Vrulturtal.

The Liberals of Bath have presented a silver tea and coffee service to Mr. Phinn, their candidate at the last election. A soirée was held on Tuesday, when the ceremony of presentation took place. Mr. Phinn, Mr. Roebuck, Mr, Ralph Osborne, Captain Scobell, and Mr. Tite were the chief guests. Mr. Phinn, in his speech, demanded a large extension of the sitage, advocated non-intervention, touched "gingerly," as Mr. Roebuck said, on the state of feeling in France and on its government, and insisted that the sums voted by Parliament should be economically and efficiently expended. Mr. Roebuck made a speech containing some smart attacks on the Emperor of the French, " who has created all this turmoil," so that " we lawyers " have met together to form a rifle corps, and are now about to drill in our own halls ; some apt replies to M. de Montalemberf a accusation that our policy is "ignoble," and a re- markable passage touching the ingratitude of the Spaniards and Bourbons to this country.

" We acknowledged the second branch of the Bourbons. They were driven out of France in 1848, and they were received in hospitable England. Sheltered by her mighty wgis, they were safe. When they put their feet on the shore of England none could harm them. What was the gratitude of these illustrious personages? Why, one of these illustrious exiles actually made plane of the southern shores of England, pointing out where we could be best attacked, and sent these plans to the Ministry of France, saying that though an exile he was still a child of France, and would be willing to enter into the ranks of those who were to carry French principles across the Channel. That was told me by a nobleman now dead, whose name I don't think it right to mention, and who said that he himself had seen the letter. He told me that circumstances had then occurred which would render it not a politic proceeding to mention it at that time, and I never have mentioned it until the present time. The present is the proper time for mentioning it, when we are asked to entangle ourselves in European disputes, and to risk again the blood and treasure of England to obtain gratitude like this. ' Ig- noble,' indeed ! M. de Mon talembert may wish us to keep the Pope on his throne by English bayonets ; other Friends of Italy may wish to drive out the three Dukes by &glish bayonets; but we should make enemies which- ever course we took. We should make enemies of those we put down, and ungrateful friends of those whom we set up. Therefore, I Bay, keep your- selves, my insular countrymen, to your own island, and mix not yourselves up with European contests. If you are attacked, strike back a blow which shall annihilate the offender. If you wish for friends, look to the great colonies you have established all over the world." He hopes that the neu- tral position of England will be maintained intact.

The Essex Liberals gave Mr. Garden Rebow, late Member for Col- chester, a dinner in that town on Tuesday. The Reverend SirJ. Page Wood occupied the chair ; and among the speakers were Mr. Hardeastle, M.P., Mr. Sutton Western, M.P., Mr. Rebow, and Captain Luard, R.N.

The Chatham News a spirited local paper, contains the report of a banquet given at Rochester to Mr. Martin and Serjeant Kinglake, the Liberal Members, to celebrate the great Liberal triumphs there in Muni- cipal as well as Parliamentary airs. In the leading columns of the journal it is stated that at Rochester, the Conservatives have been routed in the most signal manner—Parliamentary power and Municipal power have alike passed from them with no present prospect of return." On the other hand, party animosity is in full activity. The Trustees of a Charity have dismissed their clerk because he is a Liberal, and for the same reason, the Tories have tried to oust the clerk to the Magistrates.

The annual dinner of the Taunton Agricultural Society on the 25th was a great county gathering, remarkable alike for the assembly of Somersetshire magnates and the spirit of their speeches. Lord Taunton, formerly Mr. Labouchere, presided. One and all, even Sir Alexander Hood, spoke in support of the volunteer movement. Lord Taunton, however, because he has held high offices, and has had great experience, and because he used moderate language, spoke with the greatest effect. He said-

