The Express. — London, England, 1867-03-15 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE. (THIS DAY.) COURT OF DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL (Before the Judge Ordinary and a Special Jury.) WII:IIT r. 11t.:11T .ISt) The court was occupied to-day with the speeches of couw-el who addivred the jury 011 behalf of their teepee. use clients. (The case was proceeding when our report left.] FATAL FRACAS IN A WORKHOUSE. Mr. Richards, deputy coroner, held an inquiry :it the Prince of Wales Tavern,Victoria-park, but evening, relative to the death from alleged violence, of Elizabeth :bed 81 years, an innate of Bethnal•grven Work. how.e. The evidence of the witnesseswas given with a grotesque demlay of feeling. and it affonled • curious glimpse of the bitteniess of the feuds and jealousies existing amongst pee ons whose age and circumstances might have been ex pected to deprive them of all desire to render each other more misenible. Elizabeth Trainer, an aged inmate, said that she knew the deceased for four years pact. On Saturday Mat, at h:df•µa*t •1 o'clock, the deceased was in the needle-room hold ing on to the Err•guard to warm herself. Sarah Charrison was airing a handkerchief at the fire, and to get more room the +truck the deceaaed four " digs" with her elbow in the side. and then put her list in her face. The de ceased hot to be taken at once to the infirmary. (She died on the staircase.] . . . Sarah Charrison, an infirm old woman. nearly NO years of age, said that the witness did not see her strike the deceased on the side. She told a parcel of lies. Susannah Gill gave an account of the matter similar to to that of the first witness. She said that Charriaun was avoided and shunned by everyone, for she was always quarrelling when people would not give her her own way. When witness said to her, " Ain't you ashamed of your self to strike the poor old woman r she said, " I ain't ; I would have served you th e same if y ou h a d b een there." The deceased was in good health until she got the blows. She had just cleaned her shoes to go out on Sunday. She shoved Charrison's handkerchief away before the latter struck her. Dr. E. H. Moore said that he was called to the deceased immediately after the affair in question, and he found her dead. She had ruptured an aneurism of the aorta ; the excitement and the blow most probably hastened the rupture. .... Sarah Charrison add that she had no malice towards the deceased. Every one was ready to tell lies of her, and she was awoke by one of the inmates chat morning, and told she was a murderer, though she would not murder anyone if she could help it. She never murdered the deceased. The jury returned a verdict " That the deceased came by her death accidentally from a push inadvertently given her by Sarah Charrison." The Coroner and the jury suggested to Mr. Wakelin, the master of the workhouse, that it would only be buni.the to remove the old woman Chanison from the other women, who it was evident would now never let her have a mommit's peace. Mr. Wakelin said that be would endeavour to get her relief out of doors fora while, so as to let the affair blow over. DISCOVERY OF A DRAD CHILD IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE. This morning information was received by Mr. Payne, the City coroner, of the discovery of the dead body of a newborn chill in athird-class carriage at the London bridge railway station. It'appears that at 7 o'clock on Wednesday evening the carriage searcher, at the above station proceeded to examine the carriages of the South London train from Victoria. While in a third-class carriage they found a neatly done up brown paper parcel lying underneath one of the sesta. The package was sealed at both ends, and as it presented a somewhat mysterious appearanoe it was opened. It contained the body of a fine female child, wrapped up in a piece of calico and a lady's cambric pocket handkerchief. Dr. White, of Tooley-street, was at once sent for, and he is of opinion that the child was born alive, and that it had only recently died. The train in which it was found had only just been cleared of pamengers. MURDER AND SUICIDE.—On Tuesday afternoon the mysterious disappearance from their home at Devon port of • respectable young widow, named Elizabeth Ven ton, and her child, was cleared up. It appears that on Monday night, about half-past 10 o'clock, Mrs. Venton and her child were left in a sitting-room at the mother's resi dence by a sister for something like twenty minutes,and on the return of the latter she found no person in the room, but a note, written with a pencil, and addressed to herself. It ran thus :—" My dear Suter,—This is my last will and request, that you take everything I have in my poesession for yourself, and by the time you And this I and my poor baby will be no more. I dare any person to take anything from you. Settle all my accounts and bury me decent. Give my love to father and mother. From your poor affectionate sister. God bless you, my dear sister ; God will reward you for your kindlier to rue. Good-bye for ever. As to my business, everything is for you, as I am tired and weary of everything on this earth. Good-bye, God bless you, my dear sister.—Elizabeth Venton." This note was at once handed to the police authorities and a vigorous search commenced. On the following morning the body of the child was found in the water near to what is called Camel's Head-bridge, and afterwards was discovered, em bedded in mud, the body of the unfortunate mother, who had evidently jumped from the bridge during low water, and walked fifty or sixty yards before she got to sufficient water to drown herself. The poor woman had exhibited great depression of spirits since the death of her husband six months ago. EXTRAORDINARY POISONING CASE IN STAFFORD itsias..—At the Stafford Assizes, yesterday, before Mr. Baron Pigott, James Machin, 34, blacksmith, was indicted for feloniously administering to Henry Rainford, on the lit and 2nd February last, at Newcastle-under-Lyme, • certain poison called chlorideof zinc, with intent thereby to kill and murder him. Another count charged him with causing bodily injury. The evidence showed that the pri soner and prosecutor worked at the forge of Mr. Llewellyn, the prosecutor being the foreman and the prisoner next under him. The prosecutor enjoyed good health until the month of September last, when the circumstances com menced out of which arose the present charge. The pro secutor was in the habit during th e mon th o f September of drinking • pint of beer every morning, which was fetched for him by the prisoner. After drinking the beer the pro secutor always felt a burning sensation in the throat, accompanied by violent purging and vomiting. This was always the case after drinking the beer brought by the prisoner, but not when others fetched it. This state of things went on for some time, until one day in February the p rosecutor saw the prisoner tampering with a bottle of fan he hail left in the forge. After drinking some of the gia the old symptoms recurred with increased intensity, sod the *entente of the bottle were sent for analysis, when they were discovered to be strongly impregnated with chloride of zinc. The jury found the prisoner guilty upon the minor count, and he was sentenced to five years' penal servitude. Sumacs RAILWAY DIFFICULTIES.