it reached up to the breast. On the Wilton Road near Nottingham a sad accident occurred. A cart which was conveying passengers along the flooded road started with a freight of about fourteen persons, including two women, one of whom had a child. Having traversed some distance, the driver missed the right path, and the vehicle, with all its occupants, was thrown over the embankment into about twelve feet of water. As soon as possible a boat was manned, and proceeded to the assistance of the persons struggling in the water. About seven of them were rescued, but the remainder, including the two women, were drowned. The flood caused, on the night of the 22nd, an alarming railway accident near Newark. The train leaving Nottingham at halfsix ran off the line about two miles from Rolleston Junction, and about a mile and a quarter from Newark. The rails on the bridge below the Averham weir were bent in through the floods, and the train, after passing in safety, pitched off the rails. The engine and tender toppled over into a field, and lay almost covered in water. The first carriage was smashed, the second stretched across both rails, and others, though still on the line, appeared likely to topple over through the giving way of the embankment. Nevertheless all the passengers escaped serious injury.

NOVEMBER.

1. DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT A PRESTON COTTON MILL.-A fire broke out this afternoon in Messrs. Paul Catterall, Son, and Co.'s cotton mills, Newhall Lane, Rigby Street, Preston. The hands had just returned to work from dinner, when, in the top storey, flames were discovered among the shafting, and spread with alarming rapidity. All the workpeople, numbering about 300, succeded in making their escape uninjured, with the exception of one man, who being unable to force his way through the flames, broke through a skylight and got out upon the roof, and was let down by means of ladders. In a very short time the fire descended to the third storey, and then with a loud crash the roof fell in. The steam fire-engine and the hand-engine of the Preston Fire Brigade, besides engines belonging to other mills in the town, played with great force, but to little purpose, on the mass of flames. A portion of the gable end gave way, as well as the western side of the building, and fell outwards. A cab filled with municipal electors had an exceedingly narrow escape, as it had only just passed when a part of the wall fell. With equal rapidity the flames spread to the second, and thence to the bottom storey, and the attention of the firemen was solely directed to the boiler and weaving sheds which adjoined the mill, and in this they were successful. The mill was built in 1856, employed about 300 hands,

and contained 13,000 throstle spindles and 26,000 mule spindles. The damage was estimated at 30,000l.

2. THE NEW HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE was opened this day at Westminster Hall. The scene gave but little indication to an external observer of the important changes in our system of judicature which from this day come into operation. Crowded as was the old hall, it was not so to any much greater extent than on former anniversaries of Cras Animarum, the legal New Year's day; while the show, which drew together so large a concourse of lawyers, and others interested in the law, differed in no respect from that which has been displayed for many years past at the reopening of the courts after the summer and spring circuits. Shortly after half-past one the Lord Chancellor, in his state robes of black and gold, and preceded by the insignia of his office, the mace and seals, proceeded up Westminster Hall at the head of the judges of Her Majesty's High Court of Justice. Although the distinctions between law and equity have been abolished the customs have not been made uniform; the chief justices and judges of what were formerly known as the Courts of Common Law retaining their time-honoured furred robes and collars of state, while the judges of the Chancery Division were still resplendent in black and gold lace embroidery. It was noted in the Chancery Courts that the word "action" had taken the place of the old equity term "suit," and that the vice-chancellors were no longer addressed by counsel as "your honour," but with the courtesy title of "your lordship," which has so long been used towards the Common Law judges whilst upon the bench.

3. FATAL BOAT ACCIDENT.-A shocking boating accident occurred near Cliveden this morning. A lady and gentleman from London, well known on the river at Maidenhead, engaged a boat at Rose's boathouse, and notwithstanding the swollen and dangerous state of the river, proceeded as far as Cliveden. In returning they took the back stream running behind Boulter's Lock, supposing they could re-enter the river below. Here they met the cross stream, and the boat was upset. For nearly an hour the gentleman struggled to save the lady, but she was carried away at what is known as the Blowhole, and the gentleman himself was with great difficulty rescued by Richard Andrews and Joseph Gill, fishermen, who crossed the river at the imminent peril of their lives.

