The Sun. — London, England, 1862-03-17 00:00:00

THE NAVY. VALETTA, March 11.—Her Majesty's iron screw steam storeship Himalaya, Capt. J. Seecombe, arrived on the 4th inst. from Plymouth (eight days) and Gibraltar (three days), en route to Alexandria, to embsrk at that port the members of the Japanese Embassy, and convey them to England. She brought out supernumeraries for the Mediterranean fleet, and, after undergoing some alterations in her fittings here, left on the Bth inst. for Alexandria. The Trident, 3, iron paddlewheel steam vessel,Com mander C. T. Balfour, left Malta harbour on the 3d inst. for Corfu. The Supply, 2, iron screw steam vessel, Master-Commanding W. H. Balliston, which arrived here some weeks ago with stores from Eng land, left on return on the 7th inst., taking with her as passenger Mr. W. F. Rowe, R.N. Tho Queen, 86, screw steam line-of-battle ship, Captain C. Hiflyer, took her departure on the Bth inst. for Corfu, to replace the Neptune, 89, Capt. Hornby, which had left that island for Candia or Malta. The Victor Emmanuel, 89, Capt. Clifford, is also expected here shortly from Corfu, on her passage to England. The only line-of-battle ships here at present are the Marlborough, 131, bearing the flag of the Commander-in-Chief, and. the Exmouth, 89, which has just come in from Naples and Messina. We have also in port the following vessels of war : —The Hibernia receiving -ship, bearing the flag of the Admiral-Superintendent; the Medina, 4, and the Firefly, 4, surveying -ships, and the Hearty tug, besides the Growler and Boxer, out of commission. The Simoom iron screw troopship, Acting Cora mender Pollard, was paid out of commission at Portsmouth on Saturday,under the superintendence of Capt. Grote, of her Majesty's ship Victory. Capt. Broadhead, commanding the Reserve of the port,on inspecting the ship prior to payment, complimented Commander Pollard and his senior Lieut. on her cleanly state. The appearance and conduct of the men as they came forward for payment were very credit able to themselves and their officers. J. Cooper, cap tain of the forcastle ; Samuel Rowe,boatwain's mate; and Stephen Allen, coxswain of the launch, were recommended for long service pensions. The ,Simoom's services as a troop and hospital ship since her commission in 1856 by the late Commander J. M. Cooke, have been very important. In February, 1857, she sailed from Kingstown with the 33d Regi ment for the Mauritius, whence, after disem barking the 33d, she sailed with the sth Fusileers far China. On her arrival at Singapore Lord Elgin diverted the Simoom's course from China, and sent her on to India. The Simoom was the first ship there with troops after the outbreak of the mutiny. She continued two years and a half in India, carry ing during that time about 7,000 troops, and re turned to England with invalids, but was imme diately on arrival ordered to refit for service in China, still under Commander Cooke's command, and sailed from England with the Military Train on board. On arrival at Hongkong she was fitted up as a transporting hospital ship, for which pur pose she was admirably adapted, and on which duty she remained during the whole of the subse quent operations. Commander Cooke died on board shortly before she sailed with the Rifles for England. He was an officer greatly respected both by his brother officers and those of the army. The vacancy was filled by Flag Lieut. E. J. Pollard, of Her Majesty's ship Chesapeake, who has brought the ship home with acting rank. Of 24 officers who joined the Simoom in 1856, only four have returned in her to England,--Lieut. H. Kent, Mr. C. Gabble, Assistant Paymaster ; and Messrs. Taplin and Fil cher, engineers. The Duncan screw liner is fitting at Portsmouth for commission, and is ordered to receive her four 40-pounder Armstrong guns. She is intended for a flagship, is one of the fastest and handiest liners under steam in the navy, but is very weak in point of construction abaft, and, it is feared, would never be able to keep to sea for any length of time with out being damaged. The Tribune, 23, screw frigate, Capt. Viscount Gilford, commissioned at Portsmouth, is expected to proceed to the Pacific. Viscount Gilford is in receipt of a pension for wounds. The half-boiler trials of speed of the Defence, 18, screw iron frigate, Capt. R. A. Powell, C. 8., took place at the measured mile in Stokes Bay on Satur day, under the superintendence of Capt. H. Broad head, commanding the Reserve at Portsmouth, and Messrs. Murdoch and Miller, inspector of machinery afloat, and assistant-engineer of her Majesty's dock yard. Six runs were made over the trial ground, the average of which gave the ship a mean speed of nine knots. This trial concludes the testing of her speed, and the ship now lies at Spithead await ing orders from the Admiralty on the subject of her Channel cruise. The official trial of the engines of the screw steam frigate Aurora, 51, took place outside Plymouth Breakwater on Friday last. This ship was laid down several years since at Pembroke as a sailing frigate, but subsequently altered for the reception of a screw. She was launched June 22, 1861, and is sister to the Forte and the Chesapeake, which are the only other vessels of this class. The Aurora measures 2,558 tons, and her dimensions are as follows :—Length between perpendiculars, 227 ft. ; length for tonnage, 196 ft. Bin. ; breadth, extreme, 50ft. ; ditto, for tonnage, 49ft. 6in. ; ditto, moulded, 48ft. Bin. ; depth of hold, 16ft. 9in. Her engines are horizontal, direct acting, of 400 horse power nominal, by Messrs. Maudslay, Sons, and Field, contracted for in 1854. They are fitted with double ported slides, like those in the Defiance and Gibral tar. The screw shaft, which is 94 feet 6 inches long by 123 inches diameter, is in four pieces. The Aurora has been fitted with the late Mr. Joseph Maudslay's patent propeller with feathering blades. The only other ship of war which has this patent is the gunboat Stork, Lieut. E. Poulden, tender to the Excellent, at Portsmouth. It permits of the pitch of the propeller being changed while the en gines are in motion. The diameter of the screw is 17ft. The finest pitch is 17ft 6in., from which posi tion the blades can be turned till they are parallel with the keel, fore and aft, or in a line with what is called the " dead wood," where, while motion less, it will not affect the direction or retard the movement of the ship or the action of the rud der. The regulating power is fitted on the quarter deck, at the head of the screw well, where a move able winch acts on a perpendicular rod which places the blades of the screw in any required position. Before the trial of speed at the measured mile the pitch of the screw was altered by two men with great facility on three several occasions, while the engines were going Tull speed. On the present oc casion the screw was set at 22 feet 6 inches, and so continued. In the trial Capt. Key and Mr. Steil, of the Steam Reserve, and Mr. Ward, from Keyham yard, represented the Admiralty; Mr. Telford Field a 7" n ,dMr.Warrior were on board for the contractors. , A-"rora draws 16 feet 9 inches forward and 19 feet 7 inche s aft, and as she is prepared only for the third division of the steam reserve, is deficient in masts, g uns, and stores. The wind was from the eastward, with a force o f 4 t o 5. The mean rate at tained in four , we under full speed, was 11 . 