The Sun. — London, England, 1860-03-08 00:00:00

VOLUNTEER COURT, DINNER, and BALL. The best and most complete accounts of these proceed ings, with the Official account of the names at the Court, will be band in the COURT JOURNA L. Sent free by post on the receipt. H of Six Stamps, by W. TOMAS, 20, Brydges street, Strand, and all News Agents. CHRISTY'S MINSTRELS, Polyg ra p hic Hall, King William-street, Strand.—Farewell Season in Lon don.—Every Evening at 8, and every Saturday Morning at 9 o - clock. 'rickets and places may be secured at the Hall from 11 till 4, and at Mr. Austin's West-end Box-office, St. James's Hall, Piccadilly. — Sole Proprietor and Manager, Dlr. J. W. RAYNOR. ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA. COVENT -GARDE Under the management o f Miss L. Fyne and Mr. W. Harrison. THIS EVENING, will be repeated the grand Opera, en titled LITRLINE, by W. Vincent Wallace. Messrs.W. Har rison, Santley. Corr!, and G. Honey ; Misses Louisa Pyne, Pilling, and F. Cruise, Condactor, Alfred Mellon. To conclude with the new grand pantomime, called PUSS IN BOOTS; or, Harlequin and the Fairy of the Golden Palms. Messrs. W. H. Payne, H. Payne, F. Payne, Barnes Tallien. and Miss Clar a Mor g an. French Dancers—Mdllesl Lequine, Pasquale, Pierron, and Mons. Vandris. Doers open at half-past 6—Commence at 7. THEATRE -ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Lessee, Mr. J. B. Buckstone. THIS EVENING, will be performed the new and original Comedy, in three acts, entitled THE OVERLAND ROUTE. * Messrs. C. Mathews, Buckstone, Compton, Chip pendale, Mrs. C. Mathews, Miss Weekes, and Mrs. Wilkins. Follcwed by the new Haymarket Comic Christmas Panto mime, VALENTINE'S DAY; or, Harlequin and the Fairy of the True Lovers' Knot. The pantomimists the unrivalled Leclercqs. THEATRE -ROYAL LYCEUM. — Sole Lessee and Directress, Madame Celeste. THIS EVENING (first time these thirty years) T lc: SERGEANT'S WIFE. Principal characters by Mr. James Vining, T. Lyon, J. Johnstone, J. Rouse; Mrs. Keeley (ber first appearance), and Madame Celeste. After which, the magnificent Transformation Scene from KING THRUSRBEARD. Concluding with the new Drama of A TALE OF TWO CITIES, by Tom Taylor, Esq., from the story of that name by Charles Dickens, Esq. Principal characters by Mr. James Vining, Walter Lacy, Villiers, Rouse, Forrester, J. Johnstone, T. Lyon, Morton, Palmer, White, H. Butler, Clifford, and Fredericks ; Misses Kate Saville, Stuart, Turner, Mrs. Campbell, and Madame Celeste. Commence at 1. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.- Lessee, Mr. A. Harris. THIS EVENING, TIIE CORSICAN BROTHERS. G. Melville, A. Harris, and Miss Clifford. Followed by the Farce, CRUEL TO BE KIND. Mr. A. Harris, Frank Matthews, and Miss Carlotta Leclercq. After which, a new Christmas burlesque pantomime,by J. Byron, called JACK TR K GIANT KILLER ; or, Harle quin King ArKiur and the Knights of the Round Table. Jack, Miss Louise Keeley—Harlequin, Mr. Cormack Panta loon, Mr. x'aulo—Columbine, Miss Caroline Adams—Clown, Mr. A. F. Forrest. W THEATRE - ROYAL , ADELPHL STEW Proprietor and Manager, Mr. Benj. Webster. THIS EVENING, ICI ON FARLE FRANCAIS, Mr. J. L. Toole, Chas. Selby Billing - ton, Mrs. Chatterlev, Mrs. Bil lington, Miss Kate Kelly, and Laidlaw. After which, PAPER WINGS, Mr Alfred Wigan, J. I. Toole, D. Fisher, Billington, P. Bedford, Stuart, C. Selby, Eburne, C. J. Smith, Powell, Romer, Mrs Alfred Wig,an, Miss H. Simms, Miss Kate Kelly, and Mrs Chatterley. Followed by DINORAH UNDER DIFFICULTIES. Messrs. J. L. Toole, P. Bedford, Eburne, C. J. Smith, Miss K. Kelly. ROYAL ST. JAMES'S THEATRE, King-street, St. James's. Lessee, Mr. T. B. Chatter ton. Directress, Miss Wyndham. The nearest Theatre to Chelsea, Pimlico, and Westminster, the Park being open to Carriages and foot passengers all hours of the night. THIS EVENING the performances will commence with "No. 49." After which, MAGIC TOYS. Miss Lydia Thompson. Followed by a new burlesque called DIDO. Mr. Charles Young, Mesdames Wyndham, Clara St. Casse, Murray, Eliza Arden, C. Ranoe, A. Evans, and Corps de Ballet. To conclude with FIRST AFF EuTIONS. Messrs. H. T. Craven, G. Spencer, and Miss Wyndham. Reduced Prices—Gallery, 6d; Pit, ls. The Box-office open from 11 to 5 daily. Doors open at half-past six; perform Anse commences at 7. CANTERBURY HALL THIS EVENING, LUCREZIA BORGIA, (Donizetti). CONCERTS.