THE FARMER.

AGRICULTURAL PAPERS, No. 6.

“ System of Seeping Farm Accounts.”

[Bt Mb W. E. Trent.]

It was with no little surprise I received a communication from our worthy hon. secretary, Mr Bruce, requesting me to read a paper at the present meeting. Believing it was only on agricultural mat ters that the members of this association desired information, I felt a large amount of diffidence in coming forward for such a purpose, and I replied that it would be a great piece of presumption on my part if I considered I could teach the farmers of Lincoln anything relating to agriculture tW- they did not already know. To which the secretary replied, suggesting that I should read a paper on “ Keeping Farm Accounts.” On receipt of this I felt more at ease, and had much pleasure in acced ing to the request. Therefore, gentlemen, I now come before you not as an agricul turist, but as a business man, who has ap plied the same rules and principles to an agricultural speculation, as he has been in the habit of applying to mercantile pur suits with considerable success. In the matter of “ Keeping Farm Accounts,” I do not propose to tell you that the system I have adopted is the best and only sys tem, but I shall content myself with ex plaining to you the particular method I adopt, leaving it to yourselves to judge bow far my system may be im proved upon or modified for the purposes of any particular branch of farming to which any of my friends might wish to apply it, and I think, when I have explained my system in detail yon will find it a very simple affair, and quite within the comprehension of persons of ordinary intelligence, and professing to be business men. When I first-became an agricultural proprietor I was carrying on a manufacturing and mercantile business. 1 commenced an account in my ledger called “ Farm Account,” as it was necessary for m® to account for all expenditure on ac count of the farm. In those days I treated the farm as one of my customers, and a very bad customer it proved to be, for it was a long time before I could see any re turn whatever for my outlay. When it was necessary to make any disbursement on account of farm, I merely made a journal entry of the same—Farm Dr to so and go for so much, posting the amount to tho. debit of farm account. When any goods in from the farm the entry was Goods Dr to Farm for so much. This was pi«ynd to the debit of goods account and credit of farm account. But at tho end of the year when I took stock, I was ra ther surprised to find what a large amount my customer Farm owed me, amounting to some thousands of pounds, and only a few hundreds to its credit • This set me thinking that possibly some expenditure might be dispensed with ; but which were they, out of all the heap of figures before mef This proved to me that I must adopt a different system if I would know what operations were remunerative and which left a loss. In short, I found that my accounts must he kept in detail, and be more explicit. I accordingly set to work and dismembered my farm, by dividing it into paddocks, each paddock talong the same space in the ledger that the farm formerlytook. lalsoopenednumerous other accounts, the nature and object of which I purpose presently to explain. In making this important change, the first thing I did was to take stock of the farm and everything appertaining or belonging to if First came the cost of the freehold ; next the improvements, such as breaking up the land and fencing; then came an account lor permanent improvements, such as well, building, stockyards, gates, plantations, metalled roads, &c., &c. By this means I ascertained the amount dis bursed in purchase of land and making it into a farm ; this was capital employed from which there was to be no direct return. Then came another account very similar for plant, such as steam engine and pumping gear, water tanks and pipes, chatfcutter, shafting, belts, carts, waggons, ploughs, and implements of all kinds. I opened house account, cattle, sheep, pig, and poultry accounts. By the aid of these various accounts I was able to ascertain accurately the total of money sank, which I treated as capital locked up. My next object was to ascer tain the cost of every operation carried on upon the farm, viz., what this paddock cost for ploughing, another for weeding, and so on. In order to do this syste matically, it was absolutely necessary to distinguish one paddock from another to avoid confusion- It then occurred to me that if I gave each paddock a name it would take up a large amount of unneces sary room in a timesheet. For instance, One thousand pounds expressed in figures Will occupy far less space than the words nineteen pounds. I, therefore, decided the better plan wonld be to number the paddocks consecutively from No. 1 upwards, in order to avoid mistakes about the identity of each paddock, I commenced on the first paddock in the front on the lefthand side and numbered them in rotation order; so that if any doubt existed as to any particular paddock, the person in the Jilammo. had only to commence counting from the first and they would soon arrive at the right paddock, [Mr Trent here exhibited a plan of his farm.] Having arranged and classified my various pad docks, I drew out a sketch of a time sheet to be filled up by the farm manager. This time-sheet allowed for about twenty men’s names to be placed in a vertical column on the left-hand side of the page. The page was next divided vertically into seven other divisions ; six of these were headed with the names of the days of the week, each of which had a wide space to pnt'. down the nature of the operation earned oft opposite the operative’s name, u well ss the number of paddock operated upon. Each day’s space had two smaller columns for days and hours. For instance, if a man worked eight hours at a job he was marked one day ; if be worked ten he would be marked one day two hours. If, again, he worked four hours «aeh at two different jobs, he would be marked four hours for each. I had 600 of these time sheets printed at a cost of about £2; half of these sheets were bound into a book to be kept permanently on the farm, to be filled in end written up each day. At the and of the week it 6 the manager’s dare to send me a duplicate copy on one ci thetoow Meets. Tliefe ttflfa-fbMt# JWJpf flslpr 9WM9I Sp HfW