—The ques tion as to the depth to which the railway interest of the country will allow their property to fall in consequence of their sheer inability to combine for the purpose of re storing public confidence, seem, to be rapidly approaching a solution. It was undriatood that in order to place themselves in a position to meet their most pressing oblige bons, th e Great Western Railway Conipany during the past fortnight have been seeking an advance of a million from the Bank of England. As the Great Western is not the only line in trouble, the Bank of England, of course, felt the difficulty of meeting an individual ease, and thus furnishing an insufficient palliative for an evil that has as sumed a general aspect. According to report, the matter was thereupon referred to the Chancellor of the Exche quer, by whom also it was considered impossible that the required relief could be authorised, except as • conse quence of some general parliamentary action. It is added that the subject was yesterday afternoon discussed at a Cabinet Council, with the result that the applica tion has been declined. Apparently, therefore, • new and pressing element of c o nf us i on will now be introduced into railway affairs by the position of this company and the uncertainties that must prevail as to the steps to be taken for its extrication. And all this is happening, not from any fatal want of value in railway property, but from the absolute helplessness of that class of business men who have been entrusted with its control to devise or agree upon any plan of mutual proceeding that shall confer upon it the stability that might readily be attained by a solid general organisation. In the emergency there is of course a universal disposition to look for government or parliamentary help; and judging from what in now ob servable in the money market, and the extent of injury to be apprehended, not only to railway, but a number of other establishments, if the existing panic should be allowed much longer to gain head, it is, perhaps, unde sirable to check the cry.—Timea. CRIME IN New SOUTH Wstax.—During the last month the colony has been startled by the perpetration of atrocious crimes. The fact becomes more apparent as well as more serious, that there are settled in remote and inac cessible districts people who have adopted that spirit of violence and opposition to law which has often been the bane of other countries ; and the fact is not to be disputed thst the principal harbourers and perpetrators of these atrocities are people who have been so trained, and who have thus perverted the social sympathies of family life into a secret agency for the organisation and concealment of violence and robbery. Thus, four constables were shot at once in cold blood, and the reports from the districts where these iniquities have been perpetrated leave no doubt that this has been an execution of the common will, awl the vengeance of the neighbourhood, rather than the offence of outcast' and aliens. What is to he done is not so clear, but it is greatly to be deplored that the new land law has offered such mad facilities for the location of dis orderly people beyond the surveillance of government.— Sydney Morning Herold, Jan. 23. THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 15, 1867. MEETING thy THE OVEREND AND GURNEY CEEDITOR.4.-( THIS DAY.) A meeting of the creditors of Oyerend, Gurney, and Co. was held at the London Tavern, at 1 o'clock ; Mr. OPPENHEIN In the chair. The meeting wax convened by Mr. Oppenheim, through the medium of a circular in which he stated that the feeling of the late meeting was in favour of the second mode of settlement sub mitted by him, namely, that the creditors should give up the interest on their claims in consideration of the princi. pal being paid at agreed dates; viz., lls. (making 11..) in the pound, by the 31st December, 1867, and the balance of tic by the end of 1868. The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, said—Gentle men, it is proper that I should remind you in the first in stance that this is the first meeting of creditors of Overend, Gurney, and Co. (Limited), since the stoppage. The matters to be submitted to you for your consider*, tion to-day are of serious importance, and I trust that we shall all be able to bring to the consideration of them calm and impartial minds, and that we shall not be in. duenced by feeling or prejudice, but be able to bring a good judgment to bear upon all matters to be brought before us. We have all but one object in view, namely, to consider the best mode of ensuring payment of our claims on the estate in the shortest possible time. As you are doubtless aware, the affairs of this important liquidation have been committed by the subscribers to the care of two gentlemen of high standing in their profession, Mr. Turquand and Mr. Harding, aided by a committee of supervision, of whom I am one, having been nominated specially to represent the creditors, and I have given to the affairs of the liquidation my constant and at times almost unremitting attention since my appointment. I assure you if I had had the faintest notion of the labour, anxiety, and difficulties connected with the office, I should have declined to accept it. It has, I assure you, been no easy task up to this time, and although we have overcome many of our difficulties, I do not anticipate the future will be free from difficulties. I will in the first instance shortly explain to you the present position of the matter, and I will then offer you such suggestions as occur to me as to the proper course to be adopted in the future. You have all no doubt seen the statement of affairs issued by the liquidators. I con- Eider it a fair and honest statement, and I think we are all indebted to the liquidators fur bestowing the care and at tention which they did to make it correct and reliable, but on the other hand it would be useless disguising from you the fact that many of the assets will take a long time to realise, and that serious sacrifices would inevitably result from any forced realisation. The best opinion I can form is, that we may reasonably expect to receive during this year a further dividend of tie. in the pound, payable, probably, as follows :-2s. at once ; 4s. before the rising of the court, about July or August. As regards the subsequent realisations from the assets, it is impossible to speak with any confidence ; so much depends upon the revival of confidence, which is now, as you all know, no doubt, to your cost, so thoroughly shaken, that it is almost impossible to realise securities of the class comprised in these assets. But we all hope that things will revive before long. It is a lung lane in which there is no turning, If we are to judge by past experience there will, however, be a strong and rapid re vival both of confidence and enterprise, and assets now difficult, if not incapable of realisation, might then become speedily productive. It