The Sun. — London, England, 1862-02-20 00:00:00

MR. and MRS. CHARLES KEAN will RE APPEAR at the Theatre -Royal Drury-lane, on MONDAY next, February 24, In ShakaPeare's Tragedy of HAMLET. On Tuesday, 25th Louis XI. ; Wednesday, 26th, Hamlet ; Tnursday, 27th, Louis XI. ; Friday, 26th, Hamlet ; and on Saturday, March 1, The Wife's Secret. To conclude each evening with the Grand PANTOMIME. p 0 Y AL B NGLISH OPERA, CO VENT GARDEN. Under the management of Miss Louisa Pyne and Mr. W. Harrison. THIS EVENING, THE LILY OF KILLARNEY. Misses L ou isa Pyne, Susan Pyne, Jessie M`Lean, and Topharo ; Messrs. Santley, H. Haigh, E. Dussek, C. Lyall, Patey, Wallworth, and Mr. W. Harrison. To conclude with HARLEQUIN GULLIVER ; or, Giants and Dwarfs. Messrs. W. H., F., and H. Payne, H., E., and S. Lauri, and Miss Jenny Lauri. Conductor, Mr. ALFRED MELLON. Commence at Seven. irtEA )(AL, HAYMARKET, Lessee, Mr. J. B. Buckstone. THIS EVENING, to commence with OUR AMERICAN COUSIN. Lord Dundreary, Mr. Sothern ; Asa Trenchard, Mr. Buckstone. After which, a Comic Christmas Pantomime, LITTLIt MISS MUFFET AND LITTLE BOY BLUE ; or, Harle quin and Old Daddy Longlegs. Louise Leclercq, Charles Le clercq, Herr Cole, G. Becket, and Miss Resine. Commence a 7. ItOYAL LYCEUM THEATRE, 3lanazer--Mr. Edmund Falconer. THIS EVENING, Feb. 20, the new and original Drama, entitled PEEP O'DAY ; or, Savourneen Deelish. Messrs. Walter Lacy, Hermann Vezin, Charles Selby, Edmund Fal coner : Mrs. D. P. Bowers, Miss Clara Weston. After which, a new andorigin al Burlesque Extravaganza, entitled LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD; or, The Fairies of the Rose, the Thistle, and the Shamrcck. Principal charac ters by Mr. Chas. Selby, Mr. Warlow, 3liss Cicely Nott, and Miss Lydia Thompson. Acting Manager—Mr. F. B. Chstterton. Prices as usual. Doors open at half-past 8, to commence at 7. Box-office open daily from 11 tills. ItOYAL P L R essee N Mr A. Harris. - CESS'S THEATRE.— THIS EVENING, a new Mystic Drama, In four parts entitled THE ANGEL OF MIDNIGHT. Mr. Ryder, Mr. Potter, Mr. Jordan, Mr. W iddicomb, dsc. ; Miss Marriott, Miss Fielding, Jr,e. After which a Comic Christmas Pantomime. WrirrTiNf;- TON AND HIS CAT; or, Harlequin King Kollywobb& and the Genius of Good Humour. The grotesque open" invented and written by Henry J. Byron, Esq., author of the Princess's Pantomime of "Jack the Giant Killer. ' The Scenery by Mr. James Gates, Mr. H. Cuthbert, and numerous assistants. Good Humour, Miss Helen Howard; Princess Popsiwopsi, Miss Rose Leclercq ; Alice, Miss Pauline Le clercq; Messrs. Garden, Cathcart, Morland, Collett, Haat inn. Raymond ; Dick Whittington, Miss Maria Harris ; Robin Goodfellow and the Cat, Master John Haslem, ;pupil of the celebrated Gabriel Ravel; Clown, Mr. Hildyard ; Harlequin, Mr. John Lauri ; Pantaloon, Mr. Paulo; Colum bine, Miss Caroline Adams. NEW THRATRE-R0 YAL, Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. B. Webster. 357th Night of the En,9,-azement of Mr. and Mrs. DION BOUCICAULT. THIS EVENING, the great American Drama of THE OCTOROON. Messrs. Dion Botiecault, S. Emery, Billington, Jamison, P. Bedford, Stephenson, Eburne, Powell. Romer, VT. Lewis ; Mrs. Billington. Mrs. H. M ars t on. Mi ss L at i mer, Miss Denvil. To be followed by THE DUBLIN BOY. Andy, Mrs. Bouoicaillt. To conclude with MARGERY DA W . Messrs. D. Fisher, Billington, W. Smith, Miss Wool gar, and Miss K. Kelly. Commence at 7. NEW ROYALTY THEATRE, Dean-street, Oxford-street. THIS EVENING, A NICE QUIET DAY. V'llowed by the screaming Farce of CARNATION OF CARNATION COTTAGE. After which, the succesful Opera Buffo, entitled LE MARI AGE AUX LANTERNES. Mr. John Morgan, Mesdames Stanley, Payne, and Mason. To conclude with A CHINESE ROMANCE. . Commence at half-past 7. A_S TLEY'S ROYAL AMP HITHE ATRE.-- Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. W. Batty. TO-NIGHT, Feb. 20, and during the week, first appearance o' Rumsey and Newcomb's Double Troupe of Ethiopian Min strels, late of the Crystal Palace. To be followed by NEW SCENES IN THE CIRCLE, by Mazotti, Madlie. Goldsmidt, Mons. Goldkette, and Mons. Gerard Goldsmidt. Concluding with a screaming Farce. On Monday, Feb. 24, will be produced a gorgeous Eastern Spectacle, in wh ch T o of the finest Performing Elephants ever seen in this country will appear. Stage Manager, Mr. W. Searle. CANTERBURY HALL.—VICTOR JULIEN, "the FLYING MAN," at half-past Nine Continued success of "THE ENCHANTED HASH " by 31r. E. Marshall, at a quarter-past Ten, Grand Selections from "La Circassienne" by Mdlle. Negri, with Band and a powerful Chorus, at Ten o'clock. Also the following combination of Comic talent, viz.: Mr. Randall, Mr. Frederick French, Mr. J. G. Forde, Miss Har riet Coveney, and Miss Greene. Musical Director, Mr. Jonghmans. Admission—Hall, ed.; Stalls and Balcony, ls. THE OXFORD. 6. OXFORD-STREET.- " LES MERVEILLES GYMNASTIQUES" HENRI (aged Eleven years), and PFAU (aged Nine years), From the "Cirque Napoleon," Paris, Whose Double Feats on the Flying Trapeze are unsurpassed for daring, skill, and grace, EVERY EVENING. Their performances do not in any way interfere with the Musical Entertainment, wiiich as usual consists of Two Operatic Selections alternately from "I! Trovatore," " Er- Dant," "La Traviata," " Simon Boccanegra," " Macbeth," .c., by the entire Company, Full Rand and Chorus—(Con ducted by Mr. F. Jonghmans)--And Varied Vocal and Instru • mental Attractions, the Comic portion by Miss Harriet Coveney, Messrs. Sam Collins, Wood and Son, M. P. Foster, and W. Randall. Hall, 6d.; Stalls and Balcony, is. ; Private Boxes, 10s. 6d. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. THIS DAY.—Morning, sb. 34m.—Afternoon, sh. 55m. To-mmutow.-Morning, 6h. 16m.—Afternoon, 6h. 40m. THE WEATHER.—SUN OFFICE, FEBRUARY 20, 1862. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 52—highest since noon yesterday. 45—lowest tnis morning and during the night. 52—this day at noon. BAROMETER-29.64. WlND—South-Westerly; strong. . - 4 , • 'l' • 7,7 • • • • I, i; o IT -57 rIIE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, 'FEBRUARY 20, 1862. THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, FEB. 20, 1862. The House of Commons' Wednesdays have begun this year with " a little bit of blue sky" —we hope it is in " the winds eye," and that the clouds of last rear's Wednesdays having begun to break will be followed by Wednesday sunshine this year. Last year the Marriage Bill was shuffled out; this year Mr. MILNES has amended it in accordance with the vote of last year, and the House has once more accepted in this amended form the measure which it has passed in thirty-one previous divisions. Mr. COLLIER last night hit the mark when he ebserved that the objection to it lay in the opposi- tion of a great number of highly conscientious and religious people in this country—which would be " an unanswerable argument if the bill were one for compelling a man to marry his deceased wife's sister." The truth is, that all the argu ments worth a moment's attention are valid only as directed against a compulsory bill. The whole of the religious arguments, the whole of what may be called the aesthetic argu ments, the whole of the social arguments, are met by the single reply—it is not proposed to coerce any one to do what lic) thinks wrong, but only to permit others to do what they know to be right. The broad fact is denied by no one, that the reli g i on an d mora li ty o f t h e marr i ages, to which the law of 1835 attaches heavy disabi liti le affirmed by the laws of nearly all the civilised world, and by the vast majority of the Churctes of Christendom; that they arc counte• nanced, al so, by such a list of le a di ng di v ines in the different C hristian sects, as well as by the Jews, that there can be no pretence for denying that those who claim legal liberty on the ques tion have, at least, equal claims to respect with those who desire to fett er them. But then comes i n I.