The Express. — London, England, 1867-12-18 00:00:00

LIFEBOAT SERVICES.—During the atones of the present year the National Lifeboat institution lies isOntributed to the saving of 1,027 lives from various shipwrecks eta a 3 vessels from desitructioa. The Institution also expended 639,605 In the same period on Its Lifeboat Eatablishments, In addition to granting 02,444 for rewards The Committee of the Institution earnestly appeal to the pub& for assistance to enable them to meet the continued heavy demands on their 103 Lifeboat Establislmaenta, Contributions win be thankfally received by the London and country beakers, sad by the Secretary, Richard Lewii, Esq., at the Institution, IL John-street, Adeiphi, London. PARIS EXIIIBMO JOHN BROG: JN MST-CLASS 81L' ;DEN'S VALLIAI SEE MEDAL 1567, TION of GOLD. carats fins, is worth ..t4 4 111 ➢er ounce. carats.. 4 1 5 M carats (British IScarats..43 3 Be 9 carats .. 81 11 10 17 carat.. 3 0 2 8 carats .. 1 8 se 16 carats.. 216 74 7 carats .. 1 4 9 15 carats.. 213 1 6 carats .. 1 1 2e 14 carats.. 2 9 64 6 carats .. 017 8 13 carats.. 2 9 0 4 caruU .. 014 3 12 carats.. 2 2 64 3 carats .. 0 10 74 11 carat.. 118 11 carats .. 0 7 1 10 cant.. 1 16 44 1 carat .. 0 I /Jetta-street, Corest-gardeu, Loudon. W.C. itandanl) 3 17 101 fl carats.. 3 14 4 cu-its .. 310 91 19 carats.. 3 7 3 31anuluCtOry, 16, 1101 OVERCOATS for the PRESENT SEASON. eonemon who do not mind paying a fair price Tor erat Claw WINTY.R OVERCOATS can depend on the best materials at HAMILTON and K I SIPTON'it, Tailors and Overcoat-maker., 105, STRAND, OPPOSITE EXLlrat -HALL B REAKFAST.-EPPS'S COCOA. VALENTINE and 01040 N—the Great Panto mime et IBo7—nlll be vrodaced us CHRISTMAS-EVE, Dec. 21, ut the HOLBORN THEATRE. Scenery by Mr. Tanen hinelpalDarteette.,Mdlle. Montero. Clown, the celebrated Little Rowc Boa-tem open on Wednesday, the lsth ist. Cite entreoo• TO CORBMPONDENTS. olowethemente Intended for " The Express," London Peening daMnut be at the Othoe, 10. Bouverio-atreei, by Two e r i on the dam of publication. 4111111V-Lpl7.. Tara Evian°, THE BODE iENICE. Mr. Phelps, Messrs J. C. Cowper, H, slncWr, L Phelps, Barrett. Temple, he., fin. Hermann Yana, Mils Grattan, tac.—Aud THE LAIN LT CLUB. Ileadames &atria Shirley, Kate Hartleur, li. Vandeula,ff, HAYMARKET. TRW ETWwwk, OUR AMERICAN 00118 IN. Mews. &Ahern, Ra3m ml, Oor lon, Rogers, Ae. . Mesdames Chippendale, Burke, Wright, Robertson, te.—TO PARIB AND BACK FOB. AS Mr. Butkatune.—Anttliii SPECTRE BRIDROBAIOII. Mr. ratpliollti. PIINCMCS. Mr. Immo, A LITEZiiTiTiTION.—Atter which THE COLLEE HAWN. Mews. Bonadialt, D. Hurray. E. Atkins, U. Neville, J. G. Shore, H. Mellon, de Mrs. Bouclesalt, & Mimes Harnett And ElsworlEy.—And NO. ONE HOUND THE IXIIINES. r/IrtS ILyOfINe, NOTHING TO liiitaL Mr. Thorne and Mks Ne• ton.—K IND TO A ?AULT. Imam. Fanelli, Belford, and James Mesdames Johnstone Gwynn*. and Hughea.—And WILLIAM TILL WITH A VINO/LAMM EIATAWXIA. TITS EVIVITS4I, WHO DID IT? Mears. Reynold', Cranford, and Howe Mesdames Cocrtensy, liendenna, and Coveney The New Britannia FeAtlval, 31r. E. Deane & lila' Natham—TlLE DEVIL TO I'AY. lira Lana—THE DRUNILARLES CHILDREN. HIGH WAS= AT LONDON 11NT7306. TI DAY —Monsing. 711.........Afterm00n, 7 h. 370. NO-110AA0H—ItonsIng. 8 1 . Dia..,_..Atteraoon Bh. 4 LONDON, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18. THE governorship of an island, which was the great object of SaacHo PairiA's ambition, appears to inflame as strongly the desires of the United States. The real St. Thomas threatens, however, to be a more embarrassing charge than the mythi cal Barataria. The Cabinet of Washington has bought, and the Cabinet of Copenhagen by sold, for hard cash, what, in the language of Mr. J. S. MILL', philosophy, may be described as "a perms " nent possibility" of hurricanes and earthquakes. Already the mail packet station which constitutes the chief value of the island has been removed to Jamaica. Its return to its old quarters is very improbable. The geographi cal situation of St. Thomas and its capacious bay, affording safe anchorage for two hundred ship., give it special advantages as the centre of the various linos of packet communication between Europe, the larger West India Islands, Central America, and British Guiana. But it lies in the track of the hurricane, and at the heart of a vol canic region. The recent West India mails have come burthened with tidings as mournful as those which the messengers bore to Jos, one after the other, in the days of his calamity. The news of the hurricane of the 29th of October is followed by the news of a series of earthquakes, extending from the 18th to the 30th of November. There is no reason to think that the latest of these events which has been reported is the last which has occurred. The mail brings us news up to the 30th of November, but the shocks, though abated in violence, still con tinued. One of the most remarkable features of the recent disturbances of nature is their simultaneous, or nearly simultaneous, occur rence in distant parts of the globe. Within three days after the Virgin Islands had been devastated by the cyclone of the 29th of October, a still more violent hurricane burst forth at Calcutta, in which more than a thousand per sons perished, and which was as destructive of cattle and crops, ships and houses, as of human life. The storms on land and at sea which have visited the British Islands belonged to nearly the same period. The earth quake, or the series of earthquakes, at St. Thomas were prostrating buildings, and submerging streets, and driving away the terror-stricken people, at the time when the harm- less splendours of Vesnvius, whose days oinlis7hit:f seem past, were drawing crowds of gazers from Naples. The November meteors would have been thought, in an earlier age, to show the sym pathy of the heavens with the perturbation of the earth. Modern sciegge, as fearless as the just and upright man of 111 Latin poet, endeavour amid the confusion of the elements to find the laws which rule their apparent disorder and determine their periods. An unusual circumstance in the earthquake at St. Thomas was the absence of any symp tom of its approach. It came unannounced. Ordinarily the quick perceptions of animals apprise them of the coming