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JULY.

8. AN ALARMING PANIC occurred at one of Messrs. Moody and Sankey's concluding services at Camberwell Green Hall. The hall was densely crowded more than an hour before the time appointed for the commencement of the service, but still thousands upon thousands kept arriving only to find the doors closed against them. Mr. Moody commenced the service nearly an hour before time. Suddenly the whole of the immense audience were startled by the place being forced, and by seeing that thousands of people were endeavouring to rush into the building. A great noise of violence and shrieking was heard, and, as a riot was threatened, Mr. Moody told the ushers to depart from the usual rule and allow the people, as many as could, to stand in the aisles. The doors having been opened thousands ran in, and hundreds began to rush up into the galleries. In the meantime a fear had seized some among the many who had crowded into the Inquiry Rooms, which are situated underneath the platform and galleries, lest the crowds of people above should fall down upon them. Many were trying to get outside, but Mr. Moody announced that it was of no use, as there were thousands in the rooms underneath and all round the buildings, and he also said if those underneath would not leave violence must be met by violence. It would be of no use people fainting either, for they could not be got out, so that all must remain where they were. The panic now reached its height. Numbers of women, in spite of all remonstrance, rose to try and get out, and numbers had to be kept in their places by sheer force. Mr. Graham, one of the chief stewards, came to the rostrum, and said that if people would not now keep themselves calm the committee could not be responsible either for the safety of the building or for the persons inside. After about half an hour's delay the overwhelming crowds were got out, and some extra number accommodated, and the service proceeded. No casualty occurred beyond a number of persons fainting. Mr. Moody announced that he was sorry to hear that two ladies who were there the other day were now no more. One dropped dead after having gone out of the hall. A few days later the Americans held their last service in London, and on the 12th the final conference, intended only for the ministers who had assisted them in their labours, was held at Mildmay Park Hall. There were about 700 ministers present, of whom it is said 188 belonged to the Church of England. Mr. Moody and Mr. Sankey gave farewell addresses in which they expressed their thanks to all concerned in their meetings. They are both said to have been very much affected, and Mr. Moody, at the end of his address, quitted the platform suddenly and went away at once, in order to avoid the rush of persons who wished to bid him farewell. The chairman of committee, on behalf of the revivalists, declined a proposal made

to raise subscriptions in order to present them with a testimonial. From a balance sheet subsequently published by the treasurer of the Mission, it appeared that the expenses incurred in the metropolis amounted to 28,3967., whilst the contributions from the public did not exceed 28,2381.

10. ETON AND HARROW CRICKET MATCH.-This annual match, which attracts thousands to Lords', was this year quite spoilt by the unceasing rain. On the first day but one hour's play was possible, and in consequence the match was unfinished when time was called to draw the stumps the following day. The Harrovians, who played a plucky up-hill game, were thus in all probability saved a defeat. Mr. L. Chater, who carried his bat out in both innings, did good service for his side, as also did the Hon. A. Lyttelton, the captain of the Etonians.

11. ACCIDENT AT DRURY LANE THEATRE.-About three o'clock this morning the whole of the entablature surmounting the colonnade on the northern side of Drury Lane Theatre, and extending nearly the entire length of Little Russell Street, fell to the ground with a noise so great that the inhabitants of the houses opposite were startled in their sleep, while their habitations were shaken to their foundations. The entablature was composed of heavy blocks of stone, which fell crashing into the middle of the roadway, blocking up the street, at the ends of which it was necessary to place barriers. It would seem that the constant rains of late must have lessened the cohesion of the materials, and it appears that at the time of the fall a heavy storm of wind and rain prevailed and caused the overhanging cornice to give way, bringing to the ground with it the frieze on which it was supported. On the evening before some hundreds of people were assembled underneath that portion of the colonnade in which the gallery door is situated, and they also reached far into the roadway, so that had the accident happened then the loss of life would have been considerable.

