The Express. — London, England, 1867-12-23 00:00:00

LIFEBOAT SERVICES.—During the storms o 1 the present year the National Lifeboat Institution has ooetributed to the saving of 1,027 lives from various shipwrecks ens a vessels from destruction. The Institution also expended IMAM in the same period on its Lifeboat Establishments. In adduce:l to granting £2,444 for rewards. The Committee of the Institution earnestly appeal to the public for assistance to enable them to meet the continued heavy demands on their 156 Lifeboat listaidisiunentr. Contributions will be thankfully received by the London end country bankers, and by the Richard Lewis, Mo., at the Institut/ow, le, John-street. Ad lAnd°°. PARIS FAIMIMON FIRST-CLASS SILVER MEDAL, ME JOHN BROGDEN. ORIGINAL GOLD CHAIN MANUFACTORY, 16, H ll . ll iusrrA-irrazier. COVLIT4ILIDEN. JOHN BROGDICN'S 18-carat GOLD CHAINS. JOHN BROGDEN'S GOLD GUARD CHAINS. JOHN BROODEN'S GOLD ALBERT CHAIN& JOHN BROGDKNI3 GOLD BROOCH CHAINS. V R I 8 TMAS PRESENTS. GLOVE an d HANDKERCHIEF BOXER, Work Baskets. Bealskhs and other Fur Muff Bags, Dressing Cues, Dressing Hags , Card Trays, and an sodium variety of the newest Parishes RoWs, from b. bd. to t2O. Catalogues post-tree. —AMER sad Slithit WIN, 81, Strand, W.C., and 69, Oxford-street, W. BREAKFAST.-EPPS'S COCOA. Mite erpreol4. TO 0011.81t8TONDETTS. Whiatforaents Intended for " The I:prem." London liverdni =must be at the Oidee, 10, BearatiNarfot, by Two oa the day of publication. YMK. TIM' ErENING, THE IUY HA AL.S. AR Me ET ssrs. Bucks one, Chippen dale, Howe, Braid, Rogers, &c.: Mesdames Chippendale, Burke, Dalton, Fart/1111am tc.—BOX AND COX. Mr. Buckstone and Mr. Compton , --Concluding with THE WINNLNG CARD. MMUS'S. Tins Erruno, GUY MANNHEIM). Mews. T. Bar- Heinen, Wilford Morgan, O. Honey, J. G. Shore, and M! e Re becca leaace.—A CONCERT.—An ENTER LUNY/NM—And UP IN THE WORLD.—Commence at 7. HIGH MAT= AT LONDON HIGDON TWO DAv —Hondas. OIL om--..Attommos. Oh. 3lm. to-Monow—llorntag. Ob. 521b...--Alloamoes. lb. Aso. LONDON, MONDAY, DECEMBER 23. RAILWAY affairs are now passing through a most severe crisis. Public confidence in a largo proportion of this class of property has long been wavering, and at length, roused by the force of circumstances, shareholders, contrary to their pre vious habit, steadily insist upon being told the whole truth. The system of "making things " pleasant" to everybody has broken down, although shareholders encouraged it as long as the market price of their stock was kept up. The system served its purpose while it lasted, but years ago careful observers foresaw that sooner or later there must be a break down. The end has arrived in usual course. For the first time in railway his tory shareholders are now freely afforded the opportunity of ascertaining the true state of their affairs. The era of open speaking is succeeding to that of the old fashioned reticence. Never wore directorial reports so explicit ; never were chairmen so communicative. Confidence on the part of boards is becoming the rule, instead of the exception. It is to be feared, however, that even now many pro prietors are not well pleased with the change. It has the cardinal defect in their eyes of lowering the price of their property. They forget that in a year or two their stock, without some such alteration, might cease to be of any pre sent value whatever. They dislike unpleasant cir cumstances to be revealed, until at least they have had time to sell out. The majority, however, are actuated by different feelings. They have pur chased, not on speculation, but for permanent investment, both for their own benefit and that of their families afterwards. They insist upon kr owing the true worth of, their security, and it is to this pressure that the directors have with tolerably good grace been obliged to yield. The effect has, as a rule, been somewhat disastrous. One revela tion follows upon another. Unexpected debts have to be met, and in some cases liabilities not easily disclosed without grievous loss of credit in the money market. According to our present syste , n, credit is as necessary to a railway as to a bank. The renewal of debentures has become a vital point. But this is notesaily effected when it suddenly comes out that there is an indefinite amount of Lloyd s bonds, or temporary loans, to be provided for of which the shareholders know nothing. Again, the announcement is sure to be used by that inde fatigable class of operators, in or out of the Stock Exchange, who habitually speculate for the fall. The announcement that the Midland Company are about to attempt to raise a snm of as much as five millions has enormously increased the general distrust. This company has always been considered to enjoy exceptional advantages. It is a stereotyped remark at the general meetings of three-fourths of the lines in the kingdom, that it is necessary to resist intended invani. me and consequent withdrawal of traffic. Nevertheless it was always believed that the position of the Midland was unassailable. That favoured company enjoyed a district upon which it seemed an absolute impossibility to en croach. The managers of the company, however, not remaining content with their own particular locality, determined to come into London. Being, as it turns out, ignorant of the cost they were un dertaking, they have involved the company in a serious liability, to meet which it is intended to apply for parliamentary powers to raise the immense sum already mentioned. It will be instructive to see how the capital of this company has been increased during the last nine years: December 31, 1857. Share capital Loans "* E 1 6 ,19 0 , 672 ... 