The Sun. — London, England, 1860-01-24 00:00:00

THE ARMS'TIi..O.2IrG Thite has been no warlike invention of modern days which has excited higher hopes, and certainly none about which such a mystery of secrecy has been maintained, as in all relating to the perform ances and manufacture of the Armstrong gun. Like the well-known wild-goose shot, no tale is too mar vellous for credence as to the accuracy and range of this celebrated ordnance, while, on the other hand, the Eleusinian mysteries of the secrets of Freemasonry are supposed to be as nothing he n compared with the obscurity w hich shrouds all pertaining to the construction of the piece rhohem selves. Now, on both these points, and without at all departing from the rule of r egarding the inte rests of the public in this matter, we hnk we m . ay venture to afford our read ers a little information. We may premise, first of all, that there is scarcely any tale current regarding the enormous range and deadly accuracy of the Arms rong gun which is tl no s more or less true. In fact, the pow er which ar tillery possesses is almost be y ond belief, and, if our artillerymen are but educated up to the proper use of these most scientific weapons, there is an achievement in the history of modern warfare which is not easily to be surpassed. The secrecy which envelopes all the long and elaborate processes by which every part of the gun is brought to the highest degree of manufacturing excellence has, however, become useless, because totally unnecessary. We by no means intend to deny that the gun under goes some peculior process or processes, the reason for which is known only to one or two of the chiefs of the two great factories at Elswick and Woolwich, ,and which is so carefully concealed that it is made a rule never to mention it even among themselves. This we may term the common secret, for if anything is more certainly known than another it is that this mere verbal concealment must in the natural course of all such things before long be broken. Fortu nate it is, therefore, that there exists beyond this little mystery another and the best of all known safe guards under which any manufacturing p rocess can ever be concealed—the secret which can neither be told nor stolen—the secret of unmatched mechani cal and manufacturing skill. The English are the foremost people in the world for their skill and art in iron work, and, taken as a whole, the Armstrong gun is, for lightness, strength, and the minute ma thematical accuracy of all its many component parts, the very finest specimen of wrought iron work that has ever been put together in this coun try. llere is a secret beyond the reach of either spies or traitors—a secret only within the attain ment of nations which shall labour for it as we have done any time this century. No one ever thought of concealing the secret of the manufacture of loco motives ; on the contrary, we at once set about try ing to teach the world how it could best be done. What is the result ? After 25 years' incessant schooling and sending our mechanics among the nations of the earth all people still come to us for their machinery and engines, all save the Ameri cans, and even they rely on our aid for their greatest engineering triumphs. So confident are the managers of the Armstrong factories of these facts that in their opinion the public might safely be admitted to view the processes of manufacture, without the least fear that any amount of observa tion would ever penetrate the so-called mystery. - What these numerous processes consist of we shall now briefly describe to our readers as clearly as we are able to convey in words the outline of a long and often obscure manufacture. The Government are often, and not unjustly, blamed for adherence to routine, to the negleet of rare and valuable opportu nities. On the other hand, then, it is only just that when, as in the present instance, the War-office has exerted an extraordinary amount of firmness and activity in pushing forward the manufacture of these magnificent pieces of ordnance, it should get the credit for an amount of progress almost incredible with such a weapon And in such a space of time. Not the least obstruction is ever placed in the way of an occasional visitor to the Armstrong factories seeing the finished gun. In fact, a man would no more derive information from an inspection of the long, slim, intelligent-looking piece than one who had never seen steam machinery could make a pair of paddle engines from a mere glance into the engine-room of the Great Eastern. It is in the forge shops that the long stages of manufacture commence—where men labour at works to which those of the Cyclops were mere jokes, and in which at first the visitor stands aghast to find himself involved in such a raging little world of furnaces and steam hammers—where the glare is blinding, and the noise, smoke, dust, and clatter tremendous and unceasing. In one corner is a little hammer, possessed apparently by ten devils in steam, and which incessantly beats with a terrific reverberation upon a small round disc of copper ; in another is the tube of a gun, through a compli cated arrangement of water-pipes passes, to keep it cool while the red-hot trunnion pieces are fitted and shrunk on. In one part stands a row of short iron tubes, about approaching which the visitor must be careful in the extreme, for dim as they look they are nearly all red-hot, and the air in their vicinity scorehef like a blast from an oven. In other places men work with a battering-ram of iron, striking violently against the ersd of something sticking out of a furnace, the blows on which make the glowing brickwork leap and tremble, and threaten to let loose the mass of flame that roars within like thun der. On every side, in clouds of steam and chok ing dust, through the thick gloom of smoke, or labouring faintly in the white glare from ardent furnaces, men are seen busy, while every now and then these furnace doors fly open, and the crane draws forth a seething mass of metal, hissing and sparkling like a fire king, lighting up the factory with its brilliant whiteness, and leaving a train of glowing particles behind. Careful must the visitor be to give these dreadful masses a wide berth, as the workmen, protected by leather and their faces shielded by crape masks, drag them past to where the steam hammer thumps the reluc tant pile of metal into a rough semblance of its future form, when, after roaring and sputtering under a stream of cold water, it is wheeled off to undergo another of the many stages by which it ad vances slowly towards completion. These and a score of other similar operations, too numerous to more than glance at, are thechief things which strike the visitor on first entering an Armstrong factory, and it is only after a time that he dimly perceives the object of each work and sees what it means and leads to. Let us commence at the beginning and suppose that the manufacture of 25-pounder guns is going forward. In one corner of the factory is a very long but narrow furnace, in which are placed, as fast as they arc wanted, bars of the finest wrought iron, some two inches square and 40 feet or so in length. In the manufacture of the 100-pounder Armstrong gun bars of not less than 90 feet would be required. In front of this furnace is a roller, the diameter of which is equal to the rough-made tube of a 25- pounder when first rolled. Directly one bar is heated to a low white heat it is wound out through .an aperture in the door of the furnace slowly and closely over the roller. When the whole bar is thus coiled up as close as possible the roller is turned on end, and the coil (termed a No. 1 coil) at once knocked off. In this state, and havidg much the appearance of a flattened corksc rew about three feet long, itis rolled away to a large furnace, where in ten minutes it is heated to a bright white heat, placed on one end in an iron cylindrical case under a steam hammer, and flattened down and welded with tremendous blows till only about 2 feet 6 in. long. Three of these tubes make a complete 25- pounder gun. As fast as the short lengths of tube are finished they arc wheeled away into the turning shop—an immense place, where, though everyone is busy, the light and quiet are a relief after the sombre glare and dreadful uproar of the foundry beyond. here the short lengths of No. 1 coil arc bored in• side and turned on the outside to within 1-10th of an inch of their proper diameters, in order that the minutest flaw, if any should exist, in the welding may be discovered. When all is seen to be perfect they are again returned to the foun dry, and two lengths of tube placed, with their ends touching in a jet of flame from a blast-furnace, where, when sufficiently heated, they are welded together by blows from the iron battering-ram we have already mentioned as worked by men against the furnace in so strange and rude a manner. Three No. 1 coils thus joined make the tube of the gun ; but an immense amount of labour has still to be ac e9replished before it takes the field as the most per fect.piece of ordnance the world has yet seen. Over thejenctio of the trunnions the first and second tubes, near where been rolled,s come, a second coil or tube, which has simiiawelded, turned, and finished in a pre tube3r while in a manner to the first, is