The Sun. — London, England, 1869-10-29 00:00:00

MB, GLADSTONE AND THE FENIAN PRLSONERS. At Wednesday's meeting of the Dublin Town Council a letter was read from Mr. Gladstone, in answer to an ad dress which the council had presented to him. The ?remier said it was a lively satisfaction to his col ltagnes and himself "to know from a sonrch of such un questionable authority as this distinguished municipality t.lzat their conduct in regard to legislation for Ireland during the past session of Parliament is approved in the capital of the country. We acknowledge ourselves (added Mr. Gladstone) to be under a solemn obligation to deal, to the best of our ability, in a like spirit of justice and equality with other subjects not yet happily adjusted." In regard to the Fenian prisoners Mr. Gladstone refers the Lord Mayor to his letter to the Limerick Committee, continuing—" It would be more agreeable to us had we found ourselves at liberty to give effect to a desiro founded, we are confident, on the most honourable motives. We have not arrived at our conclusion without giving to the subject, in all its bearings, that anxious consideration which was clue to it on many accounts, and not least on account of the benevolent interest in it that has been expressed by your lordship and your colleagues of the municipal body." Sir John Gray, who spoke on this letter, said its general purport was very gratifying. He believed Mr. Gladstone's desire and that of his colleagues was to release the prisoners. "He was also determined to deal with the land' question in the same manner as he had with the Church—to abolish the exterminating policy of the landlords." THE MURDER AT DEPTFORD. ..--....,....-,.. At the Central Criminal Court, on Thursday, Joseph Welsh, a good-looking man, 42 years of age, was indicted for the wilful murder of John Abrahams, at Dept ford. Mr. Patey, who prosecuted, stated that the prisoner had done some work for the deceased, and put him into the County Court for the money. They met the same night at a public house, words ensued, and the deceased was stabbed in the abdomen, and died from the result of the injury then sustained. The learned counsel did not think there was anything in the case to reduce it to a crime of manslaughter. Cor roborative evidence was given, and the policeman who took the accused into custody said that the prisoner, when charged with the offence, said, "I am quite willing to go with you," and soon after said, "I know where the knife is ; I will give it to you at the station." On being searched at the station, a clasp knife, several inches in length, was found, with blood on it. The surgeon who attended the deceased said the wound was as deep as it possibly could be, and must have been inflicted with great violence. Mr. Ribton addressed the jury, and asked them to reduce the crime to that of manslaughter. Several. witnesses were called who gave the prisoner an excellent character. Mr. Justice Keating summed up for a conviction. He pointed out that though a good character made the position of the prisoner all the more lamentable, still it ought not to alter the state of the facts. The jury, after an hour's deliberation, found the accused guilty with a recommendation to mercy. The judge said that from the evidence the jury could nave returned no other verdict. A case was made of sup posed provocation; but he had never heard of a case where there was less. The provocation was more on the side of the deceased. There was no doubt the prisoner owed a grudge against the deceased. He would forward the recommendation of the jury to the proper quarter; but the case was not a question of character, but of fact. Ho trusted the accused would not put much faith in the recommendation, and the learned judge implored him to make his peace with Heaven. Sentence of death was then pronounced in the usual form. THE HOUNSLOW MURDER. At the Old Bailey, on Thursday, before Mr. Justice Lush, William Smith, 49, was indicted for the wilful murder of his wife, Sarah Ann Smith, on the 23rd of September last. Mr. Cooper, who prosecuted, said that the accused was a stonemason, and lived with his brother-in-law, who kept the Grosvenor Arms. On the day in question the deceased went out in the morning, and did not return till late in the afternoon. She was a person of dissipated habits, and had evidently been taking freely of liquor, for as soon as she came in she laid down on the sofa, and the accused saw her there. Nothing more was seen of them for some hours, when they were standing in the bar. Some altercation ensued between them, and the accused struck his wife with his clenched fist. He made use of threats, and then took a chisel from his pocket, and remarked, " This will do you." Nothing more was heard just at that period ; but subsequently a rustling noise was heard on the stairs, and Mrs. Glen, the deceased's sister, found the de ceased lying on the stairs, and the prisoner standing over her. Mrs. Glen perceived that her sister was dead; but the accused exclaimed, "I cannot believe it." A doctor was sent for ; but one could not be found for some time ; and at a quarter past twelve a policeman saw the prisoner trying to get over the hedge into the road, and appre hended him. Evidence in support of the charge was The surgeon, who was called, stated that the instrument produced —a hammer-chisel—could not have inflicted the wounds that led to the death of the deceased. The cause of death was likely to have been a fall. After hearing further evidence, the jury found the accused guilty of manslaughter, and sentence was deferred. LAW AND POLICE. THE GRENVILLE MURRAY CASE.—The summons against Mr. Hill, proprietor of the Flying Horse, for alleged perjury arising out of the Grenville Murray case, has been dismissed by Mr. Knox, the magistrate at Marlborough street. Mr. Hill, it will be remembered, was bail for Mr. Murray. Rosekelly, the warrant officer, who brought the charge against Mr. Hill, was bound over to prosecute the charge at the Central Criminal Court, at his own request. INGENIOUS FRALM.—A novel attempt at fraud has been brought before the Westminster Police-court. A lady living in Cadogan-place received a telegram purporting to come from her son, who was in Scotland, as follows : " When Howell sends for his account, £23 14s. 3d., pay it ; get a receipt on account." In the course of the day the prisoner called, saying he had come from Howell and James's, and produced a receipt for the amount specified. Fortunately the servant's suspicions were excited and the prisoner was told to call again, and the imposition was detected. The prisoner was remanded. THE LICENSING ACT.—Thirteen working-men were sum moned at the Thames Police-court for drinking in a public house on Sunday morning, and were fined 2s. each and costs. CHARGE or AESON.—A boot and shoe maker, named Russell, carrying on business in Horton, was charged at Worship-street Police-court with setting fire to his pre mises, to defraud the Sun Insurance Office of £7OO. A number of wicker baskets, filled with loose papers and satu rated with paraffin, were found piled on each other, calico was hung from the ceiling to the baskets, the gas was full on and the taps turned on, and a piece of burning candle left so as to fire the combustibles after a certain time. The prisoner and his family then went to the Britannia Theatre, but the attention of the police being called to the house a discovery was made in time to prevent a catastrophe. Pri soner strongly protested his innocence, but was committed for trial. SEWING MACHINE CASE.—At the Court of Session, Edinburgh, a patent case, respecting the Wilcox and Gibbs sewing machine, has been heard. The jury gave a verdict for the pursuers, and the Lords awarded damages and costs to them, prohibiting the defenders, Williams, Stirling, and Sons, of Glasgow, from further infringing Messrs. Wilcox and Gibbs' patent rights. The Avignon Chamber of Commerce has decided to petition the Government for the establishment of Chambers of Conciliation in all the manufacturing centres of the French Empire. These Chambers are to be composed equally of employers and employed, and are to adjudicate upon all differences between them. They are also to advise the Government on questions of economic or social reform. _ _ BURNS.—The Neu, York Nation states that in America there are two copies of Burns sold for one of Byron ; that ten editions of Burns, published in America, are in the market to six of Byron; while in importa tions from abroad Burns is vastly in excess. Scott sells worse than any modern pcet except Wordsworth, and to one copy of his works there are forty sold of Burns's. t` ROSA BONITEI:I2."