4,522,302 £20,712,974 In 1866 the account stood thus : December 31,1868, Share capital Loam 122,696,787 6,123,246 228,820,033 In the event of the proposed arrangement being carried out the capital at the close of next year will be materially increased--about 26,500,0001. in shares and 7,375,000/. in loans, or within a fraction of 03 per cent. in eleven years. This is not reassuring, particularly since the disposable revenue by no means keeps pace with the growth of capital. What, however, is of more importance is the admission that not far short of a million of money has been spent in advance for providing additional rolling stock and so forth. The directors may certainly be congratulated on their frank statement that they have laid out this money without specific authority, but their laxity cannot be too strongly condemned. It destroys all confidence. What confidence can there be that every great railway in the kingdom may not be at this moment subject to a heavy, but unacknow ledged, debt? The whole system must be changed. The irre sponsible manner in which railway directors have been allowed to pledge the credit of their respec tive companies without control, and too fre quently with purposed, or at least proved °email ment, should be done away with at once and for ever. It is strange how differently these things are regarded. If the directors of a bank should deliberately spend an enormous amount of capital in behalf (we will admit) of their shareholders without saying anything about it, and suppressing all mention of the same in their half-yearly ba lance-sheets, they would stand a good chance of being brought to sharp account within a very short delay. Railway officials, however, appear to be pri vileged persons. Director, Contractor, Secretary, Solicitor, or Engineer, have hitherto been allowed to do very much as they like. It is to be hoped that a thorough change has at length taken place ; many signs show that it has begun, and is steadily progressing. Hitherto railway companies have always had some thing to conceal. The practice is an old one —it dates from 1847—but is now being got rid of. A little more firmness and some forbearance will place this great interest in its proper position. It is the largest and most valuable joint-stock property in the empire, and any injury to it affects all classes. THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 23, 1867. with the three ambassadors to Paris, Constantinople, and Vienna. 'What hebu brought them together for the future will reveal. THE BELGIAN CABINET. The Aoenir National has a special telegram from Brussels, stating that the entire ministry have sent in their resignation to the King. The principal point of division was on the question of the inter ference of the clergy in primary education. The King's endeavours to reconcile them had, it is stated, failed. I urriz's ruscawas.) THE DANISH WEST INDIES. COPENHAGEN, Mc. 23. The plebiscitum in the Danish West Indian Islands upon their sale to the United States is to take place in the course of January next. the Court. OSBORNE, Din 21, The Queen, accompanied by Princess Louise and Primer Beatrice, walked and drove in the grounds yesterday afternoon, and her Majesty walked out this morning accompanied by Princess Beatrice and the Prime of Leiningen. Prince Leopold also went out. The Hon. Emily Cathcart has succeeded the Hon. Flora Macdonald as Maid of Honour in Waiting. Dec. 22. The Queen drove out yesterday afternoon accompanied by Princess Louise and attended by the lion. Emily Cathcart. The Equerries in Waiting were in attendanoe on hone back. Prince Arthur arrived yesterday from Greenwich-park, attended by Major Elphinstose. Her Majesty, Princess Louise, Prince Arthur, Prince Leopold, and Princess Beatrice, attended by the Ladies and Gentlemen-in-waiting, were present at Divine Service at Osborne this morning. The Rey. R. Duokworth officiated. The Dowager Countess of Gainsborough has =weeded Lady Waterpark as Lady-in-waiting to her Majesty. Despatches were sent on Saturday from the Colonial. °Moe to the Governors of the North American Provinces and Bermuda. THE PRINCE AND PRINCESB OF WALEB.—Their Boys' Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales will visit the Earl and Countess of Leicester at Holkham Hall, Norfolk, early in January. It is not improbable that Prince and Princess Christian will also join the party. The Prince of Wales shot over the estate of Mr. Villebois, of Markham, in the course of last week. The following gen tlemen were invited to meet his royal highness :—The Earl of Dudley, the Hon. A. T. Fitzmaurice, the Hon. C. Vivian, Captain Bagge, Captain Bathurst, Captain Sumner, Mr. Dyke, and Mr. TheUlm:a. The West Norfolk hounds will meet at Sandringham to-day (Monday), and the hospi talities of Sandringham House will be extendedto the field. The usual Christmas sifts of the Prince and Princess of Wales to the poor of Sandringham and one or two of the adjacent villages will be distributed this week. MINISTERIAL Movammrra.—The Earl of Derby has left town for Knowsley ; the Duke of Buckingham, accompanied by the Duchess, left Chandos-house, on Saturday, for Stowe, Bucks, for the Christina' holidays ; the Duke of Marlborough left town on Friday evening to join the Duchess and family at Blenheim, Oxon ; the Duke of Richmond left his residence in Belgrave•square on Saturday, for Goodwood, Sussex ; Earl Mayo left town by mail train on Friday night, for Dublin. The Lord Chancellor, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Gathorne Hardy,SirJohn Paidngton, Mr. H. T. L. Corry, Lord John Manners, and Mr. Walpole remain in town ; Sir Stafford Northcote left town on Saturday for the Pynes, his seat In Devon. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge had a dinner party on Saturday at Gloucester House. The party at New Lodge, the residence of M. and Madame Van de Weyer, invited to meet Prince and Princess Christian and Princess Henrietta of Schleswig- Holstein, included the Duchess of Marlborough, Lady Cornelia Churchill, Viscount and Viscountess Sydney, Lady Susan Melville, Prince Alphonse de Chimay, and the Hon. Leslie Rottman. There was • small dance on Wed nesday evening, and on Thursday, before leaving, their royal highnesses planted two Wellingtoniu as • memorial of their stay at New Lodge. The Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch and Ladies Margaret and Mary Scott have left Montagu House, Whitehall, for Paris, on their way to Cannes, where the noble duke and duchess have made arrangements to pus the winter. The Duke and Duchess of Northumberland left Northumberland House on Saturday for Albury Park, Surrey, for the Christmas. The Marquis and Marchioness of Bristol and Lady Mary Hervey left their residence, in St. James's square, on Saturday, for Ickworth Park, near Bury St. Edmund'', to spend the Christmas. The Marquis Cony ngham has left town to spend the Christmas with Lord and Lady Churchill, at Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire. A Florence letter in the Times says :—" The system of opening, detaining, and even confiscating letters passing through the Roman post-office is being carried to an unprecedented extent. I have positive knowledge of letters between Florence and Roam being a week on the road. In