and to the British Museum about 14,000. About four o'clock in the afternoon 10,210 persons had passed into the Bethnal Green Museum, and two hours earlier the visitors at the National Gallery were between 6000 and 7000. More than 43,000 holiday-keepers went to the Crystal Palace, and 10,450 visited the Brighton Aquarium.

It is universally admitted that on no previous Easter Monday has so large a number of the inhabitants of the metropolis kept holiday, and that there was but little disorderly conduct or intemperance to be seen in the streets, which were thronged with the homeward-bound holiday-makers until a late hour at night.

In the evening the theatres were crowded.

In the absence of the usual Easter Monday Volunteer Review at Brighton or Portsmouth, most of the metropolitan corps had a field-day in different localities at a short distance from London.

15. TRIAL OF THE "DEVASTATION."-To-day, what may be termed the final preliminary trial of H.M.S. "Devastation" took place off Portsmouth, the vessel being submitted to the crucial test, so far as her machinery is concerned, of the six hours' continuous steaming trial, at high speed, which always precedes the active service afloat of a ship in commission. The "Devastation," which is one of a class including also the "Thunderer" and the "Fury," owes her origin to a decision of Mr. Childers, when First Lord of the Admiralty, to add to our naval strength by building vessels which should, according to the existing state of knowledge of guns and armour-plating, represent the best line fighting ship. It being totally a new type of vessel, more than usual interest and anxiety were felt in her at the Admiralty, and therefore while she was in progress the aid was invoked of more than one committee. One of these was appointed to inquire and report upon designs for ships of war generally, and it came to the conclusion that the "Devastation," in all her important features, worthily represented the first-class fighting ironclad of the immediate future. The "Devastation's " dimensions are as follows:-Freeboard, from the stem to the fore end of the broadside superstructure, about 68 ft., 9 ft. 3 in. Height of armour-plating above the water-line, 6 in.; freeboard amidships, over length topped by the broadside superstructure, about 180 ft., 11 ft. 6 in.; height of armour above the load water-line, 4 ft. 2 in.; freeboard aft of superstructure to the stern, 5 ft. 6 in.; height of armour above water-line, 4 ft. 6 in. The depth of armoured band amidships below the water-line is 5 ft., but less at the fore and after ends. The after-turret's gunports are in height above the load water-line 13 ft. 2 in., and those of the fore-turret 4 in. higher. The hurricane deck is 23 ft. 4 in. above the load waterline; the iron derrick masthead is 56 ft. above the hurricane deck; and the signal pole, or topmast, 47 ft. above the masthead. There are quadruple engines, of 800 nominal horse-power, to work up to 5600 horse-power on trial. They drive a pair of screws, each set working and driving its screw independently of the other.

The result of the trial was voted most satisfactory.

RELEASE OF THE GAS-STOKERS.-The five men, convicted four months back at the Central Criminal Court for their share in the strike of Beckton gas-stokers, were released this morning from the county gaol at Maidstone, the event being made the subject of great demonstration in the town. At nine o'clock precisely the prison doors were opened and the men marched amid tremendous cheering from the immense crowd which had congregated in the large space immediately fronting the gaol. An open pleasure van was in attendance, in which the released men took their seats and traversed the streets. Members of the London and Maidstone Trades Councils accompanied the men from the prison to the Sun Inn, Highstreet, an enormous body of people bringing up the rear. At this house a public breakfast was prepared at ten o'clock, and a large number of persons sat down to the repast. Mr. Potter presided, the five stokers being seated at his right hand. Messrs. Odger, Guile, and others were also present.

22. A GRAND FANCY-DRESS BALL was given by the Lady Mayoress at the Mansion House. The company, about 600 in number, and including many persons of distinction, began to arrive about nine o'clock, and kept pouring in until far towards midnight. The Lord Mayor assumed the character of Louis Quatorze on the occasion, and the Lady Mayoress that of his Queen. Twenty members of their family, all in appropriate costume, formed a court, and joined in the reception of the company; while twelve gentlemen, all attired as jesters, acted as masters of the ceremonies. It was an indispensable rule that all the invited guests should appear in fancy dress, and no masks or dominoes were permitted.

