Aberdeen Journal, and General Advertiser for the North of Scotland from Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland • 3

3 THE JOURNAL, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1877. GROCERS LICENCES. LATEST DEFEAT OF THE MONTENEGRINS. Constantinople, Tuesday. Ali Said Pacha, telegraphing from Scutaria under yesterday's date, reports that the Montenegrins CORRESPONDENCE.

thai no sensible man intended that pubuc-houses should be shut up, and Provost Jamieson stated that ne only wished to do away with those public-houses which had apartments for the purpose of parties sitting down and drinking so as to get themselves intoxicated, whether these gentlemen looked upon total abstainers as respectable men. (Laughter.) After a considerable pause a person in the middle of the room remarked that the whole thing was a total failure there was nothing to be said about the matter a statement which wa3 received with expressions of THE WAR. THE CAPTURE OF KARS. OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF THE RUSSIAN LOSSES AND TROPHIES. TEE CRISIS IN FRANCE.

THE CHAMBERS. Vebsaiu.es, Tuesday evening. In to-day's sitting of the Chamber of Deputies M. Bethmont, in the name of the majority, read a declaration to the effect that in view of the doctrines laid down yesterday by the Due de Broglie in the Senate the Chamber of Deputies, being anxious to protect its dignity and resolved upon maintaining the integrity of its decisions and prerogatives against the encroachments aimed against them, should adjourn the discussion of the election of Reille until the committee of inquiry into the electoral abuses had investigated "the part played by that deputy who. is Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office in the matter of official candidatures, and had examined the authorities of Castres, who were placed under the orders of M.

Reille." A motion in conformity with the above declaration for postponing the debate upon the validity of M. Reille's election was passed by 297 against 210 votes, Immediately after the preceding vote had been taken, M. Marion, of the Left, moved the adjournment of the sitting, a proposal which called forth vehement and noisy protests from the Right. M. Marion added that the Ministry of the 16th of May had now ceased to live, and in the absence of a regular Government the House ought to adjourn.

M. Caillaux, former Minister of Finance, said that the Ministers continued to discharge the duties of their several departments until their successors were appointed. After a short discussion the House decided by 233 votes to 231 to adjourn the aitting until to-morrow. Subsequently, however, it was resolved, in order to conform' to a former rule of the Chamber, net to sit tomorrow. The Chamber then adjourned.

The Bureaux of the Chamber have elected the Budget Committee, all the members of which belong to the Left. In the Bureaux the members of the Right inquired whether the majority would vote the direct taxes- at once, to which M. Gambetta replied that that depended upon circumstances. The Senate to-day, after having rectified the figures of yesterday's vote, continued the debate on the General Staff Bill, and ultimately adjourned, similarly to the Chamber of Deputies, until Thursday. THE RESIGNATION OF THE CABINET.

Paejb, Tuesday. The Official Journal to-day announces that the members of the Cabinet have placed their resignation in the hands of Marshal MacMahon, by whom it has been accepted. The Ministers will only retain office pending the appointment of their successors. THE PRESS ON THE VOTE OF THE SENATE. Pabis, Tuesday.

The Republican papers eomment with great bitterness upon the vote of the Senate yesterday, regarding it as inaugurating a serious conflict between the Chambers, The Conservative papers regard the result as leaving the Marshal's position intact Pabis, Tuesday evening. The Temps of this evening, explaining the vote of the Senators of the Constitutional party yesterday, says They yielded on a point of honour, as they were unwilling to incur the responsibility of having caused the resignation of Marshal MacMahon. They now consider that they have made all the sacrifices imposed upon them by their participation in the dissolution of the 16th of May. It is uncertain what use they will make of their liberty, but if they are more decided they are certainly more feeble." THE GENERAL SITUATION. Pabis, Tuesday.

The Defense of this evening observes that Marshal MacMahon ought to select as Minister of War a general who has the reputation of indomitable energy, and adds few days hence the Minister of War may be called upon to play a preponderating part in the new Cabinet." The France publishes -the text of two circulars, identical in language, bearing date' 18th which have been issued by the Ministers of Finance and Commerce to the officials of their departments calling upon them to lend, neither directly nor indirecthy, assistance to the Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry, upon the ground that the resolution of the Chamber is in no way binding either upon the agent3 of the public authority or upon plain citizens. The editor of the Eeveil was sentenced to-day to three months' imprisonment and a fine for. having insulted Marshal MacMahon. Pabis, Tuesday evening. The list of the new Ministry will not be published in the Official Journal before Thursday next.

It is rumoured in Parliamentary circles that the Cabinet will consist of members leaning towards the Right and Right Centre, and it is expected to be composed as follows General Rocheboue, President of the Council and Minister of War. M. Welche, Minister of the Interior. M. Batbie, Minister of Public Instruction.

M. Pouyer-Quertier, Minister of Finance. M. Depeyre, Minister of Justice. M.

de Banneville, Minister of Foreign Affairs. M. Dupny de Lome, Minister of Commerce, M. Montgolfier, Minister of Public Works. Admiral Guyuel, Minister of Marine.

SIR EESKINE MAY ON DEMOCRACY. SirErskine May, in his new work just published by Messrs Longmans, entitled Democracy in Europe," traces the fortune of Democracy and political liberty throughout the history of Europe in the form of an historic narrative. After noticing the contrasts be-twepn Eastern and Western civilisation, and the marked absence of freedom in the East, the Grecian and Roman forms of Government, the Dark Ages, and tne JKevivai. he deals with the Modern Governments. Switzerland, he says, alone among the nations of Europe, having founded a Republic, has since its Republican constitution.

In its past history, and in its present political life, we may find illustrations of all the virtues and vices of Democracy. Holland had become a Republic by the force of circumstances. It was not founded upon a democratic basis, and it soon submitted once more to the rule of an hereditary prince. Summing up a long review of French history he writes Still the dest'nies of France are hanging in the balance. After 90 years of revolutions without liberty after bloody civil wars and cruel prosecutions after multiplied experiments in Republican, Imperial, and Monarchical institutions, who shall venture to forecast her future Her Democratic excesses have d'scredited the cause of popular government.

The usurpations and bad faith of her rulers have shaten confidence in law and order. She has advanced the. liberties of other states without securing her own. She has aimed at social equality, but, save in the levelling spirit of her people, she is as far from its attainment as ever. The fearful troubles through which she has, passed havechecked prosperity, demoralised hersociety, and arretted the intellectualgrowthof her gifted, she is great and powerful, and high, if not the first, in -the scale of civilised nations.

Blessed with recuperative powers beyond those of any other State, she is rapidly etfacing the scars of war and revolution, and profiting by the, errors of the past, she may yet found a stable government enjoying the confidence of all classes, and favourable to her enlightenment. (Sir Erskine denies that loyalty has declined in England. On the contrary, the personal sentiment is sustained with all its touching interests arid affections, and it is associated with a sober reverence for the laws and institutions. While loyalty to the Crown has survived all the advances of Democracy, the Church has awak.2ried from a long period of inanition, ana by her zeal ana rood works has recovered much uf her former influence: while the continual increase of wealth has strengthened the conservative elements of society. The nobility, augmented in numbers, still enjoy an influence little less than feudal in their several counties; and employers of labour, anxiously concerned in the safety of their property and interests, and irritated by the disputes of their workmen, have looked coldly upon Democratic movements.

Society so strong, so varied, and so composite assures the stability of our institutions and equitable policy of onr laws. In France the disorganisation of society has been the main cause of revolutions. In England its sound condition has been the foundation of political progress and constitutional safety. Yankee Stowaways. At the Liverpool Police Court on -Monday, two men named Salisbury and Laurence were charged with being stowaways from.

New Orleans in the steamer Chilian. Their defence was that they were starving in New Orleans, and were glad to get back to England. The magistrates told the men that they had no right to come to England at other people's expense, and fined them each 5 and costs, or two months imprisonment. In default of paying the fine they were removed to the cells. Subsequently the magistrate was informed that the men had.

paid the fine and costs 'total, 11, They were then ordered to be searched, and on them were found in coin and greenbacks about 400 dollars. Heace they claimed their discharge from custody, but the magistrate pointed out, to the men's astonishment, that he had the power of revising his decision, and ordered them to be remanded. Eventually he consented to their discharge upon their paying 10 for their passage mosey. THE BLAiNTYRR DISASTER. EXAMINATION OF THE COLLIERY MANAGER The official inquiry into the Blantyre Colliery explosion was resumed in Hamilton yesterday.

After the leading of the evidence of three mining engineers, who attiibnted the explosion to an interruption in the air courses, Jan. Watson, the manager of the collieries, was examined. Previous to being questioned Mr Dickinson reminded Mr "Watson that some statements had been made implicating his management of the mine, and as they might or might not be raised against him, it was for himself to consider whether he would make any statement. Mr Watson who was assisted by counsel, said he wished to give the fullest information on every point. He then said he was solely responsible for the management of the colliery.