paddock or work, and charge it to account accordingly. But in order to arrive at the just price or value of work done, it is necessary for me to value the time of the horses. By a careful account I have kept, I have ascertained that the total cost of keeping a working horse in proper condition all the year round, and one year with another, is about 6s per week—that is, if you principally grow your own feed and do not purchase oats at a dear time. But as horses cost money, and the more they are worked the sooner their value is depreciated, and you must also allow for the cost of wear and tear of harness and implements as well as shooing. Taking into consideration those facts, I decided on charging 2s Gd per day for the use of every horse that is worked, charging nothing for a horse when he is sick or idle. Having arranged this mat ter, I am now able to tell the cost of a day’s work as follows; —Ploughing—Single furrow, one man, 5s ; two horses, at 2s Gd —los. Double furrow, one man, 5s ; three horses, at 2s Gd—l2s Gd. Scuffing, one man, 5s ; three horses, at 2s 6s—l2 6d. Harrow ing, one lad, 3a4d; two horses, at 2s6d—Bs 4d. Rolling, one lad, 3s 4d ; two horses, at 2s 6d —8s 4d. Waggon, one man, 5s ; drink, Is ; four horses, at 2s Gd—l6s; sub soiling, one manand plough ss, 2 horses at 2s Gd—los; one man, ss; boy, 2s ; three horses, at 2s Gd —14s 6d ; £1 4s Gd. Drilling—two men, at 5s ; one boy, 2s ; one horse, 2s Gd—9s Gd. Having these details to work upon, it is necessary to have a book ruled similar to an ordinary Tradesman’s Day-book for dates, items, pounds, shillings, and pence. This book also has an index and wages numbered. The name of each account is put into the index with the number of the folio on which it may be found. In this book the following are the principal accounts I have opened :—An account against each pad dock, from No 1 upwards, freehold, build ings, permanent improvements, general expenses, fuel, stable expenses, kiln ex penses, horses, blacksmith, cattle, oat crop, chicory crop, &c, and a separate ac count for the cost of each building in de tail, also accounts for each matter that it is necessary to know the cost of work ; done by contract does not go into the time-sheets at all, but is charged in one gross sum when completed. This, I think, will be sufficient bookkeeping for an or dinary farmer, and by this means he can tell to a shilling the cost of every crop he grows, as also the cost cf every operation in detail, such as ploughing, harrowing, reaping, &c. But apart from this, there is another great advantage in keeping a time book —for instance, at the end of the page there is a column for remarks, which, for the purpose of noting down any special matters, is as useful as a diary. Here should be entered such matters as the fol lowing :—When a certain horse was taken possession of ; when a cow calved ; when certain important operations are com menced or completed; when produce is delivered to the town ; when goods are re ceived in return. It is also exceedingly useful for the purpose of reference in com paring one year with another, and in watching the progress of certain opera tions, and comparing the amount of time relatively consumed in carrying out simi lar operations in different paddocks. To keep a complete set of books it would be necessary to use the following ;—The led ger, journal, cash book, bill book, wages book, delivery book, and wages account book, and letter book. The ledger to con tain the grand totals, both Dr and Cr so as to show the balance of profit of all ac counts or loss’ accounts, inwards and out wards, assets and liabilities. The journal answers for all goods inwards or outwards; for instance, if I buy one hundred bushels of corn for the horses of Mr Smith, the horses must be charged with the corn they consume, and Mr Smith must have credit for the value of the com sup plied. I then make an entry as follows : —96. Stable expenses—Dr to John Smith, £lO. 104 For 100 bushels of oats, 2s, £lO. If I sell Mr Jones, the butcher, 6 head of cattle, I make the following entry —24 W. Jones, Dr to cattle account-- £6O. 35 For 6 head of cattle, at 300 s, £9O. The cash book should be a double paged book, having double-money columns and a margin for the date on the left-hand side of each page ; all money received should be correctly entered, with the name of payer and date on the left-hand column of the left-hand or Dr side of the book, and when paid into the bank the total amount should be extended into the right-hand column of the same page. The right-hand, or credit page, is devoted to disbursements and checks and bills pay able when they fall due. This book should be balanced with the Bank pass-book once a month. Bill book—This is a printed book that can be purchased at any sta tioner’s, one end being devoted to bills payable, and the other to bills receiveable, with proper spaces for names ot drawers and acceptors, date, time, amount, and due dates. Wages book — For this a small pocket-ledger with index will answer very well Each man's account should be headed with name in full, date of engage ment, and rate of wages. In my own employ I used a printed book with dupli cate pages ; when a man applies to the manager ioF his account it is filled in like a credit note, with the number of days work from date to date, also rate and amount, and any deductions for cash on account of stores supplied, the one half is torn out and given to the applicant, upon which he can draw his wages, and the butt remains in the book as a permanent record of the transaction, and is entered into the journal once a month. Delivery Book.— This book no person disposing of goods should be without, and saves a vast amount of disputes in business for instance, do you send a grocer a box of butter, you enter it in duplicate to the person you send it stating the date and number of pounds, he receipts the butt of the book, and tears out the duplicate and gives you credit for the value. Invoice Book.—This is a most important book, and saves a large amount of trouble in hunting up accounts which frequently get mislaid. This is a book made of sheets of brown paper and numbered, having an index; lit foot, like a portfolio; on receipt of an Invoice pf account it should be checked over, and, if found correct, pasted on one of the brown paper leaves, folded up, and endorsed with the person s name, date, and amount, and indexed to bis name, and once a month the various amounts should be journalised and placed to the credit of m§ various creditors in the ledger, and the debit of pach account it pwy be found necessary te open. By adopting this system a former on d^X B sail t*h the Hi? indebted

