The Sun. — London, England, 1862-12-31 00:00:00

IiONEY MARKET AND COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. cra, TWELVE O'CLOCK. A quieter tone pervades the general discount market, but a moderate amount of business is daily reported in consequence of the revenue collections, and the usual payments at the end of the year. Money continues plentiful, and first-class bills of three months' date are negotiable at 24 per cent. On the Stock Exchange there is very little inquiry for advances, and they are obtainable on easy term s . Notice has been given that Bonds of the Bra zilian 5 per Cent. Loan of 1843, amounting to £33,600, have been drawn for redemption. The half-year's interest is announced for pay ment on Italian 5 per cent. Bonds. Ea sum of £3,064 has been received by Messrs. Baring Brothers on account of the New Grenada dividends. Gold is now of about the same value in London and in Paris, but about 2-10ths per cent. dearer here than in Hamburg. An analysis of the weekly returns issued by the Bank of England authorities during the year ex hibits some important variations in the principal items. £18,448,000 was the highest sum attained by the bullion, viz., on July 30, whilst its lowest point Vag on the 10th inst., when it only amounted to £14,828,000. The reserve of notes stood at £10,482,000 on the 24th September, and at £8,111,700 on the 12th ultimo. The active cir culation reached £22,586,00 0 on the 6th August, When it afterwards dropped to £19,185,000 on the 17th inst. The bills discounted by the esta blishment, and represented as private securities, attained their highest point on the 2d July, when they amounted to £21,588,000; and their lowest in the last week in January, when they only stood at £17,030,858. A meeting of the creditors of Messrs. Janverin, Grassie, and De Lisle, merchants, who recently sailed, has been convened for the 13th proz. by the accountants, Messrs. Coleman, Turquand, Youngs and Co. Two o'CLoCK. The Liverpool cotton market to-day was rather depressed, owing to the stock being declared to amount to 392,461 bales ; sules uncertain. The French Three per Cent. Rentes to-day ware Opened at 70f. 5c., being sc. lower than yesterday. At the half-yearly meeting of the Canada Corn- Pally, which was held this day, a dividend of L 1 Per share, free of income tax, for the half-year, was declared, payable next mouth, and the report was Unanimously adopted. Towards the close of the English Stock Market yesterday afternoon, a rise of 1 per cent. took place 1 11 consequence of a few speculative purchases en couraged by a large arrival of specie from the West Indies and Australia. Although consider able firmness is still apparent, however, this frac tional advance has not been supported, and Consols, 'Which were 92/ Sfor transfer, and 928 4 for the B th January the previous evening, are now 921 8 for both. The New Threes and Reduced Annui ties continue firm, transactions having taken place at 024. t. Exchequer Bills have remained at 9s. to 12 e , p rem . Very little business has taken plane in the market for the Indian Stocks, but the 5 per cents are marked 108 1, and the Debentures 1001, showing firmness. Continued buoyancy has pervaded the Foreign Market, and a fair amount of business has been negotiated. Turkish 6 per Cents., 1854, are firmer at 841 851 ; ditto 1858, at 711 ; and the New Loan at 71* 72; and the Consolides at 411 4 ; gyptian are tolerably well supported at 951 ; the second issue, at 948 4; Greek Bonds have improved to 161 ; Mexican to 321 8 ; Peruvian New Lean, 93 1 4 ; Portuguese ditto, 487-, 4 ; Russian ditto, 941 i; Italian are 721 4 ; ditto Railway Loan, '761 ; and Venezuelan New Scrip, 17, 1 die. The dealings in the Railway Share Market have been very limited, and prices experienced little change of importance. Great Easterns and Lon don and Brightons improved 55., and Great Westerns declined ss. The foreign and colonial lines remained mode rately active, at almost previous rates. South Austrian and Lombardo-Venetian have receded to 23 1 4, and Bahia and San Francisco have improved to 201 -Z. Bombay and Baroda realise 1041 ex div. ; East Indian, 107 ex div. ; and Madras 5 per Cents., 104 ex div. Joint-Stock Bank and Miscellaneous shares were in limited request, without any material change in values. .. BRITISH FUNDS—CLOSING PRICES. ' 3 , Per Cent. Reduced Annuities ~,,,‘, per Cent. Consols Annuities 921 / New 3 per Cent. Annuities annuities, yrs, expire btblJan., 188 0.. Ditto for 30 yrs, expire sth April, 1885. Ditto (Red Sea Telegraph), Aug. 1908 3l/ 2 India Stock 225 ex d for opg. Ditto 5 per Cent.. lOBl 8 Ditto Debentures, 4 per Ct., Oct„ 1863 100 k Ditto ditto April, 1864 1001 Ditto ditto Aug. 1864 or 66 100 f, Consols for Account 92a er Cent 9 12 Exchequer Bills, £lOOO, 2k p Ditto £soo Ditto Small , FOREIGN FUNDS —CLOSING PRICES. -r-'gPptian 7 per Cent . ................• 951 5 Ditto, Second Issue 5 a i Greek per Cent., 1824-5, ex-Coup ms l 6l i Italian E. per Cect. plaremmana Railway) 76 1 It Mexican 3 per Cent . Ditto Account 321 1 a a Moorish Imperial 5 per Cent Peruvian 41 per Cent. ... , ..... Ditto , Ditto:Account 1862 •••""• — 93/ a 3 i - ortuguese 3 per Cent., 18 53 I )itto Account • 491 8/ Ditto 3 per Cent., 1862 4l 48/ 1 1 Ditto Scrip, £2O paid Russian 5 per Cent., 1822, £ St 9B Ditto 41 per Cent., 1850 Ditto 5 per Cent., 1862 Ditto 5 Der Cent ., 1862 , Scrip , £ 47 pd 1 1 pm Sardinian.s per Cent. Ditto Account. 824 Spanish 3 per Cent ........ — Du tol Account Turkish Cert. of Coup not funded Turkish 6 per Cent. 1854 .............. Ditto Account 8.5 .......... Ditto 6 per Cent. 1858 Ditto Account.. Ditto 6 per Cent. 1832 Ditto Account Ditto 6 per Cent., 1862. Scrip, £6O pd 3l Pm Ditto Guaranteed, 4 per Cent. lO3l Venezuela, 3 per Cent Ditto 6 per Cents., 1862 (Scrip), £53 pd li / / dis . Dividends on the above payable in London , luaa trian, 5 per Cent., Ex. 10 florins 1 lian, 5 per Cent., 1861, Ex. 25f — Ditto Account .. 721 1 1 Consols, Money 9M 1 Ditto Account, Jan. 8 GENERAL M'CLELLAN.—He is a very squarely bailt, thick-throated, broad-chested man, under the Middle height, with slightly bowed legs, a tendency em bonpoint. His head, covered with a closely cut c ro p of dark auburn hair, is well set on his shoulders. His fea tures are regular and prepossessing—the brow small, con tracted, and furrowed ; the eyes deep and anxious-looking. short, thick, and reddish moustache conceals his mouth ; the rest of his face is clean shaven. He has made his father-in-law, Major Marcy, chief of his staff, and is a good deal influenced by his opinions, which are entitled to so me Weight, as Major Marcy is a soldier, and has seen frontier wars, and is a great traveller. The task of licking this army into shape is of Herculean magnitude. Every O ne, however, is willing to do as he bids ; the President confides in him, and Georges' hiw ; the press fawn upon him the people trust him ; he is the little corporal' of un 'ought fields—omnis ignotus pro mirifico. He looks like a stout little captain of dragoons, but for his American seat and saddle. The latter is adapted to a man who cannot ride; if a squadron so mounted were to attempt a fence or ditch half of them would be ruptured or spilled.—Russell's dmericart Diary. HORRIBLE DEATH.—The Rev. Dr. J. George Gor don, formerly of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, and Trinity College, Dublin, Principal of the Collegiate Institution, Notting-hill-terrace, has been killed on the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway, and a verdict of Accidental Death" returned by the jury empanelled to inquire into the circumstances. The melancholy occurrence took place on Friday last, at the Gipsy-hill-station, Norwood, on the London side of the Crystal Palace. It appeared that the rev. doctor mounted the steps of a carriage when a train had begun to move out of the station, and a porter imme diately signalled him to get down, informing him that it was not the train by which he had said he wished to travel. The porter tried to remove him, and in doing so they fell together, the porter on the platform, and the clergyman on the metals over which the train was passing. He was seri ously injur e d, an d h av i ng b een conveyed to Guy's Hospi tal died there. The porter, it is said, had a very narrow escape. SHAREMARKETS—This Day. ORDINARY SHARES AND STOOKS. Share Railways. 