The Sun. — London, England, 1862-01-07 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 7, 1862. MADAGASCAR. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. Sir,—l have the pleasure to forward you a copy of the report of the proceedings of the Embassy despatched to Madagascar for the purpose of con gratulating King Radama 11. on his accession to the throne. I also have hurriedly thrown together a few remarks, with the hope that they may prove acceptable. The eyes of Europeans have been for some time past open to the importance of this most productive country. It has, however, only been for the last few months that a door has been opened for the reintroduction of European influence. The report will furnish you with the most important facts in connexion with the mission, and I shall endeavour to fill up a fewpages with facts which could scarcely find a place in a formal document the kind, Queen Ranavalo died on the 16th of August, and the scene that occurred on the occasion is worth noting. It was related to me by one of the officers of the palace. For three weeks previously a large number of officers and soldiers had been constantly a mounting guard outside the palace. On that event ful morning their inquiries were, as usual, an swered vaguely, and about two hours afterwards it was ascertained that the Queen was dead. In an involuntary tumult of joy the officers and soldiers threw their shields, swords, and assaigais up into the air, and I can easily conceive demonstrated their joy in many other unmistakable ways. They saw immediately, however, that this was mistaken po licy, and endeavoured to correct it by sending a report through the city that the Queen was much feebler. But their behaviour, and the news they attempted to circulate, were evidently too incon gruous for the latter to obtain belief. It appears to have been with considerable diffi culty that Prince Rakoto (now Radama II.) suc ceeded in asserting his claim to the throne and main taining his right. He is the son of the late Queen, but no more like her than light to dark. He, in fact, errs in p o li c y i n an a ltogether opposite way, by being too lenient. An unsuccessful competitor for the throne, named Rambousalama, a cousin of the King, was allowed to go unscathed, and is, or was at the time the Embassy left Antananarivo, in what the King is pleased to term " honourable captivity." What the consequence of this leniency will be it is impossible to foresee. It is certain that Rambon salama has adherents in the capital, if not in the King's palace, and should any revolution succeed, and Rambousalama attain his object, things will be worse than ever. The avowed desire of Rambon salama is to carry out the Queen's policy in all its horrible completeness. t It is, perhaps, one of the most curious facts on record in the history of any nation, civilized or not, that after 30 years had passed, during which blood ran like water in Antananarivo, the son of that very Queen should absolutely refuse to sanction the exe cution:of his bitterest enemy when he had him in his power. Such is the fact. King Radama 11. bas be gun his reign upon the broad principle that he will not shed blood. The only way in which the King resented the attempt to supplant him was by caus ing a number of the followers of Rambousalama to be branded on the forehead and banished into a distant province. The experience of the Embassy goes far to sub stantiate thoroughly the statements made by for mer travellers with regard to the wholesale mas sacres perpetrated under the Queen's authority. One officer, high in rank, told me that during a very few years that he had been engaged in active ser vice he had seen, in the aggregate, at least 100,000 men put to death after successful actions. No pri soners were kept ; the men were immediately slaughtered in a systematic way, 1,000 at a time, and the women and children were sold as slaves. The Hovah officer who narrated this to me added, in an innocent way, that he could not bear to see fathers and children, husbands and wives separated, and he used to weep sometimes. This fact came to the Queen's ears, and he was no longer sent on such expeditions. The tribe of Beosileos is that which principally suffered from the Queen's barbarities. Their province is nearly due south of the Huai's' legitimate territory. fihe persecutions among the Christians are really astonishing in their details. The reports of former travellers are, as far as my experience went, per fectly trustworthy in this respect also. Chain gangs of from 15 to 20 hapless beings used to perambulate the country dependent upon chance for subsistence. When death relieved one of them from his grievous burden of life the vacant chain was dragged about by the remainder, and this continued until the chain had done its cruel work. I had a visit from several Christians the night before leaving Antananarivo. One was a poor old woman, about 70 years of age. She had, 11 van before, been chained together with 17 other victims. They died one by one, and she for four years had dragged the vacant chain after her. The iron collar had worn deeply into her neck, and the mark of the chain was also plainly visible on her ankle. I saw several others who had been sufferers in a similar way. They had been released only two %months before, at the accession of the King. It is difficult to ascertain how many Christians ere put to death—some say 2,000, others a great many more. They were usually crucified, being bound on with cords, and stoned.while on the cross. 'The crag mentioned by former travellers, down which those charged with any crime were thrown, is about 50 or 60 feet in perpendicular height ; the face of the rocks continues at a steep incline for about 300 feet. The whole is overgrown with prickly pear. A most singular uncertainty has hitherto existed with regard to the distance from the coast to the capital. Mr. Ellis has omitted to noticee it in the work he published some four years ago, and no re- liable information has been received since. The mem- bers of the embassy were gravely assured that it _ _ might be travelled over in two days if moderate ex pedition were used. We found that with our bag- gage and numerous attendants it was impossible to travel fast. I should think it might be accomplished in six days, a very limited quantity of baggage being a sine qua non. The scenery of the country through which our route lay is to some extent described in the report ; .. • I shall therefore only allude to one or two peculiar spots. While travelling in canoes we passed through a narrow channel connecting two lakes. This deserves a few worth of description, as I have been unable to find any previous account of it. It is termed " Rano mainte," literally "black water," and well it deserves the name. It is about three miles in length, and not more than seven feet wide, there being hardly room to force the canoes along. The dense, rank, tropical vegetation on both bides arches over, and for the entire distance light is nearly excluded. There is a dead silence, and when we passed through there was not a breath of wind sufficient to stir a leaf. Right and left we saw an endless complication of interarching roots, while the maze of stems and plants in all stages of decay effectually shut out the free air of Heaven The .Arum is very abundant, and grows to the height of at least 12ft. The tract of country contained between a point of 25 miles west of the lakes, and another about 100 miles west, is, I venture to say, as healthy as any part of the world. This tract is devoted to no put._ pose but that of pasture land. One may indeed pass over many miles of the finest grazing country with out seeing any living human being, or even a bul lock. In fact, there seems to be rather a scarcity of animal life in Madagascar. There are wild cattle, which, singularly enough, have no hump, while those bred for exportation, upon