* COLLIER'S broad dis tinction—Our Bill would a r toice eates of abstinence from %T such m__riages, Y °ll 2 the advo under no di sa bility ; you could still Carry out Your views, and suffer nothing. On the other hand, Your present Act, passed too in so objectionable a manner, does place us under the most grievous disabilities, s o far as law in opposition to morality can d o i t, it Frands us with disgrace in our own persons, and in those of our innocent ofir4pring for that Which we believed to be approv, d by rev elitio:!,by reason, a n d by morality.—We must maintain as we have always done, that the Act sought to be repealed is as much an act of religious tyranny—differing only in de gree—as the old Test and Corporation Acts, or as the act de heretieo comburendo itself. It enforces the religious convictions of a part of the citizens of the country, on those who do not hold them. This We take to be the unanswerable objection to the Act Of 1835; an objection due not to the noble' statesman who was the author of the Act, but to the persecuting interference of the late Bishop of London. The discreditable fact stands on record, that one English peer purchased an incontestible title to legitimacy at the cost of punishing all born of marriages similar to that from which he sprung, with illegitimacy. It would have been more to the credit of the noble family referred to, had they refused the demand of the High Church persecutor, rather than fetter future generations for the sake of the present one. The objectors to such marriages range chiefly under two heads—the sexual sentimentalists, as we may term them, and the stiff Churchmen. As to the former, we do not doubt that they argue from experience. To them the temptation to intrigue with a wife's sister has been so strong that they feel the need of legal walls to check their tenden cies. We doubt not that those who talk of incest, and impurity, and who attribute to wives' sisters imaginations only to be found in the:minds of the wives' husbands, have but too good personal rea sons for what they write or speak. But they have their remedy. Better far that the few, as they unquestionably are, should keep their wives' sisters at a distance from their dwelling where such thoughts can dwell in a husband's mind, than that the innu merable husbands who never dream of such temp. tation, because they never felt it, should be deprived of their rightful liberty. We hope the sexual sentimentalists are consistent, and that they admit to their houses no attractive cousins-german, or even no accomplished governess as the teacher of their children. If they are as fond of logic as Lord CECIL, they ought to apply for an act to prevent any widower from marrying a lady who has visited or dwelt in his house during his wife's lifetime. With the stiff Churchmen generally, it is im possible to argue, They have such a conception of enforcing the dicta of the Church by the laws of the State that, till they have got rid of their fundamental error, it is hopeless to convince them in a particular case. The spirit of the age modifies their practicalcourse, but their temper would carry them on to any extent of coercing the body for the good of the soul. As they cannot create new civil penalties in the service of superstition, they console themselves by doggedly resisting to the very last the repeal of the old ones. All stiff Churchmen are not, however, Exeters or Oxfords; there are amongst them a large proportion whose hearts are in advance of their heads. Who have the English love of religious as well as of civil liberty so strong in them, that it overpowers the persecuting temper of their creed. Amongst these we venture to hope for suffi cient converts, even among the Lords, to permit this Bill to become the law of the land this year. They, at least, along with very strong convictions, perhaps prejudices, in favour of the canons, com paratively modern as they are, of the Church, can also strongly feel that it is not for them to make their Church odious by forcing its canons on those who belong to other Churches, or who reject her authority in this matter. But whet shall we say to Lord LOGIC, as he will certainly be styled henceforth—the answer, ad hominetn, or ad do minum, is short enough—that the Legislation of Lords is essentially the most illogical thing in the world. We say essentially. We do not believe that either the House of Lords or Commons cares, or ever did care, one straw for logical consistency. Close logic on the bearing of facts on practical life Parliament will hear, but it laughs at the attempt to legislate logically. " Show a grievance and we will listen ; if made out we will redress it." Such is the language of our legislators. It would be far more reasonable to ask Lord R. CECIL to make his tables of affinity and consan guinity logically consistent, than to ask an English member of Parliament to include in his demand for redress, grievances for the removal of which no one petitioned. The grievance attacked by Mr. MILNE'S bill, is one which has been felt severely by thousands ever since 1835, and for the removal of which con siderably more than a million of persons have petitioned. When the Logical Lord can showsuch a case in favour of "permitting a man to marry his stepmother," we may certaintly promise him the most serious attention. We suppose, hewever, the noble lord's self-refutation is sufficient, since he had the candour to acknowledge that, in founding a new State, he should not think - of sueh a prohibi tion—but that he was unwilling to disturb existing law. A kind of ELDON argument, which surely needs not refutation in 1862. On one remark made by Sir GEORGE GREY, and supported by Mr. WALPOLE, we could almost wish Mr. MILNEs had given some assurance. The Home Secretary deprecated the annual agitation of the question. If Parliament refused the bill, Sir GEORGE wished it dropped ! Is such a course pos sible ? Can a real grievance be buried out of sight ? We are confident it cannot. When so many members of the House of Commons have repeatedly voted the redress of a substantial grievance, is it possible that an obstinate small majority of the irresponsible House should deter the aggrieved from pressing their claims ? It should be remembered, too, that this is a question on which the House of Lords is especially disquali fied to decide. It is a question very much of the religious liberty of Christian Churches who have no representatives in that House, while the Church which desires to over-ride the liberties of the rest has its representatives there. By one of those representatives the late Bishop of LONDON, the clause which restricts the liberty of all other churches was forced upon Lord LYND HURST'S Bill, and Sir GEORGE GREY may rest assured that the Free Churches of England will never give up their Parliamentary efforts till they regain the liberty which they formerly, practically, enjoyed. And, we may add, that a majority, pro bably, of the Episcopal Church itself desires the same liberty of marriage as is asked by all the other churches of the empire. While we are yet looking back, here in Eng. land, with natural complacency to the great legal reform accomplished by the Imperial Legislature last session, namely, the re-adjustment and reorga nisation of the whole of the