The Express. — London, England, 1867-04-24 00:00:00

JOHN BROODEN. ORIGINAL GOLD CHAIN MANUFACTORY, 1I HEN RIETTA-STEW, 00VENT42IARDEN. JOHN BROGDEN'S 18-carat GOLD CHAINS. JOHN BROGDRN'S GOLD GUARD CHAINS. JOHN BROGDEN'S GOLD ALBERT CHAINS. JOHN BROGDEN'S GOLD BROOCH CHAINS. BROWN and POLSONT CORN FLOUR for CHILDREN'S DIET. To obtetn albs profit by the sale other kinds are sonsethnee eared instead of BROWN and POISON'S. "John Brown." "John Poison," la aligned br the oaken on each packet. Wit eanireoo. TO CORRIESPONDINTq. LdverUsementa Intended for The &press." Voodoo Evenfog Paw, must be at the Office. 10, Bouveric-street, by Two on the dav of publicatbet. DitURY LANE. TIII Evextxn. TIIK GREAT CITY. Meows. Warner, Mor ton, Fit Games. Rouse, dc.: Mesdames Robertson, La flare, and Thompson. —To conclude with THAT RASCAL JACK. Messrs. Neville and Rouse . Mesdames Alleyne and Thompson. IIAYMARKET. TUN Evrsimo, Mr. Kendal it Mho Barka.— AS YOU LIKE IT. Mama. Howe, Compton, Farm, Chippen dale, Koaaaa, se.: Mn. Scott-Siddo.ta—And HIS FIRST CHAMPAGNE. Memo Compton and Yarren ; Miss F. Wright. LYCIUM. Tlll4 Kerma. BAMBOOZLING. Mr. Price and Miss Kate Bistam.—TllK DUKE'S MOTTO. Mr. Yachter, Messrs. Emery. WM.tleonth. Re. Mimes Itaworthy, Grattan, end Car lotta leclereq.—A Grand Ballet. M. Espinosa * Mdlle. Sophie. WTftAND. TIN itromet SWEETIIKAiTWAND WIV64, Mr. Bel ford. —PYGMALION: OR., THE STATUE PAIR, Meson Thome, James. tto. Mesdames A. Swanboraurh, Raysluten. Harland, Johns one, Holt,t Newt.n.—And THE FRENCH EXIIIBITION. HOLBORN. THIS Emma°, MY TURN NEXT. Mr. Delmore; Shines Soot* and Lermoz.—And FLYING SCUD. Messrs. Neville, Bel.. moss, Blake, Voltaire, Re. ; Madames F. Josephs, C. denaders, Nene Foote. Fiddes, Lassos, Raymond, to BILITANNLIL Tars Erse - fin. THE LIFE SIGNAL. Messrs. Rayonlds, Drummond, Howe. : Miss Jane Covenev.—CH EERY AND FAIR STAR. Messrs. Blgwood, Leslie, Elton, Re.: Min R. Edwin sad Mrs. S. Lane.—And THE DREAM OF AILEEN. NUM WATIIIt AT LONDON BEIDOZ. TIM DAT —Morning, sh. Bas Afternoon, sh. NS. 704101.10 W—Morning, sh. 441 e..— —Afternoon. 60. 4E4 LONDON, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24. THE meagre character of the recommendations of the Recruiting Commission has probably not yet fallen out of public recollection. But their memory is not uselessly revived by a document just issued, in which they are presented in a tabular form, with a note appended to each, stating whether it has been adopted and carried out by the Horse Guards or not. What was originally paltry in suggestion becomes by this comparison with per formance almost striking for fecundity of idea and breadth of scope. There are just thirty-nine articles in this new creed of Army Reform, and of these seventeen have appended to them the words " Nut carried out." What is more unfortunate is that the fatal phrase is applied to the few pro posals which have anything in them of value. Minute details of alteration in the arrangements of the Recruiting Service are approved and adopted. Thus we are told that the recommenda tion that recruiting by means of the adjutants and staff of the Militia should cease, and that pen sioners employed on that duty should be sub jected to the Mutiny Act, has been " car " ried out." So also is the next recom mendation—if, indeed, it deserve that name— which is to the effect " that inspecting field " officers should be employed as at present, but " that the number of such officers should be re " wised from time to time as recruiting increases " or diminishes." Then a number of details re specting the apportionment of the enlistment re wards and of the smart money to recruiting par ties are declared to he adopted, and some altera tions are made respecting the marking of de serters. The few changes accepted that rise at all above this level consist in the relief of the sol dier from the charge for browning his arms and altering his clothing, in furnishing him with one extra pair of serge trousers biennially, and one extra pair of boots annually, in rendering in some way (we are not told how) the Royal Military Asylum and the Hibernian Military School more available for the supply of recruits, and in direct ing that pensioners discharged with good characters should be employed as clerks in Government offices. And we must, of course, remember the grand panacea of General PEEL, of twopence a day extra all round, though, as it happened, this was not recommended by the Commission at all. But among the list of rejected proposals we find in cluded the recommendation, that the period for computing length of service should runfrom the date of attestation, without reference to the attainment of the age of 18 ; that which draws " the atten " Lion of the military authorities to the allegation " that the desertion of recruits is sometimes occa " sioned by the fatigue and irksomeness of the " drill, and to the desirableness of limiting as " much as practicable the duration of each drill, " and of every care being taken that the strength " and energy of the recruit be not overtaaked ;" that a complete supply of clothing necessaries be issued to the soldier at more frequent intervals without stoppages ; that the distinction between pay and beer money should be abolished ; that the number of commissions granted to non-commis sioned officers should be made generally known ; and that a statement of the conditions and advan tages of the service should be drawn up and circulated in the recruiting districts. The failure to comply with the two last re commendations is, indeed, not matter for which we are disposed to blame the Horse Guards. If they were to tell the full truth in these re spects it is very certain that recruiting would be brought to a dead stand at once. It goes on at present chiefly because men don't know what they are subjecting themselves to when they take the the shilling. This catalogue of changes in trifles and of ob stinate resistance to change in all that is important, shows clearly enough the temper that animates the military authorities. But, fortunately, meantime the public is gaining every day a fuller informa tion from the best sources respecting the real nature of the case. The books, magazine articles, and letters written by private soldiers, have of late years made a very dis tinct show in our literature, and the public reads them all with nearly the same avidity as the stories of bigamy and poisoning which are its favourite mental