who might think it worth while to adopt -ny plan of keeping farm accounts, and that is never let the work £?et behind ; the task of filling up the time sheet should be religiously performed every night, and while the events of the day are fresh in the memory, the writing np of the various accounts can be better done once a week, and will not take more than half-an-hour or so according to the number of hands employed, and I trust that should any one do me the honour of thinking these few remarks on farm accounts worth their adoption, that before long they will be able to show me a very great improve ment on my system, and should such prove to be the case, I shall be most happy to adopt it, and if I have not suc ceeded in rendering my ideas sufficiently plain and intelligible, I shall be happy to answer any questions that may be put to me on the subject. Israelites and Agricultural Pursuits. (From the It is with unalloyed pleasure that we in. form the readers of the “ American Israe lite that the Council held in the City of New York has, with great unanimity, adopted the following plan of leading our brethren into agricultural pursuits ; The Executive Board of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations was in structed to appoint out of their midst a Committee of Five on Agricultural Pur suits, said committee to solicit donations of land, farming implements and money, and to divide said lands into farms of eighty acres for one family which it can have for tillage free of rent for seven years ; after the expiration of seven years, that family may buy those eighty acres at the price the land was worth when it first settled on the same, and the money re ceived by the Executive Board for the said land shall immediately be re-invested by them for other land and to be given to new settlers on tho same conditions. At the first meeting of the Executive Board the following gentlemen were ap pointed on that important committee : Hon. Moritz Ellinger of New York ; Hon. Julius Freiberg of Cincinnati; Emanuel Wertheimer of Pittsburgh, Pa. ; Lazarus Silverman of Chicago, and Hon. Simon Wolf of Washington. D. C. The Execu tive Board instructed that committee to appoint sub-committees in every leading city in the United States, and which they no doubt will do promptly. The fri ends of this great measure will please assistthe committees with advice and dona tions. Direct your communications to Hon. Moritz Ellinger, New York, or to Lipman Levy, secretary of the Union, Cincinnati, Ohio, who will bring the views before the Committee. All dona tions of land, farming implements, and money must be deeded to the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, who are the custodians of the trust for the only purpose that it has been given. We appeal to our brethren throughout the length and breadth of the United States to give this important measure their hearty support, not with mere words of encouragement, but with deeds, deeds that will tell and enable the Committee on Agricultural Pursuits to place at least fifty families on fertile land, fully equipped to go to work and become practical farmers, whose success will lead thousands of Israe lites into farming pursuits and remove from us the reproach that we are only shopkeepers, consumers and not Pro ducers. There are already 150 families organised in the city of New York ready to go to farming as soon as they receive the aid necessary to give them the start; but, of course, nothing can be done un’il the means are at hand, which we hope that the committees appointed will soon have, for the Israelites are not a people who are appealed to in vain, especially when measures are to be carried into practice giving the poor man a chance to make a living for himself and family as a farmer, inhaling the pure air and seeing the glories of God as they manifest themselves in the vegetable kingdom, kissed by the dew and warmed into life and ripeness by the sun which sweetens existence and urges men on to be grateful to God. and sing His glories in the same spirit as Israel did in Palestine of yore, when they were all farmers, free and independent, making of their land a paradise and their Government the pattern of the future Re public of the world. A new glory awaits the house of Israel; let us by our acts be come worthy of it.