—A young Philadelphian, who has been in Paris dining with Rosa Bonheur, thus gossips about her : " She has the Frenchman's way of placing her index finger along the full length of her nose, which I never before saw a woman do ; and she parts her hair on ono side, like a man, letting it fall on her forehead. It is entirely gray, except where it is snow-white. In deed, the lady looks older than her mother. She talks energetically, clearly, and rather didactically, but is extremely pleasant. Harry shewed her his pistol, and she said: Oh, yes, I know, I carry one just like it,' and she pulled it out of her pocket to shew it to us. As it was loaded, it frightened the family considerably to see her manceuvre it in her off-hand way. After dinner she smoked her cigar like the other gentlemen of the party." METROPOLITAN GOSSIP-7hursday. Ministers have set to work in good time. For them ti e shooting season is short indeed, for them hunting does not exist. Ido not know if the keenest sportsman of them all —Mr. Bright—has been able to enjoy his favourite salmon fishing this summer. But for him, as for all the rest, the " season has begun ; for him, as for his colleagues, the time of hard-work is at hand. By the way, there is a good deal of grumbling going on just now, and likely to be very loud before long, if it remain unheeded, as to the way in which the duties of the Board of Trade are performed. Mr. Milner Gibson was thought to be the very incarnation of laissez faire; but Mr. Bright exceeds his old fellow- Leaguer in that respect. Of two things, one—either there is need of this department or there is not. If there is need of it, then it should not refuse to inves tigate properly the numerous railway accidents which are now taking place, or to stop the sending of rotten ships to sea. If there is no need of the department _ . then we may as well save the expense of it by abolishing it. In that case Mr. Bright could remain a Minister without a portfolio, and would be virtually in very much the same position that he is now—one of the most influential advisers of the Cabinet, one of the most inefficient of Ministers. Your readers will probably have noticed that the Times has suggested to the Government a solution of the land question, the adoption, in a modified degree, of the exist ing tenure in Ulster. I am glad to see so influential a journal proposing the same remedy as I mention ed several weeks ago. Equally glad am I to see the same journal admitting the principle of the Permiiive, Bill, and the Globe, in its leader of list night opposing the opium traffic. This list topic suggests another. Why do not the Conservative party take up a new rile? That of resistance to constitutional changes has proved useless, so far as the country is concerned, and dis astrous to themselves. How much so the Marquis of Salisbury has shown in that most remarkable Quarterly article which, without once mentioning the name of Mr. Disraeli, is the most fearfully severe attack upon that poli tician which has ever been made. But the Marquis has small comfort for the future. The Conservatives are out of office, and must be content to remain so, ho tells them, perhaps for half a century. Would this be necessary if they took up with social reforms ? If, for instance, they heartily under- took legislation with regard to the liquor and the opium traffic, the dwellings of the working classes, education, sanitary reform ? Let not the party agents say that this kind of legislation does not pay. It was this which saved the Conservative party from an even more overwhelming defeat than that which they sustained at the last election. It was the prominent part which they took in factory legislation which won them Lancashire. It would be a fine cry to go to the country with, "Down with Party Politics, Long Live Philanthropy ! We seek the welfare of the many, not the aggrandisement of the few." The recent minor Ministerial changes do not call for very much remark. Mr. Layard's appointment has been very variously criticised. He certainly was successful in diplomatising the Arabs; he was certainly not suc cessful in diplomatising Bismarck. He accomplished his work at Nineveh very well; he fulfilled his duties at the Foreign Office very indifferently. He has more of tho fortiter in re than of the suaviter in modo, and his success in Spain will depend chiefly upon the proportionate need that there is for these qualities. According to all accounts, it is the first that is required at Madrid. Sir John Crampton has let things go on far too easily, being fonder of collecting curiosities than of looking after British sailors whose ships have been seized by the Spanish Government. The Tornado and Victoria affairs were thus allowed to linger on in a very discreditable fashion, and would have been still more pro tracted but for Lord Stanley's vigour in ordering the Mediterranean squadron to move from Malta to Gibraltar. Mr. Layard has certainly been tolerably successful as a First Commissioner of Works, as anybody who frequented the Row last summer must admit. He converted the dreariest part of Hyde Park into a veritable Paradise. He is now gilding the great gates- by Apsley House, and very gorgeous they look, as you walk towards them from Reformers' Tree. This tree, by the way, has not been cut down as some of the papers assert; it i 4 still standing, though its next neighbour but one lies prostrate. What sort of ndile Mr. Ayrton will make I do not know. He is supposed to be a man of taste, and has always interested himself in the affairs of the British Museum and the National Gallery. He has certainly not been suc cessful as Secretary to the Treasury. It requires a less egotistic man to perform the delicate duties belonging to that office. Mr. Stansfeld will probably be more success ful. The Mazzini fiasco has been forgotten, and everybody knows that the member for Halifax is a very able man, though of somewhat " Red " procli vities. Tile office which he vacates will not be filled up, and so everyone is asking why it was created. Miuiiterialists say by way of experiment. Oppositionists say by way of a job. The second accuse the Government of having, in spite of their professions of economy, created a post in order to supply a place for an adherent whom they could not afford to omit. The first say that the arrange ment was made with a view to the public service, and to assist in the policy of retrenchment, which has been so largely successful. I am not called ullon to decide between these two explanations. Another post will probably be vacant very shortly. Mr. Walsh's death leaves one of the most valuable legal posts in Ireland vacant, and it falls of right to the Irish Attorney-General, Mr. Sullivan, who gave the Government such valuable help last year in the Irish Church Bill. In fact, his help was so valuable that it is possible Ministers may not, with an Irish Land Bill before them, be able to dis pense with it next session, and may, therefore, ask Mr. Sullivan to waive his claim. This is the more probable as the present Solicitor-General, Mr. Barry, is not in Parlia ment, and, as he prosecuted the Fenians, it would be diffi cult to obtain a seat for him. It is rumoured that the the vacant Lord Justiceship has been offered to Mr. Mellish, and that he, who has formerly more than once declined a judgeship, has also declined this post. It seems more probable that it will be conferred upon Sir W. James. I believe that the Liberals will not fight Lynn. They have lost influence in that borough lately by the disasters of the Gurney family. Moreover, what influence the Gurneys still possess cannot now be counted upon. Last year it was used in behalf of the Conservative candidates. I find that the impression still prevails in influential quarters that the present Government will not be in exis tence this time next year. I cannot ;learn any good reason for this impression ; but it seems to be thought that the Ministry will break up from internal dissensions on the land question. The article in yesterday's Times indicates that a different conviction prevails in Printing house-square. The leading journal did its best last session to bring about that result; but it now speaks of the attempt with a sort of half censure, as though it were entirely guiltless. Mr. Gladstone has been greatly surprised by the extreme hostility which has been shewn to the appointment of