there were military manœuvres by regular troops and volunteers at Dover. The Tower Hamlets volunteers spent a pleasant day at Ilford. The 37th Middlesex volunteers marched on the 27th from St. Albans (to which place-they marched on Good Friday) to Hertford, where they attended Divine service on Easter Sunday, marching back to town on Monday.

Besides the gatherings of volunteers in or near London, there was an Easter meeting of artillery corps-namely, the 9th Kent, 1st Surrey, and 2nd Middlesex-at Sheerness for gun practice, and the operations were continued and brought to a close on Monday.

Several thousand persons marched in procession with banners and music to Hyde Park for the purpose of making a demonstration in favour of the claimant. Speeches were delivered by Dr. Kenealy, Mr. Guildford Onslow, and others, and resolutions were passed expressive of the sentiments of the meeting.

HIGHWAY ROBBERY IN THE STRAND.-A very daring robbery was perpetrated in Newcastle Street, Strand, about nine o'clock on the same evening. A gentleman, his brother, and wife had come out of the Olympic Theatre between the acts; they were about to re-enter the theatre, and had reached a badlylighted portion of Newcastle Street, when they were hustled by

three powerful young fellows clad in suits of grey, wearing billycock hats and carrying heavy walking-sticks. On demanding an explanation of such an outrage, the three fellows knocked down the husband, and assaulted both him and his brother with their sticks, striking with such violence as to draw blood. In the struggle they threw the lady with violence to the pavement and robbed her of a valuable gold watch and chain. A large crowd gathered to watch the fray, but abstained from interfering. No policeman was present during its continuance, and the three ruffians made off with their booty in the direction of Stanhope Street. A policeman arriving on the scene in about a minute after the transaction was informed of the matter and gave chase. Two other constables joined in the pursuit, but the fellows succeeded in effecting their escape.

- RAT LABOUR.-The "Telegraphic Journal" states that a mode has been found of utilising the labour of rats. An inspector who had been sent to re-lay some worn-out cable, and who had been foolish enough to pull out his wires without thinking how to get the new ones in, hit on the idea of placing a rat, to which a piece of string had been tied, in the tube, and sending a ferret after him. The contrivance answered admirably, but on being repeated the rat faced about and fought the ferret. The electrician, by twitching the string, however, succeeded in parting the combatants, and the rodent performed for the second time the task required of him.

APRIL.

2. A RUNAWAY TRACTION ENGINE.-An agricultural traction engine became unmanageable and did considerable damage in Stamford to-day. It was left in the High Street by its owner in charge of a man who, contrary to orders, put on steam. The engine rushed down the street at a rapid pace, and from some cause or other the speed did not slacken. A lad at the wheel did his best to steer the engine round a corner into a narrow street with a deep descent. Luckily, one of the wheels struck the doorstep of a jeweller's shop, and so broke the gearing, or the ponderous engine must have gone into a cellar kitchen or have steamed its way through the shop. As it was, every part of the front, the finest in the town, was shivered to splinters. The proprietor, who was in the shop at the time, fortunately escaped with a few slight contusions about the head.

6. MERCHANT TAYLORS' SCHOOL. The installation of this ancient school in their new buildings at the Charterhouse, which include parts of the old Charterhouse School, the gown boys' buildings, and the master's house, took place this day. The Prince of Wales, accompanied by the Princess, the Duke and Duchess of Teck, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, took part in the

ceremony. An address was presented in the lecture theatre to the Prince of Wales, who briefly replied, and declared she school open. A Latin ode was then declaimed by Mr. Shearman, the head monitor of the school, and the Archbishop of Canterbury offered up a prayer and pronounced the benediction. A luncheon was subsequently given in the Assembly Hall.

UNSEAWORTHY SHIPS.-A public meeting, called by the Plimsoll and Seamen's Fund Ladies Committee, was held in Exeter Hall the same day, to consider the Government Merchant Shipping Act Amendment Bill. The chair was occupied by Mr. D. Brown, a shipowner. A procession of seafaring persons and others, with banners, scarves, and a band, marched up the Strand to attend the meeting, which was a very full one. Mr. Morley, M.P., moved the first resolution :-" That having regard to the dreadful and preventible destruction of human life at sea, this meeting strongly insists upon the duty of the Government to secure an efficient and compulsory survey of all unclassed ships, and also a load-line to prevent overloading." This was unanimously carried, as was another resolution, expressing an opinion that means should be adopted for securing the employment of good iron in shipbuilding in future, that deck cargoes ought to be prohibited except under strict limits, and that grain cargoes should be properly secured, or else carried in bags.

7. LAUNCH OF THE " ALEXANDRA."-The ceremony of launching this splendid iron-clad ship was performed to-day at Chatham dockyard by the Princess of Wales, in the presence of her royal husband and a distinguished assemblage, among whom were the Dukes of Edinburgh and Cambridge, the Lords of the Admiralty, and about a hundred members of both houses of Parliament. Their Royal Highnesses took their places in the gallery prepared for them at 25 minutes past 12 o'clock, the two bands in the slip playing alternately "God save the Queen" and the Danish National Anthem. When the party had taken their seats the Archbishop of Canterbury, assisted by the Bishop of Rochester, performed the service set apart for the launching of ships in Her Majesty's navy. It consisted of the 107th Psalm, a special prayer appropriate to the occasion, and other prayers. This short ceremony being over, the preparations for launching were rapidly completed. The Princess of Wales sat at a small table, on which was a pretty toy, as it seemed, of ivory and gold, being the handle of a lever, which, by dropping the shores, would at once set the vessel at liberty. When all was ready the lever was moved by the Princess of Wales, the dog shores released, and the bottle of champagne dashed against the bows of the vessel. There was a slight movement, but the vessel did not go steadily down the slips until a minute afterwards, when the power of a hydraulic ram was used, and then, amid loud cheering, she gradually slid into the water, turned gently round towards Rochester Bridge, and was soon brought up in deep water. The ship thus auspiciously launched has taken the best part of three years to build, and it

will be a considerable period ere she is fit for sea.

