Vrunittrial.

Queen Victoria was the conspicuous figure on Monday in one of those scenes where she delights to identify herself with national movements-- the ceremony of laying the foundation-stone of the Wellington College.,

The site of the institution is about six miles North-west of Farn- borough, an a gentle eminence between Sandhurst village and the MiliS tars, College beating that name. It commands a fine prospect, embracing the hills of Surrey and Kent, the Metropolis and Harrow, Itiolimor4 Hampton, and the Thames. The grounds cover an extent of one hun- dred and twenty acres. The College will consist of two quadrangles surrounded by arcades, and comprising all the apartments and offices ne- cessary for so extensive an institution. The upper floors will contain dormitories for 246 pupils, each pupil having a separate berth measuring ten feet by seven. The building will consist of brick picked out with box stone. The whole design cannot yet be carried out, as the funds are insufficient for the purpose.

The weather on Monday was bright and warm—a remarkable contrast to what we have lately been accustomed to. The area of the future building was covered with a white awning, and decorated with flags and evergreens. A Turkish pavilion was set up at one end for the Queen; the seats of the visitors being ranged in an amphitheatre. The inner circle of the enclosure was lined with Grenadier Guards. -At half-past one, guns and trumpets announced the arrival of the Queen. She came with Prince Albert, the young Princes and Princesses, the Regent of Baden, Prince Frederick of Prussia, and a brilliant suite. Among the Queen's children was that little Arthur who received his name

in honour of his godfather the great Duke. From her pavilion her Ma- jcsty and Prince Albert, preceded by the Governors of the College, the archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of Oxford, and others, and followed by several high functionarie' s, -walked in procession to the great block of Scotch granite.which it was her part to lay. Oii arriving at this spot, the Earl of Derby, Vice-President of the College, read to her Majesty an address, expressive of the object of the institution—to provide education for the orphans of officers, of her Majesty's Army and that of the East India Company—and of gratitude for the unfailing support and en- couragement with which her Majesty has deigned to honour the institu- tion. In reply to this address,. the Queen read the following speech, handed to her by Sir George Grey. "I have received with sincere gratification the address which you have this day presented to me. It affords me the greatest satisfaction to avail my- self of this occasion to testify anew my warm and heartfelt participation m the general feeling of affection and veneration for the memory of the illus- trious man whose name will be associated with the institution which we are met to inaugurate. That satisfaction is enhanced by the character ot the monument which you propose to raise to the lasting memory of the Duke of. Wellingtoni_ and also by the circumstances of the time selected for its erection. There could not be a more worthy record of a country's gratitude to its greatest soldier, than a permanent endowment for the protection and education of the orphans of brave men whose lives have been laid down in the service of which he was the chief ornament and pride. Nor could there be a more appropriate time for raising such a monument to his memory. While gratefully admiring the gallantry and devotion which have been so conspicuously displayed by my army in the late war, I have deeply sympa- thized with the domestic sorrows and privations (the inevitable result of war) which have made so =my mourners. I feel that we cannot better celebrate the reestablishment of peace, than by laying the foundation of an institution which, while it will tend to soothe those sorrows and to mitigate the severity of those privations, will hold up to the imitation of all those who share its benefits the example of a disinterested patriotism, of an un- attiring devotion to his country's service, of an honesty of purpose, and of a determination in the performance of his duty, by which the low. and bril- liant career of the Duke of Wellington was so eminently distinguished. I can express no better wish for my own son, who bears the name of that greatman, than that he should take as his guide through life the example of one with whom it will ever be his high dieriection to have been connected. I heartily join with you in commending this infant institution to the Divine blessing, and in praying that, with its increasing prosperity, the benevolent intentions of its founders may be fully realized."

