The Sun. — London, England, 1862-09-26 00:00:00

Did our readers last night notice the Imperial Riddle, presented them by his MAJESTY of Paris— and, we were going to say, of Rome—through the Moniteur ? It came to us rather late. We did not understand it before we went to press. We do not understand it now. When we say so, we, of course, mean that we cannot make separate sen tences intelligible, or the several sentences square with each other. But as to understanding its object--there can be no difficulty in that. To the serious, practical question—will you leave the Romans to tho exercise of their just rights, and cease to im pose a master on them —the guilty despot is ashamed to say " no;" bat he is determined not to say "yes." We wonder he is so nice about it. Why not say " yes," and go on telling a lie ? The man who cared not a straw for the most solemn legal oaths, and spontaneous oaths, and the obligations of guest ship, and the pledged right hand, prior to the 2d of December, and who made nothing of certain nega tive east:al:ions about Nice and Savoy prior to his seizure of them—why should he mince matters— why not say, " I will leave Rome before Christmas,' an.d.thsn keep his solders there till he died, and fall the suppressed ability of France united to hand his little boy out of the Empire ? It would be but the addition of one more deception to the list. What is the use of this Imperial riddle•setting ? It can deceive no one. Why not say boldly—" In 1849 I bagged Rome, and put the POPE into it, and no laws against international night-poaching shall make me give up my r k )Oil." It would be at least merely Imperial to. say, " I am a political highwayman, and I me Art to keep what I have got." Inst'aad of that what have we ? Why, first a letter from his MAJESTY to M. THOUTENEL—on a "'.reconciliation between the Holy See and Italy." 'Which compels one to wish the See were holy enough to give Italy and the Romans no trouble about such a secular and profane thing as temporal power. However, to the first fishermPat it was pro mised that he should be 4 " fisher of men." The inheritor of the fishern:an'il seal may therefore think that his net shoul:a catch men's bodies as well as their souls ; and, that, as his net broke in 1848, i was very kind, of the French to come and mend i for him. E nt 'the Romans, and all the intelligence and llberratism of Europe, do not like this everlasting Ine*Ading. Indeed, the net after a dozen years French r A tn} aing, has become a BONAPARTE not a Papal net. The poor fisherman, therefore, is actually har rassed by the BONILPARTE reminding him that he is really the rtet holder, and demanding of him some little adaptation of his behaviour to this notr.trious fact. Outside the net, the Romans see al ' h their fellows of the same name, disporting themselves at liberty, while they in vain try to burst the Franco-Papal meshes. They think this hard. Why should they th us be netted np P What good does it do an yone p They are told that it is for the g o , * of the Catholic fish of Italy and all others countries. They deny this. The Catholics of all Italy, they truly say, wish them to be as much at liberty as they are. And as to all the rest of the Catholics in the world, they can't comprehend what good on earth it should be to them to keep their fellow Catholics thus in bondage. They are not sharks; they will not swallow up " the Fisherman." Oh dear, no ; they only wish to be at large them selves, and then they will not even, on any future day, make a grand unanimous push at his French net, and drag "Fisherman," net and all, into the Water. But to our riddle—if, indeed, it be of any use to have a try at it. Ist. The POPE is to lower the barriers which separate the Pontifical territory from Italy. What barriers ? For the por t is to be `` muter in his own clomain" — " This sway is t o be freely accepted by hia subjects'- - and "'tall is The Philosophic Humorist, who by a singular :reek of fortune occupies the courtly post of Clerk to the Privy Council, has somewhere among his charming Essays a day dream thus articulated :—" I have often fancied," he says, " that a man might play the part of BRUTUS in the law. He might simulate madness in order to ensure freedom. He might make him self a great lawyer, rise to eminence in his pro fession, and then turn round and say, I am not going to enjoy this high seat and dignity; but intend henceforward to be an advocate for the people of this country against the myriad oppres sions and vexations of the law. No Chancellorships or Chief Justiceships for me. I have only pre tended to be this slave in order that you should not say that I am an untried and unpractical man— that I do not understand your mysteries.' " All which is, however, as we have already termed it, the merest day dreaming. And it is a day dream only to be thought of, even by the most sanguine and ima ginative, in connection with ideal regions like those sacred to the fancied footsteps of Arcadians and Utopians. While Mr. HELPS is pleasantly con ceiving to himself the possible advent of a wholly impossible Lord Chief Justice and Lord High Chan cellor—bit by bit the anomalies of the law are being lopped off by the trenchant blows dealt at them by one after another of our great Law Re formers. How many of those cruel anomalies have there not been cleared away, as so much obstructive rubbish and pernicious lumber, by the bold hand of the greatest of all living law Reformers, the vener able ex. Chancellor Lord BROTIGHAM ! Beside him, upon that same removed bench, encouraging the development and continuance of those whole some and beneficent innovations and improvements are there not those two other NESTORS in the Coun cils of Jurisprudence—invested like LordßnouGHAm himself with the honourable dignity appertaining to them as ex - Chancellors—Lord LYNDHURST and Lord ST. LEONARDS ? Conspicuous among the leading champions of Law Reform in this later generation, being men as gifted, as eminent, as pre-eminent, it may be said, each of them in his own peculiar capacity, as the late Solicitor -General of the political party now in Opposition, and the present learned occupant f woolsack, a ma n so profound in the depth and scope is legal eruditi on, that he enjoys the repu o th e of h repu tation in his profession of being the greatest Lawyer who has held the seals as Chancellor since the days of ELDON. And it like notable circumstance surely, in its way, that the last great law reform upon known to have which the Imperial Legislature is to the acceptance and th e reali adventured, zation of which the Lords and Commons of Eng land have been guided, at the instance successively of Sir HUGH C A IRNS, ill the Comm ons, and of Lord WESTBURY, in the Lords. The Land Transfer Bill, which was happily passed through the legislature last session, being enrolled upon the statute book as a complete enact ment, but very shortly before the prorogation of Parliament, may be said to owe its existance, in the first place, of course, to the exigency of the times, the pear being ripe for this particular Law Reform .11 rOevenee to any other ; b u t i n a secon d ar y way quite as undeniably to the joint labours, to the frank and earnest co-operation of th e gen i us and skill unmistakably appertaining, as law reformers, to Sir HUGH CAIRlis and Lord WESTBURY. If Sir H. CAIRNS may be said, of the two, to have led the ray by his earlier scheme of an enactment, Lord WESTBURY has the honour and good fortune to have developed his later schemeinto an enactment. The passing of this measure wasnoticed at the time as almost the one solitary and consolatory fruit of an otherwise barren and disappointing session of the Legislature. Perfect as a reform, the A ct now upon the eve of coming into actual operation, d oes not, of course, even pretend to be. Its princip a l Merit is that it is, at any rate, a commencement, LIVES of EMINENT STATESMEN, by THOS. HOOD, Esq., in FIIN, every week. 