food at present. From these quarters it is beginning to form a pretty accurate idea of the real nature of the soldier's trade. It sees how the service, tolerable in a good regiment, becomes a hell upon earth in a bad one. It un derstands how the dead, dull uniformity of mean ingless routine crushes out all love for the trade of arms from the most enthusiastic natures. It begins to know something of the petty tyranny of subalterns and sergeants, against which there is no redress ; of the want of encouragement or op portunity for self-improvement ; of the hope leafless of rising by any persistence in good conduct ; of the fatia c.onaerilien t ies of even the rare reward of exceptionat•gallantry by promotion to • commission, when it brings with it the necessity of companionship with extra vagant officers who gain their rank by purchase. By and bye this spreading acquaintance with the true merits of the case will enforce a change. When the time comes, whether brought about by the total collapse of the existing recruiting system or by some great necessity for augmenting our army, that the chiefs at the Horse Guards are at their wit's end, the nation will be able to set them and their ancient routine aside, and to dictate a remodelling of our army organization which will horrify them, but will giveto England the strength of all her sons to defend her in her need. Ar the present crisis in foreign affairs, the tele grams from the Paris Bourse are looked for with the utmost eagerness, and each day very little general business takes place in the Stock Exchange until the first prices are received from Paris, it being assumed that the movements on the Bourse furnish the truest possible index to the chances of peace or war, owing to the notorious speculative tendencies of many persons forming the entourage of the court. It would really seem, however, that our financial and mercantile community suffer themselves to be swayed too vio lently by these indications. Let us assume that war is imminent, and look our position in the face. This country will then be, more than ever, a place of refuge for foreign capital, of which we shall enjoy the use for the time upon our own terms. None of the powers that may go to war can dream for a moment of raising money for such purposes here. Our present opinion of foreign loans is shown in the fact that the last Chilian Loan, though raised by a State in good credit, and yielding a high rate of interest, is scarcely saleable above 6 discount. It is, indeed, the prospect of a large and immediate loan for the French government that contributes to the violence of the fluctuations lately witnessed in the Rentes, but this merely supplies another reason why we should not suffer our home and Indian securities to be depreciated in response to such movements. The difference between our securities and those of foreign States is only now beginning to be properly understood, but it is satisfactory to remark that, in spite of the alarms which for some months have been ceaselessly sounded from the Continent, the investments in the English funds have been steadily continued, and, owing to the consequent scarcity of stock, Consols now can be bought almost at a lower price for money than for delivery several weeks hence. In like manner, Indian government and railway stocks continue to be absorbed, and show great firmness. Our home railway stocks--another great branch of the national investments—have, it is true, had many difficulties to contend with of late, in cluding improvident administration, financial un soundness, and dulness of trade, yet, though a large amount of stock hitherto held on borrowed money has been forced for sale, all the recent set tlements in the Stock Exchange have shown a pre ponderance of small investments, the consequence being that the stock thus sold has been nearly all absorbed. The state of our trading prospects ought equally to deter us from falling into blind alarm. Non-intervention, except in mat ters touching the national honour, being the recognised principle of our foreign policy, it is very improbable that we shall be involved in war on the Continent, and we may therefore reckon upon being the chief carriers and purveyors of commodities to the contending nations. Moreover, our command of capital is already excessive, and, instead of suffering from a speculative mania, we have allowed a speculative reaction to be carried so far that we are actually beginning to experience some of the evils attendant upon hoarding. Our position alto gether, political and financial, is almost unpre cedentedly strong, and very different from that of some of the communities whence these notes of alarm are transmitted. OTTR CONTEMPORARIES. (THIS DAY.) lIR. BRIGHT% SPEICH. The Times describes Mr. Bright and Mr. Sohole field as giving their bearers of their worst. The state ments of the latter, who is usually a man of moderate language, were as one-sided, and his criticism as partial, as anything Mr. Bright has ever uttered. Intentionally or not Mr. Bright managed to leave the final impression that the settlement of reform must be obtained by forte and not argument. According to the Times it is the opposition, and not the government, which has dragged its anchor and is teasing wildly about. Mr. Bright's whole method of analysing the government scheme is essentially vicious, and the comparison he insti• Lutes between it and Mr. Gladstone's rival plan is accord. ingly quite untrustworthy. Taking the bill as it stands as incapable of modification, exaggerating its consequences in one direction, suppressing its proposals in another, he produces a picture which would be impressive were it true, but is only fantastic as imaginative. Unless the opposi tion adopt a different policy from this, and ant with pru dence and sobriety, the government will be left unchecked, and, before another false step is taken, the Times implores each and all to weigh the responsibility of the hour. The Daily News treats of the renewal of the reform agi tation due to the course pursued by the tory government and its allies, and refers to Mr. Bright's speech only Mei. dentally. The government scheme has been unanimously condemned at every meeting held during the recess, and the liberal members whose secession gave the ministry its majority, have been sharply and promptly called to account by their constituents. The divergence of sentiment which has gradually grown between the House