The Express. — London, England, 1867-12-21 00:00:00

PARIS EXHIBITION FIRST-CLASS SILVER MEDAL, MT. GOLD CHAINS.--JORN BROGDEN ‘...11 to tail the attention of the public to the FORM as gs VOICE which he delivers with Gold Chains purchased Ms usanufactory: R a . d. To workmanship of wove pattern chain, 5t inches long Y 15 0 To (IS, carat gold, weighing 2 osa, at 22 Sa sid. per ounce, Mint price . Tota1.. Upon this system, the QUALITY, W ~a nd VALUE of the gold are accurately denned,and guaranteed to the purchasers: Jehn Brogden looking for a fair remuneration on the workman ship only, which is charged socohling to the Intricacy or 'iamb city of the pattern. llanufaetory, 16, llenriettanireet, Covent-garden. London. (PRIZE MEDAL AWARDED). ALLEN'S PATENT PORTMANTEAUS and TRAVELLING BAGS with square openings. LADIES'WARDROBE TRUNKS, DRASSLNG BAGS, with silver Mugs. DESPATCH BOXES, WRITING and DRESSING CASES, and 600 other articles for house or continental travelling. Illustrated t f o catalogues psree. Also en • Btrr ck Furniture Catalogue of Portable Bed steads, Drawen, Buy Chairs, Washhandetande, Canteens, etc., po!t free: i:W.ILLEN, Manufacturer and Patentee, $7, West Strend, Louden. W.O VIIRISTMAS PRESENTS. - GLOVE and V HANDKERCHIEF BOXES, Work Baskets, Sealskin sod other Fur Muff Bags, Dressing Cases, Dressing Bags, Card Trays, and an endless varisty of the newest Parisian goods, front b. bd. to £2O. Catalogues post-free.—AMER and SHERWIN, SI, Strand, W.C., and tiU,Oxford-street, W. OVERCOATS for the PRESENT SEASON. Gentlemen who do not mind paying a fair peke for Erst e-lam WINTER OVERCOATS can deeppeend on the beat Inaction at HAMILTON and KIMPTONS, Talon and Overcoat-makers, 105, STRAND, OPPOSITE EXETER-HALL BREAKFABT.-EPPB'B COCOA. DAVIES'S beautiful HARD WAX and SPERM CANDLE'S, is, per lb. ; palace paraffin candles, Is. &L ; Is. Sd. and la 101.: botanic was, la. : composite, SO., moul &L ; dipa, Old. yellow soap. 3 6a, On. 64a, and 4 40. per 112 lb . ; mottled, 48s. ; hest Cohn Ca. 4a. 6d. per " 'Bono for cash, at M. P. DAVIES and ;SON'S wax chandlers and I Oilmen, 611, St. Martin's-lane, N.C.—Lista poet free. 6 7 6 Mite OxIIreOli• TO CORRESPONDINTS Idrentleementa Intended for " Thor tzprawa," London Evening Zr, must be at the ()Moe, 10, Bouriaiwatreet, by Two ck on the dar of publication. HAYMARKET. T2/9 Evrstno, OUR AMR - RICAN 06 . 1.781 N. Mews. Bothers, DAyinnntl, Gordon, Rogers, de. : Mechnnes Chippendale. Burke, Wright, Robertson, to—TO PARIS AND BACK FOR £6. Mr. Buckstone.—Concluding with A KM LN TUE DARK_ PRINCIKIVS. TIM NY 1011141, Tat 0)171.1iN BIWN. Mr. and Kra. Dion Dencleault —After which Till STREETS O) LONDON. Bad ger, Mr. Vining.—Doom open at half-past 0 ; commence at 7. Taos End Mia. THE BILTRNIiiiIMIIIFL—ESKEILUDA —MIRIAM'S CRI NI E.—And KIND TO A FAULT. Messrs. Par 'elle, Belford, and Jam ; as landmass Johnstone, Owyune, and Hughes. HIGH WATER _ AT LONDON _ BRIDOE. DAITLlionaiisi.101Z26Co::::Alt;;;;;;;ZI1h. 4m. foallosaaw—ltoratag.llb. Sint---Afternooe, W. OIL. LONDON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21. THE great RIGBY WASON trial against the Press is over, and we may once more breathe freely. For three days it has oppressed us with its gross, cum brous, and unwieldy balk, but happily this morning we see the last of it. If it has not answered every purpose of its promoter, it has given him that for which he has persistently laboured, a high platform and a vast audience. The verdict was for the defendant, the Times, on all the counts, so that the 1,0001. damages, which Mr. Wesos, in anticipa tion of victory, had already dedicated to public objects, will not avail to benefit the Clerkenwell sufferers, or add a Libel Wing to a hospital, or perpetuate the memory of the plaintiff in any form. Mr. WssoN cannot, however, complain. His cause has been tried by the most eminent Judge on the bench, while he has been indulged with boundless licence of attack ; so that if the defence has prevailed against him, he has only the weak ness of his own cause to blame. To listen to Mr. RIGBY WASON'S opening state ment, this cause was one to be registered in future collections of the great trials of the country ; to be transcribed into the history of England, and pointed to for the instruction of future generations. His pewee ul antagonists were Earl Bergsma. and the Earl of DERBY, the past and present Premiers ; Lord CHELMSFORD and Sir FITZROY KELLY, the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Baron ; Lord Sr. LEONARDS, and the Editor of the Times. We find nothing, however, in the report of the trial to sustain this statement. Those eminent persons wore, indeed, assailed in the course of the proceed ings with a wealth of vituperation which in some states of society would make the fortune of its possessor ; but none of them were made parties to the action, none were represented by counsel, and none bad an opportunity of replying to the imputations which Mr. RIGBY WASON scat tered broadcast. The action was, in fact, brought against a newspaper proprietor, and against no one else, for serving the public by accurately report ing the debates in Parliament, and for publishing such comments upon them as any educated man of the world would be likely to make. If the free and slanderous use of great names can make a great trial, then this may be so designated ; but if the character of an action depends on its aims and issues, and the manner in which it is conducted, then this of WABON Y. WALTER is one of the most contemptible that ever occupied the attention of a court of justice. Let us briefly recall the facts. In February last Mr. RIGBY Wseox thought fit to address to the Houses of Parliament a petition, in which he alleged that Sir FITZROY KELLY, who six months before had been made Lord Chief Baron, had, upon the 11th of April, 1835, pledged his honour as a gentleman to the truth of that which he knew to be false, for the purpose of deceiving a Com mittee of the House of Commons ; and he prayed that a Committee might be appointed to investigate this charge, in order that, if it were found true, Sir Fazaoir KELLY might be removed from the Bench. The petition was presented in the House of Lords by Earl RUSSELL, and became the sub ject of a long debate, if that may be called a de bate the parties to which were all of one opinion. Mr. Rio IIY WASON'S conduct in bringing this charge against an old hustings opponent after an interval of thirty-two years was