Dr. Temple. I have reason for believing, however, that he did not consult with the Bishop of Oxford before making the appointment, as was stated by the London correspondent of the Manchester Guardian. The Bishop does not approve of the appointment. But neither he nor any of the other bishops is likely to take an active part in preventing it. The Bishops of Gloucester and Lincoln are among the warmest in their condemnation, and Dr. Wordsworth especially, would be glad to see the nomination set aside. But they will not take upon themselves the responsibility of an opposition that would deal a serious blow to the union of Church and State. There will be no lack of bishops to consecrate Dr. Temple at the proper time. One of the most remarkable incidents of the agitation is the conversion of Archdeacon Denison into an anti State-Churchman. At the memorable Bristol Conservative dinner, two years ago, the Archdeacon of Taunton went so far as to say that the people of England might before long be called upon to take up arms in defence of the State Church ; and now the appointment of one Broad Church Bishop out of six has made him declare for separa tion. It is in fact he who is urging on the Dean and Chapter of Exeter to reject Dr. Temple ; he who will lead the opposition in spirit: while Bishop Trower leads it in person. As for the opposition in London,that has somewhat revived since my lastletter. Now that the Low Church party are not called upon to associate with that " leper " Dr. Pusey,as Dean M‘Neile politely calls him, they see their way to an agitation on their own account, and so the Church Associa tion, with Lord Shaftesbury at its head, have sent up a memorial, said to represent 7,000 English Churchmen ; not a very large number out of ten millions certainly. The original memorial is also receiving fresh signatures among the High Church party now that Lord Shaftesbury has withdrawn from it. Among the signatures there are two which are somewhat remarkable, those of canon Gregory and the Rev. R. T. West, of St. Mary Magdalene, Paddington. The first has Mr. Gladstone's son for his curate; the second is brother to Mr. Gladstone's secretary. I hear also that nearly all the Windsor clergy and the Queen's own organist, Dr. Elvey, have signed thememorial. On the other hand, such High Churchmen and keen Con servatives as Dean Duncombe and Earl Nelson have not only refused to sign, but have expressed somewhat warmly their dislike of the present agitation. The peer has with expressions of anger withdrawn from the Church Institu tion, because that body lent its rooms for the furtherance of the opposition. A meeting of the original opposition takes place to-morrow. It is probably that Dr. Posey will resign the vice-presidentship, and will be succeeded by THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 29, 1869. Mr. J, G. Talbot, M.P. (a nephew by marriage to Mr. Glad stone), and by Mr. R. N. Fowler, M.P. Dean Mansel will probably be chosen president. I may add that there is a general impression that the present agitation will greatly expedite a rupture in the Church and disestablishment. This result is set forth in a very able article in last night's Guardian, the author of which is, I hear, Mr. Malcolm Mac Coll. The consecration of Dr. Moberly has taken place to day at the Abbey. The consecrating bishops were the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Bishops of Oxford and London. Old Wykehamists numbered in large force, despite the bitter cold of this premature winter into which we have suddenly leapt. Dr. Temple's will be the next consecration. It is a little singular that two new bishops in succession should have been head-masters of our great public schools, Dr. Moberly, of Winchester, and Dr. Temple, of Rugby. The see of Winchester will be declared vacant on Novem ber 6, and Bishop Wilberforce hopes to hold his Advent ordination in his new see. The new Conservative Church paper, the Church Herald, announced yesterday that Bishop Gilbert had resigned the see of Chichester, and that Mr. Liddon had been nominated his successor. This state ment I have reason to know is untrue. There is a very unpleasant report to the effect that the Queen will not open the Holborn Valley Viaduct. The rumour reaches me in three separate ways ; but I can not undertake to guarantee its accuracy. It is said that the Home Secretary and the Chief Com missioner fear a Fenian demonstration. The Daily Telegraph alludes to this somewhat cau tiously in its first leader, but does not say that the pro posed ceremonial will be deferred. The sudden postpone ment of the great review in Hyde Park two years ago for the same reason gives probability to the present rumour. The truth is Fenianism is much more predominant in London even now than is generally supposed. Hopeless though its efforts have been, disastrous as they have proved to the most daring of the ringleaders, the Brotherhood are by no means extinct, and are quite ready to use every opportunity of working mischief that offers. On the other hand, preparations for the ceremonial are still being con tinued to-day on the Viaduct. Should the ceremony of the 6th not come off, Lord Mayor Lawrence will lose his baronetcy, not a little to his disgust. Miss Sandford, a daughter of Sir F. Sandford, of the Colonial Office, and niece of Archdeacon Sandford, has set on foot an admirable scheme. She has started a National Hospital for Incurables, which is to be situated at Cowley, near Oxford, the rector of which parish, Mr. Benson, is her personal friend. She has the greatest possible sympathy among medical men, who have set an example that might with advantage be followed by the, clergy. She needs £50,000. Of this amount Mr: Wing field has promised £l,OOO, the Marquis of Bute £2OO, the Duke of Northumberland £lOO. She herself has canvassed most energetically; she has called London bankers and merchants, and has found theth quitl amenable to reason. The first meeting of the committee was held on Monday at Dr. Andrew Clarke's, and a work ing sub-committee was appointed. The Press Association, which was started some months ago to supply the country newspapers with telegraphic news after the present telegraph companies have ceased to exist, has received large accessions to its subscribers, and now includes all the most important papers in the kingdom. It is preparing a tariff of charges, which will probably be issued this week. The association will be quite ready to commence business on the night of December 31, but I am told that it is not improbable that the Government will not be ready to work the telegraphs katuai Uommissiontrs nom their nsticss want of energy. And it is time. We all know that the Commissioners are mostly men of much work, and that their time is ire-occupied. But even this is no reason for a committee taking forty sit tings to revise the lectionary. We are as sured, however, tlat the Bishop of Oxford and the Bishops of St. David's, Gloucester, and Chester, together with the tiree deans, Stanley, Goodwin, and Jeremie ; Canon Ryne Smith and the Rev. W. G. Humphry—all of whom ought to be well acquainted with the list of Scripture to be read in Church—con sulted together two score of times to arrive at these conclusions :—The essons from the Apocrypha, on Saints' days—now anounting to twenty-six—should be reduced to four; a Rcond series of lessons for even song on Sundays should be selected, so that in holding three services there should be no repetition, and somo alteration should be made in the chapters read. The report is circulated privately, but not made really public. The Archbidiop of Canterbury wishes to have the Commissioners' work finished before Christmas. lle has (the Record states) addressed a letter to all its members, calling on them to make special exer tions, and to meet together in November, sitting de die in diem till they have concluded their labours. THE BISHOP OF MANCHESTER ON LAY CO-OPERATION. There can be • no doubt of the Bishop of Man chester's anxiety to give the laity their " rights " in the Church. He speaks plainly and concisely enough. The members of the Irish Church who are endeavouring to plan out some way of giving the clergy all the real power, while the laity hold a sem blance of it, have not the slightest tithe of his sympathy. He referred to the subject in a abort speech at Manchester on Wednesday. The occasion was the opening service of a missionary . exhibition. He " strongly" upheld the absolute neces sity of the laity having a large share in the govern ment of the