Russia and Grain Exportation

Sr. Petersburg, Aug 8.

Reports of the Russian Customs De partment show that the export of grain during May was 1,223,500 chetwerts, less than the corresponding period last year, 1,000,000 of this decrease was in wheat and 200,000 in oats. The export of grain for the first five months of the present year was 13,948,579 chetwerts against 18,411,150 chertwerts the corresponding period last year. Three millions chert werts of this decrease was in wheat. The “Times” says: Russian traders are anticipating a large export of grain during the present month, which com bined with the encouragement given by foreign capitalists to a third Oriental loan, has sent np the rouble from 22| upon Lon don to 249-16. Nothing could show more forcibly the enormous resources of Russia after the fearful havoc by drought, hall and grasshoppers ; but, nevertheless, the decrease of grain exports, as com pared with the corresponding months of 1878, to the amount of 3,600,000 bushels, is a terrible falling off for a country pos. sessing wheat-growing soil as large as the combined area of France and Austria.

Hystericus Sheep Disease.

(Healdsburg Flag, Aug. 7.)

Michael Young reported last week that his sheep were still dropping off. Some have been cut open and in them found that the small stomach was as dry as a bone, so dry, in fact, that no hope of cur ing the disease could be entertained. John N. Bailhache lost 1,500 dols. worth of cattle some years ago, with the same symptoms and identically the same affec tion of the digestive organs, brought on, as was supposed, by their eating the re mains of cornstalks that had been chewed up and spill out by hogs. In this case the poison milk-weed theory prevails.

CHISPA’S LETTER.

(From the Ashburton Herald, November 8.) “ I am not yet so bald that -you can see my brains. ” —Longfellow.

In my peregrinations I now and again meet some “ hard cases.” The other day, whilst on the look out for an item, I dropped across a new-chum “ looking for a job.” The man looked melancholy. His swag was not done up in that artistic style which at once, to a practised eye, reveals the old digger accustomed t- ■ “ hump ” Ins gold ; and the whole bearing of the man, from his roofless billycock to his well ventilate ! watertights, betokened that he wanted a job. Ho had, however, one feature .about him which was an un common, and in these times I should think, a good idea. Under his arm he carried an enormous naval telescope. I couldn’t get at the hang of that spy-glass for a bit, but all of a sudden the utility of it struck me. The man was “ looking for a job,” and the originality of using a telescope for the purpose is worth a patent. Why ! only imagine the chance that man has over any other swaggei. The spy glass man could see a job live miles off’, while any other fello w would be limited to ordinary human vision.

And talking of swaggers I once knew a West-Coaster in the early days, who was quite a genius in bis way. Ho had been brought up as a Civil Engineer and Archi tect, but as a builder of his own fortunes he was a failure. So, after a few years’ vain attempt to live by his profession in one of the settled towns, he left for the diggings and fetched up on the North Beach. That man’s “swag” was a caution. He was an ardent musician, and he would sooner go to his blankets hungry than do without his tune. Well, as far as I can recollect, his swag was made up in what is known as “ horse collar” fashion, and consisted of the usual 6xß tent, his blankets, theodolite box and legs, a frying pan, a billy, and pannikin—all strung together higgledy-piggledy, the tinware rattling and swinging around him ; in his hand a long-handled shovel, and sur mounting the whole impedimenta on his back, a Yiolincello Case ! I knew that man for years afterwards. That big fiddle accompanied him in all his wanderings ; and he always looked like a man carrying his own coffin with him ready for any emergency.

The selection of a valuator for the Bo rough has resulted in the consumption of a deal of liquid, particularly ink ; and the Fathers of the City are being called over the coals in the most approved manner by the burgesses. Not without cause, either, I think ; but not for the reasons given by the scaibblers. What the Council should have done, when there was not a full meeting, and opinion was so equally divided, was to have adjourned the meeting to obtain an expression of opinion by vote from every individual in the Borough; and in the mean time to have asked the fifteen pound man if he was prepared to find sufficient security for the due performance of the contract. You see, this is not an ordinary job like a bit of road making, where, if a man can’t go on with it, or makes a mess of it, he can throw it up and some one else can start; but it is a question of great importance to the ratepayers. The law is that the roll shall be completed by January 15, and be open for inspection for a month after to enable ratepayers to object to it if rated too high, or if they consider their neighbors are getting off too cheap. Then the Judge of the As sessment Court hears objections, and if the discrepancies are too glaring the roll is condemned, and a new one is ordered to be made. By this arrangement several months are lost before a rate can be struck and collected. As to the merits of the five tenders, I don’t know enough about them, but I don’t think that if the highest one had got the job he would have made a pile out o' it, as it will i-e well on in April next before he can handle the money.

