certainty and strength of steel-so impressive was the suggestion of irresistible force conveyed by the whole air and bearing of the mighty gladiator-that even the warmest partisans of the English athlete trembled for the fate of their champion. It needed but a look at King, however, to see that he was no unworthy antagonist even for Heenan. He, too, was in the full flush of youthful strength, and there were, indeed, some who thought that he had been trained too fine; but he was supple, agile, and strong; and in the knitted brow, in the clear, resolute eye, no signs of failing resolution, but rather of a courage proof against all danger, were clearly to be read. Despite his greater height, King's development was far from being so imposing as that of his competitor; and the betting was in favour of the latter. A hard fight was looked for, but it was certain that the superior bulk and the wrestling ability of Heenan would tell enormously in his favour; and it was remembered that King, notwithstanding his numerous victories, could scarcely, from those performances, be considered to rank very highly as a scientific boxer. Brave, indeed, he was admitted to be; his lithe and sinewy frame indicated an agility which would assuredly stand him in good stead; but it was doubted whether he possessed either the skill of a man like Mace, or the dogged resolution and insensibility to pain, which supported Sayers in his famous fight. One thing, at any rate, was beyond disputethat two better made or more powerful men had never entered the prize ring. A contest between such gladiators could scarcely fail to be exciting, and it was likely enough to be revolting and repulsive. So much time had been lost, that it was after ten o'clock before the fight began. In the earlier part of the contest Heenan's enormous strength and wrestling power told much in his favour. King sustained some terrible falls, and the apprehensions of his backers became serious. As the fight went on, however, Heenan began to exhibit marked signs of the punishment he had received; his face was shockingly disfigured, the blood flowing from it copiously. As the twentieth round approached, the excitement on both sides became frightful. The ring was broken, and the shouts and yells were terrific. Heenan's condition had gradually become worse and worse, and the confidence of his friends began to give way to despair. At length, on the twentyfifth round being called, the American champion was unable to come to time, and the Englishman was declared the victor amidst the most unbounded acclamation. Heenan's appearance gave proofs of very severe punishment, but King showed but little outward signs of the effects of the struggle. The fight, which was maintained with uncommon tenacity and endurance, lasted thirtyfive minutes. The stakes were 20007., but a vast amount of money was staked by betting on the result.

13. THE LAUNCH OF THE "MINOTAUR."-Her Majesty's iron-clad screw steam-ship "Minotaur" was launched from the yard of the Thames Ironworks and Ship-building Company, Blackwall, in the

presence of an assemblage computed at 10,000. Admirable arrangements were made by the company for so large a gathering, and although probably not fewer than 3000 persons were conveyed by pontoon and small boats across the creek that divides the yardthe creek into which the ship was launched-not a single accident occurred. The dimensions of the "Minotaur" exceed those of any other ship afloat; and when the "Agincourt" is launched from the yard of Messrs. Laird, at Birkenhead, and the "Northumberland" from the yard of the Millwall Company, there will be three ships of the class. All three were ordered by the Admiralty on September 2, 1861, and should, according to contract, have been launched six or seven months ago; but many changes have been introduced into all the ships, and hence the delay. The launching of the "Minotaur" was managed to perfection. When the last supports had been knocked away, the first effort of the hydraulic ram moved her. Mrs. Romaine then dashed the bottle of wine against the iron bows, and the huge vessel glided majestically into the river, amid the cheers of thousands. The work of fitting the "Minotaur" with her five iron masts, and generally completing her for sea, will be effected in the Victoria Docks.

The length of the "Minotaur" between perpendiculars is 400 ft., her breadth 59 ft. 4 in., and her depth 41 ft. 6 in. She is of 6812 tons' burden, builders' measurement, and she is to be propelled by engines (in course of making by Messrs. Penn) of 1350-horse power. Her armament is not yet fully decided upon, but it is expected that she will carry fifty guns of the largest calibre. Her internal construction is of the most massive description. The armour-plates on the waist of the ship are 5 in. Towards the head and stern, however, they are reduced to 4 in. The total weight of the vessel, when completed, will be about 10,000 tons. Already, with only a part of her armour-plates on her and her engines to come, she weighs over 6000 tons. Yet it is confidently expected that her speed will be about fourteen knots per hour.

