the smoke of the stunning volleys which were exchanged by the opposing lines. For a longer period than had occurred in any of the previous stands of the defenders the enemy were held in check; but at last, being again strengthened by reserves brought up in hot haste, they toiled up the steep and slippery hill-side, and gradually, but surely, pressed back the line of the defenders.

By this time a formidable force of their artillery had been brought into battery on the eastern crest of the high ground above Broad Lees-valley, and from this advantageous position they were now playing over the heads of the invaders, and carrying destruction into the ranks of the defenders. The fire of the castle, which had done much to retard the victorious advance of the enemy, now became ominously slacker. The left rushed up the slope, and, covered by a fire from their own artillery, drove the defenders fairly over the sally-ports, and took possession of some of the outworks of the castle. The gallant resistance of the defenders, and the prompt style in which the sally-ports were closed and barricaded, defeated the hope of the enemy that he would be able to enter with his retreating foes. Manning the barbettes above, and bringing every piece of artillery that could be sufficiently depressed to bear upon the enemy, he was soon driven by a combined fire of great guns and musketry out of the works he had occupied, and forced, in disorder, to take refuge in the Broad Lees-valley.

A truce was declared; and rival forces which had been striving for the palm of victory now came together again in peace and goodwill, and, forming columns, marched to the strains of martial music back into the town, where train after train carried back in good time each battalion to its destination.

At night the castle and the ships of war were illuminated with the magnesium light.

-EXECUTION AT MANCHESTER.-The first execution at Manchester under the recent Act was inflicted within the county prison, Strangeways, on Michael Johnson, for the murder of Patrick Nurney, at a beerhouse in Salford. The scaffold was erected in the south wing of the prison, close under the walls of the Assize Courts. There was nothing facing the drop but the high outer wall of the prison, about twenty feet from the scaffold. The convict, with two warders, made his appearance on the scaffold as the prisonbell tolled eight, accompanied by Caleraft, Mr. Wilson, the undersheriff, and the Rev. Mr. Clarkson, Roman Catholic priest. He took his place under the beam with a firm step, repeating audibly and firmly the "Litany of Jesus." After the cap was put over his head, he still continued praying in a loud voice, and never showed the least sign of faltering. Calcraft shook hands with him, the bolt was drawn, and the body fell. It began to struggle violently, but after a few convulsive gasps life appeared to be extinct. The priest continued for some minutes to recite the Litany. The only persons present besides the prison officials, and those above mentioned, were the Rev. William Caine, the Protestant chaplain,

Mr. Thomas Wright, the representatives of the press, and a few other persons. When the drop fell a large black flag was immediately hoisted above the prison, as a signal to the public that the sentence had been fulfilled. There was a crowd outside the gaol, who conducted themselves quietly, and there was a complete absence of any thing resembling the brutal behaviour common at public executions.

31. ROYAL CHRISTENING.-The baptism of his Royal Highness the infant son of the Prince and Princess Christian of SchleswigHolstein was solemnized at one o'clock in the private chapel at Windsor Castle. The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Very Rev. the Dean of Windsor performed the ceremony. The infant Prince received the names of Albert John Charles Frederic Alfred George.

APRIL.

1. DREADFUL COLLIERY EXPLOSION AT WIGAN.-Another dreadful colliery catastrophe, causing the death of thirty-three persons, occurred in the South Lancashire district-an explosion of gas in the fiery Arley Mine, the seam in which so many fatalities have recently happened. At seven o'clock a.m. the usual indications on the pit bank showed that the Highbrooks Colliery, belonging to Messrs. Mercer and Evans, and situated in Park-lane, Ashtonin-Mackerfield, a short distance from the boundary of the borough of Wigan, had "fired," and the news spread with startling rapidity, even for a colliery explosion, throughout the district, so that the pit bank was quickly crowded with the friends and relatives of the men who were employed at the pit. Seventy men worked at the pit; about one-half of these were brought to bank uninjured; some fifteen others were recovered, fearfully burnt or suffering from the effects of the choke-damp, and the remaining twenty were immured in the workings, where a slowly-advancing exploring party discovered their bodies one by one.