The Archbishop of Canterbury having offered up a prayer, the current coins of the realm were placed in the stone, and with them a piece of vellum, bearing this inscription- " The first atone of Wellington College, founded in honour of the memory eif the Great Duke, and for the education of the orphan sons of officers of the Royal Army and of the Army of the Honourable 'East India Company, was laid by her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, June 2d, 1866." The stone was lowered ; the Queen declared it "well and truly laid" ; and the crowd, at the invitation of Lord Derby-, gave three cheers. The Queen took luncheon in her pavilion ; and afterwards reviewed 10,000 men on the neighbouring heath-clad plain. The Duke of Cam- bridge commanded the troops.

The Queen returned to town at half-past four.

N. De Metz visited the Philanthropic Farm. School at Red Hill on Saturday last, to lay the first stone of an additional school-house, to hold about fifty boys, which the Treasurer, Mr. William Gladstone is about to build, at his own expense. Many friends of the Reformatory cause were prevented from attending by the exceedingly unfavourable wea- ther; but there were present, the Bishop of St. David's, the Dean of Salisbury, Mr. Adderley M.P., Mr. Somers Cooks M.P., Mr. William Cotton, Mr. H. P. Hope, Mr. Beresford Hope, and many others of the Society's supporters, desirous of showing their respect and regard to M. De Metz.

M. De Metz took the opportunity of urging very strongly the import- ance of establishing a Training-school for Reformatory teachers.

He said that many of those who are now making such earnest and libe- ral exertions for the establishing Reformatory Schools had acknow- ledged to him the difficulty they experienced in finding suitable mas- ters and superintendents to take charge of them. In founding Mettray, this had been the first point that he and M. de Courteilles had attended to. They felt that to open a hospital before they had provided the proper medi- cal staff, would be absurd ; and to their forethought on this point, and to the success which had attended their normal school for teachers, he believed a large portion of their success at Mettray was attributable. M. Be Meta impressed on the managers and supporters of the Philanthropic, their special responsibility in this matter. "You have (he said) the means, the place, the opportunity for such a training-school as is required. You have the men whe can organize and manage it. Do not rest satisfied till you have set it in action. When I hear that you have a normal school at Red Hill, I shall feel that the progress of the Reformatory movement is assured." M. De Metz spoke very eloquently to the boys and the masters, in answer to addresses of congratulation which they presented ; and seemed especially gratified by a little offering (about 6/.) which the boys and their teachers made as a present to the boys at Mettray. The Bishop translated M. De Mete's address with singular happiness of expression. The boys sang two hymns during the ceremony of laying the stone, and "God save the Queen' on N. Be Metz's departure ; giving him at the iffiMe time a. hearty specimen of English cheering.

The Oxford Commemoration has been celebrated this week with more than usual splendour, by its combination with the rejoicings and illumi- nation for the restoration of peace. The ceremonies of the week have been favoured with rare weather. Every commemoration bears some resemblance to its predecessors, and in this respect the present formed no exception. There was the same display in the Broad Walk on "Show Sunday " ; the same boating procession on the Isis; balls and concerts, the same in kind but differing in degree--this year the programmes of the concerts have included Viardot and Jenny Lind. The chief display, however, is on Wednesday, the great "breaking-up" day. The Theatre was unusually crowded on account of the many really distinguished men who were to receive the honour of a degree ; and the fact that Prince Albert, with Prince Frederick William of Prussia, and the Regent of Baden, were to be present. As soon as the doors were thrown open, the Under-graduates stormed their way into the upper galleries; the lower galleries and the area of the Theatre were more slowly filled by the erivileged,and the ladies. During this time the young gentlemen aloft used their stentorian privileges to the utmost extent, cheering and groan., Mg without remorse. Among their favourites, the name of General Williams was preeminent ; and in a less degree that of "the Earl of Clarendon," "Musurus," "Sir Colin Campbell," "Sir Edmund Lyons." At eleven o'clock the University authorities entered in procession. Lord

Derby took his seat as Chancellor, having Prince Albert on his right and the Regent of Baden and Prince Frederick of Prussia on his left. Order being restored, the Chancellor read as follows the names of those who were to be honoured with a degree— Prince Frederick William of Prussia ; the Prince of Baden ; Count Bern- storff; liusurus Bey, Minister Plenipotentiary of his Imperial Majestythe Sultan ; the Earl of Clarendon, K.G., G.C.II. ; the Earl of Elgin and Xiii

cardiac, K.T.• Lord Ashburton ; Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons, Bart., G.C.B.,.K.C.H. ; Rear-Admiral the Hon. Sir R. Saunders Dundee, K.C.B. ;

