The Sun. — London, England, 1859-12-01 00:00:00

THE LATE HON. NOTINT.STU.LIZT ELPRINSTONE. TO THE EDITOfi OF THE TIMES inzton re- Sir,—Soon after the Mike of turned from India he wrcte to his comra:ie, ;sir John Malcolm, expressing his. surprise that the many able public officers he had known and valued in that country should be so little esteemed. in Eng land: I hope you will pardon my saying that your notice of the illustrious man whose name I have placed at the head of this letter is an example of the accuracy of the great Duke's observa tion. Living, as I am, in the country, far from books of reference and public records, I cannot pre tend to do more than throw together the few fol lowing remarks on the deceased, which may serve as the foundation on which an abler pen may base one of those charming biographical sketches which, as each great man of our country passes away, adorn your pages. A great man is lost. Mountstuart Elphinstone was to the generality of the public men of Europe as gold is to pinehbeek ; but he had a soul which could rise above the honours of t his world—which could decline the peerage, and all the decorations which bedaubt statecraft in Europe ; and when his work was done he could " accept his position," and pass the evening of his life in his liorary, sur rounded by his "silent •friends;" and so it has come to pass that the British public might be left to believe that he was no more than a person who had " acquired considerable literary reputation for his work on Cabul." I had the honour and pleasure, when a very young man, of being selected by him as an under secretary to his Government, in which capacity I was atone time in daily intercourse with him,- and lived in his family, and I hope, therefore, I shall be considered the less intrusive in addressing you. Mr. Elphinstone joined the Bengal Civil Service at the age of 18, and - was very early art attache to the Political Resident at the Court of the Pesh wah (Nana's adoptive father) when the Duke of Wellington visited it, at the beginning of this cen tury. His eagle eye saw at a glance the promise which Elphinstone offered of his future greatness, and he was soon after attached to the Duke's suite, and acted as his aide-de-camp at the battle of As saye. He was afterwards Resident at Nagpore, Envoy to Cabul, and, in 1816, when the Marquis of Hastings took the command of the armies of the three presidencies against the confederated Mahrat tah Powers, of which the l'eshwah was the chief, Mr. Elphinstone was the British representative at his Court, and penetrated the inmost soul of that worthy sire of Nana Sahib, althoug,h he had suc ceeded in making Sir John Malcolm believe that he was a faithful ally Of the English. In the course of a few weeks Elphinstone's opinion of our ally was painfully verified to him by being burnt out of his own ambassadorial dwelling by tho emissaries of this friend, and he reached the British camp with no thing except the horse he rode and the clothes he wore. He forthwith ordered the British commander to march down and attack the Mahrattas. This act was criticised es a trespass on the soldier's part, but he- was a soldier of no mean order, and knew that it was our only chance against an army large enough, if they had been cannibals, to coneurne the British band at a meal, and the result wes the victory of Kirkee. During the action the British - commander was struck with paralysis, and, judging frofn the fact that when her Majesty bestowed a medal for this victory one was awarded to Mr. Elphinstone (the only decoration he ever had, because the only one he could not have refused with ;race), we may believe those who told us that Mr. Elphinstone commanded on that day. The result of the war of which the battle of Kirkee was the commencement consolidated that Indian British empire which has lately so nearly crumbled in our hands; and Moan tstuart Elphin stone was nominated the sob British Commissioner for the settlement of the Peshwah's territories ; and he is, perhaps, the only man in the whole range of I history who has'been the chief instrument in sub. verting a Government arid substituting a foreign yoke For the rule of one who was to his subjects High Priest as well as King (the Peshwah was a Brahmin, and his capital essentially a Brahmin city). Nevertheless, he won the love and respect of all the inhabitants of that conquered country, but he governed it for itself, and with due regard to the rights and privileges and with magnanimity for the feelings of the people at his feet. He upheld the aristocracy in their possessions ; he confirmed the titles of private landholders whom he found in possession ; and he pensioned others who had claims on his compassion 1 1 5 r their sufferings and losses, I served many years in that country, and never yet met the man who, having a claini on Bri tish justice or British compassion, had not received it at the hands of Mountstuart Elphinstone. I will not darken my present sketch by describing how this social fabric, on which, humanly speaking, the British Government would have stood fast till En gland should have lost her supremacy In the world, has been shaken and disfigured by what has bean called the "Resumption Policy"—the annexation policy—the confirming of real._ rights, &e.; but which might be stigaintised by epithets which would make both ears tingle. These things have, in their turn, under the auspice:; of liar gracious Majesty, passed away—as I hope, fur ever—and England is once mere ! , overning India four itself. Mr. Elphinstone in 1820 became Governor of Bombay, to which Presidency the Pcshwah's country was attached, and during the seven years heruled Western Indiathe Elphinstone code became law, which, for its brevity, its completeness, its clearness, itsenlightenedpsovisions, might be com pared to the Code Napoleon—in imitation of which it 3 le yes were coloured. The.cducation of the u.- per classes was commenced, and, on the principles he advocated, has extended itself so far and wide that we have now a body of educated natives whose abilities and acquirements must be secured in our service and in our defence, or they will soon become a dangerous weapon against us. But at this part in• Mr - . Elphinstone's carcer I wallet Bishop Heber speak :- -" I could not leave Bombay without regret. I had enjoyed in the unremitting kindness, the splendid hospitality, and 'agreeable conversation of Mr. Elphinstone the greatestpleasure of the kind which I have ever enjoyed either in India or Europe. Mr. Elphinstone is in every respect an extraordinary man, possessing great activity of body and mind, remarkable talent for and application to publid busi ness, a love of literature and a degree of almost universal information such as I have met with in xo other person similarly situated, and manners and conversation: of the most amiable and interesting character. While he has seen more of India and the adjoining countries than any man now living, and has llpen engaged in active political and some time military duties since the age of 18, he has found time not only to cultivate the languages of Hindostan and Persia, but to preserve and extend his acquaintance with the Graek and Latin classics. with the French and Italian, with all the elder and more distinguished English writers, and with the current and popular literature of the day, both in poetry, history, politics, and political economy. With these remarkable accomplishments, and not , withstanding a temperance amounting to rigid ab stinence, he is fond of society, and it is a common subject of surprise with his friends at what hours of the day or night he finds time for the acquisition of knowledge. His policy, so far as India is concerned, appeared to me peculiarly wise and liberal, and he is evidently attached to and thinks well of the country and its inhabitants. His public mea sures in their general tendency evince a wish to improve their present condition. No Govern ment in India pays so much attention to schools and public institutions for education. In none are the taxes lighter, and in the administration of jus tice to the natives in their own lan"uages, in the establishment of Punchayetes, in file degree in which he employs the natives in official situations, and the countenance and familiarity which he ex tends to all the natives of rank who approach him, he seems to have reduced to practice almost all the' reforms which had struck me as most required in the system of government pursued in those pro vinces of our Eastern empire which I hid previously visited. His popularity (though to such a feeling there may be individual exceotions) appears little less remarkable than his talents and acquirements ; and I was struck by the remark I