" They were, he repeated, in a state of profound peace—they entertained i no projects of invasion or conquest against any neighbour—but they could not disguise from themselves that at this moment the attention of the country was being directed to the condition of our army and navy, and to the fact that throughout the length and breadth of the land Englishmen were arming themselves. For what were they arming ? Not, he was sure, to attack any one. No foreign nation need add one soldier to her standing army, or one ship to her fleet in consequence of any designs that were enter- tained by the people of this country. Their object in arming themselves was the most legitimate, the most sacred, the most indispensable a people could have. It was that they might be safe at home—that their own shores might be safe from insult and attack. The people of this country had watched attentively what was going on abroad. They were willing to be- lieve in the peaceful professions of their neighbours, and they anxiously hoped those peaceful professions might be true ; but at the same time, when they saw the continent bristling with bayonets—when they saw the great military Powers of Europe girding up their strength, placing their arma- ments on a footing unparalleled in modern times—above all, when they saw the fleets of the maritime Powers of Europe increasing more and more powerfully than they had ever been, the people of England felt that it was a sacred duty on their part to be prepared for all emergencies. He, there- fore, for one, heartily rejoiced and heartily sympathized with the feeling that animated his countrymen from Land's End. to John O'Groat's house, bidding them to be prepared for all events. He rejoiced at any of the manifestations of this almost universal feeling. He was glad to see the people of this country watching the conduct of the Government with regard to the army and navy, and enforcing upon their rulers that whetever money was vote4 and liberally voted, by the representatives of the piople for these purposes, should be strictly and judiciously applied. He had no doubt that the Go- vernment of this country were fully impressed with the responsibility of their situation. He must say that a moi4 awful responsibility would lie upon them, or upon any other Government, if when the people were offering the most liberal assistance—money and aid of every kind—only requiring the authorities to give efficiency and concert to that assistance, they were to neglect in any degree their duty in promoting the wishes of her Majesty's subjects. A standing army is opposed to our habits, institutions, and wishes.

"The duty the people of this country could perform and were performing was to aid in protecting their country by a volunteer force. Volunteer ex- ertion had long been a field in which English activity had been particularly conspicuous. Englishmen had been accustomed not to look to the Govern- ment to direct their efforts, but to act for themselves when they felt occa- sions required them to act. He was quite satisfied, consequently, that the movement lately commenced in this country would not be a mere momentary or transitory thing, but that they should never rest till they had placed the country by means of volunteer forces in such a situation of perfect safety that she would be secure against any hostile attack."

Mr. Moody, M.P., concurred, but he also enriched his speech by some advice to his agricultural hearers. Sir Alexander Hood made amends for anything he might have said in disparagement of the yeomanry on a former occasion. Mr. A. Mills defended agricultural societies. He also said that he no more believed in his conscience that the Emperor of France was going to invade England than that we were going to invade France ; but at the same time he agreed that we ought to be prepared for all contingencies. Mr. Dyke Acland gave the toast, a new one at these meetings—" the Rifle Volunteers."

He said to them—" Farmers and men of the middle class, we must accept the consequences of our position, we must be prepared to make sacrifices for the safety of our country." He had worked with many of them for a long time to improve agriculture, and now, if they would permit him to speak to them plainly, he would say, " Work together for the defence of your wives, your children, and your homes." (Prolonged applause.)

Mr. Acland described a plan for organizing the yeomen of the county ; and Captain Sandford answered for the volunteers.

A meeting was held at Oxford on the 25th to promote the success of the Oxford and Cambridge Mission to Central Africa. Archdeacon Mackenzie, who leads the mission, and Governor Grey were present and made speeches. Sir George was emphatic in his praises of missionary exertion and its effects. The course to be followed will be determined when the mission reaches the Cape.

The annual meeting of the Manchester Ragged and Industrial School was graced on Wednesday by the presence of Lord Stanley, who occu- pied the chair, and delivered a very useful speech on the duties of society towards those who are the victims of misfortunes and the faults of pa- rents. The Manchester institution has arisen out of a Sunday school, established in 1846. It has been powerfully assisted by a gift of 50001. from a lady, name unknown, whose munificence has relieved it from debt, and left it with an endowment of 1201. a year. Lord Stanley's speech was full of sound practical remarks.

The Bradford Chamber of Commerce have appointed a committee to prepare a memorial praying the Chancellor of the Exchequer to grant to Bradford the privilege of having bonded warehouses.

The Birmingham Cattle, Poultry, and Root Show has been very suc- cessful. The Herefords, as usual, were " preeminently grand ; " next in prominence were the "beautiful Devona."

