Z4t Viuniurro.

The ceremony of laying the foundation-stone of . the Melbourne Athenteum was performed by Lord Palmerston on Saturday. The town was gaily decorated, and a number of visitors from Derby and the neigh- bourhood of Melbourne took part in the proceedings; the Earl and Countess of Harrington, Viscountess Palmerston, and Lord Petersham, were among the spectators. The business of the day commenced with an address to Lord and Lady Palmerston, presented by a deputation of the towns- people, on the lawn in front of Melbourne Hall. Lord Palmerston, in reply, eulogized the British constitution; and told the oft-repeated tale that the highest distinctions of the state are open to the industry and talent of any man. After this deputation came the Athenteum com- mittee; who, preceded by a band of music, carried the hero of the day to Patter Street, the site of the new building. With the usual ceremonies, the stone was fixed in its place ; and Lord Palmerston delivered a speech, which delighted every hearer.

He described the building about to arise as one of peculiar interest; "destined to be, I may say, an epitome of the life of man, as well as an ex- emplar of the civilization and improvement of the age. It is to contain, in the rst place, a provision for infancy, in the form of an infant school ; in the next place, a provision for the instruction and amusement of man in his maturer years, in the shape of a mechanics' institute ; and lastly, in the form of a savings-bank, a provision for advanced and declining age." Then he took up the three objects of the institution separately. "In for- mer times, the treatment of infants was far different from that which now pre- vails. Mothers considered--and in some other countries they still consider— infants as encumbrances impeding their useful exertions ; and the infants used to be scolded till they cried, and beaten till they ceased to weep. In some countries, mothers who want to employ themselves in useful labour wrap their infants in swaddling-clothes, and hang them up on a peg, as you would do a hat or a greatcoat. Now, our improved civilization has taught us that we may provide for the care of infants and at the same time begin to instruct their youthful minds. It is, indeed, not possible to hope that great information can be instilled into children of from two to six years of age ; mid it is possible, perhaps, that the knowledge which is given may not long survive the period at which it is communicated to them ; but they may, at all events, acquire habits of obedience, order, and regularity ; and habits, we all know, are most important objects of education—they are the most durable in their impression ; and good habits thus given to infants in their earliest age must necessarily contribute to their happiness and welfare in their future life. When, therefore, we establish an infant school, we are not only assisting mothers by giving them the opportunity of following a more useful occu- pation, but we are laying a foundation for the good order of the community of which these infants are hereafter to be members."

The advantages of mechanics' institutions are so well known that he would not dilate upon them ; "nevertheless, it cannot be useless to bear in mind that these institutions contribute not only to the intellectual pleasures of the working classes, but also conduce greatly to their worldly comfort and advantage. With respect to their pleasures, I may say that there are no pleasures really worth having but those which are connected with the intel- lectual faculties. Pleasures of another kind may perhaps be valued for the moment, but they leave no good after them, and they tend frequently rather to degrade and brutalize than to improve and adorn those by whom they are enjoyed. On the other hand, the pleasures of the intellect increase in in- tensity in proportion as they are enjoyed, and they elevate the persons who cultivate them in the scale of human beings." This led him to set forth the remarkable difference between our times and times which have passed before us. We have our great discoveries,—our railways, tending "to render Europe one great city" ; our steam-navigation, bringing countries nearer to each other; our electric telegraph, that splendid great discoveries,— triumph of human genius, the result not of accident but of laborious investiga- tion and induction. Other times have also had their the magnetic needle, printing, gunpowder ; "but although in ancient times

