had been procured. From the moment the fire was discovered, its progress was extremely rapid; and before any thing like combined efforts were made to arrest it, the flames spread along the marble hall, picture gallery, drawing-room, and the chapel on the north side of the mansion, the ceilings and walls of which were adorned with most valuable paintings, and enveloped them all. A magnificent stained-glass window over the Communion Table was also completely destroyed.

The fire continued to burn with uncontrolled fury throughout the morning. At the time of the outbreak of the fire, Lady Houghton, sister to Lord Crewe, and other distinguished visitors were staying at the hall, and it is matter for congratulation that its timely discovery enabled all the inmates to effect their escape before either life or limb was jeopardized.

It is said that provision was made against fire by hydrants placed at certain distances round the house, supplied with water from the lake, and also by taps in the rooms communicating with an immense reservoir on the top of the house; but it appears that the taps were not thought of till access to them was cut off by the flames, and during the early part of the conflagration the hydrants were also forgotten.

Nothing could exceed the zeal and activity of the whole establishment, by means of which a large portion of the family memorials, including the chefs-d'œuvre of Sir Joshua Reynolds, were placed in security. Nevertheless, the loss was very great. The fine cabinets and other costly furniture of the gallery, the whole of the library, including many valuable and rare works, the curious decorations of the carved parlours, and the whole of the property in Lord Crewe's private apartments, were destroyed. The great hall suffered less, the large oak screen being only partially injured, and the quaint mantelpiece not at all. The restoration of this room, and even of the beautiful staircase, can easily be accomplished by the resources of modern art. The main walls of the house remain in apparently safe condition, with the exception of one end of the gallery. The mansion was finished by Sir Randal Crewe early in the reign of King James I., but it had fallen into much decay by the process of time, and was completely and skilfully restored by its present owner, under the superintendence of Mr. Blore. After this present disaster, it is still to be hoped that Lord Crewe may be able to effect a second restoration.

7-9. DISASTROUS STORMS AND LOSSES AT SEA.-Heavy gales swept over England during these three days, and numerous disasters both by land and sea took place. From Liverpool and other ports numerous wrecks were reported. The life-boats of the National Institution were instrumental in saving lives. Writing from the Lizard, the Rev. P. Vyvyan Robinson reported that a fatal accident had occurred to the life-boat on that station:-"I was out in the life-boat with her crew, and for two hours she behaved as gallantly as possible in a very heavy sea; but while returning, a tremendous

wave overwhelmed her and capsized the boat, breaking every oar except one. Out of ten of us in the life-boat, seven succeeded in getting into the boat; but with one oar only we could not manage her, and she was quickly carried on to the rocks, over which, with great difficulty and hazard, and many bruises, we got into a place of safety. Meanwhile, the three lost men, whom I saw and heard on rising to the surface, had been carried into a counter-current, behind the great Slay Rock, where they could neither get backwards nor forwards. One was shortly carried out to sea, but the other two might have been saved had we had the rocket apparatus at the Lizard; but when that arrived from Cadjwith it was too late, the men were dead. The boat held on with her anchor marvellously for more than an hour, bumping about on the edges; but at last it parted, and she was quickly knocked to pieces on the rocks, for by this time the gale had increased to a hurricane. The names of the poor fellows who were lost are Peter Mitchell (the coxswain, who has left a widow and three children), Richard Harris (the second coxswain, who also leaves a widow and two children), and Nicholas Stevens (a widower, without children)."

9. EXECUTION AT STAFFORD.-Charles Christopher Robinson was executed in front of the gaol at Stafford, in presence of 4000 spectators. Before his death he acknowledged the justice of his sentence. On the scaffold he exclaimed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." His death was not instantaneous. He made a statement