severely repro bated, his allegations were denounced as malig nant and untrue, and his petition may be said to have been kicked out of the House. The report bur the speeches of this debate, so different in its complexion from Mr. RIGBY WARON'S hopes, was the matter of the first count in the action, which alleged that the defen dant " publicly and maliciously printed and " published in a newspaper called the Times, in " the form of a debate in the House of Lords, the " words following," and then the speech of Lord CHELmsroen in defence of Sir FITZROY KELLY was set out. The candid reader will of course suppose that the plaintiff meant to charge the Times with publishing a report which was unfair and untrue, and that the speeches had been garbled in order to place Mr. Rinsi Wssox's case unfavouraoly before the public. Not at all. It was not his purpose to make any such assertion. His complaint was not that the speeches had not been delivered in the House of Lords as the Times reported them, but that they had, and for this he sought to make the newspaper responsible by an action for damages, as he had previously tried to do, in another THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 21, 1867. manner, in a police court. It happens that the Times published comments simultaneously with the Parliamentary report ; but that the mere publication of the speeches was considered by the plaintiff to constitute of itself a sufficient cause of hostile action may be inferred from the fact that he took legal proceedings against newspapers which had published the same re ports without comment. We will not here insist upon the unfairness of thus attacking a newspaper for faithfully performing a service which has now become essential to the working of our representa tive institutions. But let the circumstances under which this action was brougnt be noted. This was not the case of a private person who had suffered by the gratuitous introduction of his name into a Parliamentary debate. Mr. RIGBY WesoN bad himself instigated the discussion which took a turn so unfavourable to him. He thought to drag with dishonour from the bench a gentleman who had just received from his party that promotion which is the recognised reward of long service ; he failed, and instead of seeing his old opponent degraded, he himself lay prostrate in the mire. Is such a man in a position to complain of the publi cation of the discussion he had provoked for his own purposes, or ought he to wreak his anger on the newspaper which, had he been more fortunate, would, with equal fidelity, have reported his suc cess ? The public will judge of this conduct, and, unless we are mistaken, will see in the course which Mr. RIUBY WASON has taken nothing but the suggestion of a boundless and all-absorbing egotism. Whatever might have been the result of this action, only one opinion could exist in impartial minds as to its fairness. It is satisfactory, however, to know that not only has a verdict been given for the defendant, but the Loan CHIEF JUSTICE has pronounced a judicial opinion on the privilege attaching to re ports of parliamentary proceedings, which may be expected to effectually discourage similar actions for the future. OUR CONTEMPORARIES. (THIS DAY.) The Times wonders that Mr. Gladstone should be ever brooding over the past ; and says that what his worst foe would most wish for him would be that he should ever keep open the wound that now frets his soul and saps his vital energy. Moreover there are two side, to the history of the Reform Bill. If he likes the measure why pull it to pieces, and propose an insidious attack on its electoral manipulations? If he does not like it, why claim the credit of it ? The portion of Mr. Gladstone's speech to which special attention ia drawn by the Daily News is that wherein he recommends that we should proceed at once to remove those grievances in Ireland which are confirmed and pal pable, and inquire with anxious care into thorn which are more obscure or complicated. We have to enforce justice, but we have also to do justice. We have not only to repress crime, but to remove the causes which provoke crime. The feeling which would defer this inquiry be , cause of the horrible events of the moment, is one which, however it may be worked by the organs of an interested party, the nation will disclaim. The Herald accuses Mr. Gladstone of giving an explana tion of the late Fenian outrages which is nothing less than blasphemous, and the Standard says that the speech at Ormakirk is marked by a bitterness of spirit,awant of can dour and courtesy, a disposition to pervert facts and mis represent opinions, such as are happily not usual even in party controversy. The Star nays the reforms sketched out by the liberal leader are simply those which have been more or lees ac cepted for some years as necessary by all competent to judge. Most of our contemporaries 'peak in congratulatory terms of the important legal decision incidentally evoked by the action of Mr. Rigby Wason against the Times. Mr. Wason, it is pointed out, by eliciting from the Lord Chief Justice the ruling that the publication of parliamentary proceedings is privileged, has been the unintentional in strument of vindicating the liberty of the press in one of its important aspects. The Post comments upon the extraordinary facts which have come to light at the Clerkenwell inquest, establishing beyond a doubt that on Thursday week the authorities at Sootland-yard were in possession of information that an attempt on the lions° of Detention was to be made, and, not only that, but they knew exactly what sort of attempt it was to be. The precautions that were taken were ridi culously inadequate, and in times like these such a futile and feeble administration of the police is not to be en dured. If the present commissioner is incapable of con ceiving and carrying out adequate measures, one should be found who does not labour under the same incapability. To the Star it is manifest that the primary duty of efficiently guarding against an attack of which the fullest warning had been given devolved upon the Chief Com. missioner, and that this duty was not performed. the Court. OSBORNE, Dre. 20. . The Qum drove off{ yesterday afternoon, ac companied by Princess Louise and Princess Beatrice, and attended by the Equerry-in•\Vaiting upon horseback ; and her Majesty walked in the grounds this morning with their royal highnesses. Prince Leopold also walked out. The