Roman Catholics, bearing the insignia of the Corporation, and took their seats in the pew specially reserved for them. A number of aldermen and town councillors also came in their robes. Shortly before eleven o'clock, the Lord-Lieutenant and Lady Wodehouse arrived. His Excellency wore the collar and badge of the Order of St. Patrick. There is a pew set apart for the Lord-Lieutenant, fronting the Archbishop's throne, on the left of the altar. When his Excellency and the other distinguished visitors had been seated, a procession of the clergy and choristers was formed at the western door of the cathedral, and proceeded to the places assigned them. After the service of morning prayer had been performed, the Archbishop of Dublin preached a striking sermon appropriate to the occasion. In the evening another service took place, the cathedral being again crowded in every part.

28. LAMENTABLE ACCIDENT BY DROWNING IN THE THAMES.-In the Thames, near Erith, a disastrous accident occurred by which ten cadets of the Worcester training-ship lost their lives, and many others incurred extreme danger. Three boats, manned by cadets from the above ship, were proceeding up the river, bound for the Southern Outfall Sewer works. They were going to inspect these works, under the charge of boatswain Cashman, boatswain's-mate Cook, and a man named Locke. There were twentytwo boys in each boat; but while wearing round to reach the Sewer Works' Pier, a boy in Cashman's boat let fall his cap overboard. Immediately the sheet was let loose, that the boat might "heave to" and recover it. Instantly a dozen hands stretched out to grasp the floating cap, when the boat canted over deeply to that side, and a puff of wind coming on at the same time she capsized. Cashman and the twenty-two boys were thus suddenly cast into the river to struggle for life. Several of the boys sank at once, clutching each other; but many others struck out manfully, urged on by the boatswain, who himself seized several of them and took them to the boat, which floated lightly, having little or no ballast in. Unhappily, however, too much weight on one side pulled the boat over again, and all of the poor lads were again sent floating down the river. Cashman again struck out, and saved two of them who were just sinking, whom Locke took up in his boat. Meanwhile Cook's boat came up under sail, and throwing out its oars, was the means of rescuing five more. Cashman again essayed to try his strength, but while endeavouring to get his jacket off nearly lost his life, for no less than five boys were clinging to him at the time. One noble little fellow caught hold of his sleeve and pulled the jacket off. The boy sank immediately in consequence of the exertion, but Cashman, getting clear of the rest, dived after him, dragging him to the surface by the hair of his head. It was too late, however; he had wrought the service he did at the cost of his life, and was quite dead when the boatswain brought him up. A brave lad, named Beckwith, who had been saved by Cashman, then leaped over, and succeeded in saving two;

and another little hero, by the name of Denton, also saved other two; but, in his endeavour to rescue a third, sank to rise no more, with three or four clinging to him. They who had been saved from a watery grave were taken ashore as soon as possible. Two medical men who happened to be there, and Dr. Tipple, of Erith, at once took charge of them. The greatest kindness was shown to the sufferers by Mr. Webster and Mr. Houghton, of the works, into whose offices they were conveyed; and it is worthy of note that the navvies took off their own clothing to wrap round the half-drowned boys. These rough men were most kind and persevering in their efforts to restore animation, assisting to rub the patients, and displaying a delicacy and tenderness, which will be remembered with admiration by those who witnessed as well as those who experienced it. The boatswain, Cashman, was so exhausted when he stepped ashore, that he fell on his face in the mud. The names of the missing are as hereunder :-Erington Ord Denton, 14; Hayter Bessemer Wanostrocht, 13; Henry Barber, 16; Alfred Henry Manders, 14; William Powell Stanton, 14; Walter John Strickland, 13; James Waller, 13; Charles Rupert Johnstone, 16; Jos. Ward Leigh, 16; and John Newman Harrison, 14, the last one seized by Cashman. The boat was a powerful and strongly-built vessel, having a beam of 6 ft. 7 in. with a length of 28 ft. It was constructed to carry twelve oars. That it should have gone over so easily, is a remarkable fact. Captain Whitty of the "Worcester," was seriously affected in health by the intelligence of this disaster, which spread great grief in the neighbourhood. An inquest on Henry Newman Harrison, one of the nine cadets downed, was held at the Pier Hotel, Erith, before Mr. Carttar. A good deal of evidence was taken, which entirely corroborated the account of the accident. The jury, without retiring, gave a unanimous verdict "that Mr. Newman Harrison died by accidental drowning by the upsetting of a boat." Mr. Henry Green, and several of the Worcester committee, with Mr. Bullivant, were present, and it was explained that every effort had been made to recover the bodies. In admiration of the gallant conduct displayed on the occasion by John Cashman, the boatswain, who rescued several of the cadets from drowning, a silver medal was awarded him by the London Swimming Club.

