The Express. — London, England, 1863-01-02 00:00:00

the eri)Velifi♦ Ldvertlawnents Int;nd;o tor "Tire ZaieZa• Loudon Ivestnig Paper most be at tbo WSW, 10, Botweete-atneel, by Two •• ckeb on the 041 of PlarbarMos. COVENT °AIDES. This EVIINIII6, and and ird Acts of THE BOHEMIAN GIRL—And the "rand comic Christmas Pantomime, entitled HARLEQUIN BEAUTY AND THE BLAST.—Commence at 7. YXARK TRW MEMO. OD D AMERI CAN COt SIN. Mean'. Boehm% and Backatone E. Fitzniniam —IRAMIELAB PRINCE 01 ADIO3BINLL Mr. Oongnon and Min L Keeley. —And A DAY APTAB TEI WEDDING.—MJaa Harden:. PRINCM43II. Tars EVENING, TIME TRIES ALL Mira Constance Aylmer.— And the Pantomime, ItIQUIT WITH THE Turf : or, Harlequin and Mother Shipton. Moan Milano, It. Power, sod Ballard; Mine A. CoHinson. BRITANNLL THIS Emma, the Pantomime, AEON HASSAN. Yrs. lam Messrs. Evans, Lonis, Newham, and Mdlle. Waste Stephan ; Tom Sayers and his two Mulen—And BOMB HELLS THAT RANG.—Comnsettee at -past I. HIGH WAS= AT LONDON DRIDGI. TIDO DAY Nornibb. O. OIL • • —bilobooolo. Ob. 1011 . lb-awsioN—Mandel. Oh. 660.....Abaxises. 16 lea LONDON, FRIDAY, JANUARY 2. Tim pitiable tenacity with which certain Irish judges have clung to the bench after age and infirmity had rendered them wholly unfit for the discharge of their arduous duties, has more than once attracted the attention of the House of Commons. Some of our readers are not quite old enough to remember the case of Chief Justice Lord NOREURY, for whose removal a petition was presented by Mr. O'Coerarr.m., setting forth, amongst other grounds, "that he had fallen "asleep during the trial of a murder case, and " was unable to give any account of the evidence " when called on for his notes." The petition was I withdrawn at the suggestion of the Government, which ultimately succeeded (by the offer of a peerage) in persuading his Lordship to resign in his eighty-seventh year. More recently we had the case of Baron PENNarrrnas. That learned judge had attained to almost an equal age, and had besides been afflicted for a consider able period with total loss of sight ; yet his reten tion of office under such circumstances found some warm advocates in the House—Mr. Duntssit, amongst others, characteristically urging the sar castic plea that "Justice herself is blind." These reminiscences havebeen suggested to us by a letter signed "An Irish Barrister," which ap peared in the columns of the Daily News some time ago, and which complained of the condition to which the Court of Queen's Bench in Ireland has been re duced in consequence of the advanced age sad precarious health of the Cams Jcsrics. No contradiction has been given to the statements contained in that letter, and indeed we believe that the writer rather understated than otherw;se the extent of the grievance, and the amount of in convenience to which counsel and niters are alike subjected. Chief Justice LETROY k t we understand, in his eighty-eighth year. His standing at the Bar is such that he might have given his professional services in drawing the will of EDMUND Boars. He was probably a rising practitioner before the Duke of Wirtaxgoros had won his maiden laurel+ at Aasaye. When Lord DERBY conferred upon him his present high position (some ten years ego) the appointment was generally considered a well-merited but almost posthumous reward for cons l / 4 lerably more than half-a-century's devotion to the Tory cause—a devotion which hes been happily propa gated in the person of his son, Mr. ANTHONY LI7IOY, who so worthily represents the Univer sity of Dublin—and justifiable rather on the score of prat services than of present efficiency. Our objection to Chief Justice Lsraor, however, is not of a political nature. It is the simple and practical one that he is unable to discharge the duties of his office ; that there is no reasonable probability of his ever again being able to discharge them pro perly ; and that the public service imperatively requires that he be replaced by an efficient suc cessor. His attendance at court has become so desultory as to be even more inconvenient than his total absence would be, and when he does attend he is said to exhibit those psychological peculiarities from which the very strongest men are not exempt when, at his age, they attempt a continuous and sustained intellectual effort. It is perhaps not unnatural that even in such a case as this the House of Commons should be un willing to resort to extreme measures. In tte first place, the Opposition are disinclined to give up their chance of the reversion of the appoint ment. The Government, too, always seems (by a sort of official tradition) to regard itself as the " putative father" of all servants of the Crown, and with morbid tenderness defends the ricketty even more zealously than the vigorous ones ; while kindly-hearted men of all parties feel that there is something inexpressibly painful in the spectacle of a long and honourable professional career brought to a compulsory and ignominious termination—the real authors of the catastrophe being generally those indiscreet or interested friends who are so apt to gather round an old, ambitious man, and who with vigilant and well-organized flattery pander to that vanity which is one of the vices or follies of extreme old age. It is doubtless some similar feeling which re strains a public and emphatic expression of opinion with respect to this subject on the part of the Irish Bar. We scarcely think their professional brethren in this country would have been so forbearing. But, apart from the injury inflicted upon the Bar—apart from the interest' of those un happy individuals who have the misfortune to be involved in lawsuits wherein the "law's delay" is aggravated by "natural causes"—it concerns the public to inquire whether, if it be unnecessary that the Chief Justice should be "effective," it can be necessary that his office should exist at all. If the absence of the chief member of a court of justice be a matter of trivial importance, does not a presumption arise that the judicial staff is in excess of the requirements of the country ! We understand that the " Law and Equity Commis " sioners," recently appointed, commenced their proceedings by a declaratory resolution, to the effect that it was not within the scope of their commission to make any suggestions as to a re duction of the number of existing judges. If this be so, it becomes all the more necessary to bring the case of the Irish Court of Queen's Bench before Parliament at the earliest opportunity ; and we consider the subject as one eminently worthy the attention both of our legal and our financial reformers. gbt (BOUM _ OSI3ORNE. JAL L The Queen took an airing yesterday. _ _ The Prince of Wales and Panes Louis of Ham, at. tended by Lieutenant-General linollys, Captain Grey, and Captain Waiters°Dar, craned over to Southampton yester day in the royal yacht Fairy, and went to Winchester to visit the Cathedral and the Hospital of St. Cross. Their Royal Ilighnemes returned in the &harpoon. The Princess Louis of Hesse drove out, attended by the Hon. Mrs. Bruce. Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-office from the Governors of Malta and Canada. Despatches were sent to the Governors of the West India Islands, British Columbia, Bermuda, and to the Lord High Comminioner of the lonian Islands. HER MAJ ESTE'S NEW YEAR'S GIFTS. —The annual gifts from her Majesty the Queen to the poor of the parishes of Windsor and Clewer were distributed yesterday, tinder the supervision of the clergy and a committee of gentlemen of the respective parishes. The distribution took place at the Town•hall, Windsor, and not in the Riding. school, as on former occasions, when her Majesty and the Royal family were usually present ; 801. being expended in the parish of Windsor in beef and coals, and 701. in like manner in Clever parish. The Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian and the Archduchess Charlotte, some of the German jotunals state, will go to London in March, to be present at the marriage of the Prince of Wales and the Princess Alexandra of Denmark. A letter from Berlin Rap :—" On Monday after noon, about 4 o'clock, the Crown Prism and Princess met with an accident while riding along Tempe'holm Strersa The carriage, which was drawn by two honer, was pro ceeding at a very moderate pace, in order to avoid coming in contact with some fire-engines which were posing by at the time. A careless driver from the country, however, managed his horsee so clumsily that the centre pole of the waggon to which they were attached was carried right through the window of one of the doors of the royal car riage, shattering it to pieces. The Crown Princess, in the terror of the moment, put out her hand to seise the door, and was cut by the broken alma. The injury is not con siderable, and the incident might have been greater but for the exertions of the Crowe Prince." The Countess Forteecue was safely delivered of a daughter, au Wednesday, at Outle Hill. We have to announce the death of the Dowager lady &carton, in her 85th year. Her ladyship was third daughter of Mr. Thomas Weld, of Lulworth Castle, Dor. setahire, and married in 1800 the Hoe. William Stoarton, son of the Right Hon. Charles Philip Stourton, who afterwards became the 17th baron, by whom her ladyship had a numerous famlly. While mild spring weather is enjoyed in Paris, winter has set in with goat severity in some of the French departments. So great &quantity of snow has fallen in the Loser, that it is feared that the country will not be free from it for some months to come. The now has produced consternation in the cantons of Langogne, Grandrien, and Chlteatmettf by the destruction of the woods. Rome woods exist no longer, having been crushed by the weight of the snow. The for to the landed proprietors is estimated at several hundred thousand franca. Several farmhouses, barns, and stables have given way under the weight of the snow. Scow likewise fell at Pontarlier dui:og eight days to the depth of two feet. At Weimar it is stated that the correspondence between Goethe and the Duke Karl August may be ex pected to be published in the mum of the coming summer. Dr. Vogel, one of the surviving representatives of the "great tine" of Weimar slang with the Grand Duke and the chamberlain, Herr von Goethe, is engaged in the per of the letters. The entire number amounts to 630, of which the Grand Duke peewees 130 (which are therefore by Goethe), while 416 are from the archives of the Goias family (which are from Karl Agent to Goethe), and the remainder will be gathered from other quarters ; including, for the make of completeness, a few that are already published. Five hundred citizens of Leipeic have sent a silver laurel Grown to Garibaldi as a Christmas present. On each of its haves the same of a pleas °putted( his torically with the great " liberator's" career is lightly in scribed. A golden band which binds the wreath M I /ether beers the inscription :—" To Garibaldi, the Hero of Free dom. Christmas, 1862." A letter accompanies the gift, eqweseing admiration felt by the givers towards the Italian hero. and concluding with the wish that he may still live to see freedom extending and reigning over all civilised lands. It appears that in Saxony, by particular wish of the King, the principle of the English " ticket-of-leave" has lately been adopted in the thrcs greet establishments for convicts— Waldheim and Zwickau for men,and Hnbertus. burg for women. The ministerial order expremly mations that the measure has been induced by the experiment et the same kind made in England. During the host month letters have been re wind by the directors of the London Miseionary Society from the Rev. William Ellis, full of information on various topics connected with the state and prospect' of the mis- Woe, and also a journal containing, with other intelligence, • very graphic and interesting account of the ocronatiou of the King and Queen, on the 23rd of September. A letter from Rome of the 27th nit:. lays :—" linet even* the Apollo, the Argentina, and the Valle theatres wureopened. Thegrenteet crowd was at the Apollo, as every one was anxious to see the renovations which had been effected there, and at the same time to be present at the curious spectacle given b► Mgr. Mattenoci, director-general of pollee, who offered refreshments to all the spectators in the second and third tier of boxes. Th►t custom of giving refreshments on the opening night of the Apollo has no logger the public approbation, since at present the second and third rows of boxes are occupied not only by the nobility and diplomatic body, but by persons whose nobility consists in their money. The oast of this riefresco being about 2,C03fr., it has been proposed to apply that sum to charitable purposes. The embellishments of the Apollo are magnificent and in excellent taste.° A letter from Caetrea (Tarn) says :—" The tri bunal of this plus, at its lut sitting. has cancelled the will of Father Lacordaire u far as regards a legacy given to his wasfsmor is the Let illness of the testator." The Monde gives the following details relative to the works for reetoring the cupola on the church of the Holy Sepulchre :—"The French architect and the one gent by Humana, a German by birth and a protestant, have made • minute examination of the present state of the cupola. They have ascertained that all the woodwork is so worm-oaten, that ►t the first heavy squall of wind the top of the cupola might fall on the tomb of the Saviour. The architects pro pcse in the first place to construct ► provisional covering eo as to protect the pilgrims and the clergy from any accident. As to the cupola itself, everyone has been long agreed as to the necessity of its being completely rebuilt. The architects are of the same opinion, and it will, it is said, be constructed in bronze, and be terminated for Christmas next year." The forests which surround the valley of the Rhine are now fuller of snipes than they have been for many years, a fact which the country people in that district consider as an omen that the winter will sot be very severe. The sportsmen, on the other band, find bares and partridges wares, while foxes are more numerous than usual. An American paper says that a great grand nephew of Oliver Goldman& was shot through the head and disci at Antietam. AN OLD FILLIND IN • New DINBR.