There was a pretty hard case in court yesterday. A small debt case had been previously adjourned ; and the blister had, in court language, been “ enlarged,” (no debt the costs were also). On the copy served, the defendant was notified to appear on the 7th instant, “and to fail not at his periland on the copy preser ved in Court the date was the 14th. Both parties appeared, and the plaintiff having being told that the 14th was the date, had not brought his witnesses, and had to ask for a further adjournment, which was granted, for the modest sum of £1 3s. Seeing that the disputants have to travel 25 miles to get to court, wait all day, and then return home, as wise as before, they are to be excused for “ enlarging ” on the beautiful uncertainty of the law. Their little argument was postponed till the 28th.

Parliament has decided by 34 votes to 29 that the softer sex are to have a voice m the government of the country. I am staggered. There are so many points from which to view this subject. Fancy what might have happened in the bosom of my family over last election if female suffrage had been in existence then. I was out and out Hart, Mrs Chispa was ultra-Wright. Now, only imagine the oldwomam out canvassing on one side, and me on the other. My reasoning powers may be good, but are not to be mentioned in the same breath with her persuasive tongue. And what awful com plications will ensue when they go in for starting one of their own sex for parliamentary honors. Why ! no single man, and precious few married ones, will ever know what peace and bliss and home comforts are again. I don’t like to take a gloomy view of affairs, but I will stake my prospects of comfort for the future, that there will have to be a Divorce Court established in every County in the Colony. And yet another horror floats before me : fancy a Wahine, a dusky skinned Maori female, with a font of clay pipe and enough soil about her to make a quarter acre section, fraternising with me for my vote : Away 1 the idea is too much. Chispa.

Narrow Escape of Being Buried Alive.

An extraordinary case of trance has just been brought to light at Hereford. A girl named Sarah Ann Dobgin, eleven years of age, who has lived since she was very young with her great-aunt, Mrs Derry, was for some days considered to be dying, and was laid out for dead. Ar rangements were made for the funeral, and shortly before its appointed time a Miss Cooke and a Mrs Bethell came to look at the supposed corpse, and to the amazement and almost horror of both, the covering of the body was observed to be moving. The child was then found to be alive, and medical assistance was at once procured. About three weeks before her supposed death the girl’s condition under went a marked change, and for some time she had not been able to take anything but a very little water passed between her teeth with a teaspoon. Dr. Whitfield and Dr. Smith, who were called in after her revival, had a yolk of a new laid egg beaten up and introduced by means of a syphon. This had an immediate effect on the heart and brain, but it was not long before the stomach returned it. On Fri day morning the patient was in an ab solutely unconscious state, the mouth wide open, the tongue protruding its full length, the eyes fully open, the eye-balls turned up and rigidly fixed, the right hand raised, and the whole frame in a state of hysterical agitation. The patient has been sensibly affected by the alterations of day axrd night, sleep coming to her aid as the days have closed, and only leaving her as morning arrived. An experienced nurse, who has been much with the child during the month, had charge of her when she was assumed to have been dead, and arranged the laying out.

Curious Effect of Lighting.

A storm of thunder, short but sharp, passed over Burwash, in East Sussex, recently, when a cottage at the common, occupied by Robert Reed, a carpenter, was struck by lightning, and the top of its chimney knocked off. The fluid entered the living room of the dwelling, lifted a brick from the floor to the ceiling, and tore a boot from one of the feet of Reed’s son, leaving the foot marked across as if burned with a hot iron. It also forced a knife from the lad’s hand, and the shock stunned him. Mv Reed’s mother, an aged woman, who was sitting by the fireplace, had a foot struck and sadly scorched, and a babe left lying there, was found by its mother to have been moved to another part of the room and one of its arms lacerated. Mrs Reed, who entered the room at the moment of the shock, had a dish forced out of her hand by the lightning, but herself escaped injury. One of the doors of the cottage and some earthenware were crashed. That the four beings, who at that awful moment were inmates of Robert Reed’s dwelling, should be now living, and the lad able to go to his usual work, are facts that fill one with wonder, and in truth seem hardly credible. The lightning is said also to have entered the house of Mr Hallaway, the Railway Tavern, close by, but to have made its exit without doing any damage.