placed on the over this again bright e red heat, and so shrunk on. mas sive belt of foregendtinbieriosni, the third coil, a shorter, Inas to which the trunnions are fixed, and while stoshrinliing on the water -I);Pes we have alluded tube itself to prevent its he l a 'a ti gln ss a jet through the this manner the tube of the gun is finishecl i h ut the breech has :yet to be attached. In the first, e n , nd . and thi r d but t he rolled coils we have here mentioned th e fibre of ) iron is hid transversely round th e gun, l ii - Teech piece, which has to bear the whole b a co act; ssion of the explosion, such an arran, eme w n a t r c d f , the' Nbre would yield to the first shot. Lie b reec h , the th ere fo,-e, is formed of several pieces of wrought iron, s b ff ped like coarse wedges or the staves of a barrel, veil h the fibre of the iron running longitu dinally to tf.ie gun, and all of which are welded and wedge Ll. together in one tubulav mass under the steam ha . ulnier. This, like the No. 1,2, and 3 coils, i s s i rn ii, irly turned down, rough finished, and shrunk on to 1 'orm the breech while red-hot. Out side this again ere two double coils of wrought iron, rolled on •c• 11 1 1 t their fibres at right angles with _ . .. that of the breech piece underneath. In this way,' then, having_ at the breech and . trunnions a triple coat of rolled metal, the tube is finished, and looks like a long and very thin cannon from which the muzzle and breech has been cut off. While in this state its outside is turned down to its precise size, and the whole gun given over to the mea surers, who, with an exquisitely fine instrument, termed a micrometer, measure each part with ma thematical accuracy. Any portion that deviates more than the 3,000 th of an inch from its exact size is condemned, cut out, and replaced. In this state it for the first time leaves the forging room and passes to the finishing shop, where turn ing lathes, boring and rifling machines, with many others of eccentric forms and unknown uses, abound in all directions. Here the gun is first placed on end in the boring machine—a very beau tiful and powerful piece of mechanism, which bores down vertically into four guns at once. Each gun is bored twice, and each boring occupies no less than six hours. The first time the gun is bored out to within 1-1000th of an inch of its proper diameter; at the second turning it is finished: When the boring is ascertained to be perfect to within half a hair's-breadth the rifling is begun forthwith. This is, of course, a very simple part of the operation, the gun or tube being merely laid horizontally in a turning lathe, and the rifle grooves cut in it, one after another, in the course of about five hours. In the Armstrong gun there are 40 close fine grooves, each of a peculiar angular shape, about 1-Bth of an inch deep, the pitch or turn of the rifling being slight—no more than one complete turn in 10 feet 6 inches. The next pro cess is to cut a square hole or " slot," as it is called, in the upper side of . the breech, corresponding to where the touchhoie of an ordinary gun would be, and to turn a deep fine-threaded screw in the open breech at the end of the gun, or, as we may still continue to term.it, the tube. At this stage of the manufacture, if nothing had ever been explained to the visitor, he would see at a glance the whole priaciple of the gun, and when shown -what is termed the " vent piece," would even be able to fit, load, and fire the piece with ease. The powerful hollow screw which fits into the breech at the back is worked backwards with most perfect ease and rapidity with a common weighted handle. Thus, when about to be fired the powder and conical shot are introduced into the breech of the gun through the hollow screw, and deposited in the chamber. Behind these the " vent piece" of steel faced with copper is dropped in from the opening above, and thus forms the breech of the gun, which a single turn of the screw wedges up and keeps immovably in its place behind the charge. When fired the screw is turned back, the vent piece removed, the chamber of the gun sponged out through the hol low screw, the powder and the conical shot are again placed with the vent piece behind them, the screw closed up, and the gun fired in a single minute. As a matter of course, the touchhole is through the vent piece down, into the chamber of the gun, with which it communicates by means of a common friction tube. The fitting of the vent piece, in order to prevent all escape of the explosive force, is a matter on which almost the entire effici ency of the gun depends, and therefore it is regu lated to a degree of nicety whilab seems almost use less, till the reason for such rigid exactness is known. All of them, therefore, are made alike, each vent piece for each class of gun being precisely similar in form, size, and weight. Thus a vent piece made for one 25 or 40 pounder will fit indis criminately all other guns of the same calibre in the service. The exactness of the copper ring which faces these vent pieces, and fits into the end of the rifled barrel, is also a matter of chief moment. It is the manufacture of this ring which occupies the little steam haisasner with the incessant uproar we have mentioned, so that it is always the first object to attract attention on enterinc , the forge-room. The gun thus fitted with its breech piece and screw is complete as a piece of ordnance, and has only to be sighted for its long range, and stained to that deep rich tint which makes it look so well, and shows so beautifully the fibre of the iron winding round and round the gun up to the slender muzzle. This staining operation is soon effected by painting over the metal with a mixture of lime water and acid, and leaving it in a moderate oven to oxidize. The slight brown rust is then wiped off and the ,gun polished to the tint of a new finely-twisted barrel. The screw handle and vent piece are tinted of the richest purple steel colour. The operation of "sighting" for the long range is a far more delicate and important matter, for we need scarcely say how much of accurate firing de pends on this. The common sight for ordinary short range is placed in a line from the back of the breech to above the muzzle. The long range is affixed to the right hand side of the breech of the gun on the right trunnion and on the right hand side of the muzzle—to counteract in some measure by this line of sighting the tendency which the gun has to throw its ball to the left of the mark. This deviation to the left, however, is common to rifled cannon of every kind which have the pitch of their screw turning in that direction, and rice rersa. The sight is a perforated one, and of such extreme delicacy as to enable the most minute object to be covered at almost any distance. In fact, nothing which can be clearly seen is too small to be aimed at, and to be aimed at by the Armstrong gun is to be hit. Thus, then, so far have we given our readers an outline of the main features connected with the manufacture of this as yet unequalled gun. At the commencement of the present financial year (not quite 10 months ago) the Government, or rather, as we may more properly term it, the War-office un dertook that 100 of these pieces of ordnance should be completed before 1860. Already, owing to the untiring energy of Sir Benjamin Hawes and others, this number has been trebled. What may not be hoped this year from the combined efforts of the War-office, from the increased experience, resources, and indefatigable activity displayed by Sir William Armstrong, by the managers of his Elswick works, and by Mr. Anderson, the manager of the most important factory of all at - Woolwich ? But already have we far exceeded the limits we assigned to ourselves at the commencement of this article, and still much more connected with the gun that is of interest to our readers remains to be told. How can any judge of the efficiency of a piece of ord nance till they are informed of its cost, its weight, its durability, its range and accuracy as compared with those of the artillery it is intended to super sede? These are matters which cannot be stated, much less explained, in a few words, and, that they may be laid before the public in a manner which will at least enable them to form an opinion for themselves, we must defer continuing our remarks to another occasion.