is impossible to go into the details as to what the assets consist of, it would be difficult to make particulars intelligible to a meeting like the present, but there is a still more serious objection—namely, that it would hamper the liquidators in their arduous duties if the particulars of the various securities in their bands were noised about. From the assets alone, therefore, it is impossible to reckon with con fidence as to the time within which our full claims can be liquidated. We now turn to the question of calls. We have, as is pretty generally known , a very good list o f shareholders, and I have no doubt that with prudence and judgment a sufficient amount will be realised by calls on the shareholders to make up every deficiency in the assets in order to pay to the creditors the full amount of their claims with interest, and I believe further, although it would be unfair to ask the creditors to wait for results of reali sation of assets, yet that the shareholders will in time recover back from the assets anything further which they may have to pay in respect of further calls, and trust also that if commercial confidence should recover, the assets will realise well. I see no reason to doubt that the creditors will, by giving reasonable time, obtain payment of the whole amount of their claim of 20s. in the pound and interest. It is all a question of time, and if the question of concession is at all entertained by the cre ditors, it would solely, in my judgment, be with reference to that point—Time. I will now explain to you as concisely as I can the present position of the matter. Let us con sider what is the best policy to be adopted in the future, in order best to promote the creditors interest. lam not for making great sacrifices in the realisation of the remain. ing assets, as would have to be the case if we attempted to realise sonic of them now. My notion is that the liqui dators should go on quietly and patiently realising the assets without undue sacrifices, and thus get together as much money as they can during the present year towards further dividends. Then as to calls. lam not an advo cate for further heavy calla. I don't think it will be neces sary, and all experience shows that heavy calls are not always the meet productive, but I think that the share holders should be prepared to meet a further call in the course of two or three months. They will serve their own Interests thereby because unquestionably, as I have already explained, the meets will improve, or rather great sacrifices will be avoided by keeping them for a time. If this programme be carried out in good faith on both sides I honestly believe that by the end of this year the whole aspect of our affairs would be changed for the better, and I hope the shareholders and creditors would look more cheerfully on the prospects of the estate. In that case I should propose to call you together again about that time to consider further the course to be adopted. I believe by that time we should be able to fix upon some early date for the liquidation of the balance of the creditors' claims with interest. This, gentlemen, is the substance of what I have to report and suggest to you, both as to the present and the future. I My statement, however, will not be complete without referring to two or three matters which have from time to time come under your notice. In the first place I would allude to the proceedin gs of what is called " the Defence Association . " I should be very sorry to say one word to-day which should cause pain to any gentleman who may be ac tuated by what be conceives to be honourabe motives, but I must say I cannot sympathise with the principles which actuate those who repudiate their liability as share holders in this oompany. I have, as most of you have ob served by the reports of the proceedings in the law courts, appeared by my counsel in all the important proceedings connected with the attempt of certain of the shareholders to get relieved from their liability, and I rejoice that the Vice-Chancellor has by his judgment upheld principles of such vital importance, and which I have no doubt will be confirmed by the Court of Appeal. So long as these repudiating shareholders continue the litigation, we, that is, the liquidators and myself, have only one duty to per form, namely, to defeat the proceedings, and we have no anxiety as to the result. I don't think I need further allude to that subject. I will now allude to the two cir culars addressed to you ,• one by myself, as convening this meeting, and which we have taken as read, and the other issued the last two or three days by my colleagues in the committee of supervision, Messrs. Kingscote and Grissell. Mr. Kingscote, I should mention, is a shareholder only. Mr. Gemmell is both a shareholder and creditor. With reference to my own circular I am for peace where it can be obtained without undue sacrifice, but while I adhere to what I stated in my circular as to my own willingness to submit to an individual sacrifice for the sake of peace, I am not here to make any proposal to the shareholders. I consider it is the duty of the debtors to make proposals to their creditors, and as no disposition has been shown to suspend litigation (on the contrary within the last few days), the Defence Association have presented a petition of appeal to the House of Lords, and have been making fresh application to the Vice-Chancellor, I consider that there is only one dignified course for us to pursue, namely, to insist upon our strict rights, and I might say, by way of justification, that in entertaining an idea of submitting to a sacrifice of the interest, I was in fluenced mainly by a desire to stop litigation, and thereby protect that large and influential body of share holders who have come forward honourably and properly to meet their engagements, and who cer tainly are not disposed to avail themselves of the defence set up by the repudiating shareholders. Even if that were open to them, I think some consideration is due to men in that position, more especially when we remem- I ber the mischief and loss which have ensued and may yet ensue. Realisation of stock assets under liquidation is,. I consider, always a greet disadvantage, as has been shown is the same of the Agra Bank and other institutions. The value of assets improves immensely when anything like a prospect appear' of affairs being taken out of liquidation, either by resuscitation or by part ies agreeing to bold over the assets for a time or otherwise ; and if this be the fact of even a friendly liquidation, how much more is it the case when that liquidation is hampered by litiga tion such as has beset this unfortunate estate from the commencement to the present time, and which is likely to continue unless wiser counsel should prevail. I win now refer to the suggestion contained in the circular of my colleagues, Messrs. Kingscote and Grissell, namely, that creditors should consent to release all shareholders who will consent to pay a further call per share at an early date, those shareholders still to be entitled to any surplus assets in the ultimate winding up. I should be sorry to