LEGAL NEWS.

FACTORY AND WORKSHOP ACTS.-The Royal Com missioners for inquiring into the operation of the Factory and Workshops Acts, with a view to their consolidation and amendment, are desirous of giving all persons concerned an opportunity of stating any grievances under which they may conceive themselves to labour by reason of existing laws, and of representing points upon which the said laws may be susceptible of amendment. The Commissioners regard the main principles of legislation regulating the labour of women and children employed in factories of textile manufacture as settled by Parliament in the Act of 1874, 37 and 38 Vic., c. 44. The object of the Commission is to ascertain and recommend the redress of the inequalities and inconsistencies in the various Factory Acts which have arisen, owing to the different times at which they have been passed, with the view of suggesting means for equalising and harmonising their provisions. It is therefore desired that any persons having practical acquaintance with the subjects of inquiry, who may conceive themselves to suffer disadvantages through the operation of the existing law, or who may desire an extension of the provisions of the Factory Acts to other descriptions of labour where women, young persons, and children are employed, or who may consider that alteration is necessary in the present provisions for the education of the young employed in labour, should acquaint her Majesty's Commissioners with their views; and, if so disposed, should tender themselves for examination, or should select such individuals to give evidence on their behalf as may be fairly representative of the classes to which they belong. The Commissioners will, in the first instance, conduct their proceedings in London, and propose subsequently to visit such of the principal seats of trade and industry as may seem necessary for the purposes of their inquiry. Communications may be addressed to Sir Geogre Young, the Secretary to the Commission, at 32, Abingdon Street, Westminster, S.W.

THE BANK HOLIDAYS ACT AMENDMENT ACT.-Amongst the Bills which received the royal assent was that introduced for the amendment and extension of the Bank Holiday Act of 1871. The object of this measure is to extend the provisions of the last-mentioned Act in such a way as to include the Customs, Inland Revenue offices, bond warehouses, and docks. The four holidays specified are-Easter Monday, Whit Monday, the first Monday in August, and the 26th of December. When the last-mentioned day falls on a Sunday the succeeding Monday is to be kept as a holiday. The anniversary of the Queen's coronation and the birthday of the Prince of Wales are no longer to be kept as holidays in any Inland Revenue office in England and Ireland.

POLLUTION OF RIVERS.-The bill which Lord Salisbury has introduced with reference to the pollution of rivers is extremely mild in its character. It proposes no alteration in the law, but merely provides a more efficacious machinery for carrying out the provisions of the existing sanitary Acts. The County Court is to be the tribunal before which all cases are to be decided, and if the local authority refuses to act in any case, it may be taken up by the Local Government Board. In introducing the measure Lord Salisbury gave rather an amusing picture of the condition of some of the rivers in the country. He said there was one near Dundee" into which the refuse of a distillery was emptied, and which contained thirty-six times more noxious and poisonous ingredients than the Thames before it was purified. Another river in Yorkshire was in such a state with impure gases that it could be lighted; and another in the same county was so dirty that when it passed over a weir its foam was black instead of white. A river near Durham had been graphically described by one of the witnesses as being as yellow as ochre, and thick as glue. Lord Salisbury had no difficulty in making a case for legislative

66

interference, and the question is whether his bill is sufficient to meet the evil.

THE ACTION FOR LIBEL AGAINST THE "ATHENÆUM."The Athenæum announces its intention to move for a new trial of the action for libel recently brought against it by Mr. T. B. Johnston, of Edinburgh, and says:-"It is obvious that the expenses that a new trial must entail will swallow up the money that we may save through not being called upon to pay Mr. Johnston 1,275. But our object is not to avoid expense; we desire to establish our own title and that of our contemporaries to a free, yet moderate expression of opinion, and we are prepared to meet the costs, be they what they may, that the struggle to vindicate the independence of the press may entail We feel, therefore, obliged still to decline, as we have before declined, the subscriptions offered so generally and so generously."

upon us.