perturbation ; and they exhibit their terror and confusion in unwonted motions and cries. The birds fly and the animals run wildly about. The slower senses of men are im pressed with scarcely leas force. A vague dizzi ness and sickness beset them. Atmospheric appearances, easily recognised by the practised eye, present themselves. An unnatural stillness in the air, and the fiery redness of the sun, are among the heralds which the earthquake ordinarily sends forth to announce its approach. The people of St. Thomas were unwarned. At about three o'clock on the afternoon of Monday, the I Bth of November, " without anything in the atmosphere " indicating • change, a whizzing and buzzing " sound was heard, the earth shook and trembled " and went like waves of the sea ; the offices, " stores, and buildings adjoining the wharves " waved to and fro as though they had been made "of indiarubber." Commonly, while the atmo sphere immediately before the shock of an earth quake is still as death, the surface of any neigh bouring sea or lake is mysteriously disturbed. In the harbour of St. Thomas, the telegraphic account tells us, the ocean was unusually smooth until after the shock of the earthquake, when a vast body of water, of great height, was seen rolling is, " like a wall of white glittering in the " sun." Happily, its force was broken upon the outer bays of the island, and when it reached the harbour was so far spent as to flood only the THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 18, 1867. lower part of the town. The situation of St. Thomas, which is built upon three hills, that slope to the water side, and are themselves topped by other and highersumm its, doubtleis saved it from the submergence which would have been inevitable if it had been built upon level ground. The presence of the Royal Mail packet La Plata, which was lying at Water Island, three miles from St. Thomas, has preserved the record of a curious phe nomenon. Immediately after the first shock, the sea, as Captain Raverr and one of his pas image= narrate, appeared to withdraw from the shore. It was only after the second shock, which came five minutes after the first, that ihe wave which we have described was seen rising two miles out at sea. Gathering strength as it proceeded, it burst on the shore and on the ship, which it would have overwhelmed had its force not been broken by rocks and bays. The same phenomenon was observed at Lisbon in the earthquake of November, 1735. The sea retreated, leaving the harbour-bar dry, bet returned in a wave of fifty feet high, which swept over the quays and drowned the people who bad crowded thither for refuge from the falling buildings of the upper town. Islands and the sea-coast are the chief seat of volcanic centres, and the same oceanic action has been generally observed to accompany earthquakes. The loss of life occasioned by the convulsions at St. Thomas is not reported. A boatful of negroes, who were coaling the ship La Plata, have been drowned. But for the gallantry and good seamanship of Captain Rev Err, the commander of the vessel, it seems improbable that the vessel which he has brought to England and the passengers on board of her would have survived to bring the news of the peril that they have escaped. There is reason to hope that the loss of life is not considerable. Society, however, appears to be disorganized. The property which the hurricane spared has been destroyed by the earthquakes. A fortnight of scarcely incessant shocks, occurring at the rate of from twenty to thirty daily, is enough to throw men's minds, as well as their bodies, off their balance, and to disturb the social as completely as the natural equilibrium. It is probable that for a time at least St. Thomas will be deserted. Few who can leave it will stay there. In the meantime the relief liberally offered through the Mansion-house and Southampton Committees to the sufferers from the West Indian hurricane will, we are sure, be redoubled to meet the double calamity under which these unfortunate people labour. The home claims upon the benevo-1 lence of Englishmen are not few or slight at the present moment ; and the depression of trade has for the time dried up some of the ordinary sources of charity. But there are reserves of benevolence and of wealth to meet all the de- 1 mends that can be made upon them. Needful help will not be wanting to just and natural claims. OUR CONTEMPORARIES. (THIS DAY.) can doubt that, when Sir Robert Napier lands in Annesley tiny, he will find everything ready for that grand move southward which will enable him to isolate Magdala and deliver its captives. The Post sums up the complaints of the diplomatic and consular service as follows : The promotions are indepen dent of merit, rank, length of service, or any ocher motive than interest or caprice. Arbitrary fines are imposed ; accounts are refused payment or examination ; deductions are made from salaries without justifiable reason. Officers are suspended and degraded without cause assigned. Pro test and appeal are useless, and cause a man to be marked down for punishment of a vindictive kind, amounting in many cases to persecution ; while the only definite rule understood throughout both services is • system of open and undisguised favouritism by • clique, which seems to set all public opinion and right feeling at defiance. THE CLERRENWELL OUTRAGE. FURTHER PARTICULARS.