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Seclusion, 2500 gs., Mr. Chaplin; Tunstall Maid, with a filly by Blair Athol, 1000 gs., Mr. T. E. Walker; and Gratitude, 1000 gs., M. Cavaliero.

27. MDLLE. CHRISTINE NILSSON, the Swedish prima-donna, was this day married to M. Auguste Rouzeaud, of the French Stock Exchange, by Dean Stanley, in Westminster Abbey. The Secretary to the Swedish Legation gave the bride away, and Mr. Cavendish Bentinck, M.P., gave the wedding breakfast. The Abbey was crowded with the fashionable, the operatic, and the curious.

31. THE AMERICAN FLEET.-The Prince and Princess of Wales paid a private visit to Rear-Admiral Allen and the squadron under his command, now lying in the Southampton Waters. Admiral Allen having returned in the." Wachusetts" from Antwerp, and retransferred his flag to the "Wabash," and three additional vessels of the squadron having arrived within the last few days, the squadron anchored below Netley Hospital on Wednesday afternoon to receive the Prince comprised six vessels-the "Wabash" (flagship of the Admiral), "Congress," " Plymouth," "Wachusetts," "Brooklyn," and "Shenandoah." In the evening the fleet was illuminated, and the Prince entertained at dinner on board the royal yacht the Admiral and all the Captains of the fleet, the American Minister, and other gentlemen; an invitation having also been sent to the President's son, Mr. Frederick Grant, who, however, was compelled to return to America some time before the interesting occasion we have chronicled.

THUNDERSTORMS.-The meteorology of the month, says the Times, may be said to have consisted in one grand prolonged demonstration of the powers of elemental electricity. On the 6th the weather became sultry, and storm-clouds overspread the sky. Distant thunder was of frequent occurrence, but no lightning was visible here (Shoreham), and a few large drops of rain only descended on this high ground. These phenomena, however, betokened an electric storm of wide area that visited England, and was accompanied by lightning and torrents of rainfall. In London and the southern suburbs of the city it was especially severe. In Oxfordshire trees were struck and split to fragments, telegraph-posts thrown down, and growing crops greatly damaged. In Warwickshire the storm burst forth with unprecedented fury; the lightning was remarkably brilliant, and the thunder sharp and reverberating. The streets were submerged and houses flooded. Worcestershire, South Wales, and Devonshire were also visited. At Merthyr Tydvil a large reservoir burst its banks and swept down with great force, and the country adjacent was buried four or five feet deep beneath the waters. Horses and cattle were washed away, and great damage to property ensued.

On the 11th, after a very cppressive and sultry day, the thermometer in the shade standing above 70 deg., and solar radiation 140 deg., broken thunder-clouds swept over the sky, and frequent flashes of distant lightning were visible. At 9.30 p.m. a portion of

the storm passed over the meridian of Sussex. Deep in the north horizon the flashes were almost incessant. Elemental electricity seemed concentrated in the superstratum of the atmosphere, for on the earth's surface scarcely a trace of either positive or negative could be detected by the electrometer. At 12h., midnight, the lightning was perpetual, and in the E.S.E. there was an isolated spot that liberated from the surface of a dark rugged cloud its electricity at intervals of great regularity. This partial demonstration was again in this division of Sussex the only evidence of a wide-spread and destructive thunderstorm. On the 13th and 14th minor storms occurred, and then followed the great storms of the 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th, and 26th, that pervaded in succession nearly the whole of England and portions of the Continent of Europe. In Switzerland among the Alps the scenes are described as of surpassing sublimity.

Considerable loss of human life ensued during the month from these destructive storms, and the intensity of solar heat producing sunstroke, and, as it has been remarked as somewhat singular by their supervention, the heat was not diminished. It has been observed in India that one of the great storms lately recorded there was cyclonic, and here on the 30th a small cyclone existed, and the wind suddenly shifted on the evening of that day from S. to N. On the following day (31st) the mean temperature was diminished very nearly 10 degrees.

AUGUST.

1. THE ROYAL ARCHEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE assembled to-day at Southampton for its Annual Meeting, under the presidency of the Bishop of Winchester.

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THE GOODWOOD CUP was run to-day.