—Times. POLICE INTELLIGENCE—Jan. 23. GUILDHALL, Mr. Maximilian Gutkind, a general warehouseman, lately carrying on business at 39, Noble-street, was brought up for final exa mination relative to the charge of unlawfully ob taining goods on credit under the false pretence of carrying on business in the ordinary course of trade within three months of his bankruptcy, with intent to cheat and defraud his creditors. Mr. Metcalfe appeared for the prosecution and stated, that in consequence of the evidence which he was about to adduce, in confirmation of that given on the last occasion, it was his intention to charge the bankrupt with conspiring with St. Losky to obtain large quantities of goods, of which the creditors had been defrauded. Mr. Sleigh conducted the defence, and in reply to Mr. Metcalfe's proposition, proposed that the charge before the Court should be completed before any fresh case was opened. The former evidence having been read over, Mr. Thomas Heifer was called and sa id—l carry on business in Sheffield as a cutler. I received an order from the bankrupt on the 10th August last for a quantity of razors to the value of £192 12s. The execution of the order was delayed, and on the 7th September I received the letter produced =ging the delivery of the goods, which were accordingly forwarded on the 10th to the bankrupt's pre mises in Noble-street. The cask in which the goods were packed was marked " G. L., 2.' On Friday last I went to Sava , e-gardens, and i n a warehouse there belong in g to ° Messrs. Barber and Co., of Brewer's-quay, I saw a cask which I recog nised as the same in which I sent up the goods ordered by the bankrupt, but the brand mark had been altered to " 5.L.7.' I had had previous trans actions, and on those occasions he said the goods were for the German market, and when he ordered the last goods he said they were for the same quar ter as those previously supplied ; and I therefore understood they were going to Germany. The terms were for cadi after six months, or bills. Cross-examined—lle gave me bills for the pre vious goods, all of which he paid honourably. Mr. Joseph Jeaeocks said—l am manager to Messrs. Cooper and Goodman, gun manufacturers of Birmingham. I was at the warehouse in Savage gardens on Friday last, where I saw seven cases of guns marked " S. L.," which came from our firm. They were sent to our agent in London in October last, and delivered by him to the bankrupt, whose order I produce. The brand mark on the cases when they left our warehouse was " M. G. and C 0.," and the numbers were 970 to 976 inclusive, but the marks and numbers have all been altered. These • goods have not been paid for. We are creditors to the amount paid amou f nt o o r f o i n l d 4 e s li 3 v s e . 4 d. The goods were to have b Mr. George Stanijo ' rcl said—l am agent to went Messrs. n e cr w e r a s r eh o and o.cutlers, of Sheffield. I ,ern case of on Friday last and recogni se d a of cutlery marked " S. L.," which was, I believe, supplied by our firm on the 2d of October last to thebankrupt. The amount of that lot of goods was £7B 2s. 6d., but we never receivetl the money. Cross -examined—We had other transactions with the liana:rupt, but he paid for all those goods. M r . Robert Sievers Cunningham said—l am agent to INlessrs. Patterson and Co. of Birmingham, electro-plate manufacturers. I found a box of goods at the warehouse in Savage-gardens which had been supplied to the bankrupt on the 22d October last. I had previously seen the same box of goods at the bankrupt's premises in Noble-street, the value of those goods was £B4. He had other goods, which makes our claim under the bankruptcy £92. Cross-examined—The only other transaction was for a few things for his own use, for which he paid. Mr. Richard Buck said,—l am agent to Messrs. Cooper and Goodman. I received the seven cases of guns at the railway station, and then went to the bankrupt's office. I scarcely looked at the person I saw there, but I believe it was the bankrupt. He afterwards called at my office, and told me which was his pay-day, when if I called I could have a cheek. I afterwards called with the invoice, and asked for the money, and the person I saw said that was not his agreement with Mr. Cooper. I gave that person the order to get the goods. I do not know the bankrupt when I see him. We have never been paid for those goods. Mr. Robert White said,—l am agent to Mr. John Pegg, of Leicester, manufacturer of elastic fabrics. On the 14th, 17th, and 30th of last No vember a quantity of goods, amounting to £33, were sent to the bankrupt's order, and on the Ist and 13th of September last a further quantity, making our claim against the bankrupt £203. I found the whole of the goods delivered on the 15th of September (within three months of the bank ruptcy) at Savage-gardens. Cross-examined—We had other transactions with the bankrupt. If the amount were small the terms were cash ; if otherwise, bills. All the former goods have been paid for, either by bills taken up or run. ning. The latter will go into the Bankruptcy Court as they fall due. During the last two years he has bought goods of us every month, for which we have received of him upwards of £l,OOO. He paid the bills as they became due. I never had to ask him a second time for the money until this last transaction. He always paid in a fair, businesslike, and honourable way, the same as other people. Mr. Thos. Willis said—l am managing warehouse man to Messrs. Turner and Co., of Leicester, manufacturers of indiarubber webbing. On the 13th of September last, and the 17th of November following, we sent up to the bankrupt about 930 yards of elastic webbing, and on Friday last I saw those identical good at the warehouse in Savage•gardens, in two cases, marked "S. L." I also saw another case, containing 900 yards, which we supplied in the previous month of August. The amount of our debt is £5OO. Cross-examined—We never received any money for these goods. We have received some hundreds of pounds of the bankrupt in respect of goods sup plied in other transactions, extending over several years. I was not aware he was getting similar g oods from other firms in Leicester, or I would not have supplied him with the last lot of goods. On all the cases I saw at Savage-gardens there were private marks known to me, indicating the number and length of the pieces in each case, and from which firms they respectively came. Mr. David Whitehead said—l am traveller and manager to Messrs. Whitehead and Co., Leicester, elastic web manufacturers, and went to Savage gardens on Friday last, and saw there a case of goods marked " S. L." which we supplied to the bankrupt on the 27th September and the 28th November last, the amount of value being £56 ss. 7d. and £4l Bs. 6d. The amount of our claim against the bankrupt is £250. We have not been paid one penny for these goods. Cross-examined—l do not think we have had £lOO of his money on other transactions. I will not swear that we have not had £4OO, because I really forget what the amount is. Police-constable 114 said,—l have been on duty in Basinghall-street during the last 12 months, and have frequently seen St. Losky, who had a ware house on the ground floor at No. 42. During the three months prior to the Bth Dec, last I often saw goods taken in there, and on those occasions St. Losky has close the shutters and left them so for several days, until he came again to take them away. He never employed any one to help him except the carman. I never saw any clerk or por ter there. I have seen goods taken in and the shut ters put up as early as one o'clock in the day, St. Losky's name was on the door. I was never inside his warehouse, but as I have passed I have seen a few bales on the floor, but nothing like the ordinary appearance of business. Mr. Sleigh inquired if the bankrupt was ever seen there ou those occasions, and upon receiving an answer in the negative, objected to the evt ience. Mr. Metcalfe said this was not only a charge of fraud against the bankrupt, but one also of con spiracy against him and St. Losky, and as the g oods had been traced to Basinghall-street it was essential to show in what manner they found their way to the warehouse in Savage-gardens, in order to establish the joint dealing between St. Losky and the bankrupt. In a charge of conspiracy that which was evidence against one party was evidence against every one accused. Mr. Sleigh said the charge against the bankrupt was for obtaining goods within three months of his bankruptcy by means of false pretences, and no thing could be received as evidence which took place in the absence of the bankrupt. It might turn out that the bankrupt had been made the vic tim of St. Losky, in which case it would be monstrous to admit evidence under cover of such a charge, and so procure his conviction upon testi mony that could not otherwise be received against him. Alderman Salomons said the policeman's evi dence was very vague, and he could not see of what service it could be to the prosecution, as there were many respectable warehouses in the city where goods were delivered, rebranded, and sent away immediately. Mr. Metcalfe then put in the bankrupt's examina tion before the Commissioner since the case was last heard in this court, to show the amount of assets. Mr. Sleigh objected, and stated his reason for so doing was, that in a recent case in which he applied to have the bankrupt examined, the Com missioner most emphatically said be would never be a party to tho examination of a bankrupt while a criminal charge was hanging over him, and where the object was to use his own evidence against him. Mr. Metcalfe said the examination took place with the bankrupt's consent, and was confined solely to a statement with regard to the good debts. Knowing the charge against him in this court he most carefully abstained from cross-examining him upon any matters which might prejudice him with regard to the criminal charge. The statement he wished to put in was merely to show that the good debts were under £5O, with the exception of one of £B9 from a person to whom the bankrupt said he owed a much larger sum, and a person named Merles ' in America, whose debt to th e es t a t e was alleged to be £l,BOO ; but the bankrupt was not sure that it was a good one, although he had heard it was. His liabilities, he said, were £6,000. Alderman Salomons said it was his duty to com mit the bankrupt for trial, and if he wished to say anything he might do so, but that whatever he might say would be used in evidence against him. The bankrupt said he had nothing to say, but he would leave his case in the hands of his counsel and public justice. After some conversation about bail, Alderman Salomons said he wished to do his duty strictly and at the same time with a due regard to mercy to the bankrupt. He should therefore steer a middle course, as he considered this case mate rially strengthened, by increasing the bail to two sureties in £5OO, and the recognisance of the defen dant (the bankrupt), in double the amount. BOW-STREET.