of Commons and the nation is shown by the fact that to please the one is to discontent the other. The Birmingham demonstration is but a beginning. The responsibility of the state of affairs mainly rests with the 46 Marplots who have made it impossible to improve the government bill, and very few of whom are able to point to peat services and to evident proofs of earnestness in the cause for which they have deserted their principles and party. One good result that may be expected from their conduct is the reforming of the liberal party, which is the first condition of its reorganisation ; and another is that it will ensure on the next opportunity that the leader whom the people at large trust and admire shall not lack supporters on whose fidelity to their principles and their party he can rely. The Post think. Mr. Bright has never spoken more effeo. ti rely, and that he has taken what is on the whole an semi rate measure of the government bill. The Herald's comments amount to simply asking, who cares what Mr. Bright says ? HU speech means nothing more than that the radical conspiracy by which the Reform Bill was threatened has utterly broken down, and that its two principal managers can neither control their rage nor preserve their self-respect under the mortification of detection and defeat. The Standard calls for a well•organised conservative Working Men'. Association for the metropolis. The Star looks to the Birmingham meeting as inevitably convincing Mr. Disraeli of the propriety of recognising for the future Mr. Gladstone's rank as the leader of the liberals. If by any effort the liberal party now in the house can force upon the government such an amendment of the borough franchise as would bring it practically to household suffrage, then, of course, it may be possible to settle satisfactorily this session the great question which has so long remained in debate. But if the government will not accept any such amendment, then let them by all means be forced to reeign . or to dissolve. ~~ Vii , THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 24, The Tergrepa refers to the figures.gives ti Mr. Brit to prove the governinsea bill to be • vast and complete fraud—one which can never be accepted by the people, awl which must multiply the thousand meetings of last year alike in numbers and attendance. LATEST INTELLIGENCEL THE LUXEMBURG QUESTION. LOX BUBO. The Times traces back the miseries of the present crisis to the paltry acquisition by France of S►voy arid Nice. It was th►t which gave rise to the luckless scheme of " observant neutrality" in the summer of last year, that laid down the rule about " territorial compensation " and the " rectification of frontiers." It is still time for the Emperor Napoleon to show his faith in the generous instinct of his own people. The only real point is the ev►cuation of the Luxemburg stronghol I. and that, however loudly the Germans may talk about it, can safely be left to the deliberations of diplomacy. But, in the meanwhile, we have no hesitation in asserting that it is for the Emperor Napoleon to allay a storm of his own raising. We should expect him to have the courage to deny that there can be a casus bri i even in the refusal of the Prue signs to withdraw their garrison from Luxemburg. Nothing has been taken, nothing has been demanded of France. It is not the dread of a parliamentary tirade by M. Thies, or of a shrieking article by M. de Girardin that should shake his wise and humane purpose. It is observed by the Daily News that the silence of governments is one of the least supportable symptoms of the crisis. It is surpriping how little is authentically known of the diplomatic basis of the dispute. If it is true that Lord Stanley has been called upon to express the opinion of England, the public will believe, until other wise informed, that he has endeavoured to minimise our intervention. It would be next to impossible for the Emperor Napoleon to recede from • claim which England and Russia assure him is legitimate. The real grounds of the contest cannot in truth be referred to neutral powers; for what has really to be settled is the relative rank of France and Prussia in Europe. Both are straining their energies to place their armies in • formidable position, and they may well be earnest in preparation, for the war which must then ensue will be one of the most terrible on record. Two great and warlike races will meet, not as in Italy, to settle a limited strife, or, as in the Crimes, far from the centres of their power, but to oppose one another face to face, in the ful ness of their strength, and to determine in a supreme struggle the condition■ of their national existence. Until the last irrevocable word has been said, it is our duty to believe that some means may be found for preventing a conflict so tremendous. The Berlin correspondent of the Sidle writing . on April 21, says : The hopes of peace diminish here front day to-day and from hour to hour. To-day (Easter day) the excitement is great in consequence of the rumour, which is seriously credited, that an order for the mobilisation of the Prussian army will be published in the course of this week. The aid of Roasia is here reckoned upon. Many flatter themselves even that England will intervene in favour of the policy of Count Bismarck. I can affirm it to be certain that in official quarters the pressure of Prussia upon Holland is no longer denied ; all that is said is that there are no written proofs. The celebrated convex , cations of the English ambassador at St. Petersburg in 1854 were not printed ; nevertheless, Europe placed faith in them. It may be the same with regard to the revelations of the diplomatic agents of Holland. War is always repugnant to an immense majority of the Prussian nation, but in case of necessity it will, as it did last year, make it aquestion of public safety. Cfte Court. WINDSOR CASTLE, APRIL 73. The Queen, accompanied by Princess Louise, drove in the grounds this morning Prince Arthur and Prince Leopold, attended by Mr. Sahi, went out walking. Princess Beatrice rode in the Home-park. The Austrian ambassador and Countess Apponyi arrived at the Castle yesterday, and had the honour of dining with the Queen and the Royal Family. Mr. Louis Mallet, C. 8., and Mr. H. Reader Lack (mem bers of the Austrian Tariff Commission) have left the Board of Trade for Vienna. Despatches were sent yesterday from the Colonial-office to the governors of the settlements on the West Coast of Africa. DEPARTURE OF HER MAJESTY FOR OSBORNE.