'l 4 ;tow Ready, handsomely bound in Magenta cloth, gilt, price 4s. 6d. ; post free, 55., the SECOND half-yearly VOLUME of FUN, with numerous Engravings by talented artists, and humor ous Articles by the following distinguished writers : W. Bailey, Esq. TT W . : S ir ! Jerrold beE sr Esq. Esq W. Barber, Es% E. L. Blanch Aro, Esq. G. W. Bridgeman, Esq. G W o . df're • Pr T ow il;n e er E , 8 2 . sq. F. C. Burnand, Esq. H. J. Byron, Esq. y, tte, Of f ice, 80, Fleet-street, London. RYSTAL PALACE.—MEYERBEER'S v.... 1 AND AUBER'S EXHIBITION MUSIC will be per formed TO-MORROW (SArcRDAY) by full Orchestral and Military Bands, in the Great Orchestra. Solo Cornet, Mr Levy; Solo Flageolet, M. Bonnisseau. Commence at Four. Display of Upper Series of Fountains and perform ances on the Great Festival Organ at intervals. Admission —ONE SHILLING. . ** For full particulars of amusements see first page. ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA, COVENT-GARDEN. This Evening, Auber's Exhibition Overture. After which SONNAMULA. Commence at 8. THEATRE-ROYAL, DRURY-LANE. hie Evening, THE ROUGH DIAMOND. After which, THE RELIEF OF LUUKNOW. To conclude with THE ARABS OF THE DESERT. A Troupe of the Beni-Zoug- Zoug. Commence at 7. THEATRE-ROYAL, HAYMARKET. This Evening:, THE WIFE'S PORTRAIT. Af ter w hich, OUR AMERICAN COUSIN. With CELOS Y'CALIA. And MY HUSBAND'S GHOST. Commence at 7. NEW THEATRE -ROYAL, ADELPHI ThiB Evening TEE GREEN BUSHES. Followed by THE SHILLIN G DAY. Commence at 7. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE. This EveniiirL, THE LOST LETTER. After which, at a quarter to 8, KING HENRY VIII. With THE TWO POLTS. Commence at 7. ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE, This Evening, PEEP O'DAY. Followed_by KILLAR NEY. Conclude with THN COLLEEN BA. SETTLED AT LAST. Commence at 7. ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. This Evening, RIAZEPPA, Brilliant Scenes in the Circle, Concluding with a Comic Ballet, Commence at 7. MR. and MRS. CHARLES MATHEWS "AT 4031 E," at Her Majesty's Concert Room, Haymarket, This Evening• Comment* at 8. W. S. WOODIN'S CABINET OF CURIOSITIES, Polygraphic Hag n-.... --wg William -street, Charing-cross. Commence at 8. ARGYLL ROOMS, Great Windmill-street, Hay market. Open every evening for Promenade and Dancing. C&NTERBURY HALL. —EVERY EVENING.— citen se eke l, the great Trapeze_performer —Grand Operatic Selec tio be Unsworth, E ugene, and Duley, the great comic tit), dec. Commence at 7. THE OXFORD 6, OXFORD-S TREET , EVE RY EVENING. —Grand Operatic Selections, with full band and chorus.—The comic performance of Miss Caroline Parkes— Steckel on the Flying Trapeze—The Ethiopian oddities of Rumsey, Newcomb, dra._ Commence at 7. THE SONGS OF SCOTLAND, at the Hanover square Rooms, on Monday next, at 8, by Mr. Kennedy. EXHIBITION OF THE GOLDEN EAGLE, daily, al Burlington Gallery, 191, Piccadilly. NOTICE. All remittances are, henceforth, to be made to Mr. JOHN CHAPLIN, at The Sun office, 112, Strand, who has been appointed, by the Lord Chancellor, Receiver and Manager of The Sun newspaper, and the outstanding debts due in respect thereof. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tins DAY.-- .Morning, 3h. 10 m. —Afternoon, 3h. 30m. To-moße.ow.-Morning, 4h. 13 m. —Afternoon,' 4h. 38m. upw _ e • r- , ,•„.,„ , 1 - ,) THE SUN. LONDON, FRIDAY, SEPT. 26, 1862. t; b: t; _. ....--.. Ito recognise the p r i v il eges o f t h e States of the Church"—and France has "announced a firm de termination to maintain the POPE in his present territory"—and " Italy must renounce her preten sions to Rome." All of which look very much like keeping up the barriers between Rome and Italy. But what is the PorE's part then to be ? He is to "return to ancient traditions, and to recognise the privileges of the municipalities and provinces, so that they may govern themselves." Does any one of our readers understand all this ? If he is mysti fied, perhaps another sentence or two may put him in the way to g uess th e en i gma . I t w as placed be fore M. THOUTENEL on the 20th of last May. On the 30th the Minister wrote to the Frenoh Ambas sador at Rome, M. LAVALETTE : " The words of the Emperor have never held out a hope to the Cabinet of Turin that Rome could beco&e the capital of the kingdom of Italy with the consent of France. " All the declarations of France announce a firm determination to maintain the Pope in the pos session of his present territory. The only possible arrangement would be the maintenance of the terri torial status quo. Italy would have to renounce her pretensions to Rome, and engage with France to respect the Papal territory and assume the greater portion, if not the whole, of the Roman debt." And this M. THOUVENEL calls a policy of conci liation, says that there is nothing in it of a minatory character, exhorts ANTONELLI, the holy butcher of Perugia, to lay aside the doctrine of immobility, only adding that if he does not, the EMPEROR would be compelled —we suppose it is what he means—to withdraw his troops from Rome : which, from no love to the POPE, but from love to the EONA.PARTES alone, he will certainly not do. This, the holy murderer for his Holiness knows as well as the EMPEROR, so he still coolly replies " we are immoveable"—non possumus. Europe is sick of these farces—but what cares the master of sixty legions ? And what care the Cardinals at Rome ? The position of the French is confessed to be unjustifiable, but the despot is strong enough to confess and go on. A pretty woman weeps to him, and the woman's POPE must be sustained in his unrighteous power over the bodies and soils of the poor Romans. An ignorant clergy, and yet more ignorant peasantry, worked up by designing and thoroughly worldly bishops, threaten to vote wrong; so, the poor Romans must be kept out of votes altogether to please them. And so it is that, to the infinite scandal of religi,-n, and the joy of