which Mauritius and Bourbon depend entirely for supplies of fresh beef, have the hump largely developed. The dimen sions of some of the fatted cattle are prodigious. At Antananarivo one was presented to the members of the mission of which the measurement was as fol lows—viz., round the base of the hump, sft. Gin. ; girth Bft. ; measurement round the hind quarters, sft. gin. The forests resound with the cry of various kinds of lemurs. The Age-aye is very difficult to be ob tained, and it appears to' be almost impossible to re tai❑ one alive in captivity, even in its native coun try, for any length of time. I was told at Tamatave that one had been kept alive for three weeks, but at the end of that time he died, having commenced to pine away from the moment his captivi , y began. I am therefore very doubtful of the pract . c ability of landing one alive in England. I sha'l, however, make the attempt. The rivers and lakes abound with al *g ators, of the boldness and size of which many stories are told. In the journal of Mr. Hustle, the British Resident at Antanarivo in the time of Radama 1., I find it mentioned that, in order to cross a river infested with them, and at the same time to save the bul locks accompanying the party, blank cartridges were fired from each side of the river during the whole time the party were crossing. This plan does not appear to have been very successful, however, for the journal from which I quote goes on to state that very many bullocks were torn in pieces, and an alligator was killed measuring 23ft. in length. The ordinary length is about 15ft. The forests abound in timber of the most beauti ful description and the greatest variety. There is more particularly the tree termed Volum bodiyina. It exceeds in beauty the finest rosewood. It is closer in grain and much more durable, and is considera bly heavier than water. Madagascar abounds in gums, some of them of the most curious description. The arrival of the Embassy at Tamatave had been announced at Antananarivo by special courier, and the King was represented to us as being very much pleased and surprised at the promptitude with which it had been despatched. About 8 o'clock on the morning of Oct. 16 we were met by a deputation who were sent to escort us to the dwellings we were to occupy during our stay. The officers composing it were five in number ; three of them were officers of the Palace, each dressed in a fancy uniform consisting of a blue vel vet tail coat, with gold lace in profuse abundance, black cocked hat, with plumes of red and white feathers, and dark-coloured trousers, with a broad gold stripe. One of them was very pleasing in appearance, with a clear olive complexion and an European cast of countenance. Horses were brought from the capital for us to ride, that being intended as an especial honour. It is almost needless, after the idea of the country that the report will convey, to add that it is im practicable for horseflesh. Even the immediate approach to the capital is for some distance along a narrow path through a ricefield, which of course is a swamp. For a great distance it consists of a steep hill, with occasional gullies two or three feet deep, and projecting rocks of granite of an equal height impeding one's progress, toilsome enough at the best. Until we reached the foot of the hill on the sum mit of which the city stands we were followed and hedged in by the wondering populace. It was quite a novel sight for them. For 30 years no European had reached the capital with the good will of the Sovereign, much less at his invitation. In one or two instances permission had been un willingly accorded to visit the capital, but a date at which the stay of the foreigner (whoever he might be) should terminate was always stipulated. The people were clad in the simple flowing white garment known as the lambs. When we com menced to ascend the lookers-on contrived to perch themselves on the high steep banks between which the approach to the city had been made. They seemed, so to speak, piled on each other in order to get a satisfactory view of us as we passed. About half-way from the capital we were met by another deputation, accompanied by a body of soldiers in scarlet uniform and a band of music. We halted while the body of troops were drawn up and pre sented arms. The band played " God Save the Queen " while we were all standing, dissolving under the vertical rays of the sun. No description of Antananarivo has as yet been published which conveys at all an adequate idea of its appearance. Tho most prominent object is the Palace, which is an astonishing structure. In conse quence of the death of the Queen, and the Court still being in mourning, no person is permitted to enter it. It is three stories high, with a roof of immensely lofty pitch, surmounted by an eagle, with expanded wings, executed in bronze. There are massive wooden balconies, corresponding to each story, with heavy balustrades painted red. The shutters are arranged so that no opening can be seen, and fitted so perfectly that we could form no idea how many windows or doors there were. The pillars support ing the balconies are enormously heavy-looking, and are said to consist each of one piece of wood. The centre support or the roor is aibu nail Lu be one spar 120 feet high. I have seen trees' in the central forest quite capable of furnishing such a spar; the great marvel is how, being of one piece of wood, it can have been brought a distance of 70 or 80 miles along the most diffieult part of the country, over very steep mountains, and through devious mountain gorges. The proportions of this building are, of course, hidden as one approaches the city by the multitude of smaller houses and huts around it. It is difficult to estimate what the population of Antananarivo can be. No information could be ob- tained on that point. I should imagine it to be about 30,000. The neighbourhood of the city, it must be borne in mind, is very thickly peopled, every little hill having a village on its summit. The view from the heights is very extensive, but bounded on all sides by high mountains. Rice fields are numerous in the vicinity of the capital, but there is, nevertheless, a sterile appearance conse- quent upon the absence of all trees. There is not a tree for 30 miles in any direction around Antana narivo. It is said that all the forest within tha' distance was cut down in order to prevent a hostile force drawing near and finding the capital unpre pared through ignorance of its approach. When we at last entered the capital we had to thread our way, accompanied by the officers and a multitude, which contrived to disperse itself into every nook and corner available for the purpose of overlooking us, the tops of mud walls being pre ferred. All this time a deafening noise was going on —a Babel of many voices—each voice being used con amore; ; and although the officers did their ut- most to calm the enthusiasm of the populace by ad ministering energetic kicks on all sides, yet I am bound also to state that the obedience they mei with was not such as I should have imagined the persuasive character of the late Queen would have incaleated. The day after our arrival we spent in receiving visitors and presents, which consisted for the most part of bullocks, fowls, geese, &T. Sometimes these presents were accompanied by letters, in cases where the donors were familiar with English. One of them I cannot forbear transcribing, it is so remark able for being terse and to the purpose : "To Colonel Middleton—l send you and your companions a bullock, by my son. How are you after your journey saith " RAMONJA, 14th Honour, Officer of the Palace, Prince." Many of the officers have retained a knowledge of English surprisingly well. Several of them were educated in England 35 years ago ; among the num ber is the King's present Chief Secretary, who has a perfect knowledge of English, and uses idiomatic ..._ . phrases with entire accuracy. During many con versations with him I never knew him hesitate for a word. He was also familiar with the French lan- guago, and renders it into English. He is by no means a singular instance of ability and acuteness in the Malgache character. The King received the mission most cordially. He inquired repeatedly after the health of her Majesty, and desired the Chief Secretary to make inquiries about Viscount Palmerston, who seems an especial favourite at Madagascar. The King is short in stature, and has a mild, ami able countenance. The Queen, who was present both at the fi rs t an d final reception of the mission, has a most intelli gen t f ace, a hi g h forehead, and a head well set on. She carries herself with a becom ing natural dignity. Many of the presents which the Embassy brought to Madagascar from the Governor and people of Mauritius had bee n l e f t b e hi nd on account of the i r bulk. We exp ec t e d th at great difficulty would be experienced in getting them up to the capital. We were, however, somewhat surprised to find them on our, way down more than 30 miles on the road. In order to get them through the forest a road will have to be cut in places. It has been currently reported that the King is a Christian. It is premature to say so now, but there is ground to hope that he will become so. At present he professes a sort of Deism, which his Chief Secretary has engrafted upon him. Since the King's accession a school has been established at Antananarivo, and, considering the short time it has been established, it bids fair to be productive of great good. At the time of my visit there were 80 children ; they were taught to read and write, and a few of them were making progress in English, under the tuition of a Malgache schoolmaster. Should this brief, hasty, undigested sketch be acceptable, I shall be glad to continue my remem brances of Madagascar. I know from personal observation, that it is a country wonderfully rich in metals of various kinds. It is confidently asserted that coal exists to the westward. It now requires a judicious, firm hand to amalgamate the conflicting elements that exist among the Hovah people, and to raise the social standard of the sub ordinate tribes, who are despised as inferior. This done, Madagascar will soon take a stand among the civilized nations of the world. I am, Sir, your most obedient servant, A MEMBER OF THE EMBASSY. Port Louis, Mauritius, Dee. 5. 7liE LORD ADVOCATE ON THE NEW YEAR On Friday evening, the chairman of the Cham ber of Commerce of Edinburgh (Mr. Jas. Richardson) held a conversazione in the Hall of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, at which the address of the evening was delivered, according to invitation, by the Lord-Advocate, M.P. for the city. There was a large attendance of mercantile and professional gentlemen. After a few complimentary remarks by the chairman, The LORD ADVOCATE said,—Very gladly as I ac cepted the suggestion of your chairman that I should prepare a short address for our meeting to-night, I at once encountered a difficulty which all lecturers feel deeply—the choice of a subject. My first idea was, naturally, a commercial and professional one: I had seen treatises on the history of a pin—a bit of coal—a lump of mud—and such homely matters, which were rendered interesting and instructive enough by the treatment of details not generally familiar. I thought I could have woven a discourse reasonably attractive out of the origin, history, and adventures of a bill of exchange. It seemed to me that this important and useful document formed a delicate link between the mercantile and the legal community. My friend, however, shook his head. It did not strike him as a lively topic, and he doubted my capacity to make it even tolerable to such an audience. (Laughter.) I differed from him, and have not relinquished the hope at some period or other of proving to him how much of imagination and romance lurks in a bill of exchange. But, of course, for to-night his will was law, and I at once relinquished the idea of adopting that theme for my observations. But my affections, disappointed in that quarter, found it difficult to fix themselves elsewhere. Bankruptcy seemed a dreary topic at such a season—(laughter)—and imprisonment for debt—(renewed laughter)—drearier still. Feudal conveyancing was too tame; the Trent affair and the rights of neutrals much too fiery ; and when at last I was informed that I was announced to lec ture on a popular subject, leaving the choice entirely to myself, I chose in despair the most popular subject I could think of—" A Happy New Year." (Loud applause.) A happy new year ! There is always a shade of melancholy which mingles with the cheerful salutation, " A happy new year—may it be happier than the last ! No year steals away with its burden without carrying pleasures with it, and leaving thorns behind. That which has gone, marked as it has been by many great and fortunate events, leaves us in gloom; many faces have gone with it which we shall see no more, and at its very close there fell on this nation that irreparable loss which has darkened a Royal home, and has plunged the country in sorrow. The nation has laid at the feet of their bereaved Sovereign the deepest sympathy and most uni versal grief which over inspired the hearts of this free people ; pouring out at once the expression of their dutiful loyalty in their beloved Monarch's deep distress—their grief for her desolated house hold—and their sense of a bitter public and personal calamity. Scarce one has uttered the familiar greeting of " A happy new year," without a sense of the solemn pall under which it has been ushered in. (Applause.) May it be happier than the last! and in what audience could such a theme be more arpropriatc—tho compliments of the season more cordially exchanged—than in a Chamber of Commerce. Commerce is eminently conversant with the future. In most avocations in life we have our daily tasks. We can, for the most part, shut ourselves up in the present—deal with the present circumstances, unravel the knot, or fulfil the obligation which lies before us, and leave yesterday and to-morrow to answer for their own toils, anxieties, and cares. But the spirit of com merce lives in the future. Its ventures are all shipped in that dark uncertain sea; trusted to ele ments which vary with every setting sun, and changing and inscrutable as the pathway of the winds. The merchant is ever casting his bread upon the waters of the future—the chance of which he can so doubtfully calculate, but which he spends his life in reading; and as he strains his eyesight to scan the dim obscure, and thinks how paltry a weight on this side or that may destroy the balance of his schemes, no one surely has more reason at such a time to reciprocate the wishes of his com rades for a happy new year—(applause) —not for himself only, but for his comrades also. For, slowly as the great truth has dawned on communities and nations, it now begins to shine with brightness, reflected back from many prosperous cities and happy homes, that the earth is wide enough for us all; that in that interchange of useful things and services which we call trade, we gain by the gain of others, and loss by their loss. How true this is might be learned by one day spent on the Stock Exchange. So finely knit together has the great fabric of human commerce become, that ono throb or thrill in its etxremest part vibrates to its centre. The pulse on this side the Channel and on that ; on the east or on the west of the Atlantic ; on the far Pacific and on the Indian Archipelago, beats in regulated sympathy ; so that, in a more ma terial sense than the Roman dramatist intended, nothing of humanity is foreign to it. If time and progress have not made the nations of the earth better neighbours, they have at least taught them at what risk they qaarrel. The jeal ousies