with a few appropriate observations, presented the new colours to the two junior lieutenants of the regiment, who received them kneeling. The regiment afterwards marched past by companies with admirable precision; and this was followed by the marchpast of 4,000 of the garrison. On the 11th the Prince returned to his vessel, and reached Gibraltar on the 15th, where he met his brother, the Duke of Connaught. His Royal Highness was welcomed by the Acting Governor, Major-General Somerset, and staff, the officers of the garrison and those of the Royal Navy, the colonial officials, and others. A guard of honour was drawn up on the quay, and flowers were strewn in the path of his Royal Highness. A procession was formed to Casemate Square; the line of route was beautifully decorated. Altogether the reception was enthusiastic and a complete success. On arriving at Casemate Square an address was presented on behalf of the inhabitants of Gibraltar, and a deputation from the friendly societies and other bodies joined the procession. At the Convent (Government House) his Royal Highness held a levée. The Moorish Ambassador, specially sent by the Sultan of Morocco to congratulate his Royal Highness on his safe return to Europe, was presented by Sir J. Drummond Hay, British Minister at Tangiers. The Spanish Governor of Algesiras, the foreign Consuls, the heads of departments, and other officials were introduced by the Acting Governor. Whilst at Gibraltar his Royal Highness laid the first stone of a new 38-ton gun battery at the Head Mole, and the first stone of a new market-building in the town. He afterwards saw a review of the garrison troops at the North Front, and in the evening gave a state dinner on board the "Serapis." On the 20th the Prince and the Duke of Connaught left Gibraltar for Cadiz, and proceeded thence to Seville. 22. RETURN OF THE QUEEN FROM GERMANY.-The Queen, accompanied by Princess Beatrice, and attended by the lords and ladies of the suite, arrived at Windsor Castle from Germany shortly before seven o'clock this evening. The homeward journey was commenced on the morning of April 20. At La Villette station the Royal party was received by Marshal MacMahon and Lord Lyons. Her Majesty had a private interview, lasting a quarter of an hour, with the French President; and during her short stay in Paris luncheon was served in her saloon. Resuming her journey at a quarter past ten, she reached Cherbourg at halfpast six, and immediately went on board the "Victoria and Albert yacht, which was under the command of the Prince of Leiningen. At half-past nine the vessel, which was accompanied by the "Albert" and the "Enchantress," sailed, and at half-past two the flotilla reached Portsmouth, where her Majesty was received by the Duke of Edinburgh, and soon after left for Wind sor. Her arrival and departure were strictly private, no one being allowed to approach the yacht except Admiral Elliott, Sir Hastings Doyle, and Sir Leopold M'Clintock. The Mayor of Windsor was on the platform on the arrival of the train there, and a large number of townspeople had assembled at the station and along the streets leading to the Castle. During her stay in Germany, Her Majesty spent ten days at Coburg, where she occupied the Duke of Edinburgh's palace. The Crown Princess of Germany, with some of her children, was there with the Queen, who also received a visit from the Emperor William. -- LIEUTENANT CAMERON IN THE CITY.-The Turners' Company have presented their freedom and livery to Lieutenant' Cameron, R.N., to mark their sense of the advantages likely to accrue to civilisation and commerce from his recent exploration of the African continent. The company also paid a similar compliment to Dr. W. G. Atherstone for his discovery of the value of the diamond fields in South Africa. Lieutenant Cameron, in acknowledging the presentation, described at some length the physical characteristics and the products of the interior of Africa, and said that if our supplies of coal and iron should be exhausted we could find enough in Africa to supply the world for untold centuries. Dr. Atherstone, with Lieutenant Cameron, urged that the true mode of dealing with the question of slavery in Africa was by establishing trade with the natives in the interior through such magnificent means of communication as those which that gallant officer had discovered. 24. KEBLE COLLEGE CHAPEL, OXFORD.