13.14, Eir.. Wol., apd Str. Val 25 1 Blythe and Tyne. .... 10 Bost., SI eat., and Mid. Co. St 'Bristol and Exeter t ' Caledonian 50 Cork and Bandon 20 Cornwall bets div 10 Do A 10 Do • B ti ll - 6p c.p an.haF. been paid to B. Dublin & Belfast June. Dun.,Perth,&Ab. June. Edinburgh Skprlasgow. Glasg. and S. Western. Great Eastern, Ord. stk Ditto A stock Ditto East Anglian stl GreatNorthof Scotland Great Northern... Do A stock Do B do Do. £5 shares Gt. S. an 1 W. of Ireland Great Western Do Str Val gua. stock Lancashire & Yorkshire London and Blackwall Lon., Bright,& S. Coast Lon., Chat., and Dover Lon. & North Western Lon. & South Western Man., Shef., & Lincoln. Maryport and Carlisle. Do 4 shares Metropolitan Midland Do New Do firming. & Derby Mid. Gt. W. of Ireland Do. 4 shares Mid Kent Do Cray Line North British Edin., Perth, & Dundee Nth. Eastern—Berwick Do, G.N.E. purchase Do Lecds Do York Do Carlisle.. North London Do New North Staffordshire N. and S. W. Junction. Scottish Central Scot N. E., Aber. stock Do Scot. Mid. stock Shrews. and Welchpool Shropshire Union South Devon South Eastern South Wales S. York. and River Dun Staines,Wok.,andWok. Stockton & Darlington 25 Do Do New, 1860 Taff Vale. Do B Do C Ulster Do Do Vale of Neath Victoria sta. and Pim Waterford it Kilkenny West Cornwall W. Hartlepool Har.Szß West Midland N —Oxford Do ewport Do Hereford Closing Business Paid. Price. , done. 8 8i ft fit 84 E 6 1154 11641 el 71 41 43 13 14 87 88 105 107 46 47 43 45 24 25 125 126 129 130 135 137 104 106 681 68i 109} 1091 71i 72i 118 119 38 : 89 97 ra 101 102 40 41 9 9i 1281 129 li 1 1p 96 08 53i 541 25 27 99i 100 56 67 88 F 8& 125 127 108 110 I 1 P 41 4 d II Ili 118 120 47i 48i 104 106 47 49 334 344 BSI 8.4 684 604 100 103 7 8 39 40 lot 101 p 7f 71 p 148 150 4; 5 I‘ 26 3 p 554 564 24 34 p 4d4 p 87 90 140 145 29 31 43 45 35 37 94 36 BRITISH POSSESSIONS. Closing Share aailways Paid. Price. Business done 100 — :atlantic &St Lawrenct all 6769 stk Bom.,Baroda&.Cent 100 101 105 1044 xn Gu. 5 per cent. 20 Do. New 201 Buffalo and Lase Huron all 54 51 10 Do. Preference ...• . all 8 81 100 Buffalo,Brant,&Godric . l , 0 , 3 77 so 6 p. rt. bds. Aug. 1, 1872 100 Do. do. July 1, 1871' , 100 75 78 100 Do. do. June 1, IK4 100 72 75 st Cleutta.,aS.Eastn.(L,.. ; 100 104 105 xn st Cape Town 4; Dock Seri] 100 11 , 8 1(9 stock Eastn. Bengal gu. sp. c 100 1044 ii 51 xn stock East. Indian, gu. sp. c. 100 1061 1674 107 xn 20 Do. do. G Ext..... 5 1 llp an 20 Do. do. II do. .. 2 4 4p xn stock Grand Trunk of Canada 100 22 224 100 Do. 6 per cent. Pref.. all 74 76 100 Do. 2d Pref. 6 per ct.. all 61 66 100 Do. 6 per et. Debentr. all 35 37 354 100 Do. 7 per cent. 1862 .. all 48 52 100 Do. do. 1867.. all 34 86 100 Do. do. 1872.. all 34 86 stock Gt.lndiaPenin.gua.sp.c. 100 105 1(6 106 xn 20 Do. New gua. sp. c... 12 1 11 p 20 Do. January, 1862 .. 4 4 14p 5 xn stock Gt. South.of India (Lim guaranteed 5 per cent. 100 103 104 • 20 4 Gt. W. of Canada Sham all 13 134 204 , Do. New .. . .... . 18 74 71c1 100 I Do. 6 p.e. '73 with't opt. all 99 101 100 Do. 51 p. c. do. '77-8.... all 90 92 10 Indian Branch Limited 0 id 1p 21 2 stock Madras uar., 5p. C. .. 100 1(3 tot 104 xn stock Do. 44 p. o. Extension 100 97 1,9 stock De. 4+ d 0........ 100 13 5 20 Do. Fifth Extension. 2 24 in stock Melb.Corp. 6p. o. Buds. 100 50 Melb. & Hobson's Bay. all 51 63 100 Do. 7p. c. Mortg. Bds. all 20 Newßrunswick a Canch Class A Capital Share all 3 5 20 Do. do. B Capital d 0... all 3 5 N.Rl•C'da6 pc Ist t bds 100 83 95 stock Seinde (too 1( 4 106 t f Do. Delhi . . lOO 1( 3 104 1031 xn " I Do. do E 2 p 241! xn 20 ' Do. Punjaub re. 15 4 f p st Do. Do. , , 100 103 104 stock Do. Indus.st. Flo.) ,100 99 101 994 Xll COLONIAL GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. can. Gov. 6 p.c.Ja &Julyi 1877-S1 . ..... 100 1.09 110 1091 9 Do. 6 P.C. Feb. & Aug: 100 1 106 108 Do. 6p. c.Mar. & Sept. 100 NO 108 Do. sp. c. Jan.&July. 100 991 100 1004 Do. 5 Inscribed stock! 100 98 100 Cape G.Hope, 6 p c,18731 100 104 110 Do.Ap & Oct. 1880. 100 111 113 Do. 1890' 100 112 114 I Do. Jan. & July, 1891 4 100 114 116 -- I Ceylon, N0v.1861, ep c 1 100 i N.1.3.G0v. 6p.c.J a.&July 100 1071 1084 1671 Do. 6p. c.Ap. & Oct. 100 N. S.W. Gov. 5 p c., 1866 100 1011 1021 Do. sp. c.,1871 to 1876 100 1011 1021 Do. d0.,1888 &upwd s 100 101 i 1011 1014 New Zealand 6p. cent. , 100 111 113 Nova Scotia Gov. 6p. sterling, 1875 lOO 108 109 Queensland Gov. 6p. c 100 113 1124 Aus G6p.c.1873.&up ' 100 111 113 1121 1 Vic. Gov. 6 p.c. Ja.&Julyf 100 - :Do. lo me. An-&Oot. 100 1(9 1091 1091 BRITISH MINES. 2 Cambrian Consol. Gold 1 1 fp 14 Clifford Amalgamated - 21 23 Devon G. Cone. (Tavist 1 500 510 East Bassett (Illoganl 3O 52 644. 1 East Clogau Gold Ltd. 58. p 4p - East Caradon ...... `1..14.6 42 43 421 East Carn Brea... . 3.0. 0 11 (14 E. W . l Russel (Tavistk. 7.19.0 21 3} Gam.&StAubyn(Gwen.) 574 15 17 Great South Tolgus l7s 7 74 7 4 , 3r. Wheal Vor (Helston 40 6 61 Grenville 6.15.5 41 5 41 Herod's-Foot 8.12 47 49 I.lingston Downs 4. 7.0 21 21 Lady Bertha Margaret (Coy Lelant 9) 41 43 %larke Valley.. 4 Ityndv Iron Ore (Lim.) 21 6ds pr New Seton l9l 135 145 North Downs 24 24 a Basestallo2;au 24 8 ,rorth Wheal Crotty l'ar Consols (St. Blazey' 14 5 6 20 rrovidence(Uny Lelnt.) 10.6.7 1 43 South Caradon(St. Cleer) 15 380 39) 3. Carn Brea (Illog•an) 5.15.6 21 2/ :,..Wheal Fran. (Illogan 18.1, 9 0 95 Stray Park 5 Tamar Silv.& Lead Alin. 41 10 Pin Croft 9 13 14 West Basset (Illogan) ll 13 14 W Caradon (Liskeardi 5 26 18 West Seton Wheal Basset (Mogan' 51 771 824 Wheal Buller (Redruth) 5 474 621 Wheal Kitty (U.Lelaut) 2.0.6 7} 84 WhealLud ott Wheal Mary Ann (Men ) 8 15 16 Wheal Seton ......... W heal Tretawney (Lis ) 7 17 18 Wheal Uni0n:........ 3.13 54 64 PREFERENCE SHARES. Great Eastern, Eastern Counties 6 per cent. pref., 131 — Great Northern, 5 per cent. Redeem. at 5 per cent. prem., 100 ;-I,ancashire and Yorkshire 6 per cent. Stock, 140—Lon don and Brighton , 5 per cent. Gua . S tock, No. 1, 1171—Mid land Consolidated, Bristol and Birm., 6 per cent., 140—North Staffordshire, 23—South Devon, Ann. 10s., 101. PREFERENCE SHARES AND STOCKS. London and south-Western, 44 per cent., 1054. LINES LEASED AP FIXED RENTALS. Midland, Bradford pref. stock, 974 7 FOREIGN RAILWAYS. Bahia and San Francisco (11m.lgu.rantred 7 per cent., 201 —Dutch Rhenish, 17 s—Ottoman (Smyrna to Aidln), 12 — Recite and San Francisca (lim.), guaranteed 7 per cent., 18t —Sambre and Meuse, lol—Ditto 55 per cent. pref., 1044 — San Paulo (lim.), g - ua. 7 per cent., 9l—Ditto, ditto, 23th Austrian and Lombardo Venetian, 231 4—Turin and Savona, 34—West Flanders, 74 —Ditto t. 5 per cent. pref., 10i. FO REIGN MINES. Fortuna (Um.), 4 3—Scottish Australian (lim.), II I—St. John del Rey (lim.), 54,—United Mexican (Urn.), 51. JOINT-STOCK BANKS. '"'Agra and United Service (lim.), 95 5 —Alliance Bank of L —Bank on don and Liverpool (lim.) , 20 1 ;—Bank of Egypt, 26 ot Queensland (lim.), 26—Chartered Bank of British Colum bia, 9/ —Chartered Bank of India, Australia, and China, 21 20I—Colonial, 921 s 2- Eng., Scot., and Australian Chartered, 21 201 —Imperial Bank (lim.), 104 —London and Brazilian, (Urn.), 315 I—London and Colonial (lim.), 45 4—London and County, 38) 9—London and South African, 24—National Prov. of England, New, 36—Ottoman:Bank, :44 5 —Standard of British South Africa (Um.), 10 4. The Confederate steamer Sumter, was sold at Gibraltar, on the 19 inst. for 16,500 dols. It is rumoured in well-informed circles that a baronetcy is to be conferred on Mr. William Brown, of Liverpool.—Liverpool Albion. FATAL CRTNOLIN E ACClDENT.