— The Queen, with the junior members of the royal famly, is expected to leave Windsor Castle for Osborne early next week. The necessary preparations are being made at Os borne for the Queen's reception. Prince and Princess Christian will not go to Osborne with the Queen. Her Majesty will reside in the Isle of Wight for ►bout a fort night, and then return to Windsor Castle, where nume rous improvements are being carried out, including the re erection of the grand staircase and alteration of the Nor man Tower, the residence of General Grey. The commercial travellers of Ireland held their annual banquet on Monday night in the Lecture-ball of the Molesworth-street Institute. In the absence of the Lord Mayor the chair was taken by Mr. Andrew Bigot. A most encouraging report was read, showing in a marked manner the very great success the institution had at tained in a comparatively short period. _ _ Mr. Peabody has received from the Empress Eugenie an autogr.ph letter complimenting him for the munificent liberality he has displayed on both sides of the Atlantic, and characterising him as " the great benefactor of humanity." We read in the Moniteur of yesterday, "His Imperial Highness Prince Napoleon leaves this evening for his estate at Prangins, in the canton of Vaud (Switzer land). The absence of the prince will be of very short duration." By way of keeping up a record of the distin guished foreign visitors, the arrival of two white camels of the Mahan species at the Paris Exhibition is noticed. They come from the southern province of Constantine, and are the only once of the kind ever seen in France. They have been sent by order of theGovernor-General of Algeria. At the park they were located under tents erected by the War Department in Section 3R, known all the encampment ; and, after a welcome rest of two days, they were sent to the Acclimatising Garden, where they receive hospitality now, and where they will be located permanently after the Exhibition is over. Every morning they are conducted to the park, and are carefully taken back at night. A catalogue of the pictures belonging to the late Mr. Augustus Stevens, of Paris, announces the sale of his known collection of old muters, which is to take place on the let of May. There are in this collection Rackhuysens, Coyne, Vander Hoydens, Ruyadaela, Rredas, Dows, Dyeks, Holbeins, Ostades, Rembrandt', Terriers', Wouvermani, Potters, and other known artists of the Dutch school. Other collections are likely to be offered this summer, under the impression that the Exhibition will invite a buying public. Much complaint has been made respecting the system of charging extra for several places within the park at the Paris Exhibition, such as the centr►l garden, the church, the Mexican temple, and other places ; but, as a weekly ticket obviates all this, visitors should not fail to take with them a photograph portrait, without which these tickets are not issued. Of course there are plenty of pho tographers in the neighbourhood and in Paris who are ready to " take " you, but a day at least is lost before a copy can be printed, even if you can get one within so short a time. A letter from Luxemburg states that the Prus sian garrison has not been increased of late ; that it is at this moment below it., ordinary strength, and that it con- sists only of two regiments, one from Nassau and one from the Rhine, with two companies of artillerymen and a few engineers. A Marseilles letter, in the Pharr de la Loire, says :—" The situation of the workmen does not seem to be improving in this neighbourhood. The labourers at the opal mines of Fuveau are now on strike. A meeting of the working-tailors of this city is about to be held at the Café du XIX. Siecle, with the object of raising pecu niary resources to send to the tailors on strike in Paris. A note published in the journals invites the workmen of other trades to aid them in carrying out their views." The Imperial Russian squadron, under the com mand of Rear-Admiral Kern, recently returned to Europe from the North Pacific, and now anchored at the Mother bank, off Ryde, consisting of the screw frigate Askold (flag), 17 guns, Captain Polozoff ; the screw corvette Va riag, 17 guns, Captain Lundh ; and the screw despatch vessel Izoumroud, 5 guns, Captain Brilkin, are waiting orders from St. Petersburg, which are expected for Cron stadt on the clearing of the ice. DEATH OF MR. WEATHERALL, THE CHIEF CLERK OF VICIECHANCELLOR WOOD.—This gentleman. who had held the appointment for a number of years, died suddenly of disease of the heart, at his residence, Highbury, on Good Friday. He attended on the previous day and dis charged the duties of his office in apparent health. At pre sent the vacancy has not been filled up. It is in th e gift of Vice-Chancellor Wood. DZATH OF MR. PAUL FORRETT. —We have to announce that the severe illness which Mr. Paul Foskett has endured for some time back had a fatal termination yesterday morning. Mr. Foskett took an active part in politics during the earlier portion of his life; but in later years had acquired celebrity as a religious lecturer, and as an earnest and ever ready defender of the "protestant in stitutions" of the country. He was also the author of works of a "prophetic" tendency. His body will be in terred at I o'clock on Friday next, at the Extra-Mural Cemetery. —BrigAton Quard4ast. W. Nairn Aberdeen 19.61 661 N. Leith 29.50 ISO W. Ardromen 29.47 49 &W. Oreeneeette 29.48 61 N.N.Z. Yalentia 19.60 69 W.B.W. Cape Clear 29.47 60 &W. Liverpool 29.56 62 &E. Holyhead Pomace.— 10.07 62 B.W. Brest 29.0066 B.W. Lorlent MN 66 &W. Rochefort 29.95 64 Z. Plymouth 29.09 64 &W. Weymouth 29.73 68 &W. Portsmouth 29.72 62 &W. London Yarmouth 29.09 62 W.B.W. Scarborough 29.62 49 B.W. Shields *6O 61 &W. Helder — 2414 —....—„,1 W. I D. 1 to D. 1 it --- --- Li. et 10.141 2 N. t 0.441 2 Z. r 111.46 1 &&W. ro &WI 2 Z. re 111.22, 1 &W. ro 10 Otl 2 6.W. tob lad 4 8.1. c 11.17' 1 RAW. or 0.21 4 W.