He was on the pit-head when the 6 explosion occurred, and was burned about the face and hands. He had been confined to bed for three weeks, and was only now out for the first time The onlv accident in the pit was on the 20th of August, Mr Watson explained the provisions made for the ventilation of the pits, and said that these had always been sufficient, and there was no complaint made by any of the men as to any insufficiency of air. In fact, the men frequently expressed their satisfaction with the comfortable state of the workings. After Mr Multy's death in August he ordered gauze lamps to be used, and some time alter he prohibited the use ol powder. A man was appointed to see that these in structions were carried out.

He had spoken to Gilmour about not reporting the presence or nre-damp, and he replied that there was really nothing worth noticing. His reason for speaking was that he had been informed by Speirs that the gas was leaking a little out of his roof. He had seen fire-damp in the communieation-line in such a quantity as to show a a blue cap on the Davy. Except at the stoopings he had never seen firedamp in such a quantity as to render the use of naked lights dangerous. Since the 20fch of August there was only one occasion on which Gilmour reported that the men had been withdrawn from the stoopings on account of gas, but it was only for a very short time, as the men were not sent home.

The inquiry was adjourned for the further examination of the manager. THE TRIAL OF DETECTIVES. CONCLUSION OF THE CASE. CONVICTION AND SENTENCE OF FOUR THE PRISONERS. OF Yesterday the trial of the detective officers, John Meiklejohn, Nathaniel DruLcovitch, William Palmer, and George Clarke, of Scotland Yard, and Edward Froggatt, solicitor, on the charge of conspiring to defeat the ends of justice, was resumed at the Old Bailey, before Mr Baron Pollock.

His Lordship said At the adjournment on the previous evening he had dealt with the evidence of Kurr, and the independent corroboration of it so far as it re lated to the detectives, and he would now treat of the evidence of the convict Benson in the same manner. It was Benson who first introduced Clarke in the case, and it was only fair to Clarke to say that after his first interview with Benson he reported to the pr5per authorities that Benson was not a proper person to be trusted. The Crown, however, admitted that up to that time the relations between the two were perfectly innocent. What the jury might think of the letters that passed between them was another matter. The correspondence was evidence of transac tions between them.

The letter of 19th April expressed Clarke's curiosity to know what it was Benson had heard against his character. Then there was a letter in which Benson said he was anxious te pay his debt to Mrs Clarke. The statement that he save 50 in eolii to Clarke was in no way corroborated. It was agreed between them that all letters they sent to eacn otner suouia oe returned, ana tuts was a suspicious circumstance, as the Attorney-General had pointed out. Clarke asked to have the letter of his that had been photographed, and Benson promised that it should be forthcoming.

William Kurr having posses sion ot it. At that time Olarke retused to meet iturr. The meeting at the Langham Hotel deposed to by Kurr was also referred to by Benson. Ai a second meeting there Clarke received the letter from Kurr. At this time Clarke did not know Benson's name, and in reply to Claike he (Benson) displayed a handkerchief having a coronet embroidered on it, and his name was Murat BenLon.

stated that Ku-r and he had met at house on the 20th of August, 1870, Subsequent to one of the meetings at the L-neham Hotel, it would be for the jury to say whether these- meetings were attended by Clarke and Meiklejohn in order to a.s;st the convicts, in their frauds or to protect the interests of the public. The evidence of the convicts went io show that certain Clydesdale notes were given to Meihlejohn, and their statements were corroborated by the fact that Meiklejohn had at Manchester and Leeds csh two of ihem. The explanat-'on of his conduct by was very slender, and it would be for the jury to say whether the report in which it was made was honest in his eras-examination by Mr Straight on behoof of Benson admitted that the latter had been mairly instiumental, in August, 1S76, in putting an end to the business of the swindlers, but itwas for the jury to say if he was iqually energetic in his later action. They had the statement of Benson, corroborated by Bale, that Druscovich had said to them, "Have done all I c.n for you, now you must do the best you can for yourselves." Stenning, who obstructed the police while aitempinj to arrest Murray and Kurr, but against whom no criminal charge had ever been brought, gave evidence of "considerable impoi lance. Mrs Aj, acted as the housekeeper of Benson, ako gave important corroborative evidence.

She Clarke two or three times at Ben: on's house at Shanklin, and she posted a number of letters to him at his residence in Great College Street. She also added that she kept copies of the letters sent to Clarke, Benson being unaware of the fact. Benson's valet a.oO gave eviduice corroborating his master's testimony as to the interviews between him aad Clarke at different places. Pionchon, another servant of Benson's at Shanklin, corroborated his. statements as to his movements after leaving there, until his arrest.

While at Glasgow with Benson he saw William Kurr and Bale there on the 19th October. The witness was with Benson at the Midland Hotel, Derby, when Meiklejohn came and stopped there. This was important of the details given by the convicts. He proved also the destruction of all letters except those that had been produced during the trial. The telegrams said to have been sent by Kurr and replied to by Palmer were depoed to by Benson.

Mr Linton corrobo-lated the statements of the convicts as to the movements of Meiklejohn and Druscovich in. Scotland. His lordship, at the request of Druscovitch's counsel, next referred to the cross-exam5 nation ofthe cabman, H'Nab, who had come with Druscovitch to Newmarket in oider to identify the convict he (M'Nab) had seen in Scotland. His lordship remarked 'that the evidence of the cabman certainly went to show that Mr and Mrs Anderson, the Queen's Hotel, Bride of Allai. were not very willing to give information to Druscovitch as to who were visitors at their hou-e.

This, of course, was natural. Re'errin" to Superintendent Williamson's evidence, the judje said it showed that Clarke was an industrious and energetic officer. Mr Cla-rke asked his lordship to re.er to the answer of Superintendent Williamson in cross-examination, that he did not nor r-; the fact that Cla'-ke I his latest visits to Benson. The Solicitor-General said something to that effect had been said by Williamson The Judge remarked that Williamson stated that Clarke was not bound to report all visits maiie by him to a person unless some result was likely to follow such visits. His Lordship then proceeded to recapitulate the evidence as it applied to each of the detective officers.

With regard to the for the defence, Palmer's friends were called to show that he was elsewhere when the convicts alleged he was ass-'sthi" in the Irauds. The jury would judge whether any one could be certain that, for example, at the Masonic Banquet Palmer had not, between half-past four and late at night, the opportunity to send off a telegram, and in fact that a telegram reached Edinburgh. The same' suggestion applied to all the evidence on behalf of Clarke, that no member of his family ever opened the door to Kurr, and that he was engaged with Mr Noi'olk when he was alleged to be at the Duke of York's Column. The case of Froggatt was from that of the others. It was bis duty to use all his legal knowledge in behalf of his clients, but subject to the larger duty he owed to his country.

Reviewing the evidence as to the purchases of the hundred pound note, the forged telegram, the suggestion that the Dutch Magistrate should be bribed, and the attempt to bribe Flintoff, his lordship left it to the jury to say whether he had conspired to frustrate the ends of justice. The learned jude concluded his summing-up at half-past three. The jury retired to consider their verdict, and at 17 minutes past four returned into Court with a verdict of guilty against Meiklejohn, Druscovich, Palmer, and Froggatt, but strongly recommended Lirus-covich to mercy, and Palmer was also recommended to mercy. His Lordship, in passing sentence, observed that he was alwnvs clad to srive effect to recommendations to mercy, but Post Office officials who betiayed their trust wo invariablv sentenced to Denal servitude. It was only under a recent statute that he was able to add hard labour 'to the sentence, which was that the foor defendants convicted be imprisoned with hard labour for two y6j'ro-''att made a piteous appeal to his lordship not to pass such a sentence, and all the prisoners appeared overwhelmed.

Clarke was found not guilty and, his counsel applied to know whether the Crown intended to proceed on the other indictments.against: him. The Solicitor-General would not give any pledge at the present time, and Clarke was allowed to go at lasge on his own recognisance of 100. Meiklejohn counsel asked what course the law officers intended to pursue with regard to the indictment' charging Meiklejohn with actual forgery. it On this matter also the Solicitor-General said the question would be carefully considered. Dbeadful Suicide is Warwickshire.

Aiock-in case of suicide has just occurred at Brinklow, near Rugby. A saddler, named Thomas Haswell, who has of late been much dejected owing to family and pecuniary affairs, and who lived by himself in a cottage, was found dead in his bedroom with a pistol wound under bis ear. A discharged pistol was found is his hands. At the monthly meeting of the Aberdeen Temperance Society held in the Round Room of the Music Hall Buildings last night, a discussion took place upon the evidence led before the Royal Commission on Grocers' Licences. There was a fair attendance.