Church, and added, " I would have nothing to do with any miserable shuffling scheme of keeping doctrine to the clergy and discipline to the laity, but I would, with a large and open spirit, trust and invite full and free discussion in every way that could possibly be." THE SULTAN AND THE SUEZ CANAL. The Post announces " that the Sultan, although it would have given him great pleasure to receive his impe rial and royal guests again, has, for various reasons, and especially having regard to the expenditure in volved, decided on not being present at the opening of the Suez Canal." The Khedive of Egypt is the Eastern personage most intimately connected with the construction of this great work; but the Sultan is the Khedive's liege-lord, and if the former were present at the opening, he would act as master of the ceremonies. But no doubt the Khedive has hinted that if his superior officiates ho must pay the bill, and hence the Sultan's decision. until the close of the first fortnight of the new year. In theatrical matters, I may mention that the Lyceum is opening again with another attempt at the "legitimate" drama, in the shape of Shakspere's plays. "Lost at Sea," by Mr. Dion Boucicault and Mr. Henry Byron, is running at the Adelphi. Mr. Boucicault's " Formosa" is still running at Drury-lane. It is quite true that this gentle man has been laid aside by illness. He has overworked himself. But as he is under 50 years of age he may well hope to achieve fresh successes. No play-writer of his time has been so successful as he, judging by the pecuniary test. He has produced over 150 pieces, and he once stated before a commission that he was ready to keep all the theatres of London going. He is an Irishman by birth, and was educated by Dr. Lardner. Before he was 21 he brought out at Covent Garden the comedy " London Assurance." His other best known plays are "The Willow Copse," "Louis the Eleventh," " The Vampire," " Faust and Marguerite," " The Colleen Bawn," " Arrah na-pogue," " The Octoroon," " The Streets of London," " The Long Strike, "Flying Scud" and "Formosa." He spent seven years in the United States, and on his return to England, in 1800, took Astley's Theatre, but lost money there. Latterly he has been earning £lO,OOO a year. The Illustrated London Hews is to have a formidable rival. A new high-class illustrated paper is to be brought out very soon, probably in time to publish engravings of the Royal visit to the City. Mr. Clay, the well-known printer, of Bread-street, is concerned in it. Another illustrated paper, The Period, has made its appearance. It is of the vulgarest, fastest, French-est character. The arrangements for the forthcoming contests between the Thames and the Tyne are progressing favourably. The representatives of the latter river are expected at Putney to-day, and will in all probability appear on the river to-morrow. The south countrymen are in capital health and excellent form. Kelley has got rid of the blister on his thumb, with which he was troubled when first the crew commenced practice in concert. The race on the Thames, which will be pulled off on the sth of next month will, I think, be won by the Londoners, though that is a matter open to ques tion ; but I expect to see the Tyne four the victors on their own water on the 19th. Regard being had to the double event, the men who hail from Newcastle are cer tainly the favourites at present. MISCELLANEOUS NEWS. TILE It.rPltEmEN I'ATIVN cJ 13.111CWICICSraa Both parties in Berwickshire are already mating preparations for a contest, it being generally credited that Mr. Robertson, of Ladykirk, will be raised to the peerage. The hon. gentleman, who is the fourth son of the late Sir John Marjoribanks, assumed the name of Robertson by royal sign manual in 1834, in compliance with the will of his wife's maternal grandfather. He is Lord-Lieutenant of the county of Berwick, for which he was elected member in 1859. Since ho has been in the House he has always steadfastly supported the Liberal party. It is understood that Lord William Hay, who was defeated by Lord Elcho at the last general election, will be chosen as the Liberal candidate ; whilst Lord Douglass is expected to come forward in the Con servative interest. TUE IRISH VACANT SEAT( There is some prospect that the House of Commons may regain the facile princeps with the cap and bells. Mr. Bernal Osborne at first gratuitously explained his political creed to the electors of Water ford without expressing any intention to stand for the vacant seat ; but it is now settled that he will come forward. Sir T. W. Barron is already in the field as an opponent. Mr. Heron, Q.C., has issued his address as a candidate for Tipperary. It pos sesses the merit—not common in candidates' addresses—of being remarkably precise. Mr. Heron goes in for a full amnesty to the political prisoners. With respect to the land question, he thinks there should be an end to all "paltering." " The Irish peasant should have the absolute property in his im provement of the land and fixity of tenure," together with " a protection against the capricious increase of rent." Mr. Heron is of opinion that the education of the people should be denominational ; in other words, that the demand of the Roman Catholic prelates for ex clusive control over the instruction of Roman Catholic children should he granted. This is a case of con version ; for a long time this candidate was a steady advocate of the mixed system. But the men of Tipperary are not likely to quarrel with a platform so charmingly extreme. THE ESSEX CONSERVATIVES. A. strong detachment of Conservative members and ex-members for the county of Essex assembled at the annual meeting of the llinckford Conservative Club. Mr. Round, member for the East Division, did not believe that any very great change was required in the relations between landlord and tenant in Ireland, but he would be glad to support a measure which would give an outgoing tenant compensation for improvements effected at his expense. Fixity of tenure he regarded as an undue interference with property, because it would be impossible to deter mine the proper rent which the landlord ought to receive from his tenant. Colonel Brise, another representative of the East division of the county, thinks Mr. Lowe the most unpopular Chancellor of the Exchequer ever nominated. But the gallant colonel agrees that his own class has no reason to be dissatisfied with the last budget, for it was essentially a rich man's financial arrangement. Colonel Brise, though a political oppo nent of Mr. Forster, is confident that he will be able to devise an Educational Bill of which the Conserva i!vg party will approve. Like his colleague, Colonel Brist . ,t .does not believe in fixity of tenure, but pro nounce, in favour of compensation for improvements. THE AMNESTY AGITATION. The Irish Amnesty Association is not satisfied with the answer of the 0-overnment. At a crowded meet ing held in Dublin on Wednesday evening, a resolu tion was passed expressing regret at Mr. Gladstone's refusal. It has been determined to continue the agitation, and to form local amnesty associations throughout the country. THE RITUAL COMMISSION. Dr.. Tait llas at last come forward to awoke the 71IE GRESHAM LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. The twenty-first annual meeting of this society was held yesterday at the head office, 37, Old Jewry ; the chair was occupied by W. 11. Thornthwaite, Esq., chairman of the board of directors. The CHAIRMAN, in commencing the proceedings, called upon the actuary and secretary (F. A. Curtis, Esq.), to read the directors' report, which was as follows : The directors have great pleasure in presenting to the members their annual report of the twenty-first financial year, terminating on the 30th of June, 1869. During the last session of Parliament a bill was presented to regulate the method in which life assurance companies should, in future, furnish their accounts, and the directors have con sidered it desirable to make their report as nearly as possible according to the manner contemplated by the bill, as amended in committee of the House of Commons. The directors think that the Parliamentary form of stating the accounts is not in all particulars the Lest calcu lated to give the most precise and intelligible information to the public, they however adopt it in substance, adding some explanatory detail which they deem advisable. Among the provisions of this bill, it was required that all items 'of account should be stated in gross ; that the amount