-This beautiful chapel, erected at the expense of the late Mr. Gibbs, of Tyntesfield, was formally opened this day by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The sermon was preached by Dr. Pusey. At the luncheon which was subsequently given Earl Beauchamp presided, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, in his speech, made a feeling allusion to the death of Lord Lyttelton. The Marquis of Salisbury, Chancellor of the University, subsequently laid the foundation-stone of the new hall, and speeches were delivered by Mr. Gathorne Hardy, Lord Selborne, the Bishop of Ely, and other distinguished persons. the evening Canon Liddon preached the sermon. In 26. THE EPSOM SPRING MEETING was inaugurated this season with a better average number of starters than has been seen elsewhere. There was a much larger show, likewise, of the magnates of the Turf than at Lincoln, Liverpool, Northampton, or Newmarket; and, thanks to the fineness of the weather, after a somewhat showery morning, there was a more numerous attendance on the Downs than was ever seen at this period of the year, "the hill," in particular, coming out unusually strong. The City and Suburban Handicap was run for on the 25th, and won by Mr. Vyner's Thunder. The event of the 26th was the Great Metropolitan Stakes, in which Prince Soltykoff's New Holland. came off victorious. 27. THE LAUNCH OF THE "INFLEXIBLE."-This splendid ironclad, the most powerful war-ship in the British navy, was launched at Portsmouth by the Princess Louise. Her Royal Highness, accompanied by the Marquis of Lorne, was received at the dockyard by Admiral George Elliott and other naval officers, and among the company were the Duke of Edinburgh, Mr. Ward Hunt, First Lord of the Admiralty, and other distinguished personages. The launch was effected by electricity, the Princess merely touching a button, which set the machinery in motion, the bottle of wine provided for the christening breaking simultaneously on the prow of the vessel. The length between the perpendiculars of the "Inflexible" is 320 ft.; her extreme breadth, 75 ft.; and her weight when fully equipped for sea, 11,407 tons. Her full complement of officers and men will be 350. THE PRINCE'S INDIAN ANIMALS.-The "Jumna" Indian troopship has arrived at Portsmouth with the first instalment of the animals presented to the Prince of Wales during his Indian journey. The "Jumna" brought four horses, one a chestnut Arab horse for the Princess of Wales, several deer, two wild boars, four hairless dogs, and a Sambur deer. The latter was a great favourite with all on board the "Jumna," and has been in training for the Zoological Gardens' experience of getting tid-bits of every description of food from visitors. The Sambur deer shared with the soldiers and sailors of the "Jumna" even their tobacco, so ready was he to be friends. Either to too great kindness or some other cause-probably the change of climate-four deer and a ram died on the voyage. The "Jumna" also brought home a large botanical and zoological collection for the Prince of Wales. The botanical collection was under the charge of Mr. Mudd, of the Botanical Gardens, in connection with the Cambridge University, who went out with the Prince and accompanied him throughout his travels in India and Ceylon. 30. SKATING RINKS.-A skating rink of real ice, called the Glaciarum, was opened to-day at the Old Clock House, Chelsea. Mr. John Gamgee, the designer, has invented a method of congelation by which he asserts that he can keep many square miles of ice constantly frozen. This, if successful, will prove a much more attractive flooring for the amusement of indoor skating, which has been so fashionable the last year or two, than any hitherto adopted. The roller skates, or skates on wheels, imported from America, were first produced in London at "Prince's," and proved so attractive to the public that skating rinks have been set up in almost every considerable town and watering-place in the country. The floors used are various-sometimes of asphalte or other compositions, sometimes simply of smooth boards. Unfortunately the amusement, though a healthy one, is not without danger; and very frequent have been the cases of broken limbs, sometimes of death, resulting from falls during the rapid motion of the skaters. MAY. 1. PROCLAMATION OF THE EMPRESS OF INDIA.-Proclamation was made this day of the addition to Her Majesty's titles which has been the subject of so much discussion both in the Houses of Parliament and in the public journals. The ceremony was performed by the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex, Messrs. Knight and Breffit, and the Under-Sheriffs, Messrs. Crawford and Baylis. First they proceeded to the Royal Exchange, and from the steps read the Royal Proclamation, announcing that in addition to Her Majesty's other titles she should thenceforth be styled (except in instruments not extending in their operation beyond the United Kingdom) India Imperatrix, or Empress of India. After a flourish of trumpets the document was read by Mr. Under-Sheriff Crawford, when Mr. Sheriff Knight called for three cheers, which was responded to by the crowd. The ceremony was repeated at Charing Cross, and later on at the Town Hall, Brentford. A similar proclamation was made at the Cross at Edinburgh two days later. Loyal addresses were presented to the Queen from many hundred places and corporate bodies in the kingdom, expressing congratulations on the reception met with in India by the Prince of Wales, and on Her Majesty's assumption of her new title. 