Blowing Up The Cabul-Gate.

The morning star was high in the heavens, and the first red streak of ap proaching morning was on the horizon when the explosion party stepped forward to its duty. In perfect silence, led by the engineer, Durand, they advanced to within one hundred and fifty yards of the works, when a challenge from the walls, a shot, and a shout told that the party was discovered. Instantly the garrison were on the alert, their musketry ran free and quick from the ramparts, and blue lights suddenly glared on the top of the battlements, brilliantly illuminating the approach to the gate. . . . Strange to say, though the ramparts flashed fire from every loophole, the bridge was passed without a shot from the lower works. . . Without the loss of a man from the heavy fire of the battlements. Durand reached the gate, and having laid the first bag of powder containing the end of the fuse, man after man stepped up, deposited his powder, and retired as they advanced, in single file, edging the foot of the wall, and under the eye and charge of the engi neer Macleod. . . The sappers having deposited the last of the powder and retired, Durand, aided by Sergt. Robert son, uncoiled the fuse, laying it close to the foot of the scarp ; while the defenders, impatient at the restraint of their loop holes, jumped up on the top of their para pets and poured their fire at the foot of the wall, hurling down also lumps of earth, stones, and bricks, but omitting, fortunately, bine lights. The officer and his sergeant were hit by the missiles; their force had, however, been broken by striking on the scarped bank on which the wall was built. . . . On igniting the quick-

match the port-fire did not light, as the engineer was some time blowing at his slow-match and port-fire together before the latter caught and blazed. Even then, however, when laid down on the ground, it went out. The engineer, surprised at this, drew his pistol to flash the fuse ; but finding the piece of port fire in its place, he gave it another trial, and once more blew at the slow-match and port-fire together until the latter again blazed, when having watched it burn steadily for some moments, the sergeant and himself retired to cover. . . . The assault

was one of simple daring, not founded on the supposed ignorance or negligence of the enemy, but with a full anticipation that success, if obtained must bo bought with much blood. Keane, however, could thus alone retrieve the errors of a posi tion in which a want of battering guns and provisions had placed him ; and he acted with a decision and resolution suited to the emergency. A grateful country may on such an occasion pour forth its titles and its honors, not making men’s merits the measure of its bounty ; but it will nevertheless, act wisely in remember ing that war has its principles, and that to hazard, needless of military prudence, soldiers’ lives and a country’s fame upon a gamester’s throw is to court a stern rebuke. —“ The First Afghan War,” Sir Henry Marion Durand.

Daink, Degradation, and the Gallows.

The “ Times ”of August 1 says ; “ A very shocking case was brought to its in evitable conclusion yesterday at the Derby Assizes. On the 12th of July, a young man named Gerald Mainwaring, the son of a clergyman, and described as being of good manners and education was appre hended at Derby for being drunk and dangerous to himself and others. While the charge was being made out against him at the police office, he drew a revolver from his pocket and discharged it at a constable named Moss. Before he could be disarmed he tired three more shots and wo rsided another constable named Price. Boch of the wounded men were at once conveyed to the infirmary, where Moss died on the following day. Thus the case was very plain in regard to the facts and their proof, while the circumstances which led to the commission of the crime discloses a revolting story of degradation. Mainwaring, it appears, had been living at an hotel in Derby, where he had formed a connection with a prostitute. On the day of the murder lie entered the bar of th? hotel where ho was staying in company with this woman, and called for a bottle of brandy, which the two nearly emptied between them in a very short time, fie then went out for a drive, still accompanied by the woman ; they stopped for a short time at the house whore she lived, and when another woman wh kept the house refused to allow tlk: girl to go out again in such a disgraceful state of drunkenness, he at once threatened Co shoot her, and over came her resistance by presenting his pistol at her in such a manner as to con vince her tii.it her life was really in danger, fie then proceeded on his drive in com pany with the girl ; but the condition of both was so openly disgraceful that they were followed by the police and ultimately apprehended. What ensued whoa they reached the lock-up we have already stated. None of the facts of the case were disputed by the prisoner’s counsel, who only pleaded for reduction of the offence from murder to manslaughter. Tiie plea however, was not counteranced by Mr Justice Bindley I in his summing up, and the jury, after a long deliberation, found the prisoner guilty of murder, though they accompanied their finding with a strong recommenda tion to mercy. The life of an innocent man has been sacrificed to the drunken and dissolute passions of one whose educa tion and breeding should have saved him even in his wildest excesses from such an abyss of degradation and crime. The case is a warning, written in letters of blood, to all who are apt to think lightly of youthful excesses, and who do not con sider how narrow is the margin which separates unbridled passion from crime.