—Yesterday an inquest wes held by Dr. Lankester, at the Princess Royal, Hereford-road, Westbourne-grove, on the body of Mrs. Hannah Maria Grant, aged 61, the widow of a colonel lately serving in the Indian army. Mrs. Elizabeth Dundas, 22, Hereford -road North, raid the deceased had lodged with her about five years, and her daughter lived with her. On Thursday last witness was called to the drawing room about half-past eleven o'clock, and on going there she found de ceased in flames, which her daughter was trying to extin guish, in doing which her clothes caught fire, and she was so burnt as to be unable to attend the court to give evi dence. The flames were finally extinguished, but the de ceased was so severely burnt that she died in a few hours. Deceased stated that she wls standing with her back to the fire looking at 1 a bird which had esc a p ed from the ca g e, when her dress, w hi c h was di s t en ded by a large crinoline, caught fire. She tried with a pair of scissors to cut away the parts in flames, but could not do so. The coroner, in his summing up, strongly condemned the dangerous practice of using crinoline. They returned a verdict of accidental death. 8.4.0 19.16.4 1210 THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 31, 1862. POLICE IN' MARLBOROUGH-STREET. I—This Day. REFORMATORIES NOT A PREVENTIVE OP CRIME, — Three lads, named Thomas Davis, George Brown, and Edward Phillips, the last-named having been before con victed for theft, were charged before Mr. Tyrwhitt with stealing a portmanteau from the shop of Mr. Barrett, of 181, Oxford-street. Sergeant Cole, 23 C, said—While in company with Daw son, 301 A, in Crown-street, Soho, he saw Brown carrying the portmanteau on his head, the other prisoners walking near him. Cole asked Brown where he was going with the portmanteau, and he replied that some one had given it to bim to sell. Cole then took Brown into custody, not be- lieving his story, and Dawson took Davis, but Phillips managed to escape. Phillips was subsequently appre hended by Dawson, and it was, on inquiry being made, found that the portmanteau had been stolen the same even ing from Mr. Barrett's, in Oxford-street. Sergeant Cole informed the magistrate that Phillips was only home for a week's holiday from a reformatory, where he had been sent for three years for a robbery, and that he had served two and a half years of his time. Mr. Tyrwhitt desired the sergeant to mention the fact to the judge at the sessions, as it showed what little use re formatories were, and was a circumstance that ought to be made known. Committed for trial. THE TICKET-OF-LEAVE SYSTEM.—AN OLD OFFENDER AT WORK AGAlN.—James Hayes, a rough• looking fellow, was charged before Mr. Tyrwhitt with entering the house 39, Upper John-street, Fitzroy-square, for the purpose of committing a felony. _ _ Mr. John Joseph Paddick, of 39, Upper John-street, Fitzroy-square, said that while at supper about half-past nine the previous night he heard the street door open. He waited, and not hearing any one come in, went up-stairs and saw the prisoner run from the back parlour towards the street door, which he tried to slam to after him, but he (Mr. Paddick) prevented him, and pursued the prisoner into Howland-street, about 100 yards from his house, when he seized him and dragged him from a mews ho had gone down into off the main street. The prisoner then resisted violently, kicking him several times, but he being the pri soner's master secured him, and gave him over to a con stable. Prisoner—Pm innocent of this 'ere charge. John Cole, 68 E, proved searching the prisoner, and find ing on him some lucifers and a piece of wax taper, also a thin piece of steel. Mr. Tyrwhitt—Oh, yes, it would lift up a window nicely. James Croske, of the E division, said that on the 12th July, 1839, he had the prisoner in custody with two others for a burglary, and the prisoner was sent to three years' penal servitude, but let out before the time had expired. Mr. Tyrwhitt—lt is really desirable to know how the prisoner got out before his time expired, and got let loose on the public. Croske said that one of the other men had 10 years' penal servitude, and he was let out too. Mr. Tyrwhitt—l shall remand the prisoner, and proper inquiries must be made into the matter. The prisoner was mu anded. MARKETS—This Day. MARK LANE. A small supply of English wheat was received fresh up .0 this morning's market. Dry samples moved off steadily, at full prices ; otherwise the trade was dull, at late rates. The market was well supplied with foreign wheat, both ex granary and ex ship. For nearly all descriptions there was a steady demand, and prices had an upward ten- I: 11 I dency. Floating cargoes of grain were in moderate request, at full currencies. Malting barley ruled firm, at extreme rates, but other kinds met with a slow sale, on former terms. The malt trade was steady at full quotations. With oats the market was scantily supplied, and the trade ruled firm, at extreme rates. Beans were in slow request, at Monday's currency. Peas were dull, at fully the late decline in their value. The flour trade was steady, and the quotations were well supported. ARRIVALS THIS WEEK. Wheat. Barley. Malt. Oats. Flour. English-- 570 320 1 150 i 780 ; 1,330 sack Irish - Foreigu 11,969 15,380 1 5,550 , 10,090 brls BOROUGH HOP. The business doing in all kinds of hops is very mode rate, and for inferior produce prices have a downward tendency. WHITECHAPEL. The supply of meat is moderate, and the trade rules inactive, as follows :—Beef, from 2s 4d to 3s 10d ; mutton, 3s to 4s; veal, 3s 4d to 4s 4d; and pork, 3s 4d to 4s 4d per 81bs by the carcase. A NOVEL HIGHWAY ROBBERY.—On Sur.day evening a highway robbery was perpetrated in the Norfolk-road, which, for originality of design and 'boldness of execution, stands almost alone in the annals of the pro fession. On Sunday evening, at about a quarter to seven, a young man, named Charles Taylor, who was walking with a female along the Norfolk-road, Edgbaston, when near to Grindlestone-lane he was tapped familiarly upon the shoulder by a man, who introauced himself as a detec tive officer, and said that he " wanted" Mr. Taylor; he had wanted him some time, and was exceedingly glad to have made his acquaintance. Taylor, taken quite aback, and thinking, we suppose, that discretion was the better part of valour, submitted to be collared and taken away along the road, as the " detective" said, to the station. After walk ing some distance the guardian " bobby" asked Mr. Taylor what he had about him, and proceeded in a very official manner to search him. Mr. Taylor believing in the bona fides of his captor, submitted to this operation too ; nor did he resist when the " detective" transferred from his pocket to his own Mr. Taylor's watch. Still he walked on, and it was not until his captor loosed, and without waiting to return his property, ran along the Norfolk-road into the Rotton Park-road, that Mr. Taylor perceived how coolly he had been robbed. He at once, with Police-constable Bar nacle, who arrived upon the spot after the thief had de camped, gave chase, but without success, for the ci-devant member of an exceedingly useful body was by this time far away. He has at present eluded pursuit, but it is to be hoped that he will be detected, and that in the care of a real detective he will be called to book for his offence.--Bir- tningham .Post. FEDERAL PURCHASES IN ENGLAND.—A writer in a contemporary says :—Now that Mr. Adams has been remonstrating with the Government about the purchases made by the Confederates of unarmed vessels from British subjects, it may be well to publish the follow- tng extract from the report of the Northern Secretary at War, Simon Cameron, furnished to the Washington Con gress en the 9th of December, 1861 :—" After having made _ . Contracts for arms with the private establishments of this country (United States), it was deemed necessary by the President, to ensure a speedy and ample supply, to send a special agent to Europe with funds to the amount of 2,000,000 dollars to purchase more. I am gratified to state that he has made arrangements for a large number of arms, part of which have already been delivered. The remainder will be shipped by successive steamers until all had been received." Mr. Stanton, Mr. Cameron's successor, has avoided, as he states, " for obvi ous reasons," giving any such " details" in his recent communication presented to the Federal legislature. There is a rumour current that instructions have been sent to our naval commanders to capture the Alabama and Florida. Should this be true the military officers in Canada should take possession of all the English-made arms they can find in the Federal States. The few guns that may have been bought hero by the Southerners will no doubt be readily returned in such an event, as they, it is believed, have captured enough from the Yankees to answer their purpose for another campaign. Surely they are entitled to retain these which have been secured to them by their valour. FASHIONS IN THE REIGN OF TERROR.