Laws relating to Bank. ruptcy and Insolvency —it cannot but appear to as as in every way reasonable, that that selfsame boon should be accorded, before the close of the present session, to Ireland. In point of fact, a bill designed to effect this very object is already prepared, and is about forthwith to be introduced into, and as a matter of course, to be carried through both Houses of Parliament. The Bankruptcy Laws of Ireland will consequently, through the agency of this judicious enactment, be assimilated to those now enforced in England under the act 24 and 25 Viet cap. 131. The assimilation in this way of the Ba n k ruptcy L aws of England and of Ireland 18 in all essential particulars, we believe, de signed through Compatriots on Channel) to be the other sid e o f St. G eorge 's complete and absolute. The two systems are to be all but identical. It is but just, it is but rational, indeed, that it s h ou l d b e so. Yet already, while there ars th ese fur . prospects held out to Ireland in regard to the equitable revision and readjustment of her Bankruptcy Laws—already there are portents, we can hardly help writing here as usual, of one of those needless cankers in the seemingly all-blooming fruit of legislation accorded to the sister island—one of those vexatious and unnecessary cankers that have so often marred the good gift to that loyal section of our fellow citizens ! In truth, so frequently has this " hap pened " to be the case in the instances of the extension to Ireland of a legislative boon already enjoyed by England that, while we might speak here of the falling of the fruit into our laps, as evidence of the "pear being ripe," we could only come to the conclusion, often, when seeing it tossed to Ireland afterwards that the pear had in some mysterious manner been trans formed into an apple of discord. All the grace of the gift or concession in these instances being in I some unaccountable way lost in the transformation. Here, in effect, is precisely a case in point, or, at any rate, what threatens to be a case in point. Already the bill has been drafted, and is immedi ately about to be passed through the Lords and Com mons, assimilating (as before intimated) the Bank ruptcy laws of Ireland with those revised laws ac corded to England during the last Session of Par liament. Assimilating the Bankruptcy laws of the two Kingdoms, that it to say in all respects, save in regard to the amount of remune ration. Here it is that the grace of the gift is taken from it at a touch. The bloom of the fruit is rubbed off—the ripe-dropping pear, by a sort of " Presto !" becomes, in a twinkling, changed into a crude little apple of discord. Or, at least, we repeat, it threatens to be so. For, as yet, happily, it is not too late for a timely emendation. The Bill is not yet before the Legislature. And even, if it were, the modification we are directing attention to as in every way desir able, would readily enough be attended to, might be judiciously proposed and interpolated while passing through Committee in the House of Commons. It is not, of course, that we are in any way disposed to advocate the complete and absolute assimilation of the amount of payment given for the work to be done here in England, and there in Ireland. We observe in a very able and lucid, and, as it appears to us, not merely a very convincing, but a wholly unanswerable Statement put forth by the Chief Registrar of the Court of Bankruptcy in Ireland, that that officer hesitates not to come forward him self betimes in his official capacity, insisting in this matter that, under the circumstances, he deems himself entitled, at any rate, to some consideration. For " more than twenty years," ho remarks in the very preamble of his Statement, he has been actively engaged in the public service. His past duties in his capacity as Chief Registrar in Bankruptcy, he defines clearly enough under their two heads, namely, Ist, Judicial, and 2d, Administrative. His labours manifestly in both respects being suf ficiently onerous. After enumerating these labours, now judicial, now administrative—" Besides the foregoing," be adds, " I discharge the duties of Taxing Officer, and tax all the costs in Bankruptcy and arrangements, and regulate the charges of auctioneers, valuators, and accountants." Observ ing immediately afterwards, and very significantly, in brackets—" [ln London the Taxing Master is a distinct officer, with a salary of £1,400.]" We need not go more minutely, however, here into the statement of the Irish Chief Registrar of the Court of Bankruptcy. He will be allowed to have said enough, even in these brief extracts from his Statement, when it has been added that he bases his individual claims for consideration (and we may hint parenthetically, ex uno disce omnes), firstly, by reason " That increased duties, judicial and administrative, will devolve upon me under the new Act, and that my present salary, £BOO, is inade quate to the position of a judicial office ;" and, secondly, by reason "That the correspond. ing officers in England are paid higher salaries." Whereas, for example, he himself, for doing the duties of both Taxing-master and Chief Registrar, gets his £BOO per annum the two offices here in London bringing their holders in, together, a clear £2,000 extra, £2,000 over and above the £800! The Chief Registrar having his £1,400, and the Taxing-master his £1,400. Enough, howbeit, has already been here indi cated to demonstrate beyond a shadow of doubt that at the very least something tending to wards an assimilation in payment should accom pany the proposed assimilation in regard to every thing else between the administration of the laws of Bankruptcy in England and in Ireland. These, of course, are the days of financial and ad ministrative economy. It seems an odd thing to say so when the income and expenditure oscillate in the balance at a general average of some £70,000,000 sterling. But it is so nevertheless. Yet it is precisely because the national aspirations now-a•days tend towards that national and wholesome economy that we would urge the holding of that balance at all times, alike in regard to England and in regard to Ireland, with a steady, even, unswerving hand of justice. "A fair day's wage for a fair day's work." " The labourer is worthy of his hire." Those are axioms the benignant wisdom of which the Englishman and the Irish man can alike appreciate. Let them be acted upon--no matter oil which side of St. George's 1 Channel it may be—wherever they admit (and where do they not admit ?) of application. If ever a wise revision of salaries, in a comprehensive re adjustment of an important department, would appear to be in every point of view requisite, it (would seem to be desirable, if not, indeed, abso lutely imperative, in the designed assimilation this session of the Bankruptcy Laws of Ireland with those now conferred (thanks to the memorable Act of last Session) on Great Britain. It is not by any means that an increase of payment becomes in any way inevitable. Are the officials anywhere too numerous for the amount of work to be got through ? Let their number be diminished. Give more work to those who appear to be insufficiently employed. But whenever among similar officers the work proves to be equivalent, let the payment of I each for that work also be equivalent. Let there at any rate in this instance bo an approximation to a resemblance, and not as now so frequently happens (a fact which we have here in these remarks of ours distinctly illustrated) a flagrant discrepancy. In extending the operation of our bankruptcy laws, for example, this session, to Ireland—let us do so at once with grace and with justice. SOUTHAMPTON, Wednesday.