... I The church bells have been ringing in the Happy New Year, which we wish all our readers, as this d Special Edition has been preparing for press. No v startling senration has had to be chronicled of the last week of 1881, but our columns afford abundant . instances of the strange manner in which the d tang'led thread of human life is unwound in these g days of civilisation. The numerous ...

... G A R D E N I N G. WsW=aBPo00BfG OASnNATrIONS.-'rom7 hybrid tree ecrnm- tions, or kinds that, raised from seed, show a tendency to bloom in the winter, have grown a strain that is 56 most vain. able one to niv who have to supply cut flowers through the winter months. Of coarse, these ?? will not so bloom in the open amy, or, indeed, in a cool frame, hat they will do so admirablyin an oredblury ...

... THE PUBLIO HEALTH. From the Registrar-general's return we learn that during the week ending Decem. her 24 the annual rate of mortality in 20 of the largest English towns averaged 24-1 per 1,000 of their aggregate population, which is estimated at 7,608,775 persons int the middle of this year. The rates of mor- tality in the several towns. ranged in i order from the lowest, were as followe:-t ...

... I The following extraordinary story of a planned escape from the- Kent County Lunatic asylum at Barming-heatb, near Maidstone, has been published l It appeared that a gentleman of the nameI .of Elliot, for many years resident at Ely l .hosTubrilg Wells, w as committed to ease, en r go ~ ~ ~ ago Ithe flanwell asylum some 22 years ago.t There can be little doubt that at the time he was rightly ...

... LAB~oURADWGS THE LABOUR ARKET. . The labour market at the 6lose oflthe year remains on the whole in asatisfaotort condition, - In-Staffordshire the potters'-trike has ome t an end, the men going in on the old terms, and there is already an-improvement in the local collieries. At -Birniidgaa. the hardwe branches continue busy, and :rospects are good. Mills and fot ges at Woleerhampton a ...

... ' THE STATE OF IRETA. ?? , -f- : . , . Or, SuMday, r. Parnell was presented at Kilmaiubaum Gaol with an address from the- leaders of the Navan -Political Prisoners' Aid Society. He also received a 'number of presents and cards. All the other suspects I ?? had Christmas fare, and it is understood that hesnceforth they will receive a substantial meal daily fromn outside the, prison. They ...

... VkTAL PAITIO IN A C.U3RCIT. Tie roslowing to contained In a Warsaw despatch of Tuesday:- During mid-day service at the Church of the Holy Cross the cry of' Fire I' was suddenly raised. A fear- ful panic immediately ensued, and the terror-stricken congregation instartly rushed in wild confusion tqasrd the only door in the building. It. opens on to-a lund of platform commanding the street ...

... YESTERDAY'S SUMMLY. Yesterday Joseph Gelding, aged 52, an imbecile, living at 61, Venue-street, Poplar, was admitted to Poplar hospital suffering from a broken knee-cap, sustained through stepping on a piece of orange peel. Yesterday James Stewart, aged 15, a van-boy, of Westminster.bride-eroad, was getting up in the front of his van when the horse started on, and the wheels going over hie ...

... SUNDAT, JANUARY 1. SUNDAY'S EDITION. WEE LOBD BMAYOB'S PuND. A good deal of latitude is to be allowed to a Lord Mayor. He is not now allowed to have a fool; he has to get a good character for a cor- poration always ready for admiration, and he has to give a dinner to everybody in Society. Lord Mayor Ellis has not been lucky. Some- body persuaded him to get up a subscription for Irish ladies ...

... NAVALX AND MILITARY General Schneider has resigned the comrnnird of tbe Northern Division of the Bormbay army, and is exj ected to returp home at once. In additon to the vacancies arising in ihe governor. ship of Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey, and Berwaoda, the ?? and the commands in Cey- lon and Hong Hong and the Mauritins, an unusually large number of changes in the higher rauks of the army ...

... SPECIAI NOTES. TaEx Birmingham watch committee have taken a very wise step in advertising for candidates for the post of eir chief superintentiont of police, and in unanimously condemncing the growing military spirit observable in the Police. The latter is exclusively owing to the appointment of military officers as chief constables, gentlemen who, as a rule, instruct their men rather in the ...

... SPECIAL SUNDAY EDITION, CONTXNING ALL YESTERDAY'S NEWS. LLOYDS WEEKLY NEWS ArER OFFICE, SUNDAY MborNING. I YESTERDAY'S TELEGRAMS, (THROUGH otRE2IER'S AGENCY.) ENGLAND AND FRANCE. PARTS, Saturday.-The commissioners charged with the task of carrying on the negociatijons for an Auglo-French Treaty of Commerce afe :-Sir Charles Dilke, Sir Rivers Wilson, Mr. Kennedy, and Dir. Austin Lee, for ...