Queen held a council at Osborne at one o'clock to day, at which were present the Duke of Marlborough, the Duke of Buckingham, Lord Robert Montagu, mid Lord Claud Hamilton. Previous to the council, Sir Francis Head, Bart., was introduced to her Majesty's presence, and sworn in a mem ber of her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, and took his seat at the board accordingly. The Duke of Marlborough and the Duke of Buckingham had audiences of her Majesty. Mr. Edmund Harrison was clerk of the council. After the council Arthur Edward Kennedy, Esq., C. 8., Governor of theiVest African settlements, was introduced to her Majesty's presence by Lord Claud Hamilton, and received the honour of knighthood. Prince and Princess Christian and Princess Henrietta of Schleswig-Holstein left New Lodge on Thlusday, on a visit to Lord and Lady Cowley, at Draycott Park. The Privy Councillors who yesterday attended the Queen's Council, at Osborne, made the pa/sage between Gosport and the Isle of Wight on board her Majesty's ship Fire Queen, Staff Commander F. W. PauL His Royal Highness Prince Arthur loft tho Ranger's house, Greenwich-park, yesterday afternoon, en route for Osborne, to spend the Christmas holidays with the Queen and other members of the royal family. Their Royal Highnesses Prince Christian, Princess Mary of Teak, and the Prince of Teak, and suite, honoured the Grand German Fair, Portland Bazaar, Langham-place, Regent-street, with a visit yesterday, and made extensive purchases. Prince and Princess Christian, and Princess Henrietta of Schleswig-Holstein, left New Lodge on Thursday, on a visit to Lord and Lady Cowley, at Dray oott Park. The Marquis and Marchioness of Dos =shire have been surrounded by a select party at Hillsborough Castle. Among the company were—The Earl of Bectire and the Ladies Taylour, Lord and Lady Alice HenUs, Lord Charles Bertsford, &o. The noble marchioneu's ball last week was attended by the elite of the county. Viscount and Viscountess Castlerosse have left town for Italy to pass the winter. Viscountess Palmerston, with Viscountess Jocelyn and Viscount Jocelyn, has left her residence in Park-lane for Broadlinds, Hants. The Eight Hon. W. F. Cowper will join the family circle in a day or two. The Right Hon. Sir Robert and Lady Emily Peel are entertaining a select party of friends at Drayton Manor, near Tamwortb. Sir Henry Storks will enter upon his duties as Comptroller-General, at the Wsr-offlce, on the lit of January. The salary will be the same as that of the per manent Under-Secretary of State, viz., 2,000(. a year. The death of the Earl of Carnwath is announced. It occurred on Saturday last at Bannerol; de Rivers, Pyrenees. Lady Rumbold, wife of Sir Arthur C. Rumbold, Governor of the Virgin Islands, died on the 27th ult. at Tortola. Mr. Charles Buxton, M.P., Mr. George Godwin, F.R.S., and Mr. Alderman Lusk, M.P., have beoome vice presidents of the Public Museums and Free Libraries Association. Mr. Henry Cole, C. 8., has consented to preside on January 6 at a soirée to Mr. Hodgson Pratt, Vice-Pre sident of the Paris Excursion Committee, by artizans who visited the Universal Exposition under the commiteee's auspices. Lord Cairns was elected yesterday Chancellor of the University of Dublin. He received 35 votes, one vote only being recorded for the Earl of Roue, * The Council of the Society of Arta have called a conference of persons interested in the subject of techni cal education, on Thursday, January 23, to meet in the Advlphi. Earl Granville ►nd Earl Russell have proiLised to attend the meeting. The subject for consideration is, bow best to promote the industrial and scientific educa tion of the various classes of the community. The Gardeners' Chronicle is informed that M. T. Bass, Esq., has consented to take the chair at the next anniversary dinner of the Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Institution ; and that Sir Robert Peel has intimated his intention of supporting Mr. Bus on that occasion. Mr. G. G. Scott will deliver his lectures on archi tecture at the Royal Academy on Thursday evenings, Jan. T 3 and 30, and Feb. 6, 1868, at 8 p.m. Mr. G. F. Watts has been elected full member of the Royal Academy. The widow of the late Dr. Woo Heston has pre sented to the Art-Library of the South Kensington Museum a valuable aeries of drawings of Greek and Roman mosaics, to be found in Spain, France, Pompeii, Prussia, Haiku mums, Switzerland, Rome, and Italy generally, Constan tine, Carthage, and also in various counties of England, which had been executed for Dr. Woollaaton, From New Year's Day Mr. E. S. Dallas will saininie the duties of editor of Once a Week. Haydon's picture, "The Raising of Lazarus," so long and so well known on the staircase at the Pantheon, Oxford-street, has been obtained for the National Gallery, British School. It is said that " Mignon " will be given at the Royal Italian Opera during the coming season. We (Army and Navy Gazette) regret to learn that within the last few hours a telegram has been received, announcing the death of Colonel Clark Kennedy, C. 8., the Commandant of the Military Train. AS is well known, he had been sent to Egypt to superintend the despatch of the mules for the Abyuinian expedition, and had nearly completed his tuk last week, when he was seized with dysentery, dying on Wednesday night at Cairo. " The Abyssinian expedition is reported," says the Army and Gazette, " to have swallowed up the usual amount of the surplus of the navy estimates, and it is be. lioved that there will be little or nothing to return into the Exchequer at the close of the financial year, especially when we find that the Channel squadron has returned home with a formidable list of defects, so that any sums which have been saved from the demand made upon us by our friend Theodore will be required to be disbursed upon Admiral Warden's ships." A Cannes journal the other day mentioned ge " an interesting detail" the somewhat startling intelli gence that Lord Brougham's manual income amounts to 6.54,0061. sterling. This statement drew from his lordship a letter, in which he says :—" I have to request yon to inform me from whom you learned so great an absurdity, and, without doubt, you will insert in your next number an explanation of a mistake which has provoked general laughter, and which procured for me on my return here a reception which I did not merit." TR! ROYAL BARON OF BEEF.