Baron

Rothschild's Favonius, by Parmesan-Zephyr,
4 yrs., 9 st. 3 lb. (Maidment)

Mr. Cartwright's Albert Victor, 4 yrs., 8 st. 10 ib. (T.
French)

M. Lefèvre's Verdure, 4 yrs., 8 st. 7 lb. (T. Jennings)

M. Lefèvre's Barford, 5 yrs., 9 st. (Fordham)

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Mr. Johnstone's Bothwell, 4 yrs., 8 st. 10 lb. (J. Osborne) Betting-7 to 4 against Albert Victor, 2 to 1 against Favonius, 100 to 30 against Barford, and 10 to 1 against Bothwell. Time by Benson's chronograph, 4 min. 50 secs.

EXPLOSION AT THE TREASURY.-About three o'clock this afternoon a tremendous explosion was heard in the neighbourhood of the Treasury, Whitehall. It was caused by a small experiment

with gun-cotton, made in the presence of Mr. Gladstone, Mr. Ayrton, and Mr. Lowe. A post was erected, in which were four holes, filled with gun-cotton. Before the charge was fired, all the windows of the Colonial and Foreign Offices were ordered to be thrown open, in case they might be broken by the shock; but, as no result followed for some time, many of them were again closed. At length the preparations were complete, and an electric spark was applied to the gun-cotton through a voltaic battery. A sharp explosion instantly occurred, and the post was split from top to bottom. The explosion was succeeded by a shower of glass from those windows of the Government offices which had been closed. No one was hurt, but the passers-by were much alarmed.

3. FIRE AT MELKSHOTT HALL.-This noble mansion, the seat of Lady Ashburton, which had been but lately completed, was discovered to be in flames early this morning. The house stands upon an eminence commanding a magnificent landscape; the view extends in the front to the New Forest, and behind to Salisbury Plain. Special precaution had been taken in building the mansion to provide against fire, but they all depended on a pump, which, when the fire was discovered, was out of order. In spite of all the efforts which were made to arrest the fire, the flames extended until nearly two-thirds of the building had been destroyed. It is reported that all the priceless works of art with which the mansion was crowded and adorned, consisting of paintings, sculpture, bronzes, rare and curious china, tapestries, and the like, were saved through the great energy displayed on the occasion. Comparatively few of these treasures were injured, though some of the pictures had to be cut from their frames in the desire to rescue them, and in that way sustained damage, though not such as is irreparable. Not so with the painted ceilings in many cases, which were most magnificent. Some of these have been hopelessly destroyed. Indeed, the most stately apartments in the house appear to have sustained the greatest damage.

-THE WORKMAN'S CITY.-The Earl of Shaftesbury laid the first stone of the new buildings on the Shaftesbury Park Estate, which has been acquired by the "Artisans, Labourers, and General Dwellings Company (limited)." It is proposed to lay out the ground for a workman's city. The company was formed in 1867, in consequence of the destruction of houses by railroads and other improvements, for the purpose of enabling working men to erect dwellings combining fitness and economy with the latest sanitary improvements, and to become themselves the owners of these dwellings in the course of a stated number of years by the payment of a small additional rent. The houses, which are to be of three kinds, are to be for the accommodation not only of artisans, but also of the "clerk class;" and each house is to form a distinct and separate tenancy.

A FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.-Four persons were killed and many seriously injured on the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway between Agecroft Bridge and Clifton Junction. The 11.30 a.m. express train from Manchester to Southport approached Clifton

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1872.] The National Artillery Association at Shoeburyness. Junction at a rate of about thirty miles an hour, when a coal-train, en route for Stalybridge, came out of a siding owing to a mistake in signalling, and, passing on to the main line, came into collision with the Southport express. The engine of the coal-train struck the express engine on the right side, shattering the woodwork and buffers to splinters, crushing up the iron-work at the front of the engine, and throwing the express engine off the line. The tender was severed from the train and pitched to a distance, the wheels being thrown on the other side of the line. The carriages of the express train were entirely smashed to pieces, and several of the waggons behind the engine of the coal-train were also broken up. The driver of the coal-train, named Saxon, jumped from his engine and escaped unhurt. The stoker was rendered insensible.