all the atheists and infidels of Europe, the head of one of the largest of Christian sects is exhibited to all the world as the trampler on all human rights—and that for the basest of all motives—in the eye of religion—worldly ambition. Disguise it how mea will, but for the worldly ambi tion of the POPE'S advisers (for the good old man himself is, we are told, as well meaning as he is weak, notwithstanding his allocution curses) all this wickedness woald be at an end. The POPE would be advised not to " lower," but to destroy the barriers between Roman and Italian Catholics —to assume the independence of freedom from worldly ambition —to tell the French that he no longer wanted to murder his fellow-citizens' liber ties by foreign bayonets—and to set all the bishops of Christendom an example worth following—tha of renouncing temporalities, and being content with spiritualities. Some, comparing Sir HUGH CAIRNS' scheme with Lord WESTBURY'S, still accord to the former a very decided preference. Altogether idle, however, at the present moment, is any such comparison. What we have to deal with, is the actual measure passed into law last session the act which is nominally to come into operation on the Ist of this ensuing month of October : a date that will probably have to be abandoned from the difficulties still remaining to be cleared away, so that, in all likelihood, the commencement of the operation of the act will be postponed from the beginning to the end of October. Sooner or later, by a few days, in any case that act will unquestionably come into operation. There need be no alarm at all, nevertheless, even amongst the most timorous, because of this cer tainty of its coming into operation so very speedily. And for the one simple reason, that the act itself is purely permissive. Advantages of a very obvious and of a very considerable value are held out to all those who will avail themselves of the enactment by registering. But their doing so is a matter purely optional. And even when they have called the Act into operation by registering their title to real estates, they can at any subsequent period, at their own pleasure, cause the fact of their having done so to be erased from the books of re gistration. The very preambleot Lord WESTBURY'S Act states the object of the Act to be threefold ; namely, "first, to give security to the title of real estates; secondly, to facilitate the proof of such title; and thirdly, to render the dealing with land more simple and inexpensive than it is at present." As to the greater simplicity ensured by the new enactment here is an instantly appro. ciable exemplar of that advantage. Here, in other words, is the very brief and lucid form of transfer of land which will have to be filled up after the enactment comes formally into opera tion some time in the course of this next month of October : Dated this day of . I, AB, of &c., in consideration of (five thousand pounds) paid to me, grant to C D and his heirs for ever, all (insert description of land). Signed and sealed by A. B. Witness—E F, of, &c., a Solicitor of the nigh Court of Chancery, or a certified conveyancer. Again, turning from the mere simplicity of these new arrangements to the manner of the order ing of them—supposing that any proposed title be approved, the applicant for registration will be required to furnish to the registrar-- 1. An exact description of the lands to be registered. 2. A statement of the several persons interested in such lands, and of the nature of such interest; and 3. A statement of the charges and incumbrances (if any: on such lands, and of the persons entitled thereto." Finally, in illustration of the scope of the ope ration of this new enactment, it is especially notice able that it expressly provides that all registered land may be dealt with or conveyed— „ 1. By a statutory disposition in any of the forms de scribed in the schedule to the Act. 2. By endorsement on the land certificate. 3. By deposit of the land certificate. 4. By any deed, will, or other instrument by which land, not registered, may now be conveyed or dealt with. As to any doubts that may yet be entertained by the cavillers against Lord WESTBURY'S measure, as one appreciably inferior (according to their view of it), when contrasted with Sir HUGH CAIRNS' earlier and certainly more comprehensive and elabo rated enactment—but a very few months will suffice to demonstrate the validity or the perverseness of those objections. So hampered, hitherto, has been the transference of land throughout, that it is impos- . 1 sible not to wish that all possible success may attend the earnest, vigorous, and conscientious efforts embodied in this enactment of the Lord Chancellor's efforts, namely, to clear away, henceforth, and for ever, a mass of costly, and worse than idle, of absolutely pernicious obstruc tiveness. ~ ~. apparently only enough so to prevent the Federal troops being withdrawn thence into Maryland. In South Carolina also they have attacked the Federal troops, and suffered a repulse ; the attack being probably with the same object. It was repelled, as of old, by gunboats. Ohio is frightened, but thinks itself safe. Pennsylvania is still more alarmed, but probably with little reason. It would be madness for the South to attack States it could not hope to gain. An opinion is indeed expressed by the New York Times that the Confederates really aim to subvert the LINCOLN Government and install their own. JEFFERSON DAVIS is too shrewd to think of that. MARRIAGE OF THE PRINCESS 211A.R1 A PIA. TURIN, SEPT. 23. The civil contract preliminary to the wedding ceremony between the Princess Maria Pia and the Marquis of Louie, acting as proxy for King Louis I. of Portugal, is to be signed to-day. For the wed ding ceremony the 27th, Saturday next, is ap pointed. There are to be grand Court dinners both on Thursday and Saturday; on the latter day a serenade and illumination; on Friday a grand con cert at the palace. The bride will leave Turin for Genoa on Sunday, accompanied by the Prince of Piedmont, her brother, the heir to the throne. Three Portuguese men-of-war and the best part of the Italian fleet are awaiting the youthful Queen. An Italian squadron of four ships, under the orders of Admiral Albini, will follow the nuptial cortege. This is the first instance on record of a " daughter of Italy" being given in marriage. The congratu lations which both the Princess and the King her father received from almost all the most conspicu ous cities of the newly-united kingdom, are as many proofs of the depth of feeling to which loyalty to the reigning dynasty has already penetrated in Italian hearts. Handsome, elegant, and sumptuous presents also come in from all parts. The corporation of the city of Turin presents an album of beautiful drawings in water-colour paint ings, illustrating the localities among which the childhood of the young bride were spent. Florence and Milan are quite