to the chaplain, but wished it to be kept from the public. Robinson would have been 19 next May. His victim was somewhat older, but she would have been only in her 19th year. They had for a long time been affianced, and lived together in the house in which the murder was committed. The facts of the murder may be briefly told. On the afternoon of the 26th of August, Mr. and Mrs. Fisher went out for a drive into the country, leaving Robinson and Harriet Seager alone in the house, with a young man named Wilson, a companion of Robinson, in the garden. During the afternoon the girl was seen by a servant girl of Mr. Fisher's brother, who had gone to the house on an errand, crying as she stood cleaning knives in the brewhouse, Robinson at the time stood leaning against the door. Shortly afterwards a nephew of Mr. Fisher, a little boy, saw Robinson strike Seager with his open hand in her face because she would not allow him to kiss her. The young man alluded to left about four o'clock, and Robinson, who had been shooting sparrows with him in the garden with a small gun, went into the house. About a quarter past four the neighbours were alarmed by a cry that Robinson had shot Harriet, and upon entering the brewhouse the poor girl was found lying dead on the floor in a pool of blood, with her throat cut. At the time the neighbours entered the house Robinson was observed coming down stairs, with an open razor in his hand. He was then in his shirt sleeves, for he had not washed or dressed himself during the day. He went into the

had been procured. From the moment the fire was discovered, its progress was extremely rapid; and before any thing like combined efforts were made to arrest it, the flames spread along the marble hall, picture gallery, drawing-room, and the chapel on the north side of the mansion, the ceilings and walls of which were adorned with most valuable paintings, and enveloped them all. A magnificent stained-glass window over the Communion Table was also completely destroyed.

The fire continued to burn with uncontrolled fury throughout the morning. At the time of the outbreak of the fire, Lady Houghton, sister to Lord Crewe, and other distinguished visitors were staying at the hall, and it is matter for congratulation that its timely discovery enabled all the inmates to effect their escape before either life or limb was jeopardized.

It is said that provision was made against fire by hydrants placed at certain distances round the house, supplied with water from the lake, and also by taps in the rooms communicating with an immense reservoir on the top of the house; but it appears that the taps were not thought of till access to them was cut off by the flames, and during the early part of the conflagration the hydrants were also forgotten.

Nothing could exceed the zeal and activity of the whole establishment, by means of which a large portion of the family memorials, including the chefs-d'œuvre of Sir Joshua Reynolds, were placed in security. Nevertheless, the loss was very great. The fine cabinets and other costly furniture of the gallery, the whole of the library, including many valuable and rare works, the curious decorations of the carved parlours, and the whole of the property in Lord Crewe's private apartments, were destroyed. The great hall suffered less, the large oak screen being only partially injured, and the quaint mantelpiece not at all. The restoration of this room, and even of the beautiful staircase, can easily be accomplished by the resources of modern art. The main walls of the house remain in apparently safe condition, with the exception of one end of the gallery. The mansion was finished by Sir Randal Crewe early in the reign of King James I., but it had fallen into much decay by the process of time, and was completely and skilfully restored by its present owner, under the superintendence of Mr. Blore. After this present disaster, it is still to be hoped that Lord Crewe may be able to effect a second restoration.

7-9. DISASTROUS STORMS AND LOSSES AT SEA.-Heavy gales swept over England during these three days, and numerous disasters both by land and sea took place. From Liverpool and other ports numerous wrecks were reported. The life-boats of the National Institution were instrumental in saving lives. Writing from the Lizard, the Rev. P. Vyvyan Robinson reported that a fatal accident had occurred to the life-boat on that station:-"I was out in the life-boat with her crew, and for two hours she behaved as gallantly as possible in a very heavy sea; but while returning, a tremendous

wave overwhelmed her and capsized the boat, breaking every oar except one. Out of ten of us in the life-boat, seven succeeded in getting into the boat; but with one oar only we could not manage her, and she was quickly carried on to the rocks, over which, with great difficulty and hazard, and many bruises, we got into a place of safety. Meanwhile, the three lost men, whom I saw and heard on rising to the surface, had been carried into a counter-current, behind the great Slay Rock, where they could neither get backwards nor forwards. One was shortly carried out to sea, but the other two might have been saved had we had the rocket apparatus at the Lizard; but when that arrived from Cadjwith it was too late, the men were dead. The boat held on with her anchor marvellously for more than an hour, bumping about on the edges; but at last it parted, and she was quickly knocked to pieces on the rocks, for by this time the gale had increased to a hurricane. The names of the poor fellows who were lost are Peter Mitchell (the coxswain, who has left a widow and three children), Richard Harris (the second coxswain, who also leaves a widow and two children), and Nicholas Stevens (a widower, without children)."

