even the poorest among them would sacrifice his independence by accepting the relief of the poor-law guardians; and, contrary to general expectation, the strike has made no appreciable difference in the burdens of the ratepayers. On the other hand, this position has been maintained by a large proportion of the men at the expense of a heavy discount of their credit. Shopkeepers' accounts are in arrear; rents are in arrear-indeed, it may be taken as a rule that no rent has been paid by the majority of the men since the strike began. I know that it is the case with those who live in the companies' cottages-no application has been made to them for rent and the majority of cottage-owners tell the same story. Of course, these arrears will have to be liquidated, but it will be a work of time, and for many months-in some cases, where there are heavy families to support, it will be two or three years-the strike will leave its burdensome legacy. The struggle, however, has been fought out with admirable temper on both sides. The masters have shown no rigour towards those whose distress they might easily have aggravated; and the men, on the other hand, have been throughout distinguished by their respectful attitude towards their employers. If there were no other feature in the contest, this alone would make it memorable. It has closed amidst general rejoicing, and the impression exists everywhere, among all classes, that it will be many years hence before the district is visited by another such commercial disaster."

29. THE OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE BOAT RACE.-Never was there a more glorious day than this for the Inter-University Boat Race, which year by year seems to grow in public favour; and the contrast between the brilliant sun and summer warmth of that day and the sleet and snow which prevailed last year was extraordinary even in our uncertain climate. The attendance was, of course, enormous, and it is scarcely an exaggeration to say that half London lined the banks of the Thames from Putney to Mortlake. As the time for the start approached, Cambridge rose rapidly in popular favour, and on board some of the steamboats as much as three to one was laid on her chance. Precisely at 2.20 p.m. Oxford paddled down to the Aqueduct, and, having won the toss, took up the position on the Middlesex side. On such a beautifully still day there was little or no advantage in having the choice; for, though Oxford gained about a length, yet Cambridge had the full strength of the tide, which made matters about equal. The "light blues" were only a few minutes behind their rivals, and were received with tremendous cheering. Everything being in readiness, the eights took up their positions at the two watermen's skiffs, which were moored higher up than usual; and Mr. Searle, who always acts as starter, having received no answer to his question, "Are you ready?" said "Go!" and the race began.

The start was perfectly level, yet though the Cambridge stroke was only rowing thirty-eight to the minute, while Dowding was setting his men forty, the favourites had a lead of a quarter of a

length before reaching the Creek. Cambridge now dropped to a fine, steady thirty-seven to the minute, and yet fully maintained her advantage; indeed, in making the shoot below the Soapworks her lead had increased to nearly a length. In spite of every effort on the part of the Oxonians, this advantage was maintained to Hammersmith bridge, which was reached in the very quick time of 7 min. 26 sec. Here it was clear that nothing but an accident could prevent the success of Cambridge, and as much as ten to one was offered on her. Just off the "Doves," Dowding called on his men for a spurt, and, rowing forty-two to the minute, they picked up some of their lost ground; but it was an expiring effort, and the Cantabs, who were only rowing thirty-six, drew rapidly away again. The race was now over, for the leaders passed through Barnes railway bridge fully two lengths to the good, two or three of the Oxford crew being completely rowed out at this point, and finally won by three lengths. The time was 19 min. 35 sec., by far the fastest on record; so the sliding seats, which were used for the first time in this race, must be pronounced a complete success, and will doubtless be universally adopted.

We append the names and weights of both crews:—

1. THE WRECK OF THE "ATLANTIC."-This terrible disaster, attended with a far greater loss of life than even the sinking of the "Northfleet" at Dungeness, was made known to us by submarine telegraph a few hours after it happened, which was at two o'clock on the morning of the 1st. It took place on the coast of Nova Scotia, fifteen miles from Halifax, the ship running on the promontory of Meagher's Head, at the entrance to Prospect Harbour, then rolling into deep water and sinking in a few minutes. The cause was, beyond question, an error in reckoning the distance run, and the course and position of the ship, with the mistake of one lighthouse for another. The ship's boats were not used, but some of the men scrambled ashore over the rigging; 442 persons were saved, while about 560 perished, including all the women and children.