—Le Nord of yesterday evening mond an ontinaly new appearance, and vat publiahed in Paris instead of Bresse/s. It has been increased in size, contains six columns to the pegs in piece of live, and is printed In entirely new type. In its programme, it claims to he regarded as a amenopolitan orpn animated exclusively by thaw international idea; which it informs us have already so far waited all civilised countries that they are now adopting " the same form of government, the same code, the mom tariffs, the acme system of weights and measures." It furthermore nays that it reroorm to Paris because that city is the politica!, industrial, and oommarcial capital of the whole world. • To place its cosmopolitan character beyond doubt, the Nord prints in its first column a string of advertisements in all the European languages. TIII•TRICAL &recces= IN PARIS. There have bow aye greet theatriesl sumesses in Paris during the past year :—Le lila de Oar, at the Francais ; Laths Roska, at the Opfm Cornices; Les Game/tea at the Glyranses ; Le Baena, at the Porte in. Merlin ; and RotAossago, at the anima .74a of them pions has yielded to its authan something like 100,000 f. (4,0001.). Four out of the Ave works are still being played. CHAMPAGNE, DRY and DELICATE. Finis 2.44., Quits inn per closes, nillwar curbing UAL kocommendod vela undlenoe.-11114RY T sod On.. Inaporters, 014 linialuis Distlllery, Holborn. Le. unl $O. Ingentirreet, Watorkuptsee, S.W. BOX -HIS- EARS. —PI ESS E and LUBIN'S new Pi MB for the festivities. the welled to Stolen Ibises, also Sir Boger de Ocreerley hys Savour, three bottles, In a pretty case, 75.. or Ante bolt* te. ed. Newrollie without our name In wrIttag.—VIISSE and LUBIN, Boa offset, Loudon. KOOND-HAND PIANOFORTSB. UM. UAL; and WOOD Ism • lamp 111110141111111 §wooed-bsad Plabcdartes, b 7 Ow swat oWdwddd rtes, Id Pap, Mooed plow —WO. Eadentstreet. THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, JANUARY 2, 1863. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. ITALY. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Count Pasolini, bas sent the following circular to the diplomatic agents of the King of Italy abroad : Turin, Dec. 20. Monsieur le —, I enclose a copy of the speech pro nounced by M. Farini when he announced before parliament the formation of the new cabinet. By this general statement of the views of the ministry of which I am a member, I am dispensed from any necessity to enter into long explanations of the direction which the present admi nistration proposes to give to our foreign policy. I will take care to acquaint you with the intents of the government upon each of the special questions which may successively engage my attention. to the meanwhile, I reckon, Monsieur le —, upon your able and active co-operation to explain to the government with which you are accre dited what the real aims and view, of Italy are. By consecrating all our effort., on the one band to the internal reorganisation of the kingdom, and, on the other, to render more intimate and solid those relations which unite us to other stater, we will show how the constitu tion of Italian unity has been a veritable progress towards the consolidation of the European balance of powers. The Italians will never forget that these advantages were obtained with the concourse and strength ened by the adhesion of the most enlightened powers. It was the justice of her cause, the firmness and moderation of her conduct, which won Italy this sympathetic co-opera tion. We shall do our beet to secure a continuation of this favourable disposition in our behalf in the future, by ener getically developing the forces of the country, and by win ning through our loyalty the confidence and the respect of the power without renouncing any of the principles en which the accomplishment of our national destinies must be kneed. Italian unity, springing from the alliance of monarchy with freedom, must oontioue faithful to its origin. It will always maintain that ch►racter, at once liberal and conservative, which has won her such earnest sympathies in the past, and which will procure her her own legitimate share of influ ence for the future. PABOLINL Receive, lloasieur le kc. BRAZIL AND PERU. (IT =craw Tnamara.) (nom 001 own coaararomnirr.) SOUTHA MPION, FRIDAY. Rio news of the Bth ult., brought by the Tyne, states that the commander of • Peruvian man-of war refused to comply with the rules of a Brazilian port at which she called. Information was sent to Para of this circumstance, and the Peruvian vessel was fired at as she passed that fort., It is thought at Rio that this affair will lead to a war between Brazil and Peru. (alarm's TZLIGIU FRANCE PARIS, J. 2. The Moniteur of to-day publishes an account of the New Year's reception by the Emperor at the Tuileries. The Papal Nuncio presented the homage and congratulations of the diplomatic body. The Emperor thanked him, and added "I am happy to see around me the representa tives of all the Powers. They will ba able to bear witness to my desire to uphold those friendly relations, so requisite for present and future security." THE BRAZIL MAIL. SOUTHAMPTON, Jut. 2. The Royal Mail steamship Tyne has arrived here with the above mail, 58 passengers, 8831. in specie, 6 packages of diamonds, and 517 packages of cargo. At Buenos Ayres the produce market was active on account of the increased arrivals from Camp. Freights were abundant. Considerable transac tions had taken place in exchange, 150,0001. sterling having been drawn on England per Tyne, principally at 6611. The Rio Janeiro coffee market was more active, which rendered exchange firmer, and gave a livelier turn to the depressed state of business. The amount of exchange, drawn per Tyne, was 400,0001., from 27k to 271. At Bahia the sugar market was fiat, and the exporters refused to grant the prices demanded. Freights were scarce. Exchange, 90 days, 21 to 2& The receipts of sugar at Pernambuco had been large, and the shipments heavy. Vessels were scarce and freights demanded. In exchange 75,000/. had been negotiated on London at 28f to 29. 2,8001. have been transmitted from Rio by this mail to the Lord Mayor for the Lancashire Relief Fand. WILATHSR REPORT. .—crms DAY.) lltrIAT, JAIRTIJII 2, II *.L Bayonne. SATURDAY. SUNDAY. R.F.W. to N.N.F., a 11005Jiiiii. N.