Zbe Probintes.

Mr. H. Plumtre Gibbs has issued an address to the electors of Canter- bury. Mr. Gibbs put up in 1837 with Mr. Bradshaw, on the Conservative interest, but was defeated. The nomination is fixed for this day.

Colonel Sir W. R. Clayton has issued an address to the electors of Great Marlow, declaring himself a candidate on the first vacancy.

The opponents of the Government plan of education have held two meetings in Leeds, one on Tuesday sennight, and the other on Monday last; Mr. Edward Baines presided at both. The first meeting consisted of ministers and other leading Dissenters; who used up the stock arguments. The speeches were little better than variations of the cry that the Estab- lished Church will get more power than is agreeable to the "Voluntaries." Resolutions and a petition to the Legislature were adopted.

Last Monday's meeting was composed principally of laymen of the Libe- ral party. The speakers dwelt on the " unconstitutional " nature of the plan; and the proceedings resulted in a requisition to the Mayor to call a public meeting of the inhabitants to petition against the measure. The supporters of the Government scheme met on Monday evening, in the Court-house. They managed to anticipate their opponents by getting up the requisition to the Mayor upon which the meeting was called. The assemblage was very numerous; including Dr. Hook the Vicar, the Reve- rend C. Wicksteed the Unitarian minister, Mr. James Garth Marshall, Mr. Hamer Stansfeld, and several great manufacturers, the Recorder of Ponte- fract, and many other influential persons. A number of resolutions were adopted, generally and heartily approving of the Government measure. One of them was opposed by Mr. Brook, a Chartist., on the ground that the " proposed plan was not sufficiently extensive, and should be more truly national." The opposition, however, was unsuccessful. Dr. Hook an- nounced himself as an advocate for the education of the people on the most extensive scale. The proposed measure would not go se far as he would; but it was a step in the right direction. If the meeting were satisfied with the present state of education, there was no need to move further; but if they were convinced that it ought to be improved in quantity and quality, they ought to demand more aid and assistance. A few years ago, the Church was opposed to education, and took the line now taken by the Dissenters. Ten or twelve years ago, he would have taken that view; but he had learned better. He did not appear as a supporter of the Government; but he thought the present Minister had acted wisely and cautiously in this his first move,—a move not intended as a final one, but as a step in advance. In conclusion, Dr. Hook called on the meeting to allow the Government to empty the gaols by building schools. The proceedings terminated with a resolution to petition the House of Commons and to memorialize the Lord President of the Council in favour of the measure.

A public dinner was given by the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Chamber of Commerce, on the 4th instant, to M. Dillon, the French Consul. The

President of the Chamber took the head of the table; which was surrounded by several officials of the Crown and the Corporation, and many others of local distinction or influence. M. Dillon has recently been promoted to the first rank of Consuls, with a post at the Sandwich Islands; and the entertainment was meant as a farewell. He bears away the most emphatic expressions of esteem from the community in which he has dwelt; and Madame Dillon was also complimented in terms marked by sincere respect and regard. When his own health was drank, in returning thanks, M. Dillon improved the occasion to promote the growth of friendly feelings between France and England-

" Oa both sides, gentlemen, the discovery has been at length made, that the prosperity of nations, far from being incompatible, is intimately connected, and that when the cup of happiness of one country is full nothing can prevent it from flowing over into the lap of the adjoining nation. Of this great truth, which al- though more pointedly brought to light in modem times is as old as Christianity itself, we have a striking proof in what is passing around us today. Were the present dearth of provisions limited to France, we might find wherewith to supply our deficiency, at a cheap rate, in this country: owing to its being felt to an equal c*rw here, we have you competing with us in every grain-market in the world. Weald it not be better if this were not the case? would it not be better for us if your manufacturing interests were well off, and had the means to purchase our wines and silks; as it would be for you if our population could expend upon your coal, your iron, your cotton, the resources that are now absorbed by purchasing dear provisions? Gentlemen, whether it be due to a more enlightened political economy, or to that philosophical calmness of temperament which an advanced civilization brings with it, these ideas are becoming deeply rooted in the mind of both countries.

"No doubt, an occasional cloud will and must spring up between them: this is the consequence of their institutions. Both countries are proud, and jealous of their interests and dignity, because they are free. The spirit of party, within their legislative assemblies and without, not unfrequently strives to turn this feeling to an unfair account. One while we are told by orators and by journals that France has been unfairly treated by you; another while you are told a similar story. There is nothing in this that alarms me in the least. It is, in my humble opinion, infinitely better that the two nations should speak their minds and have done with the matter, than that one or other should say nothing, but retain dark and rancorous feelings. It would, I am convinced, be a great mistake to prefer to the noisy, jealous susceptibility of freedom, the gloomy and conspiring tempera- ment of despotism."

In the Insolvent Court at Lancaster, on Monday, Mr. Charles Mott, the ci- devant Assistant Poor-law Commissioner, appeared upon his petition to be dis- charged. He was described, in the schedule as a brewer and commission-agent: his chief creditor was Mr. Price, the late Master of the Andover Union, to whom he was indebted in the earn of 3,900/. The insolvent owed 25,0001., and professed to have property amounting to 31,0001. Mr. Price was appointed assignee; and the ins Ivent obtained his discharge.

