a screw steamer from Newcastle, laden with coals, was run down off Beachy Head by a German barque, about midnight. The captain and four of the crew jumped on board the latter vessel and thus escaped, but the German captain, it is stated, refused to go to the assistance of the six men who remained on board the sinking vessel, and they consequently went down with her. CASE OF DROWNING NEAR OXFORD.--A melancholy accident took place this afternoon near Oxford. A student named John Frederick Rowlands was in a skiff, accompanied by a friend in a canoc. When they reached Eynsham it was found that the canoe had got damaged on the way and was unsafe. Rowlands therefore landed to arrange for the canoe to be towed by the skiff In the meantime the canoe began to sink, and seeing his friend in danger of sinking with it, he plunged in to save him. His friend remembers seeing him do this, but became unconscious immediately afterwards, and when he recovered his senses he found himself lying on the bank, but could see no trace of the deceased. He summoned assistance at once, but the body was not found until next morning. Rowlands was but an indifferent swimmer, and moreover was encumbered with a thick woollen jersey, boating jacket, &c. At the coroner's inquest a verdict was returned that deceased accidentally met with his death by drowning, whilst endeavouring to save his companion. JUNE. ALEXANDRA PARK RACES.-The Alexandra Park summer meeting opened to-day under circumstances even more auspicious than those which favoured the great popular demonstration of Whit Monday, for improved railway arrangements now gave an additional stimulus to the visitors, who were tempted by the glorious weather, and the reputation of one of the most respectable racing events of the season, to make their way to Muswell Hill. They went in crowds, mixed of course, but remarkable for the absence of the rowdy" element, thanks to the stringent regulations of the company. At an early hour this morning the company, both by rail and road, commenced pouring into the beautiful park, and when racing commenced there could not have been fewer than 70,000 persons present, the slopes from the palace to the racecourse being fairly crammed with anxious sightseers, while the rails for half a mile were lined with conveyances of every description. The Park Nursery Stakes were won by Water Lily, and the Grand Stand handicap by Chandos; but the award was objected to on the ground that the horse was entered as a four-year old instead of a five-year old, and the prize was accordingly transferred to his competitor Speedwell. There was not much betting either on this or the subsequent day. 4. UNDERGROUND FIRE AT WESTMINSTER.-An explosion of gas has occurred in the sewer opposite the Houses of Parliament and the new St. Stephen's Club. For some days past an escape of gas had been noticed, and the necessary order having been obtained from the Metropolitan Board of Works to break the road and find out the leak, labourers were at work digging down to the pipes, when a tremendous explosion occurred, which cracked the roadway and pavement, and greatly alarmed the passers by. Immediately afterwards a huge volume of flame issued from the sewer grating, showing that the gas had escaped into the sewer, and that the fire was raging there. Information was at once sent to the fire brigade, as the Westminster station of the Metropolitan District Railway and St. Stephen's Club seemed in danger. The flames came through the gratings, and rose to the height of twelve or fourteen feet above the roadway. 6. WRECK OF A STEAMER AND LOSS OF TEN LIVES.-The steamer "Southport," of Preston, while voyaging from Preston to Sicily, encountered a dense fog. The engines were just kept going, and the best possible look-out maintained, but at one o'clock in the morning they ran on a reef, bows foremost. The waves immediately broke over the vessel, sweeping everything from the deck. The captain instantly ordered out the boats, but they were carried away by the sea while being lowered, and the cook and engineer were washed overboard, but the latter was washed back again. Two hours afterwards the steamer parted amidships, the stern sinking in deep water. The crew clung to the bow for an hour, when it slid off the reef, and they were left struggling in the water in total darkness, ignorant even of the direction of land. Three clung to portions of wreckage and were washed about for several hours. Two were washed away, but the third caught a life-buoy and swam ashore, having been six hours in the water. He found another who had just previously reached shore on a plank. Fishermen discovered them, and took them forty miles on to Corunna. The steamer belonged to the Blackpool and Southport Steam Packet Company. 9. VISIT OF THE SULTAN OF ZANZIBAR.