—(THIS DAY.) During yesterday numerous communications reached the City and metropolitan police to the effect that it was in contemplation to have a general rising of the Fenian/ last night ; that they were in the first instance to tap the gasometers of the City and metropolitan fac tories, so as to put London in darkness, and then to make an attack upon the engine -houses belonging to the metro politan brigade. Captain Shaw, the chief officer of the brigade, had the fire escapee removed from their stations in the public streets, and placed in front of the various engine depots. This precaution was considered necessary from the fact of the firemen and their families for the most part residing in those houses, and the escapes might be useful in rescuing the inmates in case any at tempt should be made to burn the buildings down. It is reported that several attempts to destroy large City warehouses have been made. On Saturday night three buildings in various parts of the metropolis were set fire to by some of the miscreants for whose apprehension rewards have been offered. During last night a great number of detective police, so disguised by their dress that those who knew them per sonally were unable to identify them, were sent out on duty into different parte of the City, as well as into nearly every part of the metropolitan district. The South Ken sington Museum, the British Museum, the gas factories, the powder magazines in Hyde-park, those at Dartford, Faversham, and Hounslow, are all protected by offioers of the police and milit►ry. Along the river every barge and ship is carefully examined. Detective officers have also been sent to the stations of the various railways, and the telegraph in kept in constant operation in forwarding de scriptions of suspected persons travelling by the linen. A full description le now sent round of the man who fired the barreL Site Court. WINDSOR CASTLE, Dan. 17. The Queen drove out yesterday afternoon, attended by Lady Augusta Stanley. Her Majesty, Princess Louise, Prince Leopold, Princess Beatrice, and Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Hol stein, left the Castle this morning at half-past 10 o'clock for Osborne. The suite in attendance consisted of Lady Waterpark, Lady Caroline Barrington, the Hon. Flora Macdonald, Lord Charles Fitzroy, Colonel Do Plat, Mr. Bahl, and the Master of the Household. The Dean of Wagtail=ler and Lady Augusta Stanley, Sir T. M. and the Hon. Lady Biddulph, had the honour of dining with the Queen and the royal family yesterday. Prince and Princess Christian and Primer Henrietta of Schleswig-Holstein are at New Lodge, on a visit to M. and Madame Van de Weyer. A meeting of the Judicature Commission was held yes terday. Present : Lord Cairns (chairman), Sir William Erle, Sir James P. Wilde, Sir W. P. Wood, Mr. Baron Bramwell, Mr. Justice Blackburn, Sir Roundell Palmer, Q.C., Mr. W. M. James, Q.C., Mr. Rothery, Mr. Ayrton, M.P., Mr. Hunt, M.P., Mr. F. D. Lowndes, Mr. liollams, and Mr. Bradshaw, the secretary. The Duke and Duchess of Northumberland arrived at Northumberland Rouse yesterday evening from Alowick Castle. The Duke and Duchess of Cleveland and Hon. Mies Primrose passed through town yesterday on their way to Battle Abbey, near Beatings, Sussex, from Baby Cutle, Durham. The Marchioness of Lansdowne and family and the Marquis of Lansdowne arrived at Bowood yesterday for the Christmas. The Right Hon. the Speaker and Lady Charlotte Denison are entertaining company at O.aington Newark, Notts. A letter from Waahington of the 6th says : "To-day Lord and Lady Amberley, the Hon. C. Ford, acting British minister, and Hon. Mr. Barrington, Seen tary of Legation for Great Britain, accompanied by Secre tary Seward, were received at the executive mansion by President Johnson and his daughter, Mrs. Patterson. The formal presentation of Lord and Lady Amberley was made by Secretary Seward. After half an hour spent in pleasant social conversation, Lord and Lady Amberley, with Mr. Ford, took their leave. It is naderetood they oriU dine with the President at an early day. The Hon. Mr. Bar rington, before retiring, took his official leave of the Presi dent. He has retired, and resigned the position of Seen. tary of Legation, and will sail for France in a few days." The Bishop of London, in the course of a letter to the Timm, observes :—" My own opinion remains the same—that it is not the duty of the diocese of Natal to proceed to elect, nor of the metropolitan and his co-pro vincials to consecrate, a new bishop till Bishop Colenso has been lawfully deposed, which I believe be has not yet been." The Rev. R. Burgess, rector of Upper Chelsea, contends that the Committee of Council on Education never intended to impose the conscience clause upon pro moters of schools in the metropolis or in any large cities and populous places where there is room for schools of all denominations, but only to apply it to small towns or parishes where the population is too small to require and maintain more than one school. " There are, I believe," he says, " but two schools in all London that have ac cepted—that is, voluntarily adopted—it into their trust deeds, for special reasons which seemed to the founders sufficient. lam not aware that there is one school in Manchester, or Liverpool, or Leeds, or in any of the great provincial cities which has the conscience donee." Mr. Mapleton says there is no truth whatever in the rumour now in course of circulation that the site of Her Majesty's Theatre is to be appropriated for the pur pose of a " West End Post-office." Forty-five horses belonging to her Majesty were shipped on board three Isle of Wight steamers at South ampton on Monday to be conveyed to Cowes. Yesterday several Great Western carriage , ' arrived at the South. aropton station filled with the Queen'. servants and bag pie, en mute to Osborne. We read in the New York Times of the 6th : " It seems there was some disappointment in the galleries of congress the other day upon the appearance of the wife of an &WWI nobleman who is now travelling in this country, because she did not wear • hundred thousand dollar dress, according to current report, but was dressed in a quiet drab with a black velvet hat. What a fearful thing it would be if this example should result in some of our American aristocratio ladies appearing in public in dresses worth a trite less than a hundred thousand dollars." We read in the New York Tribune:—" An intel ligent and appreciative audience greeted Mts. Yelverton at her first reading in Brooklyn, which was given last evening (the sth) at the Institute. Mrs. Yelverton was in very good voioe, and was frequentlyand warmly applauded. The selections read were The Lady Clare," The Wreck of the Hesperus,' A Man's Requirements," The High Tide, or Milking Song,' The Bridge of Sighs," Sheridan's Ride," The Bachelor's Dream,' and Hams cam our gold man ►t e'en.' Every verse of ' Sheridan'. Ride' was applauded, and an enoore of The Bachelor's Dream' was demanded, which was complied with." The steamers Weser and City of Paris, on their last voyages out to New York from