—A young man. who gave the name of George Dower, although described in the warrant as E. C. Stevens, was charged with the wilful murder of James Humphries, a seaman, on board the American ship Devonshire, on the Bth of December last. The proceedings were taken under the Extradi tion Act, and the prisoner was apprehended by Ticknor, the warrant-officer, on board his vessel, now lying off Poplar. He appeared about 35 years of age, under the middle size, and described himself as second mate of the ship Devonshire. Mr. Phillips attended as solicitor for the prosecu tion, and Mr. Cooper for the defendant. The signature to the warrant by Sir G. C. Lewis having been formally proved by Mr. O'Brien, the second clerk, Henry Shepherd deposed that he was a native of New York, at present residing at 12, Prince's square, St. George's-in-the-East. Was an able seaman on board the American packet Devonshire, which sailed from New York on the Ist of Decem ber last, bearing the flag of the United States. Capt. Thomas Anderson was the first officer, and the prisoner was second mate. He remembered a man named James Humphries sailing with him. lie was not an able-bodied seaman, but acted as an ordinary man. Saw him first on the 30th of November, the night before sailing. He was on the first or second night-watch. Saw the prisoner strike him the first day the ship left port. He struck him in the face, and knocked him down with a be laying-pin—a wooden instrument about 15 inches long and about an inch and a half wide, used for tightening the ropes. Humphries was on watch at tie time. The assaults were repeated from time to time until the Bth, when Humphries was lost. He struck him with his fists, and kicked him violently after he was down. Humphries did not resist him. Humphries showed witness his left side. He was was black and blue from the blows received, and the bruises extended from the armpit all down his side. His eyes were blackened, and witness s aw him spitting lumps of blood. He complained in his hammock of pains in the side. Had often heard him say to the prisoner, " For God's sake don't murder me." He appeared in a very weak state. By Mr. Hall—He was a strong, hearty man when he joined the ship. Witness—On the Bth of December Humphries was with me. We were reefing the main topsail. I was in the slings of the main topsail yard, and Humphries was on the lee side of the yard, sitting on the footrope. It was bet Ween 8 and 6 o'clock at night. The prisoner was close alongside at the time. I heard the prisoner say to Humphries, " You son of a —, lay down on the deck"— meaning go down, at the same time kicking him in the face with his boots. Ho was standing up, and Humphries was sitting down. Humphries got into the maintop rigging, and descended as far as the top, but could not get further down in consequence of the rope stays or steps being crowded by other seamen in advance of him. The prisoner followed him down, kicked him again, and forced him on to the backstays, the ropes at the back of the steps or ladder, by which a man can descend by his arms, there being no foot-rest. He told the prisoner he could not go down faster, owing to the men before him. While he was hanging on to the backstays I saw the prisoner strike him in the face, upon which he slid down the ropes. By Mr. Hall—The backstays are not the usual mode of descending. The ladder is:always preferred, of course. Witness—While Humphries was going down hanging to the ropes, I saw the prisoner take the backstays and shake the ropes till the deceased • slipped down to the crane line, which caught him in the crutch, and I then saw him fall back over- board with his heels up in the air. The prisoner was shaking the stays all the while. There was a heavy sea, the wind was blowing hard, and the ship was lying over very much, so that Humphries fell clear of the deck into the sea. The pace of the ship might be about seven or eight miles an hour. I considered that he fell from the stays in conse quence of the prisoner shaking the ropes. I saw no effort made to save him, although I heard after wards that the chief officer threw a lifebuoy over. The ship was not stopped, and shortly after the pace was increased by the maintopsail being mast headed. When I got down to the deck I heard a cry that a man was overboard, but the course of the ship was never altered. We were going N.N.E. I had a conversation with the prisoner about Humphries on one occasion afterwards. I said the poor fellow was gone, and I did not know how soon it alight come to my turn. He said, " The was no sailor, and I calculated to drown him any before getting to London." When the de ceased went overboard I should say we were a thou sand miles from New York—about off the Banks of Newfoundland. I never saw the body of Humphries after he fell. The crane line was about 25 or 30 feet from the deck. The vessel might have been brought to. The witness was cross-examined at great length. the only material points being, —I do not remember at what part of the ship we were standing when the conversation with the prisoner took place, or what was the date. It was during one afternoon watch. I said what I did because the death of Humphries was the talk of the ship, and I was in fear of the prisoner myself the whole voyage. There was no ill-feeling between us, but he was a man I dreaded. Humphries was about my height (about 5 feet 6 inches), but stouter and heavier. When he was struck with the belaying pin the blow took him in the face, and he went down at once. I saw him in the next watch, and his face was much swollen. I could not give any cause for his ill-treatment. I did not inquire about it—such things would not be allowed. There were other seamen who witnessed the death of Humphri( s. Fox was the name of one. There were Bob and Tom—but I do not know the other names of the men. It was during the second or third night-watch that the first assault took place. I cannot say which for certain, al though I may have said it was the second. I was walking the deck at the time, and it occurred at the fore part of the deck. The prisoner came up to Humphries and said something which I did not hear, and the blow followed directly. I can't say if Humphries said anything. After being knocked down he got up and walked away. I never said anything to the captain about the prisoner hav ing shaken the stays. I was as much in fear of him as I was of the prisoner. I might have said something about the mysterious disappearance of Humphries, because it was a mystery to some, although not to me. I did not say anything about it till I gave my evidence before the Con sul. The prisoner forced. Humphries on to the backstays by orders whiell he was bound to obey. The backstay rope is as thick as a man's arm. did not cry out, "A man overboard," lest the pri soner should serve me in the same way. I believe I could shake the stays myself if the ship was in the same position as it was in then. The ship got to London the day before New Year's Day. Re-examined----When I got ashore I sought out the relatives of the deceased, and informed them of what had taken place. I saw his brother the first night we were in London, and told him that the second mate was the instigator of his being thrown overboard ; but I did not then describe the way in which it was done. I mentioned it on the 2d of January, when we went to the Consul. The prisoner had often threatened me. By Mr. Hall—About 20 minutes or halfam-hour after the man was overboard the crew were mus tered to see who was missing. There was some doubt as to who the man was. I did not hear any inquiry made about it before we were mustered. Daniel Fox, also a citizen of the United States, and one of the seamen of the Devonshire, gave similar evidence. He first saw the prisoner and Humphries together on the night of Nov. 30, when the prisoner called him out of the galley, knocked him down, and " booted" (kicked) him. I cannot say if Humphries had any right to be in the galley. He said, " I beg your pardon, sir, if I am doing wrong." I cannot say whether he had any business to be in the galley. It is not usual for the men to go there, but he might have been a friend of the cook. As he lay on the deck the prisoner raised his foot and stamped with the heel of his boot on Hum phries's face. Witness corroborated the testimony of the previous witness as to the prisoner's general illusage of the deceased, and gave a similar ac count of the assault on the Ist of December and of the catastrophe of the Bth, adding that when Humphries was hanging in the back-stay the pri