HARDMAN V. HUBBARD.-The plaintiff was a young man named James Hardman, of 33, Mawbey Road, Old Kent Road; the defendant Mr. W. Hubbard, of 3 and 4, Aldermanbury. The action was to recover one week's wages due and one week's in lieu of notice, together £2 18s., the plaintiff having been dismissed without notice. The defendant justified the dismissal on the ground that the plaintiff had communicated some of the business affairs of the establishment to another young man who had previously been dismissed, and who, in consequence, wrote letters to some of the manufacturers who supplied defendant to say that he (defendant) was selling their manufactured goods as his own. His Honour had the young man in the witnessbox, and asked him what business he had to meddle in the affair at all? Did he think every young man in the City was to constitute himself a censor morum? It might be an immense blessing to the City if some honourable and independent man could be found to fill such an office; but he did not think young men were fitted to constitute themselves judges of the way in which their employers should carry on their business. They should be loyal to their master's interests, and not report them to other men. Judgment for defendant.

SINGULAR CASE.-Mr. George Attenborough, Fleet Street, pawnbroker, was summoned by Mr. Walter Webling, trading under the firm of Metcalf and Co., jewellers, of Cockspur Street. Mr. Montague Williams, for the complainant, said that some time ago Captain Mansell, who was manager at St. James's Hall, became engaged to a young lady, and preparations were progressing for the marriage. Captain Mansell went to Mr. Webling, and obtained diamond lockets, necklaces, bracelets, and other articles to the value of about £3,000, which he no doubt intended as presents for his intended bride. The match was, however, broken off, and lately it was discovered that the jewels had been pledged with Mr. Attenborough for £900. The prosecutor had discovered certain false pretences that had been made by Captain Mansell in order to get the jewellery from him, and had applied to the magistrate at Bow Street, who had granted a warrant for the captain's apprehension. He had, however, thought proper to leave the country, and every effort had been made to take him, but not successfully. As he was an officer in her Majesty's army, they had very little doubt that they would soon be able to produce him. He (Mr. Williams) and Mr. Palmer had come to an agreement that the summons should be adjourned for two months, Mr. Attenborough undertaking not to part with the jewels in the meantime. He wished to state that there was no imputation on Mr. Attenborough by these proceedings, for he had acted in a most honourable manner, and had given them every assistance. Mr. Palmer, for the defence, said that he was quite prepared on the part of Mr. Attenborough to give the undertaking, but that must not be made use of to place him in a false position. He held possession of the articles as bailee, and had no other interest in them, but he was willing to hold them until some one was duly autherised to receive them. After some discussion the sunmons was adjourned for a month.

STATISTICAL NEWS.

IN HASTE TO BE RICH.-Those who deplore the existing tendency to acquire wealth by almost any means that promise quick returns, will find matter for grave misgiving in the Stock Exchange Clearing-house statistics for the year ending 30th of April last. This institution having been established for only eight years, the figures seem to prove that during this short period speculation has almost doubled, the total sum cleared in 1867-68 being £3,257,411,000, while last year it amounted to £6,013,299,000. During the first half of the term included in the return the increase was comparatively small, the figures for 1870-71 being £4,018,464,000. But in the succeeding year great development took place, the amount being 5,359,722,000 followed by 6,003,335,000 in 1872-73, being the largest total ever reached until last year. In 1873-74 a small decline occurred, for the first time, but this has now been more that recovered, the total for 1874-75 amounting to the prodigious sum of £6,013,299,000, being in excess of every previous year since the establishment of the Clearing House. On analyzing the sources from which this sum is derived, even stronger cause will be found to suspect that the major part of the increase is due to speculation, and not to legitimate business. For instance, the amount transferred on Stock Exchange account days has considerably more than doubled, the total for the first year included in the return being £444,443,000, against £1,076,585,000 in the last. As 1874-75 was by no means a period of active trade, many leading industries being remarkably sluggish, it follows that the increase of about 150 per cent. in the total resulted from some other cause. The same fact comes out when comparing last year with 1873-74, during which period the increase was £105,338,000, although commerce had become very inactive. But the most suggestive comparison is, perhaps, between 1872-73, when trade reached its zenith, and last year, when almost every branch of English industry suffered from the stagnation. If the Clearing House returns reflected the amount of bona fide business done in the country, we should have seen a proportionate decrease in the total of last year compared with that of 1872-73, whereas, as a matter of fact, there is considerable increase. These figures certainly deserve earnest consideration at the present time, when the spirit of speculation seems to be even more rife in the City than at any previous period for many years.

