SCOTLAND.
The Edinburgh Courant states that some illegality has been discovered in the constitution of the Local Board of Health; as the General Board has no authority to delegate its powers. In this state of things, the Daily News correspondent states that the sanatory care of the city had to be confided to the Commissioners of Police and the parochial boards. But the great parish of St. Cuthbert' s refused to unite with the other boards in common plans, and the result is that three-fifths of the city are in a state of neglect.
Mr. Robert D. Ker, Secretary of the Scottish Central Railway Company, has published an exculpatory account of the Dutchess of Sutherland's treat- ment on that line, in pursuance of the rules against Sunday travelling.
"On the morning of Saturday, between nine and ten o'clock, when accidentally at the station, I was informed, through a second hand, that her Grace had sent to inquire if she could be carried forward by the mail-train on the following day. To the question I replied, that being precluded by a vote of the shareholders from carrying passengers on Sunday, it would be impossible to comply with her Grace's wishes; the inquiring party answering, that the Dutchess would in that case pro- ceed by the Edinburgh and Northern train, advertised to carry passsngers on Sundays and which starts forty minutes before the Central mail train, or perhaps
wait till following day. The messenger did not call upon me. I received no letter upon the subject. I am sure every one connected with the railway would have been ready to facilitate her Grace's journey by every possible means had the circumstances attending it been made known to them; but no candid man will blame the parties complained of for not doing what in ordinary cases they had no power to do, nor yet for declining to incur the responsibility of making a special exception in favour of her Grace, ignorant as they were of those facts of the case which constituted the elements of its specialty, and seeing there were twenty-four hours to make other arrangements, and other means of accomplishing the object with equal speed."
The Secretary denies all the assertions about an application being made to him for a final answer, and his reply of " No." He had no application, and made no answer; and did not hear of the occurrence till several hours after the Dutchess had departed.
• The Velocity, a steamer trading between Aberdeen and Newcastle has been wrecked on the rocks at the month of Aberdeen harbour. A sea forced her on the point of the breakwater; a second turned her round, and a third threw her on the rocks; the ship parted in the centre, and soon began to break up. There were seven passengers and a crew of twenty. Only one of several boats could be got afloat; but in this eight persons made the shore. The rest of the people were on the quarter-deck; which, fortunately, floated into comparatively smooth water: after considerable delay, a life-boat put off from shore, and all were rescued. The master and a seaman were hurt.
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