of the Italian republics of old—their wars of self-protection—their feverish efforts at mutual supplanting, have left their only permanent result in the wise laws of mutual forbearance in which they originated. So the commerce of this our time, expanded far beyond the limits reached by Venice in her proudest days, and borne to lands unexplored, and nations unknown before, is fast resolving into one great community of interest those nations who so long had no thought but how to rise on the ruins of each other. Not in the spirit of philanthropy only, but in a spirit of the purest selfishness also, may the British merchant wish his comrade, here, or at the antipodes, a happy new year. (Applause.) Certainly, if we are to guide our anticipations by the past. we have no cause for despondency, although we may well learn to dis trust our attempts to penetrate the future. The rebound of this nation after the peace of 1815, and the amazing increase of the gathering pile of British commerce, and with it of British prosperity since that time, the wildest dreams of her merchants forty years ago could not have contemplated. (Applause.) After advert ing to the immense increase in the wealth of the country in that period, and reiterating the re- ' mark that the true secret of international as well as ' national prosperity is that we gain by our neigh bour's gains and lose by his losses, his Lordship proceeded to say :—When I first began to think of politics and political economy Malthus was in the ascendant, preaching the uncomfortable doctrine that we had too many mouths to feed and too little food to fill them, and beseeching and entreating the rising generation not to marry. (A laugh.) It is a notable example of how little this world is go verned by pure logic, that I believe of the thou- Bant u who read and agreed with his books, not one ever took his advice; and it is just as well for us that they did not, for if the philosopher and sage had fallen asleep in 1825, and had woke up this new year time in 1862, he would have found us with a largely :increased population, rather in want of hands than over-burdened with them. I speak, of course, not of periods of temporary depression, but of our normal state ; and there can be no doubt that during the last fifteen years the return of labour has immensely increased, and that in pro portion to its scarcity. The fear which Malthus en tertained was by no means unfounded if regard was had exclusively to a narrow range of probabilities. Ile saw this nation closely packed within our island country, with no ranges of unoccupied land to re claim—no vast prairies or untamed forests to reduce to cultivation. He saw our hives of industry gra dually accumulating a tangled and mixed population ' within their circuit, attracted thither by temporary impulses of trade, and liable to be thrown adrift whenever that impulse began to flag, or times of distress approached. He naturally asked himself the question—Where will all this end ? Must not the surges of this growing and swelling sea some day overflow its banks, and sweep the rocial fabric to destruction ? So, indeed, it seemed; yet the danger has vanished, the cloud is dissipated, and we hardly stop to ask ourselves how the danger, which seemed so imminent, has been averted. The solution which this apparently perplexing problem received is an illustration as significant and striking as any I could give of the vanity of forebodings drawn simply from an estimate of probabilities within a con tracted sphere. One simple accident—or incident —was sufficient for the time, at least, not only to re dress the balance, but to turn the scale. The dis covery of the Californian, and immediately after wards of the Australian gold fields, caused such a currant of emigration from our shores that we shall hear no more of the Malthusian creed during this generation; and thus, in the simple course of Pro vidence, were all the vain:musings of despondency and the vainer demonstrations of philosophy melted away, and the very element to which we looked with dread has been made the instrument of our prosperity. (Applause.) No doubt no inevitable laws in any certain operation could have led us to the foreknowledge of that special result ; but we mi g ht have rested in the im plicit faith that i n d u stry and progress in th e arts never worked the ruin of a nation, and that the chief danger of States lies in the endeavour by artificial changes to prevent or retard the operation of the great laws of society. This leads me to take notice—not in any party, but in a Catholic spirit—of the great illustration of the truth which I have made the theme of my remarks, I mean the great problem which it has been re served for our day to solve—that our neighbour's advantage in trade is ours also, and that the same laws which regulate commercial intercourse in the same city, or county, or nation bless in like manner those who give and those who receive between the nations of the earth. I have the less scruple in ad verting to this topic, not merely because the prin ciple is now, on our part at least, universally ac knowledged, but because, looking back on the past neither of the great parties in the State can claim any very early prescience in this matter, and that the experiment has been laden with golden fruit beyond the fondest expectations of those by whom the tree was planted. The very last of the returns to which I referred is swelled by a large item —namely the value of corn imported into this country during the year 1860; but the significance of these figures is immense. It means in a year of unusual scarcity we were able to avail ourselves of the abundance of others; that not only was famine warded off our shores, and our poorer classes were preserved from that deadliest of public calamities, but that our on ward path of progress was not even checked, nor were our resources crippled for a moment, Others, no doubt, were the gainers, but that detracted no thing from our practical advantage. We were none the poorer that the wheat-growers of America or Poland found such ready market on our shores. And surely the heart which faints in the commencement of a new year, oppressed with vain foreshadowing of evil, may take courage from the response which events have given to the doubts and dismay of 1845. (Applause.) To these I allude in no sneering or cap tious spirit. The venture was doubtless great, and the interests which failure would have jeopardised were immense; but none of them suffered—all of them have gained. With our liberated commerce we obtained a prosperous and contented people, and were borne in peace and safety through the tempest of '4B, while thrones were shaken and discord reigned throughout Europe. (Applause.) With our liberated commerce we breasted the great war of 1853, and came out of that protracted struggle as fresh in resources as when we entered it. We have tided over the only year of scarcity which that period has known without almost a wound to remind us that ii came and has passed; and while our experience o tho blessings of free trade crowds and increases on us day by day, they have not been confined to our own shores, Its direct benefits remain still to be elabo rated by most of our neighbours. But, beyond doubt, the reflux of that flood of prosperity which has visited ourselves has not been without its influence abroad. The commercial energies of France have during the last 10 years made wonderful advance. Spain is now waking up, after a trance of two cen turies, and the locomotive glides along those fertile valleys, from which free trade should extract even more than their ancient renown. And Italy, the last born of modern Europe, but not more the cradle of arts than of commerce, where grew the germs of all we have most valuable in our commercial code, and which taught to medimval Europe the great prin- ciples of mercantile and public law—she, too bids fair to