—Her Royal High ness the Princess Alice,attended by Lady Caroline Barrington and Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. Dudley do Ros, Equerry to Her Majesty, landed in the docks this afternoon, at a quarter before 3 o'clock, from the Royal yacht Fairy, Master- Commander Christian, en route from Osborne to Windsor, on a visit to the Belgian Minister, M. Van do Weyer. The Princess was received on lauding by Mr. P. .Hedger and Mr. J. Levy, principal officers of the dock company, and Mr. It. Beach was in attendance on the part of the South- Western Railway Company. Her Royal Highness and attendants left by the three o'clock train. Prince Arthur, attended by Major E!phinstone, accompanied his sister to the docks, and returned in the Fairy to Osborne. Lord and Lady Huntingfield and the Hon. Miss Vanneck have arrived at St. George's Hotel from their seat in Suffolk. Lord and Lqdy Cranworth have arrived in Upper Brook-street from Holwood Park, Kent, for the season. Lord De l'lsle and Dudley has arrived at St. George's Rotel. Our readers will be glad to observe that the Queen has resumed her usual outdoor exercise. For the first time since the death pf the Prince Consort, her Ma jesty drove out on Tuesday, accompanied by the Princess Alice. Prince Alfred is expected to arrive in Engldnd next month, Lord and Lady Skelmersdale have arrived at Lathom House, Lancashire, from a tour of visits. Lord Methuen has arrived at St. George's Hotel, Lady Theresa Lewis and Miss Lister will leave Kent House to-morrow on a vfsit to the Earl and Countess of Clarendon, at the Grove, -Watford. THE EASTER MONDAY REVIEW AT BRIGHTON. —We understand that it is the intention of the Secretary of State for War to appoint Lord Clyde to take the com mand at the great volunteer field-day, which it is in con templatiOn to hold at Brighton on Easter Monday. THE NAVIGATION NEAR NEWFOUNDLAND.—AD MIRALTY, FEB. 19,—1t appears by a telegram from New foundland that it is recommended that all vessels should pass to the southward of Sable Island, in consequence of the immense quantity of ice and the great number of bergs off Cape Race. In the case of the Bank of Deposit, yesterday, the Master of the Rolls decided that the depositors must be placed on the list pf contributories. THE FATAL OMNIBUS ACCIDENT IN WALWORTH. —Yesterday Mr. Payne held an inquest at Guy's Hospital on the body of Thomas Eades, who came to his death in consequence of injuries received on Sunday night last, in Walworth.road, while driving one of Hubble's omnibuses. The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death." THE CAPTURE OF NINGPO.—Our Consui, Mr. Harvey, and the Rebel Chief have had a conference, but with what result we are not told. We learn also that a deputation from the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce has waited on Admiral Sir James Hope, at his request, to con sult with him relative to the present state of affairs at Ningpo, which is so highly prejudicial to trade. We are not informed what was the result of his mysterious con sultation, but are merely told that the members and the gallant admiral arrived at the same conclusion.--London and China Telegraph. CAP TAIN HORATIO Ross.—Capt. Horatio Ross of Netherley, made an extraordinary score at 1,000 yards on the 23d January, shooting with a Henry rifle, at the Netherley range. Out of 15 shots he made 23 points, namely,-6 enters and nine centres. The first four shots were outers, the ninth and fourteenth ditto, and tho others were all comprised within a circle of 12 inches of the centre of the target ; four of them are within six inches. On a subsequent day, firing at 500 yards, Mr. Ross scored 19 points in 10 shots ; all were centres except one. We have seen no better shooting than this anywhere, unless it be that of his son, Mr. Edward Ross, who last week scored 24 points in 15 shots-5 at 1,000, sat 900, and sat 800 yards. He made 8 points at each of these ranges, just the score that won for him the Queen's prize, and with half the number of shots.—lnverness Courier. PREACHING AND SWIMMING.—IrI a Western Conference one circuit sent in a petition for a minister; but said nothing about any characteristics as a preacher or a disciplinarian. One quality, however, he must have—" Be sure and send us a good swimmer," said the petitioners. Of course every one was puzzled, and none more so than the bishop. On inquiry it turned out that the circuit was situated in the region of wide and bridgeless streams, where the itinerant, in keeping his appointments, would have to rely upon his own powers of aquatic locomotion ; in fact, one minister had been drowned on the circuit, because of his deficiency in this respect.—. North American Review. Samuel Robinson, whose attempt at suicide while being conveyed in custody to Cupar-Fife on a charge of forgery, as recorded yesterday, was captured on Tuesday at Osmotherley, in the North Riding, and after lodging for the night in Northallerton gaol was removed to Scotland on Wednesday morning by the mail train. He was con ducted under the escort of Chief-constable Bell and another officer. Mr. Bell has one of hi's arms disabled, and is other wise suffering from a violent kick he received in his side during the struggle. The prisoner admits that his inten tion was self-destruction. Strange to state, he has only a few scratches on the face. He is now very penitent, or appears to be so. THE GREAT EXHIBITION BUILDING.--MenrS, Lucas, Brothers, and Messrs. Kelk, the contractors for the International Exhibition building, have insured the im mense structure in the Norwich Union Fire-office. The premium has this week been paid to the Norwich Union, and amounts to no less than £3,300, the amount of the in surance being £400,000. The Norwich Union will, it is understood divide the risk with several other offices, as it is not inclined to take the entire responsibility on itself. The agant who brought the business to the office nets £330, the commission allowed being 10 per cent. THE FLOODED COLLIERIES, — By great persever ance the water has been conquered in the three flooded pits in the north of England—Monkwearmouth, Wingate Grange, and Gosforth. On Monday the shaft :n Monk wearmouth pit was secured, and the men would resume work on Tuesday in the Bank pit. The inflow of the water in Wingate Grange has materially abated, and it is confi dently anticipated that the workings will soon be cleared of water, which at one time threatened to drown them out. At Gosforth it was feared that the feeder which broke into one of the shafts was in communication with the drowned out pits on the Tyne ; but it would appear such is f. rtu nately not the case, and it is anticipated that the tubbing will be fixed in both shafts of the mine before the end of the week, and all made secure. THE FALL OF HOUSES AND Loss OF LIFE AT HACKNEY.—The inquiry into the circumstances which caused the death of the three persons killed by the falling of the unfinished houses at Hackney was 'resumed yesterday morning by Mr. J. Humphreys? at the Town-hall, Hackney. The jury returned the following verdict :—" We find that the deaths of Jacob Ketteridge, John Fuller, and Alfred William Rathbone, were caused by mortal injuries received upon their bodies by the falling of the houses, Nos. 9 and 10, Amherst-road, East Hackney; and we do further say that the causes of such accident were occasioned by the materials used in such building being of an inferior quality, to the in completeness of the roof, to undue haste in their construc tion, and to the want of a more efficient supervision." THE ACCIDENT IN A LEAD MINE.