Mr Robert Ad.ima, who presided, introduced Mr James Paterson, draper, Galtowgate, to open the discussion, and in doing so remarked that the temperance cause was progressing, for ex-Provost Nicol said at a meeting of the Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor that the liquor traffic stood greatly in the way of their efforts to improve the condition of the poor. This siatement had been followed up by Provost Jamieson, who went even the length of saying that he had a notion that the public-houses might be done away with altogether. (Applause and There was no word of (racers' licences in this case, but he found that they could get support from the grocers to do away with the public-houses, and tney wouia get support rrom tue uublic-houses to do away with the grocers-(laughUr and applause so that whichever way it goes it would be all the to them if they got the licences done away with, for that was what tney were aiming at. The Aberdeen Temperance Seciety was based on total abstinence, but tney were ready to take every instalment they could get, so anxious were they that the people should by any and every means be mada sober. I AnitlMllso.l Mr Paterson then introduced the subject of the discussion, remarking at the outset that ail he intended to do was to lay before them the chief points brought out by the evidence.

It is judicious thing, he said, on the part of our temperance organisations to fix attention on any circumstances that may bring the subject in which they take such a deep interest before the public. The sittings of the Royal Commission on Grocers' Licences, lately held here, is a case in point, and we are strongly persuaded it would be for the. interests of the movement that an opportunity such as the present ihuuld be given for an expression of opinion on the evidence laid before the commission, and its bearing on the interests of national (obriety and the present state of the licence law. It may as well here" be stated, though hardly necessary, that. the conditions under which the grocers hold their licences is based on the Forbes Mackenzie Act, and its Amended Act, by which they are prohibited from selling drink to be consumed oa the premises, a privilege they had formerly possessed.

This restriction was imnosed under the belief that if the grocers' shops ceased to be public-houses the sum of public drunkenness would be greatly lessened. And if this part of their Act could have been properly carried out it would have been as great a boon to public morality is that other part of it has been which stopped all traffic in intoxicants on Sabbath. It has, however, been long the opinion of all intelligent and disinterested observers who have paid attention to the working of the grocers' licences that nothing could be more unsatisfactory than the present condition of the la. The ease with which it can be evaded forms at all times a strong temptation on the part of the seller to do so, more especially when we consider the difficulties that lie in the way of the police proving those illegal practices, and bringing them home to the guilty parties. These considerations and others of a kindred nature were, we doubt not, the reasons which induced the Government to appoint the commission on grocers' licences which sat so lately in our city, and with your permission we will take a glance at the evidence laid before them.

We may remark he; that we will confine our attention to the evidence yiven on Saturday the 3rd and principally to that part of it which related to Aberdeen. During the day there were 28 witnesses examined of these, if I mistake not, 8 were there on behalf of the trade and were members of it 9 were biought forward by a committee of citizens, who were desirous that the facts should be laid before the commission on this subject, and the rest were there in an ofiicial capacity as Magistrates or Police Authorities. On carefully scanning the evidence it may, we think, be looked at under three heads. 1. Is there reason to believe that the law is largely and systematically evaded by a large number of the licensed grocers 2.

If bo, what are the difficulties in the way of it enforcement by the police? 3. What are the remedies proposed? In looking at the evidence under the first head, it seems to me that there can be no doubt that a very large proportion of our grocers' shops are little better than public-houses. The statements to this effect are so varied and abundant as to well merit the remark of the chairman when he called it startling evidence. Take the following as specimens from the many, by the authorities: "I have frequently received the impression that it is permitted." There are houses all over the country where illegal drinking goes on." Again He had reason to suspect the half of the grocers evaded the law" this is in Peterhead. Again The majority of the licensed grocers systematically violate their certificates and the following from one who had been in the trade" He knew many commercial travellers who had been ruined by tippling in grocers' shops." One witness declared "that one grocersold it from six in the morning till eight at night as openly as if he had been licensed to do so," and another went so far as to offer to let the commissioners see him get it at the first grocer's shop they came to.

Without enlarging morion this part of the inquiry, it may be stated that 17 of the witnesses spoke directly to this point of illegal selling by the grocers, either in their official capacity or from their own personal knowledge. Let us now glance at the second point. We have mentioned the difficulties in the way of detecting the violations of the law and enforcing its obi.eivance. This point was greatly enlarged upon by the police witnesses, no doubt partly to account for the small number of convictions of infractions of the licence laws (about 14 yearly), in contrast with the known fact of its systematic and wholesale violations. It must be admitted, however, that the obstacles in the way of the proper enforcement of this part of the ForbeB Mackenzie Act are of the ordinary kind.

No police official has any right to enter a grocer's shop as he can into a public-house. One official declared it would require two policemen to stand at the shop door to prevent infractions of the law." Another complained "that the grocers frequently had a spy on the watch for the police." And when we remember that the drinker does his best to screen the trader from the non-sequences of his illegal act, and is under any circumstances-a most unwilling witness against him, it will, we think, be evident that convictions under the Act are somewhat difficult. Under this head we may be allowed to remark that some of the witnesses more than hinted that there was an understanding between some of the constables and the trafficers, in short that there wiia a snecies uf bribery carried on. We should be loathe to entertain such a thought against any of the police force, but the temptation to have recourse to such means of avoiding detection is very great, and we do not wonder at the suspicion arising in some minds. We now come to the third thing mentioned the remedies proposed.

With regard to some of these there was considerable unanimity manifested among thn witnesses, one suesestion was that the shops should be shut earlier at night, and not allowed to open sooner than the public-houses in the morning. This proposal was approved of by some of the witnesses, who were -liere on behalf of the trade. Another was that the sh fittings ought to be so arranged that whatever is do ie inside can be seen from the street, and that the W.ndow must or should be dressed in such a way that any officer in looking in can see the whole interior of the premises. A third idea very generally supported was that no liquor should be sold but sealed bottles, the intention being, we suppose, to prevent consumption on the premises. We apprehend this to be the weakest nronosal of any given.

To suppose that a trader who, in the prosecution of an illegal traffic, risked fines and the loss of his licence, would bo afraid to remove a bit of sealing wax from a bottle is surely most ridiculous. Another remedy spoken to was that nothing but the complete separation of the spirit from the grocery trade would meet the evils complained of. This very thorough mode of dealing with -this difficult question was not at all approved of by some of the witnesses, more especially the with an important exception, and as a -1. ue disapproved of by the interested parties who were there on behalf.of the trade but we are very much mistaken if anything short of this will effect any real improvement of the present state of things. Some of th a witnesses shewed a strong disposition to blame the quality of the drink supplied, and averred that it must be largely adulterated, thereby producing speedy intoxication, and that a manfest improvement might be effected by seeing that the drims-ing public were supplied with pure, that is, unadulterated, spirits.

We can onlysay in regard to this part of the evidence that we would fain hone that the action of intoxicants upon the human body is too well known by this time for any intelligent men to have much hope of this remedy. There are various other evils incident to this Question which were spoken to by some of the witnesses. I refer specially to the temptations to which working men's wives and their children are subiected bv this combination of the two trades, and some of the evidence on this point could not tall to have great weight with the uommissioners. I have not chosen to dwell on this point, as I am afraid 6of these remarks being too long already, and will leave it to other parties who may take part in the discussion to touch on it if so minded. With regard to the evidence supplied by the trade, and who, by the way, were all members of it, the main points brought out were that they generally did not -1--: ..11 1, 11 4.

OOJCClj xu eiiiuei Closing iiibuvugu iu 13 ncu uu miAuxs that the parties most interested in this were not examined at all some were willing to try the sealed bottle plan, but the most of them naturally objected to the separation of the two trades, and insisted largely on the inconvenience that tne result to their customers by so doing. The answer to this objection is so obvious that we need not here stop to look at it. This much we may here remark, that, with one notable exception, which has since been amply atoned for, no attempt was made to question the disinterestedness and honesty of those witnesses whose evidence with respect to the illegal traffic carried on was of such a damaging character. It is, of course, impossible to say what recommendations the commissioners in their report to the Government may think fit to make with a view to remove the evils that tney nave found to flow from the present condition and practical working of the grocers' licence laws. Judging from the evidence recorded things cannot be allowed to remain as they arc.

There is and can be no idea in any sane man's mind of going back to the condition of things before tha Borbes Mackenzie Act of 1852. If the" grocers' licences are to be continued it can only be on new conditions. More harrasssments and restrictions we fear are. in store for the trade, not only as regards more strinfont police regulations, but also in respect to the hours business, and the very fitting-up and arrange ment oi then places of business. There are the lightest of the evils that may be expected.

It is just possible that, looking at all the circumstances of the case, the commission may come to the conclusion that nothing short ot an entire separation of the trades will eradicate the evils incident to the present state of matters. That they may fee guided to such a conclusion, and report accordingly, will, we are sure, be the earnest wish of every one who is interested in the moral, social, and spiritual wejaoeing of the community. (Applause.) A man who called himself a stranger and a total abstainer wished to know, as ex-Provost Nicol had stated at the meeting of the Association for the Poor, of (By Telegraph from our Correspondent.) TKF OF NORFOLK'S MARRIAGE-GERMANY, TaETTWA AND SERVIA-THE CHINESE OPIUM SCOTTISH CORPOSaTION-MR ARCHI-oitD FORBES. BA London, Tuesday night. The Earl of Beaconsfield will be present to-morrow the marriage of the Duke of Norfolk.