MARCH.

4. THE DISPUTE IN THE IRON TRADE.-SEVENTY THOUSAND MEN THROWN OUT OF EMPLOYMENT.-The struggle that had been going on for years in the iron trade, at length reached a crisis in one of the boldest measures ever adopted by the employers of labour. On Saturday night (the 4th) the South Staffordshire Ironworks were closed, on the understanding that they should not be again opened till the North Staffordshire men had returned to work. There are 3000 furnaces in South Staffordshire. They were at work on the Saturday, but were all cold the next morning. 6000 puddlers were employed at them, and for each puddler there was an assistant, and for every puddler and every assistant there was a labourer. There were coal wheelers, boat loaders and unloaders, horse drivers, and labourers employed in many other capacities in connexion with the ironworks. There were also 3500 millmen. Very soon after the stopping of the ironworks a great number of colliers would necessarily be thrown out of work. On the whole it was estimated that 34,000 or 35,000 persons would be thrown out of employment in South Staffordshire alone, and 40,000l. a week that used to be distributed in wages would no longer circulate amongst the families of the poor. In the event of the lock-out being persevered in all over the country, in accordance with the compact which the iron-masters had entered into with each other, 70,000 men would be thrown out of employment, and above 200,000 persons deprived of the means of subsistence. Nearly 100,000l. a week that used to be paid in wages would be thus diverted from the labouring classes of the iron districts of the country, and circulate in some other channel.

GREAT ROBBERY IN THE CITY.-A very daring robbery was committed at a house in Birchin-lane, one of the busiest thoroughfares in the city, connecting Cornhill with Lombard-street, and in the immediate vicinity of the Royal Exchange and the Bank of England. The premises in question, No. 6, consist of a shop on the ground floor, with offices above, all of which have a common entrance from the street. The first floor is occupied by Mr. Lyons, a stock and share broker, the second by Mr. Crane, an agent for the sale of fire-arms, and the third is at present unoccupied. No one sleeps upon the premises, and the occupant of the shop, being the last to leave in the evening, closes them for the night. There is reason to believe that the shopkeeper himself unknowingly locked in the thieves who afterwards ransacked the place and escaped with the spoil. It so happened that Mr. Lyons, on the night in question, before leaving his office for the

day, took from an iron safe in it the money and securities for money which he had there, and deposited them with his bankers; but he left in it a cashbox, which, however, contained only a few documents of value to himself. That being so, he thought he would at once leave the safe-door open, for otherwise, in the event of the house being robbed, the thieves might spoil his safe by forcing or attempting to force it open. Failing to pick the lock of his office-door, the thieves had cut away the jamb into which the bolt shot, and had then prised the door open with a crowbar. They wrenched open a drawer in the same way, but without finding in it any thing of value, and they took from an open drawer a quantity of postage-stamps. Of course, they soon discovered the cashbox in the unlocked safe, and that they forced violently open, leaving it afterwards bulged and broken in a room above. They were more successful in the apartments on the second floor, in the occupation of Mr. Crane, which were stored with a choice selection of small arms, especially revolvers, in which he trades, in the capacity of an agent. Having forced an entrance by cutting away the bearings of the lock and prising open the door, they carried off about 50 revolvers, some of them worth five and six guineas each, and of the value in all, of 1307. On the night in question the premises were closed for the night at seven o'clock, and the robbery would appear to have been effected in little more than an hour afterwards, for two of the pistols stolen from the rooms of Mr. Crane were pledged about nine o'clock the same evening at the shop of a pawnbroker in the Borough.