—Yesterday, Messrs. Copeland and Sons, of Thames-street, Windsor, exhibited the royal baron of beef intended for her Majesty's Christmas table. The royal baron was cut front a splendid Devon ox, bred and fed b 7 the Queen at the Norfolk farm, Windsor-park, under the supervision of Mr. Brebner. The animal was shown at the Smithfield Club Cattle Show, where it was known as No. 7 of Class 2 (Devon oxen). Her Majesty the („lueen went to the Nor folk Farm and selected this animal for the toyal baron before it was sent to the show. Last night the royal baron was meet to Windsor Castle, where it will be roasted to day (Saturday) before the great kitchen fire. On Monday it will be sent to Osborne, where, with the boar's head and game pie, it will grace her Majesty's sideboard on Christ. massday. MUNIFICENT GIFT OF LORD SOMERS. —The Castle grounds, so beautiful in themselves, so full of historic in terest, and so desirable from their position, are, by a noble liberality, to become the property of the town of Reigate. To the Reigate people these grounds are of the utmost value. An open space of more than five acres overlying a large part of the town, and almost surrounded by houses, even this preserved would be of incal culable value, but this will be greatly increased by a judicious and careful cultivation and arrangement. This generous gift we have no doubt will be properly and prac tically appreciated by the people of Reigate. Anything that can be done to make the gardens as beautiful as pos sible must be done. The nature of the gift seems to make this • necess►ry consequence, and Reigate people will have confidence that not less than this will be done when they know that Mr. W. Wilson Saunders is chair man of • committee which has been formed to make Lord Somers' gift as valuable as poesible to the town and neigh ' bourhoo—Surrey Standard. MISADVENTURE OP A .NEWSPAPER CORRESPONDENT. Mr. Benny, a newspaper correspondent, who was 'rounded at the battle of Montana, and brought to Rome with the Garibaldian prisoners, bad his right arm ampu tated on the 15th at the Hospital of St. Onofrio. Mr. Benny, although a British subject, is a na tive of St. Petersburg. He wee coming on towards Rome from Monte Rotondo in a carriage on the morning of battle; when near Mentana he was stopped by some Garibaldians, who requested the use of his vehicle to carry from the field one of their wounded officers. Mr. Benny could not refuse, of course, so be was left in the middle of the road, while the Garibaldians placed his effects for him in a cave by the side of it. In this petition he was soon after discovered by an advanced detachment of Papal troops, of the Swiss rifle battalion, who levelled their arms at him. He called out in French that he was not a combatant, but a newspaper correspondent, holding out ►t the same time both hands, one with a pencil and the other with • piece of paper in it, but one of the soldiers took his hand for a target and discharged his piece at it with unerring aim. The officer in command came up to him di rectly after, and an explanation took place in Ger man, resulting in expressions of regret at the mistake and a promise to send the wounded man to the Pontifical ambulance, but before this could be effected the Geri baldians advanced again on the position, and the Swiss retreated in all haste, leaving their victim in the hands of the red shirts, who escorted him back to Mentana, where he got attended to in a house until the entry of the French on the following day. Having explained his mishap to the victors his baggage was sent for by them to the cave, where it was found and brought to him, but minus SOOfr. and some valuables it contained. From Mentana he was brought into Rome, and placed in the St. Gnarl° Hospital, • locality which has not proved very salubrious to the wounded prisoners, especially in the ground floor ward, which is quite pesti ferous, and of which the poisonous miasma has turned many of the open wounds to mortification.—Correspondent of Putd. WEATHER REPORT.-(THIS DAY.) SATtRDAY, DICIIIIIIII 21, 8 LL ea B. W. I l li t : w.D. B. 1 ;161; 9. Nana . -119.64 f , . 8.8.3. W.N.W. co 0.08: 1 Aberdeen . - V. 711 • 1 B.W. 8. rm 0.13' 3 Leah 126731 431 N.E. N.E. tr 0.101 - Ardromon 19.601 49 1 E. E. r 0.29 1 Gmeneortlo .02149 W.N.W. W. ro 0.641 - V 4101436 Ail 2, W. I W. ha 0.06. 3 Cape Claw 29.84 52! LW. W. fm 0.05 3 Rochel Pt- 5.841 50' W. W. oak —l3 Et0 11' 17 61 444.7.4. 7 4 1 t 49 , 1 8 1 . i N i kY. filf. r 0.17 1 Z. ro 9.47! - Poaramm -tie! 1 W.N.W. 8.8.3. na NW 3 Rreat LW. rtm.o.36' 6 LoMeni. . 30.001 461 8.3. 88.1. or 0.16 1 1 tochetori lxtosr 37i I.E. N. bo I— , 3 Plymouth W. 40 f 43 Z. N.W. rho 0.361, 1 Weymouth_ 36.911 60 W. N.E. of I 0.25 3 Portamouth 19.06( 2 8.8. W. 3. mr 10.01 S London 10.971 . 8. 3. tar 6.061 - Yarmouth- 30.62 f 8. N. o 4 Ikarboroush29.B3t : 8. B.W. ma 0.00 4 8111•168 , 39.83 t B.W. W. in 0.19 S Barometer corrected and reduced to 112 deg. at sea level. The letter. r riaiug„ I (falling), a (steady), indicate direution of motion of the, within last 12 hours. Thermometer exposed In shade. Extreme force, with Its dPectlon dr.ing last 24 hon.'. Z.—ealm. Weather b.— bins sty; c. clouds (detached': f.— fog ; h.—hall ; I.—lightning ; m.—misty (hazy) ; o.—overcall (dull); r.—rain; s —snow ; t.—thunder. Rainfall, mow or hall (melted), during last 24 hours. bea disturbance. RE.II.,UIKB. flints yesterday there bee been a decrease of pressure at nmirV all stations, amounting to two-tenths of so Inch in the north. All premises, except that at Rochefort, show a decrease since last night. Temperatures have risen generally, and are highest in the British Wes. Winds yesterday were light and variable; this morning they are generally light, but fr from the south on the south-east coast. Fog has occurred in several places. Rain has been general, and snow has Mem in the east. On Thursday and Saturday next week, Professor Tyndall will deliver juvenile lectures at the Royal Insti tution on " Heat and Cold." 11 rapath hears that the Great Eastern Company are likely to receive many thousands of pounds u salvage, for the capture of a steamer that wee deserted betwixt Harwich and Rotterdam in the into storm. The Italian Chamber of Deputies, at one of ita last sittings, voted 6,610,0001 r. for the conversion into needle-guns of the present muskets. Tho number of foreign letters sent from and received in the United States during the last twelve months was 13,100,000, and the number of newspapers was 4,528,482. This number does not include newspapers sent to and received from British North America. Yesterday the Hon. Stephen Care, M.P., Vice- President of the Board of Trade, presided at the distribu tion of prizes at ;the Liverpool Collegiate Institution, and delivered an address on education. A deputation from Poplar, consisting of Mr. Green, Mr. Currie, Mr. Wigrain and Mr. Bullivant, had an interview with t!.e Earl of Devon, at the office of the Poor-law Board, yesterday. LORD CRANBORNE AND THE GREAT EASTERN RATIMAY.