BOXWOOD.-Boxwood, which is almost exclusively used for wood engraving, is becoming more and more scarce. The largest wood comes from the countries bordering on the Black

Sea.

The quantity exported from Poti direct to England during 1873 amounted to 2,897 tons, of the value of 20,621. Beside this, from 5,000 to 7,000 tons of the finest quality, brought from Southern Russia, annually pass through Constantinople. An inferior and smaller kind of wood, supplied from the neighbourhood of Samsoun, is also shipped at Constantinople to the extent of about 1,500 tons annually.

RAILWAY EMPLOYES. Of the 274,535 persons engaged on the railways of the United Kingdom in the year 1873, 863 were employed in the secretary's department, 106,741 in the traffic department, 82,854 in the locomotive department, 59,542 in the engineer's department, 2, 103 in the storekeeper's department, 1,610 as police, including 96 detectives, 2,149 in the accountant's department, 2,472 in connection with the telegraphs, 3,132 in connection with the steamboat service, 13,069 in miscellaneous occupations. Wives and children would raise the number of persons dependent upon employment on railways to a million or more.

WIVES.-The following official returns of the proportion of wives, widows, and spinsters of the age of twenty and under forty in each hundred is curious. In England and Wales there are of spinsters, 37'7; wives, 55'4; widows, 29. London has of spinsters, 40.5; wives, 55'9; widows, 36. Lancashire has of spinsters, 36.5; wives, 59.8; widows, 3.7.

RUSSIAN TRADE WITH CHINA.-According to an official report just published at St. Petersburg, the Russian trade with China is increasing. The exports from Russia to China were:-1870-in goods, 529,909; in money, 87,555; 1871 -in goods, 515,690; in money, 109,913. The imports of tea alone from China, direct by land through Kiakhta and by sea via Suez and Odessa, were :-In 1870, 19,378,312 lb.; 1871, 21,536,772 lb.; 1873, 29,811,000 lb.; and indirect, via Europe -1870, 17,352,181 lb.; 1871, 21,550,692 lb.; 1873, 20,543,634

lb.

THRIFT IN THE SISTER ISLAND.-The aggregate of savings invested in Ireland in Government Funds, joint-stock banks and savings banks shows an increase in the year of £2,300,000, raising the amount in 1874 to 69 200,000. In 1864 it was only 54,888,000. In joint-stock banks alone deposits and cash balances show an increase in the year of £2,524,000, raising the amount in 1874 to 31,734,000. In 1864 it was only 15,623,000. The Savings Banks' deposits show an increase in the year of £72,000, the whole amount being £2,911,000. In 1864 it was only £2,159,000.

NAILS. The manufacture of cast-iron nails and shoe-pins is peculiar to the South Staffordshire district, although the demand for one description, know as lath nails, is almost entirely for Scotland. The smallest nail made is inch in length, and of these a good workman will mould upwards of 750,000 in a day. The largest measure 2 inches long, and of these a good day's work is about 52,000. The yearly production of cast nails is about 1,000 tons.