once heard, that all other public men had their enemies and their friendS. their admirers and their aspersers ; but that of Mr. Elphinstone everybody spoke Of his munific ence (f or hi s liberality- amounts highly. this) I had heard much, and knew some instances myself. With regard to th e f ree press I was aurious to know the motives of apprehension which induced. Mr. Illphinstone to be so decidedly opposed to it in 1 his country. In discussing the topic he was always open nod candid, acknowledged that. the d. atv.rs ascribed to a free press in India had been exalverated, but spoke of the exceeding in conve: l'.ence, and even danger, which arose from the dist 'llion and dissension which political discus sion pi, tduced among the European (Avers at the diff 1-er .t stations, the emaarrassment occasioned to (Toyer] jll nt 1 - )y the exposure and canvass or all their measures by the _Lentuli and Grachi of a newspt iper, and his preference of decided and virrorou - s to half measures w here ;m y restrictive measuri is at all were necessary. I coufcis that his opinion • and experience are the strongest presump tions w hich I have yet met with in favour of the censors: hip. A charge has been brought against Mr. RI phinstone by the indiscreet zeal of an amiable but not well judging man, the Field Officer i if Cavalry,' who published his Indian travels that ' h e is devoid of religion, and blinded to all spiritua 1 :truth.' I can only say that I saw no reason to think so. On the contrary, after this; cha- I racter,which I had read of him, I was most m.r,;ree-- ably surprised to find that his conduct and cc'nver sation, so far as I could learn, had been al ways moral and. decorous, that he was regular in hi s at tendance on public worship, and not only well-in formed on religioul topics, but 'well pleased and for to discuss Them ; that his views appeared to me, on all essential subjects, doctrinally correct, and his feelings serious and deferential; and that he was not only inclined to do, but actually did more for the encouragement of Christianity, and the suppression or diminution of Suttees, than any other Indian governor has ventured on. That he may have differed in some respects from the peculiar views of the author in question I can easily believe, though he could hardly know himself irt a what this difference consisted, since I am assured that he had taken his opinion second-hand, and not from any thing which Mr. Elphinstone had either said or done. But I have been unable to refrain from giving this slight and imperfect account of the character of Mr. Elphinstone as it appeared to me, since I should be sorry to have it thought that one of the ablest and most amiable men I ever met with was either a profligate or an unbeliever." Again, speaking of Bombay, Ilebsr says " Its main advantage, however, is the society of Mr. Elphinstone, one of the ablest and most gentle. manly men I have ever known, and possessing a degree of popularity and personal influence, as well as an intimate knowledge of every person and thing within the Government, which I never saw before, except perhaps in the Duke of Richelieu at Odessa. This side of the:Peninsula is also indebted to Mr. Elphinstone for some very important and efficient improvements in the administration of justice, and who, both in amiable temper and manners, exten sive and various information, acute good sense, energy, and application• to business, is one of the most extraordinary men that I have fallen in with." When Mr. Elphinstone left India, in addition to the presentation of addresses from all classes, a college called after him was established by the natives ;' his statue by Chantry adorns the town hall, and other substantial tokens of respect and affection were offered. When Mr. Elphinston re turned home he wrote his well 7 known and greatest work, his History of India, of which I cannot now speak at length.. He wag, I believe, offered the peerage twice, with the high offices of Governor- General of India and of Canada. On her Majesty's accession, a deputation of the Directors of the late East India Company waited upon him to ask him to accept, as India's most distinguished servant, the Order of the Bath, a seat in the Privy Council, and other things which men esteem gorgeods appen dages were also offered, and in turn declined ; though his best services were at the disposal of his country in the shape of advice, and I have been told that one of the most able things he ever wrote was a letter on the working of the last India Act. The following extract from the last letter I ever received from my departed patron and friend, dated in January last year, will not be without its in terest and. its lesson at the present moment : " I partake very strongly of your feelings about the state of India and the altered positions of the natives and Europeans towards each other. It is impossible not to share in the indignation of the latter after the atrocities-perpetrated by so many of one class of the population, nor to feel how much its intensity must have been increased by their presence on the scene, and their distrust of the natives among whom they still lived, and on whose appearance of fidelity and attachment they had so little reason to rely; but the eagerness of the Cal cutta press, and of others still further removed from danger, to divide all India into two parties, blacks and whites, and to force every one of its in habitants to join one•or other standard, is scarcely less a profit . of insanity than the panic about car tridges which gave rise to this unhappy contest." I hope the Indian services at home and abroad will join to place a counterpart of Chantry's statue of Elphinstone by the bide of Malcolm in West minster Abbey, or, still better, by the side of Napier and Ilave?ock in our future British forum —Trafalgar-square. Arnewood-lodge, Hants. JOHN WARDEN. SUPPLY OF G AS TO THE METROPOLIS. DEPUTATION TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE. Yesterday a numerous and influential deputation, consisting- of representatives from most of the ves tries and - district boards ()t i the metropolis, -waited by appointment on the Right Hon. T. M. Gibson, at the Board of Trade, Whitehall. The deputation was aneompanied by the follow ing members of Parliament :—Sir J. V. Shelley, Sir J. Duke, Sir C. Napier, Mr. S. Locke, Mr. E. James, Q.C., Mr. Roupell, and Mr. W. Williams, and con sited of Dr. Baehhoffucr, Mr. (lodge, and Mr. Wingfield, from Mary lebone ; Messrs. Chinnock, Foxley, and Stevens, from _St. James's, Westmins ter ; Messrs: Clarke, Godson, and Hughes, from the WeAminster district ; , Mr. Jeffree and the Assistant Vestry-clerk from Lambeth ; Mr. Mar shall and the Vestry-clerk from St. Martin-in the-Fields ; the Clerk of the strand district b3ard ; Messrs. Cameron, Eldridge, and Farrel - , from St. Pancras ; Messrs. Fox, Langley, and Walker, from St. Wave's, Southwark; Messrs. Hot land, Price, and Redfern, from St. Mary's, Newing ton ; Messrs. Dowden and Bartolacci, from St. George's, Hanover-square ; Messrs. Perry, Watkins, and the vestry clerk from Chelsea; Mr. Fitchew, from Fulham ; Mr. Morphew, from Lewisham ; Messrs.lackson. Lobjoit, and Tolcher, from Wands worth ; Messrs. Gilbert and Wilkins, from Kensing ton ; the Rev. J. Carlyle, from Woolwich ; Messrs. ' Grant, James, Elt, and the vestry clerk, from Islington ; Mr. Waring, from St. Giles's district ;.' Mr. Wyatt, the Parliamentary agent ; Mr. J. Beal, the hon. secretary ; and Mr. S. Hughes, the hon. , engineer. Sir J. V. SHELLEY, M.P., in introducing the de- potation, observed that in addition to thoMemhers of the Legislature present, it consisted of repre sentatives from most of the vestries and dis trict boards of the metropolis. "Of the entire number of ;;8 separate vestries and district boards constituted under the - Metropolis- Local Management Act, no less than twenty-three had joined most heartily;in the prosecution of a bill to regulate the supply of gas to the metropolis. Of the remaining 15 several had hitherto held aloof be cause they were already supplied with gas at the low rate 4s. per 1,000 feet, which was below the price proposed to be enacted in the , bill of last ses sion. Since the delegates, however, had determined to press for a maximum rate of is. per 1,000 feet, it was confidently anticipated that every vestry and district board in the metropolis would co-operate in the movement. In consequence of an arrangement entered into by the gas companies to divide the metropolis into districts, each of which was to be supplied by a single company, the others agreeing to withdraw from competition, numerous petitions were presented to Parliament in 1837, and in con sequence two successive committees were ap