—NO lady would have been looked upon as fashionably drost if she had not worn a bonnet a l'humanite and a corset a la justice. This derisory affectation, this impious frivolity, showed itself even in the manner in which the reactionists did not blush to parody the execution of their relations whom the Revolution had stricken. Wanting in respect to their own sorrows, to their own mourning, they made a very carnival of the occasion. A son wept for his father's death on the scaffold by making a movement, to his friends in the street, which imitated the falling of a head into the execu tioner's basket; the despair of a widow manifested itself in the head dress chosen for a love affair ; the days of solemn and general affliction were days given to dancing and feast ing; there were balls a la victim°, to obtain admission to which it was necessary to exhibit a formal certificate, show ing that the bearer had lost a father, a mother, a brother, or a sister, by the knifo of the guillotine ; the death of simple collateral relations did not give the right of entry. The female costume indispensable at these balls was that in which the dancer's mother or sister bad perished —a red shawl and the hair clipped close to the neck.—Louis Blanc's History of the French Revolution, Vol. XI. THE HARTLEY COLLIERY CATASTROPHE.—On Saturday, the sinkers who so heroically and at such imminent personal risk exerted themselves on behalf of the men entombed in the ill-fated mine were presented with the medals which had been prepared for their reception by an admiring and grateful British public. There was no ceremony, the formal proceedings having taken place in the Town-hall on the 20th of May last ; and the noble gifts— lac similes of which had been previously distributed—were now merely homded over to the owners by Mr. T. C. Hurst, the secretary of the testimonial fund. The brave workmen, of whom there were 38, seemed justly proud of the rewards of merit.—Newcastle Chronicle. An inquest was held at Bradford, on Monday, on the body of a woman 72 years of age, who had died of starvation. She used to receive parochial relief, but the relieving officer stopped it two months since, because she had a lodger in her house. The coroner administered a heavy rebuke to the parish official. The Funeral Appointments of the late Duke of Wellington. Yesterday, by order of the Right Hon.W. Cowper, First Commissioner of Words and Public Buildings, Messrs. Pullen, Horne, and Eversfield submitted to public auction, at the Government Store-Yard, Great Smith-street, Westminster, the whole of the trappings, funeral equipments, and furniture, used on the occasion of the lying•in-state and funeral of the late Field-Marshal his Grace the Duke of Wellington in the month of November, 1852, and which were of the most costly and elaborate de scription, including the splendid velvet pall which covered the coffin, the silk altar-cloth and the cloth of gold which were employed in that grand display of funeral pomp, which was almost unpre cedented for its richness and splendour. There was also the costly arms of the late duke, emblazoned on banners, and richly embroidered on velvet in gold and coloured silk; a large cross, richly emblazoned in gold and silver, and coloured silk and white lin ing, with many other ornaments of the most beauti ful workmanship. The funeral trappings consisted of 243 velvet housings, embroidered with crests and silver lace fringe, and the very superior har ness made for the eight horses that drew the mas sive funeral car. The novelty of the sale drew together a large concourse of persons who were anxious to possess a relic of the event; but, al though for some of the lots there was a brisk competition, on the whole they fetched very low prices, The first lot consisted of the massive framed ca nopy, with silvered cornices, and four suspension rods, which was immediately over the body, and formed so prominent an object at the lying-in-state of the great captain at Chelsea Hospital. The bid ding for this relic began at a few shillings only, and after several other bids had been made, it was finally knocked down for 225. The gilt caps for columns, and cast iron standards with spear heads, used on the same occasion, were sold for a few shillings. The next lot of any importance was eight velvet housings of black velvet, 52in. by 36in., embroi dered with the late Duke of Wellington's crest, and silver fringe at the ends, together with the motto richly worked. The competition was spirited, and they were knocked down at 17s. each housing, or £5 16s. the lot. Several other lots were sold at this price, but as the sale proceeded the price de clined to ss. 6d. each housing, or £2 4s. the lot. Three splendid banners, displaying the Duke of 'Wellington's coats of arms, richly embroidered on velvet in gold and colours, met with but a small amount of competition, and were knocked down at £2 each. The next lot was a cross, embroidered in gold and silver, coloured silk and white lining. This formed a striking object on the altar at Chelsea Hos pital. After a spirited competition it was knocked down at £3 10s. Thirty-three yards of cloth of gold, also forming decora tions for the altar, fetched the small sum of £2 ; and 22 yards of broad silver lace produced but ls. per yard. The next article put up was the rich velvet pall, 18 feet by 16 feet 6 inches, which covered the coffin, and of the finest workmanship. For the posses sion of this there was considerable competition, and it was finally knocked down to a Mr. Townley for £l7 10s. The next article of importance was the rich figured silk altar cloth, 20 feet 6 inches by 9 feet 6 inches, with gold and silver fringe, and lined with white silk. This was really a most beautiful article, but it was knocked down for the small sum of £l3. The unusually strong harness, made expressly for the horses drawing the funeral cir, was then put up, and realised £2 Bs. per set. The rest of the lots were disposed of at very mo- derate prices, and some surprise was expressed that there was no Government reserve on any of the articles put up for competition. COLLIERY ACCIDENT AND Loss GF TWELVE LIVES.—Early on Monday a frightful accident occurred at one of the pits of the Lilleshall Colliery Com pany, situate at Priors Lee, near Shiffnal, by which twelve persons lost their lives. it appears that the men were be ing let down the shaft to their work, and that nine men and three boys had got into the cage at once and were being lowered, when one of the pine of the gearing gave way, end they were all precipitated to the bottom of the shaft. They had a great depth to fall, and were all killed on the spot, the bodies being much mangled. This deplorable accident leaves five women widows, and 27 children father- FOUR MEN DROWNED IN THE TAY,—About 9 o'clock on the morning of Thursday last four men [eft the Old Shore, Perth, in a sand-carrying boat of 20 tons burden, and proceeded down the river to the Middle Bank, about two miles below Cairnie Pier, and situated about midway between Pitfour Dyke on the north side of the Tay, sad Mugdrum Island on the south, for the purpose of loading a cargo of masons' sand and returning to Perth with the afternoon tide. When the party left Perth, though the river was a good d ea l swo ll en by the recent r a i ns , there was but little wind, and not the least cause for apprehend.. ing any danger:in the - p rosecu ti o n of their avocation. By . . . . _ one o'clock in the afternoon, however, a strong gale from the north-west sprung up, accompanied by heavy rain, which continued till Friday morning. The party did not return to Perth on Thursday night, but their friends were not greatly alarmed on that account, and naturally thought that owing t, the boisterous state of the weather the m n had landed either at Cairnie Pier or at Inchyra, not deem ing it prudent to proceeo up the river so dark and stormy a night. When Friday c ame, however, there was no appear. ante of the men and th e b oat, e i t h er w i t h th e morn i ng or evening tide. This