determined not to be beaten by Turin in their token of devotion to their King's daughter; and we hear from Naples that the muni cipality are sending over a splendid ornament in pink coral, of native manufacture, of the value of 4,500 ducats. The most important present, however, comes from that once most ardent of all Italian patriots, his Holiness Pope Pius IX. The good Victor Emmanuel, however, deemed the marriage of his daughter too auspicious an opportunity of laying aside political rancour, and the Abate Stellardi, his chaplain, was sent to Rome to announce the forth coming wedding. The sleek, soft-hearted Pius IX. seemed to take great interest in the welfare of his god-daughter, who bears his name Pia (the pr nomen, Maria, being common to all the ladies of her house), and on the Abate taking his leave, his Holiness gave him a parcel containing his we ddi ng present to the bride, consisting of a magnificent album, all studded with precious stones, with two fine engravings, representing the Virgin and an Ecce .Homo. The Pope's autograph is on the title page, and Stellardi bears with him the Pontiff's blessing for the bride and bridegroom. The sister of the bride, Princess Clotilde, and her husband, Prince Napoleon, will arrive in Turin from Paris to-morrow, and great festivities are prepared by way of greeting to them. THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION. ---The visitors to the Exhibition yesterday numbered 41,369, of whom 4,052 were admitted by season tickets, and 37,317 paid at the doors. STOKE ELECTION.—A somewhat strange course of proceeding has been adopted with reference to the elec tion of Mr. Grenfell. On behalf of Mr. Hope a protest has been entered against the validity of his election, on the ground that the seconder of his nomination (Mr. Hill) is not an elector. The long expected mails from America have reached us at last. They are both exciting and disappointing. It is easy to see that MCLELLAN and the Confederates have met, have marched, and perhaps countermarched; but whether there has I been a really decisive battle, and what are the exact positions occupied, is by no means clear. The last account is a " private telegram" to Mr. INMAN, dated the 17th, from New York, via Cape Race. The regular telegram, via the same place, is dated the 16th. This last telegram says that 11/PCLELLAN had occupied Hagerstown, and men - dons a battle at Sharpsburg, considerably nearer the Potomac and Washington, too. While it describes the Federals as surrounded by the Confederates at Harper's Ferry, which is en the Washington side of Sharpsburg. The private telegram of the 17th speaks of a terrible battle at Hagerstown between the two commanders-in-chief, M'CLELLAN and LEE. All these accounts may possibly be true, yet they do not harmonise conveniently with each other ; the dash and vigour of the Confederates are such, that positions are quite possible, which yet do not seem easy to be accounted for. The Potomac runs northwest from Washington past Harper's Ferry, separating a long narrow strip of Maryland from Virginia. Chiefly in this narrower portion of the State, which lies immediately south of Pennsylvania, the operations we now read of are carried on. Hagerstown is the furthest from Washington, yet M`ULELLAN seems to have gone thither after LEE, who had arrived before him, Frederick city, nearer Washington, having been evacuated by the Confe derates. Yet but a day or two before LEE had been reported on the south of the Potomac, at Leesburg, with a large force. We gather, however, from the whole that the Confederates had retreated westward from Frederick city to Hagerstown, and that the Federals and they had had some sharp en counters there. Whether the statements of the private telegram be true we cannot know for some days yet. If they are, the Confederates have been obliged to recross the Potomac ; and M'CLELLAN has fairly beaten LEE in the field. Such a victory would somewhat revive the Federal courage. The entrance of the Confederates into Maryland has threatened not only that State, but Pennsyl vania also. We hear repeatedly of movements in that direction, and of the orders of the Pennsyl vanian authorities to call out the militia and to make preparations for defence. As to Maryland it self, the Confederates are pretty sure that that State will throw in its lot with the South. They treat the inhabitants therefore well, and offer to liberate them from Federal rule. They tell them, however, that the decision lies with the Marylanders themselves. The South will receive them into the confederation by their own free act only. The South is disposed to conquer the goodwill of a State three-fourths of the inhibitants of w hi ch, we fear, are already warm though a lar ge proportion. of the intelligent deepl y regret the breaking -up of m pr o o r - e slavery men, the Union' Indeed the Border States, which prac ticallyunite the worst Sl ave States to the North, have naturally strong sympathies with both. They have slaves, though few comparatively —they have whites predominating nu m b ers. Tradi tionwith them the South, p rogress to the in largely North. ooks to Operations in other parts lose much of their interest in the great struggle in Maryland. I n Kentucky the Confederates continue active, but THE IRON TRADE.—BIRMINGEIAM, Sept. 25. The preliminary meeting of the ironmasters of South Staf fordshire and East Worcestershire was held at the Hen and Chink Ana Hotel here to-day—Mr. Philip Williams in the chair. The reports were concurrent as to the fact of the trade being in a mush more healthy state than it has for a long time been. There is an increasing demand for all de • scriptions of finished iron, bars especially; and the prices of makers who usually undersell are coming nearer to the upper class of makers. In these circumstances an advance in the price of iron generally might have been ventured upon; it would not, however, have been quite prudent to do so, and a resolution was unanimously passed to adhere to the old scale of prices. Pig-iron is half-a-crown a ton higher than it was three months ago. There was a nume rous attendance of the members of the trade to-day, and the tone was cheerful, from the conviction that the improve ment which has taken place is the result of a legitimate and not speculative demand for manufactured iron. The North Staffordshire makers are full of orders, and are ready to advance prices, but will not do so except in concert with their brethren in the south. There is a scarcity of labour of the unskilled class in this district. If there are any stout fellows in Lancashire out of employment, and willing to labour, they may find it at some of the works on the Wolverhampton side of this district, and possibly in other quarters in the neighbourhood. THE GRAIN TRADE AT LIVERPOOL.