renew her ancestral honours, and cover. once more, in honourable rivalry, with her merchant navy the waters of the Mediterranean. Every Bri tish merchant—every Briton wishes for a happy new year. (Applause.) After some remarks on the fact that the same principle of mutual gain and loss ruled commercial transactions under the Bankruptcy Law, the Lord Advocate went on to say—But in our wishes for the new year, there is ono I cannot help expressing to the Chamber of Commerce. Of course, we all wish and pray that this new year may run its course unmarked by any of those mer cantile convulsions which have from time to time depressed our interests. These may come, however, from causes no one can foresee or can prevent ; but there are some precautions which our traders can take, and which I hope a more healthy mercantile morality will inspire. I allude to the reckless giving and taking of credit, which, along with overtrading if they do not cause, at least enormously enhance the misery and disasters of these periodical derange ments. it is in vain to hope to regulate this mat ter in any way by legislation. If false representa tions have been made to induce the credit, the law, no doubt, will reach the delinquent, But the great majority of cases are not of that kind. The reck lessness is on both sides—with the man who gives as well as the man who takes. Often it is mutual, and it depends on the chances of the period which becomes the insolvent, and which the injured cre- ditor. For my part, I do not profess great sympathy for the man who, in his haste to drive a trade, with- out any inquiry into the means of his correspondent, or perhaps in the knowledge of his want of means, furnishes him with the materials for transactions entirely disproportioned to his capabilities, and is filled with profound indignation when the inevitable result occurs. This, no doubt, is one of the tempta tions which periods of great prosperity hold out, when, as we have seen in our day. great fortunes aro rapidly realised, and a few fortunate ventures place a man in ease and affluence all his days. Nor perhaps do we always stop sufficiently to draw the line with fairness between the successful and unsueeess- ful gambler. But the remedy lies, as I have said, in the nurture of a higher and sounder tone of mercantile morality,andthat can alone be effected by the efforts and exempla of merchants. (Ap plause.) His lordship Ethen adverted to :another view of the same principle as applied to legal pro fessional emoluments. He said—Many persons fear that if the transferof land were to be made as simple almost as the transfer of movable property, as far as that can be done with safety to the records — many people may think that the profits and emolu- ments of those who have an interest in that matter would greatly suffer. I believe that is an entire delusion, and that it has been proved so in 411 cases of the kind. Whatever facilitates transactions in creases transactions—whatever increases transac tions it is the interest of those who are professedly engaged in them to promote. (Apple use.) I am per fectly certain that, speaking for my own craft, we have much more interest in the cheapening of con veyancing than almost, any other body of men. (Applause.) As another instance of the same kind, his lordship referred to the County Courts of Eng land, and the extension of the Sheriff Court juris diction in Scotland, as having, after a temporary depression, still left the Supreme Courts as busy as ever. He said—From the carrying off smaller cases in the courts, and from the general cheapening of the cost of litigation—whether it was that a taste for litigation was thereby inspired (laughter), for I have been told, although it is most incredible, that that is a taste which can be acquired—l say, what ever be the cause, the result is that the counsel in Westminster Hall are as well employed as they:ever were. (Applause.) There is another subject, how ever—and one which is uppermost, I presume, in all minds at present—to which I intend to allude shortly before I close. We have hitherto been at peace, and, at all events, in the only war that we have had for the last five and forty years we were not at war under circumstances which to any great extent disturbed or deranged our trade. But of late there has been considerable interest excited upon the subject of belligerent and neutral rights, and men have gone back to long-forgotten books, and have raked up Grotius and Vattal, and a host of other learned names, that are now sought to study what are the rights as between two belligerent Powers, and par ticularly what are the rights belonging to those who are engaged on neither one aide or another— namely, what are the rights of neutrals. Now, that is a very difficult subject, and certainly I have no intention of inflcting upon you a lecture upon inter national law. I only mean to make one or two remarks on that part of the topic which may rather seem cognate to the general theme of my observa tions. Now, it is quite true—as was said, I think, in some of the recent discussions—that to certain extent international law must be the conscience of the strongest. But, on the other hand, there is such a thing as a code of international law. It is a code which was, as I already hinted in the former part of my observations, originated by the Italian com mercial republics of Venice, Genoa, and the other republics of that early Christian era ; and the cele brated work of the Consolato del Hare, the first copy of which known to exist is somewhere about 1000, contains truly the germ of all that has ever been insisted on or written on that subject since. And it is most important that, as war cannot sometimes be avoided, there should be something settled and fixed, and firm principles on which these matters should be regulated. lam not sure—and Ido not by any means like to express an opinion upon the subject —that even in this matter the principle to which I have been referring might not with great benefit be allowed more operation than it has hitherto re ceived—l mean that the less heavily belligerent Powers deal with the colours of their adversaries, in all probability each is likely to gain in the end. And accordingly there was, as you know, some years ago, after the Russian war, a convention at Paris, by which several of the great Powers came to certain resolutions in regard to this matter,which I allude to just now because it exemplifies very strongly how shortsighted it is, with a view to the narrow range of probabilities which may be placed before a nation or an individual, to come to general cenclusions. Among the things which the great Powers were agreed upon was the abolition of pri vateering. America declined to join with the great Powers in that convention, because she said—and she said with a great deal of force and power— " That is a very good position for you, Great Bri tain, you have a largo fleet, and a large standing fleet, independent of your merchant navy; but for our United States, whose principles does not lead us to maintain a large standing navy, of course if we go to war with you we must trust entirely to pri vateering ;" and accordingly at that time declined to join the convention. And what has been the re sult? Why, America was looking to the chances of a war with this country, but she has unexpect edly gone to war—the Northern against the Southern States, and the Southern States maintain no fleet, and they are obliged to have recourse to privateering ; so that her refusal at that time to join in what was evidently for the general good, for the interests of humanity and civilisation, has been the cause of one of the bit-erect and severest re sults of this unhappy war between the Northern and Southern States, all of which would have been avoided if she had taken a larger view of the matter in 1856. (Applause.) It was debated a the Congress of Social Science of 1860 