Mr. Geo. W. Simmons, the founder of Oak Hall, Boston, died yesterday.

Thirteen vessels and 115 lives were lost during the past year in the Gloucester fisheries.

It is expected that the Fitz-John Porter case will soon be considered in the United States Senate.

The ways and means committee yesterday approved a large number of the items recommended by the tariff commission.

Four hundred stores were destroyed by the recent fire at Kingston, Jamaica, and the property loss aggregates $15,000,000.

The Philadelphia Book Trade Association yesterday adopted resolutions protesting against any reduction in the tariff on books.

A jury was finally secured in the starroute conspiracy case yesterday, and Mr. George Bliss began his opening argument for the prosecution.

Twelve rooms in the east quadrangle of Hampton Court, the Royal Palace, fifteen miles from London, were damaged to the extent of $150,000 by fire yesterday.

The depot, together with sixty cars, ten locomotives and a wharf belonging to the Manhattan Beach Railroad Company at Bay Ridge, N. Y., were destroyed by fire yesterday. Loss, $500,000.

Twenty-two persons were drowned yesterday in an Australian mine.

The House judiciary committee has decided to make a favorable report on the bill to relieve the United States Supreme Court, and recommends the adoption of the Davis bill, creating nine intermediate courts.

The Pall Mall Gazette is authority for the statement that Mr. Gladstone has resigned the English Chancellorship of the Exchequer, and that the Right Hon. Hugh C. Childers has been appointed to succeed him.

THE WEATHER.WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. 15, 1. A. M. For New England, colder, northwest to southwest winds, partly cloudy weather and occasional light snow, higher barometer.