absence, of course, caused much anxiety to the families and relatives of the missing men ; and con sequently, at an early hour on Saturday morning, two men went down the river in a boat to make inquiries. No person, however, had seen the missing men since Thursday after noon, when they were at the Aliddle Bank, taking in a cgrgo of sand. The two men in rowing near to the Middle Bank observed that the missing boat had sunk at the tail of the bank, but owing to the boisterous state of the weather they could not approach close to it. There was no appearance of any of till crew of the sunken boat ; but the two men, on reaching Pitfour Dyke, found the large mast of the boat, three of the oars, and four booms. It is conjectured, from the place in which the b git lies, that just as it had left the bank for Perth, a sudden gust of wind sprung up, whereby the boat filled with w a t er an d i m mediately sank ; and it is also supposed that this had happaned after dark, for the owner of the boat was as excellent swimmer, and could have easily reached the shore in daylight. The two men returned to Perth on Saturday evening after a fruitless search for the bodies of the missing men, who, there cannot be the least doubt, have been drowned. On Sunday three men left Perth in search of the bodies in the river, but up to three o'clock in the after noon none of them had been found. The names of the missing men are John M'lntoch (owner of the boat), Hugh M'Donald, John Mackie, and Thomas Battery. The first three were married, and have left to mourn their loss widows and young helpless families.—Scotsman. BOXING-NIGHT AT THE DUBLIN THEATRE. — There is always extraordinary excitement in this theatre on boxing-night to witness the first performance of the pantomime. Last Friday night the throng was unprecedented. The subj ect of the pantomime is " Cinderella." No sooner had the curtain risen on the first scene than the whole densely-packed house, from pit to gallery, broke into one wild ehorus of ap - plause, Mr. Harris, t he manager of the theatre, Mr. Craven, the artist, Mr. Granby, the stage manager, Mr. Levey, the composer and conductor of the music—all were successively called out by the "gods" to receive their rapturous applause, the tenants of the boxes and of the pit warmly concurring in the well-merited ovation. The gor geous scenery and the admirable acting continued to make every moment a more and more favourable impression, till a clever transformation revealed a trophy of flags—" union jacks," surmounted by a small green flag, with the harp of Erin in the centre. Immediately a crowd of " tars" were seen aloft, waving the British flag, but no green flag this time was to be seen. This threw the nationalists into the most violent paroxysm on record. The Nation thus de scribes the scene :—" A perfect roar of anger burst from the audience, and it was impossible to hear even the orchestra with the hurricane of hissing that aroee. Cries for ' The green flag, the green flag 1" The green flag out, the green flag out!' were the articulate sounds of any kind that could be distinguished amid the din. This con tinued for some time, the ' clown' and pantaloon' doing their utmost to play down the disapprobation by persever ance. The ' house' was wroth, and would not be appeased —save by ' the green flag,' which, with lungs that seemed miraculously enduring, they kept untiringly demanding. In this manner the performance was galloped' over rapidly to the end, apparently abbreviated to the utmost, hoping that the grand tableaux at the finale—a really mag nificent spectacle—would cause the little unpleasantness' to vanish, and all to end, like the fairy tale itself, happily. But even this calculation was doomed to disappointment, and the curtain fell amid hissing as loud as ever, and cries as vehement for the green fig.". A WEEK OF SHIPPING DISASTERS. Mr. Trotman, in a letter to a contemporary, says : —I beg most respectfully to bring under your notice the following shipping casualties for one week only, as published in the Shipping and Mercantile Gazette of Saturday. There have occurred 523 shipping casualties around our own coasts ; of these no less than 190 have arisen solely through defaulting anchors and cables. Other serious disasters, such as collisions by rea son of anchors dragging and cables breaking in crowded anchorages, like the Downs, Yarmouth Roads, &c., may also be ascribed to one and the same cause—viz., the fraudulent manufacture and unchecked sale of ships' ground-tackle, which I have unceasingly endeavoured to expose since the loss of the Royal Charter in 1859. It will bo remembered that at the official inquiry which ensued it was proved the above ill-fated ship was brought to by her light and efficient anchors, which held her in comparative safety until her ponderous " merchant-ship quality" cables snapped one after the other, when the next dread moment 494 fellow-creatures and half a million of treasure became a sacrifice. Humanly speaking, something less than a £lO note in value as regards quality of material would have averted a calamity so direful in its after consequences. _ _ Subsequently the maker of these cables was exa mined before a select committee of the House of Commons, and he admitted that ls. per cwt. consti tuted the difference of cost between " merchant ship quality" cables and "navy-proof." The super 111 - intendent of the Liverpool Corporation cable-prov ing machine also supplied statistical official docu ments, giving the practical result of four years' ex perience, and showing that 821 per cent. of the cables known as "merchant-ship quality," failed at a proof-strain considerably under 11 tons to the square inch of iron, whereas merely good iron is equal to a tensile strain of 27 tons, and even 44 tons has been attained in some recent experiments at the Mersey Ironworks. The gallant member for Portsmouth, Sir James Elphinstone, from time to time has endeavoured to Impress upon the authorities of the Board of Trade the necessity of remedial measures to check this unmitigated evil and admitted cause of the great increase of shipwreck and the consequent annual loss of life and national wealth. The remedy is simple as it is effective—viz., for all cables and anchors to undergo a public proof, the same as fireams. All guns and pistols must be subjected to an authorised proof, and the official impress testifying strength of construction, &c., before they can be legally offered for sale to the unwary purchaser, and every anchor and cable for the Royal Navy must under a rigid proof and in spectioo, before being issued to au of her M4jesty' ships. The practical and hon. member fur Birkenhead, Mr. Laird, gave notice last session of his intention to bring this subject again under the notice of Par liament. Pray, in the meantime, aid his efforts by the influence of your powerful pen, and thereby subserve the interests of humanity and the cause of the widows and fatherless children of our ship wrecked mariners. FOREIGN WHEAT.—According to a public docu ment just published there has been an increase in the im portation of wheat, on which a duty of ls. per qr. is paid. In the first ten months 7,751,301 qrs were imported, against 5,632,558 in the preceding year. The French Mint is preparing some new copper money on which • the Emperor is represented sur rounded by laurels. It is said that this design will be adopted on all the French coins, and on the postage stamps also. INCREASED CONSUMPTION OF FOREIGN POTA TOES,--From a return to Parliament just issued, it ap pears that in ten months of the present year 660,938 cwts. of foreign potatoes were imported, against 229,645 ewts. in the previous year. FOREIGN EGGS.—Eggs are free of duty, and large importations are made from Franco. In ten months of 1860 the number imported was 144,837,000 ; in 1861, 175,567,800 ; and this year, 192,700,800 as appears from a return just printed. RISE IN THE PRICE OF PAPER. —The Superin intendant of ; Public Printing reports to Congress that the expense of paper has increased 100 per cent.—Balttmore (U.S.) Daily Gazette. THE METROPOLITAN RAlLWAY.