" The gold medal for the beet ox or steer in the yard, a silver medal to the breeder, the first prize of 101., the President's prize of 25l., and the

The Court-martial held in the Victory on the men who were charged with mutinous conduct in the Princess Royal has disposed of several prison- ers. They have found four men guilty of " making a mutinous assembly, endeavouring to do so, and being present at a mutiny :" these men are sen- tenced to eighteen and twelve months' imprisonment in Winchester gaol with hard labour. Three are found guilty of disobeying commands and not going on the upper deck when well-disposed men were ordered to do so : they are sentenced to six months' imprisonment with hard labour. The Court notices with approbation the conduct of one Hoed, a witness, who, when released from irons, remained under the charge of the sentries. This! man, found guilty of an assault on the Second Master of the Princess Royal, was under a sentence to receive forty-eight lashes, to lose all pay, and undergo two years' imprisonment. No part of this sentence has, how- ever, been yet carried out.

Another man has been found guilty of similar acts of insubordination, in- cluding an assault upon a sentry, and sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labour.

A horse and van with two men were crushed to pieces by an express- train on the South Coast Railway on Tuesday evening. A few minutes be- fore the train came up, the van-driver applied for permission to cross the rails. The gate-keeper unclosed the gate, but hearing a train coming shut it again. Sonic misunderstanding arose, and the van and horse were driven on to the line. Up came the express at the rate of forty miles an hour and went clean through the van, breaking it, and killing the horse and men.

Mr. Watson, an actor, was wounded at Halifax during the performance of William Tell, on Monday. In the second act where Tell instructs his son in the art of shooting, an arrow strayed from its aim, and deprived Mr. Watson of the sight of one eye.

A man has died at Canterbury in consequence of having been supplied by a chemist with a black draught in which a large dose of opium had been in- troduced by mistake. A Coroner's Jury have found that the man died a "natural death." extra prize of 201., are all won by Er. Richard Shirley, of Bawcott Munslow, near Shrewsbury, for his Hereford steer. This is one of the most complete Hereford steers ever seen. The classes of Hereford steers and oxen were never so good before, the Marquis of Downshire, the Prince Consort, Lord Hatherton, the Earl of Aylesford, Lord Bateman, Mr. Naylor, Mr. Hill, Mr. Swinnerton, &o., showing remarkably good beasts. In the Hereford cow class, Lady Emily Foley's second prize cow is a splendid specimen of what the breed should be, but yields m the feeding to Mr. Naylor's first prize cow,,which, however, has more of the characteristic excellencies in- herent in a short-horn. The gold medal for the best cow or heifer in the yard, a silver medal to the breeder, the first prize of 101. and an extra prize of 201., are awarded to Colonel Towneley's heifer, one of the handsomest and best-formed animals which have been exhibited for many years." There were also fine sheep ; and we read that "the pig always shows himself to advantage at Birmingham." The collection of poultry was various and good, but the season has been adverse to roots, and they were not so fine as last year.

A truly melodramatic story comes from Derbyshire. Early in November all the maid servants in the employ of Mr. and Mrs. Paget, of Staffyn Wood Hall, save one, became suddenly ill. Brandy was administered and they recovered. The one exception was the parlour maid, Mary Dean, who was courted by the coachman, Spowage. A fortnight afterwards, all the women servants were taken ill, and Mr. and Mrs. Paget, riding to meet the hounds, also fell sick and were forced to return. Medical aid was now sought, and a surgeon pronounced the symptoms to be the effect of doses of cantharidea. A detective was sent for, and he discovered that Spowage had bought an ounce of this drug at Mansfield. It was found that ffilr y Dean, the coach- man's sweetheart, had abstained from beer, the liquor drugged on the first occasion. Determined not to be frustrated Spowage, the second time drugged the coffee, of which all the household partook, Mary Dean included: Spowage was arrested.

Strange to say the Chesterfield Magistrates have decided that there is no criminal law to meet the case, and the prisoner, Spowage, has therefore been discharged !

At North Nibley, in Gloucestershire, one John Sheppard courted Ann Smitham. Sheppard was dismissed by the young woman - and one evening he shot her as she was seated in her father's kitchen. l'he assassin fired through the window. He then went away and shot himself in a cowhouse.