& to N.W., ',zoos: gale, with /MOW or to moderato. rain. Mimihertz, a go* with IRELAND. . ;7173.w. lid a., w. CENTELL. V7Z. to "11 4.N.1., stmng to moderato. W. to N.W. sad N., LW.ENOLAITIP. Arm& *lnman to N.N.W., on- ILL SIIGIAND. N. to W. sad Wog ff , =mottled. W. to W., fresh, squally. N.N.S. to W.N.W., moderate, fine. N. to W., (reek *Dm. rale. Northerly, modmte. settled, squally. t. to N and E., strong, Z. Orient N.N.W. to E.N. X., squally, sums anew. teeth, unsettled. VA11001:11,101 INLAND. —VICTORIA, V. L, Nov. 4, 1862.—Victorialtas never since lasB promoted so lively an wed au it doss now. The streets are crowded with the miners who have just luturued from Cariboo, sad every house is, in American parlance, "chock full." A building mania has set in, but house-room still falls far short of the demand. To increase the confusion, there is nothing like an adequate supply of lumber, so that numbers of edifices, which are in course of erection, have been much retarded in their progress towards completion. —British Colionlias On the 2nd tilt. the following men-of-war were St PICAILII4 namely :—Freneh daphip Pallas ; fripte Cor nelia ; corvette Galatea, and staamor Clamant ; Americo flagship Lanauter ; sloops St. Mary and epee; British steamship Tartar. Nsarocrrax BILIGANDR.—The Opinions of Turin gives an account of a prolonged encounter with • party of 31 brigands near Careen* (Naples), m which only two pri soners were made, both women dressed as men and armed to the teeth. The Arrenarc of Napkin states that a merchant of Salem°, called Albano, was carried off a few days ago by • party of brigands, who informed his wife that she most pay 200 ducats for hi ransom. The poor woman managed to serape together 70 ducats and sent them, ►ut received in return a bit of her linsband's ear, with • maissie to the effect that his head would soon follow if t h e mat of the sum were not forthcoming. She them applied to her triads, and at length succeeded in collecting the remaining 130 ducats, upon which her husband was released. I. l 1.1. Nairn 92 2 2 lAlth ll 2 Ardroalaa Portruala Galway Valenti& Queenstown as e 4 1 Holyhead 19.39 Liverpool IAN Pembroke Penzance 49.66 2 Jersey Brest L'Orient 129.80 11 Rochefort 190.0S 27 2 Plymouth _19.63 1 Weymouth _29.61 2 Pot tansouth. '12.66 1 Keg. luodon t946 2 Yarmouth , 41 1 Scarborough Etti 1 Shields . .22 43 3 Heliviand . .143 1 Copenhagen .1 - Heider — - EXPRESS FROM PARIS. Craw OUR OWN PARIS, THURSDAY EVINING. The Moniteur contains the new electoral circum scriptions allotted by a decree dated Dec. 29 ; so that the government is entitled to the credit of not having committed a flagrant breach of the law according to its own interpretation, although the public, seeing the matter postponed till the very last moment, may well be excused for its misgivings. The number of representatives for France, conse quent upon the increase of population, is aug mented from 273 to 283. But, curiously enough, the department of the Seine (in other words, Paris) is to return only nine members instead of ten. By some inexplicable hocus pocus—complained of in vain, until the journals were warned into silence— it has been arranged that while the population of Paris has enormously increased the constituency has diminished. The first number of K Granier de Cassagoac's new journal, La Nation, appears with the new year. The programme is ambitions. Like M. de la Gueronnihre, M. de Cassagnac has a " follow ing." The France has been called the senators' journal, and it seems that the Nation aspires to be considered as that of the Corps Legialatif. In each case the designation is far from accurate, and contains a strong leaven of puffery. In the interest of their respective shops, Senator Gueronuiere and Deputy Cassagnac are naturally glad to be thought leaders of parties. They will, however, exercise no influence upon the thinking part of the public, ex cept so fares they may pass for expounders of impe rial ideas. The anonymous " senators" who figured so conspicuously in the programme of the France, have not since made known their names or num bers, and no senator but the editor himself has yet signed any political article. I apprehend that as few deputies will be conspicuous in the Natio». It is quite possible, however, that the Nation may be come an organ of occasional importance. The Temps estimates the place which the Nation is likely to take in the French press as follows : Fio far as we can ventove to judge from &drat number, the Nation well be a little more conservative than the Coital tutiosusei, and a little more clot:cal than the Prance. M. A. Fleury, an ex-representative of the people, living at Rue de Seine, No. 51, writes a letter to the Temps, setting forth that, on December 12, he was arrested at 6 in the morning, at his own house, and taken to a prison cell, where he was kept some hours, having been previously cross questioned, searched, and deprived of his watch and some of his money. When brought before the judge of instruction he was told without any word of regret or apology that he had been arrested by mistake for another person of the same name, and that "he might go." He says that but for great exertions made by a friend to whom his wife applied, be might have been kept iu prison from Friday to Monday. M. Nefftser, of the Temps, observes how much more serious the case might have been bad M. Fleury been a mer chant with b;lla to pay at the end of the month. That is very true. A mistaken attest is in all cases most regrettable, and involves great responsi bility on the officials from whose carelessness it arises. A mistake, however, may occur under the best possible system, and it is satisfactory to find that in this instance M. Fleury was released in the course of the day. As to the necessity of a reform in the French law of arrest and pre ventive imprisonment, which there is good ground for hoping will soon be effected, no additional argument was required. We have bad a charming mild winter's day for the new year's reception. After a slight white frost in the morning, the sun shone brightly, and the streets were tolerably clean. Immense crowds have thronged every quarter of the town throughout the day. At this moment the caf4s on the Boulevards are lined with people taking refreshmenta out of doors as in summer. VICTOR HUGO AT HOME. A correspondent writes to a contemporary from Guernsey :—"Haring read with math interest yourcritique on Victor Hugo's 'Lea filisirables,' I thought a short de scription of the good and charitable work in which this great author and his family are engaged might not be unac ceptable. I received an invitation from the son, Frangois Victor Hugo, to be present at an entertainment and dis tribution of articles of warm clothing to thirty-two of the poorest children in the island, which I ladl accepted. These recipients of Victor Hugo's b o unt y were invited, first, to a substantial repast on Friday last, to which they did ample justice. They were