pointed, one in 1858, and another in the following session. The compOsition of these committees was, he thought, evidently unfair, inasmuch as there were five members representing the metropolitan boroughs opposed to five members .having a direct pecumaTy interest in gas companies. The other five were independent members, nominated by the Government. The committee being thus peculiarly constituted, the result was, as might_ have been anticipated, that no agreement. was arrived at. A great mass of evidence was adduced before the last committee by the promoters of this inquiry, which gave rise to many conflicting divisions ; and such was the effect produced, and such the difficulty of coming to an agreement, that the committee at length determined to hear no more evidence, , and to report the whole to the house. In the last ses sion of 1859 a bill was brought in by the associated vestries and district boards ; but, owing to the late ness of the session, it was unavoidably introduced without the proper notices being given, and it was consequently withdrawn at the instance of the Standing Orders Committee. A new bill, however, was now in course of preparation, having for ! its object the regulation of priCe and quality, the limitation of dividends, and a variety of other matters usually introduced into gas acts, but from which most of the London companies were exempt, having obtained their acts on the distinct basis of competition. The ex• penses incurred by the vestries and district boards in prosecuting this measure had necessarily been very heavy. Contributions towards the object were at first made with great liberality; but opinions of counsel had lately been given, !tending to throw doubt upon the legality of such contributions. Under these circumstances he feared that much difficulty would be incurred in meeting the ex penses of next session, and the attention of the Government was therefore earnestly directed to the necessity for inteeferenee. Sir S. Shelley then quoted the proc ee di ngs t a k en b y t h e Government lin the Metropolis Water inquiry in 1852, and read an extract from a speech by Mr. E. James, Q.C., who was th en cou n sel for t h e Government, settlni , forth the g roun d s on w hi ch the Government deemed it desirable to interpose. That was a pre cedent which he thought might now be followed with advantage. Mr. LOCKE, M.P., entered into an account of the negotiations which had been attempted in the com mittee of 1859. These negotiations had at one time so nearly been successful that the maximum price had'actually been' agreed upon by both sides; and the princiral question remaining for settlement was as to the illuminating power of the gas—whether it should be equal to 12 sperm or 12 wax candles. The hon. gnitlemau also dwelt upon the ill muse- 1 -.14e SUN, LONDON' THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 1, 1559 -Onces which had resulted from a previous " dis tiicting".carried out in Southwark about the year 1851, and which Parliament refused to sanction, by the companies who had bean parties to it. Mr. E. lAMBS, Q.C., M.P., stated that, having been counsel for the Government in 1552, as inti mated by Sir J. Shelley, he had many communica tions with Sir G. C. Lewis, and contended that a perfect analogy existed between the two cases of gas and water supply. The same circumstances, therefore, which then justified the interference of the Government in the water question would now apply to the case of gas. Cir r . l a.l Dr. BACHHOFFNER described the injurious effect of the districting upon the consumers generally, and more especially with reference to the public lighting, increased charges for which had been made in Marylebone and many other parishes. Mr. J. BEAL (the honorary secretary) pointed out the disadvantages under which the metropolis la boured owing to the absence of municipal institu tions; in consequence of which the vestries were said to be unable to apply any portion of the rates to a matter of this vital importance. He complained that the metropolis in this respect was in a worse position than any corporate town in the kingdom. He proceeded to adduce numerous instances of in creased charges for pulslic lighting since the dis tricting. and dwelt on the arbitrary and unjust conditions which the gas company insisted on in troducing into recent contracts. He alluded more especially to the case of the very parish in which the Board of Trade was situate, where it had been , seriously contemplated to light with oil rather than submit to the conditions of the company. The bill about to be introduced sought to regulate the qua lity and price of gas, and, among other things, to abolish the vicious system of " d e p os it s ," whreby the companies were enabled to provide themselves with capital at the expense of their customers on the pretence of securing themselves against imagi nary losses. He called on the Board of Trade espe cially to interfere, as this was a matter essentially affecting the trading interests of the community. Mr. S. HUGHES (the honorary engineer) called attention tothe anomalies which at present existed both in the price and the quality of the gas supplied throughout the metropolis. The price for common gas might be said to range from 4s. per 1,000 feet without meter rents, to Os. per 1,000 with meter rents. Similar irregularities existed with reference to quality, the cannel gas supplied by different companies ranging in illuminating power from 18 candles to 25. He had recently tested the gas in many parts of Scotland, and found that the quality was very superior to that usually supplied in Lender'. lle had been informed by Dr. Fyfe, of King's College, Aberdeen, who had devoted pro found attention to' the study of gas, that the ave rage and common quality of the, gas supplied in that city was at least equal to 30 candles. Sir J. DUIiE, M.P., although a gas director, Could not refrain from complimenting Mr. Beal on the fairness and candour of his statement. He denied, however, that the gas =panics had raised their prices since the districting—(loud cries of dissent from all parts of the room)—and asked what com panies had done so in this and the adjoining parishes. (Several delegates immediately quoted instances in which the Chartered, 'the Equitiehle, the London, and the 'Western Companies had raised their prices for the public lamps.) He considered that no per fect analogy with reference to Government inter ference existed between the cases of water and.gas. The former was not a manufactured article the cost of which depended on the price of the raw mate rial, whereas it is well known that the price of gas was largely affected by the cost of coal. Mr. ROUPELL, M.P . ., contended that the analogy was perfect between water and gas, and that the former was as much a manufactured article as the latter. The water as taken from the Thames had to be purified, pumped up,and st,orel in covered re servoirs before distribution, and all these processes contributed to render it to all intents a manufactured article. Mr. WILLIams, M.P., followed to the same effect. After a few words from Mr. WYATT, the Parlia. mentary agent, , The PRESIDENT of the BOARD OF TRADE (who was attended by the vice-president and the secre tary), said that ho had listened . with great interest and the most earnest attention to the statements which had been made to him. Of course he could give no opinion as to the merits of the question without first hearing those who represented the gas companies. He was, however, quite convinced, from what he had heard, of the vast importance attaching to this subject, and he promised that it should have his most anxious and serious attention. It might be a question, should the Government de cide to take up the subject, whether the interference should originate with the Board of Trade or the Home Secretary ; but he was quite sure that in any ease the whole circumstances would receive due at tention from the Qoverntnent. Sir J. Sum.l, - Eir, in thanking the right hon. gen tleman for the patient attention with which he had lislened to the deputation, said it was their inten tion to wait upon the Home Sedretary, with the view of making similar representations to that de partment of the Government. TJ R.EC_EXT MUTINY ON BOARIi PRINCESS It SECOND AND THIRD COURTS. A .court-martial assembled on board the Victory in Portsmouth harbour, yesterday, for the trial of Samuel Ott, ordinary seaman, belonging to the Princess Royal, on the following charges :—" That he, the prisoner, did, on or about the 12th day of November, 18.39 " 1: Make a mutinous assembly. "2. Assault "William Withey, a private Royal Marine, then a sentry in the after cockpit, in the execution of his duty, and incite others