of the assurance fund should be stated without particulars; that the invested funds should be stated in detail ; and, that at the period of the valvations, extracts from the valuation sheets concerning the policies should be furnished. The directors take this opportunity to place such statements of the society's business before the members. During the financial year ended the 30th June, 4727 pro posals were made for assuring the sum of £1,972,244, of these 569 were declined and 31 postponed, for assuring to gether £296,461, and 4,127 were accepted for assuring the sum of £1,675,783, with a corresponding premium income of £64,213 9s. 7d. per aunum, and policies were issued ac cordingly. The accession of these policies raised the number of the assurance and endowment contracts to 22,479, for a total sum assured of £8,648,945105., exclusive of bonus additions. The balance of the debits and credits of the premium account of the year indicates a premium in t come of £335,726 14s. Bd., including £56,610 17s. 2d. for new premiums. The claims by death which have been paid during the year amounted to £109,735 10s. 10d., of which £1,278 19s. Bd. was re-assured with other offices, and paid by them (a list of these claims is appended to this report) During the year 79 endowment and endowment assurance policies completed their term, and the sum assured, amounting to £10,038 17s. 3d. was paid. The sum of £24,135 17s. 9d. was expended in the pur chase of the society's policies from those desiring to sur render them. The amount of bonus paid to policy holders was £8,447 15s. led. During the year, £21,588 13s. 4d. was received by the society as purchase money for annuities, and £19,735 Bs. 4d. was paid by the society to annuitants. The amount received for inte rest on the invested funds amounted to £12,408 15s. 6d., which, added to the premium income. makes a total gross income of £378,135 10s. 2d. After payment of the foregcing, and all other charges for the year, the realised funds of the society were increased by a sum of £150,081 2s. led., of which £128,798 lls. 8d was invested in public funds. The directors, agreeably with the plan proposed in the bill before Parliament, sub mit (in an appendix hereto; extracts from the valuation sheet of 1867 concerning the policies then in force, divided into classes, both with profits and without profits, grouped in present ages, and showing the number of the policies, the amounts assured, the office premium, the value of the sum assured, and the value of the office premium. The ' grand totals contained in the summary following these extracts are introduced in the balance-sheet for the 30th June, 1869, showing the position of the assurance fund at that date. The general balance-sheet has been duly audited by G. H. Ladbury, Esq., the public accountant, and byWm. Whitelock, Esq., a shareholder (on the part o I the shareholders), and by William W. Venn, Esq., the Notary Public (on behalf of the policy-holders) aad may be had on application at the office : BALANCE-SHEET FOR JUNE 30, 1869• DR.—Assurance Fund—Value of gross sums assured and bonus amounting to £7,479,190, as per valuation in 1867, £3,590,461 19s; value of gross premium income amounting to £291,374 per annum, and re-assurances as per valuation in 1867, £3,401,463 55.; difference, £188,998 14s. Prospective balance of general balance-sheet of assets and liabilities for 31st July, 1867, £665,591 12s Bd. ; gross assurance fund, £851,590 6s Bd.; less bonus distri buted, £60,000 ; reserve accumulated in realised assets up to 31st July, 1867, for assurance and endowment policies, £794,590 6s. Bd. ; ditto for annuity policies, £100,723 14s. ; surplus accumulated in realised assets since 31st July, 1867, to this date, £323,705 4s. 4d. ; making the total as surance and annuity reserve fund at this date £1,219,019 ss. Shareholders capital, fully subscribed £lOO,OOO, and paid thereon, £21,712. Claims admitted, waiting settle ment (including bonus), £29,759 ls. Other accounts ad mitted and waiting settlement in due course, 85,125 4s. 10d. Grand total, £1,275,615105. 10d. Cu.—investments (of which particulars are given in the printed reports distributed amongst the members) — Government Funds, Railway Debenture and Preference Bonds with Government guarantee, and Mortgages, amounting in all to £1,`3;5,611 10s. 10d. It will be seen by this statoinent that the fund wholly available for the assurance and annuity contracts amcunted on the 30th Juno last to £1,219,019 ss. As £38,82-1 10s. 6d. (the amount received since July 30, 1867, for the grant of annuities) has been ' , cry nearly balanced by £35,246 ls. Bd. (paid since that time by the society to annuitants), the reserve now required for the annuity fund cannot differ much from the sum reserved for that class of coutracts in 1867. The addition to be made, if any, to the amount of £100,723 14s. reserved for annuity fund in 1867, could scarcely exceed the difference be tween the sums received and the sums paid since that date. Therefore, assuming that the annuity fund now requires an increase of say £4,000, thus raising the total annuity fund to £104,723 145., it follows that £1,114,295115. would be wholly available for the assur ance and endowment policies. The directors have always bestowed much thought and care on the investmentsof the Society; these are fully stated in the general balance sheet. Being of opinion that some portion of the funds of the society should be invested where the assured re side, on the Continent of Europe, the directors have, after consultation and mature consideration, selected for invest ment some of the very test securities to be found in their respective countries. The whole of the securities or docu ments representing these investments have been recently verified by the directors, and attested by the auditors. In consequence of the amount of labour involved in the examination and audit of the voluminous accounts and documents required for such a detailed statement as the foregoing, rendered more and more intricate by the ramifications of the society, the directors recom mend the shareholders to take into consideration some suitable increase to the honorarium allowed to the auditors. It is with deep regret that the directors, while making their report of the occurrences of the past year, so satis factory in all other respects, should have to announce the death of two of the members of the board—George Lowe, Esq., Fellow of the Royal Society, and William Tabor, Esq. Both these gentlemen had been connected with the society from the very commencement, Mr. Lowe having been first auditor and then director, and Mr. Tabor hay in held the position of chairman from the very foundation of the society to the day of his death, an uninterrupted period of more than twenty years. Their uniform integrity of purpose and untiring devotion to the interests of the society, together with their personal worth, gained for them the respect, consideration and esteem of every mem ber of the board. The directors, after mature considera tion, have, in the room of the late Mr. Lowe, elected A. Hutchison Since, Esq., who represents the interest in this society of the late William Smee, Esq., of the Bank of England, one of the original Trustees of the "Gresham," and who was one of its chief supporters in early years. The directors have also elected William Trego, Esq., ono of the original and largest shareholders of the society, to be a director, in the room of the late Mr. Tabor, his former partner. The directors recommend these appoint ments for confirmation by the shareholders. The directors retiring on the present occasion are—W. H. Thornthwaite, Edward Sol:y, F.R.S., and J. L. Hancock, Esqrs., who, being eligible, are recommended by the board to constitute the list for re-election. The auditors —G. 11. Ladbury, William Whitelock, and William Webb Venn, Esqrs., retire, and again offer themselves for elec don. The directors refer with much gratification to the result of the arrangements which they have made from time to time for the gradual development of the resources of the society, and which, up to the present, have fully answered their expectations. The directors anticipate that the eat, naive and valuable organisation which has been consolidated by them at the cost of much time, thought, and labour, will yield its legiti mate fruit in an increasing amount of new business. It must be borne in mind that the company has steadily progressed from year to year, and arrived at its present magnitude and sound financial