Our Weekly Budget.

dead in her bed , and a quantity of jewellery she was known to have in the room has disappeared . It is believed she died of suffocation from chloroform . A man named Wallace and his wife are said to bo concerned in the matter ,

and the inquest has been adjourned till Wednesday next , in order that a post mortem examination might be made of the stomach , and that the police may have time to make inquiries , and trace the persons alleged to be implicated .

The contest for the Public Schools Racquet Cup has resulted in the victory of Harrow , who thus scores a fifth success over all its rivals . The contestants were , Harrow , Eton ( winner , lost year ) ,. Winchester , Cheltenham , Marlborough , and Haileybury . In the first match Harrow

defeated Haileybury . Eton was then pitted against Winchester , and Avon somewhat easily . In the struggle between Cheltenham and Marlborough tho latter proved the victor by four games to two . On Tuesday Eton defeated

Marlborough , Harrow having drawn a bye , and then the final struggle Avas fought out betAvccn the great rival blues , Eton and Harrow , the result being , as Ave have stated , a victory for Harrow .

A new Hamlet has appeared at Drury Lane , Signer Rossi having undertaken to enact the character . We ha \ e not seen the performance , but to judge from the accounts AVO have read , Ave should imagine his impersonation was a complete failure . The other interesting news in the

theatrical world is the production of a version of Tennyson ' s Queen Mary at tho Lyceum , and the addition to our metropolitian theatres of the Royal Aquarium Theatre , Westminster , which has been licensed by the Lord Chamberlain to Mr . Stephen Coleman , and Avas opened on Saturday

Avith " Jo , " the theatrical rendering of Dickens ' s Bleak Ilouse . The National Anthem and a congratulatory address from the pen of Mr . Clement W . Scott preceded the regular performance . As regards the Italian Opera , the performances at the Royal Italian , Covent Garden , have

been attractive as nsual , but no special comment seems necessary . Next Saturday , Her Majesty ' s , Drury Lane , inaugurates its season , the opera for the opening night being Gounod ' s Faust , in Avhich Madame Christine Nilsson Avill sustain the part of Margherita . Bro . Sir Michael

Costa will resume tho direction of the orchestra , ' while that hi ghly popular favourite Mdlle . Titiens will re-appear as one of the prime tlonue . Tho programme includes only

two revivals , of 2 Ledca and of Rossini ' :, Othello , but thc-mnouncements are of a character to satisfy the most exacting habitue . Wo wish Bro . Mapleson a successful career during the coming season .

OAVHCI ' S of valuable dogs in and around tho metropolis are becoming seriously alarmed by the numerous . cases of poisoning Avhich havo lately occurred . It is evident that a gang of wanton ruffians arc working systematically , and the death of many valuable animals is already recorded .

. ucAvards arc offered amounting , in the aggregate , to somewhere about £ ' SoO , but as yet no clue to the perpetrators of these outrages has been found . Vv ' c can easily understand that dog-stealing may be a profitable occupation , as

is evidenced b y the well known story of the dog fancier , Avho refused to sell a lad y one of his pets on the ground that she intended taking it Avith her into some remote part of the country ; bnt that any good can conic of dogpoisoning seems incomprehensible .

Several , members of Parliament have been availing

themselves of the Easter holidays to address their constituents , or one , or more sections of the public . Of the failure of Mr . Butt and his colleague to make themselves heard , wc have alread y spoken . In England , however , our M . P . ' s have been less noisily received . Mr . Lowe , for

instance , made a long speech tit Retford , ou Monday , the occasion being a banquet to Mr . BrLiowe , the defeated Liberal candidate at the recent election , and the subject the present ' state of the Liberal Part v . The same day .