there were men of great knowledge who invented those wonderful things to I which I have alluded—not to mention men of science and literature who have never since been surpassed—yet in those times knowledge was confined to the few. Now, happily, knowledge is at the command of all ; books for imparting instruction of every kind are accessible at a price which places them within the reach of every one; while mechanics' institutions -enable the working claws* to profit by the exertions, bodily and intellectual, of those who have been the investigators and acquirers of knowledge. The working man may now, without going many yards from his home, acquire that knowledge of distant countries which has been gained by adventurous travellers, who have traversed burning deserts or encountered the perils of the stormy ocean—who have visited the Arctic regions or gone to the ex- treme of the Southern world. The mechanic has now the opportunity of acquiring the result of laborious exertions without ever stirring from his home. The mechanic has now, also, the means of applying to his own pur- poses all that knowledge which men of deep science have gained by laborious processes, whether in chemistry, or mechanics, or in any other branch of science; and he is enabled to profit at a small expense from the investigations which have been so laboriously pursued by others. The mechanic is also by these institutions let into the secrets of nature, the contemplation of which ' tends to elevate the mind; and while, on the one hand, it teaches every man how insignificant a portion he is of that great universe which is opened up to him on the other hand it must also tend to render him more con- tented with his lot and more resigned to bear any evils which Providence in its wisdom /nay ordain him to suffer. The mechanic, in his small room, by the library, which is now placed at his command, is enabled to ascertain the wonderful lad, that insects too small to be seen by the naked eye are yet formed with all the complicated apparatus of larger beings; that although we

cannot see them, they yet have joints, limbs, and veins, blood which circu- lates, and lungs which breathe ; that they are constructed, although with a minuteness which is hardly conceivable by man, with all the elaborate contrivances which we find in the larger objects of creation. The mechanic, by means of institutions like the present, is enabled to carry his mind into the most distant regions of the universe. He is enabled not merely to understand the wonderful machinery of that system of which this world forms a part, but he is enabled to carry his views further, and to know that there are visible to those who have the command of the wonderful tele- scopes and improved optical instruments of the day 80,000,000 suns, each of them as large, and some of them, in all probability, larger than ours, all of them surrounded by planets, and containing probably an indefinite number of beings, all the creation of the same great and inscrutable Power which made this earth. The contemplation of these things must, I think, raise the mind of the mechanic from worldly, low, and vulgar considerations, and tend to direct his mind with fervent devotion towards that great Being from whom he derives his present existence."

Then came some valuable advice respecting savings-banks—the provision for declining age. "There is no maxim of life more valuable than this, that man should make today conducive to tomorrow ; that he should be willing to forego the enjoyment, the temptations, the allurements of time present, for the purpose of laying up a store which will insure his comfort in time to come. That is a maxim no less conducive to his comfort and happiness in this world than essential to his wellbeing hereafter. Those who set on this maxim will find themselves comfortable, wealthy, and respected ; while those who, on the other hand, are careless of tomorrow and think only of today, who waste in riotous extravagance or needless pleasure those means which ought to be laid up in store for their future comfort and support, will be sure to lose the respect of their neighbours, and what is a much greater loss, their own respect for themselves. Well, ladies and gentlemen, there is nothing more calculated to encourage these habits of foresight and providence than savings-banks ; and I trust that the effects of establishing one in this town will be as beneficial as they have been proved to be in other places where similar institutions have been established. I trust that the working man, who by his skill and industry is now in receipt of ample wages, instead of squandering them, as many may now be tempted to do, by the want of an/ proper means of accumulating thern,—instead, I say, of squandering in dissi- pation, or, what is worse, in drink or momentary indulgences, a large por- tion of his earnings, will be induced to lay up a portion of them for the future support of himself' and family : and depend upon it, that when once the habit is acquired—when once a man begins to feel, that by providence and foresight, by laying up day by day, and week by week, he is accumulating a store which will stand him in stead when the rainy day comes—when age and infirmity prevent hhu from working with the same activity as heretofore, —when once that habit is gained, he will find it a source of pleasure as well as of advantage ; he will find it a source of pride to himself to know that he has been accumulating a little store for himself; and he will be a far happier as well as a far more respected member of society, than he would have been had he squandered daily and weekly in riotous extravagance those means which ought to have been more alivantageously laid by." Having exhausted the three topics furnished by the building, the orator started a new one. "There is one thing wanting to complete the institu- tions of your town—I mean a school for the education of girls. There is an excellent boys' school, but there is not yet an establishment of the same nature for girls. Now, gentlemen, it is well known that the education of women is of the greatest importance to society. Men may be indeed the rough stones of which the fabric of society is built ; they may form the strength and resisting portion of the fabric; but women are the hner cement ; without which those riugher ingredients will not find order or consistency, ! and without which there can be no beauty, no form no lasting and useful enjoyment. But, gentlemen, we all know the important influence which is exerted by women upon the welfare of mankind, whether it be in the capacity of daughters, sisters, wives, or mothers ; and therefore, inde- pendently of any regard for the fair sex' —a regard, however, which I am persuaded all whom I am addressing feel in the strongest degree—the most selfish considerations, a single regard for ourselves, a regard for man ab- stractedly and independently of woman, ought to lead us to endeavour to mould and educate the rising portion of the female community, that they may be as well-adapted as possible, by good training and instruction, toper- form the various duties of life, in the capacities of daughters, sisters, wives, and mothers: and therefore, although it forms no part of the institution which is now about to be established, I commend to your anxious and ear- nest consideratien the establishment likewise of a girls' school at Mel- bourne."