—From the time of the melancholy accident at the Bryn Gwiog lead mines, near Mold, by Which 16 men lost their lives, every exertion has been made to procure the bodies. The engine in use at the mine has been constantly at work getting the water out of it, and by Sunday the efforts had been so far successful as to warrant an endeavour to get at the bodies. The pit was surrounded by thousands of people throughout the day ) and the greatest excitement prevailed. After con siderable delay and difficulty, one of the bodies was brought to the pit mouth, and identified as that of William Williams, one of the miners. No other bodies were recovered during the day, but the water is so far cleared out of the mine tha it is thought probable all the bodies will be brought up dur ing the week. A n inquest was opened on view of the body of Williams, on Monday, before Mr. Peter Parry, coroner, at the Royal Oak, near Eoel Parcy, and was adjourned to Tuesday next. Several influential gentlemen residing in the neighbourhood have been unremitting in their endea vours to soothe and alleviate the sorrow and grief of the distressed widows and orphans, who have been thus sud denly deprived of their sole support. A public meeting was held yesterday at Mold, for the purpose of organising a re lief fund, and for setting on foot a subscription list for the relief of the suffering families. A GIRL SHOT BY lIER BROTHER.—A melancholy catastrot he is reported at Syleham, Suffolk. Ann Creasy, a girl of 11 years of age, was left by her mother in the keeping-room of the family residence, with her brother, George Creasy, a boy of nine. The mother had only quitted the children a few minutes when she heard a great noise, and on going back she found the girl in the agonies of death and lying in a pool of blood. The boy was shrieking and half-distracted, and on being questioned he stated that he had taken up a gun wlrch was in the room and pulled the trigger, although he did not know the gun was loaded. He had a dispute with his sister, as he wanted to blow the fire with the bellows, and she would not let him do so ; but ho protested—and there is no reason to doubt the sincerity of his asservations—that if he had known the gun was loaded he would not have pointed it at his sister for all the world. When the deceased was found part of her brains were lying on the bricks, a great deal of blood was splashed on the walls, blood was still flowing copiously from her head, and she died in a few minutes. As it is generally thought that the boy only intended foolishly to frighten his sister, and as no one has manifested deeper grief than he has at the consequences of this dreadful error, no public action has I been taken against him by the authorities. TOUTING BROKERS AT AN AUCTION.—As we go in these gentry assail us half a dozen at a time. " Shall I buy any lot for you, sir ?" " Look at the catalogue, sir ; happy to do business for you." " capital goods here, sir; proud to buy for you, sir; commis-ion only five per cent." We have to run the gauntlet through a cross fire of such disinterested applications before we can get into the dining-room, and there we are bombarded by a whole broadside of them at once, who will not take '• No" for an answer, and some of whom stick to us all the while we are there. In the dining -room the folding doors are thrown open, the tables are spread wide, and are heaped with the china and glass, the chimney ornaments, the cutlery, the plate, and all the little portable luxuries which once shed such an air of taste about the dwelling, but which, heaped thus confusedly together, look like so touch salvage from a fire, or refuse stock of a bankrupt dealer. The persistent broker at our side, whose breath is redolent of wine -vaults, keeps an assuring us that this is a genuine sale, " proprie tor deceased," n by which he means that no goods will be sold but such as belonged to the deceased lady; but he knows he is lying, and we know it too. We know for in stance, that poo r Mi ss Robinson never was the proprietor of 27 pairs of handsome cut decanters ; that those 12 dozen champagne glasses never belonged to her; and that she, who was a personification of abstinence, never stocked her cellar with stores of hollands and whisky. No, the sale is that ou want me t o em pl o y you t o b uy up y o ur own li:rootpaelrltgyeannudinte: my p ers i s t en t f r i en d ; an d I h ave a suspi cion pay you a commission for doing it. —. Leisure LATEST NEWS. FRIGHTFUL COAL PIT EXPLOSION. MERTHYR TYDVIL, FEB. 20. A frightful explosion occurred on Wednesday, about 12 o'clock, in Gething coal pit, Merthyr Tydvil, by which 47 lives were lost; two more are not expected to survive. AMERICA. NEW YORK, FEB. 7 (Evening.) (Per City of Washington, via Queenstown.) Seven Federal gun-boats, under the command of Commodore Foote, attacked Fort Henry, on Ten nessee River, on the 6th inst. After an hour and a quarter's severe firing from the gun-boats, Fort Henry, with the Confederate general and 60 pri soners, surrendered unconditionally. The fort con• tained 20 guns. - - The Burnside expedition is anchored at Pamlico Sound, preparing for a forward movement. General Beauregard is at Nashville. The Senate has just passed the bill appropriating 10 millions of dollars for the construction of iron gunboats. The Senate has also passed a bill authorising an additional issue of 10 million dollars of demand notes as a temporary relief until the Treasury Notes Bill can receive the consideration of the Senate. Exchange—Bankers' bills, 114! to 115; gold, 31 prem. PARIS, FEB. 20. The Moniteur of this morning publishes a decree admitting free of duty into France rough and puri fied cast iron, old iron bar iron, hoop iron, sheet iron, steel in bars and sheets rolled by heat, and rolled copper, in a pure state or alloyed with other metals, when coming from abroad and destined for re-exportation, after having been converted in French workshops into ships, machines, apparatus, or any work in metal. The Noniteur also publishes a decree reducing the interest on Treasury Bonds to 23 3, and 3 per cent. according to their time of falling due. The oniteur says :—The Government of the Emperor has requested information at Rome re specting the pastoral letter convoking all bishops of the Christian world to Rome for the canonisation of martyrs. This information was necessary, as the letter of convocation was published in France without having been previously communicated to the French Government. Cardinal Antonelli replied to the French Govern ment that the invitation addressed to the bishops was quite a friendly one, had no obligatory cha racter, and was only intended to give weight to a purely religious ceremony. On receiving this reply the French Government expressed a wish that the bishops should not quit tlicir dioceses, and must not ask permission to leave the empire except in cases where serious dio cesan interests should call them to Rome. The Constitutionnel of to-day says—The demands made in Paris up to yesterday for the conversion of 41--, per Cent. Rentes amount to 16 millions of rente. In the departments the demands during the first two days alone amounted to four millions of Rentes. The applications for the conversion of the Obli gations Trentennaires amount to 114,000 f. of Rentes. CALCUTTA AND CHINA MAILS. The Massilia, with the above mails, left Alexan dria for Marseilles on the 18th inst, at sunset. The Indus, with the heavy portion of the mails, sailed for Southampton on the morning of tha 19th instant. The Bengal brought the mails to Suez, arriving on the 15th. SOUTHAMPTON, FEB. 20. The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer Pera, sailing to-day for the East, takes out specie value £133,746. Of this amount £66,940 is bar silver, £39,215 dollars, £17,651 gold coin, and £590 sovereigns. FRANCE. BOURSE, Feb. 19.