... TO THK EDITOB. SIB,—The misery caused by the disastrous Are that recently happened at Guayaquil (Ecuador) is so great and so distresssing that immediate assistance I urgently needed, and for this noble object the Ecuadorian Consul-General at London opened an account, and Messrs Glyn, Mills, Currie, and Co., Lombard.street, London, will acknowledge any donations kindly sent for the Guayaquil ...

... The men at these work-, have offered to go in on the terms accepted by the Lydney employees of the same company, viz., 10 per cent. below the 1874 list; but the employers demand 12% per cent, under thab list, which the men have declined to accept. ...

... SOIRBE.-On Saturday evemng the members of the Muesycwmmer United Choir held a soiree at the Board Schools. During the proccedings Mr R. Wigley was presented with a pair ot gold- rimmed spectacles and a walking-stick. ...

... [.CENTRAL NEWS TPLFGIIAM. I HAMBURG, Friday Evening. Prince Bismarck, in accordance with long- standing custom, opened the New Year at Fried richsruhe, all the members of his family being piesent in addition to Herr Lenbach, the celebrated painter, Herr Lotlier, Professor Bucher, and Dr Schweninger, the Prince's physician. The Prince was the Recipient of a great number of New Year's greetings ...

... THEFT OF A POSTAL ORDER AT CARDIFF. At Cardiff police-court yesterday—before Mr T. W. Lewis and Dr Paine—Waiter Richards (27), assistant secretary to M -ssrs Thompson and Shackell, Cardiff, was charged with stealing a letter containing a postal order for 10s, the pro- perty of his employers. Mr Scott (Morgan and Scott) prosecuted, and Mr R. W. Blake defended. —Annie Anger, wife of Joseph Anger ...

... THE NEW DEAN OF WESTMINSTER. THE difficulty which arose with respect to the appointment of the new Dean of WESTMIN- STER was not from the want of a proper person to fill the post. Canons LIDDON and FARRER, as well as Dean VAUGHAN, are all capable of performing the duties of the office. There is reason to believe that the dispute between the QUEEN and Mr GLAD- STONE was as to whether a Broad or ...

... Curious Custom with Greek Sailors.-The following curious custom was observed on board several Greek vessels in Liverpool on Good Friday The men stuffed an old jacket and trousers with straw, and fashioned the garments so as to represent Judas Iscariot. This they hung up to the yard-arm of the ship, and treated it with every sort of indignity that it wa3 possible to offer an effigy of such a ...

... A New Food for Cattle. We ha.ve to announce, says the Agricultural Gazette a new green crop, yielding 40 tons per acre of a food especially adapted for milch cows, as, being void of all aromatic flavour, it communicates noae to milk. The Cattle Melon, a sort of Gourd, grown like Mangel Wurzel, but at wider intervals, appears in Mr. Blun- dell's hands to have furnished a solid and substantial ...

... ASPARAGUS.-As soon as young plants are from 3 to 6 inches high, let new plantations be made. POTATOES.—A full crop may now be planted. Kidneys, with well protected sprouts, or any other early kinds planted now, will be little later than those put in in February. This, however, requires some extra care; the sets should be placed in baskets, a single layer thick, on damp litter, and carefully ...

... REPORTED STRIKE IN THE SOUTH WALES COLLIERIES' —Since the improvement in the coal trade commenced, a continual agitation has been kept up by the South Wales colliers for a further increase in wages. The advances granted up to the present time amount to between 20 and 25 per cent., and many of the colliery proprietors accepted large contracts, thinking that all the difficulties with the men had ...

... RACING MATCHES—On Thursday, two matches, which excited considerable interest in the town, took place on the race course, between Mr. Watkins's Painter, and Mr. Goodwin's Brewer, and Mr. Roberts's 11 Parch. ment, and Mr. Morgan's Angel, the sum to be run for in each instance being d610, and the distance two miles. Mr. Powell rode Painter, and Mr. Goodwin The Brewer, the latter Winning ...

... Shortly before eleven o'clock Thursday morning an explosion took place at the Chartered Gas Works, Westminster, that it is feared will be attended with fatal consequences. It appears that whilst some workmen were engaged in the yard putting down a new pipe or repairing an old one, a large plug suddenly blew out, and allowed the gas to escape in immencs volumes. It was speedily ignited by the ...