&W. ro 1.11 4 &W. Ire 0.04 6 &W. re ?Olt 4 &W. o ! I 2 S. oc 0.11 4 &w. a.w. • w.a.w. I w. ; fel) 0.17 re 0.00 oc 0.10 oc The Indipendance Beige of yesterday says : There exists the same official silence on the question of Luxemburg. There are no facts, no news ; nothing but impressions which are founded rather on instinct than on reason. This is the real position of affairs. There is, however, little hope of success from the mysterious efforts of diplomacy. People have no faith In the disinterestedness of the powers who have been called in as mediators, and, even at Berlin, where an ad journment of the decisive crisis was believed in a few days back, we have reason to think today that they expect events are rapidly hastening onward to a fatal issue. (aruna's riziouns.) SERVIA. BELGRADE, APRIL 24. Servian troops have left this capital for Semen clria and Festilan, to garrison those fortresses in place of the Turks. PORTUGAL. LISBON, APRIL 23, EVENING. _ The Chamber of Peers, on the motion of Count Lavradio, has postponed granting permission to the King to travel abroad. Tumults continue in Oporto. Three regiments and a war steamer are being despatched to that city from Lisbon. AMERICA. IN, APRIL 24. The Hamburg and American Company's steam ship Germania, from New York on the 13th, ar rived here to-day, with 115 passengers for this port, Havre, and Hamburg. She brings no specie. (BY mimic TILBORAPH.) NEW YORK, APRIL 22, 6 P.M. A proposal, introduced in the Senate for the mediation of the United States government in the affairs of Mexico, has been deferred until next session. Closing prices :—Gold, 138. Sterling exchange on London, 109. 5-20 United States Bonds, 110 ; Illinois, 1134 ; Erie, 56k. Cotton: Middling Up land, 25. Petroleum, refined, 26. The North German Lloyd's steamship Bremen arrived out to-day. SHOCKING WENS 47 4 FIRE. On Monday afternoon the most intense and pain ful excitement yea caused in Ladybank and the surrounding district by a melancholy occurrence which took place at the little village of Monkatown, situated about 500 yards west from the junction of the Perth and Dundee branches of the North British Railway, remitting in the destruction by fire, within • very short space, of four cottages and the death of three persons. Monlateen' is a small village composed chiefly of those thatched houses which a few years ago were very common in that part of Fifeshire but of late years have been rapidly giving place to buildings of more com modious and safer construction. About 4 o'clock in the afternoon smoke was seen issuing in dense volumes from the roof of one of the cottages, which was occupied bya labourer employed on the roadanamed John Muckaraie, end the inhabitants of the hamlet, appreciating the danger to which they were exposed, at once turned out to assist in putting out the flames , which immediately afterwards began to shoot forth, and speedily enveloped the build ing. The attempt, however, which the very nature of the structure rendered hopeless almost from the first, was soon seen to be utterly futile ; and in the absence of fire-engines, and every effective mean, of throwing water upon the flames, the fire rapidly spread to the roofs of the neighbouring cottages, and in not more than ten minutes after the outbreak was first observed, four were blazing, The unfortunate inhabitants, seeing the impossibility of saving their dwellings, attempted, while the dames were confined to the roof, to save the more valuable pieties of their furniture—a foolhardy carefulness which was the occasion of a melancholy accident. In the absence of her husband, Mrs. Muckarsie, in whose house the fire broke out, assisted by her son Richard and a young man named David Anderson, an apprentice joiner, was thus engaged when the burning thatch roof fell in upon them, at once choking up the doors and windows, their only mains of egress, and by loosening the burning straw and wood work of the roof, causing the fire to burn all the more fiercely. The throe persons inside the house, if not killed by the falling &lois, must have been very speedily suffo cated, and, the hamlet being at the time deserted by nearly all the male population, any attempt to extricate them from the burning mass was impossible. The bodies, when some time afterwards recovered, were found to be dreadfully scorched. After this fearful warning, no further effort was made by the other cottager. to save their household goods, and the unhappy and excited women and children were reduced to the situation of helpless spectators of the sad might. Before five o'clock, or within an hour of the first discovery of the fire, four cottages were burned to the ground, and nearly everything they contained was destroyed. So rapid was the spread of the flames, that some of the villagers, and those who were assisting them in saving their furniture, very narrowly escaped with their lives. WEATHER REPORT.-(THIS DAY.) WZDNI2II24Y, Al RA 24, II ♦.Y. REMARKS. er i .. i ; I Or i 1 Barometrical preasme has decreased since yesterday, and con tinuos to decrease, except in the north. Winds in the extreme north of Scotland and Ireland are northerly, but elsewhere are still from southwest. Rain has 'wen general, except on the east coast ; and the weather is now for the most part cloudy. WAR-OFFICE, PALL-MALL, APRIL 23. —Royal Re giment of Artillery—Captain and Brevet Major William Todd Brown, C.B. from the seconded list, to be capt a i n , vice George Holland, cashiered by s entence of a general court-martial. The promotion of Lieutenant Edward Henry Baker to second captain, which appeared in Casette of 18th December, 184. i, should have been in succession to Second Captain Peahen, " placed upon half-pay," instead of " re signed."—Garette. THE NEW BREECH-LOADER FOR FRANCE. —A correspondent of the Figam, speaking of the new breech loading rifle adopted in France, says :—" It appears to unite all the best qualities of an offensive weapon—long range, facility of management, greatprecision, and remark. ably great penetrating power. It can fi re sixty rounds without becomintie e r ad heated ; it discharges twelve ball s • minute, and is hterthan the ordinary infantry musket. The troops have y rehaptimed the Chassepot rifle, and never call it anything but the Pereepeau ' (akin- Archbishop Manning yesterday opened the new schools of St. Joseph, Holloway. A young gentleman, a visitor to Brighton, and holding, it is said, a good position at the Oxford Univer sity, attempted (says the Brighton Guardian), to drown himself on Thursday by leaping from the New Pier into the sea. He was, however, quickly picked up by a boat man and conveyed to his apartment+, where he lies in a precariou+ state. 4 %)14' :4 . 1867. TIDE WEST' RIDING RSIPORM DEMONSTRATION. ND ...sow.