some COMM the Roman postmark is a week older than that impressed at Florence. In others no attempt has been made to disguise the fact of the letters being tampered with—the opening and reclosing being manifest at a glance, and apparently executed by very dirty hands. When appearances are thus neglected it seems as if the clerical investigators were losing something of their cun ning, and forgot the well-known saying that ' un bien arerfi en rata deux.' Persons who have anything to say to friends in Rome which they do not wish to meet the eye of the Papal police will hardly intrust their letters to the post-office, but will seek other means of forwarding them." Goculdass Tezpall, an enlightened Bhattia mer chant, who died in Bombay recently, left more than 100,0001. for educational and charitable purposes. The obituary in the Bombay papers of the 29th ult. includes Brigadier General C. Ireland, Madras Staff Corps ; Colonel W. F. Eden, Madras Staff Corps ; Captain George Gibson, 24th Regiment ; Captain H. E. Stanley, 23rd Fusilier. Friday night was a great night at the ltaliens, at Paris, as P►tti made her debat as Elvira in Ernani, Nothing could exceed the enthusiasm of the andienoe. A farmer named Poynton, residing between Ballymalion and Keenagh, county Longford, was shot on Friday while ploughing, by • man disguised. The out rage is believed to be agrarian. Hopes are entertained of his recovery. The effect of a reduction of rates in stimulating business has again been illustrated in the came of the Atlantic Telegraph Company. The charge for a message was altered on the lit inst. from 101. to 51. 55., and since that date the receipts have shown an average daily excess of 2001. over those of the preceding time. PLYIfOITTH, DEC. 23.—Advisee from St. Helena per the Norseman announce the death at that place of Chief Justice W. R. Phelps, eldest son of Mr Phelps, the tragedian, on the Zird November, of enteritis. THE LATE CATASTROPHES IN NEWCASTLE—The funeral of Mr. Bryson, the late town surveyor of New castle, killed by the explosion on Tuesday last, took place on Saturday afternoon. It was a very imposing and affecting spectacle. Mr. Bryson was an elder in the Rev. J. H. Rutherford's chapel, Bath-lane, and the body was removed there for the funeral service. It was attended by the mayor, aldermen, and council, and other authorities, and a peat number of private carriages. The funeral procession subsequently proceeded to Jesmond Cemetery, where the body was interred. The funeral of the late sheriff. Mr. John Mairson, will take place to-day, and as he is the only one of 400 which New castle has had, who has died while in office, and on account of the melancholy circumstances of his death, and the great esteem in which the deceased gentlemen was held by all classes of the inhabitants, the funeral will be • very large one. A subscription is being got up on behalf of the widow and children of the policeman, Donald Bain, I who was also killed by the explosion. The amount of I injury done by the alarming Sr. in Queen-street, on the Quay side, will be covered by from 8,0001. to 10,0001., not over. The estimated lose of from 50,0001. to 60,0001. is an exaggeration ; neither is there any roman to believe that the fire was caused by incendiaries. nr's ='~ OUR CONTEMPORARIES. (THIS DAY.) IRISH ArIAIRS. The Times prefaces some unfavourable criticisms upon the views of Mr. T. Hughes on Ireland, as stated to his constituents, with the remark that it hears on all hands that the next session of parliament is to be devoted to the affairs of Ireland. The whole genies of the Logi'. lature, free from the shackles of Reform and no longer dis tracted by the remote obstacles of Abyssinia, is to be turned, whole and undivided, on this arduous and intri cate subject. The gist of the reply to Mr. litlgbea is that his proposal is an act of spoliation. Why is the State to compel the Irish landlord virtually to sell his land for the rent at which it is let, while the Scotch land lord may sell it for any rent he can obtain ? Why is the Irish landlord to be compelled to sell at all l What reason have we to suppose that the new proprietary would be better than the old In another article the Times observes that no greater evils could fall upon society than a Fenian panic and an , anti-Irish crusade, which would exclude thousands of un offending Irishmen from employment; yet both are pos sible at any moment. Before any further atrocity frightens one part of the public and enrages another, it would be wise for the Irish of Great Britain generally to come for. ward and repudiate the Fenian conspiracy. The Daily New narrate,, from evidence supplied by the late inquiry at the Clerkenwell inquest and other quarters, the precise circumstances under which the explosion took place, with a view of illustrating the incompleteness and inefficiency of the police arrangements. The guard placed outside the prison on the 13th inst. was altogether insuffi cient, and by no means corresponding to that which Sir Richard Mayne's warning led Captain Codd to establish. Inside the prison the story of an attempt to blow the walls 1 down appears to have been believed, and hence a complete change in the arrangements, a constant watch, a distribu tion of firearms, and the additional security of double bolts. Outside, the constables were not only in number unequal to their duty, but apparently ignorant of the nature of the danger against which they were to guard. The Star condemns the practice of summoning Irish judges to PH% j Councils, especially when they are called for the purpose of sanctioning by their signatures executive measures of coercion. Mr. Martin will probably be tried for his speech at the Glasnevin Gardens, and if any ques tion is to be reserved for the Court of Criminal Appeal, Judge Keogh must be one of the judges to sit in that tribunal. Yet on the very day on which the Attorney- General institutes his prosecution against Mr. Martin, he and the judges sit down together at the council board and put their hands jointly to a declaration in which they describe Mr. Martin's speech as seditious and inflamma tory. Another signature to the proclamation, of which the Star complains, Is that of Dr. Trench, the protestant Archbishop of Dublin. II TOPICS. Commenting upon the report of the American Secretary to the Treasury, the Daily News deduces from it proofs that the protectionist theory is so obviously breaking down that the people are awakening