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

IBE NAVY. Admiralty orders were yesterday received at Chatham, directing the Barrosa, 21, 1,700 tons, 400 horse power, and the Eclipse, 4, 200 horse power, to be immediately fitted for commission. The Barrosa is to have a complement of 275 officers and men, and the Eclipse a crew of 96 men, both including Royal Marines and Marine Artil lery. Both vessels are attached to the first• class steam reserve in the Medway, and are in such an advanced state that they can be made ready for sea in the course of a few days. They will receive thei crews from the Coastguard ships at the various ports. The line-of-battle steamer Trafalgar, 86, 500- horse power, having been lightened by the removal of her large guns, which have been forwarded to Chatham, and her other heavy stores, has been placed in No. 3 dock at Sheerness, to have her hull examined and her defects made good. Her Majesty's troopship Adventure, Commander Lethbridge, from North America, was yesterday docked at Woolwich to be surveyed by the ship wright department of the dockyard. On account of the accumulation of mud and sewage at the month of the dock the operation was rendered diffi cult and somewhat dangerous. By means of a powerful application of the capstans, however, the vessel was at length hauled into the dock (which is in course of being lengthened to receive the Cale donia), the head of which was removed for the re ception of the Adventure when fitted out for her present commission. She has been replenished with 50 tons of coal and has received a supply of water in readiness to proceed to Portsmouth for repairs, which it is expected will occupy upwards of two months. On the clearing out of the dock it was discovered that the angle of her stem had been knocked away and several of her plates had been turned and torn out of place, the r esu lt o f h er s t r iking on the rock in the Bay of Fundy. Her commission, it appears, has been extremely unfor tunate. in addition to the accident in the Bay of Fundy she met with a double collision on entering the port of St. John's, Newfoundland, and struck a ship named the Dauntless, cutting her down to the water's edge. She also carried away the jibboom of the brigantine Adeline. A Trinity Board, it is stated, assembled at Newfoundland, investigated the case, and forwarded their report to the Admi ralty, awarded the expenses to the owners of the damaged vessels in both instances. The following appointments were made yesterday at the Admiralty :—Lieut. John R. T. Fullerton, to the Defence ; Lieut. H. J. Coddington and Lieut. W. F. Boughey, to the Eclipse ; Lieut. Bernard Moore, to the Barrosa; Lieut. Francis J. Pitt, to the Perseus ; V. L. Cameron, midshipman, to the Defence, as supernumerary ; G. G. Crompton, naval cadet, to the Barrosa; Anson Schomberg, naval cadet, to the Galatea, as supernumerary; W. H. Wors fold, confirmed as second master in the Victory, as supernumerary; H. M. Dearsley and H. W. Cam pion, masters' assistants, to the Barrosa ; R. W. Meiklejohn, in the Euryalus, promoted to the rank of first-class assist.-engineer, and C. Lawrence, second-class assist-engineer, to the Defence. 2IIE ARMY. By the death of Major-Gen. C. Diggle, pension for distinguished and meritorious services is placed at the disposal of his Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief. Major-Gen. Diggle was one of the few remaining officers who served with the 52d Light Infantry, under General Sir John Moore, and on the expedition to Gottesburgh. He subsequently served in the Peninsula, and was present during the retreat and at the battle of Corunna ; also in the action of the Coa, Battle of Busaco, and the retreat upon Torres Vedras. Gen. Diggle likewise served during the campaign from 1813-15, including the attack on Merxheim, where he commanded the 2d battalion in the advance upon Antwerp for the bombardment of the French fleet. He was also present at the battle of Water loo, where, during the brave repulse of the French Imperial Guard, he was severely wounded. The dates of the deceased General's commissions were— Ensign, Aug. 31,1804; Lieutenant, Feb. 14, 1805 ; Captain, May 24, 1810 ; Major, June 18, 1815 ; Lieutenant-Colonel, Jan. 10, 1837; Colonel, Nov. 11, 1851; and Major-General, Aug. 31, 1855. Instructions have been forwarded from the office of the Deputy Adjutant-General to Colonel Har ness, C.B , Director of the Royal Engineer estab lishment, Chatham, directing a detachment of 22 non-commissioned officers and men who have com pleted their curriculum of instruction at the topo graphical and drawing schools, Chatham, to be held in readiness to join the companies of Engi neers now engaged upon the Ordnance survey of Great Britain. The candidates selected will pro ceed from headquarters to Southampton on the Ist of October. The order from the Horse Guards authorizing the augmentation of the corps of Royal Engineers by the formation of two additional companies to that branch of the service was read to the officers and troops of the corps at a full-dress parade held at Brompton-barracks, Chatham, yesterday, under the command of Lieut.-Col. Browne, C.B. The augmentation will raise number of companies of Royal Engineers to 40, six of which will be the depot companies for the supply of well-trained men for India and colonial service. The augmentation of the corps will take effect from the Ist of October, when the additional companies will be formed at head-quarters, Capt. R. B. Rimington having been appointed to the command of the 39th, and Capt. W. S. Boileau to that of the 40th company DIPORTAN7 R.XPER ?MEN 7 S AT SHOE- BURYNESS. Yesterday morning the experiments, which last week elicited such startling results with the guns and shells of Mr. Whitworth, were again resumed on a larger and more important scale, in the pre sence of a number of officers and scientific gentle men, at the old practice-ground at Shoeburyness. It will be in the recollection of our readers that last week Mr. Whitworth's 12 and 74-pounders were tried at 200 yards' range, with shell against iron plates of various thicknesses and sizes, and al ways with the most astonishing effect, the 74-poun der ehell, with a comparatively very light charge of powder, being driven through the mass of 4-inch iron, apparently with the greatest ease. No breach, however, was made in the target so complete as to satisfy the Ordnance and Iron Plate Committee that the same astonishing effects could be obtained with a larger gun when tried at a greater range than 200 ya rds, and against a target constructed of the sa me strength of the broadside of the renowned Warrior. It was to set at rest whatever doubts existed in the minds of those who thus disbelieved in the powers of Mr. 