The third act of the day's proceedings consisted of a repast, at which some hundred and fifty ladies and gentlemen assisted ; Mr. Cantrell, the County Court Judge' presiding ; and Lord Palmerston making two more speeches, the last in honour of "the Beauties of Derbyshire."

The Admiralty inspection has been continued this week. It has com- prised the Dockyard at Chatham, and the new harbour and batteries at Dover. The men in the Victualling Yard at Portsmouth worked very hard and very willingly, day and night, to victual the Spithead fleet on its first assembling there; completing their task in thirty hours. As a reward, the Admiralty have granted them an extra week's pay.

The Malden Bribery Commissioners, upon a review of the whole evi- dence, came to these conclusions—

"That corrupt practices in various forms have long prevailed at elections for the borough, and that open and direct bribery was practised at the last election to a greater extent than at any which preceded it. We also find that a large portion of the electors, consisting chiefly of the poorer class of freemen, have, in giving their votes, been influenced, not by the political or personal recommendations of the candidates, but by considerations of money

or other benefit to themselves, and that such influences have been habitually employed to corrupt them : but we cannot forbear adding as our opinion, that the blame of such corruption rests not so much with them as with their superiors, by whom the temptation to it was held out."

The Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the corrupt practices at the last and previous elections for Barnstaple commenced its sittings on Tuesday, in the Guildhall of that borough. Two witnesses were ex- amined,—Mr. Lionel Bencraft the Town-Clerk, and Lord Ebrington. Mr. Bencraft gave evidence as to the persons actively concerned in the elec- tion, and furnished their names : he also testified that Lord Ebrington had given distinct orders to his agents that no kind of illegal practice should be resorted to. Lord Ebrington's evidence was to the effect that

he declined to engage in corrupt practices, although he felt sure of being defeated unless he did so. Sir Walter Fraser, unseated for bribery, and other witnesses, were also examined ; but as yet there have been no tell- ing points of general interest.

The Commissioners appointed to inquire into the alleged cruelty of the Governor of the Birmingham Gaol commenced their sittings on Tuesday.- The first complainant was one Dodson, an old man who had been impri- soned for a month for the non-payment of his wife's maintenance. He stated, that when he was too ill to work, he was shut up in the crank cell ; that when he was very ill, and rang for assistance, a warder threatened to chain him up, and took away some of his clothes ; and that the Governor, Lieutenant Austin, called him a blackguard, and threat- ened to horsewhip him. Finally, so badly was he used, that he tried to hang himself. From the Surgeon's evidence it appeared that he had thought Dodson always fit to do his work at the crank ; that he had made no entries in his journal as to what Dodson was suffering from,—thereby violating the regulations ; and that he could not distinctly answer ques- tions, because he did not anticipate this inquiry. The Chaplain deposed that Dodson was always ill. On Wednesday several warders were ex- amined; but Dodsou's testimony does not appear to have been shaken. On the other hand, it appears that it had not been uncommon to keep pri- soners, even boys, at work in the crank cell as late as ten and eleven o'clock at night, and to send them supperless to bed because they had not done their work. The warders pretended that they thought Dodson's at- tempt on his life was a sham ; but, hard pressed, one admitted that he believed it was a real attempt ; and the Commissioners told them their conduct was disgraceful. Lieutenant Austin denied that he had called Dodson a blackguard, or had threatened to horsewhip him. He had not entered Dodson' s "attempt" at suicide in his journal.

Captain Williams—" Are the attempts' never entered in the journal at all?' Witness—" There are entries, but there is no register kept." Chief Commissioner—" What made you think this was a sham attempt ?" Witness—"From the state of the handkerchief."