—The market continues with out activity, and prices bare again retrogaded, Threes, for the Account being now at 69f. 80c. Railway Shares have also been heavy, and many of the lines lower. The following are the last quotations :- 41 per per Cents ... 99 —' Credit Poncier 1430 Do. end month.... 99 25 Belgian 4 1 — 3 per Cents .. 69 60 { Piedmontese Fives 69 Do. end month.... 69 80 ; Roman Bank Shares • 3060 Austrian Credit Mobilier.... 755 Spanfrh Threes 5O i Do. Account 757 50 Home Debt .. 4B RAILWAYS. Cash. Account. Orleans Northern New ditto 950 Lyons and Mediterranean 1082 60 .. 1085 Geneva — Southern 727 50 730 Western Eastern Sardinian Austrian Lombard - .. 546 25 POLAND. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) WARSAW, FEB. 11. At last the long-expected Archbishop Felinski arrived here on the oth inst., at 10 o'clock, p.m. He was to have reached the capital at 5 p.m., but General Libiers had sent a telegraphic message to General Bagration, commanding the troops at Czenstochowa, to request the archbishop to remain longer in that town than he had intended, and come to Warsaw by the night train, which request was necessarily complied with. The railway station at Warsaw was occupied by a strong military force, and during the night and the following day numerous patrols never ceased to perambulate the streets. It is now evident, from the precautions taken by the authorities, that they were afraid of some kind cf demonstration on the part of the in habitants. On the 10th inst., at 12 o'clock, the archbishop paid a visit to Count Andrew Zamoy ski, which lasted about two hours; and it is augured that this marked attention of the prelate to so popular and patriotic a leader of the national cause will tend to calm and even predispose the minds of those who were opposed to his ecclesias• tical appointment. Some of the churches have been re-opened, but the Government, still persisting to show that there was no profanation by the soldiery, had some trifling repairs made in the churches to servo as a pretext for a new consecration. The permanent Court Martial was rather busy last week in passing numerous and severe sentences. Thus Mr. Schlenker, the leading and most influen tial merchant in Warsaw, and the Protestant Minister, the Rev. Mr. Otto (who I was erroneously told had been liberated) are condemned to 3 years' imprisonmer.t in Cronstadt fortress. The first is known to be the type of order, justice, and humanity —and the second, his companion of captivity, has always been distinguished by the zeal with which he preached to his congregation words of concord, moderation, and ebedienc© to law. Five canons of the Cathedral, Wyszynski, Stecki, Dziarzkowski, Chmiclewski, and Witman, have also been trans ported, the three first to Tobolsk, the two others to lhzesc. They have always enjoyed the reputation of being the ablest and most pious ecclesiastics, and posseszing great influence in the chapter, and their being sent away suddenly looks as if the Govern ment were in a hurry to get rid of them before the arriyal of the new archbishop, that they may not come iu contact with him, and give him the benefit I of their advice. Besides these noble victims of the Russian tyranny four Polish gentlemen, who after years of suffering in the mines of Siberia have been set at liberty by the present Emperor, at the time of his coronation, were, without the slightest possible reason, arrested and thrown into prison. Every one is stupified by this unheard of piece of despot ism, as the men conducted themselves in the quietest manner, and the only charge that the authorities could bring against them was that they exercised, by their long martyrdom for the cause, a due influence upon their countrymen. But to chronicle and report all the odious acts of the Government would be an endless task, and form an extensive black book, in the widest sense of the word. Still I must mention another fact, which for its novelty has hardly a parallel. After the first butchery of the innocent men, women, and children by the Russians in February last, a na tional subscription was set up for the surviving families of the victims. Mr. Piotrowski consented to act as treasurer, and in a very short time a sum of 140,000 florins was subscribed. The Marquis Wielopolski, then in power, ordered the subscrip tion to be closed, and having forcibly possessed him self of 100,000 florins, which were to be destined for the universities, left the remaining 40,000 florins for the original purpose. Of course so small a sum was soon exhausted, and fresh collections of money were made after the religious ceremonies in October last. The Government wished to know how this money was employed, and ordered Mr. Piotrowski to produce the books, which were found in perfect order ; but this did not prevent his being put in prison on the ground of extorting money from the public. Mr. Piotrowski is a gentleman of princely fortune, worth several millons of florins, and this alone should have saved him from the imputation thrown upon his motives. However, it must not be forgotten that it is the good and virtuous Rus sian Government that is the author of these impu tations. 'I trust that its motives and deeds are duly appreciated in England, and now and then honoured with an appropriate tribute. In the patriotic circles here a report gains ground that a series of public meetings, expressive of in dignation at the cruel treatment of the Poles, and of inducing the British Parliament to suspend the payments of the Russo-Dutch Loan till Russia has fulfilled her engagements towards Poland, are to be held throughout England, and that General Count Zamoyski (who commanded the Polish Legion in the British service during the war with Russia) received an invitation to attend, and to address those meetings. Should this turn out to be the case, it would only be a tardy act of justice on the part of England, whilst nothing could more add to the importance and the advantage of such popular expressions than the presence of one so highly gifted, and so devotedly attached to the service of his country abroad, than the distinguished member of the ancient and illustrious family of Zamoyski, younger brother of Count Andrew Zamoyski, the head of the national party in Poland. AUSTRIA. A letter from Venice, of the 14th, says : " The health of the Empress of Austria has so far improved that no fear of a relapse is now felt. Her Majesty, accompanied by the Prince Imperial and the Princess Gisela, goes out twice a day in her gondola, and will shortly make an excursion in a steamer. The Emperor is expected at Easter, and he will then take the Empress and the children back to Vienna." The same letter has the following : " The monetary crisis continues, and becomes worse every day. The price of cigars and snuff has been raised by the order of the Minister of Finance to indemnify the Government for the de preciation of the copper money. The municipality has lately published an ordonnance, authorising the gondoliers to charge three sous for each parada, instead of two, the price paid for centuries past. By parada is meant the passing from one bank of the Grand Canal to the other. But the gondoliers nearly all refused to take advantage of the new regulation, declaring that they were unwilling to have any hand in carrying out a measure which would aggravate the sad situation of their fellow citizens." The Austrian Chamber of Nobles adopted, in the sitting of the 14th, the proposition voted by the Chamber of Deputies, authorising the Govern ment to employ a sum of 200,000 florins in relieving the sufferers by the recent inundations in different parts of the Empire. DEBT OF 2HE UNITED STATES. Tho following extract from a speech of Mr. Spaulding, of the Committee of Ways and Means, in the House of Representatives, on Jan. 29, con tains a full statement of the Debts of the United States " The total amount of the public debt up to the present time, and for which United States stocks and Treasury notes have been issued, is as follows : Dols. Up to July 1, 1861 -.. .. 