'Whitworth's gab- a n d i ts flat fronted shot and shell that the most impor tant of the trials of yesterday were made in the presence of Lord Clyde, Sir W. Armstrong, Mr. Whitviurth, a the members of the Iron Plate Committee, and very large assembly of artillery and naval officers. Thel,gun used on this occasion was a gun whichin our recent notice of these experiments we ventured to think would be found the most formidable assailant armour plates have yet had to encounter — namely, an ordnance muzzle loader, manufactured at Wool wich on Sir W. Armstrong's wrought iron coil prin ciple, but with the beautiful hexagonal bore of Mr. Whitwoith's mode of rifling. Its weight was 7 tons 8 cwt., its length about 12 feet, and its calibre a 120-pounder, though, in fact, capable of and quite e qual to thowing shot of at least double that -weight, with, perfect safety. It was placed on a platform a t a distance of 600 yards from the e Warrior target, a l onger range sec tion of th r d s than any gun has hitherto been l a id by 400 yards hoeburyn ess penetrate such a f orm id a bl e At a distance of 800 y ar d s mass of iron a nd teak. the great Horsfall or 'Mersey gun was also levelled at the same target. This gun, it will be remem bered, at 200 yards' range sen t its shot through the target, on the last occasion making a huge ragged hole in the very centre of the plate, and crushing through all beyond it. The admirers 01 this now very old-fashioned smooth-bore gun maintained that what had been done at 200 yards it would d o again lANL4 1 4t 84Q, Agoardingly, after the Whit worth experiments were over, this huge and most unwieldy piece of ordnance (its weir t is no less than 24 tons) was tried at the same mark, but, as will be seen, with very different and most un satisfactory results. The target aimed at on this occasio' , was, as we have said, a built-up section representing the War rior's side, It was not, however, the original old Warrior target, which during the course of the last 12 months has been so constantly and unmercifully battered that it has at last been withdrawn from active service. It was a new target, specially made for these experiments, 21 feet long by 15 high, con structed on the same principle as the old one— namely, with 41 inch iron plates, 18 inches of teak beams laid transversely, and an inner skin of iron 2ths of an inch thick, supported by massive up right angle irons, at intervals of 18 inches apart. It is but fair, however, to state that the 41- inch armour-plates which covered the powerful combi nation of teak and iron were not manufactured by the Thames Iron Company, and were undoubtedly inferior in powers of resistance to the splendid plate with which the first Warrior target was coated by that company. Some few shots were also fired from the Whitworth with low charges, at a wooden target, to get the range, though even these were not without interest, as illustrating the wonderful precision with which it threw its projectiles. The last experimental shot was fired with a charge of 231 b. of powder and a solid hexagonal shot weighing 1291 b., the piece being laid at half a degree of elevation. It struck the left centre of the target within an inch almost of the white spot at which it was aimed, and at the instant of the tremendous concussion of the metals a bright sheet of flame was emitted, almost as if a gun had been fired from the target in reply. This shot passed,completely through the armour plate, shatteriag the teak beyond into minute splinters, and fell full upon one of the massive vertical angle lines we have mentioned, which it tore in half as if it had been paper, sending its screw bolts and rivets in all directions. The shot, however, did not pass through the target, but remained buried in the teak with its flat head resting against the broken angle iron. But the fracture it made was much worse than a mere penetration. It was a smash, not a hole, and the inner skin of the ship was bulged and torn wide in many places, so that in the case of an actual vessel such a shot striking on the water line would have made a leak which nothing could have stopped. As regarded the effect of these flat-fronted shot on iron ships, the experiment was conclusive. Such a missile against a wooden ship would have gone through both sides, making a clean hole and doing little damage, but the iron, without protect ing, offered only sufficient resistance to make the fracture, if below the water-line, an irremediable mischief. The next experiment was with a live shell, loaded with 31b. Boz. of powder. The total weight of this projectile was 1311 b., and it was fired at the same range and elevation with a 251 b. charge of powder. The effect of this shot astounded every oue. The previous solid shot, at 600 yards, was for Whitworth nothing very extraordinary, but to get a shell through the target at the same range was regarded as almost an impossibility. Yet the shell went completely through everything, bursting apparently when it encountered the last resistance of the inner skin, which the explosion blew completely away, lighting for a moment the timbers at the back which supported the target, and sending the bits of shell onward and over what, had it been the Warrior, would have been her maindeck, and, therefore, right in the midst of her crew. Than this experiment nothing could possibly have been more conclusive. Not only was the armour plate pierced, but the piece opposed to the actual stroke of the flat-headed shell was driven through teak and inner lining, and, in truth, became another shot of some 301 b. weight. In fact, this last shell might have destroyed the whole of one side of the target had the shell been only capable of contain ing an adequate bursting charge —say 101 b. or 121 b. of powder. This latter most important requisite, however, the Whitworth shell, from its peculiar con struction, is at yet unable to accomplish, and until it is brought about nearly all the advantages gained by its enormous powers of penetration will, com paratively speaking, be in a manner lost against iron frigates. Once, however, that the shell is made to hold a. powerful charge of bib, of fine pow der, iron vessels will become, we believe, almost as much at the mercy of these ordnance as wooden ones now are to the terrible shells of Armstrong. This experiment with the shell was, therefore, considered so far satisfactory as to its penetrating powers that no further attempts were made with it, and the trials were continued with the Horsfall gun at 800 yards against the uninjured plates of the same target. The immense difference between the powers of a smooth bore and a rifled gun, both as to accuracy and force of its projectile, then at once became apparent. The first shot fired from the Horsfall with 741 b. of powder and a 2751 b. round shot struck in front of and some ten or twelve feet to the left of the target, which it missed altogether. The gun was relaid again, and again the shot struck the ground about 40 feet in front of the mark, ricochetting with a slight rise, and striking full on an uninjured plate. In this case it smashed an immense hole, shattered the teak, and fractured the inner skin, leaving all the elements of a fearful leak, as Mr. Whitworth's first shot had done, but, like that also, not going quite through. The third shot again missed the target entirely, striking wide of the mark ; and the fourth, and last, only just saved the now sadly diminished reputation of the gun by hit ting the extreme uppermost corner of the tar get, the metal of which it smashed. The failure of this gun at this range was there fore as satisfactorily settled as the success of Mr. Whitworth's, and the trials were discontinued. It was next intended to proceed with the 12-pounder Whitworth against a plate of no less than fuur inches in thickness, but as at each end of the shots w e huve described the spectators had to retire long di s t a nces from the targets to the shelt er o f th e s plinter proofs," many hours had been consumed and the day was waning fast. It was therefore de cided o give up further trial s , except to test if the armour p lates which had b een fi red at were up to th e proper standa rd o f resistance. This t r i a l t est was ma d e at 200 yards with the old smooth-bore 68- pou nder, an d the depth of th e i ndent made by this n resisting pow er t o t h ose which covered the old Warrior target. The metal was by means equal showed i at once th a t t h e plates were ex ceedingly brittle. brought With these so far sat isfactor y efforts, p ro and eon, some much the experiments of the day were to a clos e , to be, no doubt, renewed again w ith thicker and stouter kind of t ar g et, which i n i ts turn may perhaps gain a shor t- lived victory over th e t.