soner laid hold of the back•stay with his left hand and struck the deceased with his right. He then shook the back-stay, which was slack, as it always is on the lee side when the wind is abeam. It was owing to the shaking of the line, the weak state of the man, and the effect of the blow that he fell into the sea. The witness continued,-1 heard a cry on deck, " A man overboard." I did not repeat it. As far as I could see no effort was made to save him. The ship was not hove to, but continued her course, going at a rate of about eight knots an hour. As a seagoing man all my life, I am of opinion that the ship might have been hove to. If that had been done, and if the man could swim, he might have caught the life-buoy, got aboard, and been saved. After a while the prisoner said to me, " I thought you told me it was No. 2 Shoeblack that fell over board ?" That was a nickname given to one of the boys. I said it was "London," which was a nick name of Humphries. I had not spoken to the pri soner about it before. Some time afterwards I heard him say, " I have sent No. 5 Shoeblack Ash ing, and I'll send some more of them before we get to London." He used to call Humphries " N o , 5 Shoeblack." I never mentioned it to the captain, for I was afraid of my own life ; I was afraid of the pair of them—captain and mate. I had seen th e prisoner illuse the others. Men might have bee n found to man the lifeboat. I heard several of them say they would go. Cross examined—Could not say whether Hum phries was an awkward sailor ; had not seen enough of him. fle could go aloft very well. Had never been struck or threatened by the prisoner. He ar d several ask who was overboard, but did not answer, being afraid. About a quarter of an ho ur a f ter the occurrence the maintopsail was hoisted, and when we came down the crew -were mustered to see who was missing. After mustering, several said it was " London." I did not say so till the mus ter showed who it was. It was before the muster that the prisoner asked if I had said it was "No. 2 Shoeblack." I don't think the men near us could hear, as they were hauling up a bunting. The night we came on shore in London Shepherd and I went to look for Humphries's relatives, and found his brother Robert. We told him his brother had been ill treated and thrown overboard. I told him about the second mate shaking the backstay, but I did not hear Shepherd mention it. I told several persons, but only about the backstay to one. I forget who that was. When the backstay is slack I could shake it with a man on, or with 50 men, if they could get on. The crew consisted of 20 men and four boys. I was afraid to say at the muster who was missing, because it might lead to inquiry, and if' I hallooed they would find out what I knew about it, and one of them might give me a slight push some day if they found me in a similar position. I was in fear of them both. Re-examined—Sheph er d and I talked of it to gether, but only when there was no one to hear us. The first thing Shepherd said to me about it was, that it was &scandalous thing for the second mats to ill treat the man so, and then throw him over board. Mr. - Phillips said that though the warrant Was made out against E. C. Stevens, the prisoner had never gone by that name. Mr. Hall could understand how the mistake arose. No doubt, a person of that name had been engaged and entered, but failed at the last moment, and the prisoner was substituted for him without altering the register. Mr. Phillips said that was the fact. Mr. Hall said it did not matter, as the prisoner's identity was clearly established. Mr. Cooper had witnesses to produce, and should apply for a remand to secure their attendance. Mr, Hall accordiwgly remanded the prisoner. General Campbell, the United States' Consul for ' London and its dependencies, attended to watch the proceedings. THE HON. TV. F. CAMPBELL, ILP., AND BIS CONSTITUENTS. [The following is a more extended report than that which appeared in our first edition of yesterday.] A public meeting was held at the Three Cups Hotel, on Saturday, to hear the Hon. W. F. Campbell on political affairs. In the course of his speech, Mr. CAMPBELL referred to his motion upon Portugal in August last. Although it had not come forward at such a time or in such a manner as to rivet their attention, he would not shrink now from ex plaining to them briefly in what views it had originated. Responsible as he was to them for the prudence of every step he took in the House of Commons, they knew as well as him that, at the fall of the late Government, the rela tions of Great Britain and Portugal had been seriously compromised. As a maritime constituency they knew, also, that for many years this country had employed a squadron on the coast of Africa, at the cost of half a million pounds a year, for the repression of the slave trade. In 1850, on an attempt to induce the House of Commons to withdraw the squadron, they refused, with zeal if not with unanimity, to do so. In 1858, when an attempt was made to induce them to control it by instructions, with still greater zeal and a much larger majority, they declined to control its operations or to limit its activity. The leading statesmen wero irrevocably pledged to its continuance, and the nation could not now recede from that line of policy to which the squadron was essential. The Portuguese dominion on the eastern and western coasts of Africa occupied the terri tory from which slaVes were unfortunately furnished. Un- less, therefore, Portugal abetted the exertions of our squadron by instructing the Governor-General of Angola on the one side and the Governor •General of Mozambique upon the other, to do their utmost to support it (and many means were open to them), it was nothing but a useless drain upon the finances of the empire—it was nothing but a mischievous and inexcusable withdrawal to distant and deadly climes of ships, of seamen, and officers, who, in other regions of the globe, might be defending our safety or adding to our influence. To keep up a squadron to watch the coast of Africa, with Portugal upholding it, might be good sense, and wisdom, and humanity ; to keep up a squadron in those waters, with Portugal im peding you, was a wanton sacrifice of life, and un repaid expenditure of money, and a departure from all the views which prudence dictated to empires. To bring the authority of Portugal to bear on the Governor- General of Angola and the Governor-General of Mozam bique, British influence and British exhortation were per petually required. And if any state of things occurred to silence British exhortation and lock up British influence, do what the squadron might, the slave trade would continue. The transaction so painfully associated with the vessel Charles et Georges rendered it impossible for Britain to hold towards Portugal her wonted language on this subject until Parliament liad interfered with such a motion as he offered. Britain would have only courted the reply from any go vernment at Lisbon, "we did discountenancethe slave trade, we did instruct the viceroys as you asked, we did oppose our selves to France, who wanted our negroes ; we did execute our laws. You did not give us even countenance in peril which you forced us to incur, and we will not again, without new encouragement and new security, incur it." The mo tion was designed to offer that encouragement and furnish that security on the part of the House of Commons, which had a right to speak for the community. It appeared to ba so calculated to the Minister of Portugal; to Mr. Lyons M'Leod, our well-known consul from Mozambique ; to Mr. Charles Buxton, who came down to the House of Commons to support it ; to that distinguished individual whose talents were now devoted to restore our Indian finance. The Op position were prepared to acquiesce in it. The Government through more than one channel, had engaged to give it their support; and although the state of the house (there being scarcely 40 members present) induced him not to speak, the practical result would have been gained—and this was all ho aimed at—had not a member of the Cabinet taken a part which, if he ever became acquainted with this subject, he would no doubt regret to the latest day of his existence. Mr. Lyons M'Leod had made a calculation that if our squad ron lost the active sympathy of Portugal, to render it effectual 13 more . ships would bo required, at a new cost of two hundred and fifty thousand pounds par annum. Such was the burden which he (Mr. Campbell) h. 1 desired to avert ; lint which Sir Gcurge Grey decided to impose upon the public. In the same spirit, and on the same night, he insisted, with headlong haste, trampling on all the forms and usages of Parliament, on sending down commissions of inquiry to Wakefield and Gloucester, which could have no result except that of adding to the general taxation of the country. Reflecting over that night, he (Mr. Campbell) had come to the conclusion that Sir George Grey, wearied by a long course of Parliamentary attendance, and weighed down by the burden of a too responsible department, had come to the House of Commons with a general idea that two motions were before him, but one ought to be carried and the other thrown out, and that in the hurry 3f the moment he supported what he meant to have opposed, and opposed what ho