SWIMMING BATH ON THE THAMES. The floating structure of iron, containing a large covered swimming bath, moored in the river just above Charing Cross Railway Bridge, has just been opened for use, without any ceremony. This is the first of a series of floating baths which it is intended to establish at various points, not only along the course of the River Thames through London and elsewhere, but likewise on other rivers wherever such accommodation may be required. The supply of water is obtained from the river. It is let in by suitable cocks, and is passed through a filtering apparatus, which completely removes all mud and other matter that may be in suspension in the water, but still allows the water to retain its natural salts and soft refreshing qualities. Attempts were made to free the bathing water also from the tint pervading it; but it was apprehended that, in effecting this discolorisation, the water would become less pleasant to bathe in. The aeration of the water which takes

place in the process of filtration, and in its discharge from the fountains, frees the water from the chemical impurities which might be expected to be present to some extent in Thames water. The bath, when full, contains about 150,000 gallons of water, and the machinery is capable of filling it in six hours if need be. It is intended, however, that there shall be a continuous stream of fresh water into the bath. The charge for admission to bathe is one shilling.

14. ROBBERIES AT RAILWAY STATIONS.- Thieves have been busy lately on the railway platforms. On the 3rd of this month, when the Earl and Countess Grey were about to leave Waterloo Station on a visit to Admiral Sir F. Grey, at Lynwood, near Sunningdale, their dressing-cases, previously carefully placed on the luggage-tray within the barrier, were found to be missing. Strange to say, although in the custody of the officials, nothing has been heard of them since. Fortunately the dressing-cases did not contain any money or jewellery, so that the thief or thieves were no great gainers by the booty.

On the 6th, a lady arriving by the tidal boat at Folkestone, deposited her jewel case in a saloon carriage which was in waiting. The lady, with her servant, stepped out for a moment, and when she returned it was gone. Superintendent Wilshere, of the borough police, was called upon, and from the information he received, he followed four men whom he believed were engaged in the robbery. These men had driven in a cab to Appledore station, and the superintendent upon his arrival there apprehended them after a determined resistance. They were brought back to Folkestone, and on being searched the whole of the property was found on them. The case contained jewellery of great value, estimated, together with other property and notes found on the men, at upwards of 2,000l. The thieves were subsequently tried and convicted, and sentenced, two of them to five years, and two others, who had been previously convicted for felony, to seven years' penal servitude, with five years' police supervision at the expiration of their sentences.

An extraordinary disappearance of a bag containing jewellery took place at Charing Cross Railway Station on the afternoon of the 14th. A gentleman, who was about to proceed to Reigate, entered the booking-office for the purpose of taking tickets, leaving his luggage in charge of the porters to be labelled, but upon his return he found that a leather bag containing jewellery to the value of about 2007. had disappeared. The most curious feature of the affair is that a detective was standing within a few yards of the luggage the whole time.

- HOUND SHOW AT THE ALEXANDRA PALACE.-The first annual hound show at the Alexandra Palace was opened to-day, but its success was somewhat marred by the weather, a constant downpour of rain materially interfering with the attendance. The exhibition was superior to anything of the kind that has ever

before taken place. There were fifteen classes, and nearly 150 entries. The first three classes were devoted to dog-hounds of twenty-three inches and upwards high. The first prize was awarded to the Duke of Beaufort's Comet, and the second to Wrangler, belonging to the Brocklesby Hunt, the Blackburn Vale hound Mercury being the reserve.

15. THE SULTAN OF ZANZIBAR took his departure from England to-day. The greater part of his last fortnight was occupied in visits to our chief provincial towns; Birmingham, Liverpool, and Manchester received him with due honours, and he examined with great interest their various objects of curiosity, manufacturing and naval. On leaving Messrs. Elkington's silver and electro-plate works at the first-named town, the Sultan observed that the word "Birmingham" reminded him of the Arabic word "Birminham," which meant a "well of them," and that Birmingham appeared to be truly a well of rare and wonderful things. On his return to London His Highness received an address from the Corporation of London at Guildhall, and was entertained by the Lord Mayor at the Mansion House previous to his departure.