- guns. Thus, from week to week public opinion, and even the opinion of our scien tific authorities, is kept vacillating between the comparative merits of the resistance of plate and the result t pe netration of shot. What, it may be asked, is to be the practical of all these experiments ? Are we a last to deve lope a really good gun which can se nd its shot through a n y armour , or i s armour t o gain the day? h di ffi culties. The ir on The whole of thi s ques ti on i s b ese t wi t men believe that they can so coat a ship ' as to practically render her invul n e ra bl e t o any shot ; while, on the other hand, artillerists aro as firmly of opinion thatthey can make guns which shall also be practically equal to crippling any iron frigate that ever floated. who is to decide this disagree ment of the doctors, especially when the results of these S hoeburyness ex p er iments vary every week, and are almost equally str ong alike for ships and guns In our humble j udgm ent • P we venture to think that, in the en d, guns must carry the day, for, while there is no limit to the size and Weight of the ordnance which fortifications or even s hip% can carry, there is a most decided limit to the weight of armour which seagoing f r i ga t e s will support--a limit we have fully reached, if indeed we have not overpassed, in the 51in. armo ur vesse l s n ow building. A s f ee Iv , regards this blacksmith's method of defending shi ps is concerned, we have not much advanced upon the unwieldy floating batteries that atteeked Kinburn, or these still more hideous " of the Glutton and " Trusty" class, which were with difficulty kept from feunderiug as they were towed with chain eablee iip the Baltic. The Russian .32-potindera plumped against the 4-inch iron sides of these ill built craft, but did no manner of damage. The Ad miralty, quite content with having so far ascer tained the value of iron, took no further notice of the matter, and would have taken none to this day had not Napoleon proceeded to utilize the discovery by constructing an iron navy. Since then we have made a small iron squadron, two of which, the Warrior and Black Prince, are really magnificent frigates ; the others are mere compromises. built as rams, but left without speed; intended for frigates, but almost as unmanageable in a sea-way as the old helpless batteries, very properly called "floating," for they could neither steam, steer, nor sail. Well, the Warrior build, with its 41- inches of iron and 18 inches of teak backing, has been tried and re mained for a long time, not only practically but li terally invulnerable against all the salvoes of our heaviest ordnance, and it was not till a special an tagonist, the 150-pounder smoothbore muzzle loader of Sir William Armstrong, was brought against it that it at last succumbed. But the vic tory was not left entirely with the artillery on this occasion, for the gun itself was destroyed by the heavy charges of powder used to enable it to destroy the target. Since then the Horsfall 300-pounder smooth-bore has sent its shot as easily through a similar target as if it was so much canvass. The Whitworth 12-pounder has sent shells through iron which until now no shells have ever affected, and the 70-pounder shells through 4in. of iron and 4in. of oak; and, to crown all, yesterday it sent shells even through the Warrior target itself, This result is most important, and, properly viewed, should be most gratifying to the country, to whose naval su periority nothing could be inure disastrous if it were true that vessels could be so plated as to be utterly invulnerable to shot and shell of every kind. Fortunately for ourselves, we seem now to be on the right track and in a fair way of getting guns which will penetrate any thickness of armour that can be got to float. Thus, for the last three months or more the experiments at Shoeburyness have vir tually changed their whole character. They have ceased to be experiments on the resistance of iron plates, and have really, though not nominally, be come efforts to discover what gun or what combi nations of the best points of the best guns will pierce them. But the new frigates of the Minotaur class build ing at London and Birkenhead are not to be par tially coated like the Warrior, but completely cased from stem to stern with armour of 51 inches thick instead of 41. It is yet to be seen how they will bear this enormous mass of metal, and the result of the experiment in a sea-way is looked forward to with no little anxiety and even apprehension. The Warrior, it is said, is in a sea-way a rolling ship in the fullest and most unmanageable sense of the term, and against a head wind plunges heavily. It is, therefore, only reasonable to conclude that the new ships, which carry heavier armour and more of it, are, to say the least, not likely to be more handy under similar conditions. The limit, therefore, to which we can safely go with the thickness of ar mour for sea-going frigates has been reached, yet the Whitworth gun is not unlikely to turn out an overmatch for all. As a general principle these ships, however, are invulnerable against the guns of other navies. The rifled canon raye of the French has no more effect upon them than our own Armstrong, while the cumbersome American Dahlgren gun only throws spherical shell, which are useless against iron sides. But we know from yesterday's experience that a gun can be made to pierce any iron ship, and the question now is, which is the best for this purpose? The Arm strong is out of the question. The enormous range, great accuracy, and terribly destructive effects of its shell must, till a better gun in these respects is in vented, always make this weapon one of the main defences of our fleets and forts, and above all our best gun for land service. But against iron ships it is simply useless. Its low velocity is against it ; the conical form of the shot hitherto used, which always shatters when it strikes the target, is still more against it. What is wanted is a wrought-iron gun—a mnzzle-loader of course—capable of thr win g a shot to smash any armour plates, or else such a fiat-headed shell as Mr. Whitworth uses, which can penetrate the plate and burst inside it. For the first purpose a wrought-iron muzzle-loading gun could, we think, easily be made capable of throwing 100 lb. shot, yet weighing 25cwt. less than the pre sent naval 68-pounder. Such a gun would be both lighter and stronger than any east ordnance, an d from their calibre and the heavy charges that might be safely used with them, would at short ranges be tolerably destructive to any iron frigate. For the second purpose only Whitworth's flat fronted shells appear as yet to have any chance. THE IVRECK STATIST ICS AND CHART FOR 1861. Shakespeare compares England to a fortress, and the Channel to a moat, but if he saw the leviathan steamers now coming up that Channel, he would be the first to acknowledge that the comparison did not hold good in the present day. We do not now look upon the sea as itself giving us a defence ; it is only our chief medium of defence. But it is now, as in the days of Drake, our great commercial highway and source of our strength, girding us, if it does not guard us, and bearing into our havens all the products of the known globe. All who leave us or approach us must do so by this great highway, which carries on its bosom in the course of one year alone, to and from our own ports no less than 267,770 ships, including repeated voyages, and which ships have probably been manned by 1,600,000 