7. RAILWAY ACCIDENT-DEATH OF MR. SENIOR.-A melancholy accident destroyed the life of Mr. Edward Senior, one of the Irish Poor Law Commissioners. It occurred near the residence of the deceased, Ashtoun-lodge, Phoenix-park, about two and a half miles from Dublin. About five o'clock in the afternoon, the mail train from Galway was coming at its usual rate of speed, when Mr. Senior presented himself at the gate where there is a crossing, and wished to pass over before the train came up. The railway policeman on duty, Giles M'Bane, refused permission till the train had passed. But the deceased, unfortunately, insisted on passing, directed the policeman to stand back, and pushed through the gate. He was struck down by the engine, and dragged about thirty yards along the line. He was found quite dead, and the body fearfully mutilated. Mr. Senior was highly esteemed. He was fifty-eight years of age.

An inquest was held by Mr. Davis, the Coroner, on the body of the unfortunate gentleman. The jury proceeded to view the remains, which presented an appearance extremely shocking. The body was literally cut into fragments. After being dragged about thirty yards by the engine, which caught his clothes, he appears to have fallen obliquely upon the rails, in which position the wheels passed over him, severing the body from the right loin to the left side of the head. The only portions found complete were

the upper part of the head and the right leg. The remains were collected, placed in a sheet, and brought to his residence. Some fragments were found the next morning scattered about on the line. Dr. Mapother, Medical Officer of Health, deposed that-"He had seen the body of the deceased. Found it completely severed above the abdomen, the viscera being scattered about. The left leg was divided from the trunk and lacerated in many places. There were several fractures of the skull, from which the brain protruded. Considering the nature of the injuries, death must have resulted instantaneously. The lower part of the face, the entire chest, and other portions of the trunk were destroyed."

It appears that Mr. Senior was in the habit of walking home from his office through the park. At the Ashtown-gate level crossing, there is a policeman always on duty to shut the gate when a train is approaching. It was stated that the deceased was frequently remonstrated with for crossing when a train was in sight, and he wrote to the directors complaining of the obstructions he met from their servant, saying, that, being warned, he accepted the responsibility of passing, and desired not to be annoyed. On this occasion he was earnestly warned, but he persisted, and had reached the middle of the second line of rails, on which the mail train from Galway was approaching at a rapid rate. He miscalculated, and perished awfully as the consequence of his own temerity. The jury returned a verdict of "accidental death," in accordance with the evidence.

10. GREAT BANK FAILURE IN BIRMINGHAM.-The town of Birmingham was thrown into great consternation by the announcement that the old banking house of Attwood, Spooner, and Co. had stopped payment. The deposits amounted to over 700,0007., the current credit balances to more than 300,0007., and the note circulation to 26,3957., so that the liabilities were more than 1,000,000. Some time previously the bank had entered into an arrangement for an amalgamation with the Joint Stock Bank (limited). The arrangement had received the assent of that proprietary. It was the investigation incident to this transfer which hastened the occurrence of to-day.

Simultaneously with the closing of the bank the following announcement appeared from the firm :

"It is with feelings of the deepest concern and distress we announce that we are compelled to suspend payment, and this is at the moment when, after several months of negotiation, we had confidently trusted we should obtain such assistance as would enable us to carry into effect our part in the preliminary agreement for the amalgamation with the Birmingham Joint Stock Bank. In this hope we have been disappointed. Sums of money to a large amount were drawn out of the bank some years since by the family of the Attwoods. To this circumstance it can be clearly shown at the proper time our failure is to be attributed. For the last ten years every effort has been made to redeem the