2. REVIEW AT ALDERSHOT.--Her Majesty paid a visit to Aldershot this day, and reviewed the troops there quartered. The total number of men on the muster-roll of the garrison was 12,313, but out of that number only 7,642 appeared on parade, the somewhat large number of 4,671 being absent through casualties. The Queen, who was accompanied by the Princess Beatrice, was received at the Farnborough station by His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, Sir Richard Airey, Major-General Lysons, and the whole of the head-quarter staff. Sir Thomas Steele, as commander-in chief at Aldershot, attended by his staff, was also present. The royal carriage having taken up its position in front of the enclosed space, the whole line presented arms, the bands of the various regiments playing the National Anthem. Then followed an inspection of the troops by Her Majesty and the Commander-inChief, both of whom took an opportunity of congratulating Sir Thomas Steele on the soldierly appearance of his command. The march-past took place in a violent hailstorm, which proved a severe test as to the marching powers of the men, the hail coming down unmercifully in their faces. The steadiness of the infantry was a subject of general remark. After various evolutions had been executed, the whole force advanced in lines until they arrived within fifty yards of the Queen. As suddenly as it was put in motion the living line halted and gave a Royal salute, which the Queen most graciously acknowledged. This brought the proceedings to a close. After the review Mr. Strahan, the Governor of the Gold Coast, was presented to Her Majesty, and brought before her three Houssa soldiers, dressed in green uniform, with bare legs and feet, whom he has brought to England that they may receive instruction, and become qualified to impart the same, in gunnery and musketry. They are well-grown intelligent-looking fellows, speaking fair English, and Governor Strahan reports two of them as having done good service in the Ashantee campaign. 3. NEWMARKET MEETING. The attendance at the First Spring Meeting at Newmarket was not so large as usual; nor was this surprising, for the programme presented a beggarly appearance, the Two Thousand and One Thousand being the only races which promised to prove exciting. A most sensational Two Thousand ended in the easy victory of a colt, who, according to all the prophets, was only started to secure certain bets made by his owner that he would be sent to the post. Ridden by an obscure stablelad, and apparently far above himself in condition, Petrarch not only won, but, in racing parlance, absolutely "slaughtered" his opponents. For speed and stamina he beat them "pointless," as coursers say; and not even that flying wonder Macgregor gave a greater idea of immeasurable superiority. The race was as follows: Mr. Spencer's Petrarch, by Lord Clifden-Laura, 8 st. 10 lb. (Luke) 4. TRIAL OF THE "LENNIE" MUTINEERS.-The trial of the eight sailors charged with the murder of Stanley Hatfield, the captain of the "Lennie," was brought to a close at the Central Criminal Court on Thursday, after three days' hearing. The story of the mutiny is a terrible one. The "Lennie," a British ship, belonging to the port of Yarmouth, in Nova Scotia, lay in ballast in the Scheldt towards the end of October last. Her captain, Stanley Hatfield, and her first and second officers, respectively named Wortley and Macdonald, were British subjects. The vessel was bound for New Orleans, and an agent in London was ordered to get together a crew, whom he despatched to Antwerp. Good seamen are a scarce and dear commodity now in England, and the best that the agent was able to do for the "Lennie" was to secure the services of eleven foreigners-Greeks, Turks, and Austrians. In the meantime a Belgian had been engaged as steward, and a Dutch lad as cabin-boy. The "Lennie" put to sea on October 24, and at first everything went as smoothly as could be desired. The captain does not appear to have treated the crew with peculiar harshness, though he was disappointed at discovering their deficiency in seamanship, and vented his disappointment in some rough sailor's language. When the "Lennie," however, had been a week |