55 knots pee' .hour ; and of eig ht knots. In th fi • two runs, under halfeboiler power, e rst trial the revolutions per minute, the a veraged 6 1 pressure of steam was 01b., and the vacuum 21 i nc h es. I the revolutions' averaged 45, then the second trial pressure of steam she vacuum 25 inchwas 201 b., and satisfactory to the Inspectors. es, This result laced the sam e eveninz in the appeared to be v . u Y The Aurora was rt'P r d w Keyham steamya r here she will - ably , be ad class in the Steam Reserve, The to the se cond at Th e paddlewheel st lain frigate Magieienne, le. Plymouth, was p o mmission on Saturday pelt in Cspt. his Serene Highnes s of smis:ig en , the Prince le o ffi ce rs and men. with a complement of 235 Petrel, 11, Commander The screw steam sloop for the West Watson, left Plymouth o lndies. n Saturday The sailing transport Edward Thornhi ll, from Trincomalee, luien with returned war stores of an obsolete pattern, has arri ved at Woolwich pier to discharge cargo. , The steam transport Tartar commenced shippieg "° - Pounder Armstro vg guns, shot, and carriages, on Saturday, from Wo c'lwich Arsenal for Gibraltar. She has also on board sytsores for Corfu. Notices are affixed, at the entrance of 'Woolwich dockyard, requiring .1% nump l aer of shipwrights for a short period, stated to be for the repair of the Rochester, forwarded for that purpose :from Chatham. Fifty experienced additional hands are ordered to be hired for the job, in order that no delay may occur to the ordinary work of the yard. The:Resistance, 18, 600 h orse p owe r, i ron f r i ga t e , will be undocked at Chatham this afternoon, and to-morrow will be taken out of the harbour to the Nore, to try her rate of speed at the measured mile, Maplin Sands. She will afterwards return to Chatham to have her iron masts put on board and to complete fitting for sea. In order to prevent her grounding when lashed alongside the floating shears, as was the case with the Defence during the time she was lying in the harbour, the steam dred ging machine has been for some days past deepen ing the river where the Resistance will be moored, and clearing away the rubbish which had accumu lated, in order to provide a clear berth for hor. The following appointments were made on Satur day at the Admiralty :—J. E. T. Forbes, surgeon, to the Magicienne ; J. Halpin, assist.-surg., to the St. George ; J. Dows, confirmed second - class assist-- engineer, in the Virago ; and W. M. Stirling, assist. clerk, additional, to the Euryalus. THE ARMY. Two examinations for Direct Commissions have been already fixed for the present year. They will begin on the sth of May and the 4th of August. Various officers have joined the depots of their respective regiments at Chatham, in accordance with orders to that effect from the Horse Guards, in order to go through the usual course of summer drill with the battalions to which they are attached. On Saturday a detachment of the depot brigade Royal Artillery, consisting of 83 men of all ranks, left head-quarters, Woolwich, for Sheerness, tojoin the depot brigade at that station. A detachment of 94 men, with 4 officers, of 6 battery? 15th brigade Royal Artillery, proceeded this morning from Wool wich to Shoeburyness, to go through a course of in struction with the Armstrong ordnance at the School of Gunnery. A party of 70 men, with 3 offi cers, of the 15th brigade, 5 battery, who have com pleted their course of instruction at Shoeburyness, will proceed to Woolwich to-day. STAFF COLLEGE. The Adjutant• General of the Forces, Sir Jas. Y. Scar,lett, has promulgated a general order, dated Horse Guards, 6th inst., with the revised " Regula tions for the Staff College," from which we extract the following particulars :—The Staff College is open to officers of all arms of the service, and con sists, at present, of 30 students, admission to the college being determined by a competitive exami nation. The qualifications requisite for admission are—a previous service of not less than three years, and certificates from the commanding officer and and medical men as to the candidates' fitness and qualification for employment on the staff, counter signed the general of brigade or other superior offi cer : "The competitive examination for entrance to the Staff College comprises the following subjects, the relative value of each at the examination being shown by the numbers at tached :—Mathematics, 1,200 ; military history, 600 ; mili tary geography, 300—together, 900 ; French, 300 ; German 300 ; Hindustani, 300 ; fortification, 600 ; military drawing, 300; mineralogy and geology, 300; chemistry, heat, elec tricity, and magnetism, 300. "Every candidate must take up either the French, Ger man, or Hindustani language for qualification. The remain ing subjects may be taken up or not. " an the case of officers serving abroad, the examinations of such as are allowed to compete are conducted by means of the same printed questions as are set for the examination of candidates in London. These questions are to be an swered in writing in the presence of a board of officers, which will be appointed by the general officer in command, and which will certify that the candidate has obtained no assistance from books or help of anykind in the examination. " The following are the subjects of instruction at the col lege—viz., mathematics (the minimum course embracing this subject up to elementary mechanics) ; French, Ger man, and Hindustani; fortification and artillery; topogra phical drawing ; military surveying and sketching; recon naissance ; military art ; military history and geography ; military administration, including the organisation and equipment of armies in the field; military legislation; ele ments of natural philosophy, chemistry, and geology, as applied to the military sciences ; exercise in composition will be afforded to the students during the whole course of instruction in writing memoirs or essays on the subject of the course ; riding—the course of study occupies two years. " Examinations are held at the end of every half-year, the summer examination being conducted by the professors of the college, and the winter examination by examiners in dependent of the establishment, under the superintendence of the Council of Military Education, The winter exami nation at the termination of the first year of the student's course is probationary, and any student will be required to withdraw from the college who shall fail to obtain the mini mum aggregate of 1,400 marks. " The following are the maximum number of marks allotted to each subject at the final examination. Sub. jects to be taken up by every student :—Fortification and artillery, 600 marks ; military drawing and sur veying, 350 ; reconnaissance. 350 ; military art, his- tory, and geography, 600 ; military administration and legislation, 600. Subjects of which the student may select any three, one of which must be a language : First year's course (marks carried forward), 300 marks; spherical trigonometry and practical astronomy (marks car ried forward, if taken np at the probationary examination) 200 ; probleins of heights and distances, mechanics, and hydrostatics, 400 ; French, 400 ; German, 400 ; Hindustani, 400 ; any one modern language, provided one of the above bo also taken up. 400; natural sciences, 400; experimental sciences, 400. "Every candidate will be required to obtain for qualifica• tion 350 marks in military drawing, surveying, and recon• naissance, and an aggregate of 2,500 marks. No marks wir be allowed to count in modern languages if the minimum o; 250 marks be not obtained in one language. In the exami• nation in modern languages great stress will be laid on ori. ginal composition. "Any officer may, with the sanction of the General Com- I mandiiag-in-Chief, compete at the annual final examination without previ.usly passing through the College ; and, fur ther, any officer who desires to enter the College for one year only will be permitted, if there be a vacancy, to pro sent himself at the first annual examination of the junior division of students (who will then have completed their first year, and, if qualified, may join the College accordingly. In each case the qualifications noted above will be required. Any officer at the College, although of the junior division, may compete at the final examination of the senior division. "After the final examination, the Council of Military Education will draw up and submit for the consideration of the General Commanding-in-Chief a list of the successful candidates, arranged according to merit, with a special re port of those who particularly distinguish themselves. " As soon as the College shall be in a position to supply j all vacancies in the Staff of the army, no officer will be ap pointed to the Staff who shall not have passed the final examination of the