souls. Such is the field of operations over which these dry statistics of the Board of Trade carry us. As usual, they have been most ably drawn up and collated in every possible form. Yet on nearly every page of this register these startling facts, in admonitory terms, face us, that 1,494 shipwrecks occurred on British shores last year, from which 884 people are known to have perished. The number of wrecks last year has unfortunately exceeded the number during any of the preceding nine years, and it is 260 in excess of the annual average of the last six years. It is a lamentable fact that shipwrecks on our coasts have been of late years on the increase. Thus during the last seven years we find the following account :—ln 1855,1,141 ; 1856, 1,153 ; 1857, 1,143; 1858, 1,170 ; 1859, 1,416 ; 1860, 1,379 ; 1861, 1,494. The wreck chart, whica accompanies the register, clearly shows the spot where each casualty occurred, and the number of lives lost by.it. We are told that this great increase of disasters in 1861 was owing to the fearful gales of January, February, and November of that year, when 842 wrecks took place, principally among our rotten collier Class of vessels. Gales, even of a moderate character, are always destructive to these ships ; or, in other andrwords, th ey are d oome d to certa i n destruc • tion und er circumstances in which a ship if sea worthy,be able to k eep the properly se a m . a nne The b d andest harbours found, t r to o . fuge in the world a i 8 a vi s o t e u r l s d , W n o h t i , c h therefore, 1 n p a r t e e v l y e n t too a o ti f t t h e e n eocfeuthrewsehere neither the lifeboat nor the rocket apparatus is available to succour their unfortunate crew li r e s. regret to find that the number of collisions is also on the increase. No calamity is more fearful than that of a collision at sea during a dark stormy egairta h ter e s 18 night. Its destructive effects are i nstantaneous, an d frequently a large number o f persons go down W ith either ship. I:ehmeicirolkliitsbiloensiniur llrt a ish to w es 69, 349 ; in 1860, 29 were in 8 ; an d in 1 861, 323. B u t what is fearful i collisions is the feet that, during the past ix years , collisions have taken pla ce i n clear and fine ea thei, 378 flora bad lo o k out, 264 from neglect of rule of road at sea, and 61 f rom ac tual want of seamanship. The gross total of colli sions s six years having increase of vesselshavingbeenlB64. A natural duringth esequence pastof the wrecked is the increase of precious lives lost. The number om. berof persons who thus lost their lives in 1861 Was, as p rev i ous ly s t a t e d, 884, while in 1860 it was T his, let it be remembered, is not a casual loss; it is a continual if not an ever-increasing ono- The drain on our sailors and fishermen goes on year after year, notwithstanding all the benevolent and stn. THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, SEPTEVIE3ER 26, 1862. nuous efforts made at the present day to stay the ravage. The sea is dreadfully exacting in its de mands, and season after season, when the equinoc tial gales blow, when the winter sets in, or when the summer, as our last one did, yields to the tem porary but powerful influence of storms, our shores are converted into altars on which the ocean offers its victims. It is unlikely that we shall ever effec tually obtain the mastery over the waves ; but, even at this moment, we are able to contend successfully with them in their blind efforts to swallow up life against our endeavours to save. If, for instance, dur ing 1861, 884 people lest their lives on our coasts by shipwreck, yet no less than 4,624 were directly saved from such a fate. The whole number makes up a considerable fleet of seamen--men for whom, perhaps, in moments of national emergency we would give any money ; and many of these were preserved under the most perilous circumstances by the craft of the National Lifeboat Institution. The total number of casualties in two years is 2,873, out of which 1,660, or about 7-12ths of the Whole, happened to ships of the collier class—a fear ful disproportion, and calling loudly for a thorough and searching investigation. The following table distinguishes clearly the de scription and tonnage of the ships lost during the past year : Vessels. Vessels under 50 tons .. 223 51 and under 100 9) • • .. .. 434 101 ~ 9) 300 99 • • .. 639 301 „ ~ 600 • • • • . • 135 601 „ „ 900 , 9 • • • • • . 31 901 99 19 1200 ~ • • .. 18 1200 „ upwards .. • • .. 5 Unknown • • .. 4 Total .. 1494 Let us briefly analyse the causes of this great destruction of property. W e find ten wrecks took place in a perfectly still sea, 14 in light airs, 51 in light breezes,43 in gentlebreezes, 103 in mode rate breezes, 171 in fresh breezes, 149 in strong breezes, 66 in moderate gales, 124 in fresh gales, 230 in strong gales, 311 in whole gales, 102 in storms, 52 in hurricanes, and 68 in unknown and variable weather. Total wrecks, 1,494. Of these 619 took place amongst the ships in the home and coasting trade, commanded by men not required by law to have certificates of competency. Two hun dred and sixty-six wrecks only occurred amongst vessels in the home trade, commanded by masters holding certificates of service; so that the rivalry between ignorance and knowledge is an unequal one, as it ever has been, and ever will be. The estimated loss on these 1,494 wrecks is up wards of one million sterling. But who can esti mate the loss of the valuable lives who also thus perished with the ships. Many a widow in our seaport towns and fishing villages will tell us how severely they have felt their bereavement. The accompanying roll of the loss of life on Bri tish shores during the past 12 years will be perused with melancholy interest. The districts are thus classified : Lives lost. Farn Islands to Flamborough Head Flamborough to the North Foreland North Foreland to St. Catherine's Point .. 514 St. Catherine's Point to Star Point Star Point to the Land's End 460 Land's End to Hartland Point, including Scilly 353 Hartland Point to St. David's Head 473 St. David's Head and Carnsore Point to Lam- bey Island and Skerries, Anglesey 969 Skerries and Lambay to Fair Head and Mull of ' Cantyre Cape Wrath to Buchan Ness 257 Buchan Ness to Farn Islands All other parts of the coast 922 Total lives lost 7645 It is thus seen that the most serious wrecks, as was urged in parliament last session, do not happen on the north-east coast of England, but in those seas and channels mostly frequented by large foreign going ships. This is a matter deserving earnest public attention. Some hundred thousands of pounds, judiciously laid out in improving our great natural harbours of refuge, would, we think, be attended with the greatest possible benefit. Again, this fearful list tells us in legible terms that man cannot avert the storm, nor prevent the ' occurrence of wreck and violent death at sea. The proudest vessels that he builds of wood and iron are but larger straws before the winds of heaven. A breath can dash them on the shores, and they perish in their pride, and our vanity is humbled. We may never hope to rise superior to every storm or cause of wreck. It is our duty, however, to strive for safety, to continue to wrestle hard with danger, to confine disaster and death within the narrowest limits which human efforts can impose upon them. How happily, then, the efforts of the National Lifeboat Institution, the Board of Trade, and kindred bodies on the coast have been blessed dur ing the past six years. During that period alone 16,119 persons have been saved from shipwrecks by means of the life boats, the life-preserving appara tus, shore boats, and other appliances, as the annexed list shows:— Lives Saved. 