It is defi-Lw arranged that the only representative of the Lral Familv who will attend the wedding ceremony the Princess Louise, ajid she will be accompanied by the Marquis of Lome. The Marquis and Mar-juoness of Bute, who were also married at Brampton Oratory some years ago, will be among the immediate friends of the affianced pair. I have seen a list of iiUn'ished per30ns for whom seats in the Oratory reserved, and it appears to me that the Session will -be very remarkable as a gathering of the Roman Catholic members of the British aristocracy. Probably no such display has ever occurred, although th- marriage of Lord Bute, then designated as the "Youd" Lothair," was an event of whichthe Roman Churoh'was very proud. The applications for tickets of have been enormous, and the Norfolk weddins is he sociai topic the molnent- I iearn from Vienna that very strong pressure has leu employed by the Austrian Government reveat Servia from making a headlong 1 i ti ii ptuug into tiie uigariim out tne i has not outweighed the inducements held M-isma-sion bv Russia to draw in this new ally and Austria refrains from threatening to use force, because Austria herself under counter pressure from Germany, The Foreign Secretary has given a favourable reply to a memorial from the Anglo-Indian Secretary for tl-e suppression of the Chinese opium trade, which prays him to ratify the Chefas contention, on the that it will regulate and greatly -diminish the traffic in this deleterious drug.

In connection with the 213th anniversary of the Scottish Corporation to be held at the Freemasons' Tavern on Friday week, St Andrew's day, a difficulty of an awkward character has arisen, but one which it is to be hoped will be overcome before the festival takes place. All the books of reference, papers, and letters having been destroyed by the recent disastrous 6re Mr Macrae Moir, the secretary of the Corporation, has been obliged to issue an appeal, in which it is stated that it will be a special favour if noblemen nd gentlemen who have promised donations, the necessity for which cannot now be exaggerated, would repeat their promise at their earliest convenience, so that if possible the amount may be announced at the festival. I am glad to hear that the secretary's appeal is being handsomely responded to. Mr Archibald 'Forbes is to be entertained at a dinner of his brother journalists on the 1st of next month at Willis' Rooms, previous to his return to the seat of war. Mr George Augustus Sala will take the chair on the occasion.

In addition to his lecture at the Crystal Palace on the 2Sth, on The personal experiences of a war correspondent," Mr Forbes will, on the 30th, read a paper on the Russian operations in Europe," by special request of the Council of the Royal United Service Institution. Mr Forbes starts for the headquarters of the Russian army about the 5th of December. A proposal has been made to erect a new pier at Scarborough at a cost of 20,080: The Eakl Oi' Kintore. The Earl of Kintore preached in Ardrossan Parish and Saltcoats Free Churches ox Sunday. At Manchester, Catherine Morris, Newton Heath, has been fined 30 and costs for possessing an illicit still.

An Elderly Pauper. The Barrow Magistrates "ranted a removal order on Monday to a female pauper, 105 years of age, from Barrow to Armagh. The dead body of Thomas Davidson, writer, aged fifty years, was found in his house in Glasgow on Sunday. The deceased lived alone. The dead body of a newly-born child wrapped in a newspaper has been found in an enclosed space behind a house in a fashionable street in Edinburgh, Tut Snider against the Martini.

In a rule match between the Scots Guards with the Martini and the Queen's Westminster with the Snider the litter won. The Lite Rev. Dr Colvin, Cramond. The Edinburgh Presbytery of the Church of Scotland has lost one (says the Scotsman) of its most respected, if perhaps less prominent, members, through the death of the Rev. Dr Colvin, minister of Cramond.

Manslaughter bt a Captain. Captain Shank-Ivn, the commander of a small steamer in the oil rivers, has been tried Lagos by a jury of natives, and found guilty of manslaughter, for neglecting to make any effort to save a Kroo boy jumped overboard to escape flogging. The captain was sent to prison for two years. Block of Legal Business is London. The block of business of Westminster is speaking from a litigant's point of view appalling.

It is all very well to sav that one half the causes might be settled bv the opposing solicitors, but the clients will go into court, and therefore ihere must be new judges. That is the' only possible interpretation of the remark repeated in the hall a thousand times a day, Something must be done." The Last ok a Great Race. A few days ago there died in Vienna, at the age of 77, Count Carlo Valieri, the last descendant ef the family of Marino Falieri, the famous Doge of Venice. In consequence of the seizure of Venice by Napoleon the parents of the deceased Count were obliged, after confiscation of their property, to leave their home. They then settled in Vienna, where Count Carlo Valieri spent the oreater part of his life.

Capture "of Coiners in Leeds. Three persons, and a woman, were brought up at the Leeds Borough Police Court on Monday, charged with havin in their possession implements of coining and two of them were in addition charged with having uttered based coin. The capture seems to have been an important one. The moulds and apparatus were complete, and capable of producing superior specimens of base money. The prisoners were remanded in order that the authorities at the Mint may be communiced with.

The Pope. The Pope is said to pursue his ordinary avocations with perfect command over his mental powers. It is believed that he will create four more cardinals, all Italians, in the course of next month. Those around him are said to have been warned by the physician that the end was near, and would come suddenly. It is alleged that as soon as the death is known the Vatican will be surrounded by a cordon of troops, solely to prevent the piilagu which has formerly been customary on such occasions.

The Opera in Russia. The effect of the war is teliin" seriously on the opera receipts both at St Petersburg and'Moscow, and the Imperial operas are but scantily attended, except on the nights Mdlle. Gerster appears, when seats are at a premium. On the occasion of her first appearance in the part of ODhelia in "Hamlet," on the 10th inst, she met with a great success, ana nnu uc "--Hamlet and the whole of the mad scene, after which he had no less than IS recalls before the curtain, and created an enthusiasm never equalled. The Leitk Improvement Scheme.

The town clerk has forwarded the decision of the Leith Town Council on the improvement scheme to the Home Secretarv accompanied by the medical officer's representation and other documents. One nf the clauses of the Artisans' Dwellings Act empowers the Home Office after receiving sucn a Gove4ment official to examine the scheduled area bi- 4 a majority of the Council have determined to proceed with a modified scheme, it is not considered probable that Mr Cross will take any steps until assured of the intentions of the Local Authority. A Whole Family Swept off by Fever. A verv sad fatality has just occurred the family ot JohnFcr'nson, Drumpkerch near Airdrie, five children his whole family having died ot lever since Friday last. The youngest is only seven months old, while the eldest is eight years.

The water used is from a pool in a plantation near by, and it is supposed to have got contaminated. The sanitary authorities are investigating the matter. The funeral of the children took place on Monday afternoon, and was witnessed by a large crowd of sympathisers. Hanging in Ceylon. A correspondent of the Eng lish Howard Association, in a lette; to Mr Tallack, from Colombo, remarks as follows In Cevlon, ex ecutions are in public and more brutal exhibitions of human strangling it would be impossible to imagine and such as I hope never to see aain.

At an execu- rioa whicn I recentjy witnessed here, two men acted as executioners the drop fall was too short, and one fellow hung by the convict's legs, while another pressed on his shoulders above. The unfortunate wretch, hanging oil the rope, in his agony drew up his legs, thus raising the fellow holding them clean eff the ground. Three persons were executed last month in Colombo. Lanarkshire Ironworkers. The duluess in the malleable iron trade is causing some apprehension amongst ironworkers in various parts of the The notices given to the men employed in Mr Jackson's Works, Coatbridge, that their services would not be further required expired on Saturday, On Monday the men presented themselves at the work as usual, and some of them resumed work under one day's notice.

At Mossena Works, the most extensive in Lanarkshire, upwards of 100 men got formal notices oa Saturday that after the expiration of fourteen days their services will not be required, Messrs Neilson have damped a number of puddling furnaces for a great force made anient anacK on sue luimu luiumo. -rw frn.n positions near rvarmassi aeienuwg Antivari to Scutari The Turks, who were 4000 men strong, repulsed the attack after seven hours' fightin, the Montenegrins sustaining a loss of 300 killed. CAPTURE OF FORT NTS HAP BY THE MONTENEGRINS. Vienna, Tuesday evening. The Political Correspondence of this evening publishes a telegram from Cettinge, dated to-day, stating that the Montenegrins have captured Fort Nehap, which commands Spizza, the town of Spizza having surrendered four days ago without offering any resistance.