throw cold water on any attempt to lessen the time and consequent evils of this litigation. I am sorry I cannot see my way to recommend the creditors to agree to the pro peed of Messrs. Kingscote and Grissell. I am sure they have honestly made their proposal with a sincere desire to stop litigation and to give an inducement to all share holders, both those who have paid and those who are still holding out to corns in and voluntarily seek a release from their liability by an agreed payment per share. There is no doubt about the desirability of such a course, but the preliminary question for the creditors to consider is—Will the fourth call of U. per share make their claims safe! If my opinion be asked, I think it will. But it is one thing to have an opinion of this kind—it is quite another thing for the creditor to take the risks necessarily attendant upon the realisation of the assets of magnitude as those which still remain for realisation of this estate. While, therefore, I can honestly express my opinion that ultimately the assets will realise the full amount set down in the statements of the liquidators, by con senting to relieve the shareholders, upon the terms proposed by m colleagues, I tool upon the shareholders as t h e debtors, and although would sympathise as much as anyone in the loss of the shareholders, and in the hardship of their case, yet this is a matter in which we must be guided by business judgment, and not by feeling. If we submit to the latter we shall go wrong and only complicate difficulties, and looking at it, as a matter of business, I donut see why the creditors, who have not speculated in profits, should now be asked to submit even to risk of loss. This may appearsomewhat inconsistent with my own willingness expressed in my circular to give up the interest, but I see this essential distinction between the proposal of Messrs. Kingsoote and Grisaell and my own suggestions—namely, that if the latter be adopted we should have to get our claims paid at certain fixed dates, whereas by the proposal of Messrs. Kingecote and Grissell, the creditors are practically taking the liquidation of the assets into their own hands, which, I consider, would be reversing the natural order of things, and would be imposing on the representatives of the creditors duties which properly devolved upon those who are interested in the profit and loss of the business, namely the shareholders ; and this is more especially the case in connexion with Messrs. Kingsoote and Griasell's proposal, which provides not only that the shareholders and (Tali tors should undertake the liquidation of the estate, and run the risk of getting less than 20s. in the pound, but in case of any surplus it should belong to the share holders who pay up the further call, so that they would really be in the position of parties who would get the profit, that is the surplus, if there be any ; whereas they would not be liable for the loss, if there should prove to be a deficiency. This I con sider wrong in principle, and I regret, therefore that I cannot assent to it. Gentlemen, Ido not intend to sub mit to you any resolution. lam still not unwilling, speak ing in my individual character, to entertain the proporl of liquidating the creditors' claims at certain fixed dates, without interest ; but I am bound to state that the suggestion has not been responded to by the bulk of the creditors ; on the contrary, I have received communications front • very large number of creditors, expreseing their opinion that the creditore' claims should be met in full of principal and interest. Gentlemen, I have now stated to you all that I think important to com municate to you, and I shall be ready to hear any remarks which any other creditor may submit ; but, to be in order, it would be desirable that some creditor should, in the first place, move a resolution, so that the meeting may have something before them. lam sure I need not bespeak limn you attention to any remarks which any creditor may think proper to make. I will only ask that each gentle man will be as concise as possible, having regard to the importance of time to commercial gentlemen in London. (Crers.) . . . . . . .. . . Mr. RAY doubted whether the debtors had any right to be present at a creditots' meeting. The CH tIRMAN thought that as long u they paid their calls they bad a right to be considered creditors. (Hear, hear.). A CREDITOR feared that many of the shareholders were making away with their property and it would ultimately be found that there wee nil. Mr. THOMAR Form believed that a great many of the country shareholders were endeavouring to shirk their liabilities by making various arrangements, and in his opinion an early call of 10/. was absolutely necessary. He saw no reason why the creditors should wait for the reali sation of the assets ; let the shareholdendo that, and after wards recoup themselves. (Hear, hear.) The share holders said they had been duped and swindled •, but surely that was no reason why lose should fall on the creditors. If any gentleman would second it he would more that a call of 10/. be made. (Cheers.) Major-General HAROILAVES seconded the motion. Mr. Bit, a:g err observed that such • motion was beyond the power of the meeting ; it was trespusing on the powers of the liquidators. Mr. F. pen expressed his willingness to amend his reso lution by changing it into an expression of opinion. Mr. H. Lowman TAYLOR concurred in the opinion that many of the shareholders were slipping away. He be lieved that thousands of persons had had their all in Over end and Gurney's bank ; and the recusant shareholders who were now trying to avoid responsibility deserved no com miseration. It was no credit to commereialmentogo from one court to another to avoid just responsibility. (Hear.) The decision of that eminent roan, Vice-ChancellorMalins, ought to have settled the matter. In his opinion it would be unwise on the part of the creditors to make any propo sition to the shareholders. He should like to know what amount • 5/. call was likely to produce. The CHAIRMAN replied that he thought it would produce 400,000!. net. 150,11001. of the last 101. call was still un paid, bat a large amount of that was promised. Mr. TAYLOR said he should support the resolution in favour of a 10!. call. The motion IRS then carried unanimously in the following amended form :—" That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable that a call of 10e. per share should be at once made." The CHM mum, in reply to a question, said he should communicate the resolution to the liquidators, who be be lieved would respond to the wish of the meeting; and if they did not he would apply to the court. (Cheers.) The CHAIRMAN proposed, and Mr. HOPKINS seconded, the following:—' That the creditors at this meeting do insist on payment in full of their claims with interest." Mr. SHARP feared that, the official liquidators having stated that nothing like 101. per share would be required to meet all the debts, the meeting would stultify itself by asking for a call of 10f. The CHAIRMAN did not concur in that view of the mat ter • and The resolution was passed unanimously. A SHAREHOLDER having suggested that the chairman should pledge himself not to convene a meeting for the purpose of considering a compromise ' Mr. Mouths (Messrs. Ashurst and Morris, solicitors to the creditors) deprecated the chairman's bei ng called upon to pledge himself as inconsistent with the confidence to which he was entitled. _ . The proceeding. terminated with a vote of thank. to Mr. Oppenheim. THE ENGLISH FLEET AT MALTA.