then ushered into • magnificent apartment, in which was an illumi nated Christine' tree, got up with exquisite taste, and decorated with a beautiful assortment of toy fruit, which appeared to give as much pleasure to the little visitors as did the hearty fare so recently relished. The toys distri buted, Victor Hugo addressed the children in a few appro priate words, stating that in selecting the toys he had pur posely avoided guns, pistols, cannons, and swords. He, being a great enemy to war, had desired rather that their attention should be drawn towards the more profitable emblems of peace and prosperity, as indicated by the tree's produce. It was • most pleasing sight to witness, not only the extreme delight of these poor children, but the perceptible pleasure it was affording the worthy host sad hostess. Then followed the gift. of warm winter clothing. The youthful guest. were afterwards filed off to another apartment, where one and all were fitted with stout boots and shoes. Victor Hugo then dismissed them with the admonition to be good and dutiful children to their parents, with the hope of meeting them all again, under similar circumstances, next year. Thus ended one of the most gratifying assess I ever witnessed. It wee but the day before that these sense childrea assembled at klantrale House to be regaled with a substantial Christmas dinner. Having expressed to Victor Hugo the plaints) this sane had afforded me, be replied that his great desire was to induce others in the island to adopt a similar course towards those poor children, an example which affords ample scope for imitation, and is well worthy of being copied. Ware it not for the ridicules,' distinctions of class vogue here, much might be done in this direction ; but what with the sixties, forties, and twenties, and their hoes of demarcation, the island is far less prosperous than it would be were these absurdities for once and for ever abolished. I should add that Victor lingo entertains six teen needy children every week, and when the appetite is thoroughly satisfied, they are permitted to revel in the besntiful lawn attached to his house. No matter, whe ther Roman catholic, protestant, or dissenter, all alike are received with open arms, poverty being the only claim to this noble charity." The bankers and merchants connected with the Australian trade hare requested the Postmaster-General to order the whole of the correspondence from Australia by the next mail to be sent hither VIA Marseilles, as it win bring duplicates of the letters lost by the Colombo, the early receipt of which is of great importance. - - Purim irr AMIDRICO.—Tbe import duty on foreign white paper's 30 par cent., which, under the pre sent rate of exchange, is prohibitory. And it is only I. consequence of this duty that our own papermakers are able to take advantage of a scarcity of rags, and by combining together to force prices up to their present enormous rate. But for the duty, publishers could resort to the foreign market, and by introducing a new element of competition keep prices here within reasonable bounds. But under the existing tariff, such printing paper as we use conk] not be imported and.sold here for less than 22 lent' a pound ; our manufacturers, therefore, feel quite safe in fixing prices at or even above that figure. This bears not only upon newspaper publishers, but 'upon book publishers, consumers of writing paper, and every body who uses paper of any kind. The government itself will suffer losses to the amount of hundreds of thousands of dollars in consequence of the pre sent enormous price of paper of all kinds which they are compelled to use. The tariff on paper meantime yields the treasury no revenue, because it prohibits imports. It inflicts immense injury, therefore, apes the great mass of the reading community, whibi it doss no good to anybody but a few papermakers, whom it aids in their exactions ucon the public at large. We hope cooper will give some atten tion to this matter as one of very great and preening in termit. There is no sound or substantial rearm why they eliceekl sot at oboe repeal the import duty on paper, and, :hue give all eon■umers the benefit of access to the foreign. market.—New York Timm BEPREMINTATION OP TOPAZ& On Wednesday Kr. Alfred Seymour, the liberal accompanied try Ws brother, Mr. Denby Sey mour, for Poole, the,,two led agents of the liberal party, and the steward of the Duke of Somerset, vire rowdy canvassed the electors of Totem. On behalf of Mr. Dent, the conservative candidate, the conservative legal lagents were equally busy. Neither party has yet expressed any opinion as to the result of the maws. It appars that 167 electors signed the requisition to Mr. Dent, being five non than the number who polled for Mr. Mills at the late contested election, and 22 more than voted for Mr. Dunn, the unsuccessful conservative candidate at the same election. It is said that several other electors have also promised their votes to Mr. Dent. The present election is likely to test the strength of parties in the borough more fairly than any previous casket. The Duke of Somerset has recently increased his influence by the purchase of addi tional property, and it was therefore useless for any con servativecandAate to come forward who was not pre pared to do as Mr. Dent has done, and fight the duke with his own weapons. Mr. Dent, by becoming *landed proprietor within the limits of the borough, has dealt a very severe blow to the ducal sovereignty which, always great, had lately become intolerable. Electors, with conser vati ve inclina tions, will now be able to vote for the candidate they con scientiously prefer, knowing that the threat of eviction has lost much of its ld terrors. The present register shows such a nearly equal balance of parties, that under the altered circumstances of the 'lntro it is impossible to eatieipatia which of the two eandidates will b. returned. It la to be hoped that neither side will resort to the cor rupt practices which have dimmed former elections. Mr. Seymour, as we understand, is not prepared to pay a high price for the seat, and the libeml party will there fore be vigilant in preventing bribery by their opponents. A rather strange circumstance has come to light, which seems to be connected with the Totnes election. It is known to most of our readers that the government, about two years ago, bought a large amount of property in Sherlock. and Antony for the purpose of erecting fortifi cations to defend the dockyard. at Newport. This pro perty, so long as it was in the posesesion of the former owner, Mr. Carew, was managed by Mews. Smith, solici tor...l Devonport, who are conservatives. The Warollice aal ierities, after taking possession, courteously requested Messes. Smith to continue the agency, which those gentia n= bare done until within the last few days. Just at the lies that the late election at Totnes was pending, Mn.a Smith suddenly were informed, through the local represen tative of the War-office,that they must surrender the agency into other bands. By a most remarkable ooiucidenoe a land agent residing at Tapes, 25 miles away, was selected to manage this property. We confess we feel some curiosity as to how this gentleman will vote at the ensuing contest, which, according to all accounts, is likely to be as close as any that has taken place.