Prince Nicholas of Montenegro is at citadel of which holds out against bombardmtne. THE REPORTED PEACE NEGOTIA- TIONS. Beklin, Tuesday evening. The North German Gazette of this evening again reverts to the statement of the Anence Husse that the Porte had addressed itself to the German Ambassador in Constantinople in favour of German mediation, and that the Ambassador had referred the Porte to the Russian headquarters. In treating upon the matter the Gazette mentions the opinion expressed relation to the statement by the foreign newspapers that sooner or later Germaov would endeavour to mediate between the present belligerents, and adds the following remarks Just as in 1871 Germany would have considered it incompatible with Russia's friendship towards to her forward France, Germany, and indeed as an insult national honour if Russia had come as mediator at the request of so now the German Government could reconcile it with its relations to Russia scarcely if it were to appear before the Russian Government as an advocate of Turkish wishes for peac.

Prince Reuss could not have made a more sagacious reply had he been asked to mediate than that imputed to him, but whether he has had occasiou to make any such answer is a question which now, as before, it is needless to dis- OPENING OF A NEW RAILWAY. Bucharest, Tuesday. The first train run on the Bender Galatz Railway arrived at the Tobaco Cubes station to-day. The train consisted of 20 carriages, containing a large number of passengers. The weather is magnificent.

DIVORCE FOR DESERTION. Lord Craighill, in giving decision yesterday in the Court of Session in an action Brodie v. Brodie for divorce, on the ground of desertion, expressed the anxiety which such cases gave him, and added that the law was one that required to be delicately The defender, in the case before him, had gone to America, not, as his lordship thought, for the purpose of deserting his wife, but bettering his circumstances, and wrote to her for some time. The writing had sinca ceased, the pursuer not having received any reply to letters written by her in 1872. Defender had been personally served with the summons, knew the statements it contained, and put in no appearance.

In these circumstances he felt that it" was his duty to pronounce as concluded for, with1 expenses. THE PROPOSED ROMISH HIERARCHY FOR SCOTLAND. A meeting of the Scottish Reformation Society was held in Edinburgh yesterday, at which addretses were delivered by the Rev. Dr Wylie, the Rev. Dr Begg, the Rev.

Dr Teape, and others, with the view of stirring up the people of Scotland to rally round the standard of Protestantism, and use their utmost efforts to resist the progress of Romanism in the country, indicated by the proposal to establish a hierarchy north of the Tweed. THE U.P. CHURCH AND THE STANDARDS. The committee appointed by the Synod of the United Presbyterian Church held a meeting yesterday in the Presbytery Hall, Queen Street, Edinburgh. Principal Harper presided at a three hours' meeting in the forenoon, when the committee had under consideration several suggestions which had been sent to it.

In the evening they had an6ther meeting, under the presidency of Professor Cairns, when the same subjects were discussed. SPhe committee assemble again to-day, when it is expected that a deliverance will be come to on some points submitted to them. EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE OF STABBING AGAINST A RUSSIAN. Edward Pindar, a Russian gentleman of means, was charged on remand, before the Hitchin Magistrates yesterday, with unlawfully wounding Miss Wiles, an independent lady. The young lady's -statement, which had been taken at her residence, was to the effect that the prisoner had been in the habit of coming to her father's house to teach the Russian language.

On the 7th inst. she was in the parlour with prisoner, there being no one else in the house. Prisoner suddenly seized her by the hair, and, after making use of threats, stabbed her three t-'mes in the head and in several parts of the body. He inflicted the wounds with a clasp knife which he took from his pocket. Prisoner afterwards gave himself up, and appeared to be suffering from mental aberration.

He was remanded for completion of depositions, when he will' be committed for trial. SHIPPING CASUALTIES. (Lloyd's Telegrams.) The steamer Rainton (of GlasgowJ, for Genoa, went ashore on Glasgorman bank, but got off last night and proceeded north. Tin baraue Persian (of Dundee), from Montreal, has arrived at Queenstown with loss' of foretopniast, all attached boats, and bulwarks. Her decks were also swept, and she jettisoned part of cargo.

The steamer Clarence, from Faversham for Middles-bro', has put into Harwich with main sliaft broken. The barque Jiilen nas wrecnea at East London. Crew saved. The steamer Wolf, from Greenock for St Johns, N.F., has arrived at Queenstown leaky, decks partly swept, and with loss of sails. THE RECTORIAL CONTEST AT ST ANDREWS.

The Right Hon. Robert Lowe was on Monday night nominated for the rectorship of this University in opposition to Mr Robert Browning, the poet. Since then, however, the contest has materially altered. Yesterday afternoon intell'ence was received that Mr Browning had declined to allow his candidature to be prosecuted further. A strong section of the students are anxious to support Mr Matthew Arnold, who at a former stage of the contet had retired in favour of Mr Browning, but it is doubtful if he will allow himself to be brought forward.

The ppll takes place on Thursday. The subjoined letter appeared in tha Times yesterday morning Sir, I observe by a paragraph in the Times of to-day that, through some unaccountable misunderstanding, my name continues to be mentioned as that of a candidate for the Rectorship of St Andrews. May I beg to say, by your permission, that immediately on becoming informed that such an honour was proposed to me, I wrote to decline it, with all gratitude, as I had found, myself compelled to do on some former occasions. I am, sir, obediently yours, "Robt. Browsing.

"19 Warwick Crescent Nov. 19." MANCHESTER AND WARWICK RACE MEETINGS. The foEowing are the results of yesterday's racing at Manchester and Warwick The Maiden Plate of 100 by subscription ef 5 sovs. each, for horses, that never won 100 suvs. before naming 3-yr-old, 8st 21b three, 8st 51b four and upwards, Est 121b and allowed 81b winners after naming, 51b extra.

Five furlongs straight. 19 subs. 1 Sundial, 2Chesterfield, 3 Miss Bateman. Seven ran. i The Rous Selling Plate of 100 sovs.

weight for age; selling allowances. Five furlongs straight 1 Young Sydmonton, 2 Stephanie, 3 Miss Annie II. Thirteen ran. The Flying Welter Handicap Plate of 100 sovs. winners of any handicap after Nov.

14, at 6 p.m., 51b; of two, or any handicap this meeting, 101b extra; professional jockeys, 41b extra. Five furlongs straight. 1 Mayfair. 2 Rowlston, 3 Telescope. Fourteen ran.

The Lancaster Nursery Handicap Plate of 100 for 2-yr-olds winners of any two-year-old race (selling races excepted) -sfter November 14, at six p.m., 51b of 200 71b extra. Straight half-mile. 1 La Fiancee, 2 My Nannie 3 Ellora. Five ran. The Teial Stakes of 7 for starters, with 100 added; 2-yr-olds, 7st 91b; three, 8st 121b; and upwards, 9st 51b; mares and geldings allowed 31b; winner to be sold for 100 if for 50, allowed 71b.

Five furlongs, straight. 1 Elsham 2 MyNannieO, 3 Ellora. Five ran. Tee Heaton Pahk Ccp of 150 added to a handicap sweepstakes of 10 sovs. for starters winners of any handicap after JNovember 14, at sis p.m., olb of 200 101b extra.

One mile. 1 Spiegelschiff, 2 Sunray, 3 Rowlston. Nine ran. The Nursery Handicap of 10 sovs. each, with 100 added, for 2-yr-olds second to save stakes; winners after November 15, at ten a.m., 71b; twice, Mb extra.

Five furlongs. 33 subs. 1 Alameda, 2 La Flaneuse, 3 Caledonia. Ten ran. Handicap Hurdle Race.

Void. Handicap ef 100 by subscription of 5 bovs. each winner to be sold for 100 winners extra. Five furlongs. 1 Victoria, 2 Zazel, 3 Tantrum.

Three ran. The Racing Stakes of 100 by subscription of 5 sovs. each, for 2-yr-olds colts, 8st 121b fillies, 8st 91b winner to be sold for 50. Five furlongs. 1-Vic, I Uupid, 6 My anny.

Bight ran. The Donnington Handicap of 10 sovs. each, with 150 added winner of any handicap after November 15, at 10 a.m., Olb twice, 101b extra. One mile. Miss Costa beat Reeve.

The Hunters' Selling Race of 3 sovs. each, with 30 added 4-yr-olds, 12st five and upwards, 12st 71b winnen in 1877, once, 71b twice, or of 50 141b extra winner to be sold for '100 if entered for 70, allowed 71b' if for 50, 141b gentlemen riders. Two miles, on the; fiat. 9 subs. 2 Thinskin, 3 Aide-de-Camp.

Four ran. The Selling Nursery Handicap of 100 by subscription of 5 sovs. each, for 2-yr-olds winner to be sold for 100 if declared by six o'clock the evening before the race to be sold for 50, allowed 71b winners after November. 15, at 10 a.m., 51b extra. Five furlongs.

1 Samaria, 2 Brown Saxon, 3 Caress. Seven ran. Selmng WBtTEB' Plate of 100 by subscription of 5 sovs. each; weight for age; selling and other allowances. Three-quarters of a mile.