position without amalgamation, or transfer of the business of any other company wha.soever, and solely by its own effort and methodical course of action from first to last. Every one of the 52,602 proposals made to the society up to the 30th June, 1869, has been the subject of careful examination and separate study ; of these proposals, 9,782 have been declined as not helot; suitable risks for the society to undertake. The boara have instructed the actuary to investigate the rate of mortality amongst the members assured in the Gresham Society from its commencement. This investigation, when complete, will elicit very important information. From observations made by the actuary, of 14,913 years of life exposed to risk, it appears that the Gresham mortality was represented by 176 deaths; whereas, according to the office experience rate of mortality upon which the tables of this company have been calculated, the deaths to be expected should have been 203, a result which shows that the risks themselves are of an excellent character. The actuarial investigation of the policies for the purpose of awarding bonus, is now made triennially, and the result of the next valuation will be declared at the annual meeting in 1870. The directors have already ordered the valuation to be commenced, and it is now in progress. The unqualified confidence of the directors in the finan cial strength of the company ; in the excellence of the in surance risks undertaken; and the integrity, loyalty, in telligence, and industry of its executive at home, and throughout the continent of Europe, determine them to persevere in the course which has hitherto led to such marked success, and they rely for support upon the hearty co-operation of every member of the society. (Here follow extracts from the valuation sheets of the Gresham Life Assurance Society, 31st July, 1867, at a rate of mortality in accordance with the experience of the seventeen offices, and 4 per cent. as the rate of interest on investment.) The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report, congratulated the members upon the satis factory report which they had just heard read. It would be observed that the form of the report varied from the condensed model which the directors had hitherto adopted, but the present, like all for mer reports, showed the same prosperity that had year by year been the distinguishing feature of the society. The balance-sheet appended to the pre sent report has been drawn up to meet the require ments set out in a bill before Parliament last year, and although the directors did not en tirely agree that the calling upon all life associa tions to give reports in one uniform way, he thought it right on the present occasion to adopt the plan, and thus anticipate the good results. The report was so full, it contained so much detail, that it would become tedious in him to occupy their time in pointing out any particular item con tained therein. They would see that they had dur ing the year received no less than 4,727 new pro posals for the sum of £1,972,244, every one of which had been most rigidly examined ; and the result was, the directors had declined 569, post poned 31, and accepted 4,127, assuring the sum of £1,675,783. Thus they would see that, though the directors were laudably anxious to increase their business, they did not do so at the expense of pru dence. The gross income of the society from pre miums only amounted to no less a sum than £335,726, of which £56,640 was for new premiums. (Hear, hear.) They had very greatly increased their investments during the year, and, putting aside the shareholders capital and every known ac count, there remained a fund of no less than £1,219,019, which ho thought was enough to thoroughly satisfy the most ardent amongst them. (Hear, hear.) He could not resume his scat with- out referring to the great loss the society had met with by the death of Mr. Tabor and Mr. Lowe, both of which liwere gentlemen who had devoted the whole of their energies to the advancement of the society, and he was sure the regret he felt was shared in by every gentleman amongst them. He then formally moved the reception of the report. Mr. ALFRED SMEE, in seconding the motion, said their gross income of £335,000 for premiums had been achieved by single policies, not by taking masses. (Hear, hear.) They had always set their faces against taking over large masses of business ; they had invariably considered each life separately, and their present position was the result of that wise precaution. He did not believe that a given number of lives would always obey the average, and those who thought differently would i❑ the end discover they had been following a danger ous fallacy. As he said before, the Gresham well examined every life, and were governed by the result, and not at all by what was popularly called the average rate of mortality. The carrying out the principle they had started with had brought them great success, and that success they might rely upon would not be interfered with. They had struck out the right course at first, and to that they had hitherto, and would for the future, steadily adhere. They did not want to take over business that did not pay. (Hear, hear.) They could secure enough of that which was safely remunerative, and the large bonus they had paid had, in fact, been a return of the capital invested four or five times over, and the nothingness that remained of theirs in tl , e society, if he might so call it, was worth £3 in the open market. (Cheers.) They had had the gratify ing intelligence communicated to them that the new income this year amounted to £56,640 ; but they must not think that that had been accomplished without incessant labour and thought on the part of the board ; that he was sure would be at once conceded. (Hoar, hear.) Ile could only urge upon all to impress upon their friends the importance of not delaying the duty of life assurance, and he was sure they would see the Gresham offered them a safe and solid security. Their growth had been unprecedented, and whilst they adhered to the policy which had animated them at starting, their success, he felt quite certain, would go on increasing. (Cheers.) The report was then put to the meeting, and carried unanimously. On the motion of Mr. Toulman, seconded by Mr. G. Tyler, the retiring directors and auditors were re-elected. A cordial vote of thanks having been awarded to the chairman, the directors, and the actuary and secretary, the proceedings terminated. Ipm- - distanced his competitors, sawing in 7I minutes 513 feet from the rough log. Mr. Cox, of Char lottesville, who was about the engine all day, gave this testimony at the coroner's inquest : " I tried three times to get the engineer (who was killed) to run with more water and less steam ; I did not see the water up to two gauges at any time in tho day ; when they were not running them there was no water in any gauge just before the explosion I went up and examined the water gauges and indicator; there was no water at either gauge, and the steam at 120; in les3 than half a minute the explosion occurred ; I had just left the engine and ge t about 20 feet. . . . Any practical machinist could have run the engine at a safe rate and given all the porter that was needed; I was fearful all day that something might happen, but my business called me then, and I stayed, hoping it might get through safely." Now let us glance at what happened to the people whose intellect did not warn them to keep clear of the mad engine driver, that had resited all efforts to add water, allowing the boiler in parts to get red hot when steam goes off like powder Th e scene around the immediate vicinity of the explo sion was dreadful. A dozen dark pools of blood, no t. tered about, showed where men had fallen and died. human leg, torn from the body, lay at a distance of 30 or 40 yards from the spot where the boiler had exploded- Blood, brains, hair, and fragments of human flesh We re sprinkled over the freshl:-sawa planks. recently cut by the mill. In one place we saw a fragment of a bo d y i which looked like it might have been the abdominal Nval of a man lying, burnt and blackened, in the sawdust. '6' human ear, cut from the head, had been deposited in o ne of a pile of hats which had been picked up in the neigh: bourhood. Some distance from the scene of the disaste c l were found a pair of human legs, held together by a 61 ' P % of flesh, the balance of the body being missing. A. fern s ; leg, with shoe and stocking on, was found. Also the