England, made extraordinarily short voyages. The Weser left Southamp ton on November 19, and reached New York in nine clays three hours, and is said to have made the shortest voyage between those ports. The City of Paris left Queenstown on the 21st, and reached New York in eight days, making the peonage in four hours less than any previous one. The United States Land-office report shows that, during the last fiscal year, seven million acres of the public lands were disposed of. There are, including the Russian acquisition, 1,400,000,000 acres remaining in pos. session of the government. In the United States 37,000 miles of completed railways are in operation, and 17,M10 miles more are in course of construction. Several of the Southern States of America have for some time had agents in Europe, chiefly in Germany, to induce immigration, so that their stock of white lahour era may be increased. A shipload of German immigrants is announced as having arrived at Charleston. As a gene ral rule, European agriculturists who arrive in America prefer the west to the smith. The government homestead law in the former section, which gives settlers land merely for cultivating it, is a great encouragement. The South is in too gad a condition to be attractive to foreigners. Even its own people who are dissatisfied want to leave it. They have been going to Brazil ; more lately to Jamaica ; and now a despatch from Demerara announces the arrival of 180 of them in British Guiana. Amongst the subscriptions for the Pope pub lished by the Unirers some are peculiar. An uncle and ■ nephew (so runs the paragraph) united at the feet of the Pope-500fr. Then a laxly, " Mdme. Monier Benedect, to attract the protection of the immaculate Virgin and the benediction .of the glorious Pontiff on her youthful family." Mr. Several souls at Altkirch, who suffer with Pins IX., 14fr. " The mother of • child who wishes to be • Zouave Pontifical, 10fr." "Some poor seamstresses, each of whom regret deeply being unable to supply the Hol l y Father with a Zouave, sOfr." It is remarked that these cannot be Parisian seamstresses, ail they take care to keep their Zouaves to themselves. At Bridport, in Dorsetahire, the price of beef and mutton has fallen 2d. per lb. and pork lid. per lb. At Dorchester, also, the price of meat has been considerably reduced. At Ramsey, in Hants, prime beef is now sold at Td. per lb. and mutton at 6id. per lb. Barometer corrected sad reduced to n deg. is sea km( The letters r (dilute, f (felting), a (.ready), indicate direction of motion of the mercury within lest 12 hours. Thermometer exposed In shade. Extreme force, with its direction daring las 4 24 hours. Z.—calm. Weather: b. - blue sky e. - clouas detached; I. fog: h.—hall; I—lightning m.—misty ,hary, o.—oreresat ;dub): r —rale : —snow S. —thunder. ILliu fall, scow or hail melted), during last 24 hours. nee dhtui hence THE FMIAN OUTRAGES. The Times remarks that the enrolment of special 1 constables will give • moral rapport to the government, and will materially aid in maintaining order and preserv ing property. The immediate cause is in the fact that there have been three attempts to set fire to London since Saturday last by a certain inflammable liquid, and to meet danger firmly the police must be enlisted. Meanwhile these atrocities will lessen the hold of the Fe nian' on the restless and impulsive but generous people they delude. The Roman catholic clergy who as • whole have shown themselves well disposed to the cause of law and order, may now inform the Irish waverer', with truth, that the whole body of Englishmen and Scotchmen, high and low, are firmly determined that there shall be no break-up of this empire, and that any attempts made in pursuance of such a design will meet with condign punish ment. The Times is glad to perceive that the bishops do not stipulate in their loyalty, showing in this far better taste than the Roman catholic laymen who have chosen this moment to put forward a declaration against the Irish church—a manifesto which, at such a time, will be held by the disaffected to be something like a proclamation of sympathy with their cause. The miscreants who thought to diffuse panic threughout society must now see, says the Daily News, that they have signally failed, for our people have never for • moment lost their presence of mind. The act of policeman Ranger, who knocked down Allen and secured him in the very blast of the explosion, fairly represents the temper of the country, stem and indignant, master of itself, and prepared to meet any foe. The Daily News regrets that the provision for the sufferers by the Clerkenwell explosion should not have been made by the state. It is satisfactory, however, to know that in every case the sufferers will be well cared for. M►ny of them have sustained by bereavement looses which are irreparable, bet the country will with heart and soul do all that is possible for their comfort and welfare. The Irish executive, the Daily News expects, has been betrayed into en error of policy in taking proceedings against the chairman and some of the promoters of the Dublin procession of the Bth inst. Its action in prohibiting the meetings which were appointed to be held Lot Sunday in Kilkenny and elsewhere bas received the sanction of public opinion, and been crowned with success. But to go back upon the part and make persons answerable for what took place at meetings where certainly the public peace was not broken, Is a measure of more doubtful expe diency. The conduct of the subordinate officers of the government, in summoning Mr. Sullivan, of the Nation, and Sir J. Gray, of the Freeman's Journaf, to give evi dence for the prosecution, was still more questionable. The Irish government pays handsome salaries to its crown officers, who ought to have protected it from the ridicule and defiance to which it is now exposed. The Telegraph says this really is rot the first nor the second time that the police have been forewarned. In formers—always plentiful, stranga to say, among these desperate and fervid aasassins—will be discouraged about Scotland-yard if their hints are perpetually thrown away. It is no time for paying compliments to the foroe. We want proofs of its sagacity and forethought. By-and-bye, when