1 Victoira, 2 Rossini, 3 Robin, Four ran. (RH.WTKR-S ASD PRESS ASSOUIATIOK TELEQRAMS.i BOILER EXPLOSION NEAR LEEDS. TWO MEN KILLED. A boiler explosion occurred yesterday at the brick works of Mr G. Milner, Bramley, near Leeds, killing two of the workmen, and doing damage to the extent of 2000.

THE NATIONAL REVENUE. The Exchequer accounts from the 1st April to the 17th November, 1877. were Receipts, 45,697,957 expenditure, 49,523,937 balances, 1,529,913. Corresponding period last year-Receipts, expenditure, balances, 1,456,745. CHINA AND ENGLAND.

The Daily News understands that Lord Shaftesbury has forwarded to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs an influential memorial on the subject of the ratification of the Chefoo Convention. MR GLADSTONE AND MR FORBES. Mr Gladstone is about to deliver a lecture at Hawarden upon Russians, Turks, and Bulgarians," in reply to Mr Archibald Forbes' recent article in the Nineteenth Century. THE LJNDON MASONS' STRIKE. At a special meeting of the Master Builders' Association, held yesterday afternoon at Westminster, it was resolved, that, having already had an interview with the representatives of the masons un the 26th July upon the subject of the present strike, when the differences were fully discussed and the arguments thoroughly exhausted, the committee are unable to see any good can be attained by a further conference.

A CHURCH DESTROYED BY FIRE. A fire supposed to have been caused by the upsetting of an oil-lamp, occurred at Lamerton Church, near Tavistock, on Monday night. The church was restored in July last, and the woodword being of pitch pine the tire extended rapidly, and the buiiding was soon destroyed. Only the outer walls remain. The church containedmany ancient monuments of the Tremayne family.

THE BURIAL QUESTION IN PORTUGAL. Lisbon, Monday. The long disputed question of making a division in the cemeteries in order to bury Disaenters apart from Catholics has been settled. The municipality, at a tumultuous meeting, voted the proposal. Dr Tardim substantially adopts the views of the Government that a separate cemetery should be con structed for Dissenters.

EXECUTION AT NORWICH. Henry March was executed yesterday morning by Marwood in Norwich Castle for the murder of Henry Bridewell and Thomas Mays at Wyiuondham a month ago. March woke at three, received the Holy Communion, walked firmly to the scaffold, and died penitent. He left a statement, in which he said that he premeditated the murder, and that after striking Bridewell he thought he might as well be hung for two as one. THE REPRESENTATION OF BELFAST.

The Belfast Telegraph authoritatively denies the rumour that Mr William Johnston, the Orange member for Belfast, had accepted a Government appointment in connection with the Prisons Bill, and was therefore about to retire from the representation of that town. Two or three candidates are already in the field. DESTRUCTIVE FIRE NEAR PLYMOUTH At ten o'clock on Monday night tire was discovered in the extensive serge and cloth manufactory of Messrs Berry Son, at Buckfait Leih, which gave employment to nearly the whole of the inhabitants of the little town. The little fire engine was powerless to arrest the progress of the fire, and by.one o'clock vestevdav morning the main building, with all its costly machinery and contents, was Entirely destroyed AMERICAN ITEMS. Washington, Tuesday.

The House of Representatives has passed a bill accepting the invitation of France to caKe pan ill me apioauiiiua cj.iuuii.auii mu. ilioijia- atirg a sum of 150,000 dols. for the expense to be incurred. The Secretary of the Treasury informed the House he had satisfactorily placed 75 millions of 4 per Cent. United States Bonds.

The fears of the remonetisation of silver had checked sales, and caused a temporary postponement of the further disposal of the loan. The omcial reperi gives xne years nen revenue at 269 million, and theexpenditure at 238 million dollars, MR H. M. STANLEY. A telegram from Cape Town, dated October 31, says: Mr Stanley, who has been the guest of Commodore Sullivan, goes to Zanzibar with his Arab followers in Her Majesty's ship Industry, which has been placed at his disposal.

Sir B. Frere has congratulated him on his work. Banquets have been given in his honour. Referring to encounters with natives on the Congo-Lual-aba, Mr Stanley states that no force was used until all other means had failed to preserve the lives of his followers and himself. Eight men had died since their arrival at the coast from the effects of the hardships they hud endured.

He goes on with the remainder of his meu to see them safely returned to Zanzibar. THE PEMBERTON COLLIERY ACCIDENT. The coroner's inquiry as to the deaths of 33 persons killed by the explosion at Pembertou collieries, near Wigan, was resumed yesterday. Evidence was given by those who had worked in the mine that there was no fault to find either with its ventilation or its management. In the nine feet seam, the scene of the rx-plosion, a little gas had been noticed to be given off, but not to a dangerous extent.

The mine was worked with lock-safety lamps. The inquiry was adjourned. THE PUBLIC HEALTH. The Registrar-General reports C067 births and 34G6 deaths in" London and 22 other large, towns of the United Kingdom during the past week. The average mortality in these towns was 22 annually per thousand.

The rate in London was 21, Edinburgh 17, Glasgow 22, Dublin 28, Leicester 13, Norwich, Portsmouth, smd Brighton 15, Nottingham 16, Hull 20, Plymouth 21, Bristol, Birmingham, and Sunderland 22, Liverpool and Salford 23, Bradford 24, Newcastle 25, Sheffield and Leeds 26, Wolverhampton 27, -Manchester 28, and Oldham 33. MR GLADSTONE AND THE UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW. Mr Gladstone has addressed the following letter to the Liberal Club of the Glasgow University in reply to a communication from the president and secretary ofi the club announcing to the right-hon. gentleman the result of the rectorial contest on 'I hursday last: Castle, Chester, Nov. 19, 1877.

DcarSirs, The intimation ofthe votes recorded for your Lurd Rectorship, and the account you have kindly forwarded of the feelings which the result has excited, have caused nie a lively "ratification. I cannot but consider that my name has been employed as a symbol piinciples and opinions, and thus I regard the acceptance of it by so' large a majority as the remarkable indication oi the healthy tone anu pulse of the university. Personally, I regard it as a great compliment paid to one of small desert or capacity for service but this is a secondary aspect of the matter. To you I must render this personal tribute that the election has singularly confirmed your prognostications, and has moved you to be as in tactics as Lornd in politics. I remain, Yours, V.

PUBLIC MEN ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS. The Hon. R. Bailiie Hamilton, M.P., addressed his constituents at Dunse yesterday afternoon. He denounced the opposition which had been thrown in the way of the Eastern policy of the Government, and especially the mischievous agitation occasioned by Mr Gladstone's resolutions, which had proved an infernal machine, even to the Liberal party, which they had nearly rent in twain.

The Government had done ri-htly in affording no assistance to Russia, whose chief object was the doom of the Ottoman Empire. addressing a subsequent to the annual din- t.ho Shpffield Trades Conned last night, Mr Mundella, M.P., directedattention to the greatstruggle for constitutional government which is now goin? on in France, saying they were there fighting the battle of freedom for all the world and were, after many long years of bloodshed, revolution, and strife, seeking to attain that mode of constitutional government of which England has long been the brightest example. Discussing the causes of the great depression of trade, Mr Mundella said he believed they were the main to be found in the failure of foreign borrowers to pay in terest. He was comment wie wramccimmj come. THE MARRIAGE OF THE DUKE OF NORFOLK.

The nuptials of the Duke of NorfolktMs morning are to form the biggest advertisement of the Koman Church wh fohttat communion has enjoyed since the conversion li Marnnis of Bute was made permanent by his of the Marquis ot jm "1 1 out. chiefly to members of the Father rSr feen appreciation of the aciU aS the service's of the gentlemen of the press-especTally when the occasion necess.ta es a dcrjion of a ceremony which will he the highest style of art. Yesterday the bridal presents were on vw at the house of Lady Flora Fasting', father, Upper Gros-venor Street, London. It is beyond a doubt taat the Princess Louise will be present as also wdl Lord Beaconsfield and many of the raembeis of the House of Peers. Immediately after the breakfast to-day the Duke and his bride will proceed to Arundel, wnere the tenantry will meet his Grace at tho station, and escort the happy pair on horseback to the ancestral home.

Mm fair of yesterday has the follow.ng:-A Rormsh ecclistastictoldme the other day, upon what he asserted to be undeniable authority, certain particulars wsPectine the forthcoming wedding of theecc de fern-tonW 4 Church, the Duke of Norfolk. The present of his Grace, he remarked, had been much eiatKerated it was only 160,000 per annum. The SSS of pin-money which, by the marnage Settle-Zll be granted by the Duke to hndever ind abore her own exclusive means, was to be 1000 a vear Then, in cane of his Grace pre-deceasing the i-i tv camn nT 'annum was to be reserved for her ut of the Norfolk property for Ufe or until re- disapprobation, and the remark" He's a grocer. 5 that Mr Paterson had been heard on one side, and if anybody wished to be heard on the other they were welcome. Mr John Adam, grocer, Gr -en, having been called upon, made a few remarks.

