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crimes." This optimist, however, then proceeds to give an account of a "murder" in Mayo, a "wilful murder" in Meath, and two "homicides" in Dungannon.

The state of the King's County and Westmeath has given the authorities some anxiety. In January, Mr. Dunne, a large landowner, and agent for the estates of Sir C. H. Coote, was followed and shot at his own door in Tullamore he was dangerously wounded. On the 28th of the same month, a miller, Mr. Hewitson, was attacked and robbed at Ballyduff, and so injured that he died. On the 30th a serious outrage was perpetrated at Clontentin, near Banagher. The house of an old man, named M'Nally, was attacked, hetween 11 and 12 o'clock at night, by a large party of men, armed with heavy bludgeons, who forced open the outer door, and having thus effected an entrance, they also forced the door of an inner room, and dragged Christopher M'Nally, the son of the owner of the house, out of bed, forced him into the kitchen, and from thence outside the door, where the ruffians beat him with their murderous weapons, inflicting severe wounds on his head and body. Whilst the party was beating M'Nally another fellow kept "watch and ward" over the elder M'Nally, and gave him some rough treatment. M'Nally's wife screamed loudly for assistance, and her cries attracted the attention of some neighbours, on whose approach her husband's assailants fled. The noise was also heard by a police patrol, who followed up the traces and captured the probable evil-doers. In this case the sufferer had incurred just re

sentment by his conduct to a girl in the village. The locality of these offences is the King's County. In February, a poor fellow named Harrison, "Lord Plunkett's ploughman," was shot dead close to his own house, in Mayo, probably because his master had recently evicted his tenants. In the same county a Mrs. Walsh was murdered at Kilcoula.

THE WEATHER.-The weather of the Spring Quarter exhibited in all its disadvantages the cold, wet, stormy character of this miserable year. The days and nights of April were remarkably cold; and though in May they were even slightly warmer than usual, the season retrograded instead of advancing in June, and that month was colder than any June since 1821. It should have been at least 7° warmer than May, and

was

much colder. This bitter summer was aggravated by a rainfall greater than has been recorded since 1815-indeed, in the south of England, the wet was unexampled-and by a rapid succession of severe gales.

The daily defect of temperature in the first five weeks was 34°, and of the last five weeks 44°. In June, the mean heat of the days was not less than 61° below the average-this day temperature of June was lower than any that has been recorded since the registers were commenced in 1840; and in miserable contrast to the glorious weather of several preceding Junes.

The changes in the barometric pressure during this have been as frequent, though not perhaps so sudden and extensive, as in the preceding quarter.

The fall of rain during the quarter was excessive. In June,

as recorded at Greenwich, the fall was 3.9 inches in excess; the total fall in the quarter was 107 in., being little short of double the average quantity; while the fall in June was 5.8 in., or three times the average fall for that mouth. In June, 1838, the fall was 5.1 in.; in 1852, there fell 46 in.; but never since the establishment of registers, in 1815, has there been recorded so large a down-pour as in June, 1860. Terribly, however, as the metropolis was visited in this respect, the condition of the southern counties was still worse; for at Southampton there fell 90 in., at Petersfield 8.9 in., at Exeter 7.1 in., at Clifton and Barnstaple 7.0 in. In the Midland and Northern Counties, the fall did not greatly exceed the average— e. g., at Belvoir Castle 3.7 in., at Liverpool 3.5 in., at Nottingham 3-3, Čarlisle 2.9, Scarborough 18 inches.

The wind also was for this quarter unusually high and continuous. It blew on an average one-third of the whole quarter. On the 18th April, a gale commenced, which continued for seventy hours; on the 24th, one of sixtysix hours. The highest pressure marked was 12 lbs. to the square foot. In May, there were frequent gales. During one, which commenced on the 26th, and continued ninety hours, the force rose to the enormous pressure of 23 lbs. A storm, which also attained the pressure of 23 lbs., raged on the 2nd June. Two gales in June endured each forty hours, and another sixty hours.