to its fallacy. One of his recommendations is nothing leas than free trade in ships, which would establish an awkward precedent for the protectionists. When the merchants of New York and Boston can buy their ships in the cheapest market, how long will the agricultural population—the vast terri torial democracy who rule the policy of the nation—con sent to buy their tools, thee eloth;og, and their domestic articles in the dearest market ! The Time" has been favoured by " a very eminent legal authority " with some lengthened remarks on the law of arrest for treason-felony. The object, in brief, is to point out that a person charged with treason-felony, wheresoever found within the kingdom, may be taken and detained for trial upon probable cause of suspi cion, without warrant ; and that if he resists to the death a known officer of the Law he will be guilty of murder. Decided eases establish the proposition that any private person can justify the arrest of another without a warrant if he can show that a felony had been committed, and that he had probable cause for suspecting, either from his own direct knowledge or from information derived from credible authority, that the person he arrests is the felon. The individual arrested may in the end be found net guilty, but the arrest is justifiable, and so is the detention from the time of committal until gaol delivery. The Telegram:a draws attention to an enterprise which has been set of toet in the suffering eastern district of the metropolis. At the suggestion of Miss Burdett Coutts, an association has been formed, based on the idea that wages paid for wort done are more welcome to the poor than gifts in charity. Men of various persuasions have met to perform a public service, and, with the unanimous vote of the dissenters, the chosen president is the Bishop of Lon don. The work proposed is the cleansing of the streets, alleys, and courts, and the making or repairing of roads. The labour performed will be supplementary, and in excess of the ordinary proceedings under the local boards. In order to carry out the project money will be needed. Miss Burdett Coutts has undertaken to pay the wages of 250 persons for six months at Is. fid. a day ; she has guar anteed the rent of ground required for stone-breaking— employment suited to dock labourers--and has oontributed 3001. towards the mad-making fund. The Post is enabled to announce that the " agencies " in the Foreign-office are to be immediately abolished. The agencies, which have probably lasted since the time of Pepys, may now be numbered amongst the abuses of a bygone time. The Standard advises Italy and France to be as civil to each other as people so often have to be, in spite of pro found differences and even mutual dislike. If the mo ment ever come for using successful violence against France in order to obtain Rome, no doubt Italy would use it, and General Menabres would probably avail himself of it as eagerly as any other Premier. At present no such mo ment is approaching. General Menabres falls back uplk the old "moral means," but better fight France at once than again try to dupe her, the Pope, or anybody else. It is because the Standard believes General Blenabres to be an honest man, at well as a true Italian, that it preys for his continuance in office, notwithstanding the adverse ma. jority telegraphed from Florence yesterday. The action of Signor Rattarsi in throwing himself coin. pletely into the hands of the Left seems to the Star even more significant than the defeat of General Menabrea. Signor Rattazzi's conduct establishes beyond all question that the people of Italy are determined to have Rome, that they will shrink from no sacrifices to attain this end. and that the struggle for the predestined capital of the nation will baud together all true Italians and destroy every adverse and foreign influence. The Calcutta Englishman says :—" The Viceroy has called upon all native princes to .übmit an explana tion, showing what punishments are inflicted on witches in their various states. This measure has been taken in consequence of the cruelty inflicted upon twelve reputed witches, at a place called Goozerat, in the Cashmere ter ritories. These unfortunates were last year sentenced, on suspicion of dealing in magio, to have their tongues slit. The common punishments in native states for this offence appear to be the slitting of noses and tongues and the am putation of ears." LATEST INTELLIGENCE. INDIA. SPEECH OF THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL TO THE CHIEFS OF OUDE. The eight days' festivities at Lucknow, com- mencing with the state entry of the Viceroy and Governor-General on the 9th of November, and terminating with an illumination of the Hosseina bad Imambara on the 17th, are described in the Bombay journals of the 29th ult. His excellency was at that date again in Calcutta. MaharajahMaun Sing presented an address from the Talookdars, to which Sir John Lawrence re plied in Hindustani, speaking fluently and under the influence of feeling. The following is a transla tion of his speech—a speech, says the Bombay Times, no preceding governor-general of India could have even attempted to deliver : Maharajahs, Rajahs, Chiefs, and Gentlemen of the Pro vince of Oude,—l have come to Lucknow at your invita tion, to meet you at this Durbar, in order that we may exchange expressions of kindness and courtesy, and so knit together the bonds which should unite rulers and abject* in all countries. Though we differ in race, in religion, and even, in a great degree, in habit of thought, we are all created by the same God ; we are all bound by the same general laws ; and we shall all have to give an account to Him at last, of the manner in which we have obeyed His commandments. In this way, there is a common bond of union among us all, whether high or low, rich or poor, learned or ignorant. In the name of our Most Gracious Sovereign, the Great Queen of England and India, I thank you for your ex pres►ions of loyalty and attachment to her person, which I shall duly represent to her Majesty ; and which I am rare that she will receive with much pleasure. Her Majesty never fails to take great interest in all which concerns her subjects in India, and fully sympathises in their feelings end wishes. I acknowledge also most heartily the good will and confidence which you have evinced in your address towards myself ; and I assure you that, on my part, I quite recip.recats these sentiments