TOBACCO.-Some curious statistics as to the consumption of tobacco are given in the recently issued report of the Inland Revenue Commissioners. In 1841 the quantity cleared for consumption was, in the United Kingdom, 23,096,281 lb., being 13 ounces per head of the population; in 1851 the quantity was 27,734,786 lb., or I lb, oz. per head; in 1861 the quantity was 35,413,846 lb., or I lb. 3 oz. per head; in 1871 the consumption was 42,656,658 lb., or I lb. 5 oz.; and in 1873 the consumption had increased to 46,315,070 lb. in the United Kingdom, or at the rate of 1 lb. 6 oz. per head. The consumption, it is understood, is still increasing.

İNQUESTS. The proportion of inquests to deaths in all England is 5 per cent., or one in every 20. In London it rises to 79 per cent., or one in every 12. A "violent death' seems, from some statistics in the British Medical Journal, to come to one man in every 25.

AGRICULTURE.—According to the Registrar-General's last report, there was a decrease of 48,000 acres under oats and barley in Ireland in 1874 as compared with 1873; a decrease of 11,000 acres under green crops, but a larger yield; a decrease of 14,000 acres under turnips, and of 20,000 acres under flax; an increase of 20,000 under wheat, 5,000 under cabbage, and 68,000 under hay.

AUSTRALIA.-Two-thirds of our supply of sheep and lamb's wool now come from Australia. The quantity arriving from Australia was less than 60,000,000 pounds in 1860; in 1867 it had reached 133,000,000 pounds; seven years later, in 1874, it had risen to more than 225000,000 pounds.

COINS.-There are, it seems, nearly 5,000 tons weight of British bronze coins now in existence-that is, about 700 millions of pence, halfpence, and farthings. The market price of a ton of the compound metal of which they are made averages £108, but the ton yields pence of the value of £448, which leaves an ample margin for all the expense of manipulation, and a good profit besides.

It

RAILWAYS.- -The total length of the railways in the United States, says the Scientific American, is nearly 75,000 miles, or over three times the circumference of the earth. would occupy a passenger five months' time, travelling night and day continuously, at an average speed of 20 miles an hour, to go once over all of the railways. At the average speed of the fastest ocean steamers it would require over eight months' time.

LITERARY MATTERS.

"Books are a guide in Youth, and an entertainment for Age. They support us under solitude, and keep us from being a burthen to ourselves. They help us to forget the crossness of men and things, compose our cares and our passions, and lay our disappointments asleep."-Feremy Collier. SIR W. G. ARMSTRONG is writing a treatise on the "Gyroscope."

A NEW work, entitled "Cositas Espanolas; or, Every-day Life in Spain," from the pen of Mrs Harvey, of Ickwell Bury, will shortly be published by Messrs. Hurst and Blackett.

A NEW work by Professor Ferrier is in preparation. It will be entitled "Functions of the Brain Experimentally Investigated," and will be published by Messrs. Smith, Elder, and Co.

THE Shah of Persia has presented to the Corporation of Berlin a handsomely-bound copy of his diary as a token of his appreciation of their hospitality.

A NEW edition of "Sketching from Nature in Water Colours," by Aaron Penley, will shortly be published by Messrs. Cassell, Petter, and Galpin.

A NEW edition, revised throughout, of Dr. Draper's "History of the Intellectual Development of Europe" is in the press, and will be issued in a cheaper form by Messrs. George Bell and Sons.

Ir appears that the stories of "Saxe Holm" are creating a great sensation in America at the present time. The author's real name is Ruth Ellis.

A CORRESPONDENT of the Standard says that a discovery has just been made at Rome of 36 documents connected with Michael Angelo of great interest for the history of art. They will be published for his centenary this autumn.

"A DOG and his Shadow" is the title of a new novel by R. E. Francillon, author of "Olympia," &c., the opening chapters of which will appear in the July number of the "Gentleman's Magazine.' Mr. Charles Gibbon has a new novel nearly ready.

EARL CADOGAN has lately presented to the British Museum two manuscript volumes filled with curious medical recipes, and recipes for preserves and pastry, collected by Elizabeth, wife of Sir Hans Sloane, at the beginning of the last century.