—The Mersey Docks and Harbour Board at its meeting yesterday agreed to erect very extensive warehouses on both the Liverpool and Birkenhead side of the river for the accommodation of the corn trade of the port. A special committee of the board had been considering the subject for some time; and the recommendations of that committee were yesterday adopted—namely, to erect warehouses, fitted up with all the requisite appliances, upon the Birkenhead side of the Mersey, at an estimated cost of £169,486, £lOB,OOO of which sum appertain exclusively to the buildings ; and to con struct warehouses on the Liverpool side for similar purposes at an estimated cost of £291,671, £131,000 of which amount will be expended upon the warehouses exclusively, and the balance will be applied for affecting alterations in the Prince's Basin, for machinery, and other purposes con nected with the efficient working of the workhouses. A soiree was given two evenings back by the Literary and Artistic Association of Brussels to the Mem bers of the Social Science Congress now sitting in that city. The Duke de Brabant and the Count de Flandre were present, and conversed with several foreigners of dis tinction who were presented to them by the President of the Association. The steam-frigate Christophe Colomb has just arrived at Toulon from Algiers and Ajaccio, bringing 100 cavalry horses from Algeria and a battalion of the 87th Regiment from the latter place. This vessel is to return to Algeria immediately, to again remain at the orders of the Governor-General. The steam-transport La Seine is also at Toulon under orders to leave on the Ist October for Alexandria, first calling at Algiers to take on board 200 Turcos to fill up the ranks of that corps in Cochin-China. The Ocean of Brest mentions a melancholy acci dent which has just occurred in the pond of Moulin-a- Poudre, situated near the military port. Twelve children were amusing themselves on a raft which was fastened to the bank. After playing on it for some time they unfas tened the rope which held it and pushed it off into the middle of the pond, where some irregular movement on their part capsized it, and all of them were precipitated into the water which was 15ft. deep. Four of them were rescued, though with great difficulty, by two persons who happened to witness the accident, and the other two by a lad named Sparfel, who had been on the raft, and who was afterwards drowned in attempting to save a third. The eight others were drowned, life being quite extinct when the bodies were recovered. EXTRAORDINARY FEAT.—Mr. Samuel Harris, landlord of the Fox and Crane, Bristol, accompanied by his brother, adopted a novel mode of visiting the International Exhibition. Having seated themselves on a velocipede (which had previously been constructed by Mr. Harris), off they started, and arrived in London (a distance of 108 miles) on Monday, at mid-day, the journey having occupied exactly 211 hours. After spending three days in the metropolis the return journey was comfortably performed in 18 hours. neither of the travellers feeling any fatigue.— Wester-- Daily Press. rt EXTRAORDINARY imrtcr OF A FIRE.—On Mon day afternoon a fire broke out in a newly erected block of buildings belonging to Mr. Ridley, consisting of four re cently erected houses on the road leading to the Wyche, about a mile from Malvern. An engine was soon on the spot, but before the flames were arrested two of the houses were completely gutted. Mrs. Thomas, the occupant of the house in which the fire originated, in a moment of ex citement at the discovery of the mishap, cut her throat. She remains in a very precarious state, and not in a condi tion to furnish any information as to her motive.--Bir veingham Daily Gazette. STATION, BirtmizronA.m.—The inquest was THE FATAL A CCIDENT AT TILE NEW - STREET resumed on Tuesday aft ernoon before Dr. B. Davis, and a great deal of additional evidence was taken. Amongst other witnesses Mr. Graham Holmes, who erected the scaffold, was exa mined, but the inquiry was adjourned. HBER 26, 1862 NEW ADELPHL MR. WEBSTER'S BENEFIT. The benefit of a London favourite, whether manager or actor, must always be looked at in the light rather of a challenge to public sympathy than an appeal to public support. It must be re , garded as an occasion on which his patrons are en abled to testify to him personally --apart from the acknowledgments, pecuniary and profes sional, which they may make throughout a season.. Viewed in this light, it has a propriety which is creditable to both sides. It is a test of personal estimate which it is as worthy in an actor to invite, as it must always be gratifying to the public whenever warrantable to tender. It is, in fact, an occasion on which artist and patron shake hands as it were, together, and with as little loss of dignity on the one side as of sincerity on the other. As we believe it would be difficult to mention a man who, in the course of a long professional career, has succeeded in engaging a larger amount of personal respect than Mr. Webster—in addition to the admiration which he has so justly won, as one of the most perfect artists in the drama of real life who have been seen in modern times —there can be little wonder that his benefit should always be regarded by the public as a very pleasurable opportunity of crowding his theatre to the roof. Last evening, however, he enforced the event by two additional attractions. He revived in the first place, after a slumber of some five or six seasons—one of the best Adelphi pieces, and one of the greatest of modern suc cesses—Mr. Buckstone's drama of the " Green Bushes," and he presented in its heroine, a lady whose tragic power has been demonstrated as successfully on the boards of the Adelphi, as at Drury-lane —Miss Avonia Jones. Of the drama itself we can have no occasion at this late period to speak. All who have ever seen or heard of it are well aware that, whether in respect to its interest or its humour, its force of situation, or its happy grasp of character, it has had few, if any equals in the native melodrama of our stage. It had, it is true, the advantage originally of wonderful talent in its acting; but its continued popularity afford sufficient proof that the great root of its success lay after all in its own inherent and in disputable merit. One of its most striking features undoubtedly is the character of its Indian heroine, in which Madame Celeste, it will be remembered, produced so powerful an impression. It was a charac ter in every way adapted to the genius of that lady, alike on the score of its vigorous emotion and its wild and picturesque details. She had the advantage of studying Indian life in her early travels in America, and years before in the same theatre had presented the first picture of its truth in a little drama which was taken from Cooper's story of the "Borderers." All these circumstances must be remembered, and in merest justice to that lady, if we would fairly esti mate either the trial or the triumph of her successor, Miss Jones had to follow an ad mirable