the craze of murder is over, and we begin to talk of legislation, vigilance and activity will not fail to receive their reward. TOPICS. The Times continues to justifyirJohn Lawrence's policy in opposing the occupation of Afghanistan as a barrier against Russia. By advancing into the country and occupying it we should simply be removing the obstacle, and saving the Russians such trouble as they would have in surmounting it. We are now behind a strong line of defence, with ground very unfavourable to an enemy in our front. To cross this would bo to throw away our advantage, and to buy that loss at a very heavy price indeed. - The Daily Pews estimates that in the new Prussian Chamber of Deputies Count Bismarck may be mid to com mand a majority of 300 on a vote of confidence. But the national liberals who compose so large a section of the majority are as tenacious of their parliamentary rights and privileges and of public liberty as the most uncompromis ing survivors of the old liberal majority whose just resent ments Count Bismarck's successes have not appeased. The Standard writes in strung terms of Mr. Goldwizi Smith's letter on Irish affairs. The proposal that parlia ment should occasionally meet in Dublin is not worth a minute's practical consideration. As to the recommenda- tion of provincial councils, with independent jurisdiction over educational and other matters, it means simply pro testant ascendancy in Ulster, and Romanist ascendancy elsewhere ; religions persecution and religion warfare everywhere ; education given up to the priests in the Celtic, and quarrelled for by pane= awl presbyters in the protestant provinces. The Standard doubts whether it would not mean civil war. Twel►e days ago Colonel Itferewetber, with the vanguard of the invading army, set foot on the highland plateau of Abyssinia, and the Teltgraph thinks no reasonable person LATEST INTELLIGENCE. (anima's rnasasas.) ABYSSINIA. DESTRUCTION OF DEBRA TABOR BY FIRE. SIMAFE, Du. 7. The advanced brigade has arrived and encamped. The weather is fine. The troops are well. The march into Abysainia will be easy. The people are friendly. According to accounts from the interior, King Theodore has destroyed Debra Tabor by fire. He is encamped in the neighbourhood, and intends marching to Magdala. The insurgents will resist his advance. The natives kill his stragglers. The Scinde brigade has arrived at Annealey Bay. The men are in good health. FRANCE. PARIS, Dec. 18. A circular has been published this morning, addressed by the Prefect of Police to the district police chiefs of Paris. It is intended to refute the theory set up by the journals that the police have no right spontaneously to arrest any person what ever, even in case of a flagrant offence, unless the crime of which he is guilty be punishable before the Court of Assizes. The circular says that it is necessary, in the name of public security, openly to repel these theories, which might cause uneasiness to the assistants of justice and of the police, with regard to whom they constitute positive attempts at intimidation. The circular concludes thus :—" Continue to exercise your duties peaceably in all security. Bring to them, with love for the public welfare, calm moderation and scrupulous respect for legal forms, coupled with that spirit of goodwill which has never ceased to distinguish you." PRUSSIA. BERLIN, Dec. 18. In to-day's sitting of tho Chamber of Deputies the former President and Vice-President were unanimously re-elected. HUNGARY. PESTI", Dec. 18. At the sitting of the Lower House of the Hunga rian Diet to-day, the custom and commercial treaty with Austria was passed. CROATIA. AGRAM, DEC. 16, EVENING. National flags have been hung out in this city, inscribed, " Long live union with Hungary for ever." PORTUGAL LISBON. Dec. 17. Baron Auguste d'Onetham, the recently ap pointed Belgian Minister to Portugal, presented hie credentials to the King in private audience to day. MALTA. VALETTA, Die. 16. Her Majesty's Indian transport Crocodile, 71 days from Queenstown, arrived here to-day with the Ist Battalion of the GOth Rifles and other Indian reliefs, 1,230 men in all, under the com mand of Lieutenant-Colonel Raikea of the 102nd Regiment. All well. The Rev. Mr. Middleton died during the voyage, and was buried off Cape St. Vincent. The ship leaves for Alexandria to-morrow. The troop ship Orontes leaves for England to day. The Achilles, from Alexandria for London, has arrived here. She had expended all her fuel, and was obliged to burn 100 tons of cotton seed. AMERICA. (BY ATLANTIC TILIORAPH.) NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 6 P.M. The Transatlantic Company's steamer Ville de Paris has arrived out to-day. Closing prices :—Gold, 1332. Starling exchange on London, 110; 5-20 United States Bonds, 1081 ; Illinois, 132 i; Brie, 73k. Cotton : Middling Np lands, 152. . •. PHILADELPHIA, DEc. 17. Petroleum, standard white, 25. WRATITICR REPORT.-(THIS DAY.) WEDXFSDAT, DECIXIIit 13, 8 •.N. v u n. B. 1..... W. lg ir. I 1 7. larsm : . W. L 's l e o t a . o . t ooh 1 Aberdeen 39.320 W.N.W. B.W. b 1 (Al41l - Ardreeman fa a N.N.W. W . N.W. To 0.31 2 GreeneesllA bb N. W. th e 0.181 - Vsloatla .. IA 13 N.N.W. I.W. bbe 0.111 5 cape gem% 19.783 42 N.N.N. N. W. me o.oo' 4 Rothe's Pt 29 77r .511 N.N.R. W. oc .--4 I it,Mr.o sof 41 W . N.W. W.N.W. a - p0 r m 4444 Beat Loaieth 11131.n 411 W.N.W. W. oe OM, 3 lochalor2 120.841 w. N. W. W. rm 0.12, I Plyaloutla •. N 0.871 1' N.N.W. W.N.W. oc o.oB' 1 Wimoooth 110.6 e f ' W.N.W. W.Y.W..: W.B.W. .ate m°b 0. G.. :0 °3 1 2 - 3 S rortionowNi :2447 I A.N. [them 1811. 5 -11 I W. Yaranantb 3 N 44 a W. Bawborought44ll 1.4 W.N.W. N.W. eb —!2 Shields 8938 38 W.N.W. W.N.W. a 2 Balder '20.46 W.& W. I - - .