whether would not be desirable to exempt merchant ships altogether from seizure in the event of war. Now, I hoard that very learnedly discussed. I cannot say that I was convinced of the affirmative of the proposition. The difficulty is that war really knows no rule but self-dafence, and that it is difi cult to say that you are to allow your adversary to go on with his commerce, and cover the seas with his fleets, while at the same time he is endeavour ing to do you all the evil and all the mischief in his power. The Lord-Advocate concluded by saying, —We are all waiting now in suspense. We are all looking towards the West,waiting for the tidings that are to come; and, when we look forward to the new year, much of its happiness will depend upon what that news may be. Once more, then, a happy new year. While I speak, the balance still trembles between peace or war, and uo one can predict which way it may incline. Fortunately, we are prepared, with steadfast hearts, for either issue. We can honestly say we desire nothing of our neighbours'. The lust of conquest has long been dead to our councils. We can see the prosperity of others with- out envy, knowing it is the reflection and must be companion of our own. In the internal regulation of the affairs of- others we desire not to meddle. We are conscious of no motive, no wish,no tendency to offend. But, while we wish for nothing that is our neighbours', we mean to preserve all that is our own ; and while wo were never more anxious to avoid, we never were more determined or ready to repel aggression, or to maintain our honour or our rights. (Loud applause.) If war comes, it will be because, maintaining our rights and honour with temper and with dignity, we could not avoid it. Still—absit omen—may peace prevail ; and if our Transatlantic brethren will do us justice in this matter, then, and then only, I wish them, as I wish you, a happy new year. (Loud and prolonged applause.) Sir W. JOHNSTON moved a vote of thanks to the Lord-Advocate for his address, and The Hon. B. PRIMROSE moved a vote of thanks to the chairman. The company then partook of refreshments in the Museum. FOREIGN NAIL PACKET LIST. MAILS DUE. Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton. Jan. 18, via Marseilles Jan. 12, Brazil and Cape Verds, by British packet. Feb. 3. Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena Feb. 1. China, Penang, and Singapore, via Sonthampton Jan. 18. via Marseilles .. Jan. 12. Falkland Islands Feb. 3. Gibraltar, via Southampton .... Jan. 10. India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton Jan. 18. via Marseilles Jan. 12. India (Bombay), via Southampton Jan. 10. via Marseilles Jan. 4. Lisbon Jan. 11. Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton Jan. 10. via Marseilles Jan. 4. Newfoundland .. Jan. 8 Oporto and Vigo . Jan. 11. U. S. and British N. America, Ly Brit. packet . .., Jan. 8. _.. .... --' by U.S. , packet by Canadian packet Ja.n. —. W.C. of Africa, Madeira, and Teneriffe Jan. 10. Bahamas, via New York Jan. 16. Mexico All parts of West Indies, including Chili, Peru, 1 Jan. 13. California,and British Columbia.. [ADVERTISEMENT.] —Holloway's Ointment and Pills.— Useful Knowledge.—The successful treatment of the great mass of disease is not so great a mystery as many may sup pose. Purify the blood, and disease departs. Holloway's remedies effect this purification most satisfactorily and com pletely. Both medicaments may be beneficially used by the most inexperienced, under whose care the very worst of cases will progress favourably and terminate happily, by using Holloway's renowned remedies according to the in structions, which are printed and wrapped round each pot and box. They speedily rectify all functional disorders, and will be found superior to all the other means for miti gating the sufferings of those unfortunately afflicted by incurable maladies. The discoverer of these health-pre serving and health-restoring remedies has with justice been called the general benefactor of mankind. THE RECOGNISED PROSPECT OF PEACE. (1 7 o.;»1 the Money MarZet _Review) A strong opinion has been expressed in this jourr al , based upon the information circulating among the best in formed Americans in this country, that the affair of the Trent would be settled without war. Wo rejoice to see that day by day the prospect of war recedes further into the background. Even within the week now closing the whole of the English press has come round to the belief that there will be no rupture, and the latest intelligence shows that a similar alteration has occurred in the tone of the press of America. To show the suddenness of the turn taken by the latter, we cannot do better than quote the following very pertinent remarks in the circular of Messrs. Neill Brothers, of New York, dated Dec. 9, which has arrived by the Africa. We have here, be it remembered, the testimony of practical men of business:— " We are happy to be able to inform you that during the past three days there has been almost salutary and extraor dinary change in public sentiment here and throughout the country. It was to a great extent a game of brag' after' all, and none the less so that the people had deceived them selves quite as much if not more than they deceived others. No new light of importance has by the recent arrivals from Europe been shed on the question; the only fresh point in the arguments raised by the English or French press is that of the breach of form on the part of Capt. "Wilkes (even supposing him right in treating Messrs. Mason and Slidell as contraband of war) in not bringing the vessel into port to be adjudicated upon by a prize court, yet whereas a week ago nine out of every ten men would tell you that England might threaten as she pleased, but the pri soners would never be given up, now the balance of opinion is quite the other way. It is evidently coming to be the general feeling that the prisoners are not worth fighting for, and people hail with satisfaction the news from Washing ton that " the President is determined to avoid a foreign war." The commercial classes see clearly enough that it would ensure the triumph of the South, and thus be, as they term it, the destruction of the country. Though the an swer of the Government to Lord Lyons is not given, it is evident that in the minds of the people, who really rule, good sense has already triumphed over passion and preju dice. The Government will, therefore, be free to act as its interests dictate, and they assuredly point to the preserva tien of peace with Great Britain at all costs. The idea that the Government seek a war with that country, as an oppor tunity of retiring from the contest with the South, is quite untenable, and it is, of course, ridiculed by all Americans. They have still the firmest faith in their power to re-tnnex the South upon their own terms ; whereas a retirement from the contest under the pressure of a foreign war would im ply a recognition of the Southern Confederacy upon terms dictated by the latter. When taken in connection with the fact that the North still believes in its power to conquer the South, the idea will indeed appear at once too absurd to need refutation. Upon a deliberate review of the delicate and apparently extremely haz irdous relations of this country with Great Britain, we are inclined to believe war between the two nations now more distant than we thought itbefore:tho pre sent complication arose. The American Government had, for some time past, acted upon a presumption that Eng land's interests in the preservation of peace with them was so great, that she would bear any number of petty indigni ties rather than make them a cause of war. This idea will now probably be modified, and there may be a little more of that respect shown to British subjects which they are ac customed to receive in other foreign countries, and fewer arrestsbof them without process of law, or opportunities