Sir Henry. Holland, Bart., M.D., F.R.S. ; Major-General Sir Cohn Camp- bell, G.C.B. ; Major-General Sir W. Fenwick Williams, of Kam, Bart., B.A., K.C.B. ; Major-General Sir Harry D. Jones, R.E., K.C.B., Governor of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst ; Lord Abercom; Dr. Sandwith ; Dr. Barth.

When this ceremony was completed, the successful competitors for the annual prizes recited their productions. The prize poem of this year-- "King Alfred surveying Oxford University at the present time "—is not written in the old metre so long and so religiously observed at Oxford, but in verses of four lines similer to the measure employed by Tennyson in the "Palace of Art." This is a notable innovation : the innovator who has charmed the Oxford Dons out of the ancient ways is Mr. W. Powell James, a scholar of Oriel College. The reading of the prize poem wound up the business in the Theatre. It was almost instantly filled again with an audience anxious to hear Haydn's "Creation." On leaving the Theatre, Prince Albert and his guests took luncheon, with the Vice-Chancellor at Worcester College, and subsequently re- ceived an address from the civic authorities in their Town-hall. Prince Albert's reply was brief, and characterized by an absence of formality- " I beg to thank you for the address which you have presented to me, and I assure you that it affords me sincere satisfaction again to visit your

ancient city. I have had the pleasure of taking part in the proceedings of this morning, and, in company with my two honoured guests, have spent a very happy day."

The peace illuminations brought the festivities to an end.

The tenantry of Lord Wode.house have entertained him at dinner at the Royal Hotel, Norwich, and presented to him an address of congratu- lation on his appointment as Envoy Extraordinary at St. Petersburg. The address referred to the excellent relations existing between Lord Wodehouse and Ms tenants—he is active in improving his lands, and ho grants long leases with liberal covenants.

A vacancy having occurred in the Mayoralty of Southampton by the- death of Mr. Sampson Payne, Mr. Richard Andrews has been elected by. the Town-Council to serve for the remainder of the term. This is the fourth. time Mr. Andrews has been Mayor,—no slight proof of the popu- larity he enjoys from his liberality and his usefulness as a public officer..

The great harbour and breakwater works at Holyhead are proFessing well. The North breakwater has been carried out 6400 feet, the Eastern 2500. Since the commencement, in 1849, 6,000,000 tons of stone have' been used on the works ; it is obtained from a quarry in Holyhead Moun- tain, where the powder for blasting is used several tons at a time : on one occasion, 90,000 tons of stone were rent from the mountain. Some twelve hundred men are employed. The expenditure to the present, time bas been upwards of 500,000/.

Palmer of Rogeley, constantly watched by two attendants, is wearing out the few remaining days of his life in Stafford Gaol. To those members of his family who have visited him he still persists in asserting his innocence, and that he has had an unfair trial. Ile hopes for a reprieve ; and his hopes are fostered by the exertions of kW attorney, Mr. John Smith, and his family. Mr. Smith has been appealing to the Times; and he asks for a commission. to inquire into the truth of Dr. Taylor's theory of the absorption of stryche nine' contending, that if Palmer die the felon's death, and that theory should afterwards be disproved, then he will have been sacrificed to a false medical theory. Some one is trying to get up a petition to the Queen, pray-- on the same ground, that her Majesty will "spare the life of the said William Palmer." The Reverend Thomas Palmer, advertised as "the. brother of prisoner William Palmer," has published "An Inquiry into the Charge of Lord Chief Justice Campbell on the late Trial of William Palmer : illustrative of its dangerous tendencies, as destructive to the long-enjoyed rights and privileges of all British subjects." It is stated that "all-important fresh evidence" will be furnished to the Home Secretary, showing the use Palmer made of the strychnine. It is under- stood that the Government have taken the opinion of the Judges on the propriety of the verdict; and that "no hope whatever can be entertained that