1856 1857 1,668 1858 1859 1860 3,697 1861 4,624 16,119 He must be less than man who can read unmoved and without a glow of admiration the account of such services, and of those given in that institution's report. Take the rescue of the crew of the brig Sisters, of Whitby, on the 26th of February last. It will serve as a suitable illustration of the dangers that have to be encountered by the skill, courage, and endurance that are needed of the brave fellows who man the society's life-saving fleet. The Sisters was laden with coals, and had been driven on shore on the South Barber Sand, off Caistor. Her signals of distress having been seen from the beach, the Caistor boatmen proceeded to launch the lifeboat there through a tremendous g nig a h h t ea b v e y ing gal i e nt f e r n o s m ely the da e r a k st . a s u t r t f h , e t h t e i rawei,n and blowing a heavy gale from the east at the time, and th e i n Under these difficult circumstances, although more than 100 persons were engaged in helping to launch the boat, an hour elapsed before she could be got off the beach and warped to the hauling off anchor laid down outside the surf. Sail being then made on her, she worked to windward to the scene of the wreck, where the anchor being let go, she was veered down, but owing to the darkness and the fearful sea breakikg over the vessel, it then took an hour to get the crew of nine men into the boat, and that at very great risk, as the lifeboat was often lilted by the sea high above the vessel's sides, and several times dashed violently against her and on the sand, thereby incurring considerable damage, also losing 100 fathoms of her rope gear, which had to be cut away on hauling off from the wreck. It was indeed life for life, but humanity prevailed in the courageous encounter, and the wrecked crew were ultimately got safely in, and landed through a heavy surf. Forty-five pounds wore paid by the institution for this service—viz., £4O to the 20 men forming the lifeboat's crew, and £5 to the parties assisting to launch the lifeboat. Englishmen in every part of the world may surely pause with pride over such chronicles of life boat services on our coast, as also over the reports of the cheerful liberality with which the National Lifeboat Institution is supported to enable it to con tinue and extend with unabated vigour its merciful operations. We may recapitulate some of these beneficent gifts, and allude briefly to the society's operations. Lord Chief Justice Erle, and the corporation of Loncon, and tne members of the Royal Thames and Victoria Yacht Clubs contributed liberally for the safety of the seamen. A citizen of Newcastle-on- Tyne, to whom a legacy of £l9 had been left , pas sed it over, not t o hi s own b an k er , but to that of the i nstitution. "N. L.," res iding in Manchester, sent £ 25 0 to d e f ray t h e cost o f t h e Kirkcudbright life boat; an d a stranger, who would not g ive his name, left at the institution a banknote for £ 2OO. Mrs. E. Hope, carrying out the dying wishes of her husband, a the Reverend E gave £340 to buy De w lifeboat for Ap. pledore, Devon. The ladies of Newbiggin realised for the fund s x 316 16s , by a bazaar; Mrs. Hartley and Miss B er ti e Cater, promoting lif e b oat f unds, were enabled to raise 600 guineas; Miss Burdttt Coutts, in her exhaustless beneficence, gave the cost of the Plymouth and Silloth lifeboats; Mr. G. I. Fenwick, of Seaton Burn, contributed £250 to pro vide the Tynemouth lifeboat; Miss Brightwell, honouring her father, pays the cost of the Blakeney boat, and calls it after his name; and certain travellers in the smoking saloon of the North Kent Railway, bethinking them of the claims of the National Lifeboat Institution, extemporised t% subscription to increase its resources. Even from Abo, in Finland, £5O is sent to the institution in admiration of its services to the shipwrecked crews of all nations. We have a list before us of the names of upwards of 100 wrecks, from which, within the space of two years and a half. 726 lives were saved by the life boats of the society. It is on this list, this trophy of success, that the committee of this institution found their latest appeal. Daring that period its establishments on the coasts of the United King dom have cost £27,260. They have voted £2,458 as rewards to the crews of their life boats, and £572 to those who, by shore boats and other means, saved 562 shipwrecked persons, in addition to the above 726 ; making a total of 1,288 persons saved from a watery grave during the last two years and a half. Since its formation the institution has been instru mental, by its life boats and other means, in saving 12,680 lives; and having now 123 life boats under its management it requires a large annual income to meet the demands upon its priceless services. RITMOUR.ED MINISTERIAL MODIFICA TIONS IN PRUSSIA. With the official confirmation of those rumours of ministerial modifications which, for the last two or three days, have been rife in Berlin all hope of a cordial reconciliation between King William and his people must be abandoned, The retirement of Herr Von der Heydt is indeed calculated at the first as pect to produce quite a contrary impression. He has been the head and soul of the Ministry which has attempted to enforce the army re-organisation against the will of the nation. But it is evident from the fact that he retires alone, and leaves in office the Minister of War, that there is no inten tion on the part of the King to abandon his darling project. It is certain, too, that Von der Heydt would not have had the slightest scruple in throw ing the whole scheme overboard, if he could only have obtained the authorisation to do so. He has never identified himself with the scheme; on the contrary, he has allowed it to be pretty clearly seen that he bears it no good will, and his bitterest op ponents do not doubt that he would have been glad to meet the Chamber after the late vote and an nounce that the Government bowed to its decision. He has not retired from any scruples of this kind ; and the fact that Von Roon, the Minister most iden tified with the reorganisation, remains in office. proves that he has not been got rid of by the King from a desire to have at the head of his Ministry a statesman who commanded the esteem of the coun try, and whose announcement of a desire on the pail of the Government to comply with the wishes of the nation would have been received with en thusiasm. On the contrary, there is good reason to believe that Von der Heydt, who is an exceed ingly astute man, has retired because he was un willing to go on with the re-organisation against the will of the nation. It is said that he has de clared that he will not, as Finance Minister, vio late the law, and apply to the purposes of the army re-organisation the money which the Lower House has refused to vote. In this case it may be said of him that nothing has better become his official career than the manner of its close, and he will wipe away by his retirement some at least of the odium which he has accumulated during his Vicar-of-Bray official career. We do not attach too much import ance to these rumours, to which, however, the strange conduct of the Ministry, in at first declar ing its readiness to meet the wishes of the house, and then retracting its promise, lends considerable corroboration ; and we content ourselves with point ing out that, whether they are true or not, the fall of Von der Heydt, under the circumstances, is no triumph to the constitutional cause in Prussia. The retirement of Count Bernstorff, and his re placement by Count Von Bismark-Schonhausen, is, on the other