9. EXECUTION AT STAFFORD.-Charles Christopher Robinson was executed in front of the gaol at Stafford, in presence of 4000 spectators. Before his death he acknowledged the justice of his sentence. On the scaffold he exclaimed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." His death was not instantaneous. He made a statement to the chaplain, but wished it to be kept from the public. Robinson would have been 19 next May. His victim was somewhat older, but she would have been only in her 19th year. They had for a long time been affianced, and lived together in the house in which the murder was committed. The facts of the murder may be briefly told. On the afternoon of the 26th of August, Mr. and Mrs. Fisher went out for a drive into the country, leaving Robinson and Harriet Seager alone in the house, with a young man named Wilson, a companion of Robinson, in the garden. During the afternoon the girl was seen by a servant girl of Mr. Fisher's brother, who had gone to the house on an errand, crying as she stood cleaning knives in the brewhouse, Robinson at the time stood leaning against the door. Shortly afterwards a nephew of Mr. Fisher, a little boy, saw Robinson strike Seager with his open hand in her face because she would not allow him to kiss her. The young man alluded to left about four o'clock, and Robinson, who had been shooting sparrows with him in the garden with a small gun, went into the house. About a quarter past four the neighbours were alarmed by a cry that Robinson had shot Harriet, and upon entering the brewhouse the poor girl was found lying dead on the floor in a pool of blood, with her throat cut. At the time the neighbours entered the house Robinson was observed coming down stairs, with an open razor in his hand. He was then in his shirt sleeves, for he had not washed or dressed himself during the day. He went into the

scullery where his victim lay dead on the floor, and, standing in front of a looking-glass that was hanging upon the wall, he deliberately cut his throat three times with the razor. At this juncture he was secured, a surgeon was sent for, and his selfinflicted wounds were sewn up after some resistance on his part. The defence upon the trial, however, was, first, that Seager had committed suicide, and that the prisoner in grief attempted his own life; and next, that he was insane when he committed the murder, insanity being hereditary in his family, as was shown by the fact of his half-sister being then in a lunatic asylum. It could not, however, be shown that he was insane either before or after the murder.

11. FOUNDERING OF THE STEAM-SHIP "LONDON," WITH LOSS OF 220 LIVES.-The steam-ship "London," Captain Martin, from London to Melbourne, foundered at sea with about 220 persons on board. The survivors, 16 of the crew and 3 passengers, were landed at Falmouth by the Italian barque "Marianople.'

The "London," 1752 tons register, 800-horse power, was one of the finest passenger-ships out of the port of London, and belonged to Messrs. Money Wigram and Sons, one of the oldest-established and most justly-renowned of our shipping firms. She was launched at Blackwall little more than a year ago. She had already made two successful voyages to Melbourne, one in fiftynine days, under Captain Martin, one of the ablest and most experienced commanders in the mercantile marine.

The "London" left Gravesend on the 30th of December, and met with such severe weather in the Channel that she was obliged to put into St. Helen's Roads for shelter. From St. Helen's Roads to Plymouth she had steamed down Channel against a whole gale of wind and a heavy rolling sea; and the pilot-boat which put off to take her into the Sound was capsized and the pilot drowned. At Plymouth she arrived on the 4th inst., and embarked an unusually large number of passengers. At midnight on the 5th, she left Plymouth for her destination, with calm weather and a light wind ahead. All the next day she was under full steam, and making steady way. On the morning of the 7th the wind increased and a heavy head sea got up, and the next morning, it blowing a whole gale, Captain Martin stopped his engines and made the ship snug under reefed topsails, just to keep her on her course. The gale lulling a little at noon, the engines were again set going; next morning the force of the wind carried away the jibboom, fore-topmast, fore-topgallantmast, and royalmast, and these spars could not be secured. Two hours later the main royalmast was blown clean out of the socket. Still Captain Martin endeavoured to keep his ship slowly steaming ahead. About three p.m. on the 9th a tremendous sea carried away the port life-boat. All that evening and night the sea was running mountains high; but the screw was still kept moving. It was not till four a.m. on the 10th inst., that Captain