meant to have supported. On no other ground could ho (Mr. Campbell) continue to regard him with that esteem and admiration which he had felt for him before, and which he knew was generally shared among the party he belonged to. As regarded organic change, on which at present so much apathy existed, he would only state his general opinion as to the line we ought to follow ; and he did so with the greater ease, because in August last Mr. Cobden had anticipated what occurred to him about it. In August last, at Rochdale, Mr. Cobden had lent his great authority and eloquence to the position that, the best mode of operating on the Reform Act of 1832 was to renounce am bitious schemes, and to touch separately, one by one, the parts of that great system which required correction and improvement. In support of his idea Mr. Cobden quoted the expression of the late Mr. O'Connell to the effect that when you had a doorway which would scarcely admit a gig and horse, it was not a prudent thing to lay down as a principle, that you would never enter it without a dozen waggons all abreast 'or one another. So, too, he might have added, it would not be a practical proceeding to refuse to enter a her - bour which would only float a brig, unless you were allowed to do so with a fleet :of line-of-battle ships. But setting metaphor apart, experience was ready to convince all im partial minds that the attempt at large and comprehensive legislation on Reform had been fairly tried and met with uniform disaster. The well-known Mr. O'Connor tried it in 1848, but his scheme had no support from any order of society. Mr. Hume attempted it in 1849, in 1850, and in 1851, but he found nothing to respond to him except aver sion in the House of Commons, and indifference in the people. Lord John Russell attempted it in 1832. In ten days afterwards the ship, of which he had been the able pilot, foundered. In 1854, the Earl of Aberdeen, blind to all these lessons, rushed upon a similar experiment, and met a similar repulse, although not at once subversive of his Government. In 1859, the Earl of Derby, untaught by these impressive antecedents, advanced a comprehensive scheme, and sacrificed his Government midst the loudest marks of reprehension. Impenetrable that man must be to all the past could teach him who, in cold blood, defied the voice of Mr. Cohden, after its sagacity and truth had been so curiously verified. Not that Mr. Cobden was the only per son of distinction who had anticipated the point for which he was contending. The Prime Minister himself in 1857, just before the general election, gave utterance to the same idea, and declared himself in favour of occasional reform as preferable to large bills which were not framed to reach the statute book. For the real truth was, that large ambitious projects of reform were neverlikely to be carried. Ho would point out a few of the impediments which met them. To begin with such schemes involved, or were thought to in volve, an instant dissolution. When a dissolution was im pending the power of the House of Commons, as a delibera tive body, was suspended, because:its members were all en gaged in other scenes. And what could bemore unjust or more irrational than to suspend its power and take away its function at the very moment that you asked it to decide upon a question which involved the fell or preservation of the empire? It was natural fo; Parliament to feel shocked at the position they were thrown into, and to discountenance the measure which they were not enabled, in point of fact, to weigh. Bey on d thi s , w h en a G over nment propounded a fancied for and compr e h ens i ve measure o f Reform, no one for a moment that it expressed the views or had theappro bation of its auth ors . A u d P ar liaments were notdisposed to swallow measures which they felt certain were regarded with digtrust,lf not with scorn by the very cabinets who offered them. .But further still, an Opposition they would knew that by defeatin g a l arge an d comprehensive measure overthr ow th e G overn ment. Their whole art and ingenuity and power were therefore naturally strained to ascertain its faults and to exaggerate their consequences. The only change which we had yet succeeded in engrafting on the act of 1832 was an extension of the Irish franchise in 1850, introduced as a separate reform, debated without faction, and carried that year through both Houses of Parliament. Experience was therefore clear before our eyes as to how success might be obtained and how failure might be courted. If no other circumstance disqualified the Government to alter the Reform. Act by ona large and final blow, their re luctance to adopt the ballot would appear to do so. If the ballot were denied, in anymeasure which affected to dispose of the whole question, the body of the electors who desired it would be in a worse condition then they were at present. But although he was in favour of occasional reform, it did not follow upon that account that he was less ready than the patrons of ambitious schemes to gyre effect to the mature opinion of the people. Universal suffrage might be carried by occasional reform. Annual parliaments might be carried by occasional reform. Re-distribution of the seats might be accomplished by that method. The difference between the two was, that crude and comprehen sive schemes disturbed the public mind without altering the law, whereas occasional reform had led to practical results, and left the island in tranquillity. And that tranquillity, however valuable in itself, was yet more to be valued as a defence against the hostile Powers (if any such there were) whose opportunity would be in our struggles and divisions ? And here ho would remark that the volunteer movement ought not to be suspended or discouraged because France and England were engaged in a common enterprise, or bound by new commercial treaties, or firm in the ideas of mutual respect for one another. It had first been kindled by the Laureate; it had been fanned by the exertions of the Press ; and, last of all, Lord Elcho and other men of public spirit, by foundling the Volunteer Association, had endeavoured to perpetuate it. The Secretary at War had lent his high authority and sanction to it. But neither the Laureate, the Press, Lord Elcho, nor Mr. Sidney Herbert had ever roused the country on the ground that an alliance with France no longer to be cultivated. For his part, he thought a French alliance was essential to the country and de sirable for Europe. If you looked towards the North and East you saw a Power whose territory was unlimited, whose Government was central and despotic, whose policy it was to absorb weaker States into itself, and who swayed towards that line by the irresistible desire of Northern populations for those more sunny climes into which aggressive arms could alone introduce them. Russia was that Power. Could Great Britain unaided and alone suffice for the exertion of restraining her? Would Prussia aid her in so doing? Would Austria ? Would Sweden ? The melancholy years of 1854 and 1855, melancholy from the blood they had ex pended, from the crime they had avenged, the weaknesses they had laid open, the animosities they had left behind, might answer that inquiry. United, :France and Britain were able to contend with Russia. Without Britain, ships would have been wanting ; without France, armies would have failed. But even these great Powers were not able to obtain a result such as their boundless sacrifices, their heart • rending endurance, and noble feats entitled them to look for. Let disunion grow up between France and England, Constan tinople would be Russian, and Europe no longer safe. If you turn your eyes towards the West you see a young and vigorous Republic uniting the extremes of servitude and freedom, and of which, in spite of many virtues, annexation is the ruling passion and the constant end. The Continent of America can never fall under one dominion so long as two naval Powers like France and England are united. But it requires the union of two naval l'owers— and Europe has only two—to form an adeciaate security against that consummation. The Emperor of Brazil himself might tremble on his throne, if he despaired of any steady understanding between France and Great Britain. The alliance of the two was necessary to the world ; but how can you preserve it ? Equality of forces and mutual re spect was the foundation of so doing. In former years, to balance the immense preponderance of France by land, Great Britain exceeded her in line-of-battle-ships, in frigates, and in gun-boats. If France became our equal upon the land. How could you effect it? Would you in crease the army to 300,000 men? The spirit of the coun try, the necessities and obligations of the country would re sist you. Your only course was to depend, in some degree, on volunteers. Such seemed to him the vindication of the movement, and the closer France and Britain were united the more essential to our honour was it to become a nation of armed men. But it was said that the Emperor of the French deserved our confidence, and that so long as he re mained upon the throne no danger would impend upon us from that quarter. It was far from his intention to dispa rage that extraordinary person, or cast suspici.an on his policy. Many calculations of ambition mieat