The Blind Man’s Duel.

{Front the New Orleans Picayune.)

It is doubtful if any theatre ever offered such volumes of romantic incidents as the deck of the old time Mississippi steamer. In the old times, before the railroads tra versed the continent in every direction, and the West was a wilderness, New Or leans was the Mecca for travellers, and the fleet wave borne palaces of the inland sea carried thousands of pleasure seekers to the south. It was then that life was a carousal, and men and women gave them selves up to the most lavish enjoyments. Men were as prone to brawls as the sparks to fly upward. Conspicuous among the fierce and rollicking habitues of the steamers was Captain West, a noted duellist. One day he engaged in a contro versy with a gentleman with whom he met cm deck, whom he accused of staring at him impertinently. “ Why do you stare at me so intently?” demanded the captain. The gentleman made no reply, but quietly walked along the steamboat’s deck, and again halted when he met the duellist, who, being incensed at the cool manner in which he was treated, accosted the stranger and demanded an eul of it. Stepping up to the stranger he inquired, with suppressed pas sion, “Can you fight as well as look ? “Pm hap - ■ I never tried it. Place me, however, end I will do my best.” The singular conduct of the stranger had by this time attracted universal attention, and whispered conference regarding his re markable appearance agitated the little groups of persons all over the boat. In a short time, however, she rounded to a landing fur wood, and then the parties to the impromptu duel went ashore. The passenger was led off by a negro servant, who seemingly picked his wav. Indeed, from the intense interest he was manifest ing in the encounter, the servant was ap parently more interested in the matter than his master. But the time allowed for preliminaries iyas brief, and r the men were speedily put in position and placed their hands. The word was given, and two ringing reports flashed out on the air. Captain West fell pierced to the heai't. The stranger stood erect, calm and digni fied. His second rushed up to him : “ Are you hurt, sir?” “No; how is it with my antagonist?” “Can’t you see? you have killed him?” “No, I am un able to see.” “You can’t see?” No, I am blind.” And he was. The tragedy was a nine days’ wonder, and all sorts of rumours were rife as to the identity of the fatal stranger. But who he was and whither he went was a mystery never solved. The circumstances went to make up an incident in the dark and bloody memories which made famous the olden time.

Execution of a Female.

Annie Tooke, a middle-aged widow was executed on 11th August, within Exeter Gaol, for the murder of an illegitimate which had been put with her to nurse. She first smothered the child, and then chopped the body in pieces, and threw the remains into a mill-stream. The prison hospital was turned into a plaoe of execution, and Marwood, who was the executioner, gave a drop of seven feet. Prisoner’s four children visited her on the Saturday previous to the execution. The representatives of the Press were n ->t admitted to the execution, but they were allowed to attend the inquest and view the body with the jury. The governor of the prison produced a copy of the follow ing statement made by the culprit:—“l hereby acknowledge that the confession which I first made to Captain Beat is true in the main particulars, and that I am justly to suffer for my dreadful crime, for which, as for all my many sins, I do most truly repent, and heartily pray God’s mercy, for the sake of His dear Son, my only Lord and Saviour, Jesup Christ,*. Signed by me, Aiwxs Toms. 1 '

Murderous Attack On A Clergyman.

A murderous outrage was committed on Bth August, on the Rev. J. Y. Rooker, vicar of Lower Gonial, near Wolverhamp ton in a grocer’s shop, in the presence of several witnesses. About two years ago Charles Hartland, a builder in a respect able position, was convicted by the bench of which Mr Rooker was chairman, of indecently exposing himself, and sen tenced to a term of imprisonment. He had since threatened to be revenged, but the vicar took but little notice, and Hart land was soon reinstated in his position as leader of v-he church choir. On Friday lie and Mr Rooker met in the grocer’s shop, and after «u interchange of some friendly remarks t-ho prisoner was turning to leave the shop, when Hartland drew a five chambered revolver, and fired point blank at the vicar, who was only a few paces from him, the bullet entering the back of his neck, and he threw up his arms, exclaiming, “I am shot!” Hart laud fired a second and a third time, both shots taking effect, and then made off towards his house, announcing his in tention of giving himself into custody. His victim’s wounds are so serious that no hopes are entertained of his recovery. Hartland was subsequently taken before the Bilston magistrates and remanded.

A Romance of the Par East

(From the jVerv York Tribune.)