There were certain evils connected with grocers' licences, he said, which were undeniable, as brought out by tha evidence at the ruiT. lie tGOUffUC It Jiuii'iaue wi. grocers posted spies to aid them in carrying on an illicit traffic. It was well known that the law did not permit a grocer to give a customer even a sample glass, and he thought very few had not transgressed to that extent. Mr James Keith (Macdonahl, Field, Co.) referred to the facilities afforded by grocers' licences as tending to Hip evils nf drunkenness, and advocated the separa tion of the licences as a step in the right direction.

They encouraged drinking at home, where the young were taught the example of the old, and hence the state of things as regards drinking is no better than it was twenty years ago. Mr Matthew Edwards, secretary to the society, in reply to Mr Adams, stated emphatically that he had again and again seen signals given at grocers' shop doors to certain drouthy gentlemen who were in tho habit of getting their allowances" regularly, by one of the younger men standing outside. Another great evil was that of children carrying home drink and seeing it consumed, and perhaps taking it, and thereby getting to like it. Then the assistants in shops were put to great temptations, and he could poiut out three or four acquaintances of his own who were abstainers and took part in religious work, but who since they entered that business had been led into drinking habits and had become lost to all moral Another evil was that many of the grocers were in the habit of' getting acquainted with those who have the keeping of the law and occasionally give them a glass, which is the common way in these days of showing kindness, and these officials were not unsusceptible of such kindness, and in return were not over strict in the discharge of their duty towards these grocers. The stranger and total abstainer again rose and said he could not gree with Mr Adams, that the grocers of Aberdeen were so low ana mean wj sck ayim a ui doors in order to enable them to evade the law.

A stranger might go from one end of Union Street to the other and he would defy him to get half a gill of whisky behind a treacle cannister, neither would they give it to a tradesman although he was working extra time. Such a man was Mr Stevens in George Street, and he would take his evidence before that of Joseph Falconer. The evidence given in this commission was like a great many things that total abstainers had taken in hand they had gone to the extreme with it, and he believed it was for that reason and that reason alone that ex-Provost Nicol meant to say that total abstainers were not respected. If the total abstainers ottontinn to the low crrocers' shops in East North Street and Gallowgate for it was there and not in respectable thoroughfares, such as Union Street and George Street, that the miscnier was aoue (laughter) if they did that ana reaucea tms numoer oi Dublic-houses in these tuorougiitares, tney wouio. qo a ereat deal to the evils of the dnnK tramc.

air Adam nf post sentries outside grocers' shops, the trade was so SaMr M'Kay (overseer, Avery's warehouse), assured the meeting that no later than last night, at half-past ten o'clock, he saw a policeman in getting his allow ance" (laughter). Mr Joseph Stevenson said it was notorious that drink could be got in eveiy shop in the Gallowgate from five in the morning till twelve at night. Mr M'Intvre. chimney sweep, asiteu sue tnt of a man senium uau North Street majio him less resoectaoie tnan selling it in Union Street or George Street Was Mr Stevens a more respectable man selling drink George Street than he would be selling it Gallowgate? (Hear, hear, and laughter.) Had not alcohol the same effect consumed in the Palace Hotel as if it had been consumed in Albion Street (Laughter and applause.) He lived in George Street Deiore tne passing the Forbes Mackenzie Act, and he could assure them that the drink was just as intoxicating there as the Gallowgate, and quite as effectual in making parents mad and children beggars. He was of opinion that grocers' licences were a bad thing, and the sooner the two trades were separaieu me oeirici.

ii wu no moderation in anything that was bad, and drinking alcohol in any shop whatever was bad, whether in the Palace Hotel, in Mr Stevens', in George Street, or in the Kast Street. (Laugnter anu apuiaune. Mr Joseph Tennant, draper, said he was no teetotaller, but he thought that grocers' licences were bad on the ground of fair play. They were unfair to grocers who had no licences, and to the publican who pays two licences and has no back door where females and others, who do not wish to be seen going to drink, can enter. ie had seen parties goinginto grocers' shops, and one remaining outside on the lookout till the others were served.

It appeared to him that though the grocer did not put his hand into his neighbour's till he put it into the country's till. The practice of drinking in grocers' shops was a means of engendering a very immoral state of mind, inasmuch as the secrecy with which it is carried on showed that it offended the conscience. An abstainer said, as a proof that drink selling was a profitable business, that he knew in connection with pic-mc that as ruuen as was given iu iuo pira who got them up for leave to supply the liquor. Mr Milne, fleshen said he knew of shops where scores of working men went in at breakfast hour and got then-allowance, and had it "put up" as a score for payment and women who went to the Co-operative store which does not selldri nk, were in the habit of going in there on their way home with the bottle to get it filled, who perhaps would not be seen going into a public-house. Mr Macphail, agent for he Permissive Bill Association, agreed with Mr Adams, that it was impossible for grocers to abide by the terms of their certificates, and the only cure in his opinion was the separation of the two trades.

His friend the stranger and total abstainer misrepresented ex-Provost Nicol, who merely said that sensible people would not goifor the entire abolition of the drmk trade. Jae (air juacpnani quiie expecieu mai Provost Jamiesou would go for the abolition of all public-houses. He did not know any class of men who competed so much with Provost Jamieson in his business as the publicans. "If there were no grocers' licences in Aberdeen but his own, and no public-houses in Aberdeen, he would have all the drink trade to himself. It was simply a matter ot business witn mm, ana it was the policy of the publicans to go for the abolition of the grocers' licences, and for the grocers to go for the abolition of the publicans' licences.

But when men in an official position came forward and said all the mischief caused by the drink traffic was due to adulteration, they were entitled to examine their evi dence. Shentt Thomson was under the impression that it is adulteration that does the mischief but he had not told them what the liquor was adulterated with. Now, he happened to know that one of the adulterants was water. Shakespeare said that honest water is too weak to be a sinner therefore, the more water, the less mischief. Some of the other witnesses thought the mischief was caused by the whisky being new, and that it should be kept a couple of years in bond, but as one of the witnesses said the best way to get rid of the mischief was to keep it in bond altogether.

(Laughter.) They might as well try to get rid of the butter in milk as get rid of the fusil oil in whisky it was part and parcel of its nature the essential oil. It comes off in distillation, and it may be true that there is more of it in the vapour form in new whisky passing off, but it was part and parcel of the whisky, and therefore when people talked about getting rid of it by keeping the whisky in bond, they were talking nonsense, and didn't know what they were talking about. Some folks were looking forward to the time when the grocers of Scotland will be put in the same position as the grocers of England, and be obliged to sell spirits in bulk or slump quantities but he could not see how any man could be persuaded that it was a right thing to sell five gills of whisky and a wrong ihing to sell four gills. The Forbes Mackenzie Act was in his opinion a huge farce, because it said that it is wrong to sell drink on Sundays, or between eleven o'clock at night and eight o'clock in the morning, but that it is right and a good thing to sell it from eigtit in tne morning till eleven at night. The whole thing was an absurdity from beginning to end, and the sooner the common sense of the people was enlisted on the subject the better, and let them go straight to the tiovernment; and say it the thing, be bad get quit ot it altogether, and if it be good let it be free.

(Applause.) It was difficult to persuade a man that if it was right to drink whisky outside a grocer's doorstep it was wrong to drink it inside the doorstep. They had evidence most distinct that when the policemen brought cases time after time to those having charge of the prosecution they were not thanked for their trouble, and the cases fell through and he knew from policemen themselves that occasionally they might take a case, but they found that it was just as well perhaps to allow the thing to pass and why? because by this law they gave arbitrary power to certain men to decide whether it is right to prosecute or not. It was a bad thing to put a public official in a position of being liable to be manipulated, and he knew from gentleman in umciaa pusiwons, including the members of the press, that they were a good deal bothered by gentlemen who had been guilty of a first offence wanting to keep their names out of the police books and out of the newspapers. In the (county tne chief constable gave very strong instructions as to dealing with grocers, but the constables were circumvented by the spies set to watch their movements. If they sent next Sunday to the village of Torry he had tto doubt they would find an extensive ilicit trade carried on by the aid of spies.

Nothing would do but entire separation, and then when they got that' they would nave the sensible gentlemen like ex-Provost Nicol and Provost Jamieson helping them in the battle to get the public-houses abolished. (Applause.) Mr Pate, on then made bis reply, and attributed the extent of ci inking in grocers' shops to the laxity of the police, and the fact that their employers the municipality, and their Watching Committee are largely adulterated wii i the (trade. Although he saw a great deal of such drinking going on about his neighbourhood daily, he frankly confessed that he never saw any grocers using spies. When they considered that there is a far larger proportion of grocers' licences to the population than sn any otner town in Scotland, they would see how important it was to have the drink and the grocery trades separated. A vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Paterson, aad the meeting terminated.

