His first appearance as a singer at public concerts was in 1833; but it was not till a few years later that he set the example of a peculiar kind of mixed entertainment, combining the mimicry of personal characters, tones, gestures, and manners, in the spirit of broad farce, with the legitimate musical effects of the voice in singing, and with droll tricks of instrumental execution in the pianoforte accompaniment, the whole so blended together and harmonised as to compose a very agreeable mixture. His health unfortunately obliged him to retire from public appearance during a period of seven years, from the season of 1853 to that of 1860; but he came back to us in the genial company of Mr. and Mrs. German Reed, at the old Gallery of Illustration in Regent-street. Mr. John Parry, who retired a second time in 1869, has now finally withdrawn from the platform, and we trust he will enjoy his repose.

24. OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE BOAT RACE.-The famous annual contest terminated this year, for the first time in its annals, in a dead-heat, an appropriate ending to one of the most exciting and gallantly contested races ever seen. It took place very early, and was attended by immense throngs. Oxford kept a slight lead all the way, but so slight that a spurt of the light-blue crew brought the noses of the boats in line. The Oxford stroke was much the longer and slower, that of Cambridge being kept up to not less than 38 strokes a minute over all the course. Their last spurts reached 40 strokes a minute, and brought them level with the dark-blue crew, who had been hampered for the last part of the race by a disabled bow-oar. Phelps, the judge, decided for a dead-heat, but the public were kept in suspense till the next day for the final decision, till a sort of appeal against it had been submitted to the umpire. Oxford was at first believed to have won. The duration of the race was 24 min. 8 sec., and the "betting," which is spoiling the fine old contest as fast as it can, was in favour of Cambridge till Oxford came to Putney. We subjoin the names and weights of the crews in this famous race :

24. DISASTROUS FIRE AT THE HOUSE OF CORRECTION.-An almost indescribable state of excitement prevailed on the night of the 24th, within the walls of the Coldbath Fields House of Correction, owing to an outbreak of fire. Standing alone near the back portion of the prison proper, in a westerly direction, was a building

known as the mill-house and bakery; and it is pretty certain that the fire originated in that portion of the prison. At five o'clock work ceases in the prison, and when the whole of the inmates are secured in their cells the staff of warders is reduced to about ten men. The first alarm of fire was given by one of the watchmen, who, having heard a crackling noise and afterwards seen flames proceeding from the vicinity of the mill-house, sounded the alarm. bell, and so attracted the attention of those about the building, and caused the absent warders, who are restricted to living within a distance of half a mile, to hasten to the prison. The fire brigade was at once communicated with, the steam-engine from the Farringdon Road depôt being quickly in attendance; and so serious was the aspect of affairs, that "the call" was telegraphed in all directions, eleven engines ultimately arriving on the scene.

By half-past ten the fire burnt with terrible fury, the flames having reached the tread wheel house. The walls of the prison became intensely heated, and from the cells came the cries and shouts of the panic-stricken prisoners, whose removal soon became imperative. There were over 1,800 occupants of the various cells, those in the A and F wings being exposed to the greatest danger, the fire having broken the window panes, thus allowing the smoke to enter and almost suffocate the inmates. In the A wing there were many instances of the prisoners having broken away the trap of the cell through which the rations are given; and in one case a young man managed to get through, falling on his head on to the balcony. As they were released, they were arranged in the corridor below, eventually about a thousand of them being assembled there, watched by the warders and a large body of police. From the treadwheel house the fire extended to the well-house, and the covered way to the entrance of the old prison. In this portion of the building there are some dark cells, which it was at first feared were occupied. With great difficulty, however, and in the midst of falling timber, they were opened and found to be empty. More than two hundred firemen were present. The engines were placed outside the prison walls, from the tops of which most of the hose was directed. By half-past twelve the fire was got under, and it was then found many of the cells were untenable, the former occupants being placed in twos and threes in spare ones. The fire attracted vast crowds of spectators at all points. The conduct of the firemen was most praiseworthy. Throughout the whole of Sunday some thousands of persons visited the neighbourhood of Coldbath Fields, although no portion of the wreck could be witnessed from outside the prison walls. For the satisfaction of the relatives and friends who called to make inquiries, the governor caused a notice to be posted on the principal gate-"No prisoner injured at the fire.”

25. ARCTIC EXPLORATION.-Capt. Sir Geo. S. Nares read a paper at a meeting of the Royal Geographical Society, held in the

Theatre of the University of London, on the subject of the "Navigation of Smith's Sound as a route towards the Pole."

He opened his paper by mentioning the several expeditions which had set out from England and America, from 1852 to the present day, and the result of those explorations he described in detail, especially that of 1875, under his own command, remarking that sledge parties had made explorations over the whole of the shore as far as the expedition had reached, but they were unable to get any great distance across the ice away from the land. Whilst describing the route of the expedition from its entrance into Smith's Sound and the scarcity of life increasing as it proceeded to the high northern latitudes, he described the action of the currents upon the ice, a matter of the deepest interest to Arctic explorers.