MESSRS. CASSELL, PETTER, AND GALPIN will shortly pablish a course of Sepia Painting, with plates from designs by Mr. R. P. Leitch.

THE fortune left by the late M. Michel Levy, publisher, is estimated at 17 millions of francs; but no one yet knows the heir, as deceased's will has not been found.

SIR EDWARD CREASY has in the press a new book, entitled, "First Platform of International Law."

MESSRS JOHN ROSS AND CO., of Edinburgh, will shortly publish a reprint of Allan Ramsay's "Gentle Shepherd," to which a glossary will for the first time be added containing the references to the passages in which the words occur. A new memoir, prepared with some care, will be added, and a description of the scene of the classic pastoral. The text will be a reprint of that of the subscription edition of 1728.

THE Prussian Minister of Commerce has dispatched eight railway officials to England, with orders to stay four weeks, and to study the management of railways in the United Kingdom.

In the course of June a meeting of the Mennonites from all parts of the world is to be held at Berlin. Delegates from England, Russia, and North and South America are expected to take part in the proceedings.

CHAPMAN & HALL have issued the People's Edition of Anthony Trollope's "Australia and New Zealand," in 4 volumes, at 2s. each.

A CORRESPONDENT, writing from Paris, May 9th, states that all the copies of the first edition of the French translation, published by Messrs. Hachette, of "Young Brown" ("Le Jeune Brown)," a novel published in London some months ago, have been bought up by the order of Prince Bismarck and despatched to Germany.

A WORK which has recently been published, under the title of "Unseen Universe; or Physical Speculations on Immortality," is the joint production of Professor Guthrie Tait, of Edinburgh, and Professor Balfour Stewart, of Owen's College, Manchester.

MESSRS. J. AND A. CHURCHILL will publish, in a few days, a work by Mr. Alfred H. Huth, on the marriage of near kin, considered with respect to the laws of nations, results of experience, and the teachings of biology, which, we understand, will be more comprehensive than anything else on the same subject.

THE New York correspondent of the Academy says:"Mr. J. W. Bouton, a book importer of this city, has recently sold a Bible, in the preparation of which Mr. James Gibbs, of London, passed the greater part of his lifetime. This remarkable book contains the entire text of three or four rare editions of the Bible, and consists of sixty volumes. The text is carefully inlaid and illustrated by the insertion of upwards of thirty thousand plates, original drawings in oil, water-colour, and pencil, specimen's of early printed, rare or curious bibles, etchings, engravings on steel and copper, and mezzotints. The book, which is a library in itself, was sold for ten thousand dollars to a private collector in this State.

ROUTLEDGE & SONS have brought out a new edition of their "Popular Guide to London," revised to 1875, at Is.

MR. TENNYSON has, at last, sent to the press the drama which he has had so long on hand. It will be published shortly by Messrs. H. S. King and Co. It is entitled "Queen Mary a drama," and embraces the life of Mary Tudor from her accession to her death, together with the chief scenes in her reign.

It is proposed to calendar and publish the records of the Scotch Privy Council, from the beginning of Queen Mary's reign down to the union. These records have hitherto been practically inaccessible, and it is expected that their publication will throw much new light on some of the most interesting periods of Scotch history.

CANON JACKSON, in the course of his researches among the MS. treasures at Longleat, has lighted upon another remarkable discovery, viz., a well-preserved MS. of Henry de Soliaco, Abbot of Glastonbury in 1189, giving an account of the Abbey, its officers, and establishment, as existing in that year; mentioning the allowance made to each officer of beer, bread, wax, servants, horses, hay, fodder; also the lands appropriated to their maintenance, rents of the same, lists of manors, and many other curious particulars.-Athenæum.