—OUT Malta correspondent, writing on the 10th, says—" The English fleet now in Malta, under the command of Vice-Admiral Lord Clarence Paget, is composed of the following ves sels :—Victoria, 102, bearing his lordship's flag ; the Royal Oak, 35 ; Prince Consort, 35 ; Ocean, 23, ironclad vessels ; the steam sloop Racer, 11 ; the gunboat Assurance, 4, the store ship Megiera; and the despatch vessel Psyche, 2, the steam frigate Galatea, 35, Captain his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, has arrived at Gibraltar on her way to Malta to join the Mediterranean fleet. She is now daily expected here." NATIONAL STEAD( NAVIGATION COMPANY.— When the adoption of the report of the directors of the National Steam Navigation Company was moved, at the last half.yearly meeting, held in Liverpool, an amend ment was proposed by Mr. Fox to the effect that the re port should be rejected, and the directors asked to resign. This was seconded by Mr. Kerr, and a poll demanded. At a meeting for this purpose, held yesterday, the chair man (Mr. Dixon) announced the demand had been with drawn. AN ECeLESIASTICAL NOVELTY. —A singular cor respondenoe is going on in the Guardian between the Rev. T. A. Bolton, incumbent of New Raeford, and Mr. Moss, the secretary of the bisbopof the diocese. The bishop, Mr. Bolton complains, objected to several things in the church, among others " to a common iron bolt on a closet door." On this point Mr. Moss writes, "The iron bolt was not exactly • ' common one.' In the vestry was • dark closet, ' large enough for • man to stand or sit in,' with double bolts inside. These fastenings, Mr. Bolton said, were for concealment of property, and for safety in case of • riot.' The bishop was of opinion that there in no necessity for a clergyman of the church of England to do anything which would render it expedient to make pro- vision for locking himself up in a dark cupboard in his vestry." Mr. Bolton is • ritualistic innovator. Windsor, its vicinity, and the counties of Berko, Bucks, Middlesex, and Surrey have been visited by a sudden and heavy fall of snow. The frost of Wed nesday having hardened the ground prepared it for the re ception of the fall, which commenced in the evening, the deposit yesterday morning being in some places very deep. The " Keep," and other towers of Windsor Castle, as well as the roofs of the houses in the town, were thickly co vered, and locomotion was impeded. VERSRLEI FOR IRELAND.—A telegram received at the office of Admiral Sir Thomas S. Pealey, K.C.8., the Port Admiral and Naval Commander-in-Chief at Ports mouth, from the Admiralty yesterday afternoon, directed that the whole of the available seagoing vessels in commis sion in the port should complete their preparations for sea and be held ready to proceed to Ireland at an early hour this morning. The Hector frigate, returning stores alongside the dockyard, preparatory to being paid out of commission, immediately on the receipt of the telegram commenced reshipping her stores and bending her sails, but the Hector's orders are just countermanded. The Niobe has left Spithead for Queenstown. Orders have been received for the Bellerophon ironclad, and Pheasant, Trinculo, Netley, Stork, and Fancy gunboats to be got ready for sea immediately. The Bellerophon will be ready by Saturday. AN ENORMOUS SHARE.—As the customs boat was going off on Thursday afternoon from Queenscliff to the bar q ue Arctic, an enormous shark rushed at the steer-oar, seised it with his teeth, and nearly knocked the coxswain overboard. The shirk made a second bite at the oar, taking a piece out of the blade. The men describe the monster as being the largest shark they had ever seen, and estimate its length as being over twenty feet.—Mci bournedge, Jan. 26. THE FENIAN INSURRECTION. DUBLIN, THURSDAY NIGHT. There is no report of disturbances in any part of the country. Dublin is perfectly peaceful. The Fenian movement seems to have collapsed. A flying column was sent from Limerick Junction to Cashel to-day. The weather is still inclement. CROYDON.-(THIS DAY.) (lIT TELEGRAPH.) Races postponed till to-morrow on account of the snow. COMMERCIAL AND MARKETS. MARK-LANE.—(THIS DAY.) The quantity of wheat received fresh up to our market today was very moderate, but in good condition. In both red and white parcels sales progressed steadily at Monday's improvement in value. The market was well, but not extensively, supplied with foreign wheat, in which a fair average business was con cluded at about previous currencies. Floating cargoes of grain were in steady request, at full prices. . . English barley came slowly to hand, but there was a good supply of foreign parcels The demand was inactive for all descriptions, at late rates. Malt was dull, but no change took place in the quota tions. The oat trade was quiet, on former terms. The supply of oats was good. Beans moved off slowly at late rates. The supply was only moderate. Peas were tolerably firm, at stationary prices. The sup ply on o ff er was limited. Flour met slow sale, on former terms. Linseed, rapeseed, and cakes were in fair request, but agricultural seeds were quiet. ARRIVALS OF GRAIN, &A., INTO LONDON, BY WATNR CARRIAOX PROM MARCH 11 TO MARCH 14, BOTH IN. Oat& hour. qrs. On& sacks 130 .. 430 20930 .. 450 22340 .. 8193 LIVERPOOL COTTON AND CO. (THIS DAY.) (Br TLLILOPAPH.) (rRo ova owl( mimeo' C,orros.—The market unchanged in tone. Sales about 12,000 bales. Dom.—The market well attended. Wheat in good re quest at rather more money. Flour dull. Beans 6d. dearer. Barley unchanged. Oats, Id. and 2d. per bushel, and oatmeal 6d. dearer. Indian corn flat, mixed 41s. on spot and 40s. to arrive. tki MARKETS. WAKEFIELD CORN MARKET.-(THIS DAY.) (IT TIMPANI.) (PROM OCR Owl( COIUMPONDINT.) Wheat trade healthy and good ; consumptive demand at la. advance. Barley very dull. Beans and oats steady. MINCING-LANE.—(THIS DAY.) SUGAR.—The market continues very quiet at the pre vious valuation, sales being confined to small parcels of British West India. Refined—Pieces are again lower, but the limited sales of dried goods support the previous value. Corns continues in request at firm prices to 6d. ad vanos : small to middling oolonry Plantation Ceylon, 71s. 6d. to 80a. ; good middling, 83a. ; peaberry, 86.. 6d. to 89s. 6cL COCOA.—About 400 bags of Trinidad, recently bought in, at public sale, has been sold at 70e. to 755. Tra.—There is no improvement to notice in this article. Iticz.—A parcel of Ballam sold, to arrive, at 13s. Rum.-30 puncheons of Jamaica sold at previous prices, 100 puncheons of Demerara, at ls. Bd. ; and 50 pun. cheons of Berhice , le. 6d. PEPPER. —2OO b;igs of white Singapore sold at Sad. Sal:lrani& —9OO bags of Bengal sold, refraction 6j to si, at 18.. Gd. to 18s. 9d. ColtoN.