to do so. Endeavour to make a mutinous assembly. "4. That, being present at a mutiny, he did not use his utmost endeavours to suppress the same ; and " 5. For disobeying the lawful commands of his superior officers when the drum belt to quarters, and in not going on the upper deck when the well-disposed men were piped to do so. The Court was composed of the same members as on the previous trial, with the exception of Capt. A. Farquhar, of her Majesty's ship Victory, sitting in the room of Capt. Cockburn, of her Majesty's ship Diadem. Commander Josling proved the prisoner's: being secured and sent on board the St. Vincent. Con sidered the recent disturbances on board the Princess Royal to have been of a most serious cha- racter. - Wm. Withey, private, Royal Marines; deposed : On the afternoon of the 12th inst. was sentry in the after cockpit on board the Princess Royal. Went on his post at 4 p.m. While on sentry heard a noise and disturbance on the lower deck. Saw the pri soner on the combings of the lower deck, trying to unship the after ladder. Heard him say, " Heave." When the prisoner was trying to unship the ladder I said to him, " Don't you unship or else it will be the worse for you." He said " Down with him," and tried to persuade the other men to come down the hatchway " to put down that good man Withey, and put out his light." There were several men round the hatchway at the time, all standing toge ther. The prisoner stooped down, and, taking up a prick of tobacco, threw it at me down the hatch way. \lon keys, bread-barges, with cutlasses and muskets, were also thrown down the hatchway by the rioters. The disturbance had been then going on about 20 minutes. Did not seethe prisoner again until the row had ceased. I then made a prisoner of him. He offered no resistance, but seemed un willing to go. He said " What have I done P—l have done nothing." I told him to go aft, or I would run him through. His name was afterwards given to Lieutenant Simpson, and he was afterwards passed up us a prisoner off the orlop deck. None of the men came down into the cockpit to " put me down," or put out the light. By the Prisoner—When you were trying to un ship :he lower deck ladder I was standing on the second step of the cockpit ladder. Recognised no face but yours. There was no light op the lower deck at the time, but the light from my lanthern shone up the hachway and enabled me to see your face. Richard Littlewood, corporal, Royal Marines, de 7 posed—l was in the after cockpit on board the Princess Royal during the disturbance. Private Withey was on duty there as sentry. Heard the prisoner say on the lower deck, "Break the Marines' mess traps and unship the after ladder." This was about half an hour after the disturbance began. SaW the prisoner, after the disturbance was over, coming down the ladder abaft the mainmast from the lower deck. I ordered him aft under the sentry's charge. I saw Lieutenant Simpson after wards, and told him where the prisoner had come from. Lieutenant Simpson then asked him what he was doing on the lower deck. He replied, " I am supposed to be on the lower deck." Was in the cockpit the whole time of the disturbance, and saw shot, rifles, and cutlasses thrown down by the rioters. By the Prisoner—The light hung against the after ladder in the cockpit. Did not see any one touch it or take it away. It was not the only light. There was a small lamp hanging against a sick officer's hammock. Lieutenant James Simpson, Senior Lieutenant of the Princess Royal, was then examined, but his evidence was merely corroborative of that already given. Johnson, boatswain's mate—l piped the call for the well-affected men to go . on the upper deck. It could be heard all over the lower deck, because at the time I piped " attention" the noise " slack ened," but the words I used could not be heard in all parts of the lower deck.. The remainder of the witness's evidence was merely corroborative. The case for the proscution was then closed, and the prisoner was allowed half an hour to prepare his defence, at the end of which time the court was re-opened, and the prisoner's defence read by the Deputy Judge-Advocate. The prisoner denied taking any part in the disturbance, and said it was impossible to get on the upper from the lower deck, and further declared that lie did not hear the pipe for the well-disposed men to do so. The Court again closed to deliberate on their finding, which, on its being re-opened, was read by the Deputy Judge-Advocate. The , Court was of opinion that the first four charges were proved, and adjudged the prisoner to 18 months imprisonment in Winchester Gaol, with hard labour. The Court immediately proceeded to try James Griffiths, able seaman, on the following .charges 1. For making a mutinous assembly. 2. For utter ing words of mutiny to Lieut. Simpson, by calling him a " white-livered son of a —, an d by defying him to come on the lower deck, or words to that effect. 3. Endeavouring to make a mutinous assem bly. 4. Being present at a mutiny, and not using his best endeavours to suppreis the same. Lieut. James Simpson deposed—During the dis turbance I recognised the voice of the prisoner; heard him say, " Come down you --, and we'll give it you," or words to that effect. I sung out to the prisoner, " Griffiths, I know your voice." He replied, " Lieut. Simpson, you are the cause of the .disturbances," or words similar. There were present at the this; Crayton, the gunner's mate, and John son, the boatswain's mate. A portion of the ship's company wet e at this time engaged in the riot which has been described. Heard the dram beat to quarters and the pipe for the men to go on deck. It was towards the latter part of the disturbance that I heard the, prisoner make use of the expressions I have stated I was standing by the after iron ladder ; that lad der was open. I could not see the prisoner. I heard him make use of no language beyond what I have stated. The prisoner belonged to the first part of the-port watch. Alfred Crayton's gunner's mate, deposed—l heard Lieutenant Simpson call to prisoner by name to come up off the lower deck. The prisoner replied " Yes ; and I know you, you white-livered son of a ;" and told him to come down on the lower deck, and thty would do something to him, but I did not catch the conclusion of the sentence. The prisoner had been drinking. Saw the prisoner make no efforts to come up when summoned to do so by Lieutenant Simpson. Could not-see him, and could only judge of his position by his voice. William Johnson, boatswain's mate, corroborated the evidence previously given. The case for the prosecution being closed, and the prisoner being called upon for his defence, said, I. atever heard my name mentioned on the lower deck, and I am innocent of calling Mr. Simpson the names attributed to me. The Court was then closed, and, on its reopening, declared all the charges proved against the prisoner except the last, and adjudged him to two years' imprisonment, with hard labour, in Winchester Gaol. The Court will again assemble on board the Vic tory this day, and proceed with the trial of the re. mailing two cases. OFFICIAL ADVICE TO TROOPS GOING To CHINA. The Monaca). de 1' Armeepublishes the following official advice to the French troops going to China. The regula tions are certainly amusing, and no doubt useful—miscuil at:le dulec. 1. Have warm clothing in winter. 2. Never remain in damp or wet clothes unless you aro at work or on the march. 3. In summer wear light clothing of soft wool, or art era id yea linen. Be careful to wash this clothing whoa it is soaked with perspiration. 4. Wear flannel both as a waistcoat and round the abdo men. leave it off. .5. Never sleep on the bare ground. Put a plank under 'our feet when you stand still. 6. In summer put a little straw upon your plank and cover it with a matting of ropo yarn or bamboo. 7. Never drink water, always tea. 8. Clarity your water, when it is muddy, with rock alum. 9. Drink in moderation the spirits of the country, taking care to warm them first. Th. best spirits aro those mud° from sorgho (kao-lyang) or wheat. 10. Eat moderately. 11. Never eat ducks. The best meat is that of Tonquin, when riof eat too fat. 12. Eat but sparingly of sweets and fruits. The sugar cane is almost the only wholesome sweet thing. All others are either too heating, or sit cold on the stomach. Never eat fruit too ripe. 13. As soon as you arrive in the country acquire the habit of eating rice as the natives cook it ; their rice is much better than bread, which is always heating. 14. When you smoke, spit as little as possible. 15. At night take care to coveryour head well, and more particularly your eyes. 16. In hot weather avoid cold places; draughts are always dangerous.. 