actress in her very greatest impersonation, and to follow her in a field of acting which is en • , tirely distinct from her own. Miss Jones, as we have repeatedly said, is a purely ideal actress, who neither by sympathy or study is adapted for mere melodrama. She belongs to the school of Rachel or Ristori rather than Celeste, and would be infinitely more at home in Shakespeare or Milman, than in Buckstone. Nevertheless, by a sudden effort, that was just as surprising as it was agreeable, she evinced last evening that the range of her powers was quite on a level with their depth. As in other eases she made her difficulties the true measure of her success. In the early scenes of the Indian huntress she threw a spirit and reality which could not be exceeded, and in the conflict of passion which arises on her discovery of her betrayal—the kindling of revenge in the blood of the Indian, struggling with devo tion to her deceiver, until at length the madden ing sight of his enfolding a rival in his arms, leads her, as she watches his caresses, to level her rifle at his heart, and achieve in his punishment a far worse doom for herself she found a means of revelation for the tragic power she pos sesses, which revived the memory of higher efforts, and fully established all her claims. In entire con trast to this display was the calm and pathetic dignity with which she invested the last act, when the loving and remorseful girl, haunted with the thought of her f3arful crime, and yearn ing in some way to atone for it, comes to the land of her lover, and at length obtaining her desire—dies calmly and thankfully at the expiation she has rendered. The deep pathetic truth of the sinking spirit of the poor Indian— Miss Jones painted with a quiet power that was quite as striking and affecting as her most impassioned ebullitions. It is — unnecessary to say that the impression she produced was most decisive, and that, applauded loudly in her early scenes, her closing one raised the audience to a general feeling of enthusiasm. She was called for, together with her associates, at the close of the second act, and also the last. The drama was excellently played throughout. Mrs. Mellon renewed her admirable and unique picture of the Irish Girl—originally sustained by Mrs. Fitzwilliam—rendering it with a mingled humour and pathos which no other actress of our time could rival ; and Mrs. Billington played the deserted wife—originally sustained by Mrs. Yates —with an earnestness and feeling that were scarcely less successful. Among the gentlemen, Mr. Billing ton played the husband with great tenderness— giving to the one good scene that is allotted him— his reading the letter of his wife—a more than usual amount of interest. Mr. Bedford, of course, resumed his original character, Jack Gong, and with not the slightest diminution of the peculiar quaintness of its first performance—whilst Mr. Toole, who, we believe, appeared for the first time in Muster Grinnedge, added another to his many and very original as sumptions. The thorough earnestness he threw alike into the terrors and the dignity of the pore grinative showman, expanded its humour to a point which could scarcely have been surpassed. After the drama, which, we must remark, was ex cellently placed upon the stage—Mr. Webster con tributed his quota to the night's enjoyment by ap pe,ring in his old Haymarket character of the Woman Hater, in the petite drama of Mr. Ber nard. His reception, we need not say, wa s most enthusiastic from the whole house, and his acting of the would-be misanthrope—whose tbeo retiq asceticism thaws under the presence of domes tic happiness—had all the force and geniality which stamped it years ago. Several musical celebrities passed through Berlin last week—Verdi, on his way to St. Petersburg ; M me. Lombord, on her way to Moscow ; and Von Flotow, who was going to Paris to superintend the performance of hi s work, " Stradella," at the Grand Opera there. Tamburini, the celebrated baritone, has arrived at Nice, where he intends passing the winter season with his son-in-law Gardoni, who recently arrived there from London. Lightning fell on Thursday on a floating prison for convicts, anchored in the Roads of Toulon. After having traversed the roof and pierced the t wo d ecks, the electric fluid escaped without ha ving caused any further in jury except having set fire to some timb er, which was easily extinguished. But it is not easy to describe the horror experienced by 800 convicts when they perceived 4 t. spark flying from one end to th e ""- bar to which their ,1 -- • DF ' "-- _ electric ..er of the massive iron —.ins Were attached. •F MR. FORBF,S MACKENZIE—W e re gret to record the sudden death of Mr. William Forbes Mackenzie of Portmore. Mr. Mackenzie had been at "The Glen " on a visit to Mr. Charles Tennant, and had retired to bed on Tuesday night apparently in his ,usual health. On his attendant calling him yesterday morning, he found him dead in b e d. M r. Forbes Mackenzie was returned for Peeblesshire in 1837, and retained his seat for that consti tuency till the general election of 1852, W hen he was suc ceeded by his brother-in-law Sir Graham Montgomery. At that time, Mr. Mackenzie, having been a Lord of the Treasury in the Ministry of Lord Derby, offered himself for Liverpool, and was returned, thoug h in a month or two unseated upon petition, for bribery and treating. As a legislator, Mr. Forbes Mackenzie's name threatens to live longest i n connection with the parentage of th e Public 11"uses Act o f 185 2 -- though , we believe, th e d emerit of that Act really belongs to Lord Kinnaird a n d (we riev to say), to our other w i s e reason able townsman, Mr g. W. e S.C. Aft er 1118 uncap, S retirement from P ar li ament, D Mr. Forbes . Mackenzie took little part in public affairs.— 's'cOhrin4n. The long pending separation movement has been abandoned, and the state of feeling between the two provinces had become very favourable. The weather had been very boisterous, and rain had fallen incessantly. The rivers throughout a great portion of the colony were dangerously swollen. Bridges had been washed away, and the roads in some parts completely destroyed. The destruction of private property had been enormous. The damage was estimated at £50,000. The shipping had also suffered severely. On the Bth ult. the brigantine Marietta and the barks Kate and Crystal Palace were driven ashore in Table Bay, and became total wrocks. The crews were saved. The steamer Golden Fleece, from Calcutta, put into Sinian's Bay on tke 12th inst., totally dis masted. The captain was killed. The breakwater and dock works withstood the gales. The Norman arrived in Table Bay on the 12th. The Ariel reached Simon's Bay on the 21st from the West Coast. No despatches had been received from Dr. Livingstone's expedition at Cape Town, Mr. Robert Moffat, jun., died near Durruman. The Rev. J. S. Moffat was returning, with his