—There continues to be a very animated de mand at a further slight advanoe. Wheat. Barley, Malt. Mash and 470 no 1950 Yore Total TALLOW mAßxrr.-(THIS DAY.) The market is steady. Town tallow is quoted, 4L. 9d.; Petersburg Y.C. on the spot, 43a. 9d. ; March, 43.. 6d. to 9d. ; April to Jane, 43e. 6d. to 9d. ; October to Doom bar, 445. 3d. to 6d. HIDE MARKET.—(THIS DAY.) LILIANHALL.—Hid..: to 6416ia, 21d. to &L ; 6416 e. to 721 b.., 3d. to 34d.; 721 b.. to 801 be., 34d. to 34d. Mho. to 881 b.., 3jd. to 4d. ; fiB l6 s. to 961 b... 4d. to 44d.; Horn hides, 9s. to 10.. 6d. Calf skins, light, 2.. to 4s. ; full, 6.. 6d. Biutognasr.--Sheepskins : Polled, lls. to 13s. ; bad bred., 10.. to 11s.; downs, ix. to 91. ; shearlings, 1.. 6d. BOROUGH HOP MARKET.—(THIS DAY.) Messrs. Pattanden and Smith report rather more trade doing than at the beginning of the week ; stocks being very smsU, any further reduction in price is not expected. WEATHER REPORT.-(THIS DAY.) FRIDAY, MARCH 15, • A.M. 1.1 bine& B. T. W. lid ' .. W. R. — 11 0. 1 to — l _ l 12 & ID. .....---- ..... Nairn ze.B3 sa N.M. 2 1 N.W. ab o.ll' 1 Aberdeen '21.76 27 N.W. 2 2 N. ab 0.07 1 Leith 29 ail 31' N.W. 1 1 LN.L cb 1 Ardroman 29.9033' N. 3 4 L b, I Greencastle 2195 33 N.N.E. 11 1 L&E. eh 0.01 2 Valentia '— —, 1 i'• Qtpe Clear 49.62 34' N.E. 6 8 E. b— 1 6 Liverpool 29.85 34 N.E. 2 1 LN.L o— 1 Holyhead 29.8236 LN.L 4 8 E.N.E. so 4 Pensance 19.47 11 LN.L 5 4 N.N.W. 0 0.06 6 Brest 29.6618 N.N.W. 8, 8 W.&W. • ilia 11.1,41 I Lorient MN &W. 2' 8 I &W. c 11.01. 3 Rochefort —19.73 6 &W. 31 3 & cl —l6 Plymouth rain I* &EL T. I 1.8.1. TO 0.125 Weymouth 2176 Z.N.Z. 0I 8 IL re 0.27 6 Portsmouth 29.73 34 LN.L II ! 8 Z. So ,8.111 11 London 29.78 N.B. 2' 4 Z. Imo :Oat - Yarmouth 10.77 &N.& 4, II ILL oo , ' 3 Bcarboroogit 20.111 12. 11 3 12..&L he U 1 0.92 1 Shields 19.87 N.W. 2 1 N.W. 4 1 3 MONEY MARKET.-(THIS DAY.) Oxi o'Cx.uox. In the Stock Exchange to-day the principal feature is a further important fall in railway s,cu rities, which have been pressed for sale to a large extent, upon a fear that the Great Western Rail way Company will not bo able before the 29th inst. (the date to which the meeting was adjourned), to obtain sufficient funds to pay the interest on their preference stocks in cash. The reduction in the stock of that undertaking - amounted to per cent., while the other leading lines have declined ~ to Consols and some of the specu lative foreign bonds are per cent. lower, and banking, financial, and miscellaneous shares are dull. The fortnightly settlement will be completed this afternoon. There is a good demand for money to-day, in connexion with the Stock Exchange settlement, and with the Australian bills which are now arriving at maturity. The rate for choice paper is 21 to 21 per cent., and for short loans on government secu rities 2. Consols are now quoted 91 to I t for money, and 91A to } for the 10th of April. The government broker has bought to-day 34,0001. New Three per Cents. for the Sinking Fund. Foreign stocks show flatness. Spanish Passive, the Committee's Certificates, Italian of 1861, Chili= scrip, and Mexican have declined 4 to 1 per cent. Turkish of 1865 are quoted 291 to 30 ; Greek, 154 to / ; Spanish Passive, 211 to 22 ; ditto Cer tificates, 141 to ; Italian of 1861, 534 to 1 ; Mexi can, 174 to / ; Russian Scrip, 2 1 1 to 3 prem.; Chili= Scrip, 21 to 11 dia. ; and Danubian Scrip, 14 to 1 American securities and Atlantic Cable shares show no variation of importance. The 5-20 Bonds are quoted 74/ to ; Erie Railway shares, 301 to 4 ; Illinois Central, 77/ to 78 ; Anglo-American, 14 to ; and Atlantic Telegraph Eight per Cent. Pre ference, 21 to 1. International Financial shares are quoted 24 to it dia. ; London Financial, 18/ to 17/ dis. ; General Credit, 3 to 21 dis. ; Credit Fonder, 6 7-16 to 5-16 dis. ; National Discount, 71 to 84 prem., ex div.; and Hudson's Bay, 151 to 16. Numerous Australian bills fall due to-day and on Monday, and a considerable amount of Indian paper on the latter day. The Bank return, given below, shows an accelerated flow of government money to the Bank, as usual towards the close of each quarter, with the natural accompaniment of a reduction in the amount of the outstanding note circulation. Mists. Baring Brothers and Co. have received a notification from the Mexican Financial Commis sion in Paris that • sum of 11,639/. has been re mitted from Mexico, which they suppose to be on account of Mexican dividends in London, and the amount has been placed in the Caine des DepOs et Consignations. Instructions have been requested by the commission. - . . 4 The arrangements are notifiedby the London and County Bank in connexion with the payment of the coupons due the Ist prox. on the Colombian government 6 per cent. loan of 1863. At a meeting on Wednesday of the creditors of Messrs. Porten' and Paul, manufacturers and merchants, of Manchester, who recently stopped payment, with liabilities amounting to 105,8501., it was resolved to accept a composition of 7s. in the pound, payable in instalments extending over twelve months. Now that the Limited Liability Acta are to come under the consideration of a committee of the House of Commons, the question of shares "to bearer" invites discussion. Abroad, sham to bearer are issued in exchange for " nominative" shares, when a sufficient portion of a company's capital has been paid. Shares to bearer offer the advantage of a security available at any moment, without risk to those who may make advances thereon,and would, if adopted in this country, allow of the utilisation of values that now lie dormant on account of the difficulty attendant on the transfer of shares by a written instrument, involving regis tration. The subjoined analysis of the receipts of the Atlantic Telegraph, from the opening of the line to the end of last month, shows an improving state of things, and will be regarded with interest by the shareholders: From opening of line, July 28, to October 31, 96 days, at 201. rate, 76,3791. 19s. ; average per day, 71 8 W. From November 1 to February 28, 120 days, at 10/. rate, 98,748 L lls. ; average per day, 8231. From opening of line to February 28, whole period, 216 days, 175,128/.10.. average per day, 811/. For the month of February, 2 5 ,2.3.74. ; Os. 6d. ; average per day, 901/. Average per day to Octo ber 31, 1866, 7981. ; ditto for the month of February, 901/. Increase per day, 1051. The Great Western Railway traffic return shows this weeks decrease of 1131., compared with the corresponding period of 1866 ; the North Eastern an increase of 3,7241. ; the Great Northern an increase of 5161. ; the Great Eastern an increase of 1,5531. ; the Lancashire and Yorkshire an increase of 2,3701.; the London and South Western a decrease of 6571. ; the North British an increase of 8691. ; the London, Chatham, and Dover, including the Metropolitan Extension and branches, an in crease of 1891. ; and the Metropolitan Extension a decrease of 791. The Great Western of Canada Railway traffic re turn for the week ending Feb. 23, shows an in crease of 384 over last year. At the adjourned meeting of the London District Telegraph