EXPLOSION IN HIGH HOLBORN.--A terrible explosion took place the same day in High Holborn. Mr. George Gardener, an optician, residing at 244, High Holborn, and another gentleman, were engaged in chemical experiments. Mr. Gardener informed his friend that he had made a mistake, and on pouring some fluid into a large bottle a frightful explosion took place, blowing out the windows and destroying every article of furniture in the room. Assistance was immediately at hand, and Mr. Gardener was discovered lying in one corner of the room insensible.

His clothes were torn to pieces. He was immediately removed to King's College Hospital and attended by the house surgeon, but his injuries were of such a serious character that his recovery was hopeless. His friend escaped with only slight injuries.

4. DISASTROUS SHIPWRECK.-The steamship "Pacific," from Victoria, Vancouver's Island, for San Francisco, with more than a hundred passengers and a crew of fifty-four men, was lost off Cape Flattery, on the coast of North America this night. One sailor was picked up in Fuca Straits nearly dead, who had been floating for thirty-six hours on a piece of wreck. He reported that there were 250 people on board when she was struck. Great confusion prevailed, the passengers crowding each other off the deck and filling the boats against orders. One boat with fifteen women capsized; another, containing the chief mate and eight seamen, got clear. The "Pacific" sank rapidly, leaving on the surface a floating mass of human beings, who soon disappeared.

6. WRECK OF THE "CHARLES DICKENS.". The screw steamer "Charles Dickens," Capt. Knott, from Newcastle, with a cargo of 1,133 tons of coal, stranded at Boulogne this morning, in making the harbour. She struck on the stone prolongation of the east pier, and in the afternoon, while an attempt was being made to get her afloat, she knocked a hole in her bottom, and sank across the entrance of the harbour, effectually closing the port. The South-Eastern accelerated service between London and Paris by way of Folkestone and Boulogne had to be effected via Calais for several days, until the removal of the wreck.

8. RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.-Some disastrous accidents have occurred this week. On the 1st of the month, on the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln line, near Macclesfield, a truck laden with furniture had been placed in the goods station at Bollington, and from some cause unexplained, except that the siding was on a decline, it ran down the, and partly into a, viaduct. The Woodley train came up and smashed it to atoms. The engine-driver was killed, and the stoker and guard slightly injured. The next day on the East Lancashire line, near Bury, there was another bad shunting accident at a crossing. The Salford printers' goods train was signalled to wait, in order to let another train pass, but the signal was not seen; the engine ran on athwart the open switches on to the top of a very steep embankment and over the side--a depth of fourteen yards. The engine was completely turned upside down; some of the waggons rolled partly in the same direction. The driver was crushed to death, and there was great destruction of line and stock. On the 5th, on the Great Western, the third-class train from London to Bath had been delayed for twenty minutes at Chippenham to allow the express to pass. Going on afterwards at a high speed, it dashed full into a goods train from Weymouth. Carriages were upset, "telescoped," smashed, and thrown about. The night was pitch dark and rainy, the train was a full one, and hardly one passenger

escaped injury of some kind. The guard was so crushed that he died next day; the driver was dangerously hurt; another driver and the two firemen were also much hurt. Again on the 8th, at Blackfriars Bridge, on the London, Chatham, and Dover line, the 6.54 train from Moorgate to Victoria, made up as usual of City and West-end trains, had just arrived on the westward half of the railway bridge when the third carriage from the end jumped, broke the couplings, and dashed against the central girder, smashing itself and damaging the carriages behind it. The line was blocked both ways with creditable speed. Twenty-one passengers were taken to St. Bartholomew's Hospital to have their wounds dressed, of whom six were so far injured as to remain there; sixteen others were slightly hurt.