for their justification or defence. We can assure our readers most explicitly that these ad vices are confirmed by nearly every private letter that has come forward by the last steamers. Some houses which have a dozen or a score of such, nearly all from trustworthy correspondents, have been almost surprised at learning how.unanimous is the testimony that the American people and Government will do everything in their power to avoid war with this country, and that, in fact, they will not have war unless Great Britain forces it upon them. This, as we know well enough, would be totally opposed to the whole policy of the British Government. " If further confirmation be needed of the view tha peace will be maintained, it is to be found in the assurances given personally by the members of the Washington Cabinet to the most eminent bankers and merchants in America. These assurances are of the most positive kind, consistent with the upholding of the position of the Government as towards England. We can state, too, that the President has expressed himself unreservedly in the same sense to persons who have made special reference to him on the matter. The burthen of these official communications is, simply, that the Government of the United States are not so mad as to go to war with England, now that the civil war demands every effort they can make. Attention has naturally been struck by the delay which has occurred in the official presentation by Lord Lyons of the despatches from his Government. This delay is un questionably in the interest of peace. The American Ca binet have been informed as to their contents, and the withholding of the despatches themselves argues a prospect that the aemand contained in them will be complied with— that is to say, that the Southern Commissioners will be re lease d without the official summons being formally lodged. This view may perhaps prove to be a little over sanguine, but we beg our readers to remark that it prevails so generally among well-informed Americans in London that they would not feel in the least surprised were the Europa on Monday next to bring Messrs. Slidell and Mason to Liverpool. It is highly probable that the news by that vessel will in any case be highly important. It is quite clear that we are now at the very climax of a crisis. We think we shall not be far wrong if we advise our rea ders to look beyond this wretched affair of the Trent—to consider it settled, allowing for the due amount of diplo matic coquetting—and to glance for a moment at the state of our relations with America after the release of Messrs. Slidell and Mason. There are many signs which lead us to suspect that, now that the British Government have gained the advantage of making Canada tolerably secure, they in tend to take high ground towards America. Wo apprehend that other questions of a troublesome kind will grow up be fore long. France is very anxious to induce England to enter into a joint action relative to the ineffective character of the blockade of the ports of the South. Were England and Franco to unite upon this point, the Northern Govern ment would be in very grave straits. POLICE INTELLI'IENCE.—Tan. 2. LAMBETH. MODERN SERVANT-GIRLIS3I.--• Catherine Brown, a cook in the service of Mr. Mar- tin, proprietor of the Hand-in-Hand publichouse, in Park-road, Brixton-hill, was charged before the Hon. G. C. Norton with stealing two bottles of champagne, five bottles of Guinness's stout, a bottle of ale, and a bottle of cordial (orange boven) from her master's ce:lar. Mrs. Martin deposed that about six o'clock on the evening before she went down to the kitchen, and found the prisoner there in so helpless a state of intoxication that she was obliged to be put to bed. After the prisoner had been removed from the kit chen witness looked about, and in the platewarmer she found two bottles of champagne and a bottle of stout, untouched, and four bottles of stout in an other place, untouched ; but in other parts of the kitchen she discovered a stout and an ale bottle empty, and the bottle of cordial was also very nearly finished. Mr. Norton—Have you discovered where the prisoner got all these things from ? Mrs. Martin—Yes, sir. I found that the cellar man had inadvertently left the wine cellar door unlocked, and the prisoner took all the bottles from there. Mr. Norton—How long has the pfisoLer been in your service? Mrs. Martin—Since the beginning of October 'ast. Mr. Norton (to the prisoner)—What have you got to say to this charge of stealing all this property from your master's cellar and getting so drunk ? Prisoner—l never went in the cellar at all, nor took any of the bottles from there. Mr. Norton—Then how could you get so drunk ? Prisoner—Oh, that was with gin I bought myself. Mr. Norton—Then you do not wish to plead guilty to the charge. Prisoner—No, sir; I did not take the bottles. Mr. Norton—Then I shall send you before a jury. Committed for trial to the Surrey Sessions. HAMMERSMITH.—CLEVER CAPTURE OF A DESPERATE BURGLAR,—WiIIiam Jones, a young man who had the appearance of a bricklayer's labourer, was brought before Mr. Ingham, charged with committing two burglaries. It appeared from the evidence, that shortly be fore two o'clock on Sunday morning police-con stable llaydon, 206 T, entered the premises of the Cedars, a large school kept by Mrs. Itawlinson, in the high-road of Hammersmith, near the turnpike gate, for the purpose of looking over the grounds a s usual ; and, while passing the front of the house, he had his attention drawn to a pair of boots which he had not observed when he went round a short tine before. The boots were quite warm, as if they had just been taken off the feet of some person. The constable went to the rear of the house, and saw the prisoner trying to conceal himself in a corner. He took him into custody; and, while re moving him to the front gates, the prisoner offered great resistance, and threatened the constable with violence. A desperate struggle ensued, and the constable broke his staff across the prisoner's head. However, on reaching the outside, the pri soner effected his escape, and ran down a narrow passage to Brook-green-place, a locality thickly in habited by Irish, and known as the Rookery. He was here fortunately stopped by Inspector Hard. who heard cries or. " Stop thief," and he had to knock him down twice before he could secure him. The prisoner was without shoes, and he claimed the pair found by the constable as belonging to him. When searched at the station he was found in pos session of a formidable weapon in the shape of e. „,.„---. ...........4 .., 4, ; citi my,” and which had been the handle an (1 if he sil c e e n d t a ro rs a , t i c t he l s v . as O f i o i u e n x d am ti i i n a ; largeJ fyy i ng pan . He also had a stone, which cot i h a ye been u sed' in the hand as a deadly wea iP4lll47aPraeltcluiasnewstilatnt.droi vs had been tried, and one at bull t the bars inside prevented an several of the the rear wag epe. 9 ' irglary was t raced to the prisoner by a nuclber . entrance. The iro' n .instrument found u p on the prisoner cerresponde.