Company, held yesterday, it was resolved to increase the capital by the issue of 800 new ordinary shares, with 51. fully paid up, to be allotted pro rata at 4/. discount, or 1/. per share to the present shareholders. The meeting of the Van Diemen's Land Com pany took place yesterday. The amount of cash in London somewhat exceeds 2,9601., out of which it was resolved to divide 2,7001., or 6s. per share. The meeting of the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Land Company was held yesterday, when a dividend of 10s. per cent., clear of income tax, was declared upon the nominal capital. The pro gress of the undertaking during the year 1886 was described as steady. The fifth ordinary meeting of the Surrey Com mercial Dock Company was held yesterday. The chairman congratulated the shareholders on the improvement which has taken place in every branch of the company's revenue, and said that whilst there had been this increase, it was satisfactory to know that there had been in the aggregate a de- crease in the percentage of working expenses. I There had been an increase in 1866 of 526 ships and 74,530 tons received into the docks, and va rious improvements had been carried out, which had much facilitated the business. The report of the directors was adopted, and a dividend of 31. per cent. for the half-year ending December last was declared on the Ordinary and A Preference Stocks. . _ . . A general meeting of the Universal Private Tele graph Company is called for the 28th inst. Notice has been given by the Imperial Land Company of Marseilles that the interest on the fully paid-up shares, and the shares paid by instal ments, will be discharged after the due examination of the warrants. The interest warrants falling due on the debentures will also be paid in the regular COLON. _ . Subjoined is Messrs. Culversen, Brooks, and Co's. report of yesterday's hide sales : At the fifth series of hide sales for the year, there wee •fair attendance of buyers and former prices were in most instances obtained. East India.-0: and Cow.—Calcutta: A good proportion of the quantity brought forward found buyers at steady prices.—lisdna, &a, brought late rates. Gopaulpore sold at late rates to • alight advance. Of 163,409 hides offered, 145,000 were sold.—East India : Buffalo were meetly bought in. Leather : East Indian sold at full prices. Australian : For the portion sold, about late rates were obtained. Salted Hides: Australian were mostly bought in. Cape sold welL Bark : Mimosa was in good demand, without alteration in price. REMARKS. At Nairn and Aberdeen pressure this morning Is leas than It was yesterday, elsewhere It is greater. Temperature has decreased In the south of England and Ireland. In the north of the British Isles winds are chiefly nerth•westerly, light; In the south they are north-easterly, moderate. Snow Is reported from several stations. Bala has fallen on the sonth•west west. PROVINCIAL SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, MARCO 14.—eales to-day: Great limiter°, 79 84 I—Great Western, 414 9 4—Lancashire and Yorkshire, 1254 London, Chatham, and Dover, 16I—London and North Western, 1171 17 161 I_l7 16fc 17 I—Manchester, Sheffield, and Uucolaskire, 48 Metropolitan, 121—Midland, 116 169 4-Bouth Eastern, tn. 1 9 ad. Grand Trank of Ca nada. 19 189 —Erie, 39$ 4—United States 6-20, 1865, 739-- Dutch B.hp..k&, E 1 p. —Great Luxembourg shares, 104 —North Western Bank (Limited', e 269—Unlon Marine Li mited ~ 0-16 21—Atlantic Te - Unix 8 per cent., 3—Ebbw Vale (Limited', 164 . 4.—National Steam, 144 d. MARCH It.—The market was inactive, and closed nat. Dies, 309—Great Eastern, 29 iii 9 Si 2 1 12 j —Great Luxembourg, 101—Great Northern A, 122—G Think of Canada, 19--Great Western of Canada. 121—Great Western, 411 1 1 1 2 If I—Lancashire and Yorkshire, 1251 1 {— London and North Weatern, 1171 17—Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, 48 1 8 9—Metropolitan, 121—Midland, 1169 164 1 16—North British, 33 29 329 I—South Eastern, 609 1 x. itntuneunam, KUM 14. Business done: South Med. tordshire Railway. at 811 ; and Midland Contract :Limited , , at and 6 dia. Closing mica : Birmingham and Midland Bank, 140, sellers Gloucester Bank, 471, sellers : Lloyd's Bank U. flitted.. 71 to 8 prem. : Staffordshire Joint Stock Bank (Limited), 1 ! Men buyers ; General Credit and Discount ‘ lJmlted:, 21 rs ; Metropolitan Railway Carriage and Wagon (Limited), third issue, to 9.16 dia. ; Railway Caniage ,Limited, Oldbury), 11 prim., sellers ; and Patent Shalt and Anoints ,Limited,, 3 to 4 prem. The two judges at present going the Rome Circuit were both eminent members of it not long ago, The coincidence, the Law Times says, is regarded with peculiar satisfaction by the members of that circuit, parti cularly as it is the first occasion upon which Lord Chief Justice Bovill has gone circuit as a judge. Mr. J. R. Reed, Chief Constructor of the Navy, is engaged in an official visit to the dockyard at Devonport. The iron-plated screw steamship Northumber land arrived in Plymouth Sound on Wednesday evening. Yesterday morning, aided by the etearatugs Scotia, Trusty, and Confiance, this enormous ship was skilfully navigated from the Sound, through the large Beet of merchant ships which have found shelter there, into Hamoase. She will be placed in No. 2 dock at Devonport to prepare her fo r trial at the measured mile outside the breakwater, after which she will be stationed with the Steam Reserve in Hanioase. The British Medical Jour-full understands that an ophthalmic department is being organised at Bt. Bartholomew's Hospital, with accommodation for in and oat-patients. A surgeon will be appointed specially to take charge of these patient. ; and we believe that it is probable that the choice will be made from without the existing staff of the hospital. The first storey of the Hotel Bristol, Place Ven &ate, has been taken during the Exhibition for the King and Queen of Portugal at the rate of 601. a day. The weekly return the !Link of Fra Shows the following changes : Coin and bullion lncrease i 307,000 Bah discounted Government deposits No change. Notes in circulation Private deposit. Advances Demme 10,000 The fact that the French Bank now holds upwards of thirty milliotostfrilinl in specie and bullion, Mil-. bined with the falling off in its discount business, renders a reduction in its rate of discount from 3 to 2i per cent. probable. The return of the Bank of England for the week ending Wednesday, March 13, compared witlithat for the previous week, shows the following changes : Circulation issue t33,Z16,990 Decrease t154,0e5 Circulation active 22.049,313 Decrease 447,715 Public deposits 8,237,911 Increase 991,N4$ Other deposits Government securities is .bariiiWdepartit - ent — 13,111,068 No change. Other securities ut bulking department 18,604,404 Decrease 46,tri1 Coin and bullion in both _ _ &paTtinelre — 19,2.56,M Decrease 111.130 Seven day wad other bWa 502,283 Increase 75,561 The Rees 3,R4 9 ,A i 7 Licrease M 99 Notes in reserve Total reserve (notes & coin) in banking department_ 12,206,720 Lammas 329,065 The withdrawals of private deposits, though large, having been more than made up by the influx of government deposits, and the Bank's advances un private securities having somewhat diminished, there is an increase of 329,9&5/. in the reserve. The falling off of 117,730/. in the coin and bullion is almost exclusively due to the demand for coin for Ireland, the Bank having parted with only 13,000/., on balance, for export during the week. BANK OF ENGLAND. An Ac: ont pennant to e. At for the week ending on Wednesday, the 13th day of March, 1867. lan DM Notes Issued 1..1.5,U6,990 I t.;l7e7nnient debt Z 11,015,100 Other arenritlen 3,1184,1110 Gold coin and bul lion 18,295,990 Sliver Wallop £33.236.590 KINKING DI Proprietors' Capitaldl4,sAll.ooo Rest . 