hand, a positive and most serious loss to the cause of liberty in Prussia. Count Bern storff was the most popular member of the Ministry. His foreign policy was in harmony with public opinion, and his great ability and experience enabled him to pursue it with success. No one identified him with the unpopular and reactionary purposes ascribed to the Ministry, and the vigour with which he has conducted his own particular business has given that Ministry all the little credit it possessed. Long ambassador in England, he was known to be strongly in favour of the friendly re lations with England which the Prussian nation desires to see established, whilst at the same time he was no partisan of exclusive friendships, and no hatcher of Holy or other alliances. But it is not so much in his retirement as in the appointment of his successor that the mischief dwells. Count Von Bismark-Schonhausen is an able man, who, like Count Bernstorff, has filled for many years important diplomatic posts. But, unlike Count Bernstorff, he is afflicted with a violent Auglophobia, and is a vehement partisan of a close alliance with France and Russia. His external policy gives the key to his internal political views; and as he is not only Minister for Foreign Affairs, but chief of the Cabinet, we may assume that the attempt is to be made to divert the attention of the Prussian people from its internal affairs by foreign disputes, and to secure the maintenance of the army in its present illegal position by the deve lopment of all the standing quarrels of the country into such a condition as to afford an excuse for asserting war to be always imminent. Count Von Bismark-Shonhausen pretends that it is the interest of Prussia to ally herself with France and Russia in order to humiliate Austria, and profit by her weak ness, and probably he believes that the time is pro pitious for the attempt, and that such is the jealousy of Austria in Prussia that such a policy would now prove successful. If we assume that his anticipations are justified, we can only say so much the worse for Prussia. If to gratify an old jealousy and to gain some petty advantage her people are content to sacrifice not only what the defective constitution they now pos sess has given them, but to abandon all hope of that sober and sure constitutional progress upon the track of which they now seem to have got, to link themselves with two despotic powers, each anxious to despoil them, and estrange themselves from the Liberal opinion of Germany and England, and in deed of Europe, then Prussia finally abandons that claim to a preponderance in Germany, and a posi tion in Europe, which the intelligence and energy of her people have justified her in asserting. But, happily, there is no chance, of the Prussian people being caught in this trap. They feel that the ques tion of their own freedom is the momentous one, and that to it all others must be subordinated, and they certainly will not neglect that question for au alliance with France and Russia. They distrust, they dislike both, and if they do not like England much they feel that an alliance with her is their true policy. The Prussian Liberals feel that Eng land may help them, and, for all the absurdities which English leading journals, as much when friends as foes, often talk about them, will at last understand them. The appointment of Count Von Bismark-Schonhausen to the Premiership wilt be re ceived as an evil a ogury in Prussia. It will be regarded as an indication th at the King policy which is fast rendering persists in the him dangerously unpopular, and means to a ll sorts of Plunge the country into difficulties with its nei hbours in order , under cover of the nec ess i t i es which will then a rise, to carry out that policy. I t will be regarde d a s an attempt t o carry Prussia back to that despotic camp where for so many poor and humiliatin g, years she played so a part. And being so regarded, it will meet with the op position. The present H. most strenuous o use of Deputies, or the new one—for a dissolution will have no other effect than to displace the more mo derate m e n in f av our of advanced politicians _will strenuously insist on its constitutional rights and vehemently o ppose any attempt of the Government to pursue an anti -Prussian and illiberal policy. The new Minister will find that he has inherited all Von der ilepit'o unpopularity, aid ham t 9 deal witil more exacting and a more determined Parliament. The obstinacy of the King, and the selfish promptings of his private advisers, ministers with out the name, will shear the Prussian Crown of many privileges and powers which the people would be content enough to leave it. What they ask now is little enough, and its frank concession would win the Sovereign to ther cordial loyalty. A few months of Count Von Bismark-Sohonhausen's rule and their demands will be greater, whilst the concessions which will then be inevitable will be I coldly received.—Morning Post. MR. TVINDH4.III AND HIS WIFE. Mr. W. F. Windham, aged 22, was placed in the dock at the Hammersmith police-court, yesterday, before Mr. Dayman, charged on a warrant granted by Mr. Ingham on Wednesday with threatening to cut his wife's throat, whereby s h e w ent in bodily fear. Mr. Lewis, of Great Marlborou., h-street, appeared on behalf of the complainant; Mr. Windham, who had been brought from Windsor by Acres, one of the warrant officers of the Court, was undefended. Mrs. Ann Agnes Windham was sworn, and said she resided at No. 3A, Westbourne-terrace, Pad dington, with her husband. Two gentlemen, whom her husband had invited at Boulogne, had been staying with them. She never had the pleasure of seeing the gentlemen before. On Tuesday night she went out with the two gentlemen with the con sent of her husband, who was aware of her going out with them. They returned home at a quarter past 12 o'clock. Shortly afterwards she retired to her room, her husband having previously wished her good night. About a quarter of an hour after wards she heard her husband outside her room door. The two gentlemen were in their bedrooms. She heard her husband using violent threats. He said that he was determined to shed the blood of all three, and that he would take one of their (the gentlemen's) lives. She called out to the gentlemen. She had no friends, and it was a dreadful position for her to be placed in. She considered both gentlemen were in danger of their lives. He said tie would put a knife over Mr. St. Alban's throat. He had a large sailor's clasp-knife, and he swore that he would cut her throat. She went in fear of him. It was rot the first occasion he had sworn to take her life. On two occasions he threw knives over the table at her. Mr. Dayman—Have you any question to put to your wife ? The Defendant—No ; sha aggravated me. lam certainly very sorry for what has occurred. Water was poured down my ears while 1 was asleep on the sofa, either by you (the complainant) or some one else. You know I was drunk. Mr. Dayman—Was he under the influence o. drink ? Complainant—Not at all. He used the threats when sober. He had said it was his intention that no person should marry her after his death. She did not wish to hurt her husband. She simply wanted protection from his threats. Mr. William St. Alban said he resided in Ken nington and was studying for the bar. He wus on a visit to Mr. Windham's house. He had been there a fortnight by invitation from Mr. Windham while at Boulogne. He remembered returning home on Tuesday night. Mr. Windham was asleep on the sofa, and they had some difficulty in waking him up. They all parted good friends before going to their rooms. His attention was afterwards drawn to