THE second instalment of the new edition of the

"Encyclopædia Britannica is nearly ready. It appears that, as the work advances, the mere revision of a large proportion of the articles of the last edition is found to be altogether insufficient, and not less than four-fifths, it is said, of the matter of the second volume is, therefore, entirely new. The more important geographical articles it contains are : Asia, by General Strachey; Asia Minor, by Mr. E. H. Bunbury; Arabia, by Mr. W. G. Palgrave; Assam, &c., by Dr. W. W. Hunter; Andaman Islands, by Col. Yule; and Argentine Republic, by Mr. F. Parish. Prof. Max Müller contributes the article Aryan; Dr. E. B. Tylor, Anthropology; Prof. Daniel Wilson, Archæology (Pre-historic); Mr. A. S. Murray, Classical Archæology, and a variety of classical articles besides. Prof. Huxley furnishes a zoological classification under the heading Animal Kingdom; while Arthropoda is supplied by Prof. Young, of Glasgow; Arachnida, by the Rev. O. P. Cambridge; Annelida, by Dr. W. C. M'Intosh; and Ape, by Professor Mivart.

PERIODICALS.

IN "May's British and Irish Press Guide," which is noticed elsewhere, we learn that there are now published in the United Kingdom 1,711 newspapers, of which 419 are published in London; 878 are penny papers, and 84 halfpenny, whilst 16 are delivered gratis. In politics 490 are Liberal, 56 LiberalConservative, 273 Conservative, and 892 neutral. Seventy newspapers are said to be regularly illustrated, and five occasionally so. Of the 690 periodicals published in the United Kingdom 535 belong to the metropolis, 479 are issued monthly, 80 weekly, and 78 quarterly, whilst 216 are sold at a penny, and 80 at sixpence; 308 of these periodicals are said to have a religious tendency, whilst the number of journals (55) devoted to teetotalism indicates the spread of temperance principles.

BOMBAY and Scinde, with a population of 14,000,000, have 14 English, 62 vernacular, and 18 Anglo-vernacular newspapers; Bengal, with a population of 67,000,000, has 23 English, 46 vernacular, and 4 Anglo-vernacular; N.W. Provinces, with a population of 31,000,000, have 6 English, 50 vernacular, and 3 Anglo-vernacular; Madras, with a population of 31,000,000, has II English, 17 vernacular, and 8 Anglo-vernacular; Punjab, with 8,000,000 of people, 4 English and 21 vernacular; Oude, with 11,000,000 of people, 3 English and 8 vernacular; Burmah, with 25,000,000 of people, 6 English and 2 vernacular; Central Provinces, with 9,000,000 of people, I English, 3 vernacular, and 3 Anglo-vernacular; Rajpootana, with 10,000,000 of people 2 vernacular. The totals for the Provinces collectively are therefore 68 English, 211 vernacular, and 36 Anglo-vernacular.

THERE are four vernacular newspapers published in India daily. A Jewish Gazette has been started in Calcutta. It contains general information regarding the Jews and their affairs in all parts of the world, and is circulated among the Arabic-speaking Jews in all parts of Asia.

PRESS prosecutions in Germany are becoming numerous. The editor of the Democratic Frankfert Gazette has been sentenced by the Appellate Court to three months' imprisonment for his articles on Prince Bismarck and the Berlin tribunal in connection with the Arnim case. A priest namad Pohl, editor of a Bransberg paper, has been sentenced to four months' imprisonment for an article on the Pope's Encyclical declaring the Prussian ecclesiastical laws null and void, and the printer of the Bishop of Strasburg's " Lenten Pastoral" has been fined 100 marks.

THE early delivery of the London papers in the provinces has already had its effect, the proprietors of the Bradford Chronicle and Mail having come to the conclusion that the time at which the metropolitan papers reach Bradford has rendered the publication of the Chronicle unnecessary. The evening paper will be published as hitherto, under the title of the Bradford Chronicle and Evening Mail.