SMITHFIELD CATTLE SHOW.-This event, so interesting to the agricultural world at this season, was this year made additionally attractive by the visit of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales to the Agricultural Hall on the opening day. The Prince arrived about one o'clock, accompanied by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Prussia and the Duke de Brabant, and amongst the suite were General Knollys, Major-General Sir A. N. Hood, and Captain De Ros. His Royal Highness was received by Lord Walsingham, the president; Lord Tredegar, president elect; the Duke of Richmond, one of the vice-presidents; Mr. B. T. B. Gibbs, the secretary of the Smithfield Club, and Mr. S. Sidney, the secretary of the Agricultural Hall Company. By these the royal party were conducted through the show, and paid great attention to the prize animals, but more especially to the gold medal pen of pigs, which this year was carried off by Major-General Hood, as representing the late Prince Consort, bred at the Shaw farm,

Windsor. The Prince took great interest, and appeared much pleased at the distinction which the royal porkers had attained. After staying about an hour the royal party left the hall, and were loudly cheered by an immense assembly, which had by this time considerably augmented.

The judges did not finish their duties and make their awards finally till after three o'clock, the show having been opened to the public at two p.m., at a charge of five shillings. Numerically the show was superior to that of former years, though in point of excellence there were no very striking instances of superiority over the cattle exhibited at former shows. This, however, was said to arise from the generally high standard making any startling superiority of one animal over the other a rarity. Great doubts existed in the minds of the judges for some time as to which class the palm should be awarded, the Devons or Herefords, and after very minute delibera. tion only was it decided that the silver cup, value forty guineas, for the best specimen in the oxen or steer classes, should be awarded to the four-year old Hereford bred by Mr Thomas L. Meere, of Shrewsbury, and exhibited by Mr. William Heath, of Ludham-hall, Norwich. There were, however, several near competitors to this very fine animal in various points of excellence, both in the Devons and Shorthorns. The general character of the Devons, Herefords, and Shorthorns was described as rather above the usual average of excellence, but in the Sussex and other breeds there was considered to be a falling off. In the former class General Hood, for the late Prince Consort's stock, carried off one or two prizes; the other principal and successful competitors being Mr. John Overman, the Earl of Leicester, Mr. William Heath, Mr. John Ford, Mr. Francis Neale, Mr. John Coate, and Mr. John Tucker. In the Hereford classes General Hood also figured as a prize-holder, and the names of some well-known agriculturists were to be found in the successful catalogue. Amongst the Shorthorns the finest specimens to be found were belonging to Mr. Thompson, of Badminton, Mr. Charles Swaisland, Earl Radnor, Sir Anthony de Rothschild, Mr. Baker, Mr. Walter, M.P., Mr. Packe, M.P., Sir Thomas B. Lennard, and the Earl of Aylesford. Less regard seemed to have been paid to the breeding of the Norfolk and Suffolk polled breeds, but in the Scotch breeds there were some very nice animals, and in the cow classes there were some fine stock shown by the Marquis of Exeter, the most remarkable animal being, however, Mr. Giblett's Alderney cow, the fattest animal, it was believed, in the show.

The sheep classes generally were not of that equal character which had been their wont at former shows, but the Southdowns for purity and excellence of breed continued to maintain their superiority. The great competitors in these classes were the Duke of Richmond, Earl Radnor, and Lord Walsingham, Mr. Rigden's Hove stock being this year unrepresented, on account of his having accepted the office of steward. The noble president of the

club beat the duke and the earl, and carried off the silver cup as well as the first prize in the classes; both the Duke of Richmond and Lord Radnor were also prize-holders.

In the pigs there was not, generally speaking, that extraordinary tendency to obesity which has usually prevailed; the most remarkable specimens, however, were considered to be those entered in the name of General Hood.

The dinner of the Smithfield Club took place, as usual, at the Freemasons' Tavern, and the company assembled, amounting to but a little over fifty persons, was presided over by Lord Walsingham, the president; and Lord Tredegar, the president elect; Earl Berners, the Earl of Faversham, Sir T. H. Maxwell, Colonel Fane, Mr. Fisher Hobbs, Mr. Humphrey Brandreth, Mr. John Giblett, Mr. Torr, and other well-known agriculturists, were present.