The effect on the national health of such continuous cold, wet, and stormy weather, was evidently injurious. The usual average of

deaths in the Spring quarter is 2-195; this quarter it rose to 2·228 per cent. The actual number of deaths registered was 110,878—a larger number than have been recorded in any similar period between 1848 and 1859. But it is a very remarkable circumstance that the weather acted with different effect upon the population of the large towns, and on that of the smaller towns and rural dis tricts; for whereas in the latter the death-rate increased beyond the average, in the former it actually decreased. This opposite action is probably due to two causes-first, that the low temperature checked the decomposition of organic matter, and the heavy rains cleansed the cesspools, sewers, and gutters in the towns; while the continued saturation of the ground in country districts, and the greater exposure to wet and cold of the rural population, gave rise to much disease.

Marriages increased--a fact confirmatory of the general impression that the commerce and manufac tures of the country were highly prosperous. In births, on the other hand, the decrease was cousiderable-upwards of 10,000.

The gloomy prospects of the farmers, and the general injury to food-products by the inclemency of the season, were evidenced by the rapid rise in the price of wheat, which advanced from the average of 44s. 5d. to the average of 52s. 8d. a quarter-but, in fact, the actual price was far higher. In Spring, 1858, it was 44s. 1d.; in 1859, 47s. 3d. Meat rose in price d. to 1d. per lb. Potatoes rose from 130s. per ton to 142s. a ton. Notwithstanding this great increase in the dearness of food,

so general was the activity of trade, that pauperism exhibited a continued though slight decrease compared with 1859, but very considerable when compared with 1858.

The cold season greatly affected the leafage and blooming of trees and shrubs. The few warm days of May gave life to the vegetable world; but the succeeding cold checked the expanding energy of nature; and the "Spring" was as late as it was ungenial.

EARTHQUAKE AT LIMA.-ACcounts have been received of a destructive earthquake which has occurred in Peru.

On the 22nd of April the severest shock of earthquake took place at Lima and its neighbourhood, on the west coast of South America, that has been experienced there within the memory of the oldest inhabitant. A reliable correspondent, writing from Lima, states:"I was at the time on a visit at the house of my friend, Mr. R., together with several other people, among whom were the American Minister, wife, and daughter; on the first oscillation we all rushed out; it was frightful, the earth heaving, accompanied by a tremendous subterranean noise, the houses and walls falling, the women screaming, and in the midst of such a thick cloud of dust that we could not see the ground we were standing on. The shock lasted for the space of about fifty seconds; the wind gradually drew off the thick cloud of dust, raised by the trembling of the earth and the falling of walls and rubbish. The sight was then somewhat ludicrous, the whole population in the open air begrimed with dirt, many on their knees crying out Misericordia!' and the women fainting all round. Several houses and

walls were thrown down, and nearly every house more or less injured; the one in which I was at the time, though not entirely thrown down, was rendered uninhabitable. My house scarcely suffered at all, being new and strongly built, a few bottles and crockery being the extent of the damage. Two poor women were killed, and several injured. Of people who were bathing at the time, some were injured and some were killed by the cliff falling upon them. Had the shock taken place during the night, or during church time, the loss of life would have been very great; indeed, it was SO severe, that we expected Lima would have been laid in ruins; but, to our surprise, less damage occurred there than in Chorrillos, the houses of this city being very massively built in order to resist such accidents. A great deal of damage has been done, though few lives have been lost. The earth continued trembling at intervals for thirty-six hours after, and the next morning (Monday) at 6.45 A.M. another very severe shock was felt, though not so strong as the one on the previous day. This, of course, added greatly to the panic generally felt. The shops were closed, and all business suspended, everybody remaining at the doors of their houses ready to run at a moment's warning. Many people went into the fields, and the two following nights were passed by thousands in the open air. Monday evening the image of Our Lord of the Miracles was taken out of his church and carried in grand procession, followed by an immense concourse of people, to visit St. Peter, where it remained all night, and was conveyed back again the next morning. This act

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of devotion did a great deal of good, by quieting the minds of the common people, who believed that it would put a stop to the earthquakes; in fact, there have only been some slight shocks since. It was an imposing sight to see a procession of 8000 or 10,000 people going along the streets by torchlight, and praying in a loud voice, in a more solemn and probably more sincere manner than they ever did in their lives before. A chasm, nearly a mile long, and several feet wide, has been opened in the ground at some distance from the city; and all the farms have been much injured by the unsettling of the surface of the ground. It is not likely we shall be disturbed again for a long time, as these very heavy shocks only occur at long intervals."

JULY.