17. In spring and autumn take care never to get wet footed on a morning. 13. WCvcr take a nap in the daytime. LAMENTABLE CATASTROPHE 1N THE FRITH OF CLYDE. (From the Glasgow Herald.) We lament to announce a collision in the Frith of Clyde yesterday morning, by which the screw steamer Eagle, trading between this port and Lon donderry, has been sunk, and many lives have been lost. The Eagle left Glasgow, and ultimately Greenock, with passengers and 200 sheep, on her passage to Derry on Monday evening, between eight and nine o'clock, and when off Lamlash, about midnight, she came into collision with the Pladda, a ship laden with timber, and waterlogged, which was proceeding up Channel in charge of a tug. The night was, on the whole, clear, but there were occa sional gusts of wind and showers of sleet. The tug and ship were seen at some distance from the deck of the steamer, and it would appear that the former had been cast off from the ship, which, under the influence of the freshened breeze, was making up upon her. Some alteration was being made on the Pladda's sails, which was not completed, as is alleged, when the Eagle came up opposite to her, but at a sufficient distance to pass safely. At this moment, however, the ship refused to answer her helm, when sha swung round and struck the steamer heavily on the port side, a little behind the gangway ; and from the effects of this collision she went down in a quarter of an hour, when, although 34 were saved, it is feared that not fewer ilia!' 20 people have perished. As the ship floated close to the sinking steamer, and two tugs were close at hand, it appears lamentably strange that there should have been such a loss of life on a comparatively clear night, and in moderate weather; but until we have authentic particulars we must attribute the loss of life to the confusion causal by the steam rushing direct from the boiler, the shattered state of the after•part of the Eagle, and the uncertainty which prevailed for a time as to whether she or the Pladda was most seriously damaged. Meanwhile, we give the fol lowing particulars, gleaned from the captain and other persons who were on board the Eagle, as we ' have not yet had an opportunity of communicating with any of those on board the Pladda. Captain Eaglesham, of the Eagle steamer, says that vessel left Glasgow on Monday afternoon about 4.45, and, after touching at Renfrew, steamed to Greenock, which port •he left at 845 p.m. The weather was then moderate and clear, except at intervals, when slight showers of sleet fell, with a slight haze. Everything progressed favourably till about a quarter or 20 minutes to 12 o'clock, when the man on the look-out reported a light on the port-bow, which proved to be the light of the tug steamer Reckless, which had the ship Pladda in tow. The red light of the Pladda was also visi ble. The captain of the Eagle then caused his vessel's helm to be ported, so that the vessels might be a greater distance apart from each other. This course was kept until the ships came pretty near abreast of the Eagle, when all of a sudden the Pladda's green light became visible, and imme diately thereafter her b ow s t ruc k the Eagle's port side midships, carrying away her funnel, steam pipe, boat, mainmast, and cutting the steamer down to the water's edge. The confusion now was great —the smoke and steam preventing the captain and crew from ascertaining accurately the extent of damage, or enabling them to suggest to the pas sengers the best c ourse t o adopt. The ship con tinued in the same position for about ten minutes, and then backed out clear from the Eagle. The steamer's head then tell to eastward, and came in contact with the ship's bow again. During both of these occasions the passengers on board the Eagle could have got on board the Pladda, but they were in a dilemma, not knowing whether she or the steamer was most damaged. When it was found that the Eagle was sinking, the chief engi neer, got the lifeboat in readiness, but before it could be of any use th e s t eamer went down, leaving those who had not been fortunate enough to get on board the Pladda struggling in the water among wreck and 200 sheep. The captain was in the water about 15 minutes before he was picked up. All the crew of the steamer were saved, except the second mate, Robert Campbell, who is missing ; but as there wax a second tug in the vicinity of the wrecki it is possible he may have been picked up. The Pladda, it appears was waterlogged, had her sails set, and, the breeze freshening, she did not require the tug's assistance. This being the case the order was given to shorten sail, which was done at the fore part of the vessel, but before the other sails could be taken in she refused to answer her helm, changed her course, and the dreadful collision was the consequence. The Eagle remained afloat between 15 and 20 minutes after the acci dent. Some of the steerage passengers state that the number was a b ou t 50, but we are informed that there were not so many, 35 or so being about the number. When the collision took place they rushed on deck in the greatest state of alarm, and in the confusion, thinking the cabin the safest place, proceeded thither;: but, on being informed that the steamer was fast sinking, they made the best of their way to the bow of the Pladda, clung to her rigging, and by these means several were saved. There were three female passengers in the steerage ; one of them had three children, all of whom were drowned. Two cabin passengers, named Mr. and Mrs. Hunter, were both drowned. They belonged to Donegal. and :the sheep which were on botrd were their property. The stewardess of the Eagle limn' narrow escape when the vessel went down. She was actually sinking, when she fortunately seized two sheep which were struggling in the water, and by these means she was supported till picked up by a boat. One gentleman was awakened from his sleep by the concussion, and on ascending the cabin stairs felt the greatest difficulty in getting upon deck, in consequence of the stairs and doors being smashed in, from the effects of the collision. From the clouds of steam and the dis rupted state of the afterpart of the vessel he could see no one, but observed the bowsprit of the ship across the steamer's deck. He succeeded in getting on boat d the Pladda, and thereby saved his life. Perhaps the most miraculous escape was that made by the chief engineer- of the Eagle. When the ship was sinking he made all haste to one of the lifeboats which was not smashed, for the purpose of unfastenin,g the lashings, so that it would be in readiness. Before, however, the boat could be launched the steamer went down, stern foremost, in an almost perpendicular form. The engineer unfortunately got entangle& among the debris, by which he was kept under water for several minutes and nearly suffocated. In his struggles he came in contact with a wooden grating, which he caught and supported himself. At this juncture he observed two men struggling with the waves a short distance off, one of whom was of stout make and the other thin: In a minute he heard a gur gle coming from the throat of the stout man, and Ile immediately sank. The other man was picked up. The engineer says he was within 30 feet of the steamtug when he called for help, but no attempt at this time was made by those on board the tug to save anyone. He then observed one of the boats a short way off, and h a il e d h er . Th ose on b oard re cognised his voice, and pulled towards him, but he told them ho could hold out a while longer, and if they saw any other person floating to take him on board first. ;Unfortunately, hoWever, no other per son could be seen, and the engineer was hauled on board, and then transferred to the Pladda, The survivors, numbering in all 34, were treated with great kindness while on hoard the Pladda, and they were conveyed to Glasgow by the Itothesay steamer Eagle yesterday afternoon. It is impos sible to state the number lost ; but it is feared that the sufferers will amount to not less than twenty. As yet, however, there is no accurate means of knowing. The crew would amount to about 20, and the average number of 'passengers carried at this season is about 30. This would give in - all 50, of whom 34 were saved. But this may not be all, Up to the time of the catas trophe the captain had not proceeded to lift the fares or tickets, and, as some went in with tickets at the Broomielaw, and some at Greenock, while others travelled with free passes, by reason of their being traders, it is thus impossible as yet to give an aoeurate statement of the loss of life. The Eagle was comparatively a new vessel, having been built by Messrs. Denny and Sons, of Dumbarton, in 1857. She was 