The number of visitors to the show during the week was very large, especially on the first day, although rather short, in the whole, of the attendance in 1862. But, taken altogether, the show was a decided success, and gave general satisfaction to the visitors. THE WATERLOO-ROAD MURDER.-A murder was committed in the Waterloo-road, which, on account of the circumstances connected with it, the proceedings at the trial of the accused, and the excitement attending the execution of the sentence, rather than from any peculiarity in the perpetration of the crime, attracted much public attention, and was the subject of a good deal of comment.

The deed itself, indeed, presented in its immediate circumstances only the ordinary features of such crimes. Samuel Wright, described as a bricklayer by trade, had cohabited, it seems, for some little time with a woman named Maria Green, and they had occupied together the second floor of a lodging-house in the Waterlooroad. On Saturday, the 12th of December, a dressmaker who rented the first floor of the house, and who was acquainted with Wright and his companion, saw them "very happy and comfortable" together in their own room, about eight o'clock in the evening. Shortly afterwards they went out, and were seen standing for a time at the corner of the York-road, where the deceased was exchanging angry words with another woman. They left this woman, however, and repaired to a public-house, where they had some gin; but, though the deceased remained "excited" after her quarrel, neither she nor her paramour is said to have been intoxicated. Nothing more was known of their proceedings up to the time of the catastrophe. At what hour they returned to their lodgings is uncertain; but about four o'clock on the next (Sunday) morning, the lodger on the floor beneath them was alarmed by a loud knocking and screaming overhead. As she opened her door she met Wright coming down the stairs, and his appearance betrayed the dreadful work in which he had been engaged. His sleeves were tucked up, his arm was bloody, and his look altogether so shocking that the witness nearly fainted. She contrived, however, to ask what was the matter, and Wright told her, as she

fancied, to go upstairs and see. She did so, and found the woman Green lying on the floor with her throat cut, and just able to articulate feebly that Wright had committed the deed. A policeman was soon fetched, and Wright, who had remained in the house, without attempting to escape, and who acknowledged himself the perpetrator of the crime, was taken into custody. That a quarrel originating in jealousy had led to the deed seemed sufficiently probable, and the scene witnessed in the York-road would appear to indicate that the jealousy was on the side of the woman. Otherwise, the evidence represented them as living together quietly, and with habits so generally regular as to suggest the impression that they were man and wife.

Upon the commission of the crime the retribution of justice followed with a celerity rarely paralleled in the annals of justice. So speedy was the course of law that the murderer had actually been condemned to the gallows before the remains of his victim were committed to the grave.

The crime, as has been stated, was committed on Sunday morning, the 13th; on the 14th the prisoner was brought up to the Southwark Police Court, where the evidence, of which a brief summary has been given, having been stated, and the prisoner declining to make any defence, he was at once committed for trial. The Central Criminal Court was at that time in session; a true bill was found by the Grand Jury on the 15th, and on the 16th the prisoner was arraigned before Mr. Justice Blackburn for the act committed only three days before. Being called upon to plead, the accused, who had no counsel, said that "he was guilty." The Clerk of Arraigns, upon this, took pains to explain the nature of the charge against him, which was that he had killed the deceased purposely and of "malice aforethought." The prisoner, however, only repeated that he was guilty.

Mr. Justice Blackburn, addressing him, said,-I understand you have pleaded "Guilty" to an indictment charging you with wilful murder, and I wish to know if you thoroughly understand what you have done in so pleading. You have by that plea admitted that you wilfully committed murder on the person of the deceased, without any excuse; are you aware of the consequences? I don't wish to dissuade you from so pleading, if you really know what you are doing; but, before it be too late, I want to know if you thoroughly understand the meaning of your plea.

The Prisoner.-Yes, my lord, I do.

Mr. Justice Blackburn.-I repeat, I don't wish to dissuade you from confessing your guilt.

Mr. Sleigh, interposing, said he was counsel for the prosecution, and begged to state, before the prisoner finally answered, that he had only just been committed for trial, and probably had not had time to obtain legal advice or assistance. He had read the depositions, and it occurred to him that if the prisoner were well advised he might be disposed to retract that plea.