College, with the exception of those of the Royal Engineers and of those who attained, before the Ist of January, 1860, the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, and in every case excepting officers of proved ability in the field, " Candidates who shall have proved their fitness for em ployment on the Ordnance Survey, or in the Topographical Department, by superior progress in the science of geodesy, as well as of topography, will be named in the report of the Council of Military Education as deserving of employment in those services." THE VOLUNTEERS. On the 7th of last month a meeting of Volunteer officers was held in the Merchants'-hall, Glasgow, to consider the propriety of memorialising Government for further aid. The meeting was well attended both in point of numbers and from the position of those present. Resolutions wore unanimously passed in the sense that further Government aid is imperatively necessary, and a committee was ap pointed to prepare a memorial to the Secretary of State for the Home Department, and to co-operate for the proposed object with other officers throughout the country. The committee appointed by the meeting in question have not allowed the grass to grow on their heels. They have already forwarded a memorial to the Government in sup port of their views, and have prepared a petition to Par liament, which is now in course of signature, or possibly may have been already presented, though we have not seen it yet in the notices of presented petitions. Had the matter rested here, we should not have a word to say. Of course, we are in a thorough sympathy with the Glasgow meeting. Our great object, as well as theirs, t is to make the Volunteer movement per manent; and though we might, perhaps, differ in details a u to what and how much Government aid will best con maientaouthis end, we should most assuredly agree in the ,„, • tit the committee have done more than this. 1r e _ officers of :' ,Or have sent a circular letter to the commanding putting certain other the country, in which, after in view the Buce Z e guestions, they proceed :—" Having meeting of officers llli a and influential character of the Lot:there held in the Thatched house Tavern, in ne& last spring, arc you pre pared to attend, or went to a meeting of represent , t elegate from your regi force of the United Kingdom, to t b i :es from the Volunteer 1 in London on an ea rly day, for the purpose of takinglll,€: ivemeasures to i m press upon Government and the Mo n impress Commons ez the , s urgency and importance of the applications THE SUN, LONDO part of the Volunteers ?" Now it is upon this circular, and - the kind of action which it is calculated, if not intended, to foster, that we should like to say a few words. As a general rule, the more intimately the force is bound together throughout the country the better. We be lieve that discipline and thorough effectiveness are more likely to be attained thus than in any other way. We be lieve, too, that as we are able to draw the bands of our fel lowship closer the real wants of the force will come to be hotter understood, and those whose business it is to urge them will be able to do so with far greater weight than now. But what we have a serious dread of is lest the machinery suggested by the circular in question—of mass-meetings of delegates from corps for the purpose of putting pressure on Government and the Houses of Parliament, or, indeed, for any similar purpose—should ever come to be adopted by Volunteers. We must urge on the able and influential offi cers who composed this Glasgow meeting tbat they are, in this last proposal of theirs, taking a step in a wrong direc tion. If successful, wo believe they may do very serious harm to the Volunteer movement, if not ruin it altogether. Since their cii cular has been out we have heard its contents discussed in several quarters, and it is commonly sup ported by the argument that agitation out of doers is the only way to get anything out of the Government or Parliament, and by references to the success of the Corn Law agitation. Now, we are not careful either to admit or deny this position. Our own opinion, stated over and over again in these columns, is that the present Government and the pressent Parliament are ready and anxious to give us help without pressure. But we do maintain that, whether they are or not, we, the Volunteer force, shall be stultifying ourselves, undoing all thegood we have done, earning for ourselves anything rather than the thanks of our country, if we lend ourselves deliberately to an out-of-doors agitation such as many of the supporters of the views of the Glasgow meeting would contend for, and are ready (thought lessly, wo believe) to take part in. The anti-Corn- Law League had a good cause, no doubt, and won a great triumph. But let any Volunteer who remembers the League's method of action, and the sort of speeches which used to be made by their leaders, just ask himself whether the same sort of action or speeches could be for a moment tolerated in an armed force, professing itself to be a dis ciplined military body under the control of constitutiona authority. This fact shouii`,.lways be borne in mind in these questions of what volunteers ought or ought not to do. We are still civilians, no doubt, with all the rights of civilians, including those of congregating in public meet ings, organising, speechifying, &c. But we are civilians with arms in our hands—armed civilians, who have been accepted by the country as a part of its defensive organisation. Therefore we ought to be the very last por tion of the nation to take part in any internal agitation whatsoever. Conceive the army holding mass meetings of delegates from all the regiments, to agitate for an increase of pay, and to take effectual measures to impress on the House of Commons the urgency and importance of the ap plications made on the part of her Majesty's land forces ! We all see at once what that would lead to ; but such a pro ceeding on the part of us volunteers is only just one degree less objectionable. And it seems to us not only objection able, but unnecessary, Why should we go out of our way to do unconstitutionally what we can do much better and more effectually in a strictly legal and constitutional man ner. At this very time the Volunteer officers, in both Houses of Parliament, are considering what aid they can fairly ask for this year from Government, and the most effec tual means of acting, when they have come to some con clusion on tha subject. Many of the very best and most influential of our leaders are among these gentlemen; in deed, we could scarcely put the matter in better hands than theirs, if we were to pick from the whole force. Let us strengthen their hands by all means, as the Glasgow com mittee have already done, by sending up petitions as strong and as many as we can get. If we do not get what we want this year, let us bear silent protest, by turning out without bands—if necessary, even without uniforms; but do not let us go in for, or allow ourselves to enter on, any path which may possibly lead to an out-door agitation, for the purpose of putting pressure on Government or Parliament. We do, therefore, hope that those Volunteer officers, and others, who have, with the best possible intentions, as we most readily admit, set this stone rolling, will lend a hand to stop it now, while there is yet time. We are quite surethat they do not wish to bring us into collision with Government or Parliament, but they may well do so by pressing this mass meeting.—Volunteer Service Gazette. DR. GUTHRIE ON AMERICAN VANITY The Rev. Dr. Guthrie delivered an address on the evening of Friday week, at the Dundee Chamber of Commerce. Conversazione, in presence of a very numerous and fashionable assemblage, including the principal mercantile and professional gentlemen of the town. The attendance was large. The rev. Doctor, in the course of his address, said of the Americans : " I dq not rejoice in their calamity, but, at the same time, while I know many excellent Americans for whom I have the highest esteem—while I know their missionaries to have been the noblest mis sionaries in the world, and I believe no Church in Christendom has such missionaries as the American Churches have—l am bound to say that our friends across the Atlantic—our cou sins over the great fish-pond, as they call it—had become very vain. (A laugh.) There was a pride and haughtiness—for I have met them—and an assumption about our friends in America that I must say, while it was very ridiculous, was very intolerable. Just think of a people that hold four millions of their fellow creatures in chains !