Down with MacMahon. A man named Jung-mann has been sentenced for crying on the Boulevard de Bellville, Down with MacMahon to 15 days' imprisonment. The policeman who arrested him mentioned, as am-aggravating circumstance, that tke people in the' street who heard him dapped their THE SIEGE OF ERZEROUM. St Petersburg, Tuesday. Official returns of killed and wounded at the storming of Kars have been published to-day.

Amongst the officers killed are Major-General Count Grabbe, General Belinsky, commanding the 3rd Pernau Regiment of Grenadiers, Colonel Butschkiew, of the 131st Peati-gorsky Begiment of Infantry, and Major Geritsch, commanding officer of the 1st Caucasus Rifle Battalion. lieutenant-Colonel Prince Melikoff, commander ofthe 4th Caucasus Rifle Battalion, has since died of his wounds. Our trophies consist of upwards of 10,000 prisoners, about 300 guns, and a vast quantity of stores. Nearly 4500 sick and wounded were found in the hospitals. The Russian loss amounted to about 2500 in killed and wounded.

Bucharest, Tuesday, noon. Official intelligence received here from Poradin states that the news of the capture of Kars has. created the greatest enthusiasm among the troops. Three salvoes ot aruuery nonour oi trie event were fired trom au the batteries. Veban Kaleh, Monday.

The Russian loss in the storming of Kars was about 2500 killed and wounded. Ten thousand prisoners and three hundred guns were taken. Constantinople, Tuesday. No news has been received here from Kars. Moscow, Tuesday, According to the oscow Gazette, the main army of the Russians is advancing upon Erzeroum, leavfng simply a garrison at Kars.

ErzerOdm, Monday. The eastern side of the city is completely invested by the Russians, the north and south sides only partially, and, the west side not at all. Constantinople, Tuesday. The Seraskierate has received a telegram from Ghazi Moukhtar Pacha dated Erzeroum, Nov. 19, wherein he says he has received a letter from Husni Pacha, the Turkish commandant at Kars, announcing that on the 10th inst.

four battalions were sent to destroy the second line of the Russian entrenchments, which had recently been' supplied with artillery. The Turkish attacking party, however, were compelled to fall back on being confronted.by twelve Russian battalionB. On the following night an attempt on the part of the Russians to carry the Turkish battalions before the Hafiz Pacha redoubt was foiled. The Russians, however, subsequently assaulted the redoubt itself, forced their way into it and compelled the garrison to retreat to the neighbouring irracks. Reinforcements having arrived the Turks drove out the Russians, who left 150 hors de combat on the field.

The Turkish loss was 300. The Seraskierate has not received any later despatch in reference to Kars, but the foreign embassies here have communicated to the Porte a despatch received from Prince Gortschakoff, announcing the fall of the fortress. THE SURRENDER OF ERZEROUM DEMANDED. Constantinople, Tuesday, 8'30 p.m. A Russian parlementaire has been read at the headquarters of Ghazi Moukhtar Pacha demanding the surrender of Erzeroum to the Russian army.

By order of the Sultan, the town will be defended to the last extremity. COMMENTS OF THE PRESS ON THE FALL OF KARS. The Times remarks that the nearer the war rolls to Adnanople, and the greater the sacrifices of the Russians, the heavier will be the demands of the victors. Already no doubt; these facts are reeoamised bv the cooler Turkish authorities, and in an article from the Vaktt there is a perceptanle moderation. The significance of the tODe may be understood from the fact that the Vakit is supposed to be indebted for its inspiration to the Grand but it is mistaken if it supposes that either by flattering or taunting England it can shake her resolution to keep out ot this contest.

The Russians are also in a suitable mood for negotiation, if we may judge from the evidence in oar letters from St Petersburg. Thus the fall of Kars, if it should be followed by the fall of Plevna and if the Turks should close their ears to the promises of deceitful councillors may, the Times adds, be among the closing chapters of this dreadful war. The Standard admits that the fall of Kars is a grave disaster for the Turkish arms, but is unable to Bhare the opinions of those who believe that it will have the effect of compelling a peace. The authorities at Constantinople must be as well aware of the present crisis as any oi those who are put forth as their instructors, and the Turkish Government will need no advice as to, the danger which- they are likely to run through a Russian occupation of the capital of Armenia. They must have calculated tint after the defeat of Moukhtar Pacha on the Aladja Dagh the surrender of Kars was but a question of time, and although they could not anticipate that a fortress of this formidable character would so speedily succumb to the invaders, they must have been prepared sooner or later to abandon Armenia to the enemy.

The Daily Telegraph says that if the English people are bent on sacrificing their' renown among the nations as well as their widespread dominions because, forsooth, Turkey is not better governed than Russia, then no warnings, no writings on the wall, will avail to save them. But should the ancient fibres of their race not have been rendered flaccid by wealth, timidity, and the luxury of morbid emotions, then they must make known their will at once, lest they should incur the stinging humiliation of being wise too late. Russia has now virtually conquered Persia falls under her domination. The ways to the East, West, and South are open. India will thrill with a suppressed excitement which no famine subscriptions will calm.

The spirit of Nelson and of Pitt sits quietly watching the drama in a state of sentimental indecision. The Post thinks that Armenia is, to all appearancen, placed at the mercy of the invader, and one is led to speculate on the improbability of Turkey being ever able to wrest it from the Russian grasp. Its loss will. however, be not more serious to Turkey than to Eng land; and tne question must now present itself to the serious consideration of the British Government, whether, consistently with their due regard for the interests of the country, they can quietly consent to the conversion of Armenia into a Russian province. THE SITUATION AT PLEVNA.

REPORTED RUSSIAN DEFEAT. Constantinopls, Tuesday morning. ChaHr Pacha, telegraphing to the Seraskierate under date of I8th reports that a Teconnoitaring de tachment of Turkish cavalry under Osman Pacha had defeated a Russian cavalry farce, inflicting on the, enemy a loss of 500 Constantinople, Tuesday. Chakir Pacha telegraphs as follows to the Seraskie rate under date Orkhanie, Nov. 18th "Reinforcements have arrived.

Reconnaissances made in different directions have ascertained that the enemy is a long distance from this place." THE SIEGE OF PLEVNA. Telegranhing on the 16th from the RuBsian head quarters at Dobny Dobnik, the correspondent of the liOnuOu Jjawy ixews saya xue uirum oi investment is now drawn as closely round Plevna as can be without actually besieging the Turkish petitions. Nothing new has transpired relating to the amount of supplies Osman has. It is believed he will be able to hold out for another month. The Russian troops are in excellent health, and indeed the weather is so fine that the officers who have indoor quarters prefer dining in the open air.

There has been no attack to relieve Osman bv a force coming from Sofia. There has been no fight ing the fall of Telisohe, and'the Turks have not 1 1 snown Lnemseives uu wus Blue loie xajKaus. juigaxiajl spiss have latterly reported that forces are on the march from Sofia, estimated variously from 15,000 to 40,000 men but these reports have little credit here. As the Russian cavalry is considerably in advance of Yablanica, we should have timely warning of their approach should any attempt be made. THE DESERTERS FROM PLEVNA.

The Daily News correspondent before Plevna tele graphs Large numbers of deserters from Osman Pacha's camp are presenting themselves at the stating that they only get three-quarters of a pound of bread daily, and a bit of meat twice a week. It is believed in the Russian camp that Osman can hold out till the middle of December. The Times special correspondent before Plevna states that having had a view of the eastern front of Plevna, he is impressed with the utter impossibility of taking Plevna except by starvation. THE RUSSIAN ARMY. A telearam to the Post from Berlin says It is stated here that the entire Russian army is about to be mobi lised.

In view of the vigorous defence made by the Turks it is said that the Government considers the em ployment of the whole available force desirable. SERVIA AND MONTENEGRO. A Times telegram from Belgrade says that although there are marked signs there of a desire to take the field, several clauses of the convention between Russia and Servia have not yet been arranged, and it is believed that the former is not inclined to accept ali the conditions insisted on by the latter. It is stated that Montenegio is unwilling to form an alliance with Servia. THE CONDITIONS OF PEACE.

The Pesth correspondent of the Standard has been informed that several of the Cabinets which are most interested in the Eastern question have assured the Porte that they will use ali their influence to obtain favourable conditions ot peace tor Turkey when the time for mediation arrives. THE FEELING AT PERA. The Times has the following telegram from Pera, dated November 17 Uneasiness is felt here owing to the complete absence of authentic news from Plevna, on which place all interest at present centres. Heavy cannonading is reported from both sides in that direction. The papers here state that the Constantinople garrison is going to the front, and will be replaced by the civic guard.

The opinion here is that if Plevna be taken peace might ensue..