— Western Morning Noes. MR. STANSTELD AND SIR CHARLES WOOD..—Mr. Fonter and Mr. Baxter, concerned in the retrenchment mo tion of the last Denims, have both rendered au account of their stewardship—the mover of it, Mr. Stanefeld, is to address his ootuitituents at Halifax on January 13. He and his right hon. colleague, Sir C. Wood, have both accepted invitations from their oonatitueota to meet them. The public expect to hear from Mr. Stansfeld some further in formation ss to the determination of his motion, since the subjectof retrenchment cannot fail to interest reformers until substantial results arise. THE PROPOSED REGINT.CIECUS AND PICCADILLY Rert.war.—lt is proposed that this new sub-London line shall run from Windmill-street, in the Haymarket, near the church recently bunt by Miss Burdett Cants in that locality, and in the purlieus of which neighbourhood room will be found for • Weet-end Asthma. The line will then take an entirely subterranean route through the parishes of Sobo, Tottenham-court-road, Bloomsbury, St. Pancras, Euston-rod, Liverpool-street, Gray's-ma.road, Saipan street, Chesterfield-street, Antonia(' and York roads, to • junction with the Great Northern, in the Ring's-erns station of that railway, which will then, by means of the Metropolitan Railway, have both a City and Wart-end ter minus. Parliamentary power are to be taken to divert or alter the levels of any of them thoroughfares, and to raise 1,330,0001. for constructing the works of the line, which will be worked by the company, the Great Northern, and the Midland Railways. The deposit mosey required by parliament as security of completion of the railway within five years, will amount to 80,0001., being 3 per cent. on one millioe, the estimated cost of the undertaking. STATISTICS OF REFORMATORY AND INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL/L-4S 1861 these schools had increased from 48 to 51, 4 having been certified in the year, and the certificate of 1 having been withdrawn. In the year 1,237 had been committed to them, of whom 236 were girls. All had been previous imprisoned, and 533 were committed for five years. Of the whole 463 boys sad 89 girls could wither read nor write, 438 boys and 119 girls could read and write imperfectly, the remainder could read and write well, and 1 bad had superior instruction. Their ages were-97 under 10 years of age, 109 under 11,163 wider 12, 241 under 13, 274 under 14, 252 under 15, and 101 under 16. Their crimes included 2 for burglary, 50 for housebreaking, shopbreaking, Inc., 5 for bone sad cattle stealing, 7 for receiving stolen goods, 7 for embezzlement, 1,052 for larcenies, vagrancy, and other items make op the re mainder. At the commencement of the year there were 2,870 youthful offenders in the reformatories, and, in addi tion to the 1,237 committed, there were admitted 92 from other certified reformatories, 16 from prison after confine meat, 19 after absconding, and 4 from leave of absence or service, making a total for the year of 4,238. The cart paid by the government was 7s per week for each offender ; in the aggregate, 52,3851. 12s. 6d. Only 2, 3 381. 6s. 3d. had been recovered from parents, In the yesr there had been discharged, either by order of the Secretary of State or on completion of the sentenoe, 651 boys and 151 girls, 60 bad absconded, 30 committed to prison for refractory conduct, 127 removed to other reformatory schools, and 20 bad died. The number remaining was 2,586 boys and 613 girls.—Com paniort to the Aletanoc. THE CRIMINALS UNDER SENTENCE OF DEATH.— Yesterday afternoon a further application was made to the Home Secretory in the case of the old man William Ockold, who was convicted at the last anises at Worcester of the wilful murder of his wife at Oldbury, on the Bth of November last, with the view of inducing the right hon. gentleman to recommend the extension of the mercy of the crown ; but Sir George Grey, after a long and anxious con sideration of all the facts of the case, could not find sufficient grounds to justify his interference with the due course of the law, and its extreme penalty will therefore be carried into effect at Worcester Gaol at eight o'clock this morning. In the case of Thomas Edwards. who was convicted at the Liverpool assizes of the wilful murder of a woman named Isabella Tongue, eo application of any kind has been made to Sir George Grey, notwithstanding the verdict of the jury was accompanied by a recommenda tion to mercy. The murderer will therefore be executed to motrow at 12 o'clock. In the case of William Morgan, con- , victed at Bristol of the murder of a police-oonstable the Home Secretary hes respite:l the sentence of death , and commuted it to penal servitude for life ; and the same de cision has been come to in the ewe of the married woman Elizabeth Boughey, who was convicted at Shrewsbury of the murder of her illegitimate child in August last. DREADFUL TREATMENT OF • SAILOR ON BOARD • SPANISH SHIP.—A case has lust been brought to the knowledge of the Liverpool poiice, exhibiting gross and continued emelty inflicted by Captain Antonio Mollidal, of the ship St. Lucia, upon Thomas Neale (a Dane by birth, but of English went.), who was a seaman on board the St. Lucia. When the St. Lucia arrived in Liverpool the policer:; ed receiv information that a man was confined on naked and in chains, and on proceeding to the chip they found Neale in the forecastle, in a most wretched con. dition, quite naked, and his bands and feet in chain; which were fastened to the aide of the 'hip. He was brought to the police office, and there made a statement that he shipped oe board the St. Lucia about three months ago in Alga Bay. Before he came on board he bought 500 for 11. 10a., which then afterwards accused him of stealing. Neale was the with the alleged theft by the captain before the Bri tish Consul at St. Helena, bat the owe was dismissed. Subsequent disputes appear to have arisen between'Neale and thecaptain, who, after are of these disputes, ordered Neale to go forward and to be put in irons Neale also states that the boatswain (who was the chief executant of the captain's orders) on one occasion en deavoured to cut his (Neale's) throat. Neale was kept in irons, ar.d fastened to the side of the vessel for a period of six weeks altogether, during the whole of which time he was naked and very scantily fed. When the irons were fastened uron him, the captain 'toed by with a drawn sword. The depositions in the ease will be forwarded to the Spanish authorities, who will also, it is understood, take charge of the captain. THE SINKING OF • RAILWAY VIADUCT AT CLAPHAM.