—and sell them by the pound. I saw a gentleman who was in the Southern States not very long ago, and who told me he was present at a slave auction ; I said to him, ' What did you see, sir?' Why,' he said, 'I saw a beautiful boy of twelve years of age put on the auction-block, and on one side of him stood an old grey-headed negro—it was plain he was his father—and he kept his eyes on the boy, and the boy kept his eyes on the old grey-headed man, and the tears rolled in silence down the cheeks of each. On the other side of him stood a ruffian with manacles.' Near beside us there stood a little lady, very little either by me or by the speaker, and I shall never forget the flash of her eye, or the clench of her hand, when she looked up to this tall traveller, as he told of the manacles, and said,' Did you not knock him down, sir?' I felt that was the voice of nature. Well, I say for a country such as that to talk of itself as standing in the van of freedom—in the van of freedom!—and waving over tour millions in chains the vaunted flag with the motto, ' All men arc born free ! ' is not that a mockery ? (Applause.) After all, lam not sorry that the wind should betaken out of them. (Laugh ter.) There was a friend of mine who, talking of another man who was rather vain, said, ' Oh, he is a mere windbag.' Now, I must say our friends in America are rather like a windbag—(laughter) —but I am sorry that it should be the knife that is being used to take the wind out of them. I am sorry it should be taken out in such a way ; nevertheless I am bound I to say, in regard to that country now learning the evils of war, that there was a haughty inso. lence about these men that was really intolerable. (A laugh.) And what vanity was that that made them think—and I read the American newspapers every week—what intolerable vanity is it that makes them think we are envious of them, and makes them say we are now rejoicing in their disasters, because we are jealous of their republican liberty ? Envious of them !—(with great irony)— envious of them. Britons are envious of none' (Applause.) We have no cause to be envious. We have a Sovereign enthroned in the hearts of her people—(loud applause)—with whose tears we have mingled our own, and who has mingled her tears with those of the poor bereaved widows of the Hartley Colliery. (Renewed .applause.) And I venture to say, if American or Frenchman, or any man, dared to touch a hair of Queen Victoria's head there are 10,000,000 arms would rise up in Britain to defend her. (Great applause.) W e ll, we have a Sovereign enthroned in the affections of her people. We have a Parliament—l don't say the Parliament always behaves as well as it should do —(laughter)—but, considering all things, it does marvellously well, and, on the whole, reflects the mind of the public. Then, we have a free Press' and then we have free tongues, and we have:no tarring or feathering in our country. (Laughter.) The only use we make of feathers is to make soft pillows, and the only use we make of tar is to pitch the bottom of our ships. We never pitch into men in that way, whatever we do in other ways. We have no cause to be envious of any country ; • and I take this opportunity of saying that our friends \ in America are labouring under the greatest of all possible delusions in fancying that we rejoice in their disasters or are in any way envious of them. If people do:rejoice, I am sure they do not rejoice in their disasters, but I am free to confess that we do like to see a vain people a little humbled. Nobody likes pride. I hate ecclesiastical pride; I hate na tional pride ; an d a b ove a ll t hi ngs I hate purse pride. There is a word for you merchants of Dundee. (Laughter.) Well, you know we do not object much to see the pride a little taken out of N, MOND EVFi NI NG, rvi mze a . 17, 1862. people, just as you see a man come strutting down the streets of Dundee tailored to the top of the fashion, sailing by everybody as if they were the dirt on his feet, and treating the earth as if it was beneath his notice, carrying his head as high as if there was nothing below the stars worthy of his notice, when by comes a gust of wind and carries off his hat—(laughter)—and his wig too. (Renewed laughter.) Then he scuds away, not under bare poles, but under a bare poll—(great laughter)—in pursuit of his hat• Now, really you cannot hinder the people to laugh. (Laughter.) Ido not blame them for laughing ; I laugh myself, and the more proud the man was I laugh the more. And then they laugh the more when the man gets up to the hat, and just when he is about to grasp it, the hat —oh, that wicked hat—(laughter)—as if it had a pleasure in making a fool of him, starts off on a new journey and goes rolling away into the mud, until the man has got no cover either for his head or for his confusion. (Laughter.) You see we all like to see pride taken down a little. But, with regard to America, God grant that the troubles of that country be soon over ! We have no hatred towards America; I am sure it would be well for Dundee if peace were restored in that country ; and God grant that it may be soon. But I heartily say that I for one would say No peace' so long as there is slavery in America! God send no peace till that evil, that cancer, is thrust out of their land ! I have no hesitation in saying that ; but I hope in God's Providence that the grand result of these troubles will be freedom to the slave. We have heard of fasts in America ; the fast I want Presi sident Lincoln to proclaim is that fast which God says he has chosen, to break the bonds of wicked ness, and to let the oppressed go free.' "—(Loud ap plause.) FIRES IN THE METROPOLIS. The committee appointed to inquire into the existing state of the legislative, and of any exist ing, arrangements for the protection of life and pro perty against fire in the metropolis, continued its sitting on Friday. The members present were Messrs. Hankey (chairman), Benyon, Vance, Locke, Cave, Ileadlam, Aldermen Salomons, Cubitt, Miller, Peacocke, Sheridan, Tite, Lewis, and Cowper. Mr. D. W. Harvey, Commissioner of City Police, in reply to questions by the chairman, gave the following evidence :—I am acquainted with the system of protection of life and property against fire in the City of London. The old Building Act imposes on parishes the duty of keeping up an en gine, and, under certain regulations, they are ex pected to be present at any fire within their juris diction, and they receive compensation in the order of priority in which they arrive at the fire. I con sider that system altogether out of date, and obso lete and ineffective. I believe the law is observed as far regards each parish having an engine, and when there is a fire the authorities are active and get there first, second, and third, as they best can, with the view of obtaining a slight compensation, but as to their inefficiency when they get there it is not thought of. The London Fire Brigade is as efficient as its resources enable it to be. It is effi cient for the prOtection of the City, but might be made more so in some respects. Some of the engines might be of a superior class and more powerful. The Brigade would be more effective if they had what is not attainable in London, a supply of water at high pressure, as in Liverpool, Manchester, and some other places, where the pressure almost dispenses with the necessity of engines. The City of London gives no pecuniary contribution towards the Fire Brigade, but they contribute the aid of the police, which always acts in co-operation with the Brigade. The Chairman—Do you consider the principle on which the Fire Brigade is formed and maintained a safe and proper one for the security of London ? Mr. Harvey—The great objection to it is that it is voluntary. It exists and may cease to exist. The City of London has no power by which they can enforce its enlargement. Are any special arrangements made by the cor poration for the security of the City against fire ? None ; but such as are to be found in the special orders to the police force, which are read to them once a month. Will you be good enough to state the general nature of those orders ?