THE Prince of Wales' visit to India is likely to create a stir in the world of journalism. It is rumoured that four wellknown members of the press will accompany the Prince along his whole route through the East; that Dr. Russell will represent the Times, Mr. Forbes the Daily News, Mr. Henty the Standard, and not Mr. Sala, but Mr. Edwin Arnold, the Daily Telegraph.

THE Council of The Working Men's Club and Institute Union have determined to publish a weekly organ under the title of The Workmen's Club Journal. Questions on matters of detail in management will be fully answered in the columns of the journal, which will be open to useful suggestions, and contain information on all matters relating to the recreation, instruction, and industrial interests of the working classes.

MR. ALEXANDER RUSSEL, editor of the "Scotsman" newspaper, has been elected a member of the London Reform Club, causa honoris. This is a very exceptional recognition of editorial service.

5

1875.

A NEW edition of the "Saturday Half-holiday Guide," published by the Early Closing Association, is in the press, and will shortly be ready.

THE average daily circulation of the "New York Tribune," from returns recently published by that paper, appears to be about 50,230 copies.

A NEW weekly educational organ, price Id., is to be pub. lished in Scotland. It will be issued by a Company, of which Professor Hodgson is Chairman.

THE Ladies' Gazette of Fashion has lately undergone various changes, of which increased size and bulk, and the addition of some dozen wood engravings are the most prominent.

"LEISURE," a 6d. monthly magazine, is discontinued.

A NEW periodical entitled "Society; Literary, Scientific, Political, Fashionable, Musical, Theatrical, Artistic, and General," has been issued, price Id.

THE American edition of the "Art Journal," taken in hand by the Messrs. Appleton, has already proved a great success. THE "Obituary," a special organ for mourners, is announced. It will be published weekly. Its price will be 4d.

"Le Guide a Londres," price 4d., every Saturday, has been published by S. Deacon and Son, of Leadenhall Street, and the Strand.

Mr. JULIAN HAWTHORNE'S third novel, "Garth," which will be begun in the June number of Harper's, will be a story of domestic life in New England.

THE Concordia, a new weekly journal devoted to music and the "sister arts," has appeared.

A NEW satirical weekly has appeared in Calcutta, the Oriental Figaro. It is modelled on the various London satirical prints, without their illustrations.

THE Committee of the German Wood Engravers' Association, Stuttgart, publish a quarterly paper-the Wood Engravers Magazine-on behalf of the association.

MESSRS. CASSELL, PETTER, AND GALPIN state that in consequence of their recent extensive advertisements, the circulation of their Family Magazine, the Quiver, and Little Folks' Magazine, has been doubled.

THE Dundee Advertiser is now enlarged to nine columns a page, and printed by three of the "Victory" web inachines, each capable of printing and folding 8,000 an hour.

IN THE Royal Library at Berlin a collection has been formed of books, newspapers, paintings, sketches, and sculptures relating to the Franco-Prussian war. It is amusing to learn that a place has been found among the volumes included in the collection for "The Battle of Dorking."

THE Chinese fancy for bright hues is now being extended to their newspapers. A Shanghai journal, the Shenpao, recently published its daily edition on vermillion paper, and a few days previous printed the news of Tung-che's death in blue. Double the usual number of copies were sold on each occasion. This is not quite a novel idea, however, as a short time since a magazine was started in New York with different coloured paper for each article-varying from true blue to Radical red.

AT Christie's, the other day, a picture by H. Dawson, entitled, "The Wooden Walls of Old England," fetched the large sum of £1,417 10s. At the same sale, a picture by David Cox, entitled, "Darley Dale Churchyard," fetched £1,018.

THERE have been several attempts made of late years to revive the almost lost art of mosaic. South Kensington has for some time employed its pupils in this mode of decoration, and a school of mosaic has recently been established at Sèvres; but we imagine that the process is too tedious to prove attractive to many workers in this impatient age. The wonderful preservation of the examples reproduced at South Kensington might well, however, tempt some of our artists to lay aside the fleeting art of painting, and work in mosaic " for eternity."