-13 .ytEMARKS. This morning the distribution of barometrical pressers is dif ferent from that which has prevailed of late. The Irish and Scotch stations show a slight increase, whilst the others show a decrease, amounting to 2.loths of an inch in Prance. The dimi nution in temperature, noticed paterday, has continued every where : at Yarmouth the difference is 14 degs. Since yesterday afternoon strong north-westerly winds again sprang up on tho W. coast of Ireland, but they have now diminished in force. gres'i winds from the N.W. prevail this morning on our western coast and at the entrance of the Channel. Hall and rain are re ported from places in the western and southwestern districts. The Gazette de France relate. the following:— "Two brothers, MM. Dufournel de Grey, one a captain and the other a lieutenant in the Pontifical Zouavn, lately lost their lives in the service of the Holy See. When the father and sister of these two martyrs presented them selves at the Vatican, Pias IX. opened his arm' to the former and held him in a long embrace. He then ad dressed him : I have no words of consolation to soothe your grief, but I desire that the glory of your sons should beam from your breast upon the eyes of all.' Thereupon hie Holiness fixed upon M. Dulourners coat the Croon of Commander of the Order of the Holy See." MR. J. L. MOTLEY AND MR. SEWARD.—The Washington Chmnicle gives the correspondence between Secretary Seward and Hon. J. Lathrop Motley, late United States Minister to Austria, just presented to the American Senate on Wednesday, in eccordanee with a resolution on the 26th of November. In conc'uding his last m enu toh Mr. in My mission. A . loubacvhe ra ose tted the c ar sign nillitt: November last, officially and peremptorily upon charges supplied to you by an unknown informer, I had natu rally expected some notice from you of the reply, in which I denounced them charges as false ' calumnious, and contemptible. This not having b e e n the case, I think proper to place upon the records of this legation and of the state department the fact that the author of the infamous libel noon my character, whence you derived your charges, is absolutely unknown to me ; that to the beet of my knowledge, memory, and belief, he never saw me nor heard the amid of my voice, and that until the publication of his letter I never heard his name. That the charges, by whomsoever invented or uttered, are false end vile I have already told you in my letter of the 11th of ' December last.—l am, air, your obedient servant, J. LorneoP STATEMENT BY ONE OF THE PRISONERS. Within the last few hours a written statement has, it is said, been placed in the hands of the detectives which may seriously compromise the position of the prisoners. Allen, it is stated, sent for one of the inspecting officers of the detective force, and said that he wished to say for what reason he was in the vicinity of the prison on Friday. His evidence was taken down in writing and duly signed by him. The particulars of the statement it is not thought proper to disclose at present. It is possible that when the other two prisoners know what Allen has done they may follow his example. The prisoners are separately confined and narrowly watched. Up to this morning no further capture has been made, but the police are in possession of information which gives them • strong hope that within • few days some of the principal actors in this heartless crime may be as safely imprisoned as Burke and Casey. The condition of the wounded lying at the hospitals is about the same aa that last reported, and no other death has happened. FEARFUL EXPLOSION AT NEWCASTLE- UPON-TYKE. FOUR LIVES LOST. NEWCASTLE, TeESDAT NICHT. This town and district have been in a state of the wildest excitement since 4 o'clock, arising from a terrific explosion which occurred on the Town Moor, at that how. The following narrative of facts, which I have personally ascertained, will give a correct view of the calamity, which has mused so much terror to-night in the north. It seems that Inspector Amos and Sub-Inspector Wallace, of the Newcastle police, last night, received information that • quantity of nitro.glycerine was stored in • 'cellar in the White Swan-yard, in the Cloth Market, immediately be hind the Branch Bank of England, and that it belonged to an auctioneer named Spark. They examined the place, and found that it was contained in nine square canisters, in baskets packed in straw, and immediately sought the owner of it up, to have it removed to • place of safety. They found him at his place of business, and represented the matter to him. He said that he would have it sent back to the person who consigned it to him, and in com pany of the officers he tried the railway company, but they refused to carry It. An application was then made to Mr. Nesham, who hes a gunpowder store, to have it put into a magazine, but he refused to take it. The case was then represented to the magistrates, who, upon consultation, gave instructions to have it destroyed. The sheriff of New castle, Mr. John Maweon, is • well-known practical chemist, and the police applied to him as to the hest method of dealing with this deadly liquid. He, after con sulting with other chemists, advised that it should be buried in some of the creeks or crevices of some old pit workings in the neighbourhood. Eta, while these tran sactions bad been going on, from some unexplained reason the nitro-glycerine had been removed from the White Swan-yard to Spark's office, in the town-hall, immediately over the council chamber. This being discovered, a police man was immediately sent to watch it, and between 2 and 3 in the afternoon a cart was brought and the canisters were placed in it and taken to the Town Moor. The sheriff and Mr. Bryson, the town surveyor, with Sub-inspector Wallace, and apoliceman named Donald Bain, accompanied the cart to the Tswn Moor. They found a crevice or creek neer the Cholera Hospital, into which the liquid from the nine canisters wee poured; but after this was completed, it was found that a quantity of crystalised matter was sticking to the bottoms of three of the canisters. The sheriff instructed Wallace to put some earth over the liquid that had been poured into the crevice, and ordered the other men to bury the three crystalised canisters in the earth some distance off. 