strengthen, many lint ulses of sentiment in prohibliing on his part a rupture with Great Britain. He knew that the world could furnish him with no equivalent ally. It could not be Rus sia, for Russia was engaged always more or less in a policy which France had renounced herself, and could never ac quiesce in from another country. It could not be America, for the maxims of the United States prevented upon their part the exercise of influence in Europe. It could not be Prussia, for Prussia had not any navy by which France could be supported. It could not be Austria, because the views of Franco and Austria in Italy had always been irre concilable. Great Britain was the only Power, engaged in no line of action, committed to no purpose which involved disunion with France, and having the resources and advan tages for which France would naturally look in an ally. If a rupture ever happened between Great Britain and the Emperor, it would most likely be at some moment when the weakness of this country in its national defences had raised across the Channel a spirit of aggression which even this great man was insufficient to subdue. But was his life secured to us for ever ? Was it not possible that a long career of agitation, of adversity, of struggle, and of exile had imparted to his frame the cause of premature de• cline ? Had not he been threatened ? Among the emis saries of the Pope as among the weak disciples of Mazzini, might you not conceive the fatal hand which had not yet occurred to him. And if something happened to the Em peror, what situation would arise ? The friends of that dynasty which fell in 1830, the friends of that dynasty which fell in 1848, the friends of tho Republic which ceased in 1851, as far as we could judge, would all spring into a mad and internecine struggle for ascendancy; and what weapon would occur to them ? How would they be likely to outvie each other in the race for short-lived popularity ? Would not hostility to Britain be the watchword by which each would hope to awaken in its favour those dormant passions which the present Emperor controlled ? Until, therefore, the Emperor is proved to be not only a firm ally, but an immortal one, all foresight calls on you to arm while his life alone secures the order of his country. But granting war to to in all contingencies improbable, there is another ground on which a force of volunteers may be defended. The power of a Foreign Secretary to uphold public law, to vindicate the rights of British subjects, to negotiate success fully, to form satisfactory alliances, to prevent dangerous combinations, depends not only upon skill, on judgment, and diplomacy ; but on the fleets and armies which are ready to give a point to his despatches and lend a substance to his words. Suppose a country wholly undefended ; would all the concentrated talent of Lord Bolingbroke and le r. Canning enable it to form the treaties which it aimed at ? Suppose it perfectly invulnerable on its coasts, and undis puted mistress of the sea, the most incapable of ministers, with an electric telegraph to help him, would not be able to sink it beneath a certain point of insignificance in the dis cussions of the world. In 1823, when France invaded Spain, Mr. Canning protested ineffectually ; but a hundred thousand volunteers were not arrayed behind his language. It was necessary in 1826 to despatch 10,000 men to Portugal. Had volunteers existed at that moment tho emergency might never have arisen. So, too, the Russian war might yet have been a dream had not the Czar been able to look down with scorn on the defences of the country. Diplomacy was no doubt the general result of arms. But arms were also the vital power and indispensable condition of diplo may. The past autumn has been fall of illustrations upon this point ; an d if th ey wan t e d our f ore i gn po li c y to proceed with dignity and firmness, on thai ground alone theyre- re quired the Ch anne l fl ee t , a reserve o f gun b oa t s , w hich a dis tinguished naval man h a d recommen d e d, a hundred thou sand regulars, which was no t m uch beyond our ordinary a limit, a hund r ed th ousan d m iliti ame n, which the Duke Wellingto n h a d ca ll e d f or, an d a h u ndred thousand vo lunteers, which was not too geeat a strain upon thebecause gene ral enth us i asm . H e h a d ma d e these observations some he was informed th a t i n the town their ar existed they had as regards joining the ch backwardnessttllerYy had lately resolved to have. proceeded from did a obreedliietfrotthhaetir j w u l d f ar gm sU e w n e t. distant uistta he n had for the f r the present, it movement. Having urged this p shown the probability of war was not ve r on eason of local ft e h a e l grounds, Mr. Campbell said th w a h t e h w e a h s o u p n ed de t r o stheeeeavgee of every man enrol himself in the artillery. themselves, the fate e f The young might feel a glow of pride and satisf ac ti on i n but the t e consciousness defeud te p e u f b l l i i v c tugueteuly tu to influence support fortunes, sure for old age ; in all the hours they had gi ven Europe and the movement s of the world . They would lay u to p t a he service trea they would find a vent for the exuberance and power which belonged to their time of life, and which, u nless it had a useful channel, would only tend to th e con fusion of their fortunes and pursuits. As regards m on who had outlived their youth, what was more essential to them than some new form of toil and excitement to arrest the gloom and the satiety which often hung on their existence, to keep up the activity they were much too prono to lose, to dissipate the cares which not unfre quently assailed him, and to animate them by the feel ing that the remnant of their lives would not be useless to society ?He had no desire to appeal to-night to p ar ty feelings ; but he could not hear without concern that the recruits had not come as yet to any great extent from his political supporters. It was true, indeed, that legislation was in some degree exhausted, the circle of t t bahtF a hny b ared u deyw s m e t leoteeei mlwmnonae middlesgT released teo r ed n t i o r cm i l ccatetsh:esfuadrhnt,fo however, the ow:lme settvheohtbet of men edt theymet l coercion esenr dictationee' o nib f omya m ß gwha e oho f dtff o oe Reform m tht ihael up: oar were loeriTrgmlgi haaearrmmwnco oligarchy, Parliament ftr, the people, by whom corn had been taken from the fetters which confined it to its native soil by whom the ships of every la n d h a d been encouraged to , pursue an un impeded path o ver th e ocean. In a short time—it might be months, it mi g ht b e weeks—they must be readyto see their opponent s f ace to face upon the hustings.ln the House of Commons parties were now balanced, Europe, Asia, and Am er i ca combined to furnish opposition with the weapons of plausible, although not of just attack. On the question of Reform no Government was safe unless the prudent counsel he had quoted from Mr. Cobden influenced their pla ns . Th e occasion might therefore be near, . which, looking t o th e past, did not seem to them a distant. one. When that day arrives, let it not be said by your op ponents that while y ou were zealous to improve the laws . and institution's of the country, you gave them a monopoly in the sense, the hardih oo d, an d v i rtue of being forward toy defend it. The hon. gentleman, who wss frequently and loudly oheered throughout, then sat down amidst great applause. A resolution, expressive of confidence in the hon. gentle man, and approval of his course in Parliament, was pro posed, seconded, and carried unanimously. COUNTRY MARKETS. COLCHESTER-JAN. 21. A fair supply of wheat ; the best samples were taken off at about last week's rates; damp samples were unsaleable. Malting barleys are higher in price, and grinding samples were easy to sell at lower prices. Beans and peas in rather soft condition, and rather cheaper. Wheat, white 44s to 50s I Beans, Mazagan..32s to 36 ; red 38s to 46s I Middle & small 33s to 425 Barley 36s to 46s I White peas 3Bs to 401 Oats 2os to 24s J Grey.. 32s to 36s CHELMSFORD —JAN. 20. The quantity of wheat shown to-day was fair for the time of year, but very much of it in bad condition, with a fair attendance. A very flat business, and the last week' a prices declined is for inferior qualities. Spring corn, ex cept barley, looking down. Barley maintained late quota tions. Wheat, white 40s to 50s red 338 to 43s Barley 30s to 37s Chevalier 32s to 42s Grinding 21s to 26s Malt 608 to 66s Chevalier 63s to 688 Oats 22s to 32s Peas, Partridge 37s to 38e White 37s to 393 Boiling 37s to 405 Dun 32s to 354 Beans, Tick 3Bs to 404 Harlow Ticks 40s to 43s Mazagan .. 355 to 379 OXFORD-JAN. 21. A fair quantity of wheat at market to-day, for which the trade was very slow for fine samples ; and other grain inactive. White ruled at 44s to 51s, red 40s to 47s per qr. Barley, 256 to 40s ; oats, 18s to 30s ; 38s to 48s ; hog peas, 38s to 425 ; boilers, 40s to 45s per qr, Flour, 326 to 33s per sack. Hay, from £3 56 to £4 5s per ton. DERBY-JAN, 21. . _ At market yesterday wheat was a small supply. Trade buoyant, at the late improvement of Gd to is on the cur rencies of the previous week. Oats at late rates. Barley s slow sale at a trifling advance on late prices. Beans made Is less money. White wheat, new, 48 s t o 52 s B ar l ey, gr i nd i ng.. 28 s to 301 Red do. 43s to 47s Oats, old, .. —s to —s Old white 4 Bs t o 52 s New do 24s to 274 Red do. 43s to 47s Beans. 