TERRIBLE ACCIDENT TO THE "FLYING SCOTCHMAN."-Early this morning a fatal accident occurred on the North-Eastern Railway at Morpeth to the express train which left Edinburgh at half-past ten on the previous night for London. Between Edinburgh and Newcastle the train only stops at Berwick, which place it left twenty-seven minutes late, and passed Morpeth Station without having made up any lost time. About two hundred yards south of Morpeth Station a branch line diverges to Rothbury, and it was at the points connecting the main with the branch line that the accident, which has been attended with such disastrous results, occurred. The train consisted of engine and tender, one or two fish vans, a luggage van, and eight or nine passenger cars, mostly composite; there were also one sleeping car and two goods vans, one in the middle and one at the rear of the train. Just at the south end of the platform a very sharp curve begins; there the engine left the rails, and ploughed its way across the six-foot way, tearing up the rails and sleepers for the length of sixty yards. At the junction with the branch line the fish and luggage vans and two carriages swerved to the left. These having fallen over, the third and fourth carriages were impelled with fearful violence against the back of the tender, causing the engine to topple over across the line and driving the tender's wheels into the earth 3 feet deep. At the same time the two carriages that rushed against the tender were driven with such force that the front wheels were literally wedged through the metal back of the tender, and part of the woodwork forced into the breach thus made. The second of these two carriages mounted upon the first, and another carriage was pitched on to a coal waggon. The other carriages remained in position, but were all more or less damaged, except the guard's van at the end of the train.

Altogether, five passengers, including a guard off duty, were killed, and a large number injured.

31. ENLARGEMENT OF CHARING-CROSS HOSPITAL.-Those who well remember the old wards of Charing-Cross Hospital as they existed some fifteen or twenty years ago, with their nooks and

corners, the kitchens, and sleeping-rooms for matrons, abutting everywhere, and impeding the free circulation of air, limiting the cubic space, and deteriorating the hygienic condition, will most cordially recognise the labours of the members of the Building Committee, under whose superintendence, it appears, the whole of the improvements of the Hospital have been successfully accomplished.

The ceremony of re-opening the Hospital took place in the presence of the Prince and Princess of Wales and a numerous and distinguished company.-Their Royal Highnesses were conducted through the various wards, where the senior medical officers were in attendance. On entering the reception-room at the close of the inspection of the new and remodelled buildings, the National Anthem was sung by the choir of the Chapel Royal, under the direction of Mr. Frost, organist of the chapel.

The Prince of Wales, in replying to the Governors' address, expressed the great pleasure which he and the Princess had felt upon this occasion. His Royal Highness then declared the hospital opened, and the Bishop of London pronounced the benediction. Their Royal Highnesses retired, loudly cheered on leaving, as they had been on their arrival, by a large crowd assembled in the vicinity of the hospital. The greater number of the visitors remained to inspect the wards. It may be added that the cost of the contemplated extensions of the hospital, including the purchase of the reversions of the leaseholds, is estimated at about 50,000l., which sum, it is hoped, will be raised by contributions during the present and the four succeeding years. The president, Lord Överstone, has made a donation of 1,000l. towards the extension fund. The two eldest sons of the Prince of Wales will shortly be sent on board the "Britannia" training ship, as naval cadets, for their education.

DISCOVERY OF AN ANTIQUE.-Dr. Schliemann, in a new tomb at Mycenae, has discovered a ring containing an intaglio containing so beautiful a representation of a group of women near a palm tree by the sea, and the sun and a crescent moon rising over it, that the moment he saw it he exclaimed that Homer must certainly have seen such a ring before he described the wonders wrought by Hephaestus on the shield of Achilles.

APRIL.

3. TERRIBLE SCENE AT AN EXECUTION.-John Henry Johnson was executed this morning within the borough gaol, Leeds, for the murder of Amos Waite, at Bradford. He was visited by the chaplain at an early hour, and soon became more collected. Askern was the

executioner. The prisoner walked with a firm step to the scaffold. A frightful scene occurred on the bolt being drawn. The rope, unable to bear the man's weight, broke, and Johnson fell flat on the ground. It was thought at the time he was dead, but on looking behind the screen he was seen standing upright, and endeavouring to walk. A second rope was then procured, and Johnson was again led on the scaffold. The rope, however, from some cause or other, did not run well, and the unfortunate man struggled hard for about four minutes before death put an end to his sufferings. The black flag was then hoisted, and the crowd outside dispersed. The incident attracted much notice.

DESTRUCTION OF THE QUEEN'S THEATRE, EDINBURGH.-The Queen's Theatre, Edinburgh, has been completely destroyed by fire.

The flames were first observed at about five minutes before midnight this day, and in a few minutes afterwards the fire broke out at the windows in a manner which showed that the entire building would probably be destroyed. The firemen arrived at twenty minutes past twelve, and by this time the flames were coming through the roof at the east end. Shortly afterwards this portion of the roof fell in with a great crash. The efforts of the firemen were principally directed towards securing the safety of the adjoining premises, as it was plain that the theatre would be thoroughly consumed. In this they were assisted by the calmness of the night; for, had there been any wind, some houses in the neighbourhood could not have been saved. About one o'clock a great portion of the wall at the back of the theatre fell, previous to which, by the falling of the proscenium wing walls, a too curious bystander was knocked down, and, after being rescued, was carried home, having received a considerable amount of bodily injury. By half-past one the interior of the theatre had been burned out, and the vestibule wall between the pit and the wall facing the street fell, bringing with it a beam which struck two of the firemen, who, however, escaped with a broken arm and a bruised leg. This wall was only the thickness of one brick. A few minutes afterwards some of the balustrading in front fell outwards, but no harm was done. It is stated that three men have been arrested on a charge of fire raising. The Queen's Theatre was purchased about eight months ago for 6,000l., and a few days afterwards was transferred to a company for 6,250l. By them it was let to Messrs. Howard and Logan on a lease for ten years. The concern was insured for 8,000l.

THE OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE BOAT RACE.-The Oxford University Boat Club have unanimously agreed to present their crew with medals as if they had been declared the winners of the recent boat-race. This step is generally approved by the Dark Blues.

4. ALL-ENGLAND BICYCLE CONTEST AT WOLVERHAMPTON.-The three days' running in this contest ended to-day, in the presence of