'While Wallace was shovel ' ling the earth into the crevice, he was startled by • fright ful explosion in the direction where the men bad gone, and running to the scene he found a sad catastrophe had occurred. The three canisters had exploded. Donald Bain, the policeman, was nearly blown to pieces, and was dead. Shotton and Appleby, two cartmen, were also killed. Mr. Bryson was dreadfully mangled about the face, and was apparently dying, and the sheriff was shockingly hurt. A boy, named Samuel Wadley, was lying in a hole dreadfully injured. Masson, Bryson, and Wadley were taken with all despatch to the infirmary, and the bodies of the other three were removed to the Cholera Hospital. Bryson has received a compound fine ture of the thigh and other injuries, and is not likely to recover ; the sheriff very much hurt shout the face and is likely to lose his eyed, but his case is hopeful. Wadley is very ill. The magistrates have been sitting at the police court, making an investigation. No abatement of the alarm, as the public mind cannot be disabused of the idea that the explosion has to do with Feniasism. THE FENIAN MOVEMENT IN BIR- MINGHASt. DISCOVERY OF AMMUNITION. Yesterday morning a box of cartridges, which it con hardly be doubted belonged to the Fenian,. and were intended to be used at the attack on the police van, in Manchester, in September last, was brought to the polioe•of6ce. The circumstances were as follow :—On the SOth of Augusta roan left two boxes at the parcels office of the New•atreet Station, one of them being a long narrow box and the other a small on*, about a foot long and six inches broad. A few days afterwards the long box was fetched away by the same man, who told the porter in charge of the office to be very careful of the small box as it contained gold. Nothing more was heard of the man, and on Monday night some of the official, connected with the station were " larying" in the Parcels Office, and smutting themselves by exploding fox signals under the grate. The small box spoken of was close to the fireplrce at the time. Yesterday the man in charge of the office had the curiosity to open the box, as it had been there se long, and to his astonishment instead of gold be found that the box contained conical ball cartridges. Information was immediately given to the police, and an officer was sent down, who took possession of the box and content'. The cartridges are packed in the °oilman , sired packages, labelled " Turner's Rifle Cart ridges," and were about 600 or 800 in quantity. The man in the parcels office asserts that he can positively identify the man who brought the hog, sad, from the description he gives, thereto. very little doubt that it was Thompson. who is on hie trial with Hogan, in Manchester. At any rate, it is stated that the railway official will be taken to Manchester today, to see if be can identify him. If it rhould prove true that Thompson left the box, it is ex tremely probable, from the time and circumstances attend ing the feet, that the ammunition was intended for use at the attach on the prison van at Manchester. and that a I longer-box which was taken away contained arms.—Bir 'luny/taw Part. The members of the Amalgamated Carpenters and Joiners' Society, at a meeting in 31anchester last night, almost unanimously passed a resolution in f►vour of the adoption of arbritration in the settlement of trade disputes, and of appointing delegates to the proposed court of arbitration. LAW INTELLIGENCE. (THIS DAY.) COURT OF EXCHEQUER. Sittings at Nisi Prius.—(Before the Lord Chief Sane and • SpenialJury.) LAPYMORNZ r. THANKS IRON WORKS COMPANY. This was an action for false imprisonment and a mat does prosecution. The defendants pleaded not guilty , Lo 4 a justification. Mr. Rigby Seymour, Q.C., and Mr. Nasmyth were cortu. sel for the plaintiff ; Mr. Serjeant Ballantine and lir, Philbrick were counsel for the defendants. The plaintiff, who had been a shipbuilder on his owl account, was at the time of the transaction in queotioo employed under Mr. Temple, who was manager of the dry dock at the defendants' works at MillwalL It appeared that in August last the defendants gave him into custody for felony in stealing timber from their yard. The charge after four remands from the magistrate before whom it was made, resulted in a committal to the Old Bailey, b ot the grand jury threw out the bill. Besides the inj ury t o his character by the accusation, the plaintiff said that he bad been put to an expense of about 101. in defending himself. The defence was that a felony had been committed, and that the defendants had ressonable and probable cause for suspecting the plaintiff and prosecuting him for the offence. Reliance was placed on two letters which th e plaintiff had written to Mr. Peter Bolt, the manager of the company, after his dismissal, entreating him to use his influence to procure his re-instatement in the Berries of the company, and which it was said were tantamount to an admission of a felonious taking of the goods. The plaintiff's counsel contended that they were only an M. mission of error in the mode in which timber had be te allowed to go out of the yard. The jury found that a felony had been committed. The Lord Chief Baron said that upon that finding he thought there was reasonable and probable cause for the course adopted by the defendants, though he sincerely hoped the plaintiff wu morally innocent. The plaintiff then elected to be nonsuited. COURT OF BANKRUPTCY. (Before Mr. Commissioner Goußourn.) IN RE PAGE. The bankrupt, described as of Albert-square, Peckham, out of employment, applied for his release from custody, He had been seven months in prison, and had obtained his order of discharge, but this does not take effect for :kkilp, and hence the present application. The bankrupt was in custody on an attachment from the DivoreeCourt for coo. payment of arrears of alimony, and his wife was the do taming creditor. Mr. Gresham opposed; Mr. Dobie supported. His Honour declined , under the circumstances, to make any order. TN RE CARTELLI BROTHERS. The bankrupts, Stephen and Charles Castelli, were mer. chants, of Gresham-house, Old Broad-street, and of Mae. chaster. This was the sitting for examination and dis. charge. The liabilities are returned at 26,6161. ; property given up, 2,i441. Mr. Lsvir.nce appeared for the assignees. The failure, he said, had oocurrod in consequence of the temporary suspension of the Agra Bank and the stoppage of Overeod, Gurney, and Co. The liabilities stood o rigin ally at 40,0001., but 7,0001. bad run off. The assignees had thoroughly investigated the case, and offered no opposi- tion. Mr. Bagley, for creditors, wished for an