—The directors of the Great Eastern report that Lord Cranborne has consented to accept • seat at their new board. Is he to be chairman, or only a director? In either case he would be the most valuable acquisition, next perhaps to Mr. Lowe, that any railway could make ; but he is not the man we should have thought directors would have selected. He would be as bad as an official director, sure to see every thing, sure to be savage when anything went wrong, utterly contemptuous of jobs, and very much inclined, if too much harassed , to tell the shareholders the whole tenth all at once. Hs would not be an easy man to snub either, if he began enlightening the public, and alto gether his nomination must be regarded as • proof of decided virtue in the Eastern Counties. They will be ap. pointing Lord Redesclale next, or declaring • dividend, or opening the line from Bishop Stortford to Braintree. on which the crass will grow soon, or doing some other of their hundred duties.—Speetator. WEST or ENULAND FAT STOCK EXHIBITION.— A very successful exhibition of fat stock was held at Ply mouth on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, during which time it was visited by about 7,000 persons. There were 60 entries of cattle and sheep, and 240 entries of pouLry, and the quality of the competition was generally exceedingly good. There was also a respectable show of pigs and a splendid display of roots. Mr. W. Smith, of Higher Hoopern, Exeter, took a silver cup for the best Devon ox, a silver cup for the best Devon steer, and a silver cup for the best Devon cow. The society's expenses are put down at AOOl., of which 340/. were given in prizes. The receipts, including 4001. subscriptions, are reported to be rather over 7001., leaving a deficiency of something over 1001. This is the first exhibition of the kind held for the counties of Cornwall and Devon, and the results are con sidered very encouraging. THE CHRISTMAS MEAT AND FOrLTRY MARKETS. —Yesterday the meat salesmen and poulterers made their great show of Christmas provision, and the markets were completely choked with meat of ll descriptions. Very large consignments of beef from Scotland and of very rich quality have been made during the week, and the London carcase butchers have made • liberal supply of beef to meet the demands of retail butchers and many prize beans were on sale. The improved condition of foreign cattle has brought them into competition with home bred stock, and • large number of carcases are exhibited for sale. Prize sheep and " sensation hogs " also furnish the markets. In no previous year was the Christmas show larger in the aggregate or more excellent in quality, and if the prices are to be regulated by the superabundance of the supply, there is every reason to expect Christmas orders of this staple commudity executed at reasonable charges. The poultry show exceeds all precedent, the markets are glutted with every species of the feathered tribe, and, in addition to large supplies of geese from Yorkshire, and turkeys from Norfolk, immense cargoes of geese and turkeys from France and Ireland have been imported. Geese vary in prices from 3s. lid. to 12s. each, and turkeys from Sc, to 16a., and prize turkeys and extraordinarily fed birds at 20s. to 30s. each. Game and wild fowl lutists* very plentiful, end, beyond the large supply of poultry exhibited, many vans loaded with geese and turkeys arrived in London for distribution at geese and poultry :dubs and lotteries. To day the sales commence. _ _ A RUNAWAY TRAIN.—Late on Monday night, much to the astonishment of the officials, • long and heavily-freighted cattle train passed through Welshpool station without anyone in charge, and proceeded down the line at full speed. An engine was at once despatched in pursuit, and, coming up with the runaway about a mile beyond the station, succeeded in bringing it up with out any disaster. An explanation of the occurrence was afforded at the Welshpool weekly petty sersiona, when George Buchanan, the driver of the train in question, was brought up in custody charged with being drunk. From the evidence it appeared that shortly before reaching the station Buchanan had disposed of his fireman by kicking him off the engine, and, being thin; in sole charge of the train, had amused himself and mfied the signalman by running backwards and forward s sti between the distance signal and the station for nearly an hour. The signalman going up the line to inquire what was the matter arrived in time to see Buchanan fall off the engine on to the six foot, where be lay while the engine. having the steam up, proceeded on its way down the line. The magistrates committed Buchanan to prison for two months, with hard Isbour, but subsequently agreed to fine him 5/. instead. There were several drovers in the train in charge of the cattle. THE WEEKLY PRESS. The Spectator remarks that even the Fenians condemn the recent atrocious crime. If we could but win Inland, could but so change the mass of opinion there that Fenianism should be regarded by the majority of Irish men as it is regarded by all Englishmen, Fenianism would die under the hatred of those whose cause it is falsely pre sumed to defend. This is not the time? This is precisely the time. We know of no spectacle which could be nobler than that of a dominant people with one hand calmly and sternly maintaining its own dominance, and with the other removing the last vestiges of inequality, the last relics of intolerance, the last grievances produced by difference of race and creed. It is a most unpopular utterance just now, and therefore, it is all the more necessary it should be uttered now that when the Irish peasant sees in the Fenian an insurgent against himself, Fenianism will die under a pressure sharper than any government can order, or any policemen carry out. The Examiner deprecates strongly the injustice and impolicy of confounding vast portions of the community on account of race or