400 tons burden, her engines wore 00-horse power, and she was con sidered a safe seaboat. We have already said that, with the exception of the second mate; who is missing, all the crew were saved. Among the passengers saved are,---Mrs. M'Kenna, Coleraine ; Mr. Stubbs, of Messrs. Gray and Co.'s, Glasgow; John Wilson, provision mer chant, Pollokshaws ; Mr. Mitchell, land steward, Ireland ; J4mos M'Cann , Colerai ne ; David M'Mas. ter (who was severely injured) ; 'Terence Kavany, county of Fermanagh ; W. Brown, 36, King-street, Glasgow ; Robert Johnston' sculptor, Dumb ar t on ; Peter Tierney, Lamer, Sligo ; John Bishop, Quality-court, Leith; Patrick Boyle, Duntocher ; John Dougan, Middle Kildrum, Donegal; Francis Nl'Laren, Lemaugh, county of Antrim; Thomas Connelly, Balinakill, county of Galway; W. Gil lam, Leninugh, county of Antrim ; Thomas M'lfin mev, liallinamore, county of Antrim ; Thomas VG inky, Meanamy ; Jahn Grawny, Glead ; James Winn, Jogliaby, Kialronnan, county of Roscom mon; Thomas Bryson, Londonderry; John Mit chell, Creoagh, Londonderry; John Sheridan Sinai! Quarter, county of A n t r i m. , The leading merchants of London interested in the trade with Mexico are about to present a memorial to Lord John Russell requesting. the protection of the British Government against. the outrage• and spoliations to which the Enirlish mercantile resident s in that country aro now expo, CENTRAL CRIOHNAL COURT. OLD COURT. (Before Baron Bramwell.) CHILD 3 IIIRDER. [A portion of the following appeared in our impression of yesterday :]— Sarah Jane Wiggins was indicted for the murder of a male child, three-and-a-half years old, by tying it to a bed-post. Mr. Clark, who appeared for the prosecution, said the prisoner cohabited with a man, the father of the child, and that its death was occasioned by the severe punishment in flicted upon it by the prisoner, who tied it to the bed-post horizontally from seven o'clock on Tuesday night until seven o'clock the next morning. The learned gentleman then called— Emma Scott, who said—l am married, and reside at No. 4, Clarence Cottage, Hackney, the same house in which the prisoner resided. She lived with a man named White, who left her, three weeks before the child died, with three children—two girls and one boy. Tho boy was about 31 years old. I last saw the boy alive on Tuesday, the 22d of September. The deceased was under the doctor's hands for an abscess. On that day I went out about five o'clock in the afternoon, and when I returned about six o'clock I found he had been put to bed. Prisoner came home at a quarter to eight o'clock. She went to that room. I heard her go upstairs, and then I heard heavy slaps, as though given with the open hand, but I heard no scream. After that I saw prisoner come downstairs and go out, taking the eldest girl with her. She returned in about half an hour, it being then a quarter to nine. The following morning I saw the eldest girl come downstairs, and at 20 minutes to 8 o'clock I heard heavy slaps above. They were repeated five or six times. I did not hear any scream or cry ? The prisoner was then upstairs. About half-past 8 o'clock I heard prisoner come downstairs, and saw her pass my window in a great hurry, almost running. She came back in a quarter of an hour, went upstairs, returned directly, and screamed at the top of the stairs. I went to my door and asked " What is the matter ?" She replied, " Oh, my little Jemmy has gone." I said, " Oh, dear me ; not dead ?" and she answered, " Yes ; go and see." I ran up. and saw the child with its clothes on lying upon the bed. It was quite still. We both went downstairs, and the doctor entered as I was going out for assistance. It was then about a quarter to 9 o'clock, 'When the doctor was there sho said she could not account for the bruises. I saw the bruises then ; and after ho had vile she told me that the child had been very weak—relaxed in the inside. I have often heard heavy slaps, never seen them given. On the Tuesday the prisoner told me that during the past night the child had been relaxed in his inside, and made much mess. On the next day, Wednesday, she told mo that the child had made no more dirt, and she did not think he would again, as she had punished him. I asked "In what way did you punish him ?" and she answered, " I took him upstairs when the other children went to bed, and after he was undressed and had said his prayers, I tied him to the bedstead, with his hands fastened down." I said, " Oh, Lord, you surely did not keep him there all night ?' and she answered " Yes, I did, until 7 o'clock this morning." Cross-examined by Mr. Poland—The room I reside in is a small one. A passage divides the room. I have two rooms, one up, and the other down stairs. The prisoner had another child besides besides the three I have men tioned living with her. 'White and the prisoner seemed to live very comfortably together. I never saw her illtreat the little boy Jemmy. By the Judge—The general conduct of the prisoner to wards the children was kind, but she sometimes slapped them. She believed they had food enough. Fanny White, sister of the deceased, said she was nine years of ago. She remembered her mother, who was dead. Her father was a gentleman's servant, lie left home three weeks before her brother died. After her mother's death, Mrs. 'Wiggins, the prisoner, came to live with them. Her brother died on a Wednesday. On the evening before Mrs. Wiggins came home and witness went up stairs to go to bed, herbrother was in bed. Mrs. Wiggins went up, and hav ing found that the boy had been crying for water pulled him out of bed and tied him to the bed-post. She made him say his prayers, and then she got on tie bed and held him in her arms. She then tied him round with a cord. She tied his hands behind him. She tied him to the long piece of wood which crosses the bed at the bottom. There were four posts to the bed. She tied his hands and feet to the bar, and she also tied a cord round his breast, his head hanging down. (A model of the bed was produced. From the description given by the witness it appeared that the boy was tied up to the top bar, or cross piece of a four-post bedstead, and that he hung on the cords which bound him, his head hanging down). After she had tied up the boy the prisoner got into bed. W hen witness awoke in the morning little Jamie was still there. She frequently heard him " winnick" during the night. She went down to light the fire in the morning, and when she went up again her brother had been taken down, The prisoner took hint up and shook him, and then put him on the ground. Witness could not tell whether the boy was living or dead at that time. The prisoner went out, and the &v.:tor came shortly afterwards. A policeman came and wtrness went upstairs with him. The child was then aziad. The prisoner had before that tied him to the bell -post with only his shift on for making a dirt, and kept him there all night. On that occasion, however, he was in a standing position. The pri soner often slapped her brother. Nothing material was elicited by Mr. Poland's exami nation. By the Judge—Sho saw her brother after ho was dead. He had bruises en his face. She thought they were caused by the slaps which the prisoner gave him. Sarah White, a child apparently about six years of age, confirmed the evidence of the last witness. Mr. Edward Dennis Hucon, surgeon, of Richmond-road, Hackney, said—l have attended the deceased child. Un questionably its death resulted from violence. I have made a post mortem examination. I found the stomach perfectly contracted, an 1 manifestly 'without food for some time past, although it had been well nourished. The immediate cause of death I believe to have been by an effusion of blood upon the brain. I found marks of ligatures round the head, hands, and body. The jaws wore firmly closed, only to be opened by great - violence. The result of a child being tied to a bed in the way described would be apoplexy. James "White, the father of the deceased child, was called and said he left the children in the charge of the prisoner. She behaved very kindly to the children while ho was at home. Ho frequently sent her money. This was the case for the prosecution. The jury, after a few minutes' deliberation, found the prisoner guilty of manslaughter. The learned Judge said the jury had found a very proper verdict. It had been the habit of the prisoner to treat the child with the greatest cruelty, until at last death had re sulted from her unnatural treatment. The case was a very bad one, and the sentence of the Court was that she be kept in penal servitude for 10 years. TRIAL OF DR. SMETHURST. ItIG &MY. Thomas Smethurst was indicted for unlawfully and felo niously intermarrying with ono