42s to 46 4 I Barley, malting.... 40s to 42s Beans, new.. —s to —a CAMBRIDGE—JAN. I ,2I. There was a fair supply of wheat, and, with a very lan guid demand in the trade, white moved off at 48s to 501 ; red, 36s to 44s per 36 stone. There was a moderate trade is barley to-day ; malting, 40s to 41E4 ; grinding, 24s to 30s per 30 stone. Oats at 18s to 26s for new ; old oats, _s to —s. Beans in limited supply, and a steady sale—new, 36S to 42s ; old, --s to —s per 38 stone ; peas, 40s to 42s par 36 stone. COAL MAR. (Prices of Coal per Ton at s. d. Holywell 16 0 s, d. Howard's West Hart- Garway and Duffryn ley . .15 9 I Malting 23 6 , Wylam l7 6 I Gallia Cadoxton Steam 23 6 . , Westro Park Steam...l4 10—Sold, 10. :ET—JAN. 23. the close of the market.) Walls End. Ships at marke FOREIGN NAIL PAC. En the following table E signifies that le by evening mails from London, and 31 DESTINATIONS. Despatch of Mails. Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton Ditto, via Marseilles Bahamas and Havana via New York Canada, & c. coy Canadn. pckt )i: Cape of Good Hope, Ascon-I mon, and St. Helena China, Penang, and Singa pore, via Southampon Ditto, via Marseilles Gibraltar, via Southampton Honduras and Blewfields India (Calcutta) and Ceylon, via Southampton Ditto, via Marseilles India (Bombay), via South ampton Ditto, via Marseilles Lisbon, Brazils,Buenos Ayres, and F. Islands Lisbon, Vigo, and Oporto Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton Ditto. via Marseilles Mexico and Havana Newfoundland United States and British N. America (by Ifritish packet) Ditto (by U. S. packet) West Coast of Africa, Ma deira, and Tenerife West India, California, Vene zuela, Chili, Peru, Grey town, New Granada, Szc. ET LIST. Feb. 11, !Feb. 18 , 13 an. —, Jan. 25 , ,Feb. 6, Jan. Jan. 26, E Jan. —,311 Feb.!l7, Jan.—, 21" Jan. 26, I .Tan. 27, M !Jan. Feb. 9, Jan. 27, M Jan. —, M Jan. 26 , E Jan. —, M !Jan. 28, E Jan. 20, E Jan. —, E IJan. 23 E tters are despatehei by morning mails. Port of Despatch. Southamp. Next Mall due. Feb. 2 11' IFeb. 9 Feb. 3 Liverpool.. Liverpool.. Feb:ll an. 2, Devenport Feb. 1 iSouth amp. South amp. Southamp. ISouthamp, overdue Jan. 26 overdue Feb. 16 ISouthamp. !overdue .Jan. 26 ;outhamp. ;outhamp. Jan. 2 5 oyerdile >outhamp. louthamp. ATerpool— Averpool.. >outhantp. 'Liverpool.. Feb. 5 Jan. 21 >outhamp. overdu e overdU' Jan. 2► Feb. 10 'Feb_l4 Loss OF Two LIVES BY FlRE.—Yesterday after' noon Mr. C. J. Carttar, coroner for West Kent, held inquiry at the Globe tavern, Lower Deptford-road, into so circumstances attendinr , the death of Mr. Henry Eurget . aged 41, tar distiller, and Henry Foskett, aged 42, a vroltt ing man, who met their deaths at a fi re whi c h o c curred 4 a pitch and tar manufactory, situated on th e b an ks of Surrey Canal, at Deptford, and belonging to the firt, named deceased, on Saturday morning last. The jury tr ,: n2. turned a verdict that the deceased met th e i r d ea ths o suffocation and other injuries received at the above fire.,„ri, g t. S O A T T r e T I 1 0 n t 4 A o P f T t O h : , Prussian/Vlon da n y a .— v y Mon day.—The Commanderscr e w s w u o a fs arrived here this m orn i ng from spithead. and wentintot.. inner dock, wh ere s h e will immediately. disch ALII be r stores, guns, &c., and di sman tl e , for the purpose of going into dry dock to under a complete refitment. She wai l saluted on her arrival from the Platform battery. A nee screw corvette, built by Messrs. J. and R. White, of Covisot for the Turkish navy, arrived here at noon from th.,l builders' yard to be co pp ere d, f or w hi c h purpose s h e Wu' go into dry dock. [ADVERTISEMENT.]—EPrs's (Honiceopathic Chemist) COCOA.—This esteemed preparation is sold by the pit' cipal grocers at is. 6d. per lb., in Ilb., ilb., and 1 1 °' packets. Each packet is labelled " James Epps, Horace" pathic chemist, London." [invEnTisamENT.]-11r. Benson, Ludgate-hill, has jro l published a new illustrated pamphlet en watches (free by 10% for two stamps). It should be read by all who are alto° • buying a watch, as it contains p r i ces an d i mpor t an t i n forniv tion as to—What watch to boy ! where to buy it ! and WO " ase it I [ADVERTISEMENT.I-1-10110way's Ointment an& nib! Sudden Changes.—Changes of temperature constantly oe'' ouring during the winter are prone to produce rheumatisini neuralgia, and other painful disorders of the muscles and. nerves. For upwards of twenty years Holloway's mul e ' else° dies have been particularly celebrated for curing this of complaints ; the parts affected by the pains should be fomented twice a day in warm and salt water, and imme diately, di a tely, after , drying „ well rubb e d w i th this i nest i m able ointment. The ointment penetr a t es th roug h t h e s kin ": and healthfully balancing both circulation the affected tissue which at first soothes and ultimately pain; visibly red uc i ng b o th re d ne ss 1111 anm Holloway' s Oi n t ment and Pills likewise ow ,, affections, w ea k ness o f the l i m b s, and scrofulo ne i ssds i pewi e sci v ener e uaea s tsliineos fr gn., o . [ AD T ERTI SEXENT.3—The greatest happiness of a join' realist is to introduce to his readers some new discover/ calculated to benefit that vast portion of our fellow crFa" tures, I.vhich.has the strongest claims upon our sympathipg' It is with this feeling that we call the attention of invalids to the following extract f rom D u B arry ' s interesting rep ort of cures without medicine of indigestion (dyspepsia), . 114- tulency, constipation, nervous, bilious and liver complaints , cough, asthma, consumption and debility by Du Bari 1 4 , / Revalenta Arabica Food. Cure No. 180, twenty. five yeara nervousness, constipation, indigestion, and debility, fr9e l which I had suffered great misery, and which no medicine could remove or relieve, have been effectually cured by D 4 Barry's f oo d i n a very' short time.—W. R. Reeves, 181; Fleet-street. Cure No. 54 618, of a lady of 107 year s 1, age.—Wand s b ec k , near Hamburgh, 12th May, 1857. - 7 . " hereby certify that my mother-in-law, Mrs. Holze, wr haa just comp l eted her 107th year, after having suffered for half a century and more, from indigestion (dyspepsia) , and consequent disorders, has been perfectly cured by D. 4 Barry's Revalenta Arabica Food, and is now enabled to di rest almost any kind of food with great comfort.—W. Holze. in tins, at Is. 6d. ; 11b., 3s. ; 21b., ss. 9d. ; 51b., 125.; 121 b., 265. The 101 b. and 121 b. tins carriage free, on receipt of pot office order. Du Barry and Co., 77, Regent-street, London Fortnum, Mason, and Co., 182, Piccadilly ; 6 0 , Gracechureh-street ; 4, Cheapside ; 63, and 150, O x ford. street ; 330 and 451, Strand ; 49 and 60, Bishopsgate' street ; 85, Tottonham-cot-road. Also at Dublin. Rowley 'and Draper ; at Edinburgh, Raimes and Co.; at Liverpool, Nixon and Thew; at Manchester, Sharp aD Scott ; at York, Raimes, Blanchard, and Co. ; at South' ampton, Randall and Son. BIRTHS. BIRKETT.—On the 22d inst., at Nerthumberland-Houseo Stoke Newington, the wife of Pr. George Birkett, of 4 daughter. BoviLL.—On the 14th inst., the wife of W. J. Bovill, Esq., of James-street, Buckingham -gate, of a daughter. HAYNE.—On the 20th inst., at Greenwich Hospital, the wife of Leonard H. J. Mayne, Esq., M R.C.S., of a daughter. MARRIAGES. DENMAN—CLARK.—On the 21st inst., at St. Pancrs Church, James Lemoine Denman, of Amherst-road, Hackney-downs, to Frances Ann, eldest daughter of G• Clark, Esq., of Oakley-square, Regent's-park. RANKING—HUMPRET.—On the 17th inst., at Wrozhan► Norfolk, Harvey, third son of John Ranking, Esq., 0 Wandsworth-common, Esq., to Margaret, eldest Baugh• ter of Robert Blake Humfrey, Esq., of Wroxham House, Norfolk. DE AT Hs. CAMPEELL.—On the 10th inst., at Gravesend, Lieut. W. C. Deans Campbell, 6th European Regt. Bengal Armit eldest son of John D. Campbell, Esq., of Corraith, Ayr' shits. CIIARMAN.—On the 21st inst., William Charman, Esq., of Boltons, West Brompton, aged 53. CAITTENDEN.—On the 20th inst., at Surbiton, Miss Chittsndon. DUNCAN.—On the 27th Nov., at Malligaum, Khandeishr George Munro Duncan, Captain Bombay Engineers, son of Alex. Duncan, Esq., of 11, Ladbroko Villas, Notting' hill, aged 28. EAMES.—On the 22d inst., Mr. Prank Eames, for mall years leader of the orchestra of Covent-garden, Olympia &c., Theatres, aged 42. HoLLINsRED.—On the 22d inst., at North Bank, Regent' ) park, Mrs. Hollinshed, aged 90. ROSS.—On the 20th inst., at 38, Fitzroy-square, Si r William Charles Ross, R.A., late Miniature Painter to the Queen, aged 66. SIUNDERS.—On the 20th inst., at 19, Lincoln's-inn, . 1. 9 1 ' 16 Saunders, Esq., formerly of Bradford, county of,Wiltar aged 80. LONDON . : Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG, of No. 112, Strand, Printot% at The Sun Office, No. 1 12 : Strand, in the Precinct of th e S avoy , i n the coun tr Middles(); Tuesday, January 24, 1860. Julia tippoin ralme produc Synop Inosph - -Rem Boreal Miss 3 heit al and ri Brown Pox Si Tility Itack, Janua. Angus AleasrE 11 °PPY Twent gets feel Miss finds raise (80l de 1 ligl Sao( priet Gua Rutz Sege '; - THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JAN. TTARY 24, 18603. g