wife, dangerously ill. The Coquette, from. Rio, had arrived at Simon's Bay. Business at the Cape was still very dull. THE CALCUTTA AND CHINA MAILS. The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company have received the following telegram :—. MARSEILLES, FRIDAY MORNING. " The Tectis, with the above mails, arrived at Marseilles at 7 a.m. this day. " The mails were to leave for London at 11 a.m." LATEST NEWS. ROME, SEPT. 24. The Marquis de Lavalette will leave next week for Biarritz, whence be will proceed to Spain. It is asserted that M. de Lavalette, having ex hausted all diplomatic means of bringing about a solution of the Roman question, will not again re turn to Rome as Ambassador from France to the Holy See. TURIN, SEPT. 25, EVENING. A grand banquet took place at Court to-day, after the ceremony of reading the stipulations of the marriage contract between Princess Maria Pia and the King of Portugal. Chevalier Nigra has arrived. The arrival of the Princess Mathilde is expected to-morrow. Senor de Castro has presented his credentials as Minister Plenipotentiary of Portugal. The papers of this evening state that Prince Napo leon had a long interview to-day with the President of the Council, and received several other members of the Ministry. Several deputations of Syndics from provincia; towns have arrived with presents for Princess Maria upon the occasion of her marriage. MADRID, SEPT. 25. It is asserted that the King and Queen of Portugal will go to Paris after the marriage. Ovations continue to be given to the King and Queen of Spain at Seville. ATHENS, SEPT. 23 (via Marseilles). The Bill relating to the re-organisation of the National Guard has been voted by the Chambers. TO session was then closed. The soldiers who took part in the insurrection 01 Naupolim, and afterwards fled into foreign countries, have been amnestied by the King. THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. PLYMOUTH, SEPT. 26. The Union Company's steamer Dane, with the Cape mail, arrived here this morning. She left Table Bay on the 21st, St. Helena on the 29th ult., and Ascension on the 2d inst. She brings 53 passengers. The Cape Parliament was prorogued on the 9th ult. A motion for the complete separation of the two provinces had been rejected. The real grievances of the eastern colonists were being remedied. Parliament and Government were concurring in vigorous exertions for that purpose. The principal department complained of, " the Roads and Bridges," had been called to account by the Assembly, and taken in hand by the Go vernor himself. A bill had been passed for the construction of a railway from Port Elizabeth to Graham's Town, the colonial revenue being pledged for the interest at 6 per cent. on £750,000. A proposal was made to introduce a bill for facilitating the administration of justice on the frontiers. It was, however, resolved to postpone the measure for another year, in order that the question might be maturely considered. A proposal had been made to petition the Gover nor to dissolve Parliament and appeal to the country, but was rejected. £15,000 had been granted for the immigration service this year. A large quantity of evidence and information re specting irrigation had been collected, and a Bill on the subject would be introduced next session. Bills had been passed for a railway from Wel lington to Worcester, with a branch line to Malmes bury. FRANCE. BOURSE, Sept. 25.—The documents published by the Monzteur have been the subject of general con versation during the morning. As may naturally be expected, they are regarded in different points of view, but the opinion which most generally pre vails is that they may tend to facilitate the settle ment of the Roman question. Threes, for the Account, opened at 69fr. 5c., but with rather an upward tend ency. Railway Share Market quiet, but in gener a l fi rm. The following are the la s t prices : 4t per Cents 96 50 Bank Shares ......3200 Do. end month Credit Fonder ....1240 3 per Cents NDo. end m on th 69 15 Italian Loan.. 71 71. 35 ew 3 per Cents Do. end mo n th — Austria Credit Mobilier.... 1001 2A - , - ...... . . Do, end m o nth. - _.,F,panish Threes.... „ „ I Lvo7 50 Horne Debt .. 49f AA ILWAYS. Cash. Account. Orleans 1065 .. 1060 Northern .......... 1027 50 .. 1025 New ditto ............ t. .. Lyons and Mediterranean 1168 75 .. 1170 Geneva ................ 372 50 .. Southern .............. 860 • • 861 26 Western .............. 555 -- .. 555 '— Eastern . ... Sardinian...... Austrian . .... 471 26 .. 475 Lowbard . 6OB 75 .. 610 SPAIN. The Madrid journals of the 21st contain accounts of the proceedings of the Royal family at Seville. On the previous day a grand reception took place at the Royal Palace, and in the afternoon their Majesties were present at a bull fight, in the even ing driving through the city, which was brilliantly illuminated. The English Ambassador, Si r J o h n Crampton, who had been staying at Granja, has returned to Madrid. He was expected to leave in the evening to join the Royal family at Seville. The more we examine the various objects of art which constitute the Loan Collection at South Ken' sington, the deeper is our regret that it is so eon° to be again dispersed. That thei contents of the International Exhibition should be scattered causes i us no co ncern . W e d o not f ee), the same interest n the works exposed there. They are contributed mainly with an eye to business ; ugliness and beauty, utility and vanity, economy and extravagance—all are mingled together, and chieflyas investments. No such motives could, have actuated the noble owners of the "Loan" objects. The very fact of possessing them proves a love of art, of its associations and history ; the fact of lending them for exhibition gratuitous exhibition on four days in the week- - testifies to the desire of their owners that th e public should share the pleasure which their con templation affords. The efforts of the owner ° have been ably seconded by the superintendent of the art collections. The catalogues issued ar e prefaced by admirable introductions to the study of each subject, by Mr. Robinson, Mr. Franks' and others. When necessary, smaller notes 0 ° single or classed objects are inserted in the Catalogue, so as to give the public an opportunity of prizing, at its full worth, the boon which lA ° been thus liberally granted to it. With the counter attractions of its gigantic neighbour, and the fe W holidays at their disposal, a large number of th e middle and working classes have, neverthless° been un a bl e to avail themselves of the privilege o f visiting the collection. We should be sorry l e presume upon the kindness of liberal men, but, 861 one generous deed betokens the willingness to (I° another, we do throw out a hope that the authori ties at South Kensington will use their influenc e with the proprietors that they may leave the ir works yet a while longer on view —enlarging til t° the public circle of thanks, and at the same tim e exte7:ading the influence which a collection so el elusively good and valuable, and formed with such praiseworthy motives, is capable of exercising °I/ all classes.