A more unfortunate colliery than the Highbrooks does not exist in the neighbourhood. It stands about a mile from the high-road from Ashton to Wigan, at the top of a single line of railway that runs from the central offices. It was here, in 1865, that over a hundred colliers were imprisoned several days by the breakage of the machinery; and here also, in 1866, an explosion occurred by which thirty persons lost their lives. The Highbrooks Colliery consists of two shafts, an upcast and a downcast, both originally sunk to work the Orrell five-feet seam, which is found in the upcast at a distance of 280 yards from the surface. In the downcast, however, it was found that a fault occurred, which

had the effect of throwing the Orrell four-feet, or Arley Mine, which should lie sixty yards below the five-feet, to a point sixty yards above it, or at least 120 feet out of its ordinary position. The winning of this four-feet seam had been a matter of no ordinary difficulty, for, as the work progressed, fault after fault obstructed the progress of the work. The seam, too, so notably a gaseous one, had to be got with the greatest caution, and every means had been adopted which could be suggested to secure the safety of the workmen. All the lamps were locked and examined by the fireman, no collier was allowed to fire a shot unless the fireman had first examined his place and given him permission, and care was taken to secure the services of the most competent men, and underlookers, and their assistants.

The fireman, Richard Gortley, in the morning made his customary examination of the four-feet seam, commencing his examination at four o'clock, and afterwards returning to the piteye to lock the lamps of the colliers when they descended the shaft to their work. Several shots were made ready for firing on the previous evening, and Gortley was asked to superintend the ignition of these as soon as possible. He went to consult with a brother fireman on the pit-bank, and then descended again as soon as possible. He left the pit-eye and proceeded to the southerly part of the workings, for the purpose of examining the places in order to give the necessary sanction to the firing. Immediately after this the explosion occurred, to which Gortley himself fell a victim. The force of the blast was not felt at any great distance; but in the immediate neighbourhood of the southerly workings the stoppings were blown down, and much of the roof was loosened.

Late on the following afternoon the inspection of the mine by Mr. Higson, Mr. Mercer, one of the proprietors, and other gentlemen, was completed. It was ascertained with some degree of certainty that there had been a "fast" or "blown out" shot in the place where a man named Leyland was working; but as this was in a down-brow, it was a spot in which gas was not likely to lurk. No fire-damp was found in the course of the examination, although the usual quantity of air sent into the workings was diminished by nearly one-half, owing to the leakage, from the large quantity of brattice which had to be put up, in order that the searching party might carry the air along with them. Men were at work at the time of the explosion in every "place" in the district, so there was no spot where gas was likely to accumulate.

4. VISIT OF PRINCE ARTHUR TO IRELAND.-Prince Arthur, attended by Colonel Elphinstone, left London for Dublin. His Royal Highness travelled by the five o'clock express train from the Euston terminus of the London and North-western Railway to Holyhead, and crossed to Kingstown Harbour in the Government steam-tender "Vivid." A guard of honour of the Grenadier C

Guards, with their bands, was formed upon the Carlisle-pier. The Prince was received upon his arrival by the Lord-Lieutenant and his staff. Salutes were fired, and the Kingstown Commissioners presented an address. His Royal Highness proceeded by special train to Dublin. At the Westland-row station a guard of honour of the second battalion of the 9th regiment was stationed. The Prince was received upon the platform by the Lord Mayor and Corporation of Dublin. The Lord Mayor presented an address, to which his Royal Highness made a graceful reply. The Prince drove to the Viceregal-lodge, Phoenix-park, escorted by a squadron of the 14th Hussars. His Royal Highness was warmly received by the people along the line of route.