`r with the mark s upon t h e of trade smen ' s bill s foun d upon him. On Sunday L forning the b ac k d oor o f windows. A second );)‘' ..was found ope n b y t h e servant, and a coat belong, .ng to her m as t er , M r . No. 2, Brook-green-terrace was off a fil e w hi c h Boys, was stolen fri•ni the lo h hY• The bills found An inner d oor wa i upon ming t b h y e t p b r e i s s o i n d e e r 0 1 f f ad t b e b e c e o n a t t . strongly barred, and the burglar " was unable to pro ceed any further. . prooner for a week, trial on the two cases of ' burglary. and l e r ;p i r n e g s h se a d m h r i c s ul d tt e n te a r t . m d i t n i a le tion of .ending him for THE LATE FIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE IN FOUNTAIN •COURT, STRAND. CORONER 'S INQUEST. Yesterday aft er no o n V. J. Payne, Esq., th e cor ner for the Duchy of Lao caster, held an inqu es t a t the George Tavern, Strang 1 , on the bodies of Frede rick Wm. Howlett, aged four years and ten m on th s ; Elizabeth J. Howlett, age d two years and nine months; and Rebecca Hann, ah Howlett, age d one year and three months, who lost their lives by a fire which broke out on the pal/I:Uses of Mr. Joseph T. Price, machine ruler, No. G, Fountain -court, Strand, on Friday afternoon 1 net, t he particulars of which appeared on Saturday. The jury were etnpannelled ,From the leading in habitants of the Duchy, 14 in number. Capt. Shaw, superinteudent, and Mr. Fogo, chief officer of the 13 division of the L ondon Fire Brigade, were in attendance. The jury, having been sworn, proceeded to view the bodies, which were lying in the crypt of St. Clement Danes Church, and presented a sickening aspect. On their return, Geo. Fred. Howlett, the- ft; ther of the deceased children, stated he was a working engineer, and resided at No. 6, Fountain-court, Strand, and iden tified the bodies of the deceased. l'ho poor man gave his evidence with poignant pier. He was at the Tower at work at the time of th 9 ac cident, where he went to work at Sin the morning. He left his wife and children at home. They occupied the entire of the second floor. Mr. Price occupied the floor above, and Mr. Mark the floor below. Ife first heard o f the fire at half-past four. Elizabeth Howlett, the wife of the witness and mother of the child r en, deposed that she left th e children in the front roo m on the secon 1 floor at 25 minutes past 2. The re wa s no one in thk room but the children. She shut th e d o or b u t did not lock it. The key was inside. Th ere i s a siii) on the inside of the lock. She had been ah %era not more than a quarter of an hour when the acci dent happened. There was no fire in the room. There was a bed and bedstead, but there were 80 M 0 inciter matches in the room, they were on the mantelpiece, and the children must have got on 8 stool or chair to have got them. Ann Hinds, living at No. 2, Fountain-court, said she saw Mrs. Howlett go out about 25 minutes past two, and soon after she saw smoke and flames in the front room of the second floor of No. 6. A coal heaver and Mr. Hunt, the tobacconist, were the first persons to go upstairs. Henry Drake, one of the Fire Brigade, said it was about 5 minutes to three when he arrived at the fire, which was confined to the first fluor and upper part, when the fire was put out. He entered the room and found the youngest child, Rebecca Hannah, lying n ear the fire-place in the remains of a cradle. George Howlett, a little and somewhat diminutive child, only .six years old, was introduced and exa mined by the° Coroner, and stated in a very clear manner that when his mother went out his brothers and sisters were at play. The baby was in the cradle. His mother shut the door. He did not fasten it. They were playing with a ball, whi c h run under the bed, ,His brother tried to find it, but could not see it: His brother got on a chair off the mantel-piece and and got a lucifer mat•cf: struck it with a hammer. When it was alight he let it fall, and set fire to the clothes. He got i n t o bed with his little sister, and covered himself with the clothes, but when the bed was on fire h e ran across the room, and somebody kicked at th e d oor and opened it; he ran down sti ire and met his mother. They were all playing in the front room. After the fire his brother and sister went into the back room and got into the bed. His little brother had fastened the door. Capt. Eyre Massy Shaw, superintendent of the Brigade, stated he went up stairs, and pushed through the front room, where the fire commenced, and saw the body of one child on the bed, and the little boy was lying on his face on the floor. The Coroner said he thought they had all the history of the case ; there could be no doubt that it was an accident. The mother did not appear in any way to blame. The , jury returned a verdict of " Accidental death. ' COUN7 RI MA RAJ. , " AS. GLOUCESTER—JAN. 4. A moderate business in Englieh wheat, at about previous prices. Foreign may be considered a trifle loweF. The American arrivals have no doubt had some influence on our market to-day, the prospect of peace being considered more hopeful than ever. CHELMSFORD-JAN. 3. To-day a limited supply of wheat, and late prices were readily supported for superior samples; inferior, however„, met a slow sale. A good supply of barley, which sold at about last week's rates. Beaus and peas unaltered. Wheat, old white 30s Gis teas, Partridge-... 378 45s new 50s 70s White 39s 418 old red.... 308 53s Boiling . 4ls 478 new 55s 64s I)un 368 40s Barley 26s 398 Ditto new —s —a Chevalier ..26s 39s Beans, Tick, old ..378 438 Grinding 22s 32s new..--s —s Malt.... Chevalier . ..... ,64s 6 1 5 s Oats 23s 30s new. .—s ^-8 Mazagan... 33 36$ COLCHESTER-JAx. 4. A small supply of grain, which was taken off slowl at lower prices than last week. Fine barley rather dearer, and other sorts unchanged in price. Beans and peas un changed, Wheat, white. 51s 68s Beans, Mazagan .. 36s 408 red 46s 64s middle & small.4os 44s Barley Oats KIRKCALDY GRAIN-JAN. 4. We had large supplies of grain to day. Sales slow, Barley and oats ls, and wheat is to 2s lower in value. Wheat. Barley. Oats. First....46s Od I 24s Od I 20s Od Second ...528 Od 30s Od 23s Od Third Od 34s 6d 27s 6d COAL MARKET. frrloes of Coal per Ton at the close of the market s. d. I g. d Grey's West Hartley 15 6 Bower's West Hartley.ls 0 Carway and Duftryn Byass's Bebside West Malting 24 0' Hartley .. 16 1)o. Anthracite..2l 6 Hartlepool West Hart- Wylam ..16 6 , ley l5 6 Davison's West Hart ley ....16 3 Walls End. North Pelton 15 0 Brnddyll's Hetton 17 0 Tanfield Moor 13 0 Haswell lB 0 Tanfield Moor Butes..l3 0 Eouth Hetton ...18 0 Holy-well l6 6 Harton L lt a - a ni lk b e e r rt Primrose Ii elloe 13 3 Gosforth .....16 3 ley 16 0 Sheriff Hill 14 6 Buddle'sWestHartley 16 9 Tun s t a ll slVersotseHart ....l6 6 Craighead Steam 14 6 Wharnelitle 16 6 Bell's Primrose ......14 0 Trimdon Thornley 16 0 West llartley l6 0 Hetton .. lB 0 Hastings Hartley ....16 0 N.Hartlepool 17 9 Ships at market, 169; sold, 116. Th o Northampton Handicap will, this year, be framed in Old Burlington-street, in consequence of Mr. Johnson having signified his intention of giving up handi capping in the South. BIRTHS. AconN.—On the 2d inst., at Warmsworth, Mrs. Acorn, of a son and heir. COLMAN.—On the 6th inst., the wife of Edward Colman, Esq., of Clapham-park, of a son. COCKLE.—On the 4th inst., at 13, Maida-hill, the wife of James Cockle, of the Middle Temple, barrister-at-law, of a daughter. MARRIAGES. Ftsnrat—SNlTCH. On the Gth inst., at St. Margaret's, Westminster, James Dacey Fisher, Esq., Victoria-street, S.W., to Elizabeth Ann Sylvester, the only child of Dr. Charles Snitch. LANE-LEWIS,-At the Chapel of the Spanish Embassy Spanish place, Edward Lane, Esq., of P. and 0. Co.'s Service, to Mary Winifred, widou of the late A. Lewis, Esq , of New Hampshire, U. S.A. DEATHS. - aged 88,ro having re of New p Borough BURRELL.—On the 4th inst., at Knepp Castle, S ussex, Sir Charles rles th lN e ler n ri a k p ß e i o l f rrc ß 4l rru , a ß b a e r r t., a Shoreham for the space of nearly 56 years BENsLEY,—On the sth mst., at Colney-hatch, Herbert C. Bensley, aged 34. BULL.—On the 6th inst., at Lewes, Mr. Thomas F. Bull, aged 82. DRAPER. — On the 6th inst., Mr. Thomas Draper, of 3, Fortess-terrace, Kentish-town, and 107, High Holborn, aged 73. HANKEy.—On the 4th inst., at 45, Portland-place, the re sidence of her son, M art h a, widow of the late l'homson Hankey, Esq., aged 84. LONDON : Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at THE SUN Office, No. 112,Straf, d, in the Precinct of the Savoy in the County of Middlesex', Tuesday, January 7, 1862. by CO Pa cla ON; tion add ties Solc Mai pre Ctu Gro Pee Ivy let