Sir James Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak, was entertained at dinner
on Wednesday by the mercantile magnates of Manchester ; the Mayor pre- siding. In reply to the toast in his honour, SirJames Brooke eloquently, dwelt upon the political and commercial advantages that would read, from securing the establishment of British power and influence on the north-west.coast of Borneo. Its position is on the line of commercial. and electric intercourse with China. Its soil is fertile ; among its miner ral wealth is an abundance of coal. He pictured the English Govern.- meat as having first supported and then deserted him ; and he earneatly, advocated the policy of settling once for all whether Sarawak is to be British or not. He exhorts the Government to make it British by eats, blishing a protectorate and becoming the public creditor of Sarawak, with the view of ultimately becoming sole possessor at pleasure. The Manchester people seemed to go heartily with the projects of Sir James.
The parishes of St. Mary, Truro, and Charlbury, Oxfordshire, have both had church-rate contests, and both, on a poll, have rejected the proposed rates.
There has been a struggle between the coalmasters and the miners in the Barnsley district on the subject of wages. A reduction of 15 per cent was announced ; the men struck ; and eventually all the masters except one gave way, and work has been recommenced at the old rates.
During last week, the coal-proprietors and operative colliers west of Dudley met with a view to discuss the wages question, which has for the last two months led to considerable inconvenience and annoyance in the mining district. The proceedings on both sides were conducted with the utmost candour ; and the result was that the men have for the present abandoned their proposal for the regulation of wages according to the price of iron, and have resumed or continued work at the reduced scale lately enforced by the masters.
The Sheffield manufacturers complain bitterly that the German work*, era in steel pirate their trade-marks, with a view to palm off on foreign markets very inferior goods. Last week they sent a deputation to the Board of Trade on the subject, suggesting an international treaty for the protection of trade-marks ; Mr. Henley promised attention to the subject.
John Baker Bucknall, a young man, has been committed for trial on a charge of murdering John Bucknall and Betsy his wife, his grandfather and grandmother, at Creech St. Michael, near Taunton. I he sufferers were very old; they kept a public-house ; they had money and valuables in thg house. Early in the morning, both were found dead : John Bucknall had been shot in his cellar, and the wife had had her throat cut while lying in bed. The money and valuables had been carried off. Circumstances ap- peared to bear so strongly against the grandson, that a Coroner's Jury re- turned a verdict of " Wilful murder " against him, while the Magistratea also committed him on the capital charge.
After a long investigation, the Portsmouth Magistrates have committed Edwin Hart, clerk to Mr. Swainson, Admiralty Coroner, on the charge of murdering his brother, Daniel Hart, or Howard, who was shot late at night, at the door of his lodging. The evidence against the prisoner was entirely circumstantial, but sufficiently strong to warrant a committal.
The renowned Liverpool clipper James Baines, a noble ship of 2600 tons, noted for her great speed, was burnt on Thursday. Early in the morning, while she was lying in the Huskisson dock, it was discovered that her cargo, was on fire. A vain attempt was made to put out the flames by means of engines ; it was then resolved to scuttle her ; but, unfortunately, the water was low, and the ship grounded before she was covered. For hours the vessel burnt from stem to stern ; in the afternoon the masts fell, and broke in the roofs of the dock-sheds. The James Baines had just returned from Calcutta, having taken 1000 troops thither. Her cargo, of which only a third had been got out, consisted of jute, rice, linseed, and cow-hides. She was fully insured.
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