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in a sham fight on Hayling Island , a few miles east of Portsmouth . On Monday the Duke will travel by the same train as the Prince of Wales to Dover , in order to witness a fi ght near Folkestone , between the Dover and Shorncliffe troops , which has been arranged for the day following .

Some time since it was announced that warnings had been sent to the various ports , that the equinoctial gales were expected to be much severer than usual , and the forecaste has been since amply verified . There has been a succession of gales , and considerable damage to both life

and property has been the result . In addition to this we have witnessed what we suppose we must describe as the complete break up of the season . We have been treated this last fortnight to a superabundance of rain , though during the last few days the sun has shone out bravely and

brilliantly , if not with its usual warmth . We cannot say the year thus far has been a particularly fortunate one as regards the weather . The winter was a long and trying one ; of spring we had very little to boast , and the summer was distinguished by a succession of most

disastrous floods , which severely damaged the hay and oat crops . Following this , we had a few weeks of glorious warm summer weather , which , happily , proved very serviceable to the crops , and enabled the farmers to gather in their harvest without hindrance , so that though the

yield is somewhat below the average , the expectations of the pessimists have not been realised to the extent that was expected . Not having the gift of prophecy , we are unable to state if we are fortunately in for another spell of fine weather . We content ourselves with hoping so .

Having delivered ourselves thus oracularly on the subject of the weather , a subject of such interest to all Englishmen that any two of them who should meet and not offer some remark , more or less sapient , as to its being warm , cold , dry , or damp , would deserve to be immured for the rest of their

days in the nearest lunatic asylum , we pass to other and it may be more general topics . First then the Fifteenth Church Congress commenced its session at Stoke-on-Trent in the Potteries on Tuesday The proceedings commenced with divine service in the Parish Church , the sermon being

preached by the Lord Bishop of Rochester , while the Bishop of Ontario performed a like service at another church , St . Mark ' s , Shelton . The Congress met in the afternoon , at the Congress Hall , and after a few preliminaries , Bishop Selwyn delivered the inangnral address ,

in which the Rev . Prelate set forth the scope and purpose of the meeting . After this the first discussion was opened , the subject being "The Church of England , and the Churches in communion with her ; how they maybe drawn more closely together . " On Wednesday , the principal

discussion turned on the important question of "Woman ' s work in the Church . " The subject evoked considerable difference of opinion among those present , but all the speakers exhibited a very earnest desire to treat the question impartially , though the views enunciated were in

some instances in direct conflict with each other . We may fairly assume that a Congress which has reached its fifteenth session feels that it is making some progress with the work it is engaged upon . At all events , all endeavours to promote deeper religious feeling among the masses

will be cordially welcomed by all Masons , even though we pride ourselves on excluding all religious disputations . Hence we refer to this Congress , not because , it is under the auspices of the Church of England , but because its object is to spread a knowledge of the broad truths of

religion among the more ignorant classes of people . Simultaneousl y with the Church Congress wo have the Social Science Congress assembled at Brighton , this being the nineteenth year of its existence . There were present Lord Aberdare , President of the Congress and of the

Departments , Sir Edward Creascy , Jurisprudence and the Amendment of the Law ; Lieut .-Colonel Dn Cane , Repression of Crime ; Sir Charles Reed , Education ; Dr . Richardson , Health ; and Mr . Grant Duff , M . P ., Economy and Trade . The inaugural address was delivered bLord

y Aberdare , who entered , at great length , into the very wide range of subjects which the Congress sought to deal with . The most prominent among them are the repression of crime , the extension of education , and the promotion of

sanitary science . We heartily sympathise with every body of men engaged in such beneficent work . Whatever tends to raise the masses must be a benefit , not to them onl y , but to tho community of which they form a part . Decent dwellings , fresh air , and education