Isabella Bankes, his wife Mary being then all , : e. Mr. Clark appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Sleigh mid Mr. Salter defended the prisoner. On the indictment being read over, the prisoner pleaded "Not guilty." Mr. A. M'Crostic—l am clerk in tho London and We minster Bank. The handwriting in the register is that of the prisoner, 'Thomas Smethurst, whom I have known for 20 years. The Clerk of the Court then read the entry from the parish register, which was to tko effect that Thomas Sme thurst was married at St. Mark's district church, Kenning ton, on the 10th of March, 1823, to Mary Durham, by the Rev. W. Otter, now deceased. Mr. Clark said he appeared there, by direction of the Secretary of State for the Home Department, to prosecute the prisoner for bigamy. It would be unnecessary fur him further to allude to tho case than to say that in August last the prisoner was tried and sentenced to death for murder, which sentence, however, had not been carried out. It was during that trial that the present offence was discovered, for it appeared then that the prisoner married a laity named Isabella Bankes, for cans ing the death of whom he was indicted, during the lifetime of his first wife, Mary. He should merely prove, what he had stated by witnesses, and then ask for the committal of the prisoner on a charge of bigamy. The learned gentleman then called Mr. William Easter, who said—l am the clerk at St. Mark's Church, Kennington. I produce the registry book of marriages celebrated in that parish during the year 1828. Mr. C. Lafont—l am acquainted 'vith the handwriting of Mary Durham. The signature in the book is in her handwriting. Cross-examined by Mr. Sleigh—Mary Durham is my mother. My ago is 52. The prisoner is not my father. On the 10th March, 1853, my father was alive. MI - examined—Mary Durham went by the name of Johnson when she married the prisoner, and I also went by that name. My father, Mr. Lafont, went by the name of Johnson. I did not know his name was La • font until after the marriage. After that event my father introduced me to his family. A Charles 'Admit, jun., sou of l as t w it ness —l h ave several times seen Mrs. Smethurst (Mary Durham) at Rifle Ter race, Bayswater. The last time was about a fortnight after the prisoner was taken into custody on the charge of mur der. Mr. Joseph Smith—l rosido at Itiile-terrace, Bayswater. I keep a boarding-house there. The prisoner resided with nm with Mrs. Smethurst in 1858. They lived as husbsnd and wife. Miss Isabella Bank - es also resided there in 1858. She quitted my house on the 29th November, 185 S. The prisoner left on the 12th December, 1858. The prisoner's wife continued to live in my house aftEr he had left. She remained until the Juno following. I don't know where she went to when sho left my house. I suppose she lived somowheio in the suburbs Cross-examined—l have never soon Miss Louisa Bankes in conversation with her late sister and Mrs. Smethurst. The deceased lady use] to call the wife of the prisoner Mrs. Smethurst, and so did everybody in the house. Mr. James Spice—l am clerk of the parish church of Battersea. I produce the regi4.er of the marriages tole of grated in the church in 1858. I find therein a register a marriage by license between Thomas Smethurst and Isabella Bankes, on the 9th of December, 1858. I wag e n° of the wit nesses t o t h e ceremon an d L u cy Ambrose wt° the other. The prisoner is the ;el-son married in th e hal° of Thomas Smethurst. Miss Louisa Baulces was next called. I s abella Mr. Clark—Will you look at the signature of cc Bankes," and tell if you know in whose handwriting i t ie• Miss Bankes—lt i s i n th e h an d wr iting of my murdered sisteCrr. (Great sensation.) oss-examined by Mr. never was introduce to Mrs. Smethurst at Rifle-terrace, Mr. C. L a f on t recalled, and, in answer to the 10artle— judge, said—Whil e my father was living with toy mother under the nam e o f Johnson, their relatives d id not vh'it them. They went out together to parties. Dr. Smethurfit called my m o th er by t h e name o f J o h ns on. I intr oduced him to her as a friend of my own. H e a fterwards v isited in a friedly manner. Mr. Sl n eigh, for the prisoner, submitted that th e P reseew ha t tion had alt oge th er f a il e d , as they had omitted to sho w t . d Mary Durha m was a person capa bl e o f forminga vetl marriage in 1828. r osecu• Mr. Clark cont en d e d th at i t was no p a rt of the p tion to prove the first as a valid marriage, as it re sted wi th theßare dfence to show the on Bramwell said he was y et' . opinion that there was S .ft ad" case to go to th e j ury , b ut as J ust i ce B y l e s was I . ac , joining room, ho wou ld consult h i m. H e had, howe ver ' - doubt whatever upon the point. The learnedjudge then retired for a few minutes; el l hi° return of "ftot His lordship said M r . J us ti ce Byt e s was stroao opinion that th ere was a case to go to th e jury. a Mr. Sleigh th en rose t o a dd ress the jury, an briefly to uc hi ng upon t h e po i nts g i ven i n evi ceedod to argu e th a t th e par d on th e pr i s oner hill] ra ce r ili4 t he was to be taken as a certificate of his innocence crime of murder with which he had boon chargyl• l" * i o n is Baron Bramw e ll—l d on ' t t hi n k, M r . Sleigh.) aP; ne t any more a certificate of innocence than a wrdioi of guilty, Loud demonstrati ons o f app l ause followed this absir vation, in the mid s t o f w hi c h the learn ed j u n d .. g ; exclaimed, in a l ou d vo i ce , " Mr. Usher 701 me a person who is m a ki ng th a t,noise. Indeed, rich prevent a repetitio n o f it. I t i s most unseemly that 0 0 demonstrations should t a k e pl ace i n a co urt of jus tice. too such things were tolerated their proceeding wou ld spe n lowered to that of a bear-garden." ce d ed with Silence having boon re s t ore d, M r . Sl e igh proc t ion his address, and ap o l og i se d if h e h a d ma de • an y observii-tio out of his positio n as th e a d vocate o f the prisoner at 1828 was invalid, because the bar. Ho thought that the marriage which to° k P isel ' l ted ' had Crowna a po gitial tp to show that one of the parties at least was in contract marriage. f The learned judge briefly summed up the evidence, , of after a short delitaration,vend ie' the jury returned a • Guilty. 11 014 Previous to passing sentence, Mr. Baron Brainwe,,aeli as there was a peculiarity in the case, he would 7. t o 3 with Mr. Justice Byles, and his .lordshiP t court for this purpose. In about two in ie/1 7 Derr f returned into court, and, addres • the Prl7 f• sing f h t 0 said he had been found guilty of bigamy, and sentence rdth folic°, and that only, was ho about to 'together fal He wished to express no opinion on the charge as ho did not think he ought to take that into co si° out as an augmentation or diminution of punishment. do ubt with respect to the last marriage, it was ber nd a a , aske d the prisoner took a f a l se oa th, b ecau se when. w re plied if he knew any impediment to the marriage , h e tinder he did not, well knowing he had a wife then livrat ate:o all the circumstances he thought it his duty 1 0 ; w - eft the prisoner to one ye ar ' s i m p r i sonme nt with 2'IIE On Tuesday- evening a considerable number of per sons were invited to the Crystal Palace to witness the exhibition of a new lighting apparatus. For several years back the ingenuity of inventors has been directed to the discovery of a mode of light ing more economical, more convenient, and more powerful than that which we now possess by means of the generation of light from coal. The electric light, which has been frequently exhibited in Lon don, was the netirest approach to a mode of lighting calculated to supersede. the existing means of produc ing light from coal; but, though admitted to be ex ' treniely powerful, it was deficient in that steadiness, ' continuity, diffusiveness, and economy which could alone render it available for the practical purposes of life. These, therefore, were the - recommendations which any 110. W inventors must associate with their light, in order that it should become of practical importance ; and it was forth,: purpose of showing how far they had succeeded in this respect that they invited a large public to witness the exhibi tion of their light yesterday evening at the Crystal Palace. The new light is obtained by projecting a jet of oxygen and hydrogen, or oxygen and car biiretted hydrogen gases combined, upon a surface of linie,.and so regulating the supply and protect ing the lime from crumbling away as to ensure, with perfect continuity, a maximum brilliancy of intensity .and continuity. With regard to the power of the lime light, a single jet of medium size has been found to be