creed with accomplice, in Fenian crime. Politic►l discontent is one thing—the reckless and ruthless resort to violence and to the nee of elements of destruction, whose deadly effects none can foresee, is a wholly different thing. The Examiner does not desire to hint a word of extenuation of the dreadful act recently perpetrated in the midst of us. All it wishes to point out, while the guilty await their sentence, is the folly and iniquity of imputing to millions of people complicity in the design cr its execution. Commenting upon Italian affairs, the Saturday Rtricto regards the recent debates as a sign that M. Rattazzi is not considered by the Italians to have irrevocably forfeited the confidence of the country. At present he is excluded from office by a belief that his return to it would lead to a cer tain breach with France. But his influence outside has been sufficient to drive the Menabret Cabinet into an in telligible and patriotic attitude. Not much exception can be taken to li. Itenabrea's recent speeches. The present cabinet have steered their course as well as could be ex pected of a feeble ministry. They have avoided extremes. It is the Emperor's turn to move next, and, in the condi tion of the Continent and of France, his next move is one of importance and of danger. If be has finally resolved to make common cause with the catholic party at home, Italy's only resource is to choose fresh alliances, and to trust to time, which has in its womb an eastern and a German, as well as an Italian " question." The Economist contends that there should be an inde pendent audit of the great railway companies, and that the government should exercise what philosophers call the function of verification. It is the only uniform authenti cator possible, the only one which can apply the same weight and the same measure to all railways ; and it is nearly the only one which will be believed as to any rail. way. A year ago, the expense would have been justly feared, but not now. The shareholders would themselves ask to have a real audit they could depend on, and which all others would depend on, and would be ready to bear the cost of it. An optional audit of petitioning railways is, both on grounds of theory and reasons of practice, the sole outlet from the existing difficulty. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. lasurza's TELLOILANS.) AUSTRIA. VIENNA, Dn. 21. The Debatte of to-day denies the statement of some other Vienna papers that Russian troops are being concentrated on the Galician frontier. The Morgenpod announces that the Russian minister, Count Slachelberg, will leave to-morrow for St. Petersburg. He will be absent one month. The official Wiener &Muni announces that the Emperor has authorised the dissolution of the spe cial mining department, and in future all mines will be placed under the direction of the Minister of Finance, by whom a general mining inspector will be appointed. AMERICA. (BY ATLANTIC TILZORAPH.) NEW YOBS, Disc. 20. 6 P.M. Congress has adjourned till January 6, having taken no action as to the cotton tax. Closing prices :—Gold, 133 g. Sterling exchange on London, 110 ; 5-20 United States Bonds, 108 i ; Illinois, 132; Erie, 73i. Cotton : Middling Up land, 15g. PHILADELPHIA, Dlr. 20. Petroleum, standard white, 25. THE ABYSSINIAN EXPEDITION. Sir S. Northoote has received the following tele gram from Colonel Merewether : "Near Renece, Dec. 5. "All prospering here. Chief of Senafe took us yesterday there. People very glad to see us. We move on to camp there to-morrow. Special messen ger from Prince Kursu• arrived yesterday. Brother of Gabriel Murcha sent because he spoke English. Brought us most friendly letter and messages. IV/warnst is also sending messenger. Menelek, from Shoa, is reported to have reached neighbour hood of Magdala in force, and hopes to gain pos session of it first. King had burnt Debra Tabor, all but one church ; has formed a camp a few miles off ; wishes to go to Magdala, but finds great oppo eition. Country people kill his soldiers when they attempt to cut grass or wood." • Kauai? t Waysham? EXPRESS FROM PARIS. (rzom ouR owN CORRESPONDENT.) PARIS. FRIDAY Evartnrc. The Court of Appeal to-day confirmed the sen tence of a month's imprisonment and I,ooofr. tine pronaunastl against M. Peyrat, the editor of the Arenir Nationale, on Nov. 15. Deputy Guiroult's journal, the Opinion Nationale, says Wo cannot but reiterate the expression of our sorrow at the severity now displayed against the press in general, and in particular against the honourable editor of the Aresir Nationak, who is one of the moat valiant defenders of liberty and democracy. A paragraph in the French papers asserts that two Prussian ships lately arrived at Genoa with 45,000 needle guns, manufactured in Prussia for the Italian government. Yesterday the annual general meeting of the Universal Israelitish Alliance took place in the Salle Herz. This society was founded about seven years ago by M. Cremieux. It has now corre sponding committees in nearly every country in the world. M. Cremieux was present yesterday, and explained the object and present state of the society with his usual eloquence. The Grand Rabbi, M. Isidore, paid a warm tribute to M. Cremienx as the founder of the alliance. The " jury of honour" held a meeting last night at the house of the president, M. Berryer. The parties were present. It is stated that MM. Havin and Gudroult informed the tribunal that they had chosen M. Emile 011ivier for their counsel, and therefore the news that it had been agreed to exclude members of the Corps Legialatif from that position must have been inaccurate. M. de Ker veguen has provisionally entrusted his case to M. Dufailly, an avoid, as the barrister, M. Mathieu, whom he wishes to plead on hie behalf, is at pre sent at Besanvon. M. Jules Fevre having to leave Paris for some days on a special retainer, the jury will not meet again till his return. ROME. We extract the following from the letter of the correspondent of the Morning Post at Rome : His eminence Cardinal D'Andrea arrived on Saturday evening by the train from Naples, accompanied by a Capu chin monk and his maestro di rasa, and slighted at the Alborg() di Cesari, the most modest hotel in the city, where a supper was procured for him from the Trattoria dell' Archetto, On Sunday morning the cardinal aban doned these unassuming quarters, and repaired to his residence in the Gabi:elli palace. There are great rejoiciegs at