THE RELIGIOUS DISTURBANCES AT ST. GEORGE'S-IN-THE-EAST.In the CHRONICLE of last year (page 125) mention was made of the disgraceful disturbances at this parish church. These outrages continued throughout the greater part of the year; and it is to be feared that the comparative quiet which prevailed towards the close was but a lull in the storm.

The Festival commemorating "Peace upon earth and good will among men," had no effect in stilling the dissensions between the Rev. Bryan King and his congregation. The uproar within the church was continued Sunday after Sunday, especially during the evening service. On the evening of the 29th January, the insolence of the mob rose to mischief. The Times can describe their conduct

by no other term than "devilish.” On this occasion 3000 persons were in the church, of whom a third were boys and girls-always the foremost in mischief. The procession of priests and choristers was the signal for the commencemeut of every description of noise, and the most horrid execrations were hurled at the procession. One favourite mode of annoyance had been to "say" the responses in the loudest possible voice, in order to drown the "chant" of the choir. This irreverent proceeding was now extended into blasphemy, for the miscreants substituted imitative responses equally indecent and wicked. The preacher delivered an excellent and moderate discourse, which was for the most part inaudible; but having delivered with great energy the exclamation, "But who is fearful for the everlasting Church of Christ?" the vulgar ear caught the expression, and the church resounded with the slang phrase, "Who's afraid?" which was frequently repeated, and always drew long-continued, derisive laughter. When the service was concluded and the clergy had withdrawn, the outrageous mob made a rush at the altar. The altar-rails were gallantly defended; whereon the mob gathered the cushions and hassocks from the pews, and hurled them at a beautiful chandelier suspended over the apse. This was repeatedly struck, and there was a great chance that it would have fullen. The mob upstairs, in like manner, assailed a large cross over the altar, from the galleries, with the same missiles. In other parts of the church the vagabonds were fighting among themselves; parties in pews sang indecent or noisy songs; the interior of the

was

building presented a scene resembling the orgies of a lunatic assylum broke loose. Much mischief might have been done to the building, had not a strong body of police entered, and by a sudden exertion of vigour expelled the ruffians. Outrages of as determined a nature were recommenced at the evening service of the following Sunday. The morning service had been performed in comparative quiet, although the sermon preached by the Rev. F. G. Lee, a gentleman who had been prohibited by the Bishop of London some time before, on account of the extraordinary vestments he wore, and other peculiar conduct. Probably the reverend gentleman had somewhat toned down his pretensions, for on this occasion he wore a plain white surplice, which, though objected to by the parishioners, did not give such glaring offence. The great cross over the altar had been removed, and some of the smaller altar decorations had been taken away. These concessions appeared to have produced a sedative effect.

of men and boys in the gallery began to sing, "Rule Britannia," the famous chorus being taken up with tremendous energy by the mob in all parts of the church. When Mr. Lee ascended the pulpit, the same yells and hootings were shouted, and the rev. gentleman was assailed with the filthiest epithets the language can produce. As he preached, the mob again sang, "Rule Britannia!" and then commenced, "We won't go home till morning," which proved so popular, that it was kept up to the close of the address. The rector and churchwardens had removed all prayer-books, cushions, hassocks, and everything which could be used as a missile; this form of outrage was therefore pretermitted, but the mob did all the mischief they could contrive. The interior of the church was now a ruin, and filthily dirty. The mob seemed disposed to remain and continue their orgies through the night; but the sudden entry of a party of police put them to flight. Three boys and a woman were brought before the magistrate for their misconduct on this occasion, but no act could be distinctly proved against them, and they were discharged-the magistrates taking the opportunity of declaring their intention of punishing with the utmost rigour of the law any proved offender.

Perhaps Mr. Lee was not immediately recognized; but it got abroad that he was to preach in the evening, and long before the church doors were opened a riotous mob of near 4000 persons had assembled. No sooner was the building filled than this "congregation commenced howling and yelling Proceedings of a similar disfearfully. When the choristers graceful character continued for entered in procession, the storm some weeks. The Bishop of burst forth in fury: yells and exe- London, exercising an authority crations were shouted forth; and which the rector protested against, cries of "Fire!" rendered more caused the crosses and inscriptions terrifying by the turning off several to be removed from the altar, and of the gas-lights. When the reader divine service was performed under commenced the Lessons, there the inspection-perhaps not to the were vociferous cries of Off! great edification-of 300 policeoff!" "No Popery!" and a body men. This strong guard prevented

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