Chief Commissioner—" In this return of the Magistrates, setting forth the attempts at suicide, here is one on the 6th of December 1851, which is called —.Attempt at imposition ' : from what is this return made up ?" Witness —"I think the Surgeon supplied those returns."

Chief Commissioner—" I see nothing on the subject in the Surgeon's jour- nal. How, I say, was this return made up ?" Witness—" Partly from me- mory, and partly from the Surgeon's journal."

Lieutenant Austin further stated, that the practice of keeping prisoners in the crank cells after dark, and of inflicting corporal punishment, ex- isted in Captain Maconochie's time. No entry of the former appeared on the books, but there was one entry of the latter. Similar investigations were made into other cases ; and some illegal conduct was proved against the Governor. The Commission continued its sittings.

There has been a severe contest for a church-rate at Maidstone ; and the polling was kept up with great spirit for four days. Finally the opponents of the rate triumphed ; there being for the rate 1026, against it 1124. This represents the votes ; there was a majority of 360 rate- payers against the rate.

A correspondent of the Times supplies an account of a Militia encamp- ment in Suffolk, occupied by the Artillery branch of the county regi- ment. The corps, five hundred strong, was raised by voluntary enlist- ment in 1852, and converted into an artillery corps in November last, having then undergone three weeks' training without arms. On the 1st of July they encamped on " an open common at the mouth of the Ips- wich river where a peninsula of about a mile in breadth divides the estuary of the Orwell from the German Ocean. Landguard Fort occupies the Southern extremity of the peninsula, and a broad belt of marsh and salt-water creeks cut off communication with the interior. On the op- posite side of the estuary lies Harwich. Not a tree or bank occurs to break the full force of the blast as it sweeps over the ground on which the camp of the Suffolk Artillery was pitched, and which at high-water was almost insulated ; and during the month of July the camp was scourged with hurricanes and drenched with deluges of rain. But the complete exposure made it healthy, and the soil was fortunately an elastic turf lying on shingle." In this exposed situation, the men, farm labourers and village mechanics, had to learn the realities of a soldier's life. Their exercise consisted of ordinary infantry drill and battalion manceuvres, as well as training in the use of field-guns and the heavier metal at Land- guard Fort. Their daily life, apart from military duty, was also new to them ; but they soon learned to cook with success, and keep all neat and tidy. After seventeen days' training, they were inspected, and com- mended, by Colonel Higgins of the Royal Artillery. Before they sepa- rated, their commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Shafto Adair, said that if they persevered as they had begun, be would not wish for better comrades in camp or battery. The writer justly remarks, that they achieved a success which " deserves to be known, not in order to gain credit for the regi- ment, but to prove of what true metal our troops are composed, and with what perfect security the empire may reckon on its means of self-defence, judiciously organized."

The strike of the dyers of Manchester continues, having lasted already two months. The workmen will be the great sufferers : the number who struck is estimated at 1600; nearly 600 new hands have been taken into employ, and every week more are obtained. The men on strike do not seem to have taken warning by the recent conviction of two of their number for assaulting Mr. Crompton, for they are still prone to violent courses : besides keeping watch at the factories, striving to lure men away to drink, and other manceuvres, they have actually broken into one establishment by force and induced the operatives to leave their work.

The colliers near Eckington are out on strike for an advance of 2d. per ton. They state, that three years ago the employers reduced their wages 3d. per ton, and about six months ago made a further reduction of 2d. per ton. They consider themselves justified in asking for the present advance, as the coal-owners have considerably raised the price of coals, but have not allowed the workmen to participate in the improvement.— Sheffield Free Prem.

The strike at Dowlais continues. Elsewhere the iron-works are in full play, and the Dowlais men are gradually absorbed by other districts. It is supposed that the Dowlais Company will find it difficult to replace their hands.

Complaints come from Tynemouth that the French fishermen off the South Northumberland coast are infringing the international fishery-laws. According to these, "foreign craft are not allowed to cast their nets within three leagues of the nearest promontory; but, in the absence of the proper authpes, the Frenchmen have fished within a couple of miles of our ving heavier gear and three or four times the number of ts, they have shot over our men's nets, and done a deal ur men also accuse the Frenchmen of cutting their nets

and stealing their fish." A hope is expressed that Government will send a force to protect the English fishermen.