- LEFT*, Turbmt Arr!RNooN. - Following, as it did in the autumn of last year, close on the heels of the great Birmingham meeting, the demonstration held here to-day on behalf of the West Riding of Yorkshire, was one of a most impressive descrip tion. From an early hour the streets of our town swarmed with those who bad come to take part in the gathering on Woodhouse Moor, and the large square in front of the town-hall, where the procession was to muster, and where a huge banner was displayed, bearing the inscription of the Yorkshire department of the Reform League, formed • rallying point for the perpetually shifting body of reformers. The weather in the morning looked somewhat gloomy, but towards noon the clouds cleared away, and the march of the procession to the moor was made under most favourable circumstance". The display of banners and trade symbols in the procession was ea usual very numerous, each body of reformers having at least one. The utmdtt order pre railed, the greatest attention being paid to the following memorandum, which was signed by Mr. Alderman Carter, the president of this branch of the league :—"The com mittee of management urgently impress upon all societies and clubs who will join the procession to use every effort for carrying out the arrangements in • satisfackey man ner. The counfa7 must be shown that working men can manage these demonstrations in an orderly and peaceable manner, and that they are worthy of the position in the state which they are now claiming. if the instructions of the appointed officers (who will be placed at different sta tions in the streets where the procession will pass and Assemble) be strictly followed, the Yorkshire meeting will be in every respect a great success." The proces sion was of great length, and occupied upwards of an hour in peeing • given point. Estimates of course vary much as to the number of person. who took part in it, and as to the size of the congregation on the moor, bat it was generally allowed that the proportions of the crowd greatly exceeded those of the gathering in October last. At the most moderate computation there could not have been less than 200,000 persons present. The following are the resolutions, which were put simul taneously from the platforms and carried amidst general "enthusiasm: 1. That this meeting is of opinion that no measure of reform will be considered by the working classes as final which does not embrace registered residential manhood suffrage, protected by the ballot, together with such a re distribution of seats as will place the representation in accordance with the wealth, population, and intelligence of the nation. 2. That the meeting rejoices in the progress that the principle of household suffrage has made in the reoent dis cussions in parliament, and earnestly calla on all sincere reformers to oppose those restrictive provisions in the bill now before the House of Commons, which prevent that principle being carried out in its integrity. 3. That this meeting expresses its deep sorrow and humi liation at the present unsatisfactory state of affairs in Ireland, and urgently presses upon the government to pass such immediate measures as will tend to restore prosperity and happiness to that country. LEEDS, TUESDAY NIGHT. A large and enthusiastic meeting was held this evening in the Corn Exchange. The chair was occupied by Mr. Alderman CARTER, President of the Yorkshire Department of the Reform League ; and amongst the speakers were Mr. Forster, M.P., Mr. Stansfeld, BLP., and Mr. Baines, M.P. The resolutions adopted were the same as those sub. mined to the meeting on the Moor. Mr. FORSTER contended that the bill had many I faults, but that it was • good franchise with bad conditions. Against these bad conditions they must strug gle unceasingly until they were removed, and when they were removed the bill would be worthy their ac ceptance. In that struggle they most act under the leader ship of Mr. Gladstone—(loud cheers)—for what loader save Mr. Gladstone could they have ? 1 I Mr. SrAssextri alluded to the changed opini o n that - had taken place on the subject of reform amongst the ruling classes of the country, and then, referring to Mr. Gladstone's letter to Mr. Crawford, said he did not interpret it as meaning that Mr. Gladstone had resigned the leadership of the House of Commons ; but Mr. Gladstone saw the principle of personal rating having been affirmed by the house, that it was not well to go on with his amendments further ; that seeing the political situation he (Mr. Gladstone) had referred to "concerted action " in his letter in a way to show that be was desirous as the leader of the liberal party to receive an answer to the question of what ought to be the concerted action of the liberal party in the House of Commons, and what are the practical amendments which must be carried to make the bill acceptable. His (Mr. ilianafeld•s) reply to that was, that they ought to do all they could to prevent the two years' residence clause passing, and to pass if possible Mr. Hibbert's amendment for placing the compound house holders to be enfranchised under the bill on the same foot ing se the compound householders under the act at pre sent in operation. (Cheers.) BE. BAINES, M.P., wan received with great applause. He could not refuse to attend the meeting for several rea sons : first, as member for the borough, it was hi■ clear duty to appear among them, in order to bear their opinions and wishes on the reform question ; secondly, his heart was entirely in favour of real and extensive reform, although he did not agree with all the details of the reso lution now before them, and which had received the approbation of the meeting ; yet in every part but one he agreed with them heart and soul, and that was getting • large measure of enfranchise ment for the working classes. It bad been said that night that Beale, had done more than any man in England to bring about the present position of the reform agitation, but he (Mr. Baines) must beg to make exceptions in favour of Bright and Gladstone. (Loud applause.) After these gentlemen Mr. Bales must yield the palm to Robert Lowe, who by his speech two years ago did such substantial service in agitating the country. (Cheers.) If any men were calculated to carry the question through the House of Commons they were Gladstone and Bright. (Loud applause.) After entering into a number of statis tical statements to show how the tory bill would affect boroughs like Leeds, the hon. gentleman concluded by stated