towards the chiefs and people of Onde. You admit that the policy which I have pursued in the settlement of the landed tenures of Oude has not proved detrimental to your in tereste, but that, on the contrary, the result has been beneficial. This is to a certain degree satisfactory. It is, however, a result which should induce you to treat with kindness and real consideration those whose interests and well-being depend on your will and pleasure. Some of theft people are nearly related to you ; many more of them, or of their ancestors, originally had rights and in terests, either independent of your control, or which from various ciramstences you were obliged to respect. It is the misfortune of these people that in many instances their ancient rights, their peculiar advantages, have been swept away, and have passed into your hands ; and, there fore, they have a strong claim on your consideration, and on your sense of justice. I readily express my acknow ledgments for the liberal spirit in which the Talookdars and Zemindars of Oude have generally met my efforts to mitigate the hardships which the arrangements of 18111, and the too strict interpretation of the conditions in the sunnuda which were subsequently issued to them by the British government, entailed on those whose claims were antagonistic to their own. A good deal has been done to redress these grievances ; and all which has been agreed on will be carefully recorded, so that everyone may be able, in case of dispute, to adduce evidence of the rights to which he has been admitted. But much must still depend on yourselves, and on the good relations which are maintained between these people and your selves : much which laws and rules can never reach, and which must rest on your own conception of fair dealing and justice. I acknowledge with gratitude how much I am indebted, in all that has been effected, to the Chief Commissioner, Mr. John Strachey ; to the Financial Commissioner, Mr. Robert Davies; to the Commissioner of Lucknow, Lieutenant-Colonel Barrow ; and lastly, but by no means least, to Maharajah Mann Sing, who has used his great influence among his brother Talookdars for the accomplishment of my wishes. It is many years since I first visited Oude, and many im portant changes have since that time taken place, I hope that all of them will eventuate for the general benefit both of its chiefs and people; and that all will long enjoy peace, prosperity, and contentment. I have paid much attention to the administration of this province, and can bear testimony to the energy and ability with which its affairs have been conducted since it came under British control. And I am to understand that you are generally satisfied with your rulers, and I believe that they work for the public good. It is only right that I should remind you that no govern ment can be based on solid foundations, where all classes of the people are not generally prosperous and contented; where they do not fairly enjoy the fruits of their own labour ; and where peace and security do not prevail. A government ought not to exist for the special advantage of any one class, but for the common benefit of all. Every chief and every landholder should endeavour, as far as may be practicable, to act in co-operation with the government officials of his district. In this way improvements of all kinds will be made, and the intelligence and physical condition of the mass of the people will be gradually elevated, while the legitimate influence of the nobility and gentry will be maintained, and indeed will increase. If, however, on the contrary, these classes should unhappily be regardless of the welfare of the people, and unwilling to aid in measures for their improvement, they will certainly lose their influence in the country. Then, however aggrieved they may feel, the fault will lie at their own doors. But I hope for better things from the chiefs and gentry of Chide. In your address you allude very justly to the vast benefit of railroads and canals tothe province of Onde. Such works are of great importance in every country ; and it is the constant desire of the British government to ex tend such advantages, as far as may be practicable, in every direction. Their tendency is to enrich ell classes and to impoverish none. But such works, and indeed many other improvements, are greatly needed everywhere, and vast sums of money are necessary for their adequate development which the resources of the Statecannot afford to the extent required. The government of India does not spend the public revenues in pomp and show, but in neces sary and useful objects ; and you may be quite certain that (fade will receive her share. My friends, I again thank yon for the kind terms of your address. I feel an earnest desire for your welfare, and I trust that as years flow on, you may become more and more sensible of the solid benefits of British rule in India. THE POLITICAL SITUATION. The Arenir National says : Since the French government, after many oscillations, has allied itself with a clerical policy, we have from day to day exposed the new facts which have arisen in Europe, and have been driven to the conclusion that these facts are anything but re-assuring. Russia and Prussia have had, or believed that they have T had the advantage over France, involved in a baleful system ; and the black spots, which an official dis course pointed out to us, have reappeared and have been multiplied. Thus, M. Marie could ask in the Corps Legislatif on Saturday, "Can you tell us that we are not to have war next spring ?" and M. Greasier, • member of the majority, and the reporter on the Army Bill, was not less sombre although he adjourned his fears to a more distant date. Speaking of the European equilibrium he said, "It must be reformed ; but it will be reformed not by the consent of nations, not by the endeav ours of conferences ; it will be reformed by war." The Harm-Bullier Agent,, has at length decided on in forming us that hostilities recommenced in Crete on the 19th. There is a simple error of date here. Fighting was going on at the gates of Canes the very day the Grand Vizier declared before the delegates chosen by him that the pacification of the island was an accomplished fact. Only it was considered prudent to conceal as long as possible an insurrectionary movement, which might pro ' duce an immense explosion in the east of Europe. Whilst fighting is going on in Crete, there are obscure seraglio intrigues going on in Constantinople, and a breaking up of the present ministry is more and more be lieved to be imminent. It is also reported that General Ignatieff has asked his government not to be called just now to St. Petersburg, being anxious to remain at his post in Constantinople till the crisis is over. This request will probably be seceded to, and the Emperor Alexander 11. will put off till the first days of January his consultation THE FENIAN OUTRAGE AT EXAMINATION OF THE SEVEN PRISONERS AT ROW-STREET.