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are the surest means for improving the condition of our less fortunate fellows . We have no doubt whatever that much practical good will result from sundry of the theories propounded at this Congress , and we heartily wish it every success . While on the subject of science we may nqtejshat

the Yorkshire College of Science , at Leeds , which has been established for the purpose of supplying instruction in the sciences applicable to the manufactures , engineering , mining , and agriculture of the county , was inaugurated by the Duke of Devonshire , on Wednesday . There were present ,

besides His Grace , who is Chancellor of the University of Cambridge , Dr . Lyon Playfair , the Marquis of Ripon , Lord Hampton , Lord Frederick Cavendish , President of the College , Sir Andrew Fairbairn , Sir John Lubbock , Mr . W . E . Forster , the Mayors of Leeds , Hnddersfield , Halifax , and several other men of distinction connected with the

County of York . Lord Frederick Cavendish having explained the object of establishing such a college , the Duke of Devonshire formally declared it open , after which the company adjourned to luncheon at the Great Northern Station Hotel , His Grace occupying the chair . A number

of toasts were given and appropriately acknowledged . The proceedings were brought to a close in the evening , when a meeting was held in the Town Hall , for the purpose of hearing an address by Dr . Lyon Playfair . If the success that

has attended Owen ' s College , Manchester , may be taken as affording a just criterion , we may anticipate that a long and honourable career is in store for this new College of Science .

This being the season when Members of Parliament make a clean breast of their Parliamentary performances , and take counsel with their constituents as to the present and future state of the political world , it is a matter of course that nearly every issue of the Times , and other daily

papers , should contain accounts of these extra Parliamentary utterances . Among the latest and most noteworthy of these have been the addresses of Messrs . Norwood and Wilson to their constituents at Hull , the most important topics to which the honourable gentlemen referred

being the shipping interest , the legislation in connection therewith , and the crusade of Mr . Plimsoll against unseaworthy ship owners . Mr . Leatb & m , at Hnddersfield , scarcely knew how to express his regret at the retirement of Mr . Gladstone from the leadership of the Liberal partv . And

lastly , though the occasion hardly comes under this particular category of extra parliamentary speeches , the Chancellor of the Exchequer has been paying a visit to Middlesborough , for the purpose of inspecting the grand improvements now in course of progress with a view to

improving the navigation of the river Tees . The interest on this occasion centered in the ceremony of laying the first stone of the Normandy Graving Dock , a ceremony which was very skilfully performed by Sir Stafford Northcote , amid great enthusiasm .. The right honourable gentleman had

previously inspected the extensive works undertaken by the Tees Conservancy Board , being afterwards entertained at luncheon in a tent erected for the occasion ou the iron

platform on Avhich stands the Fifty Buoy Lighthouse . After the labours of the day Sir Stafford returned to Marton Hall , the seat of Mr . Bolckow , M . P . for Middlesborough , whose guest he is during his visit .

After laying the foundation stone of the Normandy Graving Dock , the Chancellor of the Exchequer improved his Masonic experience by laying the first stone of the Cleveland Library and Philosophical Institute , at Middlesborough , on Thursday . This Institution dates its origin

only about twelve years back , when a library was commenced and an annual course of lectures established for the education of all classes , in matters of local interest , such as geology , botany , and the staple industry of the district .

The Society now numbers between 400 or 500 members , and so great has been the increase in members , that the original quarters have become too small . Hence it was resolved to erect new premises , at about a cost of £ ' 4 , 000 , and it was of this new structure that Sir Stafford

Northcote laid the first stone on the day mentioned , the ceremony having been duly performed , a cordial vote of thanks was voted to the ^ Right Honourable gentleman , who then , in company with Messrs . Bolckow , Dodds , and others , made a short excursion to tho Cleveland Hills , and inspected

the mine , some 500 feet deep , which is justly regarded as the most interesting feature in the district . In this mine a seam of ironstone , sixteen feet thick , is being worked , and though the Company are only working to about one-fourth of their power , a thousand