h ow' less trunk of a man. Almost the entire scalp of a man Wag found near the amphitheatre. Near the officers' quarter° was found a piece of a man's head, comprising the fore: head, nose, and left side of the face. A small portion the scalp, and whiskers on the side of the face, sb (Yyr ed very black hair, tinged with grey. An arm, supposed to b e that of L. P. Davis, was.found over a hundred yards fou l the scene of the explosion. Within a distance of 50 yarl on the north, west, and south-west, lay three horses, Iwie by the explosion." Here is the case of a German who was clearlf wanting in intellect, which occurred in Baltitaorea on the evening of the 6th inst., the man being pai n , John Wattenscheydt. This wiseacre shot at his wi' e ' and believing he had killed her, blew his own b rains out; but she was not injured. George Morris of O il ' cinnati , ticket agent of Robertson's circus, was W an t ! ' stabbed at Richmond on the Bth inst., by Char'''. Spain, who, it is alleged, mistook him for an otber man. Spain must have been a " dumbfou nded o Spaniard," and Robertson certainly was a vict iro a want of intellect. The following is a case wh ick ; though giving the appearance of a want of intelleeof has frequently occurred to people with no paue it i the brains. A yo u n g man arr i v ed in Brooklyn o n - 1 . 0 7th instant from the country, and went to Gle e P the residence of his brother, There is no such tbi l as gas where he came from, and by a vigorous Pusit before turning in, he blew the light out, ands, suffocated by the escape while he slept, and such es ce allies frequently occur, simply because the ignor ns c , of another is almost incomprehensible to the ina n b B e , customed to the every-day use of anything. I t ° t o ginning to be recognized, that it is as well to help o d intellect of all, more especially that of travellers, bee for this purpose a railroad company at Boston it h established an office at its depot expressly ,srelf the object of giving information. A leading ' 1 ;, 01 ., England paper asks why is not every ticket-setbet conductor, baggage man, porter, brakeman/ ° r ° j e o, official, employed by the transportation contl° t o constituted, ex officio, a giver of information t° asking public ? It remarks that most of these °red cials regard an inquiry as an insult, to be aossgeof ungraciously, if at all ; and the amount of O A , and trouble resulting makes life a burden t o tra ;t lers, who, if they get back in safety, so far e 00 , their intellect as for the future to stay at h° The same paper remarks— Ag 10 ' "To the person not used to travelFng, who Liu - Ale% self in a strange depot, with trains coming and &liftoff in different directions, his trouble and perplexity real, although it. may seem trivial to the railway r of and the experienced traveller would be in no da u b — going astray " Lose on Last week we told a story of how they In' that the French lines, and what an American g e- t ot man's intellect did for him there. We regre - b i 3 there is a growing inattention in England , Igbfaeal leaving thick-headed John Bull to trust a grea'hoe more than is advisable to his intellect, but w e be this much confidence in his intellect that, Wi le : t he finds them a nuisance he will very so on kick railway officials into better behaviour. COURSE OF EXCHANGE• Amsterdam Short ... 11 18i ••• ii , Do Rotterdam l2 li ••• 25 4 ' ••• Antwerp — ... 25 40 ... ‘ , 5 41 Brussels Hamburgh — ... 13 11 ••• 25 2:i., Paris Ditto . 11 Marseilles Frankfort-on-the-Main ... 1201 ..' 12 6 0 Vienna ' ... 12 5 5 '" 11 Trieste — ... 12 5 7 i '" 29„k 4 Petersburg -: . : 64 2 8 92 1 71 • ... :* . 9 4 ;98 8 : 5 --- ••••• Copenhagen 9 20 ••• 6 k Berlin Madrid.. Cadi7 4Bl ••• 26 8 6 ••• Leghorn •.• Milan 26 77 1 "' 2 6 85 ••• Genoa — 26 7 7.1 "' ' ; r 26 85 ••• Naples Palermo - ••• 26 77 "I 77 1 ''' 26 5 2 Messina Lisbon l' 5 1 "' 9 ' ••• 511 Oporto ••• Rio Janeiro — ••• /.. ••• ''''' New York ...... ........ Bank of England Beturilo. An Account, tursuant Act 7th and ath i 6i66t9°:* to the cap. 32, for the week ending Wednesda 0 an ct. 27 ' Y 1 c g 0 11 ISSUE DEPLETKENT. *lap° Notes issued £32,879,995' Governmt. Debt•Pi:9B4l' Other Securitiesl n o Gold Coin and 0 87 9,7 sill3vVrlißonai.o..; .. .. .. ............. £32,879,995 j BANKING D . Proprietors' Capi tal £14,553,000 Rest Public Deposits (including Ex chequer, Sav ings' Banks, Commissioners of National Debt, and Div. Accounts 3,508,435 Other Deposits 17,852,909 Seven Days and othor Bills 570,045 3PARTMENT . Governmt. Sea' rities(including 45g Dead -Weight 460., $ Annuity) ... 41 "1, 9° • • li,nsi Other SOCUrlt.lO9.. 0,31 , N0te5.......... w Gold will . 'Silver 90919°1 Coin .w.•..... PORDE% chief Caa £39,588,714 GEORI A general order, issued by eoreraan, L oa ",, a of " i Duke of Cambridge, has been Pr° llllllg for 13°'. Woolwich, granting to recipients of medal° :e t ie ofbravery in saving life the privilege c' t o at ° 3° them when in uniform. The order s tatee , Th e society which medals are to be . worn on the right br e3Bl ;b o d e ' grantsw br h a ie v h ery a co t ation, together with a statement of t he G e ne' the medals is to see d g o O f he ra e l s ' g. , t in d order that the recipient's name 0 3 1 fo r Or performed, to the Aci.luti//1 be 03 : decoration ere ~ and the necessary authority isSee coration to be worn. ------"*.'''' B T .— - - ------- - - - - ----- n Li o: E - - ,Ot' Sett BIRTHS• nano, Mrs. Tom Brown, of a daughter. afords On the 27th inst., at the 'Vicarage' bite, 1 On the 28th inst., at klayties Parlo3e ars. Thynne, of a son. A r MARRIAGES. BASSthur Bass, Esq., M.P. for East Stafforb,,,jr:i.'a 1:116" -TuORNEWILL -On the 28th inst., at Stretlo:o(iee! Georgina, fourth daughter of the late award ,l' P ( et will, Esq., of Dove Cliff. 0 , gadltroP DALLEY—IJEATH—On the 27th illßt., at 0. iieo 0 , 0 03, ing, Edward 'Dailey, of Wokinghank to y o ri‘ l eldest daughter of the late Charles Ileatl3l Surrey. '...7 EA TB S. N B A 001 NEWN * of = 0 11 1 1= 9 :1 rjl.rr.. 94.' Ore Lli ORRED —On the 27th in'st., at Lucerne, C. 4B°. -',, terl °°' a of Timmer°, Cheshire aged 62. t " ORME—On the 24th hist ' , at 19, Gibson -stree 9 road, Mr. Robert Orme . , aged 64. E l° Arip°lo°°' 1,031 ai l / v o. London: Printed and Published by Vir111:- isio..'"Al' 00" of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at TON SUN O ffi c e f 0.- in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the Cottatf ° Friday, Oct(43er 29, 180/. THE COTTON TRADE. The absorbing question in Lancashire just now is the depressed condition of the cotton trade. Many masters are threatened with ruin ; the operatives look forward to a season of little or no work and general low wages. Great distress is feared. Not, however, universally;_ the millowners as represented in the Cham ber of Commerce evidently believe that the men may, if they will, keep themselves during the " hard " season. A discussion took place on the subject on Wednesday. Mr. Hugh Mason said he thought the distress would not he of such a magnitude as to call for the exercise of anything more than common private charity on the one hand, and of a little more liberality and considera tion on the part of members of boards of guardians on the other. As regarded the supply of cotton, he be lieved they were gradually improving their position ; but they were not only suffering from a scarcity in the supply, but also from the over-extension which had taken place in the cotton trade during the past few years. He was satisfied that during the time of prosperity a great many people went into the cotton trade who had not the capital to justify the large way of business they entered upon. These remarks were conlirnaed by other speakers, and attention was directed to the drinking habits of the people. If less money was spent in public-houses, it was said, there would be more for food and clothing, the purchase of which would bring about a better state of things_ ONCE MORE. Amongst the hostilities embarked in by the St. Pancras guardians is a little war with Dr. Lankester, the Middlesex coroner. The guardians, true to their conviction that all the world is conspiring to rob them, informed Mr. Goschen that very many unneces sary inquests were held, intimating, with their accus tomed delicacy, that the coroner had a special hankering after fees. It was rather natural that this functionary, whilst holding an inquest on several persons who had died in the St. Pancras Work- house, should protest against such an intimation. " The hostility which the