that he was prepared to go as far as W. rental, a remark received with exclamations of " Oh," and cries of " Household suffrage." The proceedings terminated with thanks to the chairman for presiding. A meeting of the liberals in Maidstone will be held at the Corn Exchange to-morrow evening, to con sider the present position of the reform question. Messrs. Lee and Whatman, the members for the borough, will be present. THE BIRMINGHAM REFORM MEETING. —The Diriainghant Daily Post says:—" Owing to the vast crowds that already covered the ground, very little could be seen beyond the long line of banners—which, eventually break ing off here and there, resolved themselves into clusters which marked one or other of the eight meetings held simultaneously upon Brookfields. It is always difficult to estimate numbers, but it is always unsatisfactory not to make some attempt. The last meeting was put variously at from a hundred and fifty thousand to a quarter of • million—which latter was the estimate of more than one of the London papers. We put it ourselves at two hundred thousand. The present meeting, when all were assembled was, as it appeared to us, about half as large again as the last. We should, therefore, put it at shout 300,000. Estimates ea the ground varied from 150,000 to 500,000. The field was well covered before the procession reached it the num ber present being 80,000 or 100,000 perhaps. The proces sion—the number taking part in which we are unable, owing to the unknown quantity of tributary rills which joined it at various points of its route, to estimate at all— brouaht with it the vast masses which it bad gathered on its four miles journey from Vauxhall to Hockley— masses which could not have fallen far short, in cluding the procession, of from 200,000 to 250,000." With to Mr. Bright's same speech the journal says : —"l n regard respects, whether of matter or manner, it was one of his happiest efforts of oratory—luminous in statement, close and powerful in argument, uniting earnestness with moderation, admirably sustained throughout, and not en frequently rising to the loftiest heights of eloquence. In particular, the noble tribute rendered to Mr. Gladstone will never pass from the memory of those who were privi leged to hear it ; while the enthusiastic cheers with which it was received attested not less the power and the sin cerity of the speaker than the transcendent merits of the statesman who was the subject of eulogium and the object of applause. The only point to b e regretted is that Mr. Gladstone was nut there to hear his character and services estimated at their true value, and to receive in person evi dence of the affection with which he is regarded by the great masses of his countrymen." WE.STMINSTER ABBEY.—The special evening ser vices will begin on the 28th of April at 7 11401. The fol lowing are the preachers for April and May :—April 28, the Dean of Westminster ; May 5, the Rev. Stopford Brooke. Incumbent of St. James's Chapel, Greek-street ; May 12, the Hew. T. J. Rowsell, Rector of St. Margaret's, Lothbury ; May 19, the Dean of Chichester ; May 2G, the Bishop of Oxford. It is probable that the coming wheat crop will be the largest ever grown on this continent. — Nets York LAW INTnLIGENCZ. (THIS DAY.) EQUITY COURT, (Before Vice-Chancellor Stuart) EDMUNDS r. BROUGHAM. Mr. G. N. Higgins, for the plaintiff, aid is sag happy to say that owing to the good offices of the friends of the plaintiff and the defendant it had been agreed that, upon the term, proposed to be embodied in the decree, which he would not read to the court, the bill should be dia. mined without costa. He would add that there were no imputations on either side upon the conduct of the other in the matters relating to the suit. Mr. Osborne Morgan, for the defendant, wished to Bey that the defendant had derived no ',enlace' benefit what. ever from the sum of 300/. per annum, in respect of which the suit bad been brought. That sum bad been applied solely for the purposes first contemplated—viz., the pay. went of Mr. John Brougham's debts. The Vice-Chancellor accordingly made a decree in the tonna agreed upon. COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH. Sittings in Banos—(Before Justices Blackburn, Mellor, and Shea.) The court eat to-clay for the first time alter the Easter holidays. WALIU V. BELFORD. This was an action tried at Liverpool before Mr. Justice Mellor, when the jury returned a verdict of 531. over and above 101. which the defendant had paid into court as sufficient to meet the plaintiff's claim. The action wag for a breach of contract in the sale of a mansion, kt., the defendant having, as the plaintiff alleged, removed certain vines which formed a portion of the property purchased. Mr. T. Jones, Q.C., to-day moved for • rule cAlliag upon the plaintiff to show cause why a new trial should not be had on the ground that the verdict was agaiart evidence, that the damages were excessive, and also mis. direction. Mr. Justice Mellor said the damages were higher than he should have given, but it was impossible for bun to y tho jury were not warranted in giving the amount they had. Rule refused. .LORAN P. LAWR EN CE. This was an actilTt4TrecOverii.ll., the value of a horw, tried before Mr. Justice Mellor, when the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff for that amount. Mr. Udall moved for • rule far • new trial en behalf et the defendant, on the ground of uthireception of widens and misdirection. The defendant bought the hone through and paid the money to a man named Walker, who had misapplied the money. The question raised was the agency of Walker, and who was to lose the money. It was contended that the plaintiff had parted with the posersion of the horse to Walker by the fraud of the latter. Rule refused. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS. _ _ _ _ Sittings in Banco.