There is a speck of war on the horizon ■ just now —a threat of a disturbance of the harmonious relations between Siam and England. There is a woman in the case, and she is young and pretty. About thirty years ago there came to Siam a young officer of the English army. He had been for several years in India, in the service of the East India Company, and determined one day to seek his fortune in the land of the White Elephant, where he became drill master of the Royal troops, and was in favor with the old King and the high officers of the Royal Court. Through the influence of friends at home he was appointed to represent the British Government as Consular Agent at Bang kok, and from this position he gradually rose to his present high office of Consul General of her Britannic Majesty for the Kingdom of Siam. His name is Thomas George Knox, and he comes of one of the old families in the North of Ireland, where the name of Knox is said to be very com mon. During the time of his services with the King and before he dreamed of the honours to come to him in later years, Mr Knox contracted an alliance with a Siamese woman, after the manner prevalent among foreigners who come to the East for a so j urn of a few years. Three children were the result of this union ; and though the marriage had a spice of irregularity about it, the children were acknowledged by the father, and properly cared for and educated. Miss Fanny, who, is the cause present war speck, is a pretty and accomplished brunette, and received her education in England, where her doting father paid no end of bills for her proper training and finishing. She returned to Bangkok three years ago, with a wardrobe that made her the envy of the other women, and with a piano on which she played with grace and skill. Admirers were not wanting; the fair Fannie was half Siamese and half English in blood, and she spoke the languages of Siam and of England to per fection. It was therefore quite natural that her admirers should be of the two nationalities, and a natural consequence that, for love of her, Englishmen and Siamese should be at each others’ ears. It was the ambition of Mr Knox to marry his daughter to an Englishman; and whenever she manifested an inclination to smile on a Siamese lover, the Consul- General of the Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was observed to frown. About three months ago Miss Fanny determined to remain no longer single, and planted her affection on one Phra Peccha, an influential and distin guished nobleman of Siam", and a member of one of the highest families. As the paternal Knox refused the paternal sanc tion, the daughter followed the custom of civilized lands and eloped with her lover, j< thereby causing much scandal in Siam and throughout the British colonies in the far East. Four or five weeks after the elopement Phra' Peccha was arrested by order of the King on a charge of high crimes and misdemeanors : he was tried by the Council of State and found guilty. The penalty for his crime is death, and that convicted nobleman has been sen tenced to be beheaded. The sentence has not yet been carried out, and there is a serious hitch in the affair. The runaway daughter of the British Consul-General is averse to the execution of her Siamese husband, and interceded most earnestly with her father to stay the action of the law of the land. Though harbouring no love for the man who eloped with his child, Mr Knox is reluctant to have a case of capital punishment in the family in addition to the other complications, and therefore demanded the release of Phra Peccha. The Siamese Government refused. Knox then threatened them with a British gunboat, and not only threatened, but sent to Singapore fop one. The gunboat Foxhound came, and then the demand was renewed. The King was firm as a rock, and notified the Consul- General that under no circumstances would the condemned prisoner be sur rendered. Knox now threatened to bring the whole force of British ships to Eastern waters to bombard Bangkok, and lay the King’s palace in ashes. The King has a goodly force of soldiers under arms at the palace, and there is a strong guard over the Phra Peccha. The Siamese blood is up, and if British mariners from the Foxhound attempt to land to rescue the husband pf the Consul-General’s daughter, there will be bloodshed. The gunboat lies in the tepid waters of the Meenan and holds no communication with the shore other than with tho British Consular office.

THE ASHBURTON GUARDIAN

Tuesday; WoULliiM 11. uyy.

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The “ New York World" states that the United States Government, acting upon Admiral Ammon’s report, will appoint a commission o? military and naval officers It ICftMiM otyn inter.



The “ Globe ’’ hears that Chung-How, the ChineaeJ envoy at St. Petersburg, has given official notice to the Czar that the Kaahgamn frontier will be closed against Russians and Russian extra cara tii« settlement ojf the Kuldja



Recently a large bald eagle made a de scent upon a young white calf, on the pre mises of Mr Torres, in the Franklin Can yon, about two miles from Martinez, with the evident intention of flying off with it, but on finding it had taken too heavy a contract, .relinquished it, and flew away before the observers could get r gun ready foruhetatit,



The Queen has been pleased to confer upon Mr Walter Eugene de Souza the honour of knighthood. Mr De Souza is well known in Calcutta and other parts of India for the large charities provided and supported by himself and family. Venaed De Saint Anne, the originator of the project for bridging the English Channel, promises to begin operations - without delay. (He estimates it will re- ♦ quire seven months for the experiments, and a million francs will suffice to pay prelifnlP&ry expense* *