—Building News. NEW SUBSTITUTE FOR co7llolfs The following relates to the proposed new sub stitute for cotton : " Oxford Villa, Haverstock-hill, Sept. 24. " Sir—Several inquiries have been made of me as to the best place whence to get fresh supplies of the Zostera marina. I, It may save endless trouble and the public some de lay if I state that it abounds along the sea-coast, but that in the river Orwell, at the entrance of the harbour, it is growing largely; and I have received a letter from Poole, in Dorset, from which the following is an extract : " ' Will you allow me to draw your attention to the fact that Poole harbour, extending to 9,975 acres, though con taining deep cha nne l s , i s f or the moat par t very and the tid e w h en i t fa l ls leaves upwards of t llow : 8,000 acres of mud covered with Zostet a marina.' " I still have no doubt as to the immediately available quantity of the raw m a t er i a l , b ut u theaars: a s thequestio a n nd is c o h n a s n o: national importance, and accur ate information as t o the quantity obtainable f rom t h e U n it®d Kingdom nel Islands w ou ld be extremely possible y sib v i al y I approximate geu at supply t i 0 i: a e n m a e nd as ot s h p e e r e s di r ly esident by oro withab valuable, may near the sea - coas t to and I will i mmediately pub number of acr es now growing,lish the result ? 1 understand that experiments are being made up o ° the plant as supplied from upholsterers. If obtained frote these sources I ne ed scarcel y sa y t hat the results to be d e ' sired will not be so satisfact ory as if the green plant b e use d; but if the ob j ect of using the dried pl a nt be merely to demonst r ate the practicability an d the inexpensivene ss of extracting the fibre, then it may answer the purpo se although I think the green plant is preferable. ~ For the information of those who have not yet Oa' m ined the plant, and to facilitate investigation, I may mai tion that the outer casing forms a sort of sheath to the fib re within, and resembles the scabbard of a award, which m a y be pulled off or put on again at pleasure. " I am, sir, your obedient servant, " HENRY HARDEN. - A NEW LIFEBOAT FOR DUBLIN BAY.—Gen eral Sir George Bowles K.C.B. has just presented to the Na tional Lifeboat Institution £265, to enable it to sta tion new lifeboat an d transporting carriage at llowth, s ear Dublin. The boat, which is 30 feet long, had her harbour trial yesterday, in the Regent's Canal dock, Limehouseci when the usual characteristics of the self-righting 411 „.,, self-ejecting of water of this class of lifeboats were and satisfactorily shown, to the gratification of a nuni ber of persons who had assembled to witness the trial. The lifeboat and her carriage leave for their station on Saturdays on board of one of the st eamers bel onging to Messrs. gai colmson, who, in conjunction with Mr. J. Robinson, 0 0 , Nark-lane, are ever read y to c arry the boats, &c ., free I charge. LET7EI? FROM MAZZINI. The following letter from Mazzini has been trans mitted to us for publication. It does not say to whom it is addressed, but we presume it is to the Italian Ministry : G entlemen,—Joseph Garibaldi is seriously wounded and prisoner. We are not now about to discuss the causes which have led to this result. We say that there are in the life of nations acts and men which cannot be submitted to common laws without dishonour and crime. Such is Garibaldi—such the act for which he lies a wounded prisoner. Garibaldi has fought all the battles of Italian unity. Garibaldi has given that unity ten millions of citizens. Garibaldi is the living symbol of the desire of the whole nation. He was struck down whilst he was moving, not against you, but to where Italian right has been proclaimed by you, and has been denied by the foreigner; not to change the orders of the State or combat you r programme, but to the fulfilment of both one and the other. Gentlemen, you may judge that act, though in" yoked by all Italy, premature, but not guilty ; Y" can hinder, not punish, him who attempted it. All Italy is wounded and imprisoned with him. We demand, gentlemen, the liberty of Garibaldi , in the name of tha desire of Italy : in the name of the gratitude that you, with us, owe him. W e demand that, tended and surrounded by his own, he may be freed from an imprisonment which recall to Europe the imprisonment of Columbus. Sept. 20, 1862. JOSEPH MAZZINI. THE VICISSITUDES OF GOLD DIGGING• A correspondent of San Francisco, reporting gold mining news from British Columbia, says "A remarkable instance is given of the vicissiw tudes of the miner's life in a letter from a man from Victoria. The part owner of a claim writes that ' all felt in poor spirits,' alluding to his part ners, some of whom I am acquainted with, be' cause the "company had worked 44 days, and had only taken out 30 dols.' This was written on the Bth of July. Two days afterwards, on the 10th, he opens his letter to give his friend in Victoria the gratifying news that ' we struck the gold lead (pay dirt) at noon to-day, and this afternoon have taken out 15toz. of dust.' The statement is cor roborated by a gen tl eman who saw the ' dust' weighed on the spot, and he says he saw the' nur gets plainly visible in the dirt taken from the stone shaft,' that produced the 15toz. The happy con' elusion is drawn that the company, lucky at lest' after their long and hard labour, which only pro' duced 30 dols., have made their piles.' I sincerely hope so, for one of them is an old Californian pioneer who made a large fortune and lost it, and woo has struggled with the fates ever since 1858 1 ° the two colonies on sea and land, with a perseve' ranee which deserves success. He is an old Scotch' man, Major Downie,' whose travels in British Columbia I described in one of my letters some three years ago. The company at work close to the major's claim have been equally well rewarded for their perseverance. They also struck the same gold leaf on that day, and claims that were sold the day before for 1,000 dols. sold the next for 15,000 dols.' These are all hill diggings' worked in tau nels, which I have spoken of as being so much more valuable than placers or surface diggings. "New discoveries ware being made frequently' and claims hitherto worked without producing much were proving suddenly successful in the early part of July, after the 'paydirt' had been penetrated, and a case is mentioned of a man who was 'sued 111 the morning for a debt of 130 dols., and had t o bor row flour for his dinner yesterday. In the evening, 25,000 was offered for an interest in the claim Such is life in Cariboo,' exclaims the narrator." 7HE LOAN COLLECTION AT SOUTH KENSIIVGTON MUSEUM. - - ~~ ..••••••••••• a' 91 Al an L, N.