equivalent to 40 argand or 80 fish-tail burners, each Consumirig five cubic feet per hour, or to 400 wax. candles of four to the pound. The new .light is represented to be peculiarly adapted for coast lights, steamers, sailing vessels, railways, s;gnals, bridges, wharfs, churches, facto ries, public rooms, squares, large and important thoroughfares. From its portability, it is eminently adapted for military operations in the field, both in attack and defence of important positions, as well as the service of the Coastguard, both as an element of protection against surprise, and as a valuable adjunct to the already extensive arrangements for the safety of life. A very important application of the light is its adaptation to the mining service, by which the safety of the' miner will be effectually secured by the enclosure of the light, and its supply with oxy gen gas, without the necessity for direct communi cation with the surrounding atmosphere. With respect to the important question of expense, it was stated that the cost of maintaining the light . was considerably less than any other known light, in the following proportion :—Oxyhydrogen lime light, I.d. per hour ; coal gas, 4d.; argand oil, 1.5 d. ; wax candles, God. per hour. How far these representations may he borne out in practice can only be ascertained by the test of ac tual experience, but, us far as the exhibition of last night was concerned, the result wad entirely satis factory. The larger portion of the transept of the .Crystal Palace was illuminated by the new ight, concentrated in a large disc, and its illustra tive power was conveyed in a column of distinct rays to the spectator at the further end of the pa lace.. The light was steady, brilliant, and diffusive, and if it can be economically distributed there can be little doubt of its suece.4. . Every one can appre ciate the advantage, in economical arrangements, of a light from lime in preference to a light from coal; and without taking upon ourselves to decide whe ther the proposed lime light be the most efficient illuminator, there can be little doubt that the time is not remote when a mode of generating, both light and heat, more economical and more effective than the present one, will-be discovered by the necessi ties, if not by the ingenuity of man. After the exhibition of the light, the company sat down to a sumptuous dinner, at which Captain Richards, chairman of the Lime Light Company, presided. The prosperity of the company and the success of the undertaking was, as might be ex pected, the chief topic of conversation, and amongst those who bore testimony to the importance of the re,s , t! , lts obtained by th e company was Si r C . B r i g h t. ne musical arrangements of the evening were conducted by Mr. Genge, and Mr. Toole pi rformed the duties of toastmaster in the most efficient manner. Tim BUILDERS' STRIKE.-It appears from official returns by the members of the Central Association of Master Builders that above 15,000 men were at work under the de claration on Saturday, the 26th ult., and up to the same date about 4,000 men had entered under a shop rule cmbrac iva the spirit of the dtauuti)u, COUNT.RY MARIC.STS. NEWARK—Nov. 30. both 41 1,1 , There was a moderate show of wheat to-dol l ; pi ost_ a .- - • and new. Buyers operated very slowly, An d 1 or/ ' lv a stances prices were is lower. Malting baTlefair reti u Oats a limited show at late rates. Beans 111 31 4 at late rates. 27a to or White wheat, new, 48s to 50s Barley, grind ing.. .3o o° og Red do. 4 OB t o 44 s O a ts, old, .• '''''' 241 t ° boo Old white 49, to - 528 New do .... . . ... 49 to ~ Ited do.. 40 s t o 45 a B e ans.. .......... 4 , 2 , to "- Barley, malting 40s to 4liis Beans, now.. ..... HULL—Nov. 28. . OW We have a small supply of E n glish wheat , t o4l l3 l/ e st 41 market, the condition of which was pretty fair' 'sorts moo.. lities were not quotably lo wer , w hile in 9 reiso b oos oil slowly at a declin e o f i s p er q uarter. ff., 11g 1 firmly, at late rates, but littl e d o i n g. Oats ow"' 0 4 corn firm. „ .od to 6° ,‘ 04 Wheat... . Old white per qr ......... 4 "" ~,i to g"'" pii • Old red New white New red._ .... 420 y ‘ r i to gs r. 489 ovd to ° I. ; Dutch, Belgian, li elg on ia b n: t i e d . o F ld r . :i l b eh it . e . 469. .„ A .O 46 1 ea .. 3 4 00, 1 Baltic and Hamburg, red.. . 415 ( 07 to 42° Od Barley....E St i . ig P li e s tir m sb a u tt r i g ng and Riga, old 4 3 06: 21: : 30, o.• sSo Grinding „6B od to 30 04 Saal and'Oderbruck Holstein and Danish 305 20 11 o j 2 6, 00,0 to obit,' Grinding Oita English, old os I ° , Oill i Archangel and Riga, per at ,, iid to il Friesland and Dutch ' Swedish and Danish Beans ....English, old, per qr 3 4 9 0 6 9 I V 0 402 0 o i od New pigeon New tick .. " ...... od to '°. 37 9 04 1 0 ,4 Egyptian ...... _, ~,, Peas Foreign breakers Grinding Tares ....Winter 4l ,I to D'' 04, 320 19- al t i Indian Corn • 6 Ol 61 t.. . 6 00 CI O Linseed, feeding 440 Ot i t °B 15 . • .............. 3369-s t oS -juu t t o , 3 - --11/ 01 , crushing Ls 10 ot° 8 6 0 Linseed cakes (Hull) 7 or a(1 0 Foreign 1 415 " 6 0 v Rape cakes 4 1 5 °to Bones MELTON MOWER AY--I,lzr . weal; Thero was a fair show of wheat to -day , business at the annexed prices : —White bar ne ter Od to 44s Od ; old, 40s Od to 45s per 3 6 B „ t f t - ,; 3 21 7, 8 0 k fair supply, at 38s to 43s malting, end 4u' at "- qr, for grinding ; oats, 26s to 34s Id per 24 44s to 52s for old; new, —s per 33 At. BRISTOL SUGAR —N"' 3° _:„ o ed, q jP :l The demand for West India continu es vol., ket 01 4, cially by the refiners, who have cleared the nor ea ae.- suitable descriptions ()fierily' at prices full/ 6 n ettio r- de higher than last week. Ther'groeeis took off t i c :ging fafr°oo - of crystalised Demeraras, At PrieeSi.h. Are Ile.- 42s to 465, which worn full rates. In runs transactions. CET—Nov. 30. a t the close a th. woo wails gad. • 4. 6 0 Haswell .......... 19 Ileugh ....... ' Stewart's ........ • .1 .1 5 11 , Riddell ............. Gosforth ........ • •• ' 20 Hetron.... ..... ..•••.15 Framwellgate ..... , 1 .1 Triindon gartlepoo ...• Braddyll's liottou .• .. ; Ilartlepool..... ...... South Hartlepoos..• • • jg , Edon . . ........... '`:ls Ifunwick ...... • ..... .111 Shincliffe ..... • • ..... 18 5 Triindon ThornleY". 15 9 Whitworth ......... * * l B 0 , Thornley .......... ..... South Durhaza• Powell'sDutfryns7. 4 , o • v G ar way and Plu" Malting ......... Nixon's Duffryn.. • ' ,t, 86—501d,.78. COAL MAR (Prices of Coal per Ton a' s. d. Bate'sWestllartley —l4 6 Buddle's West llartleyls 0 Holy well 15 6 Davison's West Hart- ley l5 0 Tantield Moor Butes 15 9 Wylam .... l6 0 West Wylani ll 6 Eden Main 19 0 Carr's Hartley l5 0 Bell's Primroso l3 6 Byass's Bobside West Hartley . ... 14 6 St. Cuthbert's Hartley 14 3 Lambert's West Hart- loy 14 6 Walla End. Northumberland 15 6 Acorn Close l9- Caradoe South Kolloe l9 6 Russell's lletton 19 9 South lletton 20 3 Ships at mar; BORTIIIVICK.—On the 29th ult , at Roc k r°04 111 '. ,11 C l ta rp in oo L l es th lie: eon. e vil" ' LESLIE.—On tho 28th ult., at Little Hothfielal tlia wife of George Borthwiekt 4 of a daughter. ira sor, f; PARKYNS.—On the 29th ult , at Reddington •'• p o rt., Nottingham, the wife of Sir Thomas l'arkYll* .....Ai a son. ..Ar ' Y P rw POLTIIIOB.B.—On the 29th ult" a t roltiraoro-r-- Poltinioro, of a son and heir. BIRTHS. MARRIAGES. DENNIS—CRASHA Y.—On the 29th ult., a Alv re o ' ri ' W cestershire Thomas John Denn is, Esq., of 13r villa, nearßarnstavle, to Agnes, fourth d Crawshay, Esq., o f Oaklands-park. PINE —SnirSON.—On the 20th ult. , at St. G°°r tioll t°ll 01:' over-square, Sir Benjamin C. C. l'inkgll-9 Aysll4 Governor of St. Kitt's, to Margaretta A of a l. nus, IIePP ter of the lato Colonel John Simpson, Army. BAKER.—Onc,t3Ei:sequil.:p a o. ge abed 63. the phi 13 ,411? CoLumANult., at an 24t1 D i BA T Ile S.terbullo "-- th . h I * 161 .0 1 D t b e u ti r t g s h s , o III N 1 . , : co — n O tnhteh2e22dBth niL, ult. a t 3 2 f 8 r , • lle n ry Ca t c r i • .ti ones, aged 55. Stree t, Valle London - Dickinson,: coriclo Henryy Esq., late M a dras C. B . Mr. Char les Oith C2Goltelimualut%aagtlLsuse.orne, Swit°: lo,o4 GILMORE.—On the 27th ult., at Ravenhill, WI,. _ 'Watling-street, K fergus, John Boyd Gilinors, Esq., (2.C, ag°tl - ` . , ii ger' L astrAw.—On the 29th ult., Mr. Thomas Frnor, o[sol polag:ofE7sq,.hatgifectdiets):;:igyedV 3i1211.15, floruserri°' giull a )I° ..° rEGLER.—On the 9 9th ult., at 54, Eustou-squ—°' , veir• Wittm—On the 27th ult., at Thateham, WV/ 00 ' Ebenezer White, aged 45. _ V D U Ir°' I th LONDON : Printed and Publi shed by l iIVILD 00 . of No. 112, 'Strand, Printer, at The The 80 Otnnefoool Strand, in the Product of the oy, in Thursday, December lo 1659'