ARRIVAL OF THE PRINCE OF WALES IN INDIA.-We

chronicled last month the journey of His Royal Highness as far as Egypt. On the 26th of October the Prince rejoined the "Serapis at Suez, and proceeded down the Red Sea, reaching Aden on November 1st. Here he was welcomed with every manifestation of delight, not only by the English but by the native Arabs likewise, and after inspecting the troops and fortifications, receiving a deputation of native merchants, and holding a levée at the Residency, he returned to the vessel and continued his voyage. One more week's voyage brought His Royal Highness to Bombay, which he thus reached within three weeks from the day he quitted England. The "Serapis " entered the harbour at a quarter before 9 in the morning, whilst a royal salute was fired from the double line of Her Majesty's ships which had been drawn up, thirteen in number, within it. On leaving the "Serapis" a procession was formed astern of the royal barge by the admirals and captains of the Queen's ships, in their boats. Salutes were fired by the squadron and the shore batteries. All the ships in harbour, 150 to 200 in number, were dressed with flags, and their yards manned, forming a grand spectacle. His Royal Highness, who wore the uniform of a field-marshal, was received on landing by Sir Philip Wodehouse, Governor of Bombay; Lord Napier of Magdala, Commander-in-Chief in India; the Hon. Sir Michael R. Westropp, Chief Justice of Bombay; and other high civil and military officials. Upwards of seventy native princes, chiefs and sirdars, in glittering Oriental costume, were also present. An address of welcome was presented by the Municipality of Bombay, to which the Prince briefly replied. A brilliant procession was then formed, which proceeded at a slow pace towards the Government House. Troops lined the road as far as the native town, from which point the way was kept by the police. The greeting given by the people to His Royal Highness was at once cordial and respectful. The utmost enthusiasm was manifested along the whole line of route, a dense, seething mass of people of all castes occupying every inch of standing room from the ground to the housetops.

It was computed that nearly 200,000 persons came from the Mofussil alone. As the Prince neared certain points the excitement increased, the mob gathering round the carriage and catching the enthusiasm of the Europeans. Nevertheless, excellent order prevailed. His Royal Highness appeared highly gratified with the demonstrations in his honour. The whole city was splendidly decorated.

9. THE PRINCE OF WALES'S BIRTHDAY was kept at Bombay with the most gratifying tokens of personal regard for him and of loyalty to the Queen his mother. All over India salutes of artillery were fired in honour of the day. His Royal Highness held a levée to receive the native Princes-the Rajahs of Kolapore, Mysore, Oodeypore, Kutch, and Baroda, and Sir Salar Jung, with the deputation from the Nizam. The Prince's native visitors were most friendly. The Rajah of Kolapore came in great state. The Prince of Wales said he trusted that the death of the late Rajah would not prevent the Rajah from visiting England. He gladly heard that the Rajah had progressed in education, and said it was a great advantage his being able to converse in English. Next turning to the Chief of Oodey pore, the Prince expressed his regret that he could not visit the capital of that ancient and gallant dynasty, owing to the pressure upon his time. He declared his gratification that the Viceroy would meet the Maharana of Oodeypore. Next came the youthful Guicowar of Baroda, whose career the Prince said he should watch with interest, and urged him to pursue his studies in English and in horsemanship. To all these princes were presented scimitars, jewelled boxes, books, rings, and other valuable gifts, and presents of similar value were given by them in return. At 4 o'clock His Royal Highness visited the Admirals, while the fleet was illuminated and salutes were fired. On landing again he was received by the Viceroy and the Governor, with whom he drove through the streets of the city to see the street illuminations. He afterwards dined at the Governor's mansion, and, in returning thanks when his health was drunk, expressed the pleasure that he felt at his reception in Bombay. He had, he said, always wished to see India; and he should never forget his thirty-fourth birthday, passed in a city of that great empire of the Queen. A dinner was given by the Prince to the crews of the "Serapis" and "Osborne."

In England the Prince's birthday was celebrated with more than the usual enthusiasm. At Sandringham, where information had been received of His Royal Highness's landing and reception at Bombay, the festivities were of a very joyous character, the King and Queen of Denmark and Princess Thyra, together with the English visitors and residents, including all classes, down to the very humblest, taking part in the celebration.

LORD MAYOR'S DAY.-Mr. Alderman J. R. Cotton, M.P., the new Lord Mayor of London, in accordance with time-honoured