the Vatican at the return of this stray sheep. No doubt the cardinal has taken the wisest step for his own interest, and perhaps for that of the cause which he advocates also, in presenting himself ad pedes before the term allowed for his re turn (the 29th instant) expired, for as his alleged offences come entirely under the head of in subordination, his submission will deprive his ene mies of the power of urging the Pope to inflict upon him the final chastisement of loss of his cardinalitian rank, bishopric, abbacy, and all other ecclesiastical bene fices. It is inferred that his eminence will not be main tained in these honours and dignities without some severer penance than the mere act of submission, aud a temporary residence in some monastic establishment for the perfor mance of esercizispirituali will probably preparehis mind for theserious admonition which will be administered to him by the supreme Pontiff. It will be well for Cardinal D'Andrea if, having ventured back to Rome, his misdemeanours are visited with no more weighty punishment than reproof, and it is a proof of his courage that he should have come back at all, considering the enmity existing between him self and Cardinal Antonelli, and his own hardihood in re ply to the Pope's last autograph letter, prncariter atque iajuriose. The dinouement of this affair is looked for with much curiosity, although it will very likely go off as smoothly as the return to right sentiments of the long erring Father Pamela. The official statement gives the number of Garibal (liana captured at Monte Rotondo and Mentana (3rd and 4th Nov.), as 1,393. Of these latter the official list speci fies that 185 were brought in wounded and three dead. With such evidence before us, for the proportion of wounded who re-crossed the frontier was certainly very small, one cannot help being surprised at the singularly rhodomentade tone of the French and Pontifical reports of the battle of Mentana, scatter ing the field with the corpses of 000 Garibaldians and wounded in proportion—i.e., at least 3,000 ! It is ad mitted by the Pontifical medical authorities, who ought to know, that the Pontifical loss was fully equal to, if not greater than, that of the Garibaldians. With regard to the stamina of the wounded men, the Dutchmen are said to heal most readily, and the Swiss least so, the Italians and French offering a medium between the two extremes. A letter from Rome of the 16th says :—" Up to the present time Rome is unusually empty of foreign visitors, so that hotel-keepers and shop-keepers are conse quently despondent. Some distinguished families are expected about Christmas, among which is that of Lord Clarendon, for whom apartments have been secured at the Europ► Hotel. Fox-hunting has commenced with but a limited field, and I regret to say that a severe accident took place on Thursday during the run near Ponta Mara molo, Dr. Berridge having been thrown while charging a high fence, over which his horse fell upon him, breaking his oollar bone and three ribs." LAW INTELLIGENCE. (THIS DAY.) COURT OF CRANCERY. (Before the Lords dturtiore.) WALLACE C. 7fILE - ATTORNET-GENZBAL.-LORD H. samout's Their lordships gale judgment in this case, in which an important judgment was raised. Lord Henry Seymour who died at Paris, where he had kept a racing stud, hal left a large sum to the hospices of Paris and London. About 60, 00 0 . was in dispute, and the questio n was whether " hospitals" were included, or whether the term was confined to charitable institutions, excluding the places for bodily illness. The Master of the Rolls bad confined the term to charitable plaoss, and excluded Bartholomew's and other hospitals, about 30 in number. This was an appeal from the decision of the Master of the Rolls.. _ _ Their lordships now gave judgment, and Lord Justice Cairns went fully into the matter, and the result was that they were of opinion that all charitable plasma, including hospitals, were entitled to share in the property. The judgment was reversed, and the matter wen* to the hulls' C'hambers to include all hospitals. All places would now be included. COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH. The two special The cues on to-day's list had to be made remanets. The first, which wu an action for per. sonal injuries against a railway company, could not be tried in consequence of the absence of material witnesses, and the second, which was an action against directors for alleged misrepresentation relative to mining trams°. tions, had to go over, as there was not time to try it thee. sittings. His lordship then took three common juries. The firstwas referred, in the second a verdict was taken by consent, and the third was made • remsnet to the next Middlesex sittings. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS. Sittings at Nisi Pries in London.—(Baton Lord Chid Justice Bovill and a Special Jury.) BTIORTEB AND ANOTHER V. HOURS AND OTHERS. .... . . . . The plaintiffs in this came were stock-broken in the City, and the defendants were bankers at Leeds. On the 11th December last the plaintiffs sent a clerk to a sale of the London Stock and Share Company (Limited), with Untrue. tions to purchase some bonds of the Marseilles Extension Railway and Land Company (Limited). He bought 15 at 101. each, and subsequently 1501. was paid to Mr. Aspi. nail, the auctioneer. When the plaintiffs took the bonds to the office of the Marseilles Company for registration the secretary refused to recognise them, and said that the plaintiffs had no right to have them in their possession. The present action was to recover back the 1501. upon the ground that the plaintiffs received no value whatever for their money. Mr. Serjeant Parry and Mr. Hodgson appeared for the plaintiffs ; and Mr. Huddleston, Q.C., and Mr. Philbrick for the defendants. _ _ The plaintiffs' ease was that the documents were not in fact bonds at all ; they were not in the form of bonds, and they were not stamped. The Lord Chief Justice mid that if they were what were popularly known as Marseilles Bonds, it was not neoessary that they should be bonds in the strict sense of the term. It was further said that the obligations had been im properly circulated by a person in whose bands they were placed, and that a day or two before the sale the of the company called at the office of the auction s :Z et a said that the obligations bad been issued in • particular manner, that there was no right to sell them, and that