Before leaving England the Seyyed forwarded to the Lord Mayor a cheque for 1007., with the expression of his wish that his Lordship would distribute it as he might deem most advisable amongst the charitable institutions in the metropolis. His Highness also forwarded to the Mayor and Town Clerk of Manchester a handsome Arab sword, richly mounted in virgin gold, in recognition of their personal attention to His Highness during his stay. The Mayor of Liverpool received a similar present. A communication was received from Mr. Clemence Hill, of the Foreign Office, who was in attendance on the Sultan, inclosing a cheque for 50%. from His Highness for the Manchester charities.

16. PROPOSED BYRON MEMORIAL.-This day, being the fifty-first anniversary of Lord Byron's funeral, a meeting was held in Willis's Rooms in furtherance of the scheme for raising a fund to provide a national monument to the poet. Mr. Disraeli presided, and among those present were Lord Houghton, Viscount Sidmouth, Earl Stanhope, the Earl of Malmesbury, and Mr. Baillie-Cochrane, M.P. In opening the proceedings, Mr. Disraeli said that in the twelfth year of this century a poem was published by a young man which instantly commanded the sympathies of the nation. There was no instance in literary records of a success so sudden and so lasting. To use his own words, " He awoke one morning to find himself famous." Earl Stanhope moved, and the Earl of Rosslyn seconded, the following resolution, which was carried unanimously:-"That an appeal be made to the public for funds to assist in carrying out the proposition of the Byron Memorial Committee to erect a statue to the memory of the poet in some conspicuous place in the metropolis."

19 THE MARGATE DEAF AND DUMB ASYLUM, a building

just completed, and designed to accommodate 150 children, was opened to-day by the Prince of Wales, who was accompanied by the Princess, and by Prince Waldemar of Denmark. Great preparations had been made to give the Royal party a festive reception at Margate, but the out-of-door part of the programme was sadly spoiled by the persistent rain.

LABOURERS' UNION DEMONSTRATION.-The members of the Labourers' Union had a demonstration of a novel nature to-day. The unionists of several parishes, Etchingham, Hurst Green, Robertsbridge, and Salehurst, numbering between 400 and 500 men, met at 2 P.M., and, each having a blue favour fastened to his breast, marched in procession to Salehurst Church, the Hurst Green village band playing in the rear. All the neighbours and country folks from far and near had come to behold the spectacle, and as the unionists were played into church to the well-known Moody and Sankey tune, "Hold the Fort," there was no little enthusiasm among the spectators. The village church had probably never held so large a congregation before, and many could not find admittance. The incumbent preached a sermon expressly composed for the occasion, which was listened to with great attention, though many of the men are Wesleyans. The preacher, among several commendable commonplaces, warned the men in vigorous language against resorting to strikes. Many of the men had walked a long distance in the heat, and after the service and a few parting Moody and Sankey tunes in the village streets, quietly returned to their homes, without, it is stated, taking anything in the shape of refreshment.

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22. THE SUMMER MANOEUVRES.-In presence of the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, and a brilliant staff, among whom were Sir Richard Airey, Adjutant-General of the Forces, and Sir Charles Ellice, Quartermaster-General, the last sham fight of the summer manœuvres took place to-day at Sandhurst. First Army Corps, under the command of Sir Henry de Bathe, had a total force of 8,973, and the Second Army Corps, under Sir John Douglas, one of 8,673, giving a total of men on the ground of both Army Corps of 17,646. The combat commenced soon after ten, and was kept up with vigour till 12.30, when, the guns still booming away from the hills at a terrific rate, the Duke of Cambridge ordered "cease firing" to be sounded along the whole line. The commanders, umpires, and staff were then assembled and addressed by the Duke for several minutes. It was said that the decision was in favour of Sir John Douglas. Shortly after the termination of hostilities the whole of the troops commenced their homeward march to Aldershot. The campaign had been carried on during the preceding week under very adverse circumstances, owing to the bad weather. The final review took place on the 24th, when nearly 20,000 men, 4,572 horses, and 108 guns paraded before the Commander-in-Chief.

CARRIER PIGEON RACES.-The International and All

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