iftitsultantous.

Mr. Hudson has resigned the Chairmanship of the York and North Midland Railway—his chief domain—on the ground that "the position in which he feels himself placed has become so painful as to incapacitate him from the discharge of those active duties" that are rightly to be expected from him.

The Committee of Investigation appointed; by the shareholders of the South-eastern Railway Company have published their report. They con- demn some points of management; among others the share-broking trans- actions of the Directors through their Deputy Chairman Mr. Pritchard, and the charging to the debit of construction, sums amounting to 107,9321. which they think should have gone to the debit of revenue: but they state their firm conviction that the position of the company is sound. In par- ticular reference to Mr. MGregor, the Chairman of the board, they state that, "notwithstanding errors of judgment and an undue assumption of individual responsibility," his conduct "has been honourable throughout, and marked by a sincere, unflinching, and, excepting in his character of a very large proprietor, a disinterested devotion to the interests of the South- eastern Company."

At a meeting of the shareholders held on Thursday, the report was sanctioned by warm and almost unanimous approval.

The reduction in the number of men of the several regiments at home continues rapidly to take place. The weeding consists of the bad characters, long service men, and men never likely to prove efficient.— United Service Gazette.

The Admiralty have ordered, on the application of the Comptroller. General, that the dockyards are to supply the Coast Guard with old mate- rials for the construction of platforms for batteries, for instructing the men in the great gun exercise.— United Service Gazette.

Letters of the 9th instant report that the Queen of Portugal had given birth to a boy; who lived but a short time. Her Majesty had eaten ices indiscreetly, at a party; to which is ascribed a protracted and dangerous labour: but the medical treatment was proceeding successfully.

Oporto letters of the 10th give a deplorable account of the wine trade in the Douro, which was quite paralyzed by the accounts of forced sales in London at ruinous prices. Freights to England were very low, but they did not induce shippers to operate.—Morning Chronicle.

Madame Recamier, so well known for her beauty, literary taste, and conversa- tional powers, died last week, at Paris.

At the Paris Court of Assizes, on Monday last, were tried three persons whose case excited much interest some weeks back,—M. de Coetlogon, M. Caraby, and Madame Caraby. M. and Madame de Caraby had been virtually separated for some time; and M. de Coetlogon was surprised at night in the lady's room. Several shots passed; one of which wounded an Englishman who was only a guest in the same house. M. Coetlogon was wounded; and he was said to have shot at

the husband, but that seems doubtful, if not untrue. The two gentlemen were charged with attempted homicide; M. de Coetlogon and the lady, with adultery. The verdict on the first charge was an acquittal, the second charge was affirmed; and the sentence upon each of the condemned was two years' imprisonment, with a floe of 1,000 francs payable by M. de Coetlogon.

A Parliamentary return just issued shows the number of persons employed on the railways of the United Kingdom on the let of May 1848. On the railways opened for traffic, the total was 52,688. Of these, the North-western employed 7,003; the South-western, 2,762; the Great Western, 5,003; and the Eastern Counties, 2,858. On the lines and branches then in course of construction 188,177 individuals were engaged.

At the recent session of the Cecil County Court (Maryland), Eliza Bogle and her eight children petitioned for freedom. Eliza had lived and acted as a free woman for twenty-one years, without molestation by her former owners. The Cecil Willy gives an interesting outline of the case; from which we learn, that the Court decided, that as Eliza was admitted at one time to have been a slave, and there was no record of her being freed by any process known to the law, she was a slave until the time of her death, notwithstanding she was allowed to live away from her master. Various other minor points were raised by the counsel for the prisoner. The jury retired about eight o'clock on Thursday night, and remained out until eleven o'clock on Friday morning, when they sent down a peti- tion to the Court praying to bs released, as they could not possibly agree. About this time an arrangement was entered into by the counsel of the parties, to this effect—that Eliza and her youngest child should be declared free, and that the others should be sold in the State, to be free at thirty-five years of age.—New York Tribune.

There has been a great cricket-match between England and Scotland, at Edin- burgh, which afforded the cricket-players of the Northern capital much excite- ment" during its three-days continuance. Eleven players of England were matched against twenty-two of Scotland; but the Southrons still got vastly ahead of their opponents. The English scored 165 first innings, 132 second; the Scote, 84 first innings, 52 second; so that the former bad a majority of 161. But the victors, it is hinted, have taught the vanquished how to combat ; and on the next occasion they hope to be not quite so unsuccessful. "The eleven of England" are described as "a fine-looking, merry set of gentlemen; Mr. Myna towering among them like a second Daniel Lambert !"

The master and engineer of the tug-steamer Brocklebank, employed in Ports- mouth Harbour, took advantage of a dark night on Tuesday to run out to sea, and return with a raft containing 150 tubs of brandy; and also, apparently, to take a number of men on board. But Lieutenant Scott of the Coast Guard had noticed the steamer, gave chase, and eventually, with some assistance, seized a boat full of men that left the vessel, the raft of brandy, the steamer itself, and the people on board. William Bailey, the superintendent of the goods department of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, has absconded from Manchester after embezzling a large sum of money, said to be upwards of 2,0901. Bailey, who is a young man, had betted on horse-races, and was a large loser on the Chester Cup. A reward of 501. is offered for his capture.

A new illustration of the utility of the electric telegraph originated in a police case on Monday. John Bennis was charged with having been drunk and assault- ing the police on the previous night. The man pleaded that he was a sailor of the Victory at Portsmouth, and having come to London for a " spree " he had drunk too much; but if he was liberated he would at once rejoin his ship. The Magistrate was willing to be lenient, but doubted the defendant's story. So he sent him with a policeman to the Admiralty: the electric telegraph was put in action; and in half an hour Mr. Bingham was informed that Bennis did not be- long to the Victory. The impostor was sent to prison for ten days.

Number of Deaths.

Spring Average.

Zymotic Diseases

206 196

Dropsy, Cancer, and other diseases of uncertain or variable seat

.43

40 Tubercular Diseases 177 200 Diseases ol the Brain, Spinal Marrow, Nerves, and Senses.

ss

123 Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels 57 31 Diseases of the Lungs, and of tle other Organs of Respiration... . 117 131 Diseases of the Stomach, Liver; and other Organs of Digestion .. • . 56

Diseases of the Kidneys, Sc 9

ii

Childbirth, diseases at the Etter., Sc.

9 5 Itheurnatism, diseases of the Bones, Joints, Sc 9 15

Diseases of the Skin, Cellular Tissue, Se

..

1 Malformations 3 3 Premature Birth 21 21 Atrophy 17

/2 Ago So

so

Sudden 11 11 Violence, Privation, Cold, and Intemperance

13 93

— --.

Total (including unspecified causes)

905 963

The temperature of the thermometer ranged from 85.7° in the sun to 26.7° in the shade; the mean temperature by day being colder than the average mean temperature by 6.7°. The mean direction of the wind for the week was North- north-east. week ending on Saturday last—

Results of the Registrar-General's return of mortality in the Metropolis for the