while the engine of the mineral train and several of the
carriages were considerably damaged. The result of a
judicial investigation of the case has been the apprehension
of the driver of the mineral train for culpable
neglect of duty and inattention.

A Fatal Railway Accident occurred on the Glasgow
and South–Western Railway, on the evening of the
24th instant. A train leaves Carlisle at 7 p.m. for Dumfries,
not proceeding farther. When this train was
nearing Dornock station, and about three miles south of
Annan, on a straight part of the line, the engine ran off
the rails, down an embankment about five feet high,
and into an adjoining field. The tender and luggage–
van went off the line, and the first carriage (third class)
was upset upon the line. The other carriages were not
much disturbed; and fortunate it was that the couplings
of the engine gave way, otherwise a most fearful accident
would in all probability have ensued. When the
passengers' succeeded in extricating themselves, John Liver,
the engine–driver, was found lying under the engine,
and insensible; his right leg had been cut off, and his
head injured. He died in a few hours. The stoker,
Thomas Quaide, was brought to Dumfries, and removed
to the infirmary; one of his legs was torn off below the
knee, and immediate amputation at the thigh was found
necessary. He is in a critical state, but may recover.
An investigation as to the accident and its cause is to
be made immediately.

The Adelphi Theatre at Edinburgh has been
Destroyed by Fire. On the afternoon of the 24th, the
fire was discerned issuing from under the stage, and the
building being old, and, with the exception of the outer
walls, of wood, the flames spread with a fearful
rapidity, and soon enveloped the whole edifice. Happily
the occurrence took place before the audience were
assembled, otherwise the consequences might have been
most disastrous. Within an hour the entire building
was reduced to ruin, while the flames spread on all
sides, and caught several contiguous tenements, which
were, however, saved by the timely arrival and well
directed exertions of the fire brigade, and by the
abundant supply of water obtained. The manager,
Mr. Wyndham, was partially if not wholly insured, and
the value of the building was covered by insurance.
The loss of engagements by the actors and the destruction
of their wardrobes will, however, be attended with
great hardship. The origin of the fire is involved in
mystery.

      SOCIAL, SANITARY, AND MUNICIPAL
                        PROGRESS.

There was a great assemblage of ladies and gentlemen
at Stafford House, on the 7th inst., to Welcome Mrs.
Harriet Beecher Stowe. It included the Duke and
Duchess of Sutherland, the Duke and Duchess of
Argyll, the Earl and Countess of Shaftesbury, Lord
John Russell, Viscount Palmerston, Mr. Gladstone, the
Marquis of Lansdowne, the Archbishop of Dublin with
Mrs. and Miss Whately, the Bishop of Oxford, Mr.
Hallam, Lord Glenelg, Mr. Arthur Kinnaird and Mrs.
Kinnaird, the Chevalier Bunsen, Mr. Tom Taylor, the
Earl of Harrowby, Mrs. Mary Howitt, Mr. Macaulay,
M.P., Sir Robert Inglis, M.P., Mr. Labouchere, M.P.,
and Mr. John Macgregor, M.P. The Duke of Sutherland
presented Mrs. Stowe to the company, and the Earl
of Shaftesbury read to her an address of welcome and
praise; expressing at the close a desire to cultivate the
most friendly and affectionate relations between the two
countries, and a belief that the understanding would be
promoted by avowing deep admiration for an American
lady possessed of such vast genius and intellectual power
as Mrs. Stowe. Her brother, the Reverend Mr. Beecher,
thanked the assembly in her name, and read a long
letter signed "C. M. Clay," expressing the anti–slavery
sentiments of the writer, and his sympathy with Mrs.
Stowe. This ceremony being over, refreshments were
served; and then the ladies assembled in one of the
saloons of Stafford House; Mrs. Stowe sitting between
the Duchess of Sutherland and the Duchess of Argyll.
The following notes of her conversation have appeared
in the newspapers. She said that the ladies of England
were not at all aware of the real state of feeling of the
ladies of America on the subject of slavery. It must
not be judged of by the answers sent to the address, nor
by the statements in the American newspapers. The
ladies of England seem not to be at all aware of the deep
feeling of sympathy with which "Uncle Tom's Cabin"
was received in America long before it was known in
England. The press in America had invariably spoken
highly of "Uncle Tom's Cabin." The first word that
ever appeared in print against "Uncle Tom's Cabin"
was the article in the Times—this was reprinted and
reechoed in our papers, and widely circulated in the form
of a tract. The bitterness and anger manifested against
the ladies' address showed how much its force had
enraged the advocates of slavery. You in England (she
said) are happily ignorant of slavery, yet that address
has shown your sympathy, and sympathy is very sweet.
There is no bitter feeling really between the ladies of the
two countries; but the ladies of America cannot,
because of their husbands' personal and political feelings,
stand forth and say what they feel on the subject.
Some had said that "Uncle Tom's Cabin" was now
forgotten; but it should be mentioned that 60,000 copies of
the "Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin" were sold in three
days. The practical question was, what can be done to
forward this great work? She looked first to God, but
man also could do something. Sympathy must continue
to be expressed; British subjects in Canada must be
educated; the use of free–grown cotton must be
encouraged: such are the ways in which this great work
may be aided by the people of England; remembering
that, after all, the issue is in the hands of Him who
ordereth all things.

By the invitation of the Lady Mayoress, a meeting
was held at the Mansion–house, on the 7th inst., to aid
Dressmakers and Milliners in shortening their hours of
labour, providing better ventilation for work–rooms,
and encouraging provident habits. Among those
present were the Countess of Wilton, Viscountess
Canning, Miss Burdett Coutts, and the Reverend Dr.
Mortimer.

The annual meeting of the British and Foreign School
Society was held on the 9th inst. It was preceded, as
usual, by an examination of the scholars in various
branches of religious and secular education. Among
the visitors at the examination were Lord John Russell
and Mrs. H. B. Stowe, who, on being introduced by the
Rev. Mr. Binney as "the mother of Uncle Tom," was
received with rapturous applause by the children. At
the meeting the chair was occupied by Lord John
Russell. The secretary read the report of the society's
proceedings during the year. The boys' model school
had admitted 842 children, and the girls' school 430.
Twenty–seven pupil teachers had been apprenticed by
the Committee of Council. 160 students had been
admitted into the normal school for young men, and 143
young women into the Female Training Establishment;
sixty had been examined for certificates of merit, and
140 teachers had been appointed to schools. During the
year fifty–four new schools had been established, affording
accommodation for 7000 children; 295 towns had
been visited by agents for school inspection; ninety–
seven public meetings had been held, and twenty–four
lectures delivered in different parts of the country; 124
grants in money or school materials had been made.
The receipts during the past year (including a
subscription of £100 from her Majesty) amounted to
£19,338 16s. 10d., and the expenditure to £18,771 11s. 3d.,
leaving a balance in hand of £567 5s. 7d. The report
urgently appealed for increased subscriptions. It was
adopted; and thanks were voted to Lord John Russell,
who took occasion, in returning thanks, to make some
important remarks on the subject of education. After
observing that the country was getting into a position
in which the question of of education was becoming
ripe for further measures and more extended application,
he proceeded to say; "Some question has been
made to–day with respect to the promotion of education,
as we have always endeavoured to promote it, in
connection with religion. That was from the commencement
the principle of this institution, and I trust it will
ever continue to be. At the same time, as many
reflections have been thrown out against those who