The "Atlantic" was one of the White Star line of screw steamships from Liverpool to New York, represented by Messrs. Islay, Imrie, and Co., of Liverpool. She was built, two or three years ago, by Messrs. Harland and Wolff, of Belfast. Her dimensions were-420 ft. long between perpendiculars, 437 ft. over all, 41 ft. extreme beam, and 32 ft. depth of hold, with a registered burden of 3707 tons. She carried four iron tubular masts, three of them square-rigged, besides large fore-and-aft canvas. Her engines were of 600 nominal horse-power; the compound high-pressure engines, with cylinders of 41 in. diameter, the low-pressure, with 78 in. cylinders. There were ten boilers, with twenty furnaces, for the driving engines, and a separate boiler for the donkey-engines and steam-winches. The structure of the hull was very strong, with five bulkheads, extending from the keelson up to the main deck, and forming six watertight compartments, and with three arched decks of iron, which gave both lateral and longitudinal rigidity. The ship was provided with powerful pumps, to be worked either by steam or by hand, and with six steam-winches and a steam-windlass for raising the anchor, lifting the hatches, or hoisting the sails; she had the patent steering apparatus near the bridge. Her accommodation for 1000 passengers, cabin and steerage, was extremely comfortable, and every provision of a mechanical nature seems to have been made for the safest and easiest navigation of the ship. There were ten large life-boats, with a crew appointed to each from the men on board employed in four departments, the sailing, engine, victualling, and fire department, with precise rules and a weekly drill for manning the boats. The commander was Captain James A. Williams, who was formerly commodore of the Guion Line, but has been in the service of the White Star Company almost from its formation, about two years ago. He had been second and first officer, and went out with the "Republic" on her first voyage, when he was seriously injured in the accident which occurred to the boats of that steamer. This was his second voyage in the "Atlantic." The cost of the "Atlantic" was about 120,0007.; but, from the advance in the price of iron and wages, it would cost 150,000l. to replace her. The cargo is roughly valued at 50,000l. The owners are insured; but, as they are to some extent their own underwriters, they will suffer a considerable loss.

The "Atlantic" left the Mersey on Thursday, the 20th ult., with several hundred passengers for New York, and called next day at Queenstown, where 250 more embarked. There were 32 saloon and 615 steerage passengers on board, the latter being 448 males and 167 females. Of these 198 were adult English males, 74 females, 21 male children, 16 female children, and 12 infants; there were 7 Scotch male and 4 female adults; 33 Irish male adults, 18 females, and 3 male children; 150 male adult foreigners, 32 females, 14 male and 16 female children, and 7 infants. The officers and crew numbered 143. From Queenstown the captain, engineers, and purser despatched letters home to the owners. Each of these letters,

The engines

it so happened, was more than usually satisfactory. were reported to be working well, the coals were described as proving better than some previous supplies with which the company had been served, and the purser reported everything to be satisfactory in connexion with the passengers. The news of the arrival of the vessel at New York was expected on the very day when she was wrecked near Halifax. It had not been intended that she should go to Halifax at all. The reason why Captain Williams made for Halifax is stated by himself to have been that on the Monday a storm was threatening, and the stock of coal on board was only 127 tons. But it appears that when the steamer left the Mersey she had a supply of no less than 967 tons. The estimated average consumption was sixty tons a day, or 744 tons for the passage to New York, and the "Atlantic," having left on March 20 and struck on April 1, would have burned, according to that estimate, about 700 tons, leaving her still with a supply of 267. The quantity she had on starting was over the average supply by at least 200 tons, and it was the intention to send her out upon her next voyage with only 800 tons.