—lmmediately on a fire being discovered—and generally speaking fires are discovered by the constables—they are directed im mediately to apprise the Brigade in Watling•street, or at the nearest station, to give notice to persons in command of the fire plugs, and also to those who have chat ge of the fire escapes. They are then placed under the command of the chief officer of the district where the fire takes place, and they co operate with the Fire Brigade in keeping off the crowd, and affording facilities for the operations of the engines. Is there any sort of system for the protection of life ?—None but the fire escapes, which are main tained by a voluntary association. If placed under the police I think they would be more beneficial. The persons in charge of the escapes are for the most part aged individuals. There is only one man to each ladder. The ladders can only be moved by three men. We give all the facilities we can, but have no control over them. The protection of life against fire ought to be connected with the police. The strength of the London police, including officers, is 607 men. There are always 28 men sworn in as constables, whose services are paid for by those who require them. The cost of the City Police is about £47,000 a year. The force is quite adequate to the requirements of the City. I have never heard any positive complaint as to the insufficiency of the supply of water in cases of fire. What arrangements do you think to be desirable in the event of a change, and what would be the nature of the change which you would recom mend ?—I entertain, individually, very decided views, but would rather withhold them because the Lord Mayor informed me this morning that he had communicated to the Court of Com mon Council a letter which he had received from the chairman of the committee, and that the letter was to be referred to the police committee to report thereon. I would rather, therefore, not commit my self on the subject. I should regret giving any opi nion that might fetter the views of the Common Council. Mr. Headlam—ls it the duty of the police to go without the limits of the City in the event of a fire ? Mr. Harvey—lf a fire of any magnitude takes place, such as that in Southwark, for instance, and the metropolitan police require any aid, it is at their service, and they would render similar aid in the case of an extensive fire in the City. Speaking generally, do you think the protection against fire in the City adequate ?—I think so. By Mr. Cubitt—A penny rate in the City will produce £5,573 on the assessment of £1,337,548. By the Chairman—The population of the City in 1851 was 129,128. At the last census the num ber was 113,367. In 1851 the number of inhabited houses was 14,693. At the last return the number was 13,478. The police of the City are far more effectual as to numbers, having reference to the area over which they act and the number of persons committed to their charge, than the metropolitan police. The lowest wages given to our constables is 20s. per week, and the highest 235. I think this is something more than the pay of the metropolitan police. By Mr. Locke—Where there is the slightest sus picion as to the cause of a fire I think an inquiry ought to be made, and I think an inquiry desirable, whether it is accidental or not. Mr. James Easton (of the firm of Easton, Amos, and Sons, engineers), examined by the chairman — I think the existing arrangements for the protec tion of life and property in the metropolis unsatis factory. The greatest defect is the want of an instantaneous supply of water when a fire is discovered. This arises partly from the pipes of the water companies being employed in supplying water for domestic purposes. I think a centralised system is required, and that it may easily be esta blished. At the request of the First Commissioner of Works, I have made a report as to the protection of the palaces the Houses of Parliament, and the public buildings down to Charing-cross. I propose to construct a reservoir, capable of containing 1,000,000 gallons, on the top of Primrose-hill, from which 3,500 gallons per 'minute can be conveyed in the direction I have pointed out. The cost of the i works would not be more than £25,000. 'rite---Does that inchnle the placing of the water in the reservoir ? Mr. Easton—Yes. The water companies are willing to supply the water for nothing. Mr. Headlam—What would be the cost of sup plying the whole of London on the same principle ? Mr. Easton—About £3,000,000. There are 40 square miles, and the expense would be about £72,000 per square mile. Mr. Tite—That is the cost for mains only Mr. Easton—Yes. By Mr. Headlam—The plan when in operation could be managed for £40,000 or £50,000 a year• I think it ought to be under the management of the police. The scheme in3ludes the south as well as the north side of the metropolis. By the Chairman—The £3,000,000 would be suf ficient for carrying pipes at high pressure through all the principal thoroughfares four miles from Charing-cross. The £3,000,000 might be liquidated in 25 years by the annual payment of £192,000. The total annual charge, including management, would be about £240,000. I contemplate the pay ment of a general rate over the metropolis. By Mr. Alderman Salomons—My plan contem plates the construction of reservoirs on both sides of the water. There would be hydrants along the streets under which the pipes run. Mr. James Bryson, superintendent of the Glas gow Fire Brigade, stated• that the arrangements for the protection of life and property against fire are under the direction of the corporation. The force consists of 70 men- The expense is about £2,000 a year. Since the introduction of the water from Loch Katrine fire•engines seldom have been used. The water is at high pressure, and hydrants are placed in the principal streets, at distances va rying from 50 to 50 yards. The water supplied from the hydrants is greater in power than thrown by engines. Mr. John Bowring, clerk to the City of London Union, was the next witness. He stated the num ber of parishes in the City to be 98, and that the charge to the poor rate for parish engines, manage ment, &c., amounted for the last three years to £1,739 18s. 7d. There were 42 parishes who pro vided fire escapes and ladders. The parish engines are totally inefficient, and the money paid for them might as well be thrown into the street. The Bri gade call them " squirts," and they do more harm than good, in consequence of being in the way. They are kept up solely for the purpose of rewards, and the payment of salaries to those who have the engines under their control. The committee then adjourned. THE DIVORCE COURT. A return has been issued from the House of Com mons of the amount and chart-der of the business transacted in the Divorce Court since its commence ment to the 30th July, 1861. The act came into operation on the 11th Jan., 1858. In little more than three years and a half it appears that there have been 781 petitions for dissolution of marriage, 248 petitions for judicial separation, 43 for restitu tion of conjugal rights, 16 for nullity of marriage, and 100 applications by wives for the protec tion of their earnings from their husbands who have deserted them. There have also been eight petitions under the Legitimacy Decla ratory Act, making altogether, within four, 1,200 cases, If the dates when the alleged acts of adul tery were committed are examined, it seems that, out of 781 petitions for dissolution of marriage, the causes of offence which gave rise to the petitions that took place