- Donna Lucrezia Maffio Orsini Mrs. Anderson. ennaro Mr. Henry Herbert. Don Altonzo Signor Tivoli. Conductor—Mr. Jonghmans. Comics Vocalists —Messrs. George Hodson (the Irish Come dian and Mimic), W. T. Critchileld, and E. W. Mackney. The gallery is open from 5 till 11 on Sunday Evening. THE WEATHER.—Strw OFFICE, MARCH 8, 1860. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 41—highest since noon yesterday. 41—lowest this morning and during the night. 40—this day at noon. BAROMETER-30.19—falling again. WIND, North-Easterly ; fresh, with heavy squalls—rain and snow occasionally, with cold weather. - HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. THIS DAY.—Morning, 2h. 18m.—Afternoon, 2h. 39m, To-moßßow.-Morning, 3h. Om.—Afternoon, 311. 20m N . ,,, w ‘, "' 1, 1 -,, • , ::. ,' r. \ - .••, , y,_,, - ~.:iz.,_\w-1 <- 4 . ... . , o„_ 4 =4 '''''' - - 2 1 -•`'' ''' ' ' ' r ', , 2_,, ~ , '' '' , 7P L.... 1 jii - i. ~ , - , ,,f 1 1 • m 0 i• 0 N t0 ."7:7 7T r ------1 : - . ' ,-74 , 11ktt4._,T, - ,, '' THE SUN. LONDON, THURSDAY, MARCII 8, 1860. Reversing the usual order of figurative illustra tion, the Emperor of FRAN CE, when her rivers a year or two ago overflov, ed their banks and spread desolation around, explained his views in regard to physical evils by a reference to moral ones. " Rivers," said he, " like Revolutions, must be taught to keep their courses." He had found it so easy to wield French Revolutions to imperial pur poses, that he could not better explain what he meant to do with French Rivers, than by referring to what he had done with. Revolution. It is not a littleremarkable, however, that the man who could direct the stream of political movement in France, has so signally failed in Italy. Failed not in the sense of not having tone signal service to Italy, but of not having done it exactly in the way he wished. Neither has he &idled of doing what would bring no little honour to the Emperor of FRANCE, if he were content to accept the honour offered him by pre sent results—but he does seem to have failed in making the mere will of Lot- is NA POLEON BONAPARTE the rule for Cen tral Italy. There may be more behind than we know. It may be that the EMPEROR is but playing a part in sending forth polite edicts to Sardinia through M. THOUVENEL ; he may on l y want to seem consistent —to seem the same man at Villafranea,Zu rich,an d th e Tui leries—and this spring as last summer. If this be so, however, the present generation will probably never know it, and we must take things as they appear, at least as diplomatic documents represent them to be. And, according to these, Louts NAPOLEON cannot keep the Italian revolutions he has let loose within the banks he is ever trying to build. His political engineering was successful enough in France ; in Italy it fails — fails to accomplish his will. The despatch of Count CAVOUR, which we pub lished yesterday, gives us hope that the wishes we expressed just before we had seen it will be realised. It is the Count's answer to M. Thou- YENEL'S despatch recommending a Vicariat of Sar dinia, in the name of the POPE, in the Romagnas, and a separate government for Tuscany. Telegrams. had told us the main points in Count CAYOUR'S note, and now that the complete document is ar rived, it more than bears out all our expectations. The C o Co unt i s certainly one of the ablest diplo matists of Eur o p e , especially when we remember that he is a man enthusiastic for an idea. Too commonly such men are but imperfect adepts in the style and conduct requisite for dealing with the erocikedness of diplomacy on the side of the wrong. count CAvouais,however,m ore than unlatch for M. T E[OI:YENEL. He humours, and even fl titers but he stands by Italian rights, with argu p un t, ;, t ao, better than those by which M. 