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5. THE NATIONAL ARTILLERY ASSOCIATION AT SHOEBURYNESS.The eighth annual competition week commenced to-day. results of the first two days' shooting were as follows:-National Artillery Association, 1st West York, 1st Detachinent, Leeds, 37 points. Lords and Commons, 4th East York, 2nd Detachment, Hull, 35 points. National Artillery Association, 2nd prize, 1st Sussex, 1st Detachment, Brighton, 33 points. Duke of Cambridge prize, 3rd Kincardine, 33 points. Marquis of Exeter's prize, 1st Worcester, 3rd Detachment, 33 points. Scotland's Cup, 1st Kent, Gravesend, 32 points. A slight accident occurred at one of the batteries during the day to one of the Cinque Ports detachments. The gun was fired before the man was clear, and the recoil sent the carriage over his great toe, crushing it, and necessitating his removal to hospital.

The shooting on Wednesday was for the Queen's prize of 1007., the Prince of Wales's, 217., and Captain Rutley's, 107., for the best average score. The competition was most interesting, seeing it was with an arm which is likely to be used if we should ever again engage in war. The Armstrong 40-pounder was the gun used, and the accuracy with which it was used was surprising. The heroes of the day were the 4th West York (Sheffield), 2nd Detachment, who, by four direct hits, the number of rounds fired being only five, made 48. There is not a corps but will feel pleased that the prize should have fallen to such worthy hands, as it was the 4th West York which came up from Sheffield, with Colonel Creswick, and prepared the way by laying down platforms, erecting the tents, and doing all the preliminary work for their brethren in arms which used formerly to be performed by the Royal Artillery.

The

1st Detachment of the 4th West York made 24 by two direct hits; and the 2nd Norfolk also made two direct hits; and had points awarded them for time. The Margate Corps made two direct and two ricochet hits; and the Ramsgate Corps three direct hits and one ricochet. The 1st Middlesex made 36.

The other prizes were as follows:-National Artillery Association prize of ten silver cups, competition with rifled guns and shell, and 57. added for gunner No. 1. Winners-1st Detachment, 2nd

Northumberland, scoring 25; the Marquis of Lansdowne prize of 207., won by the 1st Detachment of 7th West York, with a score of 25; Messrs. Elkington's prize of ten cups, won by the 5th Fife, scoring 20. The prize given by the 2nd Middlesex Artillery, of 127., was won by the 1st Detachment of 8th Lancashire, scoring 19. Mr. Steward's prize was won by the 1st Detachment of the 3rd Durham, with a score of 17. Lord Londesborough's prize of 107. was won by the 1st Detachment of the 12th Lancashire, with a score of 17; and Colonel Adair's challenge prize was won by the 1st Detachment of the 3rd Lincoln, with a score of 15.

THE BRITISH ARCHEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION met to-day at Wolverhampton. The Earl of Dartmouth presided. The meeting was an eminently successful one.

THE BANK HOLIDAY.-The statute holiday was generally observed throughout the metropolis. In spite of the very unfavourable weather, for there was a steady downpour nearly all day, the railway stations and the principal places of amusement in London and the vicinity were thronged. In the main thoroughfares of the city. nearly every shop was closed, and in the middle of the day but few people were seen in the streets. The Strand, Charing Cross, Regentstreet, and the more western streets were in a similar state; indeed, in Regent-street, at about one o'clock, hardly a vehicle or a passenger was passing, and the only shops open were those of a few jewellers and dealers in fancy goods.

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6. ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON REGATTA.-The great yachting fortnight on the Solent began with the annual regatta of the Royal Yacht Squadron. The race for her Majesty's cup, value 100%., was won by Mr. Mulholland's "Egeria," without receiving time allowThe Prince of Wales was on board one of the yachts, the "Arrow," belonging to Mr. T. Chamberlayne, as a guest. The race for the prizes for cutters above thirty tons took place on the 7th. Nine yachts took part in the competition. After compiling the time allowances, the "Norman," belonging to Major Ewing, was found to be the winner of the first prize of 757., and the "Vanguard" (Mr. W. Miller) of the second prize of 251.

7. THUNDERSTORMS.-Violent storms have again visited London and various parts of England and Scotland. At Govan near Glasgow thirteen men engaged in a shipbuilding yard were about to resume their work after dinner when a sudden downpour of rain caused them to seek shelter, some going under the corner of one of the smithies, and others under one of the large vessels in course of construction in the yard. Scarcely had the latter taken up their position when the men standing in the smithy observed what they describe as a bolt of fire striking the ground some fifteen or sixteen feet in front of the bows of the vessel, under which the other men were standing. The bolt immediately burst, with two terrific reports, and the lightning darted along the sides of three vessels which are lying in parallel lines, with their sterns to the river, and in its course struck the men who had taken shelter under the centre

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