Mrs. Windham, who opened her door and called out " Gentlemen." We came out, and saw the defend ant half-way down the stairs. Mrs. Windham said she had heard the defendant muttering outside his (witness's) bedroom that he would cut their throats or have their blood. Upon that some angry words ensued. He thought the defendant was excited, but he was not drunk. Two or three drops of water were thrown on his head to wake him. It did not appear to annoy him, for he afterwards parted with Mrs. Windham in the most affectionate manner. He did not complain of the water being thrown over him. They were all in conversation for some time afterwards. He heard the defendant use a most violent threat to Mrs. Windham. He said he would cut her throat from ear to ear that night, and he made a movement towards Mrs. Windham. After that they thought it was their duty to stay with Mrs. Windham. They went down to the dining-room, and the same coarse lan guage went on. Witness did not see any weapon, but the defendant had his hand behind him. He did not know how the quarrel began. He thought Mr. Windham had been drinking. The next morn ing Mr. Windham wrote him a humble apology. He had certainly seen Mr. Windham throw a knife at Mrs. Windham on two occasions; the witness added that he thought Mr. Windham did not like anything to be said to him, for he soon lost his temper. Mr. Robert Burdett, of Boulogne, said he was on a visit to Mr_ Windham_ 1-b then corroborated the statement of Mr. St. Alban. The witness also said Mr. Windham had apologised to him. The defendant on being called upon for his answer to the charge said he had nothing to say. He went out with two or three persons, and went to a music hall, and other places. In the afternoon his wife accused him with taking money out of her purse, and it annoyed him. He was vexed with what he had done, and was ashamed of himself. He went away on Wednesday with the intention of going away altogether, He had written apologies to the gentlemen. Mr. Dayman told him that if he had carried out his threats it would have been then too late to apologise. The defendant said he walked upstairs grumbling, but he did not know what he did eay. Mr. Dayman said he thought Mrs. Windham's fear was very reasonable after what had occurred, and she was entitled to every protection. He ordered :iina to enter into his own recognisances in the sum of £5OO, and to find two sureties in the sum of £250 each, to keep the peace for six months. The defendant was not provided with bail, and he was removed by the gaoler. SUICIDE OF MR. COVEN. We have to record, says the Sheffield Independent, the death, by suicide, of Mr. Benjamin Cohen, of High-street, jeweller, who, our readers will recol lect, was arrested on Wednesday last on a charge of feloniously receiving gold and silver watches, stolen from Mr. Raynor, of Swansea, jeweller, nearly five years ago. The premises of Me. W. R. Raynor were entered by burglars during the night of Dec 11, 1857, and watches and jewellery taken away to the value of £1,200, the loss compelling Mr. Raynor to give up his business. No clue could be obtained to the stolen property until about ten days ago, when information reached the Sheffield police that several of the watches were in the possession of Mr. Cohen. This information was communicated to Mr. Raynor, who came over to Sheffield, and, armed with the authority of a warrant, searched the premises of Mr. Cohen, in company with Detective-officer Brayshaw and Inspector Jonathan Wood. Nineteen silver and nine gold watches, of the value of about £2OO, were positively identified by Mr. Raynor as part of the stolen property, and a further number of from 50 to 160 watches were believed also to have formed part of the booty, but could not be identified, being watches sent to Mr. Raynor for repair. Mr. Cohen was apprehended, and was taken before Mr. Dunn at noon on Thursday, on the charge of being in il legal possession of the 28 watches identified. The case was adjourned to give the prosecution an op portunity of completing their case. Mr. Cohen ap peared in a greatly excited state, and at the inter cession of his advocate, Mr. Broadbent, Mr. Dunn agreed to release him on bail to the amount of £6OO, secured by two sureties, as well as the prisoner's own recognisances. Mr. Cohen remained in cus tody until Friday evening, when substantial bail being tendered, he was released, and returned home. His excitement had greatly increased during his detention. He frequently said it was utterly im possible he could outlive the prosecution, and we arc informed that from the time of reaching home he was confined to his bed, and persistently refused to take any food. Though he gave such emphatic expression to the opinion that he could not outlive the prosecution, 'and though he was evidently in a state of the greatest excitement, his friends seem not to have been under any apprehension that he would attempt to take his own life, He was never theless closely watched. Mr. Henry Jackson, sur geon, was called in and attended Mr. Cohen regu larly. During a brief absence of his family and nurse on Tuesday morning about 7 o'clock, Mr,Cohen succeeded in possessing himself of his razor, which would appear not to have been removed from his room. With this implement he inflicted terrible gashes in the abdomen. Considerable reserve has been maintained as to the nature of these wounds. We are assured, however, that the principal wound extends in great part across the abdomen, and that there are three other gashes at right angles with it, each of a fearful kind, some of the wounds severing not only the skin and flesh of the abdomen, but the peri toneum or inner lining, and literally letting out the bowels. Mr. Cohen appears to have made no communication to his attendants, but his writhings and the profuse issue of blood quickly revealed what had taken place. Mr. Jackson was immediately sent for, and at tended along w ith Mr. Tinsley, who was also ca ll e d in. Th e me dical gentlemen attended to the wounds with the utmost skill, care, and promptitude, but they were of so terrible a character that from the first no hope was entertained of Mr. Cohen's re- Wan 3v lingered, lagYrevor, until a fuw mizulteto before ten o'clock in the evanimg, when death put an end to his ag o ny. The case is an extremes 17 melancholy one, whether viewed in relation tO the wealth and posi tion of the deceased or his trk:gic end. The case t this was the by y, and ex against him was necessarily Ml,:ch weakened the great lapse of time, but sgainh large extent and value of the prope.