90,867,828 There was paid to creditors, or exchanged foi coin at par, at different dates in July and August, six per cent, two years' notes to the amount of 14,019,034 There was borrowed, at par, in the same month., upon 60 days' six per cent. notes, the sum of „ 12,877,750 There was borrowed, at par, on the 19th of August, three years' seven and three-tenths per cent. bonds, issued for the most part to subscribers to the national loan .. 50,000,000 There was borrowed on the Ist of October upon like securities 111 41 50,000,000 There was borrowed, at par, for 7 per cent., on the 10th of November, upon 20 years' six per cent, bonds reduced to the equiva lent of sevens, including interest .. .. 50,000,000 There have been issued and circulated of . Treasury notes payable on demand.. .. 39,000,000 Making an aggregate debt in various forms, to January 15, 1862 • • .• .. 306,764,613 estimate that the amount requirei up to July 1, 1862, will be .. 343,235,387 Total debt estimated to July 1, 1862., .. 650,000,000 I estimate for the fiscal year up to July 1, 1863, if the war continues to that time .. 550,000,000 Total indebtedness, liquidated and unliqui dated, to July 1, 1863 .. 1,200,000,000 "This est . mate exceeds that of the Secretary of the Trea sury by 300,000,000 dols. to July 1, 1863." PRUSSIA AND AUSTRIA. The Prussia papers devote long articles to the question of constitutional reform which has arisen between Austria and the so-called Wurzbourg Coali tion (Bavaria, Wurtemberg, Hanover, Saxony, Hesse-Darmstadt, and Nassau) and Prussia. The National Zeitung of Berlin says : " The most easy part of the work has been done. A suitable reply has been sent to :the insolence of Austria and of the Wurzbourg Governments. Doubtless it is no great thing for a military State to put down a miserable diplomatic demonstration like that which has just been made. That demonstration was so miserable and shameful that if the Minister of Foreign Affairs had at once sent their passports to all the Envoys whose Governments took part in it, it would have served them right. Piussia is not sunk so low as to allow herself to i he led by the nose by MM. Schmerling, llechberg, and Co. that fine company has dared to ask Prussia her opinion on the best possible reform for the Federal Constitution. They knew very well what the reply would be, and, after having received it, they deliberate for six weeks, and then issue a protest against views which were given at their own request. The people and all friends of Prussia will approve the Government for having treated this miserable attack with contempt. Let Prussia at once recognise the King of Italy. We owe no respect to Austria ; that respect which we have hitherto shown her is put down as weakness, and has encouraged these insolent attacks. The Wurzbourg Governments have fancied that Prussia is weak; she must, therefore, show herself stronger than they imagine. Let her recognize Italy, and then they will say that Frussia is a State with which it is advisable to remain on good terms. If our Government has not sufficient moral strength to do this they will console themselves for the diplomatic check they have just received ; the Berlin Note of the 14th of February wili not hurt them, as they will remain convinced that Prussia dare n‘ , t do anything disagreeable to them, and that at the utmost she can only say a few harsh words to them." General le Comte and Madame Hermansdorff have left the Brunswick llotel, Jermyn-street, for Paris, on their way to Germany. PARLIAMENTARY DIVISION. HOUSE OF COMMONS—FEB. 19. MARRIAGES AFFINITY BILL. Order for second reading read. Motion made, and ques tion proposed, " That the bill be now read a second time." Amendment proposed, "To leave out the word 'now,' and at the end of the question to add the words upon this day six months.' " Question put, " That the word ' now' stand part of the question." The house divided — Ayes, 144; Noes, 133. AVESI-144. Adair, 11. E. Forster, Charles D. Morris, D. Adeane, II .T. Forster, W. E. Morrison, W. Agar-Ellis, Hon. L Fortescue, Hon. F. Padmore, It. Alcock, T. - Fortescue, C. S. raga, C. Andover, Lord Freeland, H. W. Paxtow, Sir J. Antrobus, E. French, Fitz stephen P eac ocke, G. M. Archdall, Capt.M.E. Galway, Viscount Pease, H. Atherton, Sir W. Gard, It. S. Peel, Sir R. Ayrton, A. S. Gaskell, J. M. Peto, Sir M. Ball, E. Gibson, T. M. Pilkington, James Baring, Sir F. Gilpin, C. Pollard Urquhart W Baring, Thomas Glyn, G. C. Potter, E. , Baxter, W. E. Goldsmid, Sir F. Pugh, D. (Carman) Ilazley, Thomas Gower, F. L. Ricardo, 0. [leamish, F. B. Gregson, S. Russell, Hastings Beaumont, W. B. Gray, William Salomons,Ablerman Beaumont,Somerset Grey, Rt. Iln. Sir G. Scholefle,d, W. Berkeley, Hon. 11. Gurdon, B. Seely, C. Botlield, Beriah Hadfield, Geo. Seymour, Digby Brand, H. B. Hanbury, It., jun. Shafto, R. D. Briscoe, J. I. Ilankey, Thomson Shelley, Sir J. V. Brocklehurst, John Hassard, M. D. Sidney, Thomas Browne, Lord J. T. Headlam, Thos. E Smith, J. B. Buller, Sir A. Herbert, H. A. Smith, M. T. Card Well, Rt. lln. E. Ilume, W. Spooner, R. Carnegie,Hn. C. Hutt, W. Stanley, Lord Childers, H. C. E. Ingham, R. Stansfeld, J. Clay, James Jervoise, Sir J. Steel, John Clifton, Sir R. Jollifre, Sir W. Stirling, Wm. Clive, George Kelly, Sir P. Talbot, C. It. M. Cobden, It. Kershaw, J. Taylor, Colonel Colebrooke, Sir T.E. King, Hon. P. Tollemache, lIon.F. Collier, R. I'. Kinglake, Seri. J. Trelawny, Sir J. S. Copeland, Ald. Knatchbull-Hug,ess Turner, J. A. Cox, W. Langton, H. G. Villiers, Rt. Hon. C. Crossley, Frank Lawson, W. Westhead, J. Dalglish, Robert Layard, A. H. G. Whalley, G. H. G. Denman, G. Lennox, Lord G. Whitbread, S. Douglas, Sir C. Lewis, Sir G.C., Bt. White, Jas. Duke, Sir James Lewis, Harvey Willcox, B. M. Dunkellin, Lord . Locke, John Williams, W. Egerton, A. F. Mackinnon,W. A. Woods, Henry Elphinstone, Sir J McMahon, P. Wrightson, W. B. Evans, T. W. Malins, It., Wyvill, M. Ewart, William Marshall, W. Fenwick, Henry Martin, P. W. ____- , Fermoy, Lord Martin,J. TELLERS. Filmer, Sir E. Massey, W. N. Foley, lion. H. W. Merry, James Milnes, H. M. Foljambe, F. J. S. Moncreiff, J. Buxton, C. NOES, 133. Acton, Sir J. Gavin, Major Montagu, Lord R. Adderley, C. B. George, John Montgomery, Sir G. Arbuthnott, Gen.H. Getty, S. G. Morgan, C. 0. S. Astell, J. 11. Gordon, C. W. Mowbray, Rt. Hn. J Baillie, 11. J. Graham, Lord Wm. Mundy, William Baring, 11. B. Greenall, G. Nortlicote, Sir S. 11 Barttelot, Col. Haliburton, Justice Ogilvy, Sir J. Beach, W. W. Hamilton, Jas. H. Facke, C. W. Bentinck, G. W. P. Hamilton, Major Palmer, Sir R. Benyon, R. Heathcote, Sir W. Parker, Major W. Beresford, W. Henley, J. Patten, J. W. Blencowe, J. G. Hennessy, J. P. Paull, H. Bovill, Wm., Henniker, Lord Pevensey, Viscount Brady, John Hervey, Lord A Powys, L. P. Bramley-Moore, J. Heygate, Sir F. Puller, C. W. Bramston, T. W. Holmesdale, Lord Ridley, Sir M. W. Bridges, Sir 