Mr . V ' v ' heelhouse , one of the Conservative members for Leeds , addressed the Wibsey Conservative Association , and congratulated his audience on tho progress made , thus far . in public business , during this Session ; while the iSpeakci was very warmly received at tho YYisbeneh Mechanics '

institute Conversazione , and spoke at considerable length on " Great Powers , " these being not what arc ordinarily understood by the Great Powers , but powers which are even greater still , such as public opinion , reli gion , tho press , steam and electricity , wealth , etc ., etc . At a meeting , on Tuesday , of the Statistical Society , Mr . Chubb read a highly interesting and important paper ,

Our Weekly Budget.

on " The Supply of Gas to the Metropolis , " pointing out the quantit y of gas consumed , the coal used in manufacture , the amount of share and loan capital raised by the united Companies , the maximum rate of dividend paid , and a mass of other details connected with the introduction and

progressive use of gas as a li ghting power . He also traced the history of the leading Gas Companies , and contrasted the cost to the English consumer with the amount paid in other countries . A discussion followed , in which . Professor Leone Levi and ot hers took part , and a vote of thanks to Mr . Chubb brought the meeting to a close .

An accident that might havo been attended Avith far more serious consequences , occurred , on Monday , to Mr . Simmons , an aereouaut , Avho , in company with Lieut . Bailey , of the 27 th Regiment , made a balloon ascent , on Monday , from the Botanic Gardens , Belfast . The weather

Avas very hazy , and when some ten miles had been traversed , an attempt was made to descend , the clouds being very near the ground ; the balloon , however , came in contact with a house , and tho occupants Avero very much shaken . Immediatel y afterwards , Lieut . Bailey dropped from the

car some ten feet , aud escaped . injury . The balloon then rcascended , but on the valve being a second time opened , the car , in its descent , struck against a Avail , and Mr .

Simmons Avas flung violently to the ground . The balloon then sailed off , and has not been heard of sime . A reward , however , is offered for its recovery . Mr . Simmons is much bruised and shaken , but not otherwise seriously injured .

Whether Polo Avill be ever firml y established as an English sport , is a question AVO have no intention of discussing . That it has attained a high degree of popularity is certain , and as tho Emperor of Germany has invited a number of the best English players over to Berlin , Avith

a view to introducing it as a military pastime , its present popularity Avill , doubtless , go on increasing . On Monday and Tuesday , a grand meeting Avas held near Brighton . On the former day two teams of the Scots Greys , respectively captained by Colonel Nugent and Mr . M'ClintockBnnbury ,

contended , the result being in favour of the latter , by tAVO goals to none . Two Polo pony races were also held , the victory in each being secured b y Captain Farquhar . On Tuesday a match was played between tho Scots Greys and

tho 12 th Lancers , and as the former had three of their best men absent , the Lancers obtained a somewhat easy victory . A pony race , won by Mr . Hipposloy ' s No Name , was also run , aud there Avere sundry pigeon matches in the shooting iuclosuro .

Ihe news from the East of Europe is oven less satisfactory than it was last Aveek . No end of "shaves" aro flying about , and it is even said that Montenegro has joined the insurgents , but this seems at least doubtful . Tiie state of public feeling is very unsettled in Servia , and

there is no doubt , this principality is eager to extend the present sphere of the contest . Very hard fighting is reported to have taken place between the insurgents and the Turks in the nei ghbourhood of Nicksich . The insurgents claim to have repulsed their enemy with heavy loss ; but ,

on the other hand , Moukhtar Pacha has telegraphed to Constantinople that ho has had six days hard fighting , and inflicted heavy losses on the insurgents , though the latter Avere twice his strength , and openly assisted by the Prince of Montenegro . The object of Moukhtar ' s

expedition Avas to victual Nicksich , and according to his statement , he succeeded in conveying provisions to the small port of Presjeka , Avithin a three hours inarch from that place . But whatever , the real state of the case , it is evident the continuance of tho insurrection is viewed ,

generally throughout KcL ' -ine , with great alarm , or the European Bor . rsos Avon Id not exhibit so much depression . There lias been a congress in Paris of Roman Catholic Committees from all tho departments of France , at which the Archbishop of Paris delivered an address Avhich

arcpears to have given great satisfaction to his hearers . Tho dismissal of a number of prefects AVIIO differ in political opinions Avitit the majority iu the new Legislative Assembl y , does not seem to have given satisfaction , cither to the Conservative minority or the Gambettists . Tho former are

angry that any changes should havo been made by the Government , while the latter are dissatisfied because more id theso municipal ohicers have not received their comjo . Tim proposal , that tho Austrian National Bank should

join in establishing a national bank for Hungary , has been rejected by the Committee of the former , to which it Avas referred . No final decision has been arrived at in connection with tho revision of the Austro-Hnngarian Union