At the Salisbury Assizes, on Monday, Anna Maria Sampson, a domestic ser- vant, was tried for stealing three spoons and other property from her master, Mr. New, a resident of Salisbury. The case exhibited an extraordinary instance of ignorant effrontery. Sampson had alarmed the family by declaring that the house had been twice entered by a robber; on the first occasion, the thief had come when Mr. New was from home, had hit the woman over the head with a bunch of keys, and then, scared by her declaring that her master was up stairs, had retreated. At two o'clock one morning, Mr. New was astounded by the prisoner's entering his bedroom, calling out that there was a man in the house, and showing a car- viag-knife stuck in her dress; which, she said, the depredator had done. Mr. New could discover no thief; but he found many things removed from their places, and packed up as if for removal; while other articles were missing. The outer doors were standing open. After a time the woman was suspected, and taken into custody: her boxes were searched, and some property of her master's found secreted there; and she herself produced the spoons from a place where she had hid them. The woman was found guilty, and sentenced to one year's imprisonment. - On Wednesday, six men were indicted, one as principal and the rest as ac- cessories, for maliciously wounding Mr. John James Calley, of Burderop Park. It appeared that the prisoners were out one night on a poaching expedition; they came on Mr. Calley's grounds; the owner sallied out with a number of servants, and they were attacked by the depredators. Mr. Caney was knocked down and kicked; his gardener was shot twice through the body. The verdict was "guilty," sad the sentence ten years' transportation.

At Lincoln Assizes, on Wednesday, John Teft, a boy not thirteen years old, was tried for shooting William Rainforth, a labourer. The prisoner was em- ployed with Rainforth in a barn; the boy having neglected his work, the farmer scolded and struck him; Teft caught up a loaded gun, which the mer had just pat down, and presented it at Rainforth; it missed fire; but the preco- cious culprit deliberately mocked it, fired, and wounded the man in the shoulder. The Jury convicted, and the Judge passed sentence of transportation for four- teen years.

At the Aylesbury Assizes, on Wednesday, Joseph Shirley and two others were tried for killing Thomas Shirley, in October last. Joseph and Thomas were bro- thers; at the " feast " of Steeple-Claydon, after much drinking, a quarrel arose between them; they fought at midnight, in the "pound," by moonlight, two of the accused acting as seconds; Thomas received fatal wounds, and died next day. The prisoners were convicted, and sentenced to be imprisoned for one month —they had already been incarcerated four months.

At Chelmsford Assizes, on Thursday, Sarah Chesham, the woman accused of poisoning two of her children and another child, was tried for the murder of one, her son Joseph. The circumstantial evidence against the woman appeared ex- ceedingly strong; but there was no direct proof, and she was acquitted.

John Butler, the Assistant Overseer of Pzuigbourn parish, in Berkshire, has been committed to prison on a coroner's warrant for manslaughter; having refused to provide refuge for an old woman who had been tippling and was found in a helpless state on the roads, and who eventually died in a cow-shed to which she was removed.

An explosion of fire-damp occurred last Friday afternoon, in the Ardsley Main Colliery, near Barnsley, while a hundred people were in the mine. It was an- nounced to those at the month of the pit by a tremendous report, followed by an eruption from the shaft of smoke, timber, coal, and stone. Persons immediately descended to the assistance of the miners; and in a couple of hours twenty-eight were brought to the surface alive, though some were seriously hurt; the remain- der of the workmen had perished. Forty-one corpses had been got up before midnight; the search was then stopped by the dangerous state of the galleries, the explosion having destroyed the apparatus for ventilating the pit. The Ardsley Main Colliery was considered to have been in a safe working con- dition, with the exception of one short gallery; the men were ordered to be very cautions in passing this spot with lights. It is supposed that the explosion oc- curred here; but all who were employed in the neighbourhood have perished.

The Coroner's inquest was opened on Monday, but only with a view to the identification of the bodies, that they might be interred; the investigation into the cause of the disaster having been postponed to next Tuesday. On Monday, sixty-five bodies were viewed; on the following day, six more; one corpse yet re-

mained in the pit; this makes the total loss of life seventy-two. A sad sight was the burial of forty-two of the victims in one huge grave.

A boiler-explosion occurred at Messrs. Davis and Bloomer's iron-works, near West Bromwich, on Wednesday, from the engineer's having allowed the vessel to become nearly red hot with want of water: a great part of the machinery was destroyed by the concussion; one man was killed, and eight others were hurt.

Hines, a sailor, only seventeen years old, having, got into a quarrel with the keeper of an infamous house at Liverpool, stabbed him twice with a knife, in- flicting wounds which were speedily mortal. The murderer is in prison.

A serious accident happened at Osborne House on Wednesday afternoon, at the new buildings. While men were removing the supports from an arched passage, some part of the masonry gave way, fell on the scaffolding, broke it, and threw down three labourers; one suffered the fracture of two ribs, the leg of another was broken, the third was injured on the head. Surgical aid was immediately rendered, by order of the Queen; but the man whose head was struck is in danger.