The night of the accident was dark, and the sea rough. The ship struck at two o'clock in the morning, on the Meagher rock, near Prospect, west of Sambro. She struck several times, alarming the officers and crew, who rushed on deck. The officers endeavoured to clear away the boats with axes, but only one had been launched when the steamer fell over on her beam ends, sinking, and carrying down the boat, and all in it were drowned. A portion of the rigging remained above water, in which all those who were able took refuge. Mr. Brady, with two quartermasters, unrove the halyards, and, swimming with them to the rock, contrived to get a line to the shore. Some escaped by this means, but the rising tide made their situation perilous, and daylight appearing, fishermen put off in boats, and rescued them as fast as the rough sea permitted, as well as others from the rigging.

The first connected account received of the occurrence was that of the third officer, Mr. Brady, who arrived at Halifax on the Tuesday night. The chief and fourth officers (he says) came on watch at midnight. Mr. Brady then turned in, and the captain went below, leaving orders that he was to be called if any change occurred in the position of the ship. About two a.m., Mr. Brady stated he was thrown from his berth by the ship striking with great violence. The shock was repeated several times. When he got on deck, he found a crowd of passengers already there, and the captain and officers were getting out the boats. Mr. Brady took an axe, cleared away the starboard lifeboat, put two women into it, and got in himself. A number of men rushed forward to do the same; but he kept off the crowd by force, and only twelve men succeeded in getting into the boat. Just then the ship fell over on her beamends, and immediately sank, leaving only her bow and masts above water. Mr. Brady's boat, the only one that could be launched, was

carried down with her, and all the passengers in it were drowned. Some hundreds were then on deck, most of whom were instantly swept away. The cries for help were heartrending. So sudden, however, was the catastrophe, that most of the persons on board— and there were nearly 1000-went down in their berths; and many probably did not awake until they found themselves drowning through the ship having struck. Five distinct times Mr. Brady got into the mizen rigging, thence clambered forward, and with the assistance of Quartermasters Speakman and Owen, unrove halyards, and swam to the rock with a line. The surviving passengers were crowded on the bows, and clinging to the rigging. Some of the more adventurous made their way to the rock by the line; but the situation there was one of great peril, as the tide was rising. The fishermen, however, came to the rescue; and by Tuesday at noon all the survivors had been got ashore at Cape Prospect, except the chief officer, Mr. Frith, who was in the rigging shouting for assistance. Mr. Brady says that he tried to get a boat to go to him, but the sea was so high that nobody would

venture.

Some of the passengers got into the life-boats, and the davit-falls were cut away to allow the boats to float clear; but a sea broke on board and washed away the greater part of the passengers who were in the boats, and stove in the boats themselves. Numbers were drowned going from the ship to the rock, and from the rock to the shore, by the life-lines, the cold being so intense they could not retain their hold. The rock, too, was slippery, being covered with seaweed. It was difficult to keep a position on it, and impossible to help others.

Several persons died on the rock from exhaustion; others became maniacs, foamed at the mouth, and chattered like children. The captain reports that the first boats from shore came to the relief of the survivors about six o'clock, and took off those who were clinging to the ship and rigging. Afterwards those on the rock were taken off. Many passengers and the purser died in the rigging.

The excitement throughout the States was intense when the catastrophe became known, and the American papers were full of accounts both of the accident itself, and of the reception and hospitality extended to such of the passengers as escaped. Wreckage and plunder were cruelly abundant.

The official investigation into the causes of the disaster was commenced at Halifax on April 6; while the conviction that the large loss of life, so universally deplored, had been caused by gross neglect or incompetency was gradually strengthening. No inquiry was made in this country.

The following statement was made by Captain Williams:-"We sailed from Liverpool, March 20. During the first part of the passage we had favourable weather and easterly winds. On the 24th, 25th, and 26th, experienced heavy south-west and westerly gales, which brought the ship down to 118 miles a day. On