-We are becoming well accustomed to receive royal visitors from the most distant regions of civilization. The Czar of Russia, the Turkish Sultan, the Shah of Persia, have all come to see the sights of England, and to become themselves the sight" that attracted the greatest crowds of English people. This year, what have been generally considered the bounds of civilization, whether ancient or modern, have been passed, and the visitor who landed to-day on our shores is His Highness Seyyed Barghash bin Saed, the Sultan of Zanzibar. The Seyyed, with Naser bin Saed (Prime Minister), accompanied by Dr. Kirk (Her Majesty's Consul-General at Zanzibar), Hamed bin Sulieman, Hamood bin Mohammed, Mohammed bin Hamed, Mohammed bin Sulieman (Councillors of State), Tharia Topan, an Indian friend of the Sultan, representing the commercial interests of Zanzibar, two clerks, a priest of the second class, and twelve negro servants arrived in the "Canara" at Gravesend at about half-past nine in the morning, and thence proceeded up the river in a steamer sent by the Government to meet him. On arriving at Westminster the landing was made at the steps on the west side of the bridge. Sir Bartle Frere was the first to welcome His Highness, and the Seyyed was formally received by Mr. Bourke, M.P., Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and other Foreign Office officials. Many members of Parliament and other distinguished persons were present on the terrace, and the proceedings were watched by a throng of persons upon Westminster Bridge. Formal salutations having been exchanged, Mr. Bourke said: "I have been desired by Lord Derby to welcome His Highness to England in the name of Her Majesty's Government. Her Majesty's Government are anxious that his visit shall be one agreeable to himself, and it is the wish of Her Majesty's Government that His Highness should see those things in England which most interest and please him. Her Majesty's Government have appointed Dr. Kirk, Mr. Bourke, and Mr. Hill to be in attendance on His Royal Highness during his stay in this country; and if His Royal Highness will have the goodness to signify to Dr. Kirk his wishes, Her Majesty's Government will endeavour to carry them out to the best of their ability." Dr. Kirk acted the part of interpreter to this speech, which the Sultan duly acknowledged. His Highness was then led from the steamer by Mr. Bourke, and, followed by his suite, ascended the steps. The band played "God save the Queen,” and the crowd cheered slightly. The Sultan, who, with his followers, is a strict Mohammedan, wore a turban, a waist-sash, a long flowing robe of silk beautifully embroidered, the jamvie or dagger, and the scimitar. The party having entered the carriages which were provided for them, they started at a slow rate, followed by the guard of honour, while the crowd brought up the rear. The route was by way of Pall Mall, St. James's Street, and Piccadilly, to the Alexandra Hotel, Hyde Park Corner, which had been selected by the Government for the residence of their guest, his wish being to be treated not with royal state, but as a private gentleman. The object of the Seyyed's visit is primarily to make himself acquainted as far as he can during the short period of one month with the laws and social life of England. 9. COMMEMORATION DAY AT OXFORD.- The noisy conduct of the undergraduates for some years past on the occasion of this annual festival has caused the authorities this year to hold the ceremony not, as formerly, in the Sheldonian Theatre, before a crowd of young students, but in the Divinity School, before a small and select company. Shortly after eleven o'clock the procession from the Vice-Chancellor's house arrived, and the Vice-Chancellor opened a Convocation, at which the names of the distinguished persons on whom it was proposed to confer the degree of D.C.L. D honoris causâ were submitted to the house and approved. Dr. James Bryce, Regius Professor of Civil Law, then introduced them in the following order, in an appropriate Latin speech, in which he recounted their various services and claims to the honorary distinction :-The Dean of St. Paul's, Sir Geo. F. Bowen, Sir John Lubbock, Bart., Mr. Justice Groves, Capt. Douglas Galton, Mr. Charles T. Newton, M.A., Mr. Edward B. Tylor, F.R.S. The proceedings were unusually tame, very few undergraduates being present, and but little applause greeted the recipients of the degree. The Principal of Hertford College then delivered the Creweian Oration, after which the successful competitors for the Commemoration prizes delivered their compositions, and the procession went out, as it had entered, in silence. In the afternoon the Freemasons' fête took place, and a ball at Christ Church in the evening brought the festivities to a close. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM.-One of the heaviest thunderstorms which have occurred for many years broke over North Hants and West Berks soon after mid-day. The lightning was unusually vivid, and the peals of thunder loud in the extreme. One flash of forked lightning was especially remarked, and in several places the results were serious. Two hunters, valued at 400 guineas, belonging to Mr. Harris, of Longparish House, near Andover, were killed while standing in the park. At Prosperous Farm, Shalborne, near Hungerford, the lightning set on fire a straw rick, and the farm buildings, &c. narrowly escaped destruction. At other places in that part of the country sheep were killed, and in all directions trees were shattered to splinters. A large quantity of rain fell, deluging many dwellings, and the hailstones were of great size. Fortunately no loss of human life has been reported. Near Poole in Dorsetshire the lightning struck a farmhouse adjoining, which was a one-storey building used as a beerhouse, known as the "Grasshopper." Grasshopper." Three horses and a waggon were standing in front of the beerhouse at the time, the driver having taken shelter indoors. The animals were knocked down by the lightning, and two of them got up apparently unhurt, but the leading horse was so much shaken that it appeared at first to have been killed. It soon rallied, however, and being turned into an adjacent field recovered in the course of the morning. The farmhouse, which was a thatched building, standing about twenty yards from the turnpike road, was within a few minutes in flames. One of the farmer's sons, a powerful-looking man, was also struck by the lightning and paralysed for several minutes, after which he recovered the use of his limbs. A messenger on horseback was sent to Poole for assistance; and Capt. Stone, Superintendent Scott, and others, proceeded to the spot with the quay fire engine. On arriving there they found there was no chance of saving the building, and the only service they could render was to endeavour to protect the adjoining premises. They were unable to do very much, owing to the scarcity of water. A number of men working in the locality soon collected on the spot, and, rendering willing help, prevented the flames from extending beyond the house, which was within an hour completely burnt down, the walls only remaining. Very little of the furniture could be got out, owing to the inmates of the house being so affected by the shock, and to the rapidity with which the fire extended. 10. THE ASCOT RACES. Magnificent racing, tolerable weather, and a great and exceptionally fashionable attendance, combined to make the Gold Cup day at Ascot one of the most splendid successes of recent years. Although slight rain fell at intervals, it simply tempered the heat, and assisted in suppressing the dust which the excessive drought of the past week had made pretty plentiful. The Royal party, headed by the Prince and Princess of Wales, were present both on the 8th, the opening day, and on the 10th; and on the latter day our new visitor, the Seyyed of Zanzibar, was also among the spectators. Barghash ben Saïd comes of a horse-loving family, and he admired the English horses, though he patriotically said that Arabs would ride them better than our jockeys. The most important race of the first day was the Prince of Wales's Stakes for 3-year olds, and was won by Mr. Savile's Earl of Dartray. The Royal Hunt Cup, value 300 sovs., was run for the next day, and was won by Mr. Joseph Dawson's Thuringian Prince. The running for the great event of the week was as follows:: The GOLD CUP, value 500 sovs. 27 subs. About two miles and a half. Mr. Merry's ch. h. Doncaster, by Stockwell-Marigold, 5 yrs., 9 st. 3 lb. Lord Ailesbury's b. f. Aventurière, 4 yrs., 8 st. 7 lb. (Chaloner) 3 5 BOAT ACCIDENT.--A melancholy accident occurred to a boating party off Herne Bay this afternoon. Captain Henry Geary Hill (late of the Royal Artillery), his wife, two of their children, Miss Helen Hill (sister of the captain), and Mr. Arthur Collard had hired an ordinary pleasure boat carrying a lug sail. The boatman in charge of the craft went with them for a short distance, but it was thought by Mr. Collard, who had had some experience on the water, that his services were not required, and taking to another boat he returned to the shore. The party then proceeded on their trip sailing straight out to sea, and when about a mile and a quarter from the land the wind changed suddenly from south-east to south-west, a squall ensued, a gust of wind caught the sail and turned the boat over, the occupants being thrown into the water. The accident was witnessed from the shore by some boatmen, who immediately rowed out to render assistance, arriving at the spot within seven or eight minutes of the occurrence By them Mr. Collard was rescued; and one of |