—(THIS DAY.) Timothy Desmond, Jeremiah Allen, and Anne Justice, who were apprehended on Friday week, and twice remanded, charged with the wilful murder of the persons killed by the Clerkenwell explosion, and the four other prisoners —Nicholas English, John Mullany (alias Patrick Mulveny), William Desmond, and JohnO'Keefe, remanded from last Friday, on the charge of treason-felony— it had been expected would be now brought up for further examination, and placed at the bar together, as the charges related to the same transaction. Contrary to this anticipation, the latter four were tint placed at the bar, viz., William Desmond, Nicholas English, John O'Keefe, and John Mullany. Mr Giffard, Q.C., and Mr. Poland, appeared for the crown, as on former occasions. Mullen, was defended by Mr. Louis Lewis, of 23, Great Marlborough-street. Mr. Giffard said that he proposed to have the whole of the evidence repeated. He should then real Vaughan, and examine him as against English and William Dee mond as to the charge in which the other three not now at the bar were concerned. He should then apply for a remand, and must ask the learned chief magistrate, not to call upon him for any statement of the reasons why'he took that course. Sir Thomas Henry—Certainly. The evidence was than reed over. At the oonclusion of the reading of the deposition of Vaughan, Mr. Louis Lewis prooseded to moss-examine him ; first requesting that Sergeant Cole should be out of *curt. It was found that he was already out of court. Cram-examined by Mr. L. Lewis—! was never in the polios.court till I mine in this case. I joined the Fenian cause in 1865. Mr. Lewis—For what purpose? Witness—For the purpose of aiding in the regeneration of Ireland. Mr. Lewis—That oath you considered binding? Witness—Yes; to carry on proper warfare. Mr. Lewis—Have you ceased to be a member of that body? Witeeea—Yee, I believe I have. Now, of course I have. Mr. Lewis—By what means? Witness—By giving my information to the police. Mr. Levrie—liad yon ever given information to the police before? Witness—l had never been in communication with the police at all, till then. Mr. Lewis—Were you aware that a reward had been offered ? Witneee—l had seen the bills on Monday about mid day. Mr. Lewis—Up to the offer of the reward did you devote all your energies to the cause? Witness—lip to the time and after. The reward did not alter my feeling towards Ireland. I was cognizant of all that was to have been attempted on the prison. I did not believe that it would have concluded in so much bloodshed, or I would not have assisted in the conspirsey. I have been in the army. I refuse to give the name of the regiment on the ground that it would convict me as a deserter. O'Keefe—He denied that at the last examination. Deamond—l put that question before, and be denied it. Witness—No. He asked me if I had told the magis trate that I was in the army. I said, " Nor you either.' Oross-examination oontinued—l admit that I am a' deserter from the 58th Regiment. I enlisted about 1857, I believe at Charles-street, Westminster. Previous to that I was working at the tailoring trade. Up to that time I had not been in prison. I was never charged with any offenoe, I swear. I was tried once by court martial for absence without leave. I was only tried once. I don't come here to tell lies. I deserted in about 1859 or 1860, lam not quite sure. Up to the time of last Monday I had done all in my power to the Fenian brothers. I heard something about a barrel of gunpowder. I thought it was only the wall that was going to be blown up. It was to assist the prisoners to escape. I heard that the House of Detention was to have been blown up, but I did not know bow. I did not then give information to the police. Till then I thought no life would have been lost, and merely the wall bounding the yard of exercise would have been blown down and Burke and Casey would have escaped. Ido not know the House of Detention. I ex pect a portion of the reward if any of these men are con victed. Ido not know how much I shall get. I have had no conversation on the point. Mr. Lewis asked where the witness resided ; but this was objected to by the witness, and Sir Thomas said the question must not be pressed. The reason was obvious. Examination continued—l am now supported by some one, but I object to state who. I believe Father O'Connor was a Roman catholic priest. The father attended the meeting to give a lecture. I was told they were to have • collection of money to buy arms. Father O'Conner did not say that. I heard of the meeting by word of month. There may have been tickets. Father O'Connor was going to speak a little on Ireland. I can't say it was an open meeting, for there were two men at the door to keep watch. I did go to some public-house that was admis sible to anybody. I saw Mullany seven different times, both at the meeting and at the public-house. The meeting referred to is the only meeting where I have met Mullany, but I have seen him frequently at C avamig h' s public-house. I am not in the habit of administering the Fenian oath. By Desmond—l have known you eighteen months, and have had conversations with you, and I have firmly under stood you to belong to the Fenian brotherhood. Timothy Desmond told me that you were going to shoot Corydon, Massey, and Devaney. William Desmond—l have been in the army, and have kept allegiance to the Queen, and did not desert. What do you know about me? I swear before myjMaker I am , innocent. Sir Thomas Henry—This is not the time for • statement. Desmond here became very excited, and asked the witness • great number of question, with such rapidity and vehemence that the witness could not find time to answer them. Desmond—l was only at the public-house once, and that was in a raffle for the benefit of a poor widow whose hus band was on strike. You wretch-(this was to the wit ness)—l can bring witnesses to prove my innocence. Sir Thomas Henry—At the proper time you shall have every