3,11110,i37 Public Deposita (in cluding Exam. Mar. Banks, Coo: of National Debt, and Div. _ £33,236,1X1 "ARMOR. COOrniment Secu rities Jecluding Dead Weight An nuity', Other SecuritJes 1N,C04,4u4 Notes (told sod Silver 1 Coln Acc :unta) 8237,911 Other Deposita Seven day and other Bllb L43.9=1,122 C.43,1,22,1fri F. SLAY. Deputy Okehter. March 19. 1967. TIitRBDAY BrBIIRICG, Consols, which closed yesteicl4ii9l4 for the 10th April, opened this morning at the same quotation, and closed at 911, • buyers." For money the last price was 911 tot. The Three per Cents. Reduced and New Three per Cents. de clined 1 per cent., leaving off at 89} to j, ex div. The official business report is as follows : —Three per Cent. Consols, for money, 911, 1,1, 1, 1 ; ditto, for account, 911, 1R ; Three per Cmts. Reduced, 89k, ?, ex div. ; New Three per Cents., 89?,, k, cc div. ; Annuities, 1885, 122 ex div. ; Bank Stock, 253 ; India Five per Cent. Stock, 1081, 4, 9 ; ditto Five per Cent. " enlaced" rupee paper, 1031 ; ditto Bonds, 40s. prem. The government broker bought to-day 34,000 f. New Three per Cents. at ex div. The demand for the India Five per Cent. Stock continues, and the last transactions recorded were at 109. The March Exchequer Bills were quoted 12s. to 17e. prem. The foreign stock market was inanimate, but there was a demand for Chilian scrip and Vene zuela Bonds of 1864, at an advance of per cent. On the other hand, Brazilian of 1852, &c., declined 1 ; and Italian of 1861, and Turkish of 1866, n. MINES.-(THIS DAY.) Owi o'Cioci. The mining market is quiet to-day, and prices generally are quoted the same as yesterday. West Chivertcn, Prince of Wales, Chiverton Moor, and Wheal Seton shares have been chiefly dealt in. The settlement will be completed this afternoon. Providence are quoted 30 to 32; Wheal Seton, 102 i to 10711 ; Chiverton Moor, 81 to ; West Chiverton, 59 to 61 ; Wheal Grenville, 20s. to ars. ; East Grenville, 2to ; Great Retellack, 3to ; Great Vor, 194 to 204 ; Prince of Wales, 51s. to 535. ; and North Treskerby, 1i to 2g. A general meeting of the Carmaux Mines Com pany is convened for the 3rd of April at Paris. RAILWAYS.-(THIS DAY.) Oirs o'Ciocrt. The railway market is extremely heavy to-day, and a further general fall has occurred in prices. Great Western stock has declined 15 per cent. ; Midland, / ; London and North Western, Lanca shire and Yorkshire, Caledonian, Great Eastern, Great Northern, and North British, 4 Do ; and South Eastern and London, Chatham, and ver, Metropolitan stock is now quoted 120;, to ex div.; Great Western, 395 to 40 ; London and North Western, 116} to 4, ex div. ; Midland, 114} to 5, ex div. and n. • Lancashire and Yorkshire, 1244 to 1, ex div.; Caledonian, 114 to 115 ; South Eastern, 665 to ex div. ; Great Eastern, 27 ; Great Northern, 115 to 116, ex div. ; ditto A, 1215 to ex div.; London, Chatham, and Dover, IN to ; and North British, 315 to 325. Canadian and foreign lines are dull. East Indian Railway stock, however, has improved per Lent., viz., to 1071 to 108/. ['For to-carishare lasts see page 4 I NATIONAL PORTRAIT Ex HIBITION. —lt is probable that this exhibition will extend over three seaming in the whole. It will be held in the upper arcades overlooking the Royal Horticultural-gardens. The cost is expected to be defrayed by the entrance fees. THE LASH. —Yesterday morning the whole of the officers and men of the Chatham division of Royal Marlins assembled on the parade ground and marched to the drill ; shed recently erected at the rear of the barracks, fur the of witnessing corporal punishment inflicted on purpose Drummer Nodding. The culprit was recently tried by court-martial on charges of being absent without leave, and striking Corporal Hall, of the garrison police. with his clenched fist about the face and shoulders. The ac cused was found guilty, and was sentenced to receive 50 lashes, and to be unpnsoned for Eel days, with hard labour, in Fort Clarence. Yesterday morning the Bogging was administered. When the last lash fell the drummer made an exclamation, with great firmness, that that was the 'last THE THREATENED STRIKE OT ENbINL-DRIVERS AND FIRINEN.—AII the memorials have now been seat in, and deputations of drivers are to meet the directors on appointed days, at the request of the latter. It ex pected that the drivers and firemen of the London, Brighton, and south Coast Railway will meet the directors to-day. The notices of the men, which, it will be remem bered, were sent in on Monday last, expire to-morrow. Meetings of the various branches of the society in which the engine-drivers and firemen are combined are being held daily in all pa r ts of England. POLITICAL WALFAXE IN MELEOORNE.—It has heretofore been the practice of an opposition journal to fabricate some outrageous charge against the government or some individual member thereof, and to give it pub licity on the day of the departure of the mail, so that, although the slander might not have more than a day's life in the colony, it would circulate for a whole month encontradicted in England. The particular 'louder cir culated on the 27th of last month was of an unusually contemptible character. It was an attack by the A rhus on two little boys, aged seven and eight respectively. the sons of the Hon. J. G. Francis, Commissioner of Customs. It accused these two little boys of swearing in a hairdresser's shop, where a brother of one of the proprietors of the paper was getting his hair cut. To make political capitol out of the charge this remark was appended— A man who seemed so little able to lead his own offspring in the paths of rectitude could surely not be well calculated to shape forgood the destiniesot a community like ours." The minister of the Crown referred to was further described as "one who, by bad example and wrong precept, rears a pack of young ruffians to demoralise their associates, and shock and annoy respectable people in public places." Next day the hairdresser made affirms don that the charge was unfounded, and that the only bad language used on his premises was uttered by the informer himself ! That respectable gentleman afterwards ecknow. ledged that he might have been mistaken, but the wende was tardy and ungenerous. What the next development of this style of attack may be we shall not know until after the mail has gone.—Melbourne Aye, Jan. :NI nigh* icial )J of o the inner or to Scial inner has hich et hieh her nee, rWli Vißg that ths ent, not eek. teed ess. I' If