-t consequent necessity of giving a very bjear p thela - nation of the manner of becoming possessed of it. Mr. Cohen's explanation was that he bought the watches from a man who represented himself as. Mr. Raynor, of Swansea, stating that he had come purposely to Sheffield to dispose of his jewellery for Sheffield goods preparatory to going to Australia, This story received some confirmation from the fact that the watches still hear the name of Mr. Ray nor and other evidences of his ownership, which one would have thought Mr. Cohen would have re moved had he suspected the honesty of the person from whom he purchased. Be that as it may he so shrank from the ordeal of a prosecution as to take his own life. REMARKABLE CASE OF ALLEGED CEILD MURD.ER. Last evening Dr. Lankester, the Central Middle sex coroner, resumed an inquest at the Elephant and Castle, King's-road, Camden-town, opened on the 12th inst, touching the death of a newly-born male chid, supposed to have been occasioned by violence. Rosa Clifford, an under-housemaid, in the service of Mr. Scadding, 2, Gordon-street, Gor don-square, was alleged to be the mother of the child, and being too ill to attend, the adjournment took place in consequence, to enable her to be pre sent on this occasion. The Coroner opened the proceedings by stating that the inquest was adjourned in order to have the alleged mother of the deceased child before them, but she was not there, although it appeared she was in a condition to come. Inspector Reynard, of the C division of police„ said he was authorised by his superintendent to say that Rosa Clifford was in the custody of the police, and it was his duty to charge her before a magistrate. He could not allow her to attend the inquest without an order from the Secretary of State. The Coroner said this was the old story of a con flict between the Coroners' and the Police Courts. A Juror remarked that if that was the case, he could see no good in Coroners' Courts at all. Mr. Walter Scadding, of 2, Gordon-street, then gave evidence to the effect that Rosa Clifford was the under-housemaid to his family, She was waiting at their dinner-table at 7 p.m. on the Bth inst. As the first course waL being changed she left the dining room suddenly. The bell was rung for her return. She almost directly returned, but very suddenly left again. The Coroner--I suppose she wore plenty of cri noline? Witness admitted that she seemed to be wearing more crinoline than usual. Other witnesses examined proved beyond doubt, that Rosa Clifford must immediately after her last sudden disappearance from the dining-room have given birth in her bedroom to the deceased. Mr. J. H. Brown, 55, Gordon-square, was called to attend Clifford that evening, and in answer to his questions she resolutely denied having been con fined. On the following morning he again attended her, when his attention was directed to a box in her room, and in that he found the deceased. He per formed a post-mortem examination of the body. Externally there was a bruise on the nose, and the head was crushed. The two hones of the skull were extensively fractured from the top of the head downwards on each side. The lungs were only partially inflated. Tne crushed condition of the brain seem to have arisen from compression. The extensive fracture could not have been produced by the mere fall of the child from the mother on to the floor, but it might have been caused by the child falling on the floor and the mother falling upon it. The Coroner void it was now for the jury to say whether they should adjourn for the purpose of applying to the Home Secretary to allow this woman to be brought before them, or to come to a verdict at once. His present experience war ranted him in saying that the Home Secretary might feel it necessary to refuse the application, and it was for the jury to say whether another op portunity should be given for refusal. A juror thought that, as the girl had not been taken before any tribunal as yet, there could be no sufficient reason for the police to refuse her being brought before them. _ _ The Coroner said he had issued his order for the girl to be produced, and the police had refused to permit it. He could issue another order, but no doubt the police could and would prevent its exe cution under the existing law. He considered her presence was not necessary for them to find the cause of death, but he thought it only proper that persons implicated at a Coroner's Court should be present to hear what they were to be tried for. The court-room was cleared of strangers. The jury then deliberated, and finally determined to adjourn, for an application to be made to the Home Secretary for the production of Rosa Clifford. GOUN2 BY MARKLIS. V MANCHESTER-SEPT. 25. This morning the English wheat offering was mostly in poor condition, and experienced a slow sale, declining 2s per qr. American was in moderate demand, at late rates. Flour, except the best sorts, receded 6d to is per sack and barrel. Oats and oatmeal favoured buyers. Egyptian beans 6d per quarter dearer. Indian corn a slow sale, but held for quite as much money. BIRMINGHAM-SEFT.`2S. At this day's market there was a Mir supply of English wheat, mostly inferior, at a decline of is per qr on the cur rencies of this day week. Foreign also is lower in pi ice. Barley and peas brought fully former rates. Weather line. PLYMOUTH-SEPT. 23. White, 56s to 60s; red, 54s to 56s per qr; Dantzic, 57s to 58s ; American, Ms to 558 ; Spanish, —s to —s ; Rus sian, —s to - -s. Barley at previous rates-34s to 38s per qr for malting ; grinding, 27s to 288 ; oats, 23s to 27s ; and beans, —s to —s ; flour, 40s to 438 Od. CORK-SEPT. 23. The following were the quotations this morning :—Red wheat, 20s Od to 26s Od ; white, 22s Od to 28s Od, barley 13s Od to 14s Od ; oats, Os Od to lls 4d6 new bore, 15s Od to —s Od. EDINBURGH GRAIN—SErr. 21. A small supply of farmers' wheat to-clay, which brought the prices of this day week. Wheat on the top 3s Od up average Os 3d down. Barley on the top 5s Od down ..... average is Gd down. Oats on the top Os Gd down ... average Os 5d up. Beans on the top is Od up.. .....average 2s Od up. Total Supply and Sales. Wheat........ 357 qrs Sold 184 qrs Barley... a ... 1181 qrs Sold 783 qrs Oats Beans 66 qrs Sold 25 qrs Flour sells as follows :—Whites, 47s Od ; extras, 45s Od ; households, 38s 6d ; shop, 36s 6d. DERBY SMITHFIELD-SEPT. 23. A short show of fat beasts to-day ; the demand was flat, and a few remained unsold. A large supply of sheep and lambs, and prices as before. Fat calves scarce. Pigs in moderate supply, but equal to the demand. Beet 6id to 61d Veal . 6lcl to 7d Mutton .... 6ld to 71d Pork Lamb Bd to Bid Rough fat 4s 3d per stone. Hides, 3d to 41d; calf skins, 6d to 6d. UNPUBLISHED LETTERS OF JOHN KNOX.--It is said that we are to have soon, from a tried and competent historian, a volume of history, in which some 1,300 letters of John Knox, never before published, will be made the basis of some chapters on Scottish affairs.—Edinbury ji Courant. BIRTHS. BOWES.—On the 24th inst., at Paris, the wife of Holy Bowes, Esq., of a daughter. ESMONDE.—On the 21st inst,, at Pau, Bass es P yrenees, the lady of John Esmondo , Esq., M.P., of a son and heir. PALFREY. 0 n t t h. h e e 2 25th s inst., t„ t h at e 12,i fleVoclfliNinigr.tonT-hstermeeats, London -bridge , the wife of Dr. Palfrey, of a da ug ht er . , — lV O e n stminster-r h oad, of a son. M ARRIAGES. F P AP FtE Tait iN tr t I A Ci NTLE —CA7BELL. —On the 25th inst., at Stil lingfleet, Yorkshire, Captain Fremantle, Coldstream Guards, to Julia, youngest daughter of the late Major- General Sir Guy Campbell, Bart., C,13. MANLOVE-11tiSTIWORTII.—On the 24th inst., at Saint Mark's district church, Upper Hamilton-terrace, James Dixon Manlove, E sq., of The Park, Nottingham, to Annie, the eldest daughter of Edmund Rushworth, Esq., of Carlton-hill, St. John's-wood. DEATHS. AT KINSON,—On the 22d inst., at Charlton, near Salisbury, W. W. Atkinson, Esq., aged 77. BECKETT.—On the 22d inst., at Richmond-green, Surrey, John Beckett, aged 66. EDMISTON.—On the 10th June, at Auckland, N.Z., Mr. Augustus Weston Edmiston, second son of Mr. Edmis ton, Gracechurch-street, and of Holland Lodge, North Brixton, aged 41. IiALDIALAND.—On the 20th inst., at his residenc3, near Lausanne, William flaldiniand, Esq., formerly M.P. for Ipswich, and a Director of the Bank of England, aged 79. the 24th inst., at Grosvenor-gate, M o p N ar z k E - r la f ° n u: Judith, the beloved wife of Sir Moses Montefiore, Bart. NUDGE.—On the 17th inst., at Myrtle Grove, Torquay) Mr. Nicholas Mudge, aged 94. LONDON : Printed and Published by JOHN CHAPLIN't of N 0.112, Strand, Printer, at THE SUN Office N 0.1 1 29 Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the... County of Aoptogabor 26, Itsoll