antecedent to the passing of the act were 437, and since the passing of the act 344. This, however, is hardly a fair criterion, because the vast majority of petitions that were filed in 1858 arose out of misconduct committed in former years, or, at all events, before August, 1857. But if the petitions for dissolution of marriage for the year ending 30th July, 1861, are examined, a very different result is shown. Out of 177 petitions for dissolution of marriage, only 51 arose out of occur rences previous to the passing of the act, whilst 126 arose from misconduct since the passing of the act ; in other words, the difference was 71.2 per cent, as against 28,2 per cent. ; thus showingpretty clearly that though the old sores and accumulations have nearly been cleared off, the number of petitions still keep up to what they have hitherto been. The same thing is observed in the cases for judicial separation, and far restitution of conjugal rights. The court, up to July 30, 1861, had disposed of 445 cases for dissolution of marriage, in 416 of whi c h dissolution had been granted, and in 29 had been refused. Out of the whole 445 cases for dissolution tried, 315 or 70.8 per cent., were undefended. The total number of causes remaining for hearing —that is, set down for trial at the commencement of the last long vacation—was 74. But by the long list published at the commencement of Hilary Term of the present year, it seems that this number had since then materially increased. On the 11th of January, for instance, when the court commenced its sitting for this year, there were 105 causes in the printed list, and this though the court had been sitting almost daily from the early part of Novem- ber to Christmas. FATAL CASE OF STABBING IN CAM- BRIDGE. Much commotion was caused throughout Cam bridge on Friday, by the report that a man had been murdered on the East-read ; and all sorts of rumours were afloat as to the cause, and other cir cumstances attending the melancholy event. The assailant is a man named John Ballard, a wood carver, living on the East-road ; and the victim was named Johnson, an itinerant dealer in whitening, who lived in the same neighbourhood. One of the witnesses at the inquest was George Moore, who said-1 live in Wellington-row ;I am a carpenter. I knew deceased ; he lived in Gas lane. I saw him this morning about 5 minutes be fore 1 talking to Ballard at his door; Ballard had hold of the door. They appeared to be having high words. I saw Johnson take a ball of whitening from the boy's hand who stood by the side of him. Johnson carries whitening to sell ; it was deceased's own little boy. Deceased showed the ball of white ning to Ballard, who slammed the door in his face as hard as he could. I was walking slowly, and when I got as far as the Waggon and Horses I saw Ballard open the door and make a rush out, and then they apparently had a fight. Deceased had his fists up, and Ballard had something, which I afterwards found to be a gouge, in his hands. Johnson turned round and made across the road up to his cart, and fell flat on his face. I went back, with two or three others, to see what was the mat ter, Ballard having at the time a gouge about three quarters of an inch wide in his hand, and standing against his door. Ballard is a carver, and the gouge is a tool used by him in his business. Walton came up and said to Ballard "Do you know what you have done--you are liable to be taken—for you have killed the man." Ballard said, " I would stab any man if he came to interrupt me." I did not hear anything more said. Walton said to me " Come away, or he will stab you as well." By the Coroner—Did you actually see Ballard strike Johnson ? Witness—Yes, I certainly did, sir. I did not see any blood ; I was too far off. I felt sure he must have cut him. I did not hear Johnson say anything. Several persons lifted Johnson up and carried him away. _ From other evidence it appeared that the quarrel was caused by deceased expostulating with the pri soner for striking a boy, the son of the deceased. The accused (Ballard) entered into a lengthened statement descriptive of the grievance between him self and Johnson's boys on Thursday evening, and expressed his annoyance at the boys throwing stones at his door and windows. Ballard described what took place between himself and Johnson on Friday morning, and said that Johnson swore at him. Ballard told him to be off, saying, " I want none of your abuse." He denied ill-using the boy, and endeavoured to reconcile Johnson. Proceeding, Ballard said, " Johnson struck at me several times, and I said, You old --, you had better be off.' I held out my gouge, the handle at first, not at all ex cited at the moment, not intending to hurt him. There was a scuffle between us, but I was not aware that the gouge had pierced him, as I only held it in front to keep him clear of me, but I did not expect he would run against it. Walton cautioned the people about going near me, and I told them they need not fear, as I was quite reconciled. I acknow ledged to police-constable Decks that I had used the gouge, but I said, I don't think he is stabbed —I hope he is not hurt.' I also told Decks that the gouge was on my bench; but I had no ill -feeling against Johnson till that morning; I was rather friendly with one of his broth3ro." The Coroner, in addrcTsing the jury, said it 1 - va.,'.4 quite eicil th t tl;n carne to his death by the hand of Ballard. 'lila .f7.r flieln to con.- sider w whether there was any pro - vocation suffi cient to justify the blow, and how the instrument was-taken up. There could be no doubt but that Johnson's children began the disturbance on the night previous. Well, then, was there provocation at all sufficient to justify the striking? and was the instrument fetched with the intention of so using it? The jury consulted for somo time, and then re turned a verdict of "Manslaughter" against John Bollard, who -.Ails handed over to the custody of the police. The superintendent of police strongly urged for au adjournment, stating that he should be pre pared with more witnesses, but the coroner and jury were satisfied with the evidence given. LAW INTELLIGENCE,—March 15, COURT OF PROBATE AND DIVORCE. (Before Sir C. Cresswell and a Common Jury.) WHEDDON V. WIIEDDON AND SMITH. In this case, which commenced on Friday, the husband, who is a tailor and hatter, at Bath, peti tioned the Court for a divorce on the ground of his wife's adultery with the co-respondent, who was described as a porter and who entered no appear ance. The wife denied the adultery, and pleaded cruelty and neglect on the part of the husband. The chief witness was a person named Martin, an ex-policeman, who deposed to having seen Mrs. Wheddon in company with the co-respondent at a publichouse in Newington-causeway, and to having traced them to a house of ill-fame. In the course of a very long cross-examination it was elicited from him that he had been employed by the petitioner, and he gave a most confused and improbable narra tive of what he witnessed. It appeared also that the co-respondent was in the employment of a Mr. Hayes, an acquaintance of the petitioner, and who had taken an active part in getting up evidence in his behalf. We have already reported the facts of the peti tioner's case, which was concluded on Friday. Dr. Spinks, at the sitting of the Court on Satur day, addressed the jury, and contended that his client (the respondent) was not the woman who had been seen with the co•respondent, and that in point of fact there had been a collusive attempt to get up a sham case against her. The plot had, however, completely broken down, the evidence of Martin and other witnesses who had been called to make out the identity being contradictory and obviously false. It so happened, moreover, that a person who had been in the court on Wednesday week, and who had been sworn to by several witnesses as the respondent, was in reality her sister, Mrs. Roberts. Feeling convinced of the innocence of his client, and hardly knowing how to meet the charge against her, he (the learned counsel) had deliberately advised that she should be kept out of