they were valueless to the party holding them. On the other hand, it was said that the defendants had taken the bonds in the regular course of business, and had given value for them. The Lord Chief Justice said that the question in the cause was no doubt • very important one, and upon his suggestion it was, after a good deal of discussion, arranged that there should be a verdict for the plaintiff, subject to the Opinion of thecourt upon the facts as stated in • special owe. TIM POLICE COURTS. (THIS DAY.) WORSHIP-STREET. AY ATTENIPTTO STRANGLE A WIFE. John Allen was brought up in the custody of warrant officer Sergeant Smith, on a warrant charging him with hating attempted to strangle his wife. Ann Allen deposed that she was prisoneem wife, and lived with him at 30, Golden-lane, St. Luke's, and on Monday last, about 4 o'clock in the morning, he beat her with great severity, stalking her repeatedly in the face and swearing that he would " finish " her. She was awakened by his beating her; he had forced one of his hands into her month, and was striking her with the other. Ho had severely injured her lips and eyes, and she was suffering from bridges he had caused on her body. She had been to a funeral on the Sunday with him, and she now attributed his violence to jealousy. Sarah Lyons, a niece of the prosecutrix, gave evidence that at the time spoken of she heard the proseontrix screaming, and had gone to her aunt's assistance, and then found prisoner with his hand to her mouth, and that after he had struck her several times lie attempted to strangle her, repeating that he would make a finish of it. He had previously ordered her out of the room, but she had refused to go when he struck her. A witness named Charlotte Tingley, living in the same house, gave evidence of having heard cries, and on going uptake found prisoner kneeling on his wife and beating her with one hand and attempting to strangle her with the other. A man afterwards interfered, and the woman was rescued from further violence. John Thomas Coxhead stated that he lived at 30, Golden-lane, and on Monday last was awakened by scums of " murder," and went for the police ; he had seen pease. cutrix covered with blood, he thought she was dying. Mr. Newton, animadverting on the prisoner'. conduct, called hini a brutal ruffian, and sentenced him to a term of air months' imprisonment. WANDSWORTH. CHARGE AGAINST A SHOPMAIL—SINGULAZ CASE. Beer!, belle? and George Tattle , respectably dreseel hamoths, were charged with steeling a piece of cambric ndkerchiefs, containing twelve, the property of Mr. George Jarman, a linendraper, of Hope-place, Battersea. Mr. Condy appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Mayo for the prisoners. The persecutor stated that Deller had been in his service 2 years as shopman. Yesterday be asked permission to go over to the railway station for two turkeys which he expected from the country, He bad no business to tate any goods away to supply other persons. He was first in formed of the robbery by the pohce bringing the handker chiefs to him. In answer to questions by Mr. Mayo, the witness said Deller told him that he paid for the handkerchiefs by putting a 2s. piece in the tilL The witness explained his mode of business. His assistants were allowed to bare thing's, but only on telling him what they had taken, so as t o allow him to enter the goods and deduct the amount from their wages. Police-constable Barrett, of the X diriaion,said—Yeater day, at a quartet to 1 o'clock, he was on duty at the Padd'ngton-station,in Dudley-grove, when he was called to a pawnbroker's shop, where he found Tattle with the handkerchiefs. On asking him where he obtained them le said they were given to him by Deller. Witness then went to the shop of the prosecutor and made inquiries. Beller was called, when he said he knew about the handkerchie fs, and that be paid 2s. into the till for them. lie gave them to Tattle for hie mother. By Mr. Mayo—Witness did not believe that the prisoner said he put a two shilling piece into the till. lie did not say when he put the two shillings into the till. The prosecutor was re-called and stated that he forma no eutry in his book of the handkerchiefs h a ving beta entered to Deller. The cost price of the handkerchiefs was 2s. and the selling price wash. 9d. The prisoner mu the only assistant be had. Mr. Dayman said that with regard to Tattle there wu no evidence of complicity and therefore be would be dir charged. However, with retard to Droller he should re. mend him for a week. GREENWICH. LOCKING UP CHILDREN IN A POLICE CELL. James Pauline and Wiffisas Welsh, respectably dressed lads, aged respectively 12 and 10, belonging to Nether hithe, were charged before Mr. Traill with .; o ,, troying holly tree, value 11., growing in the garden of the house, 41, Dartmouth-terrace, Rotherhitbe. The prisoners were detected in the set of taking t he holly branches for Christmas decorations, and so coop pletely had the tree been stripped that even Iran of the young roots had been torn up, and the tree c ompletely destroyed. The owner said the value of the tree wee 1 1 .. be having some time since paid to a grower 1:•s. lii. for each tree planted in front of his property. The father of Poulton complained that bin son and ths other prisoner should have been confined in a police 0; 1 all night, as he thought bail, which was tendered, guisb' have been accepted for their appearance. Mr. Trail! said he had nothing to do with rs lice rtroug e. ments ; but the offence of stealing holly wl,s baldly tiro%tt to admit of bail being accepted. The prosecutor said, after the punishment the prisetert bad already . received, he had no desire to press the cW O further against them. Mr. Trail! said it was necessary, so prevalent was 1 10 practice of destroying holly trees at this season of lb! year, to punish all cues that were brought termini. sn' he could not even allow such young lads as the prix e el to escape. They had already been locked up some hoot and were both liable to the whole damage committed. 0 1 a heavy penalty, but he should divide the damage 1 1;4 ' between them with a fine of Is. each, or seven dar t p weE . The money was paid, and the youthful offeiole.e: discharged. The Irish Railway Commissioners met rested') at 2, Victoria-divot, Westminster. Present-:-Sir me!:, ander Y. Spearman, Bart. ; Mr. John Fowler, C.E. Mr. Seymour Clarke. The secretary, W. Neilson 11. =eh, LLD., was also present. '.