opportunity of producing witnesses. Desmond—l have no counsel or advice. I know I shall be loss through it. By English—Yes. I was at the meeting and saw you there. English—Yes, and I saw you there, and a very Sue fellow, too. Cross-examined by English—l heard that the meeting was for the " Boss "to give instruction. I saw you at the public-house as well. They were mostly tailor,, and shoemakers on strike at the meeting. I did not say that the meeting was for the purpose of buying arms. I said the rallies were for buying arms. I ain't swear you are a Fenian. I think you are one of the chief of them. I can't swear for there are never more than two present during the oath. I did not tell you that evidence had been given against D. men. English—He told me and Desmond to skedaddle, as in formation had been given against nine more men. I weir that by my God. Witnen—l told them they had better hook it off. I did say last Friday that English gave me the tip that the meeting was to be held at the temperance-hall. English asked that Sergeant Cole might be brought in to produce some cards which were said to have been taken from him. Cole said he had no such cards, but Sergeant Bunoe had. Bunco was called in and Paid they were found, not in the possession of English, but in that of Mullnuy. They were produced and read. They related toe lecture to be de livered by Clinton Hoey, Eeq., on the " Literary and Po litical Celebrities of Ireland." at the Benjamin Franklin hall, Castle-street East, Newman-street, Oxford.street, for the " Manchester prisoners' relief fund," on the 11th November, 1867. The admission was to be one shilling. Mr. J. Ryan was to take the chair, and there was to be a ball after the lecture. Some others were found on O'Keefe. Sir Thomas Henry proposed to mark the cards found on Mullany's possession, A ; and those found in O'K ee f e ' s , B. I Mr. tonic Lewis submitted that they ought to be marked with the prisoner's names. Sir Thomas Henry—By all means. (This was done.] Sergeant Bunco produced three cards and a bill which were found at Mullany's apartment. in a chest of drawers. The house was No. 20, Sherwood-street. On the 15th inst. some were found on the prisoner O'Keefe. The cards were then marked respectively " Mullany, A" and" O'Keefe, B." Cross-examination of Vaughan by English continued —1 told you to hook it on the Monday. Desmond—There is no nee asking him any more gees gone ; he'll deny everything. He told me on the Tuesday, only it suits him better to say it was on the Monday. Witness—l told bim on the Monday, for I heard his name mentioned, and also that three prisoners had been examined on the Monday at Bow-street. I said I had heard his name freely used, and that he had better hook it. The witness being asked to repeat some former answers Sir Thomas Henry said they were already down. William Desmond said it would not be much trouble to repent. _ Witness—Yes, it would be a great deal of trouble. Desmond—The wretch Is only doing this to get the re we'd because he met et his limns honestly as I do. Witness foroawexaminedby O'Keefel—l do know another perrou named O'Keefe. Yon are the only O'Keefe I believe to belong to the Fenian Brotherhood. Ido know two O'Keefe's more, but I don't know three more. When Desmond told me O'Keefe was going to assist to blow up the House of Detention I guessed it was you. I have seen you connected with the three primers several times. The witness was minutely cross-examined as to how often he bad seen O'Keefe with the prisoners, as to which he repeated substantially his former statement as to the temperinee . meeting. He observed that if any warning had been given that the police were rooming, it would not have followed that the meeting should break up. O'Keefe's questions being at length exhausted he aid, —I can't think of anything else. He has made such a terrific long statement you sea. The further evidence given cm this ocosidon was then read over, and the prisoners ware remanded. O'K.sefe here remarked that he bad no oportanity of =i witnesses together for his defence. He was eon. rag witnesses Milbank and had no awes, to his friends. English—Slay I have an order to see my wife ? Mr. Giffard—l now sir, to charge William Desmond and English, conjoin with the other three previously in custody with the wilful murder of the per. sons killed at the exp losion in Clerkenwell. O'Keefe and Mullany were not included in this charge. The two last-mentioned prisoners were then removed, and the other three were brought in. The five now charged with murder were English, the two Desmond', Allen, and Anne Justice. Mr. Giffard suggested that the witness Vaughan should be re-sworn, and his evidence read over, which was done. ATROCIOUS ATTEMPT TO BLOW UP THE GAS WORKS AT WAMINGTON. (BY TILEGBAPIL) WARRINGTON, NoNDAy. A special edition of the Warrington Guardian announces that four of the gas works workmen were ap prehended this morning who had pulled the plug out of the purifier near the burning coke. Happily the act was discovered before an explosion could take place. One of the prisoners is a well known Fenian. A telegram from Glasgow, in the Post, says " Four hundred yards of blasting' rope have been found to-night (Sunday) in the ash-pit near the Cowcaddema gasometer-one of the largest in the city. ' Blasting rope' is powder hid or surrounded with gutta-percha, and is an explosive agent much used by miners for blasting purposes." MURDER IN NORTHUMBERLAND. Sergeant Hall, of the Northumberland constabu lary, has been found dead on the beach at the foot of New• biggin-moor. One of his eyes was knocked out, the face injured, and his watch gone. His hat was found • mile off. A prize fight had been stopped, and it is suspected that he has been robbed and tossed over the cliffs by the ruffians engaged in it. THE ALTON MURDERER. The execution of the condemned criminal, Fre dei:ck Baker, aged 29, is to take place to-morrow morning at 8 o'clock, at the front of the county prison. The pri soner is respectful and attentive to all who are engaged in attending upon him. He is frequently visited by the governor of the prison (Captain Baines), and by several of the visiting justices of the county, who periodically attend and inspect the gaol. The chaplain of the prison (the Rev. Foster Rogers) frequently visits the prisoner in his tell, staying with him for lengthened periods of time. It is generally supposed that some statement in the way of • oonfeasion has been made by the