—During the whole of yesterday a large number of workmen were engaged in removing the brickwork of the damaged arches of the viaduct, the piers of which subsided on the previous morning, in the field between Clapham and Bedford Roads, near the Clapham station of the Metropo litan Extension line of the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway. The operation was a dangerous sod difficult one, end was carried out under the immediate superintendence of Mr. George Cubitt, the engineer in chief, and Mr. Thomas, and there were also on the ground, minutely inspecting the state of the piers and arches, and rendering anatioce, Sir Charles Fox, Mr. Turner, Mr. G. S. Forbes (the general manager), Mr. Mills (resident engineer). Mr. Bishop (general superintendent), and Mr. Manley (the locomotive superin tendent). With regard to the state of the viaduct and the modus operandi of its removal, it may be stated that the workmen were "'mocked off" at dark on Wednesday, tithe engineers thought there might be danger in attempting to touch the srches after the parapet had been removed. Os the resumption of the work yesterday morning owe body of men were reneged in weighting the crown of the southern arch with the ballast from the damaged roads, while another gang of picked men were appointed to throw down the north ern arch. The work progressed steadily througlumt the day, but owing to the tenacity of the mortar with which the arches bed been constructed, and the general excellence of the whole works, nothiog of a decisive character was accom plished until shortly before four in the afternoon, when the arches fell almost simultaneously with a crashing noise, which was heard at a considerable distance. The remit:liras established most satisfactory, sod without any snidest to life or limb. The general manager of the company (Mr. Forbes) has made arrangements by which the train service from the Elepheat L and Castle to Brixton ma commence on Saturday at three • the trains runnier( every half-hour till 12 ; the quarter trains will run from 12 till 3, and for the remainder of the day half .hour trains will run. NEW YEARS DINNER To THE SALMI.; SEWING SCHOOL GIRLS. Yesterday the ladies' committee which had been formed for the purpose of providing a Christmas dinner for the women and girls employed in the Salford relief sewing schools, gave • new year'. feast instead, the original in tention having been ►bandoned in consequence of the Lord Mayor of London's generosity in providing • Christmas dinner to the unemployed of Lancashire. In consequence of an erroneous announcement that • monster plum pud ding, made by the Crated Cooks' Pension Society, of London, for the Liumashire operatives, and presented to the Salford New-year's dinner, would be on view at the town-hall, yesterday, • vast number of people assembled during the morning for the purpose of viewing the novel pudding. Numbers of these persons b►d come from Rochdale, B ur y, Ashton, Oldham, Stockport, and surrounding town, and deep was the disappointment at finding th►t their journeys had been in vain, the doors of the town-hall being closed against the anxious visitors. The large room in front of the town-hall was appropriated for the dinner, as was also the corridor separating the east and west wings, at the north end of which the band of the Salford Volunteers was and discoursed sweet mane at intervals. At the south sad of the corridor gallery, opposite the entrance to the large room, the monster plum pudding was placed, decorated with evergreens, and bearing an inscription descriptive of it. contents. The inscription abated that the pudding had been made by the United Cooks' Pension Society, of London, and that it had been boiled in • boiler belonging to the Marylebone Union. The dimensions of the mould were 3ft. 2in. depth, 3ft. Sin. over top, and 2ft. gin. in bottom ; 10ft. 2in. in circumference in top, and tn. 4in. is circumf!srenceat bottom. The ingredient' were 130Ib. of currants, 13016. of sultanas, 2101 b. of dour, 1301 b. of suet, 8016. of candied peel, 80Ib. of sugar, 1,040 eggs, 8 gallons of ale, 416 of mixe d d , spice, 111 b. of ground ginger ; the gross weight, Unel . Lok being 9001 b. The event of the New Year's dinner a to have caused considerable excitement in Salford, t =re7i. in front of the town-hall and the streets in the neighbour. hood being crowded long before the hour (three o'clock) appointed for the dinner. About the time named the girls employed in the various schools began to arrive in procession, each school enteriog the hall by doors previously arranged, and taking their seats at tables /Mi. cated by small printed cards. bearing the names of the schools. The following were the schools represented, and the numbers attending each eobool:—Christ Church, 48; St. Stephen's, 216 ; Pendleton, 108 ; Hing-street, 40 ; Hope. street, 14:1; St. John's, 118 ; Irwell-street, 66 ; Gravel-lane, 63 ; St. Peter's, 110; Ordeal's's*, 82 ; Mount-street, 106; making a total of 1,100 women and girls. The dinner was presided over by the Mayor W. Pennon. FAR., who, with the assistance of Mr. Councillor Brown, found ample men. potion in oaring roast beef for the numbers of keen appetites which surrounded him. The arrangements were under the superintendence of Mr. Dixon, of the Irwell Dining rooms, New Bailey-street, who had contracted to supply the feast with roast beef and plum pudding. The waitresses were se lected from various sewing schools, and their stations were indicated by different coloured rosettes which they wore on their breests. Everything was done in a very orderly and efficient manner, and the women seemed most heartily to enjoy the generous feutprovided for them by the thoughtful ladies of Salford, many of whom were present to witness the result of their labours. EXTENSIVE FORGERY BY A QUONDAM BIRMINGHAM CORN MERCHANT. Yesterday afternoon a gentleman of the name of George Gimmett, who a short time ago was well known in this tows as an extensive corn-merchant, was az routed at the Queen's Hotel, on a charge of forging • bill of acceptance for the sum of 300/., and another for 681. Some two years ago the prisoner car ried on business under the firm of Messrs. Gim mett and Weetrop, Eat= and core-dealers, No. 9, Braadetreet, Flay-row. We believe the firm became in volved in difficulties, and Mr. Gimmett afterwards accepted an appointment as • traveller, under Messrs. Turner and Co., 141, kedcliff-street, Bristol, and Loudon corn merchants. His duties were also to manage the London establishment, sad to attend the Birmingham and other corn market'. Such great confidence was plead in Mr. Gimmett that he was entrusted with a cheque and amseptance book, • num ber of which were signed by Messrs. Turner and On., and he was