the way; and she was not near the court at all when the witnesses for the petition mobbed Mrs. Roberts in Westminster Hall and declared that she was Mrs. Wheddon. The defence was fully established by the medium of Mr. and Mrs. Roberts and other witnesses, and upon the cross-examination of the witness Martin, a superannuated detective, and another witness of the name of Brushfield, both of whom swore to seeing the respondent with Smith on a certain even ing walking about London, and proceed from Lei cester-square to Golden-square. There, however, Brushfield said he parted from Martin, while the latter said that he and Brushfield followed the re spondent and Smith, and that they saw Smith tickling the respondent, and that they were very familiar with each other. The witness Martin, as well as other of the peti tioner's witnesses, went up to Mrs. Roberts, the re spondent's sister, in Westminster Hall, and pointed to her, saying, "That's she," meaning that she was Mrs. Wheddon ; and altogether the evidence in support of the case was of a character that sailed down the reprehension of the learned judge, who asked if the witnesses Martin and Brushfield were in court. The former only, however, was present. He was ordered by the judge to remain in court until the close of the case. _ Dr. Tristram, for the petitioner, in summing up the evidence for his client, said that while he ad mitted a mistaken identity as regarded the respon dent, he yet could not suppose that there was not some truth in the ease brought against her. The jury, however, instantly brought in a verdict declaring that the respondent was not guilty of the charge of adultery brought against her. The learned Judge then called upon the witness Martin to stand forward. He was placed upon the floor of the court. The Judge then addressed him, and said that ho had been guilty of wilful and corrupt perjury in respect to the evidence which he had given in this case, which was a gross conspiracy to bring a charge of adultery against the respondent. He therefore ordered that Martin be committed to stand his trial for perjury at the next session of the Central Criminal Court. Martin was accordingly given into the custody of the officer of the court, in order to his commital to the Queen's Bench Prison. Bail, however, would be allowed to be taken for his appearance in the sum of 1;50. Sir 0. Cresswell said there was another person who, if he were there, he would likewise have com mitted for perjury, and he did not know that he would not communicate with the Attorney-General in order to a prosecution being instituted against the person in question. The learned judge took occasion to express a hope that solicitors would be careful in the getting up of their cases for that court, for if he found any laxity in that respect he would exercise the power vested in him to deal with such parties as the circumstances connected with the case might demand. Martin was then taken out of court in custody, and the proceedings terminated. ASSIZE INTEL LIGEIV CE. NORFOLK CIRCUIT.—CAMBRIDGE, March 15. Her Majesty's judges of assize came here from Huntingdon yesterday, and the commission was opened in due course. There is not a cause for trial, and the calendar contains the names of 16 prisoners. Mr. Baron Martin sat in the Crown Court this morning. . _ _ From the opening of the court this morning it was densely crowded in all parts by members of the university, &c., to hear the trial of James Francis Frrington Barnes, aged 22, de scribed in the calendar as a gentleman, who was charged with obtaining by' false pretences a gold ring from Mr. Peters, the well-known silversmith, of Cambridge. Mr. Markby prosecuted ; Mr. Orridge defended the prisoner. . _ _ The prisoner at the time the offence was com mitted, was an undergraduate of Peter-house College, and it appeared from the opening state ment of the counsel for the prosecution that in the year 1858 he was first entered at that college. Sub sequently he took his name off and went to prepare for the civil service examination. Ia November of last year he again changed his plans and returned to his old college, bringing with him the highest testimonials, &c., from the tutors with whom he had been reading. During his first residence he had pur chased about £l2 worth of articles of jewellery at Peters's, which had never been paid for, and it was distinctly understood that no further credit was to be given him. Shortly after his return in November last he went in his cap and gown to the shop of Mr. Peters, and selected a ring of the value of £4 10s., and the shopman, who had no knowledge of him personally, asked him, as ho did not then pay for the article, for his name and college. Upon this he wrote on a piece of paper handed to him for the pur pose, " J. Barnes, Pembroke." The shopman referred to his superior, and he was allowed to take the ring, it being then fully believed that he was Mr. Beene, of Pembroke College. Mr Peters and his shopman were called and said, under no circum stances would he have been allowed to have the ring on credit had they known he was Barnes, of Peterhouse. It also appeared in evidence that within a few hours of obtaining the ring he sold it to a man of th© name of Tarrant, who in his turn parted with it, and after passing through several hands it was taken in January last by an intending purchaser to Peters shop to have its value ascertained. Then it was immediately recognised, and inqui r i es were made which led to the apprehension of the prisoner. It should be mentioned that within a few days of the ring being obtained Barnes Was sent away from college, but, as the tutor explained, for matters quite unconnected with this affair. Mr. Orridge, in his address to the jury, whilst admitting that the ring had been obtained fraudu lently, said there were good grounds for the belief that the prisoner never intended to defraud the prosecutor. The fact th a t men purchased eoods on t w he elT known, and although soon after to liarrant one obtainedy on cred i t, there was every pro credit and dispesed w o a f s n iv b e e i i n n g t p h a is i d t fo h r ey ready m were debtl t i l o t s h i c s a s f e a t M he r r . Barnes swpietcht ootfhintende the d h e at s do m a g incurred, and Mr. Peters would have been paid. Mr. Baron Martin summed up, and told the jury if they believed the prisoner had obtained the ring upon the faith of his being Berne, of Pembroke, even supposing there might be a notion in his own mind that an oining as he wday ia ould one for it, there was 1 bta ment, and was intended by the act ' of parlia they must convict the prisoner. The jury almost immediately returned a verdict of QuiltY, and the learned judge in feeling terms Bpoke of the misery the prisoner's con duct must entail upon his family and friends, and told him in his opinion the jury had no alter rative than to return the verdict they hod given. He then sentenced him to be imprisoned for one NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—YoRii, March 15. (Before Mr. Justice Mellor.) ATTEMPT TO POISON A VIFE AT MIDDLESBRO'. Richard Buckle, 35, was charged with feloniously' administering one ounce of laudanum to Jane Buckle, his wife, with intent to murder her, at Mid• diesbro', on the 26th of June last. Mr.:Blanchard and Mr. Scrie prosecuted; Mr. Maule defended the prisoner. On the day stated the prisoner was a police. , officer in the Middlesbro' force. His wife had been complaining of pain, and he gave her a dark brown liquid, which he directed her to- take previous to retiring to bed, and to say nothing about it to her sister, who was then in the house. This request on the part of the prisoner aroused the suspicion of his wife, and she thereupon informed her sister of the circumstance. On entering her bedroom Jane Buckle took half of the liquid only, and not the whole, as her husband desired. At an early hour on the following morning the poor woman became dangerously ill, vomited seven or eight times, and had to keep her bed for the whole of the day. She, however, recovered, and no notice was taken of the matter. In about a fortnight afterwards