'firm:- VENEL wo uld politely Ea them aside. H e s h ows that a j rie(rriat in the Romagna would be as con trary t o ; ipal wishes as it would be impossible to gain the aosent of the people to it. lhey will not submit I et having the King of SARDINIA there, or any ona ellke as their ruler, if he be in any sense subject to the YorE. They will tolerate no further interven ttion in their affairs on the part of his Holi ness; al 111 tb propose to them, for adoption by uni versal s affrage, anything which implied it would enVige its universal rejection. What can M. THOUVENEL do with what we may be pretty sure is such a certain fact as this ? The precise substi tute suggested by Count CAVOUR to save the Papal amour propre we hardly undm stand sufficiently, but it is clearly intended to exclude the POPE from any real power in the affairs of the Romagnols. The answer of Count CAVOUR is as frank and manly as could be wished on all the great matters involved in the despatch he is answering. Out of de ference to France, he is willing to submit the whole question of annexation or separate Government to the States concerned. He does not wish to accept even Modena and Parma without a fresh vote. He writes, be it remembered, before the circulars which, we have already seen, had been sent forth by FARINI, making arrangements to take the popu lar vote. But he tells the French Minister that, by the result of that vote Sardinia must abide. The KING, his master, could not refuse it, without endangering his own position. He would have to rule by force, instead of popular attachment, even in Piedmont itself, so completely is his name now identified with the cause of Italian independence. The King of SARDINIA, happily, can take the honourable ground of wishing to constrain no one. If Tuscany, or any of the other States, wish for " autonomy"—if they prefer to be under some other Prince of their own free election, so let it be. VICTOR EMMANUEL will cheerfully recognise their full right to decide for themselves; but if, on the other hand, they make a second appeal to him to accept the sovereignty over them, and to permit them to form one State with Piedmont, he is unable in his position to re ject them again. The evils of such a course would be greater than any possible good. In the Austrian despatches just published in the Gazelle du Danube, Count RECHBERG makes the remark to M. TIIOUVENEL that five sixths of the people were excluded from the voting which de cided on the annexation to Sardinia. That is, a constituency, much resembling the present electoral constituency of England voted on the subject. De mocratic enough one would think in all conscience, to satisfy an Austrian Count• But no, low democracy and despotism, are made for each other. Despots can generally ensure the suffrage of the mob. NERO himself could. And the Austrian Minister seems to have some hope that the modern NERO of Venetia could get an invitation back again for the Archdukes them selves, if he could but obtain the votes of the dupes of the confessional. We only know that Count CAVOUR himself is fully awake to the low cunning which seeks to thwart annexation through univer sal suffrage, but he does not fear it. He did wish to defer the voting till after Lent and the confes sional performances were over ; but submitting to every disadvantage, and taking the votes when every confessor's box is likely to be made an instrument of Papal and Austrian intrigues with the most ignorant and superstitious of the populace, he seems to have no fear for the re sult. However, in little more than a week we shall know the results of the entire population of the States of Central Italy, voting by ballot and by universal suffrage, will pronounce. If they should, under every disadvantage, give a large and conclu sive majority in favour of union with Sardinia, it will be impossible for all the Powers of Europe to interfere. Louis NAPOLEON himself must bow to a verdict similar to that which gave him his Em pire, and which he has himself asked for in Italy. Prussia, as her best orator demonstrated in the Chambers, will be the better for a strong Sardinia. Russia is too far off. Austria can but grumble and keep still—and all England will applaud and rejoice—from the Cabinet itself to her remotest country town. If the Ballot-box and Universal Suffrage come out right—if the unedu cated and poor are above the arts of the priests—if they have but the love of freedom which charac terises our own population, the