authorised in the umil way to fill in the accounts and draw upon their bankers for the sums be might require to fulfil their business transactions. home few west" ago, ea sooeptence for 303 f., p urporting to be accepted by Mr.Josepk Beach, miller, Dudley - With whom Messrs. Turner and Co. have bad business transactions, was presented through • local bank for payment at Messrs. Spooner and Co.'s, beak rs, London. The following is • copy of the acceptance " Bristol, Nov. 12, 1862. Two months after date, pay to our order 3C3 1 ., value received in wheat sad 'castor.' John Turner and Co." The acceptance was drawn upon Mr. Beach, and purported to be duly endorsed by that gentleman as payable at Messrs. Spooner and Co.'s. We believe that upon the acceptance being pre sented at Mews. Spooner and Co.'s, it was found that Mr. Beach's signature, purporting to accept the bill, was a forgery. Messrs. Turner and Co. were at once corn munimted with, and yesterday morning Mr. Turner arrived in Birmingham, and having obtained the assistance of Dr tective.sergeant Seal, proceeded to tire Corn Exchange, where they found Mr. Gimmett, but not wishing for • public exposure, they afterwards followed him to the Queen's Hotel. Mr. Turner then gave Mr. Gimmett in custody on the charge of forging Mr. Beach's name to the acceptance for 301. and also to another for 681. Upon hearing the charge, Mr. Gimmett said be was very sorry it was quite cot rect. He is about 35 years of age, and gave his address Donneo. 80, Charlwood street, Pimlico, London. He was at oseveyed to Moor , street lock-up, and we understand that this (Fri&y) morning Detective -sergeant Seal will make an application to the bench that Mr. Gimmett may be remanded to London, where the charge of forgery will be preferred against Birminukam Gazette. SERIOUS ACCIDILVT TO A FEY•LE ACROBAT.— In accordance with a previous notice by handbills, that • Female Blondin would give • series of performance* yeeter day afternoon, • rope, 20 to 25 feet high, having been stretched smogs • vacant spot adjoining the road, and near the church, at Northffeet, • female, about 18 years, ascended by means of a ladder, and traversed it twice. She next pro ceeded to blindfold beeself, and had partly crossed the rope wile when one of th e gymnastic party, a man of colour, climbed the poles by which the rope was suspended at one end to receive her, and, had no sooner arrived at the top, than he called out to her to go bock ; and at that moment the pole broke in two, and precipitated both into the road. The man received very severs 'Diaries from the fall, one arm being broken in three plaoss. He was conveyed to the °messed Infirmary, after [seeking temporary assistance from Dr. Crook. The female was lees seriously injured, though much bruised and shaken by the fall. STRANG! WEDDING.—A rather curious wedding was witnessed on Tuesday last, at the Primitive Methodist chapel, Loughborough. The bridegroom was • ripe old man of 75, and the bride, a blushing damsel of less than half those years. The pair came from Hathern ; and as many of the natives had subscribed towards the expense of publishing the banns and celebrating the nuptials, the style and ceremony was such as is seldom witnessed. A muck cart, cleansed and garnished, drawn by a steed (which, although not very light on the heels, had the ro deeming character of being quiet in haruna), trimmed and covered with • profusion of rustic trappings, was put in requisition to convey the lovers to the Hymeneal altar. After the ceremony the old man led forth his lady to her seat in the cart, and then took his seat beside her, giving expression to his love by hugging her in the tenderest manger. A large blue flag waved triumphantly over them, whilst the crowd of persons, numbering several hundreds, who had been attracted by the sight, filled the air with their cheers. The bride had on • white basset, • bridal veil, and a light dress, and looked (to use the ex pression of a bystar), clans and daceet, and very comfortable." Her headdress was a bunch of ivy, and her bouquet a bunch of holly. The bridegroom was attired in • and igee suit. His coat, instead of being buttoned, was tied with a piece of string, tied his trowsers looked so very uncomfortable, that it was evident he had thought that he had to dress in • pair of breeches, and therefore put his legs through too far. A number of men, shoulderiog broom, mop smile, ke., preceded the cal t, the procession being headed by a man droned as a clown, and • tiros teed. In this fashion they returned to their horns, the line al route being lined with spectators. The affair made quite a stir in the village, which pretested • holiday aspect —ltioftingkant Journal. BAD Mortilths.—A family may be brought up well by a good mother, even if the father is dissolute ; but we have never beard of any instance of children growing up well under • bed mother, however excellent may have been the influence of the father. Mrs. I.— was left a widow with three WOO and three daughter*. We saw the three latter in gaol together, some ten years ago—the eldest brother was then under a ten yearn sentence in Parkhurst juvenile pi not, as also the se.iond boy ; the youngest in the workhouse , the mother was living as she chose. This was the eighth conviction of her three girls, the youngest of whom was only fifteen. They had lived together in Loa don by picking pockets, at which they were dents ; once it was attempted to get them into a refuge, but the mother soon removed them. The eldest daughter was then under modems of penal servitude. She completed her time at Brixton, but was soon in gaol under another name, and is now again in Brixton convict prison. A conditional par don was obtained for the two others in different voluntary institutions. After many disappointments, and much per severance with thorn, they emigrated—one to Canade, one to the United States, as female servants, and reports were heard from each as doing well. The youngest boy was maintained for some years in a workhouse industrial school, then ran away, and was lost sight of ; the second, after five or six imprisonments, was placed as • volunteer in a refor matory, from which he emigrated, with a fair character. to Australia, and has been beard of as doing well; the eldest was discharged with • ticket.of-leave from Parkhurst, hie conduct baring been good there. His fare was paid to emi grate with the gratuity he received on his discharge; but he left the ship, returned to the POMO of his former life, and after living at large on the fruits of crime for some weeks, he was taken up for burglary, oonvicte l. and nan teoced to fourteen years' penal servitude. How much hoe that one woman cost to the government and to society thmugh her children!—Mies Carpenter, in Fraser's Maga zine fur January. &LW. Law. &w. W. W.N.W. W.N.W. &w. S.W. N.W. W. N. W. W.N.W. W. ILLL W B.&W. W.S.W. &&W. w. W.N.W. W.&W.