the pri soner brought home a powder, which he said he had got for her from a person named Hopper. This powder, in the absence of the prisoner, his wife took from his coat pocket, and substituted in its place a powder similar in appearance, com posed of sugar and flour. The powder in the pri soner's pocket was taken to Mr. Dickenson, che mist, and he having made an analysation discovered that the powder contained a considerable quantity of strychnia. When the powder was found to be poisonous the prisoner's wife, who was in fear of her life, left her home with her child, and informed the police of what had occurred. The prisoner was apprehended and tried at the last Yorkshire winter gaol delivery, on the charge of attempting to administer strychnia to his wife, but the evidence failed to bring home the charge, and. the prisoner was acquitted ; the present charge, therefore, of administering the laudanum was pre ferred against him. It was shown that the pri soner possessed himself of the laudanum under the pretence that his wife was afflicted with toothache, and that he administered it to her. Guilty. Sen tence of death was recorded against the prisoner, his lordship intimating that the punishment would. be commuted to penal servitude for life. EXECUTION AT CARLISLE. On Saturday, at 12 o'clock, Wm. Charlton was executed at Carlisle Gaol. The culprit, it will be remembered, was found guilty of the murder of Jane Emmerson, an old woman, who kept the gate at the Dutran-hill crossing of the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, on the 21st of November last. There was but little apparent cause for the murder, as the woman was poor, and from the fact of her being aged other reasons did not exist; but the most fearful part of the etory was the endeavour made by the prisoner to affix the guilt of the crime upon his brother-in-law, who, however, proved a clear alibi, and circumstantial evidence was adduced positively criminating the culprit, who was, how ever, recommended to mercy. An application for a respite having been forwarded to the Home Secre tary, the right honourable gentleman did not see any grounds for the extension of the mercy of the Crown, it being generally understood that the at tempt to affix the crime on another more than an nulled the recommendation of the jury to mercy. Since the culprit's condemnation he has been con stantly visited by his wife, and has evinced some degree of contrition. In the early part of the week a letter was found on the prisoner's wife, in which she implored her husband not to confess that he had committed the crime, for the sake of the children. The chaplain, the Rev. J. F. Simpson, was unre mitting in his endeavours to bring the unhappy man to a due sense of his fate, and he exhibited signs of repentance. The under sheriff was in at tendance shortly before 12, and accompanied by the jail officials, proceeded to the cell of the culprit. Cal: craft, the executioner, having completed his allotted task, the prison bell tolled, and the scaffold was soon reached. The few brief moments of existence left to the wretched man were spent in earnest prayer, in the midst of which the bolt was with drawn. There was an immense crowd, consisting, as usual, chiefly of women and children. COUN2.RI MARILL2 b , NORWICH-11A11crE 15. Wheat to-day was in fair supply, and the prices of last week were supported. The quantity of barley was very moderate and late prices were fully maintained. Flour was steady at former rates. White wheat. 61s to 63s I Red wheat 57s to 605 Malting barley.... 38s to 39s I Chevalier barley. • •_ 3s ': to _ ° 36 : New d 0...... 37s to 39s I O a t s . t Flour, 40s Od to 41s Od per sack from the miller' NOTTINGHAM, —MARCH 15. and There was rather a scarce show of wheat to-day, the trade ruled quiet—prices being for all descriptions tiu last week's rates — white, front 47s to 63s ; red, 42s to 6 38 . Barley in good demand—malting, 348 to 39s ; grinding, 29s to 31s. Oats were slow, at 26s to 355. Beans were 801 d at 38a to 50s per qr. Flour, 38s to 445. YORK---MAueu 15. We had a very limited supply of wheat to-day from the glowers. Trade dull, and at about previous rates. A' firm business was doing in barley, and, with a meagre stir ply, prices were unaltered. Oats a fair show, at former currencies. Beans dull. Wheat, red sBs to 60s Oats.... 22s to 24 5 White do .60s to 64s Beans ..42,. to 48 5 Barley .308 to 37s Peas ......_.s to - -4 Malt, 66s to 68s per qr. ; rye, 36s per qr ; flour, 449 to 48s per sack. LEICESTER--MARcH 15. The supply of wheat to-day at market was small, and trade dull; late prices barely supported. White 63s to 67' 4 red, 60s to 63s per 36 stone. Barley was in fair our ply—grinding, 30s to 32s ; malting, 34s to 37s per €l l. '; oats, 24s to 28s per 24 stone. Beans at former rateo• new, 40s to 42s ; old, 43s to 48s per 38 stone. Fine flour, 45s I Seconds, 44s Thirds, 41s per 20 stone. NORTHAMPTON—MARcH 15. The tone of the trade to-day was sluggish, and prices for best samples as before ; inferior difficult to quit :-488 to 60s old, and Ms to 62s new. A steady business in barley' malting 32s to 365, grinding 29s to 31s per qr. Oats moderate show, at previou s prices — quoted at 20s to 34 , 13 per 24 stone. Beans, old, 38 s t o 45 s ; peas, 36s to 430' hyo, 37s to 425; malt, —a to —s ; flour, 40s to —s sack. FOREIGN MAIL PACKET LIST, MAILS DUE. Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton. Mar. 2 1 via Marseilles Brazil and C a p e V er d s, b y B r i tish packet. April 15 : Cape of Good H o p e , A scens i on, and St. Hele na April 1,. China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampt on ,M a r. 21 ' via Marseilles Mar, 15. Falkland Islands April 6 ' Gibraltar, via Southampton Mar. 21' India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampt o n. , M a r. 2 1 . via Marseilles Mar. 1 5 . India (Bombay), via Southampton ,* ,z via Marseilles Mar. ''' Lisbon Mar, 21. Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton Mar. 2, 1 ' via Marseilles Mar. lg. Newfoundland Oporto and Vigo U. S. and British N. America, ! - ,y Brit. packet Mar. 19' •. - . by U.S. packet.... _ by Canadian packet. Mar. -."' W.C. of Africa, Madeira, and Teneriffe .......... Mar. --"" Bahamas, via New York ........ April 10. Mexico .... Mar. 31 ' All parts of West Indies, including Chi Peru, California, and British Columbia.. .......... 1 Mar. 13' Ships at market, 32 ; sold, 19. TIIE MEMORIAL FUND. —The total amount re ceived in aid of tho memorial fund up to Saturday Wag £41,000, of which about £1,700 has coma to hand ding the week. BIRTHS. DAVIES.—On the 14th inst., at 23, Finsbury-square, th e wife of Herbert DAvies, M.D., of a son. Moss. —On the 14th inst., at Queen's-road, Clapham -0 13 ' the wife of Richard Moss, Esq., of a son, prematurely* WEBSIER.—On th e 13 t h i nst., at Cranbrook, Kent, th B wife of Thomas Web s t er , E sq., R .A., of a son, who vived his birth only a few hours. MARRIAGES. HEATON—HILL.—On the 15th inst., at the Chapel rtor, l ' Tower, Ralph H ea t on , j un., E sq., of Handswortkg , 0 Annie, only daught er o f James Hill Esq o f her luu• jesty's Mint. , ~ SCOONES—KEY.—On the 15th inst., at St. Ann's, 1ell s ; William Baptisto Sco ones , E sq., eldest son of "1b),A,„.-pst C. Scoones, E sq ., o f B rompton , to Harriette, the 0... daughter of Joseph Key, Esq, of Kensington. DEATHS. COLE.—On the 13th inst„ at Bath, Mary Elizabeth, °l3ll daughter of Henry E. Cole, Esq., aged 29. lIENWOOD.—On the 10th inst., at Kensi ng t on, M V:wci• r. Henwood, aged 70. PRATT.—On the 14th inst., at 41, Ampthill-sc i ttaxel 13enji Pratt, Esq., aged 75. STURGESS.—On the 14th inst., at Hull, L uc y Sarah, w„ 1 . 0 aged 24. of Charles William Sturgess, Esq., 11,14.5. Corn TREOO.—On the 13th inst., at Chelsea, John Trego, late of Enfield, aged 77. street, at Madeira, Edward H. T et, Grosveno-squero, TWEED.—OP_ the sth ult ., a ged Ew_,, of 11 , Brookl r LoNroN : Printed and Published by JOHN CRAFT- J ' o f No. 112, Strand, P r i nter, at THE SUN OE6 ce, 10 ; 1 ' .(2 Strand, in th e P rec i nct of the Savoy, ir.l ticte C°11" ° Nliddleeez..--Monday, March 17, 1862.