8., Bt. Hope, G. W. Rogers, John J. Brooks, R. Hopwood, J. T. Rowley, Hon. B. T. Burghley, Lord Hotham, Gen. Lord Salt, Titus Caird, James Howes, Edward Sclater-Booth, a Cairns, Sir H., Hubbard, J. G. Scott, Lord H. Cave, S Hunt, G. W. Scully, V. Chapman, J. Johnstone, Hon. H. Selwyn, C. J. Clive, 11. G. W. Johnstone, J. J. H. Seymer, 11. K Cole, Hon. H. A. Kendall, N. Shirley, E. P. Collins, T., jun. Kinnaird, Hon. A. Smith, Abel . Corry, H. L. Knatchbull, W Smith, S. G. Cubitt, George Leader, N. Somes, Joseph Deedes, Wm. Lefroy, A. Stanhope, J. B. Disraeli, Benjamin Legh, W. Steuart, A. Dunbar, Sir Wm. Lennox, Lord H. G Turner, C. Duncombe, A. Leslie, W. Vansittart, Wm. Dundas, Frederick Lindsay, General Verner, Sir Wm. Dundas, Sir David Longfield, Robert , Walcott, Adm. J. E. Dunne, Col. Lyall, G. Walpole, S. H. Du Cane, Chas. Lygon, Hon. F. Walker, J. R. Dutton, Hon. R. H. Macaulay, li. Watlington, J. W. Egerton, E. C. M'Cormick, W. Whitmore, H. Egerton, W. Mackie, J. Wood, W. Estcourt, S. Maguire, J. F. Wyndham, Hon. I'. Ewing, H. E. C. Mainwaring, T. Wynne, W. W. B. Fane, Col. Malcolm, W. J Farquhar, Sir M. Manners, Lord J. TELLERS. Fitzgerald, W. S. Miller, William Forde, Lt.-Col. W. Mills, A. Cecil, Lord R. Forester, Col. G. C. Mitford, W. T. Blackburn, I'. THE NEW VICTORIA EXPLORATION EXPEDITION. By the Melbourne Argus we learn that a com mission of inquiry has sat to ascertain the causes of the fatal results of the expedition under Mr. O'Hara Burke. Brahe, who returned from Cooper's Creek only nine hours before the arrival of Burke, Wills, and King at that post, has been strictly questioned as to his reasons for not waiting longer, and Wright, who had been left at Menindie by Burke, as to the reasons for his not moving up after Burke to Cooper's Creek, in order to accompany him on the route into the interior. According to Brahe's own evidence he had left in his letter in the cache found by Burke a much better account of the condition of his party and horses and camels than was the case. He now re presented that both himself and Paton were unwell, and that his horses and camels were sick and over worked. Sir Francis Murphy strongly represented to him the consequences of having thus left a false account, as had Burke, Wills, and King been aware of their infirm state, they would most probably have made the effort to overtake them, and thus might have been saved. Brahe asserted that Burke had left orders that he need not wait for him more than four months, as he should probably make for Queensland. Wright excused his not following promptly after Burke by stating that he had to wait at Menindie for despatches, and to purchase horses ; that there several of his party fell ill, and he, himself, in endeavouring to push on to Cooper's Creek, missed his way, was stopped by want of water, and went back, When he at length reached Cooper's Creek he had given up all hope of Burke return ing, as Burke informed him that he meant to return by Queensland. Wright gave a very poor account of his reasons for not immediately following Burke to Cooper's Creek, confessing that he had remained at Menindie from the sth of November to the 19th December, merely looking after the stock and the , camels, and " not knowing rightly what to do: Different parts of his statements did not at all a gree, nor could he reconcile them, to the great dissatis faction of the commission. The limes, in commenting on the calamities and sufferings of Burke's party, the other day, said that it was very easy to see errors after they were over, but who could point out a better courso than 3e :1w pursued ? Now, with all honour to Burke f or hi s 05 ;_thusiasm and persevering bravery, there neeer has been any doubt whatever at Melbourne since he set out of the certain result of terrible sufferings. Impetuous in his temperament, he ipushed on without the necessari calculations. Had he never divided his party, and left 170 portions of it behind, but had kept the w h o le alvalcade together with all their provisions, making easl stage e, he would have gone and returned with' out any considerable difficulty. He found the' country between Cooper's Creek and Carpentarite well-watered and grassed, but by the time he reach ed the approaches to the Gulf, his provisions were so exhausted that he had then to make is desperate push back, which inevitably destroyed his six camels and one horse,leaving Gray done up and buried in the wilderness, and only reachitig Cooper 'S Creek for himself and Wills to die of ex:eaustion, as Gray had done. Teat is the solution Of the whole tragic mystery. The chief exploring expedition, under Mr. Hovritt left Melbourne on the 9th of December to procee& to Cooper's Creek, to disinter the remains of Burke and Wills, and to send them down to Melbourne , where a public funeral is to be given them and a monument by Summers, the sculptor, to be erected over them. Somo sensible and in the commission strongly recommended that tht; remains of the discoverers should be left where therT are, and an obelisk erected ov er them, with a proper ;ascription. This spot, lying where the old and new onies will ,meet, wou ld become historic ground. Bat; this wise counse l seems to have been overruled. The expedition is then to proceed into the interior, to prosecute the work of discovery, and to endeavour to meet the expedition which was to set out from the Government steamer Victoria, sent round to the Gulf of Carpentaria, southward, 111 the hope of finding Burke. A telegraic from Syd ney has communicated news of Mr. 187,alker and his party, who started from the north-east Oast to endeavour to find traces of Burke, by striking his liYie diagonally. He was said to be on the Victoria river on the 10th of October, and was making for Carpentaria, where he hoped to hail the flag of Commander Norman, of the Victoria, by the 10th of November. If Walker, who is a brave and ee perienced bushman, accomplished this, news Will soon be heard of him. Hewitt has authority to con tinue his explorations in the interior for fl'i l a months ; and, what we may expect from his die coveries, added to those made by Walker, by the expedition southward, from the steamer in the Gulf of Carpentaria, and by Mr. Gregory, recently in tllO neighbourhood of Nicoll Bay, 21 deg. south latitude, will throw a flood of light on the hitherto terra ../ 3 ' cognita of Northern Australia. The friends of the parties, and the public at large , will read with much pleasure a part of King's, the survivor, evidence, given before the Exploratio n Commission of Inquiry :—" I wish to say something about the party being provided with good books. I have the pleasure to say that each of us had 3 bible and prayer-book, and occasionally read then both going and coming back ; and before the death of Mr. Burke I am happy to say he prayed to G°d for forgiveness in Christ." King, since his return, seems to have conducted himself with great good sense. A Mr. Coppin , 311 American we believe, and the Barnum of Victoria, has offered him £l,OOO to attend for twelve mouth s a panorama, of the Burke Exhibition. King de clined the offer, saying that he could not feel moll an exhibition of the sufferings of his companions td°' be other than a cruel desecration on his part, a n that he left himself wholly in:the hands of the G°- vernment in everything regarding the expedition. ti ot and Gra E 4 13itr ‘ 15 12. t Litt ( tu x lli Ore, 1\4 1 , ; „ 4•, orti Dii Di I:ti iii, H uss 4 _, Dii Dit Qp i ,.... 4 bil nil Span Turk ni Dii Dit ...,, iv ene Dit Austi b ut , bitt o Italia Cane! fr r ' om Si from ~ I fll &J ~a oD A: ' , tu tu Otte S o 01 tE lo gri f or 1 tow' ,