—Yesterday Col. Yolland, the Government inspector of rail ways, made another trip along the line. Messrs. Fenton, Tanner, Johnson, and ether officials were present. The train, con sisting of an engine and carriage, started from Paddington about 11.50 a.m. along the up line to Furring& n-street station. After a careful examination of the altered signals and the electrical indicators, which have been furnished for the purpose of showing the position of the distant sema phores, the train returned along the down line of rails to Paddington. The result of this further investigation is the removal of all opposition on the part of the Board of Trade to the immediate opening of the line. This is, however, again postponed till Saturday, Jan. 10, while the inaugura tion banquet is expected to come off this day week, the 7th Jan. EAST LONDON AND ROTHERHITHE RAILWAY.— It is proposed, in order to carry this line under the Thames from the Lovlon and Blackwall Railway to Rot herhithe, so as to relieve London•bridge and its approaches, and furnish railway ac commodation to the populous districts by the East of Lon don, to purchase the Thames Tunnel, and either appro priate it to railway purposes or stop up and discontinue it for its present purposes. The precise route, as settled by the engineers, will be from the terminus of the Blackwall - . Railway, about 50 yards on the west side of Christian-street, 1 in the parish of St. George's-in-the-East, and terminating ' n the parish of St. Mary, Rotherhithe, Surrey, on the Deptford Lower-road. All the public thoroughfares are to be crossed by means of flat iron-girder bridges, and traffic facilities are to be afforded by the South Eastern, London and Brighton, and Blackwell Railways in respect of eaten sion to New-cross. The Parliamentary estimate for con structing the line, including the purchase of the Thames Tunnel, is £303,000, with power to borrow au additional £95,000. THE WINCHBURGH RAILWAY ACCIDENT.—The Elinburgh and Glasgow Railway Company have, we understand, arranged for the settlement of nearly all the claims made for compensation for lesser injuries re ceived in the terrible collision at Winchburg in Oct. last, by paying to the various parties damages ranging , accord -1 , ing to the nature of the case, from a few pounds to £2OO to £3OO. The claim of the widow of Mr. Hosie, the manager o I the Oakley Ironworks, which was for compensation amounting to £lO,OOO, has been compromised for payment of £1,250 and expenses. In the case of Mr. Hedderwick, writer, Falkirk, who was killed on the spot, his mother has put forward a claim of damages to the extent of £3,000, for which a summons has been served upon the company. The railway company, we understand, offered at an earlier stage to compromise this claim for a considerably smaller sum, which was refused. There are also one or two smaller claims by the friends of Scotch parties—one, we believe, for £4OO, and another for £l,OOO ; but these also may yet be compromised. A number of claims are also said to be likely brought forward by parties in business for loss sus tained by the death of partners or confidential servants ; but considerable doubt is expressed as to whether the law of Scotland would sustain such actions. So far as the claims on account of minor injuries are concerned, the railway company are understood to have on the whole effected their settlement with satisfactory liberality, the demand being in many cases, as it was natural to expect, very unreasonable. Mr. James Shaw, clerk to the late Mr. Hedderwick, Falkirk, who was much bruised and scalded in the accident, and whose injuries, we regret to say, have assumed a very serious aspect, lay at Linlithgow, in the Star and Garter Hotel, till Saturday, when he was removed to Falkirk.—Scotsman. _ FIRES AND Loss OF LIFE. —Yesterday afternoon, about 4 o'clock, a fire was discovered at the house, No. 3, Little Thames-street, Greenw ich, occupied by an aged couple, John and Sarah Keys. With the assistance of some neighbours the fire was speedily extinguished, when the lifeless body of Sarah Keys, shockingly burnt, was found in the room in which the fire commenced. From the appearance of the unfortunate woman's clothing it is evident that she must have b een sitting by the fire, and that her dress, having become ignited, sat fire to the pre mises. Her husband was from home at th e, but ar rived while tha fire was being put out to find his wife a corpse. The deceased was 68 y e ars of age. Yesterday morning, about a quarter past 7 o'clock, a fire broke out in the premises of Mr. Atkins, boot and shoe manufacture r' Church-street, Rotherhith e. The inmates fortunatel y succeeded in effecting a safe retreat, attended the engines of the parish and London brigade promptly. There beirig a good supply of the Southwark Company's water obtained, the engines were set to work under the direction of Mr. Henderson, the chief officer of the D district, but in elite of all exertions the flames could not be conquered until they had passed through every portion of the house. The damage is considerable, and at present it is unknown whether the sufferer was insured or not. A fire also took place on the premises of Messrs. J. T. Bellinger and Co., grocers and tea dealers, carrying on business at Nos. 80 and 81, Ald gate. The discovery was made by some of the inmates, who fortunately succeeded in extinguishing the fire before the arrival of the engines and before it had extended beyond themeirkflOOr. 481 4 130 291 1051 68 7/ 1181 38 97 i i i 9 $ I 51 31 34 88j i REVOLUTION IN JAPAN. We have just received a supplement to the Japan Herald. of the 22d October, published at Yokohama. The news is one day later than the letter which appeared in our impression of Monday last. It says:— " Intelligence of a very important character has just come to our hands. Daring the past week Japan has under gone a revolution. Quietly, without any demonstration, the whole constitution has been changed. The laws enacted by Iyeyas in 1599-1600 have been abrogated. The power and influence of the Tycoon and Eastern Court, so to speak, have been curtailed. Jeddo has the prospect in no long time of being reduced to a second-rate town ; possibly even the Tycoon may have been requested to retire to make way for another ; and this has been accomplished without the firing of a shot or the issuing of a proclamation. The whole em pire, except probably the Emperor's Court at Miako, is in ignorance of the change—a change of importance not only to the empire but to the Powers which have relations with it. For some time past everything within the political horizon has been denoting this cbange; as we stated a few weeks ago, the political influence and interests were desert ing Jeddo, and clustering round Miako. We had not anti cipated that so important a change, so complete a bouTeverse meat, was to occur within so short a time. "REPORTED ASSASSINATION OF THE REGENT " S;nce the above was in type we have heard a report from Jeddo, to the effect that the present Regent, formerly Matzdaira Etzizen no-Kami, now known as Sosayee,' or ' Sodangaite,' has been assassinated by his head retainer or Karowo ; and that the assassin immediately after the com mittal of the deed performed the Harikiri. We do not vouch for the accuracy of the statement, and shall probably not learn the truth for some days, even if the report turn out to be correct." SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. RACING FIXTURES FOR 1863. FEBRUARY. Lincoln 25 MARCH. Nottingham Spring 3 I Doncaster Spring l7 Derby Spring Liverpool Spring lO Northampton .. 24 Shrewsbury l2 Croxton Park 27 APRIL. Newmarket Craven.. 6 Durham . 6 Catterick Bridge. 8 Thirsk l4 M Chester 5 Bath Marlborough l4 Ascot 2 Newton 10 Hampton lO Odiham 16 Bibury Club l7 Worcester Newmarket July .. 7 Abingdon 14 Hungerford l6 Brightcn Brighton Club Lewes Reading l2 Epsom Spring 16 Newmarket F. S 20 York Spring 28 Salisbury Harpenden l5 Epsom M anchester Stockbridge lB Chelmsford 23 Newcastle 23 Carlisle Nottingham 21 Winchester 2l Gocdwood 28 Derby Summer Lichfield Leicester lO Doncaster 15 Newmarket S. 0 ..12 1 Lincoln Autumn 21 NOVE: Worcester 3 York August lB Devon and Exeter l9 Egham 25 SPORTING INTELLIGENCE—This Day. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) ARRIVALS AT MANCHESTER. Everlasting, Mary Stuart, The Poney, lye Maley, Alehymist, Phoebus, The Miller, Cygnet, Mylton, The Flat, Leopold, Weasel, Rossmore, Lorette, and Sha--van- Voeht. AN EXECUTION IN MALTA. MALTA, DEC. 24. As in most Roman Catholic countries, there exists in Malta a confraternity styled "La Congregazione dei Rosa rianti," who in the case of a criminal having to undergo the punishment of death take a very prominent part in everything connected with the sentence. For several days prevOus to an execution the members of thi4 society, arrayed in a white dress from their head to their heels, with two small holes for the eyes, visit the different towns and villages collecting funds, which are handed over to the priests to say masses for the soul 15 f the criminal, and for his release from purgatory. About 40 hours before an exe cution the condemned is placed in a chapel expressly built for the purpose, with two Capuchin priests, who never quit him till the execution is over; and the latter shows extraordinary zeal in bringing criminals to repentance, and preparing them for their future state. To the credit of the Roman Catholic clergy, no person, it is said, has been exe cuted without having previously confessed. Previous to the criminal quitting the chapel the hangman declares that he has no bad feeling towards him, and that he merely obeys orders. He then kisses him. On the road to the gallows the Capuchin priests hold tablets on each side of the pri soner's face. On these tablets are images of our Saviour. Criminals are hung upon a gallows, and the hangman jumps on the shoulders of the criminal till he is dead. Six convicts drag the car, and it is understood they gene rally get six months remitted from their sentence for so doing. From the time the criminal leaves the chapel the confra ternity in a manner take charge of him. They form a procession in front, with a cross lighted on each side, and it is their especial duty to see the ceremony carried out with decorum, to render it solemn and impressive, so that it may have a peneficial effect on the spectators; and in this they succeed, for the crowd at an execution in Malta is serious and reflecting, and impressed with a religious feel ing of sorrow. During the execution the confraternity pray in a devout posture. The body hangs two hours, after which the senior member of the confraternity claims as his especial right the privilege of untieing the rope from the corpse. The mem bers receive the body, and carry it to the place of inter ment, where it is buried in a sack. All this is done by tho confraternity themselves, without any other assistance, and though the duties are so disagreeable, it is considered a very high honour even by the highest classes to belong to the order. The hangman's situation is anything but coveted. He receives about £4O per annum, and a trifling gratuity for every execution. In July last a maid servant, Catarina Bary, was found murdered, and the house, which was next door to the officers' quarters, robbed. 'I he police have shown great judgment and sagacity in discovering the murderers and burglars, and last week Giuseppe Attord, coachman, and Giuseppe Chetcute, fruit seller, were tried and condemned, principally on the evidence of a confederate who turned Queen's evidence. The police feretted out some 80 wit• rn saes in support of the charge, the jury unanimously found them guilty, and on the morning of the 22d, at 8 a.m., the sentence was carried into execution, and the two prisoners were hanged from one gallows at the same time. They entered the chapel on Saturday at 3 p.m., from which ho ur they may be said to have been dead to the world , The honour, for such it is considered, of untieing thPlo from the gallows fell to the lot of two of the confraternity, one of whom is said to bo Count Prezioso. Tbl - ., members had been actively collecting funds for some days previous, and re turned to town shortly after twelve o'clock of the day of the execution, after their arduous, unpleasant, and fatiguing duty. A RECEPTACLE FOR CONTICTS.—The latea sug gestio❑ is to prepare the Falkland Islands as a re ceptacle for our convicts. They are 7,000 miles away, but the voyage is easy and healthy. Peat abounds though wood is wholly absent. Directly westward is the promis ing eastern coast of Tierra del Fuego (with good harbours), in which guanacoes attain their largest size, where wood is plentiful, and where mineral treasures are likely to be found. There a settlement might be formed to receive such convicted persons as are now sent into overcrowded countries, as the only resource, however objectionable. Westward of the large east trn island of Tierra del Fuego there is an abundance of valuable minerals easy of access, and, while the climate is not enervating, or tending to en courage idleness, it is not too severe, like Labrador. EXTRAORDINARY MARRIAGE ADVENTURE.--The Liverpool press yesterday gave publicity to one of the strangest love adventures which have been recorded by the newspapers for some time. It appears that a man whose name it is unnecessary to mention, but who has for some time past resided in Manchester, gained the affections of a woman whose name does not appear, and proposed matrimony to her. The man was worth a considerable sum of money, and suggested to the object of his affections that after marriage they should enter into business. The woman of course readily fell in with his views, and kept a sharp look-out for some eligible business in which to en gage. One offered in Liverpool, and thither our hero be- took himself with his lady, in order that they might buy a " soft goods business" which was advertised. Matters having gone so far, the pair deemed that the sanctity of their loves rendered the marriage ceremony a mere conven tional form, and accordingly occupied a sleeping apartment in Bulton-street. Each night the man placed his pocket book, containing £5OO in notes, under the mattress of his bed, his companion the while watching him with much in terest. On Friday he went with the woman to procure a marriage license, and was about to open his pocket hook to take out a note to pay for the document, when his future wife prevented him, and paid the amount herself. It was arranged that they should be married on Monday, and on Saturday they returned to Manchester and went to their respective homes. It appears ho had not examined his notes since Friday, and when opening his pocket book in the evening he found that £440 had been abstracted and flimsy paper substituted to make up the bulk. He at once proceeded to the Manchester police-station, and having procured the services of a detective officer, the woman was taken into custody and conveyed to Liverpool. "Upon their arrival there, he proposed that if the officer would give up his prisoner he would make her his wife. The detective at once consented, and the woman having been set free, the pair proceeded to the Old Church, where they were married, and satisfactorily settled the monetary difficulty. POPE Pius IX, AND THE CATHOLICS OF CHICAGO. —Bishop Duggan, of Chicago, has received an auto graph letter from Pope Pius IX., of which the following is a translation, acknowledging the receipt of addresses of con dolence which had been sent him, as follows :—" Venerable Brother—Health and Apostolical Benediction : We received with joy the letters sent us by the clergy and faithful people of your diocese, in which the said clergy and people profess that they regard us and the See of Peter with faith, devotion, and reverence, and that they deeply lament the heavy afflictions brought upon us by the wicked designs and machinations of those men who wage an unholy war against the catholic ohuroh, the apostolic see, and our selves. Therefore, we charge you to convey to your clergy and people that these generous sentiments and feelings, in every respect worthy of the children of the catholic church, have afforded us no slight consolation in the great trials which press upon us. And we are convinced, venerable brother, that you, together with your clergy and people, will never cease to implore and beseech by the most fervent prayers, God, who is rich in mercy, that He would rescue His holy church from such calami ties ; that He would adorn and increase her from the rising of the sun to the going down thereof with new and more splendid triumphs ; that He would comfort us in all our trials ; that He would humble all the enemies of the church and of this apostolic see, and bring them back from the way of iniquity to the paths of justice and of salvation. As to yourself, be assured we bear towards you a particular affec tion, of which we desire the apostolic benediction, which, in the effusion of our heart, venerahle brother, we most lovingly impart to yourself and to the flock committed to your care, to be the most certain pledge. Given at St. Peter's, Rome, on the 7th of July, 1862, and in the 17th year of our pontificate.