guardians manifested to inquests being held on persons dying in the work house looked very much as if they were afraid of such inquiries." Whereupon a guardian who was pre at once did battle with Dr. Lankester, declaring at unnecessary inquests wer e held. The coroner ordered this gentleman to sit down, but an unex pected ally areze in the brother of a woman whose death was being investigated. The new comer harangued the jury, without payinc , the slightest attention to the coroner, expressing his objection to any meddling with the body of his sister, albeit the clerk of the g uardians hail stated that the death of the woman had been accelerated by an injury. After a somewhat lengthy row, in the course of which the indignant brother was removed by the police, the jury got to their verdict. It is quite possible that unnecessary inquests may be held ; but this is at all events an error on the right side, especially in the case of a parish the guardians of which refuse proper accommodation to the sick poor- PRISONERS V. PAUPERS. These encounters with coroners, the Poor-law Board, wo rkhouse officials, and ex-guardians, are not enough for the indefatigable folks of this wonderful parish. The Middlesex magistrates are also amongst the robbers of St. Pancras, and the parishioners will not have it. The magistrates are about to erect a nevt county prison, but the St. Pancras ratepayers, with strict impartiality, denounce all " luxurious provision" for paupers and prisoners alike. At a meeting just held to protest against the new prison scheme, one speaker admitted that the prisoners were "most uncomfortable" in their present lodgings. But a gaol was just the place, he argued, that ought t o b e ma d e " as uncom fortable as possible. This gentleman opportunely con trasted the diet given to the happy Middlesex pri soners and that on which paupers eked out a miserable existence. The former had six ounces and two-thirds of bread and a pint of cocoa for breakfast ; for dinner, six and two-thirds ounces of bread and four ounces of meat, and subse quently eight ounces of suet pudding. The Poor-law Union diet for breakfast was eight ounces of bread and half a pint of gruel; for dinner, eight ounces of bread, two ounces of cheese, and a pint of broth. Prisoners had meat four ti m e s a week, while in the Union infirm men had but three ounces of meat and women two ounces of meat only twice a week. llere the speak er made a hard hit. The London parishes tire all heavily taxed, and though it is right that the Poor-law Board should compel them to provide accommodation for the sick poor, the propriety of paying such attention to the comfort of felons is another question. EMIGRATION. The winter has come upon us very sharply indeed; and the various charitable institutions aro bestirring themselves, as is their annual wont, to enlist sym pathy on behalf of the destitute. The distress of the East of London threatens to be as severe as in previous seasons; around Woolwich want is kneekiner very hard for succour. The Emigratio n Coc'mmittee, over which the Lord Mayor presides, i s ag ain appealing for funds. Its members and supporters have discovered much dis tress beyond their own districts. They propose, with the help of the benevolent, to extend their operations —to is needed committees in districts where emi gration needed by the poor, and to turn themselves int o a central supervising committee, from whom information may be obtained. They do not intend to restrict themselves to emigration merely, but offer to co-operate with relief societies. The committee is anxious that those persons they send out shall settle in British dominions ; at their last meeting the statement that the United States obtained the benefit of their exports was explicitly denied. LEGAL. FACILITIES FOR SWINDLING. It is stated that some of the English shareholders in the Erie Ittilw a y, and the creditors of the Atlantic and Great tip' stern, have determined to resort to every means that can be found either in the civil or criminal law of the State of New York or of the United State; to obtain some measure of justice. They are resolved to accept no compromise, but to thoroughly try th e ques tion whether there are any methods by which the property of foreigners in America can be protected or rescued from spoliation. The case of :hese Erie shareholders is as astonishing as it is lameltable. The railroad is a lucrative pro perty, but it is entirely under the control of Mr. Fisk, jun., and a fev of his accomplices. These persons not only elevate or depress at pleasure the value of the shares ; but they acnally employ the revenues of the line for their own pivate, speculations. No dividend is ever paid to the thareholders, a large proportion of whom are Europeans. Mr. Fisk and his brethren keep a judge in - UPir pay, and on more than one occasion have boughta decision in their favour. This robbery is marked by none of the ostensible respect for the law which mr commercial personages in England endeavour to keep up. EXCLUSIVE, VERY IMPORTANT, RARE, AND VALUABLE are the propertes of LaMplough's Pyretic Saline, curing the worst headache, sickness, skin, or Milian, affections. Pleasant palatable, and irrigorating. Sold by all Chemists. --EAdvt.] CHECKS REQUIRED AS WELL AS INTLLLECT. (Front the Anglo American Times) The Rev. Newman Hall, in the pleasant little volume of his travels in America, just published, tells a story of how he was walking along what ap peared to be a good side path at night, when he sud denly found himself in the air making a rapid descent down somewhere, but he narrowly escaped with a sprained wrist. On inquiry he found that the path way had been cut across to lay pipes, and had been thus left open to catch any unwary wayfarer. His complaints of such a state of things were received with surprise at his making them, and he was told " You Britishers have no intellect." In explana tion, the American went on to remark, "In this country we leave men to take care of themselves, to use their intellect ; if they do not, they have to take the consequences. NA , ith you the case differs, as you are taken care of and are not required to use your intellect. If an Englishman asked me to go down a mine in England I would go without taking any trouble to see if all is right, for he is respons ible; but in America I would inspect the rope, the engine, and ascertain if all was safe before I moved." Although it may be right to make men in a young country over which a supervision cannot be ex tended, to look out for themselves, a recklessness has been generated which has led to great loss of life. A day never passes without some such sacri fice. For instance, a bull got out of the Forty second Street slaughter-house, trotting through Third Avenue, the Bowery, Baxter, and Roosevelt Streets. Here was a glorious occasion, a veritable "bull," not the shams in Wall-street, and away went the " bear"-baiters after him. As might be anti cipated, the animal thus pursued became infuriated, and the excitement grew apace. Armed policemen turned out, and these guardians of the people's lives began blazing away, and the New Yorkers had in consequence to exert all their intellects to escape the bullets, then flying in every direction, adding to the danger of being gored a further pleasing excitement in the danger of being shot. In Chatham-square, the animal dashed at the masses, by whom he was surrounded, and bursting through them in spite of their pistols and weapons of all sorts, rushed into Roosevelt-street. There, a bar ricade of waggons was constructed to " corner" him, but before it could be completed the mob had started him, and away through the town he went, till, after scouring many more streets, he was killed at the corner of Chathatn-street. The papers con gratulate the public on the comparatively few casualties which resulted. John Anderson, a sailor, was, however, dangerously hounded, the bullet lodging in his lungs ; the bull himself floored many citizens, and many more had their clothes riddled with bullets, but all were well repaid by the excite ment of this buffalo hunt through the streets of New York. Take another, and a really horrible instance, that of the Indiana disaster. This pleasant little affair, which put 27 persons to instant death, wounding some GO more, sprang from the desire of Mr. Sinker to win a prize in a race with another saw mill, to decide which could cut up most lumber within a given period. The race commenced at half-past one o'clock, and before the period expired he had I