SUICIDE OF EARL DELAWARR.-Late on the evening of the 21st Lord Delawarr arrived at the Bull Hotel, Cambridge, and after supper retired to rest. On Tuesday (this) morning his lordship rose early and left the hotel without taking breakfast, and did not return. His absence excited no suspicion at first, but after a time a letter, addressed by his lordship to the steward of his estates at Bourn, was found on the table of the sitting-room which he had occupied. This, being forwarded and opened, was found to contain a notification that his lordship had left the hotel with the intention of committing suicide by drowning, and that his body would be discovered in the water nearest to the Bull Hotel. Active search was made during Wednesday, but in vain. The Rev. Reginald Windsor West, second Baron Buckhurst, brother and heir presumptive to Earl Delawarr, arrived in Cambridge on Wednesday evening, and on Thursday morning the search for the body was resumed in the waters of the Cam for several hours without success. At about halfpast nine o'clock a hat was found, but could not be identified as having belonged to his lordship. The further prosecution of the search resulted in the recovery of the body soon after ten o'clock, in the Cam, by the men engaged in dragging the river, near the old ladder at Sweep's Green bathing-place, at Newnham, a short distance up the stream from Cambridge, and about half a mile from the

Bull Hotel. It was conveyed to a house in the neighbourhood, to await an inquest, which was held at Cambridge, and at which it appeared that Lord Delawarr's mind had been affected by the death of a woman who had lived under his protection, and to whom he had been much attached. The verdict was " Temporary insanity."

23. GREAT FIRE AT DOCKHEAD.-At an early hour this morning a tremendous conflagration broke out at the East-end of London, in the locality of Dockhead and Shad Thames. The fire originated on the premises of Messrs. Peek and Frean. It appears that shortly after two o'clock smoke was observed issuing from the windows of the building, which covers a large piece of ground close to the South-Eastern and Brighton Railways, at Bermondsey. An alarm was raised, and in a few minutes several engines arrived. The flames spread with great rapidity, and the reflection could be seen for many miles round. The firemen went to work in an admirable manner, but the flames took possession of floor after floor, and all hopes were soon given up of saving the building. The flames next ignited the roof, and attacked the different premises adjoining; and at this time it was. feared the whole of the buildings near those of Messrs. Peek and Frean would be consumed, but by about four o'clock the firemen had succeeded in stopping the spread of the fire. One estimate makes the probable loss 100,000Z.

27. GREAT FIRE IN MANCHESTER.-One of the largest fires which have occurred in Manchester since the destruction of the London and North-Western Goods Station, took place at the carriage works of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company, Miles Platting. The premises are situated in the midst of a densely-populated district. The building is of immense length, and three stories high, and for many years has been used for the manufacture of locomotives, carriages, &c. At the time of the outbreak of the fire about twenty locomotives, a large number of carriages, and an immense quantity of timber were stored on the premises; several locomotives were also stationed in the yard adjoining. The fire is said to have originated in a boiler-house contiguous to the works. The fact that the floors of the building were saturated with oil used in the manufacture of carriages caused the flames to spread with alarming rapidity, and the heat to become so intense as to set fire to some adjoining cottages and a small mill. Forty locomotives and 130 carriages were entirely destroyed, and the fire was not completely extinguished till nearly midnight. The company have issued a statement to the effect that after a careful estimate the damage is estimated to be about 80,0007.

29. EARTHQUAKE.-A sharp shock was felt at Doncaster, at a few seconds after half-past two o'clock. Many dwelling-houses and other buildings were shaken to their foundations, and people rushed out into the streets to learn the cause. Persons who were sitting at the time of the occurrence are said to have been jerked forward, or to have been thrown bodily off their seats. Furniture was displaced in upper rooms, and many tradesmen had their goods in their

shops disturbed. One gentleman galloped to the Great Northern plant works, thinking that an explosion had happened. The weather was fine but cold during the day.

30. THE TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS was won by Mr. W. S. Crawfurd's Gang Forward, beating the favourite, Mr. H. Saville's Kaiser, by a head. From the dip the race was reduced to a match between the two.

MAY.