She is techni

cally described as a broadside ocean-going ironclad, built for speed and for carrying the maximum weight of armour and armament consistent with the qualities for which she has been specially designed.

10. THE BOYTON LIFE DRESS.-Captain Boyton's successful experiment on the Thames was recorded last month. To-day the gallant American attempted the bolder adventure of crossing the Channel in his ingeniously contrived dress, and though he failed of entire success, owing to the fears of his friends rather than to any want of will on his own part, he went far enough to prove that a man, by the aid of this invention, may keep his head above water, and maintain not only life but strength for many hours when apparently at the mercy of the waves. Clad in his grey suit, and furnished only with a flask of brandy, a fog-horn, a small axe in a sheath, and his canoe paddle, Captain Boyton walked from the Lord Warden to the pier, and at 3.20 a.m. started on his expedition accompanied by the steam-tug "Rambler," the firing of a gun from which stout little craft, with a display of fireworks and the hearty cheering of the spectators on board and on the pier, celebrated his departure from the English coast. He glided into the water, turned on his back, and quickly propelled himself out of Dover harbour with his paddle, progressing feet first as usual. The wind was N.N.E., favourable for his project. Once fairly out in the Channel, he rode over the waves with astonishing ease. Frequently quite half a mile distant from both the "Rambler and the pilot-lugger that also convoyed him, he seemed not to concern himself as to their whereabouts, but paddled serenely on, only sounding a cheery note on his fog-horn when those on board the "Rambler" had completely lost sight of him for a time. Proceeding in an easterly course, he made good progress in the first hour. A little later he called for his sail. What looked like the small mainsail of a miniature yacht was then fixed into a tube fastened to the sole of his boot, and with sail set, he rode more fleetly than ever over the billows, steadying and steering himself with his paddle. The easterly course was persevered in till halfpast six, when he turned with the turn of the tide, and sailed down Channel with the ebb. He had made such good way by a quarter-past seven that two carrier pigeons were sent off for Folkestone with messages announcing his success so far. Cigars and food were administered to the floating man from time to time from the steamer, and on hearing that he was becoming drowsy, his brother, Mr. Boyton, jumped into the boat and went alongside of him. Holding on to the boat, Captain Boyton then took a good rest, had his sail shifted from one foot to the other, and resumed his trying battle with the waves, which were growing more and more turbulent as he approached the Varne ridge. The French pilot entreated that he would come on board, but the captain persevered gallantly in his course, crossed the ridge, and shouted

"All right!" in answer to an inquiry how he felt from the Folkestone steamer as she passed within hail. As it drew towards evening the sea became rougher, and at length at six o'clock the pilot emphatically declared he would not be responsible for Captain Boyton's safety after dark, but would resign all charge of the "Rambler" if he did not come on board. Sorely against his will, therefore, the courageous American at length gave up his undertaking, and climbed on board, warmly cheered by everyone, at ten minutes past six, after being in the water close upon fifteen hours, and covering a distance of quite fifty miles. The point at which he was compelled to give up was subsequently ascertained to be about five or six miles from Cape Grisnez, and ten or twelve miles from Boulogne, at which port he was soon landed amid the cheers of the crowd assembled on the jetty to receive him. Her Majesty the Queen (who, as well as General Schenck, the American minister, had telegraphed to Dover to inquire whether the wind favoured the captain's enterprise) received a telegram the same night announcing the arrival at Boulogne. Next morning there came back a telegram from General Ponsonby, Her Majesty's private secretary, saying that the Queen had learnt the news of his safe arrival at Boulogne with much pleasure, and congratulating him on the success of his expedition.

"

15. THE AMERICAN REVIVALISTS.-After holding their services in the north of London for a month, Messrs. Moody and Sankey entered upon their campaign in the more fashionable quarter by engaging the Haymarket Theatre for their afternoon meetings, which were very numerously attended, the Princess of Wales being on one occasion among the audience. An action was brought by Mr. Leader, as a shareholder in Her Majesty's Opera House, to prevent the theatre from being used for these meetings, but the Master of the Rolls, considering that the arrangement made for that purpose was only temporary, refused to grant the injunction applied for by Mr. Leader, while at the same time he admitted that the plaintiff had established his rights, and consequently awarded him the nominal damages of one shilling, the defendants to pay the costs.

17. THE VOLUNTEERS.-The annual spring muster of the whole of the corps-Artillery, Engineers, and Rifles-constituting the Volunteer force of the City of London, was held this day, and, favoured with beautiful weather, the defile of the troops through the City and West End to Hyde Park was witnessed by an immense number of spectators, who in many of the principal thoroughfares lined both sides of the way. On arrival in Hyde Park, the ground was taken up on the site occupied by the Exhibition of 1851, which was well kept by a few mounted police, and, with little delay, Col. R. Gipps, C. B., Scots Fusilier Guards, who was deputed by the War Office to brigade the troops, got the force in line of columns facing the park-the Artillery and Engineers being on the right and 2nd London on the left of the