—Plus, 1 3 ,1 3 ,, IX."—Missouri De mocrat, Dec. 9. COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS' SCHOOLS.—The half yearly meeting and election of this institution was held yesterday at the London Tavern, Mr. Wilcoxon in the chair. There were 14 children to be elected-7 boys and 7 girls. Mr, Foster, the secretary, read the report, of which the following is an abstract :—it congratulates the friends of the institution on the steady increase in the different branches of income ; the renewed subscriptions for the past year showed an increase over the previous year of £126, as well of a proportionate improvement in donations and new subscriptions. The health of the children was generally at the present time, satisfactory, although in November last there had been some cases of malignant sore throat, and one boy had died from diphtheria within four weeks after his admission by purchase. The financial statement showed the gross receipts for the past half-year ending September 30, were £3,157 4s. 11d.; and the expenditure, £3,085 14s. 4d, ; leaving a balance in favour of £7l 108. ' 7d. The amout of stock at present invested is £14,300. Value of the live and dead stock at farms, £452 10s. Lia bilities on bills owing, £459 4s. 2d. The report having beep received and adopted, some alterations were made in the rule respecting the voting at elections, and the board of management and other officers for the ensuing year were appointed. Scrutineers were then selected and ftb.e elec tion proceeded with. There were 26 candidates. UST. :MBER. SEPT: OCT , Brecon Monmouth 24 Manchester Autumn 25 Newmarket Ist Oct. 29 IBE R. Newmarket Houghton ..26 ;14111ER. I Shrewsbury Autumn....l7 SPEEPLECIJASING FIXTURES FOR 1863. JANUARY. Manchester FEBRUARY. Carmarthenshire Hunt Scarborough 11 Birmingham .. Reading l2 Lincoln 25 MARCH. Grand National Hunt (Market Harborough ...26 IRISH-APRIL. Kildare Hunt l5 AQUATICS. THE CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE THAMES. CHAMBERS AND EVERSON. According to agreement, the backers of George Everson, of Greenwich, went to the New Inn, Old Bailey, yesterday (Tuesday), and waited for some tire to meet Mr. Wilkin son, the backers of Chambers, and as be did not put in an appearance, a telegraphic message was sent to Newcastle, which was answered by the intelligence that Mr. "Wilkin son had met with an accident on Friday, which precluded all possibility of his attendance. A couple of Chambers's backers, however, met Everson's friends, and arrangements were entered into to row for i2CO a-side, on the Thames, from Putney to Mortlake, on April 14, Chambers to receive £2O for expenses, which sum has been given by a gentle man to ensure the match. They meet on Friday, at three o'clock, at Mr. Wall's, the Ma !tater, Fair Ground, Green wich, to draw up articles. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE—This Day. LONDON, Dec. 31.—Wind this day at noon--North; fresh breeze, and fine weather. _ _ FALMOUTH, Dec. 30.—Wind N.—Sailed—Bianca, for Calcutta. OFF MARGATE, Dec. 30.—Arrived—Sancho Panza, from Foo-chow-100. PLYMOUTH, Deo. 30.—Wind N.W.—Arrived—Scandia, from Rio Janeiro, for London, with damage to portside, having been in collision, Dec. 17, with a ship, supposed to be English. • (By MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH.) GRAVESEND, Wednesday Morning. Arrives, Dec. 30—Esperanza, from Sarawak; Ashburton, from Now York ; Aminta, from Calcutta ; ()Rhona. from Canton; John Baring, from Alexandria; Maiden Queen, from Foo-chow-foo; Jane Gardner, from Aarhuus ; City of Bristol, from Penang ; Expert, from Newport ; Bard of Avon, from Pugwash ; Monarch, from Melbourne. Arrived, Dec. 31.—Drogheda, from Pugwash ; Jubilee, from Shanghae ; Anne Jewett, from Newport; Star Queen, from Foo-chow-foo. DEAL, Wednesday Morning. Passed—Salo, for Canaries ; Black Hawk, for New York ; Norna, screw steamer, for Malta—all for London ; Venus, of Exeter, from North, for West. Anchored.—Oregon, from St, John's, for London. REPRESENTATION OF REIGATE.—Last evening ;he Hon. J. Stuart Wortley met the electors of Rei- gate at the new public hall. About 300 persons were pre sent. Mr. Wortley said, in earning before the electors as a candidate for their suffrages, it was necessary he should state his political views. He was a moderate or Liberal- Conservative. He wished not to check progress, but to maintain the great institutions of the country. The Government was a weak one, and, in fact, Lord Pal- meraton governed more from the personal respect of the people, who liked him as a brave, straightforward English man, than from any regard for his political principles. If returned, he would not, however, seek to disturb the present Government. Lord Palmerston had conducted the affairs of the country with honour and integrity ; nor did ho believe there were ten men in the house who wished to disturb him. There might be same present who would even now harily forgive Sir Robert Peel for what he had done in repealing the corn laws, but notwithstanding their repeal, he (Mr. Wortley) doubted if the agriculturists were ever doing better than they were now. It was difficult to say what the questions of the day were. There was at present a sort of political calm. He wa s still o pp osed to any lowering of .he franchise ; a £lO house qualification was quite low enough, although he should be glad to see the franchise extended to all worthy, intelligent, and well-read mechanics and arti sans. He was opposed to the ballot. The next most important question was that of Church-rates. Although a stanch adherent of the Church, he believed it was the duty of Government to ascertain how that could be done away with. With regard to the public expenditure it was no doubt a matter of great surprise that in a time of peace it should be £71,000,000 annually ; but we were a great and wealthy nation, and a great expenditure was necessary to defend our interest and honour, Whatever else the issue of the war in America might be, one thing he was told was certain—that slavery would not continue. Americans had told him that the war could not last beyond the present winter. He hoped that it might be so, for he was sure that every Englishman wished to see the war at an end, and the Americans once more among our best friends and customers. OPPOSITION TO FERRY RATES.—The inhabitants of Wallasey, near Liverpool, are agitating for the abolition of the ferry rate levied upon them and have deter mined to defray the expenses of litigation in order to secure its removal. At a numerously attended meeting of ratepayers on Monday evening the following resolution was carried nem.dis. :—That this meeting regards it of great importance to the interests of this district that the rate for ferry pur poses should be set aside, and pledges itself to support the o pposition by subscription." The subject of ferry arrange ments at Wallasey has been a source of endless annoyance to the inhabitants of Wallasey and Liverpool. EXTENSIVE CONFLAGRATION.—CHESTER, Tues day Night.—The outbreak of a fire, resulting in the destruction of the Exchange and Town-hall, was dis covered shortly after six o'clock this evening. fh3 flames quickly obtained the ascendancy, notwithstanding the strenuous efforts of the city fire brigade and the men of her Majesty's 49th Regiment, now quartered at the Castle. Before 11 o'clock the Sessions-house, Justice Courts, As sembly-rooms, and Council Chamber were completely gutted. A considerable portion of the furniture and pic tures is saved. The building was insured in the Unity Office jor £6,000, THIRD EDITIO SUN OFFICE, SEVEN O'CLOCK. isa- the sted of r at rolo ri ii rai ° stg/ 11 1° 01 7 4. ; 41/ I i ir4 tD e jog ace