8. A RAILWAY ACCIDENT occurred near Shrewsbury, on the joint line of the London and North-Western and Great Western line from Shrewsbury to Newport, Monmouthshire, to the train due in Shrewsbury at 11.25, which had just passed the Condover station, about five miles from the latter town. Being a fast train it was running at high speed, when the axle of the engine broke, close to one of the fore wheels, which staved in, throwing five carriages and two break-vans off the line into a field about five or six feet below the level of the line. The first carriage was turned upon its side, the second was thrown completely over upon its top, the wheels and heavy framework crushing the unfortunate inmates, four of whom were killed upon the spot, three gentlemen and a lady, the head of the latter being completely smashed, almost entirely covering the roof of the compartment with blood. A third carriage, a composite one, was made a dreadful wreck, being broken into splinters, there being no form of the body left, and the wheels were almost embedded in the earth. The remaining carriages rested in a leaning position on the bank, excepting one nearest to the engine and tender, all of which remained on the rails. Fortunately there were comparatively few passengers in the train, or the disaster must have been much more terrible. The rails were ploughed up for a considerable distance before the actual upset took place. Besides those killed on the spot, two or three others were so seriously injured that they are not expected to live.

10. MR. BRIGHT AND REPUBLICANISM.-At a convention of political societies favourable to Republicanism, held at Birmingham, the following letter from Mr. Bright was read:

"Ballater, N.B., May 9, 1873.

"DEAR SIR, I thank you for the invitation to your proposed conference, although I cannot be present at it. You ask for a word of encouragement, which I can hardly give. To possess the best system of civil government is a thing worth striving for, but it may be a wise policy to endeavour to perfect the civil government we have rather than to look for great changes which necessarily involve enormous risks. It is easier to uproot a monarchy than to give a

healthy growth to that which is put in its place, and I suspect the price we should have to pay for the change would be greater than the change would be worth. Our forefathers suffered from nearly a century of unsettled government in consequence of the overthrow of the monarchy, brought on by the folly and crimes of the monarch. France has endured many calamities and much humiliation for nearly 100 years past, springing from the destruction of the ancient government and the apparent impossibility of founding a stable government to succeed it. Spain is now in the same difficulty, of which we watch the experiment with interest and anxiety. For forty years past in this country we have seen a course of improvement in our laws and administration equal, and perhaps superior, to anything which has been witnessed in any other nation. This gives me hope and faith that we can establish a civil government so good as to attract to its support the respect and love of all the intelligent among our people, and this without bringing upon us the troubles which, I believe, are inseparable from the uprooting of an ancient monarchy. I have no sympathy with the object which gives its name to your club. I prefer to try to do good in the way of political reform by what I regard a wiser and less hazardous, if a less ambitious method, and from what we have seen of the past I think we may gather hope and faith for the future.-I am, yours truly, JOHN BRIGHT."

KILLED BY A TIGER.-A fearful story is told by The Homeward Mail of an encounter with a tiger, in which Mr. Joseph Gay, son of Mr. Gay, Controller of Public Works Accounts in the Nizam's territory, lost his life. The tiger had committed numerous depredations in the Chudderghaut district in Hyderabad. Several persons had been killed, and the work of the Public Works Department interfered with. Mr. Marrett, the district engineer, and a successful sportsman, went out with young Mr. Gay to shoot the animal. Mr. Marrett and a shikaree were posted under a tree; Mr. Gay placed himself on the lower branches of the tree to watch, while the beaters surrounded the lair. The tiger appeared so suddenly that Mr. Marrett could only fire, wounding the animal in the jaw, before he was knocked down, and the tiger, Mr. Marrett, and the shikaree rolled over together. Mr. Gay at this moment, in trying to shift his seat so as to get a clear shot, lost his balance, and fell on the back of the enraged tiger. Mr. Marrett had swooned, and the maneater turned on its new assailant, mangling him fearfully. The beaters then succeeded in driving off the tiger to the jungle. Mr. Marrett was not badly hurt, the shikaree was uninjured, but young Mr. Gay died of his wounds six hours afterwards.

13. A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT occurred to night at the Junior Carlton Club, by which a gentleman named Graham, living at Palace-green, Kensington, met with a frightful death. It appears that Mr. Graham, who was about twenty-eight years of age, and another gentleman were the guests of a Mr. Newton, a member of the club. They dined together at eight o'clock, and afterwards

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