... ;a 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ I mf~9.EQN TIrE EASTERN Q2UESTION.-Turl-ey's delay in carrying out the Treaty of Berlin Is arousing universal discontent, and the English, French, and German representatives at Constanti- nople have been obliged formally to remind the Porte of the necessity of immediately fulfilling her engagements. This delay acts most unfavourably upon Austria, for the Bosnian insurrection is ...

... THiE Postmaster-General has c ce again called the attention of the public to certain peccadilloes, little sins, on their part which mar the steady working of our postal system. When anything is wrong with posted letters, cards, newspapers, or book-packets we at once blame St. Martin's-le-Grand as the centre of iniquity. And yet it has been proved beyond all doubt that many of the mishaps are ...

... ?? ---v -. - ~ t / * ?? ~u~ 1 WS I ~ 7 / THE REUNION OF CHRISTENDOM.-At the Pro-Cathedral, Kensington, on Tuesday, Monsignor Cape!, allding to the recent meeting on this subject at Oxford, said that he hoped it would be understood that the Roman Catholic priests who appeared upon that occasion were not there in a representative character. The Roman Catholic Church could not witness such ...

... RECENT POETR Y AND VERSE THERE is a rather unusual amount of value to be found in Among the Flowers, and other Poems, by Francis W. Bourdillon (Marcus Ward and Co.). The author is invariably musical in his utterances, and has evidently a correct ear, whilst there is a genuine air of spontaneity about his poems which makes them really worthy of the name. Perhaps the most ambitious piece in ...

... * .. POLITICAL AFFAIRS. --The opening of Parliament on Thursday is dealt with in another column. Lord Derby was not expected to be able to attend, having been unwell for some days. Mr. Mitchell Henry was to move the Home Rule Amend- ment to the Address to the T hrone. On Wednesday evening the usual Parliamentary dinners were given by the leaders of the Government and the Opposition. ...

... . C Q- fl RRAL J'~OTES W.I THE YEAR'S FOREIGN FOOD. -The recently-publlished Board of Trade Returns show that last year we expended upol agricultural commodities from abroad the enormous sum b 96,879,737?., which is the largest outlay there has been for many years, and nearly ten millions more than last. The increase was chiefly-indeed, we may say entirely--upon wheat, for which we paid 33 ...

... Q ?? ?W ThE. COUROT 0 0 00 ?I??S 0 TImE Queen held a Council at Windsor Castle at the end of last week. Lord Beaconsfield, the Lord Chamberlain, the Duke of Richmond and Gordon, Mr. Cross, and Col. T. E. Taylor were the members present, and Mr. J. Lowther, the new Irish Secretary, was sworn in a member, while Her Majesty pricked the Sheriffs for England, Wales, and the Duchy of Lancaster. The ...

... *.HOM-E. - POLITICAL AFFAIRS.--The Bishop of Manchester has written to the Supertor explaining that, but for severe illness, he should have attended in the House ?? and voted against the Afghan war. His lordship says- The vote of opinion of a non-political person like myselfis of little value or significance, but as a Bishop of the Church of England, I would not be thought indifferent-as by ...

... THE recent calamity on the Thames, whereby more than six hundred persons lost their lives, has given birth to an immense number of suggestions for the better management of vessels under steam. These suggestions are of a very varied nature. One advises the adoption of a life-belt as an article of daily attire. Another would have all the cushions of a boat stuffed with buoyant material. A third ...

... F ?? THE ENGLISH CHURCH UNION. --On Monday night com- memorative services in connection with the English Church Union were held in various parts of London. The congrega- tions were large, and the ritual in some cases elaborate. un Tuesday morning there were high celebrations of the Holy Communion in a large number of churches ; and in the afternoon the annual meeting of the Union was held ...

... III&J THE OCCUPATION OF CYPRUS WE have here some more sketches from Larnaca and its neighbourhood. In the first a couple of cavalry men, accom- panied by a native guide, are scouring the district in search of suitable camping ground for the little army of occupation. The place ultimately chosen was Chiflick, distant from Larnaca about five miles, and the gallant 42nd settled down at once, ...

... A TOUR THROUGH NORWA Y TiSosE whose main object is scenery-hunting should enter Norway at Throndhjem, and leave it at Christiania, and if they defer their visit till September, by which time early frosts will have caused the bracken to assume a ruddy hue, and turned the quivering foliage of the birch to a bright yellow, their sacrifice of an hour or two of daylight for travelling will be ...