criminal, and that he has given some particulars respecting his awful crime. SUSPECTED MURDER IN SHADWELL. A strange affair occurred yesterday morning in Shadwell. Between the hours of 1 and 2 o'clock the police on duty in Gravel-lane, Shadwell, heard a great disturb ance on the drawbridge over the little canal leading from the i iver to the Shadwell Basin of the London docks. Upon going thither they saw some men hurrying away from the spot, and they found evident indications that a struggle had taken place, and that apparently • man had been flung over the iron railings of the bridge into the water. Drags were procured without delay, and the Shadwell basin was dragged. In a few minutes the body of • young woman wu brought to the surface. She es,' liken on shore and then it was found that she was quite dead. She had not been long in the water, but it was so apparent that she must havo been there from a time anterior to the disturbance that it w.a suppowd she could not have been the person sought, and the dragging of the water was renewed. In a short time the body of a man, quite warm but dead, was dragged up. Theta were marks of violence on the body, which confirmed the sus picions previously entertained that he had been thrown into the water. Neither the woman nor the man are known. The young woman appe►re to be aged about 25 years. The man seems to be about 28. - Two men have been arrested by the police on suspicion of having caused the death of the man by flinging him off the bridge into the w►ter. Whether the death of the young woman wu due to violence or to suicide is at present unknown. The police aro making inquiries in both cues. A cattle train from Limerick Junction ran into a goods train at Newbridge station, at 3 o'clock yesterday morning. Only one animal was killed. The men escaped with scratches, and the line was soon cleared. Yesterday morning the Bishop of London held a general ordination in the Chapel Royal, Whitehall, of which his lordship is the dean. THE POOR-LAW BOARD.—The Poor-law Board have appointed Mr. Joseph John Henley, of Shirburn Lodge, Oxfordshire, to be a Poor-law inspector, in the room of Dr. Edward Smith, who relinquishes his district to take charge of the medical department at the office of the Poor-law Board. Mr. Henley has up to the present time been acting as a commissioner for inquiring into the condition of women and children employed in agriculture. GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY. —This corn- I play have just given notice of an intended application to parliament for an act to confirm and legalise the issue of stocks and shares in payment of dividends, in accordance with a resolution of the company pease , ' at a general meeting of the company held on the 29th of March last, and also in accordance with another resolution of the com pany passed at the ger eral meeting held ou the 30th of August last ; power to issue stocks or shares in payment thereof to shareholders who have not received or accepted their proportion of the same, in payment of the dividends payable to them ; also to outhouse the company, at any time after the passing of the intended act, to issue to shareholders iu the company, in payment or part Pay ment of any dividends or interest due to them, and who are willing to accept the same in payment of dividends, any shares or stocks in the company which may be agreed upon between the company and the shareholders. SHOCK INU OCCURRENCE NEAR NOTTINGHAM.— A few days ago a singular accident occurred at the Sandiacre Starch Works, belonging to Messrs. Gill and Tucker, which resulted in the death of Thomas Atten borough ou Friday. The deceased and another young man were playing upon thepremiaes, and in the course of their fun the former told the latter ho would place him in a copper of boiling liquid which stood close by. He took hold of his comrade and held him spinet the copper, apparently for that purpose. He had no intention of doing so, however, but b some means be accidentally suffe red him to slip in. l then endeavoured to fetch him out, and in so doing fell in himself. The unfortunate young men immediately jumped out, and ran to the canal which runs close by, and jumped in to quench the heat. They were at once conveyed to their homes, where deceased died on Friday evening. The other young man is in a precarious condition.—Manclieskr Examiner. A ROMANTIC ELOPEMENT.—No little consterna tion and surprise has been created amongst the inhabi. tante of Albrighton, Shropshire, by the elopement of is young lady, of ample means, with a young man living in the village, and following the occupation of a carpenter. From the particulars our correspondent has been enabled to glean, it appears that some few weeks since the gal Lothario took his departure from his native piece me compenied by a daughter of a clergyman living in the locality. The pair resorted to a small town on the larders of the county for the purpose of having the !manage cere mony performed. Fortunately, however, the frieodsof the young Icily ascertained her whereabouts, end by dint of great persuasion induced the fair one to desert her lover. It would naturally be supposed that this untoward event would have resulted in a broken heart and an earl,' funeral ; but the young fellow, with • philosophr worrl of a better cause, adapted himself to eircumati sees wb i he could not control, and returned to his native village. The inhabitants concluded that he bad now been completely cured of his romantic ideas, but the notion proved to be erroneous. Moos more he has left the ply, and with him has departed iiyoung lady, • large amount of property, and said to he extremely g . 0 5 ,4 looking. As soon as the discovery was made inqutnes were set on foot, and a pursuit took pace. The List- named elopement took place last week. and intelligeoos hu just been received that the lovers have b*eu married at Derby. As a matter of couree,much annoyance is felt by the parent of the young lady—a widow, of large pro fparty—who was desirous of her daughter forming a rsrl alliance. The manner of their acquaintance is believed to be this : They were in the habit of meeting together for the practice of stinging at the village church, and the ever ptic swain seized the opprtunity of pouring into the for one's willing ears the tale of his love. With what motes he did so has been already seen. Surely there is sutlicie . at In the circumstances to point a moral and adorn a tale.-- Birstiaphaut Post.