ose learned persons have expressed any reason to alter the very decided opinion which it is known they had formed after the trial as to the con- clusiveness of the evidence adduced by the Crown against the prisoner." Among the Palmer notabilia is a story of the finding of the verdict. It

pears that the Jury arrived at the verdict of " GuilV " in ten minutes after they refired, without any previous discussion. Each juryman wrote his verdict on a slip of paper and placed it under his hat. On removing the hats, all the slips contained the fatal, word. They remained closeted, however, because they thought it decent that every opportunity should be given for reflection that might benefit the prisoner.

Corporal William Nevan, of the Local Pensioners, has murdered Ageing Sergeant-Major Robinson, on board the Runnymede convict-ship at Ply,. mouth, by discharging his firelock at him. The motive for the crime was tfr difference some time back.

There has been serious rioting at Plymouth between the Limerick Militia and the Royal Marines : it began from the llibernian desire of the Militia. to give the Marines a "hating" ' as a parting memento before they left the towa.

The Bradford Magistrates have committed five burglars for trial; they formed part of the gang of desperadoes who have long kept that part of York- shire in alarm. Great numbers of housebreaking implements and much. plunder were found in the lodgings of the men.

Anne Hill, an elderly woman, servant to Mr. Buncombe, surgeon at Wel-, lington in Somenetehire, has died from drinking a solution of cyanide of potassium. A _photographist who had been employedby Mr. liiin,combe carelessly left the bottle of solution behind him' Anne Hill saw it, though* it was gin, and drank part of it : ill two minutes she became uncfmepious, the while of the body was slightly convulsed, the pupils of the ass 'wen

dilated, and there was a spasmodic closure of the jaws; but as the poor wo- man had no teeth, her master was able to apply the stomach-pump. She died in twenty minutes. It is computed that she had taken five grains of the cyanide. A Coroner's Jury pronounced the death "Accidental," but censured the photographer for his negligence.

Lord Alfred Paget has lost his splendid yacht Alma, 70 tons; and the lives of himself and crew were imperilled, by what appears to have been gross ne- gligence on the part of the Belgian mail steam-packet Diamond. At mid- night on Wednesday, the atmosphere clear and starlit, the Alma was off the South Foreland, sailing for the Isle of Wight, the steamer was seen to approach from the West; she was hailed ; no notice was taken, and the steamer struck the Alma, which began to sink. One of the crew of the yacht got on board the steamer, and a boat was prepared to aid the yacht people ; but in the mean time they had escaped in their long-boat, the yacht going down with all sails set. The master of the steamer refused to tow the long-boat to shore, as he "had despatches on board " ; but the yachtsmen managed, with hard labour, to row to Dover. Lord Alfred Paget says the whole blame rests on the steamer; his yacht, having new sails, might have been seen two miles off.

An Irishman at Bristol was " larking " with some countrywomen„and he sportively hugged a girl to his bosom : she had a needle in her breast, slid the point entered the man's heart, the needle breaking short. He was taken to the infirmary; a surgeon cut the flesh over the heart, exposing that organ, and then witlia forceps drew out the fragment of the needle ; even i then t was doubtful whether the patient would recover.

• A portion of the bricklayers' labourers at Manchester have " struck " : savagely angry with those who have remained at work, they have assailed them with murderous violence at one place and have attempted to hurl explosive missiles into the bedroom of one oetheir fellow workmen.

If a Consul of ours in the United States had done what Mr. Davy, the American Vice-Consul on the Tyne, has done, what an outcry there would have been about our infringing the municipal law of the States ! Mr. Davy has actually " authorized ' the Tyne Police to arrest American sailors who leave their ships—he will be " responsible " for their acts. The Police have arrested some of the deserters : this is contrary to our law, as the Yankees have refused to accede to a reciprocal treaty for the restoration of runaway mariners.