Pedder, the man who shot his wife at Hambleton, near Garstang, was hanged at Lancaster on Saturday. A memorial for a commutation of punish. ment met with an unfavourable reception by the Home Secretary—Lord Palmerston "saw no, ground for interfering with the course of Justice." When arrested, Pedder said he "aimed" at his wife's head ; while in prison he stated that he did not shoot her intentionally, but that it was done ac- cidentally: he reiterated this to his last momenta. Of the great crowd assembled to view the execution one-third were women.

Mrs. Fellow, a miner's wife living near Calstock in Cornwall, and William Tregay, are in prison on a charge of murdering the child of the former, six months old. At the time the child died, Fellow himself was seized with a severe illness ; shortly after, his wife eloped with Tregay, who was a lodger in the house. Suspicion arose, and the child's body was exhumed : it had died from arsenic. It was proved at the inquest that Tregay had procured arsenic for the woman. The couple were arrested at St. Austell.

Henry Marklove, a youth of sixteen, has committed suicide in a field near Llandaff, by discharging a pistol into his forehead. The corpse was found by a labouring man. The deceased was the son of a corn-merchant at Car- diff; his father gave him his choice of a business or a profession, but he would go to sea ; he was therefore apprenticed to a ship, and had just re- turned from South America. A paper found in his pocket contained the words, "Dear papa, I am sorry for what I have done.',

A labourer has been fined by the Cheltenham Magiatmtes for drunkenness and trespassing on the Great Western Railway. The offender and another had gone to sleep upon the rails; a train approached, and the driver whistled, but the sleepers did not move—the engine went within two inches of the head of the man who was apprehended.

Mr. Dennis, a solicitor, has been killed at Boscastle in Devonshire, by falling over a cliff, while rashly attempting to recover his hat, which had been blown off.

Mr. Meredith, stationmaster at Standish, near Wigan, has been killed on the line : he was crossing the rails, when an engine came up without his ob- serving it, and a buffer struck him.

A man in the service of Mr. Walter at Bearwood has been gored to death by a bull, into wham shed he had imprudently ventured for eggs.

Three children at Bristol have been severely bitten, in bed, by a ferooious rat. The cries of the children aroused their mother, and on turning down the bedclothes the rat leapt out. It was subsequently caught, and was round to be a Norway rat—one of a race that in sixty years has nearly extinguished the ancient black rat of England.

Mr. Jones, a painter of Liverpool, has died of hydrophobia. He had been bitten by a little dog three months before. When the disease appeared, he became deranged, and was delirious for some time before he died.

A goods-warehouse has been burnt down at Dintingvale station, feurteen miles from Manchester ; it contained goods worth some thousands of pounds. The fire is supposed to have been wilful, and the railway company have offered a reward of 50/.

A grain-warehouse belonging to Mr. Cannon at Canterbury, and other buildings, were destroyed by fire on Tuesday afternoon. The loss is estimated at some 20001. Three weeks ago the insurance ran out, the owner declining to pay an extra shilling per cent demanded by the fire-office.

A ship bound from Great Grimsby to Rio was wrecked, near Shoreham, yesterday week. It went ashore during the gale. The crew were in

im- minent peril. A vain attempt was made to gam the ship with a life-boat; then the people on shore tried to throw lines to the ships ; and finally, after great toil, a second attempt with the life-boat succeeded, and the men were saved. Their vessel went to pieces.

The stork of wind on Friday sennight and the following morning was exceedingly fierce in the West of England. Much damage was done. Around Bristol, many trees were blown down ; in some cases roads were rendered impassable by the fallen trunks, parks had their sylvan beauty sadly marred, and some cattle were killed. The uncut corn was laid flat, and that which was cut whirled away. Near Exeter, the trees suffered both from the wind and from lightning. Two boatmen of Sheldon, near Teignmouth, perished by the upsetting of their vessel. At Marlborough, there was a complete tor- nado, tearing up trees, destroying barns, and carrying away portions of the roofs of more substantial buildings. At the College, a whole rookery of thirty trees was laid prostrate, and a number of the birds killed.