—(Before Lord Chief Jardine Sevin and indices Bylea, Keating, and Smith.) SIZNIENSOV V 817)110N. . . • • The defendant in this case was a member of a Liverpool firm which owned a ship which bad been commanded by the plaintiff. The vessel was at Calcutta when the great cyclone passed over that city, and the ship was driven ashore in the Hooghly, and was so injured that she had to be stripped and re.coppered. When the plaintiff returned to Digland a meeting was held in reference to his account', and there were present the plaintiff, defendant, his partner, and Captain Stapleton, their overlooker. The defendant on this occasion made use of some words to the effect that the plaintiff had misappropriated part of the proceeds received for the old copper ; and the present action warn to recover damages for the slander. The trial took plata before Mr. Justice Shee at Liverpool, where the verdict was for the plaintiff for 40s. Mr. Brett, Q.C. now moved for a rule to enter a 'lowa, and contended that the words were, under the circum stances, a privileged communication ; and another point was th►t he contended that the declaration ought not to be amended so as to make the words declared on the name as those which had been used. This latter point had been reserved by the judge for the court. Rule granted. BLZAPEDALE r. METCALF. The plaintiff ..Sayi;iliglris,;ii;;l;;(l been in the err vice of the defendant, a moulder, and he had been injured by the fall of a very heavy furnace door, which was moved with the assistance of weights slung over a beam At the trial at Chester, before Mr. Baron Channel!, the jury found for the plaintiff for 501. Mr. Giffard, Q.C., moved for • writ for a new trial, and contended that the defendant was not liable, because the defendant bad employed a competent foreman to superin tend the operations; Weenie tho plaintiff's injury was sustained through the act of a fellow servant • and be cause the plaintiff had joined in the work when he knew that there was danger of the beam giving way. The Court took time to consult Mr. Baron Channel upon the subject. COURT OF BANKRUPTCY. (Before Mr. C,ommisaioner Goulburn.) IN RE CHALLENGER. The bankrupt was a pianoforte manufacturer, of Char. rinfton-street, and elsewhere. The debts are 7,194/., of which 4,4041. are due to unsecured creditors. The assets are returned at 4,9151., but as yet only 4001. had hem mama. Mr. Heed, for the assignees, did not °ppm.. They were satisfied with the inquines they had made, and the sates would yield a dividend of about 10s. in the pound. His Honour in granting the order, said that the bank. rapt quitted the court with credit. TN RE W. P. FRIO/CF. The bankrupt was a contractor of Bridge-wharf. red. dington. The aggregate liabilities are 34,041/., of which 9,294!. are stated to be in respect of accommodation bilk; assets realised about 1,0001. 111 r.. Reed, for the assignees, allowed the bankrupt to pass hie examination, but opposed the order of discharge. Sixteen months before the failure, the bankrupt had a cur. plus of upwards of 7,0001. ; be now came before the court with a deficiency of above 24,000/. Such a state of thisp necessarily called for inquiry : and the assignees had taken proceedings in Chancery which had resulted is setting aside a mortgage executed shortly before the failure in favour of the bankrupt's brother, whereby about 1001. had been realised to the estate. The bankrupt had hem concerned with Messrs. Rose and Rowse in the oar struction of the Hook of Holland Railway, and some other lines in Holland, and be had become responsible to them on accommodation bills to the extent of 10,0001. Beiug pressed, be bad begun to deal with his property, and hail disposed, among other things, of a stead yacht. Mr. Bagley, on behalf of the bankrupt, urged that the acceptance of the accommodation bills had been forced upon him by his position in connexion with the cow tractors for the Dutch railways. Ultimately his Honour passed the examination, but A r . jourised the order cc discharge to a future day. MIDDLESEX SESSIONS. (THIS DAY.) SECOND COURT. (Before Mr. Payne.) A DRUMMED THIEF. Charles Wilson, 27, a stonemason, well known to the police, was placed at the bar indicted for an iinioue robber' , of jewellery, consisting of watch chains, pin , . rings, ho., to the value of about 10/., the property' 01 James Sileader, from the person of Sophia Cleave. Mr. Dale prosecuted. The prisoner was not defended by counsel. Sophia Cleave, living at 58, London-street, said on the 6th of March she had some jewellery to sell. and the Pri• sonar, whom she knew, offered to dispose of some of it for her. After speaking for a minute to her lie snatched the basket from her arm and made off with it. This took place at her house, and she did not see the prisoner spin until the Ist of April, when he was taken into custody. Detective Carter, 117 E, took the prisoner into cutoff. and after telling him the charge, be said, "It is not 1 who gave you the hp (information) about it ; was it my s ister that told you? I suniose you will lag (transport) me for it.' ' After the bearing before the magistrate the prisoner calla to him and asked him if he had found the stuff (prolierW. and upon his replying that he had found nothing, be said b' would cut his throatibefore he would tell him where it was. The prisoner made no answer to the charge, but said the witnesses who had given evidence were all bad characters. The jury found him Sergeant Chappel, 4 F, said the prisoner in Novender , 1863, was convicted at these sessions of stealing a shod , and was ordered to be kept in penal servitude for time years. The metropolitan police have been loukiag him for a long time, as be had been known to be the 1. 04 expert and successful thief they bad ever had anything W do with. He had had a very long successful run. Mr. Payne—What do you mean by a long run? Witness—He has been successful in evading the ed.', for a long time. He has been one of the must succ ei4o and expert carriage thieves at the West-end. Warder Reeves, of the House of Correction, rot conviction of three months in 1866 for being rug" vagabond. Mr. Payne sentenced him to be kept in petal stnit' le for seven years. CiiiitAGEol:B CONnUCT OF AVo 4; 1%4111iN. Georpe Hales, 24. coal porter, was, indicted for rtes l4 the suns of Ina., the property of John Keck, from to dwelling-house. Mr. Richard Harris prosecuted ; Mr. E. r. Wool Jr fended the prisoner. The prosecutor keeps the Oxford and Cambridge l*b l. house, Chalk-farm-road. On the 4th of April tbe" entered the house and called for something to drintr.l::: barmaid, Mary Ann Caaselden, had occasion to 'ear! tla bar for a few minutes, and on her return found the prig!! in the act of getting over the counter with ti", silver in his band . She ran towards Inn' a'', seized his band, whereupon the prisoner struck her . side and kicked her. The barmaid still held hum, _;__ S td am coPY rum as yr LAW the , the i their log's poni the 0 Head were and i work large hat f facto I I