opportunity of examining the bankrupts, either in the usual way, or by means of requisitions in reference to the account' filed. The transactions were of considerable magnitude and the court would observe that the assets bore a very small pro. portion to the amount of the liabilities. Mr. Drough said hs represented creditors for over 4,000(. who were satisfied with the conduct of the bankrupts, and protested spinet needless delay. His Honour intimated an opinion that the creditor, represented by Mr. Bagley were entitled to deliver regal. aitions upon the accounts. Mr. Sargood, who was specially retained for the bank. rapts, said he was placed in the difficult position of basing to resist the application for an adjournment after the court had decided against him. (A laugh.) There were two sides to every question. The bankrupts had been in the hands of their creditors since the middle of 1868, and their transactions had been subjected to the strictest scrutiny. A very small section of creditors made the present application, which was resisted on behalf of the bulk of directors and by thelamignees. He submitted it was extremely discouraging to the bankrupts as mercantile men, who had given up every. thing to be delayed upon the captions suggestion of to small a body of their creditors, for their affairs had been made as clear as the noonday sun and clearer than the ern in this miserably clouded country at this time of the year. (A laugh.) The Commiasioner—So far the court is with you. (Laughter.) Mr. &mood in conclusion pressed upon the court not to accede to the wishes of so small a body of creditors when opposed to the wishes of by far the greater majority. Ile asked therefore. that the bankrupts might pass their ex• amination and receive their orders of discharge. His Honour said that without casting the slightest im. putation upon the bankrupts, he thought it was only res. sortable that creditors, if they desired it, should not be shut out from making inquiry, and he accordingly gave them leave to tender requisitions. Adjourned accordingly. CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT. (THIS DAY.) (Before Mr. Jurtice Lush.) THE LEEDS SANE FORGERIES. The trial of Thomas Edgelt y for defrauding the Leeds Bank, which is now in course of liquidation, ow fixed to take place this morning. Mr. Gifford, Q.C., was specially retained with Mr. Poland for the prosecution ; Mr. Sleigh and Mr. F. ii. Lewis appeared for the defendant. Mr. Sleigh, when the cue was called on, made an arra. .ation to the court to postpone the trial on the groundnut Mr. Greenland, the late manager of the Leeds Rink, we in Geneva, and too ill to attend, and in Lis atente, although he was a witness for the prosecution, be rid that the defendant could not safely proceed to trial. All the money had been advanced through his instrumenting, and he had written a letter to the solicitors to the proses tion, in which he stated that having had an opportunitY 4 entirely considering the matter, free from the excitenot and worry of the case, he had remembered that a rid deal of the evidence he had given before the Lord 3Lvot was incorrect, and he now remembered that the renow.: of the Maidampeck Forest. by the Servian governrev6 had been placed in his hands as security, and he resit* bored that it was intended to form a limited comp if so soon as the simples of the timber should arrre in this country. Mr. Greenland added in his lend that be believed that but for the stoppage of the Leeds Bank the project would have turned cut a mod successful one, and every farthing of the money would have been repaid. The letter concluded by eating Oil Mr. Greenland felt himself compelled, in the interest. of justice, to make this statement, and so soon as his hatli was sufficiently re-established he should be read! to depose to the facts he had stated is Ins letter. Under these circumstances Mr. Sleigh said that he had to ask that the case should postponed, and probably at one of the trnei sessions of the court Mr. Greenland would be ,file to attend and give his evidence, and ho urged the n would at all events be moat unsatisfactory to proceed trek the trial in the absence of Mr. Greenland. • "- Mr. Justice Lush asked Mr. Gitfard what he had to al to the application. Mr. Giffard said the case bad already stood over fa several months, and he would readily at oval withdrav from the prosecution if he felt that he could do se Ind propriety. The case was conducted by the autbeeio of the offici►l liquidator of the bank and the riC. Chancellor to whom the matter bad been remitted I+ o refused to allow any further expense to be incurred. Wi regard to what was stated by Mr. Greenland he &el submit that it would be a question for the jury w►etbe be was not concerned with Edgeley in the fraud that alleged to have been committed, and in that expo the d fendant would still be amenable to the charge. He that all he could say was that he was prepared to take a course that might be directed by his lordship. Mr. Justice Lush said be thought that sufficient green bad been stated for postponing the trial, but the out must come to an end, and he should therefore direct 1 . .. , the case should be peremptorily postponed to the 3 11 session, when all parties must be ready to go on Ina tbe inquiry. The recognisance, of the witnesses for the propeoree and the bail of the defendant were enlarged to the 11 session. WESTMINSTER SESSIONS ROUSE. (THIS DAY.) (Before TIJd Pratt, Fog., Chairman.) RWILARING IN IiPIICIAL CONATABLEA. The justices acting in and for the dty and libel' Westminster assembled this morning at the Sexxionwto ie for the purpose of swearing in special constables. It gratifying to observe the number of working men wbe• seated themselves on thin occasion, as well as anu nb: gentlemen. The men of the Chartered (aa roc. readily came forward, and the manner in which th, took the oath, and their sturdy appearance shord detestation of Fenianism in whatever shape it me exhibited. There was a hearty response to the os they would be " faithful and true to our Sovereign the Queen." The special constables will each receive 3 staff of '- and directions in a printed form as to their duty swearimpin will be continued taruorrrow, if sere at the Seseioms-house. F