8. ENTHRONEMENT OF THE NEW BISHOP OF LONDON.-The ceremony of enthroning the Right Rev. Dr. John Jackson, late Bishop of Lincoln, appointed to the Bishopric of London in succession to Dr. Tait, now Archbishop of Canterbury, took place with an elaborate ceremony in St. Paul's Cathedral. The new Bishop arrived at the Chapter-house, in St. Paul's-churchyard, at three o'clock, attended by the Rev. F. C. Cook, M.A., Preacher of Lincoln's Inn; the Rev. A. J. Wylde, M.A., Rector of Louth; the Rev. A. Brooke, M.A., Vicar of Holbeach; the Rev. G. L. Hodgkinson, Vicar of Holy Trinity, Gainsborough; the Rev. F. H. Fisher, M.A., of Trinity College, Cambridge; and by Mr. J. B. Lee. The Bishop was met at the Chapter-house by the Dean, the Canons Residentiary, the Prebendaries, the Chancellor of the Diocese, the Commissary of St. Paul's, and the Registrars of the Diocese and of the Dean and Chapter, and several others. The Bishop exhibited the mandate from the Archdeacon of Canterbury, which, being read by the Registrar of the Diocese, the Bishop prayed the Dean to take upon him the execution of the mandate. The Dean accordingly read his decree for the instalment or enthronization of the Bishop to the Bishopric of London, and the Cathedral Church of St. Paul. He then administered to the Bishop the Latin oath. This completed the first part of the ceremony at the Chapter-house. The procession was formed, and made its way to the great door in the following order :-The Apparitor of the Dean and Chapter; the Commissary of St. Paul's or his Surrogate; the Registrar of the Dean and Chapter; the Prebendaries, two by two, the juniors first; the Senior of the three Vergers; the Residentiaries; the Dean's Verger; the Dean; the Bishop's Apparitor; the Bishop, in his episcopal habit; the Chancellor of London; the Registrar of the Diocese; the Bishop's Chaplains, and others in attendance, according to their degrees. Just within the west door the procession was met by the other members of the church, consisting of the vergers; the boys, two by two; the Almoner, or master of the boys; the Vicars-Choral, two by two; the Sub-Dean and Minor Canons, two by two; the Apparitor of the Dean and Chapter; and all then proceeded through the body of the church and choir to the Bishop's throne near the communion-table, singing the processional anthem, "Oh, praise the

Lord" (Goss). The effect was very fine and very impressive. While the singers were taking their places in the choir, and the clergy of the diocese, who wore their black gowns, were moving to the space reserved for them within the communion-rail, the persons in attendance on the Bishop took their places to the right and left of his stall in the choir, behind the singers, and the Bishop himself was led to his throne by the Dean, and took his seat. The Dean then, standing on the steps of the throne, addressed the Bishop in the following terms:-"I, Henry Longueville Mansel, Dean of this Cathedral Church, do, by the authority to me committed, induct, install, and enthrone you, the Right Reverend Father in God, John, by Divine permission Lord Bishop of London, into the bishopric and episcopal dignity of London. The Lord preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth for evermore; and mayest thou remain in justice and sanctity, and adorn the place to you delegated by God. God is powerful; and may He increase your grace!" The Dean conducted the Bishop from his throne to the episcopal stall in the middle of the choir, and went to his own stall. The Bishop fell on his knees and bowed his head in prayer, and the full choir sang the "Te Deum" (Attwood, in F). After the "Te Deum," the Dean and Chapter recited short prayers with responses, called the suffrages; a special prayer was read, and this was followed by the regular evening service of the Church, the prayers being intoned by the Rev. Morgan Cowie, and the lessons read by one of the minor canons, the choir singing the "Cantate Domine" and "Deus Misereatur" (Attwood, in D). Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" followed. The blessing was pronounced by the Bishop-whose voice was heard in the cathedral for the first time-in a very impressive manner. The procession then returned to the Chapter-house, where the different members of the Church promised canonical obedience, and the ceremony came to an end.

12. DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN SOUTHWARK.-A very destructive fire occurred in the night in a most populous part of Southwark. It began in the hop warehouse of Messrs. Frid and Son, in Kentishbuildings, a very narrow passage leading from High-street, Borough, as far as the grounds of Guy's Hospital. The warehouse in which the fire originated was at the extreme end of this passage, and consequently overlooked the hospital grounds. It consisted of five floors, eighty feet long and fifty-five feet wide, which were all filled with hops. Adjoining, and also in Kentish-buildings, were the hop warehouses of Mr. Leake and Messrs. Baker, and the stables of Messrs. Ewin and Mr. Bourner, carmen. From High-street Messrs. Frid's premises were reached by a long, dark way, over which were also hop warehouses. The premises were left about five o'clock in the evening, and when the foreman went away every thing was apparently safe. About a quarter to eleven, however, a watchman in Queen's Head-inn-yard saw a light on the third floor, and he gave information at once to the police, who conveyed it to the nearest station of the Fire Brigade in Southwark-street, from which