freedom of Northern Italy will soon be an accomplished fact. Yesterday was a memorable day in the history of the Rifle Volunteer Movement. It was a public recognition of their claims to national consideration, testified alike by their gracious reception by her MAJESTY in the morning, by the Commander-in Chief of the regular forces presiding at their ban quet, and by the vast concourse which assembled to honour their festivities in the evening. We rejoice to see the importance of this movement so universally appreciated. It can hardly be without its effect in foreign countries. It showsthat England, though not eager to provoke animosity, is fully prepared to resist aggression ; not only by her dis ciplined soldiers, but by the simultaneous move ment of her people. The knowledge that a great country is prepared to repel invasion is her best defence, and great as is the national c mfidence in our wooden walls, the Rifle Movement is every where felt to be a most useful auxiliary. The speech of the Duke of CAMBRIDGE was well suited to the occasion. He expressed his opinion that the movement to be efficacious should be continuous. He refuted the arguments which had been used against it on the ground that the move ment was an aggressive one ; and truly charac terised it as entirely a defensive one. He had often been told, he observed, that we were not a military nation, but no country with a conscription could show such military spirit as the Volunteer move meat exhibits ; and certainly the spontane ous display which yesterday enlivened the metropolis proves that the old martial ardour is not extinguished. It is very satisfactory to find that no petty jealousy exists between the members of the regular service and the Volunteers, but that all seek to serve their common country undeterred by professional rivalry. Their public reception by royalty, and the good feeling generally expressed towards them, show clearly that neither Sovereign nor people are inclined to trust the defences of the country to the arbitration of the Peace -at-any-Price negotiators. The demonstration of yesterday will prove to our continental neighbours that the timorous counsels of these gentlemen do not represent the real feel ings of the nation, and also that no aggres sive movement on their part can take us unawares. We hope the great encouragement given to this movement will serve to establish it among the reccgnised institut ions of the country; and when the present excitement has subsided, its supporters will not suffer it to decay, but whether or no existing circumstances may appear likely to call them into action, they will strive to preserve the discipline and attain the efficiency which are indispensable to their success. An interesting observation was made by Lord CAMPBELL at the banquet held last evening. The venerable Chancellor stated that half a century since he had formed one oft he four hundred thousand volun teers who assembled in Hyde-park for review before GEORGE 111. The national spirit which was then so readily evoked by the threat of invasion would not fail to be again aroused should it be called for. When we behold such a display of the Volunteer movement as we witnessed yesterday, and its ratification by the QUEEN and the people, we feel that we have little cause to fear for the future of our country, and may exclaim, in the words of our immortal poet,— " This England never did, nor never shall Lie at the proud foot of a conqueror. Come the three corners of the world in arms, And we shall shock them. Nought shall make us rue, If England to itself do rest but true." When Greek meets Greek then comes the tug of war. So with genius in its various and wide range of invention. The public attention has been lately directed to our Artillery reforms, and ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH, and others have been in the ascen - dant. Their several merits are unquestioned and appreciated, but the original—the precursor in making great guns—has been, to all appearance, overlooked. LANCASTER was that enterprising man. Yes, Mr. LANCASTER first started the idea of pro ducing artillery of such scope and magnitude as would eclipse all that had hitherto been practised in the field or at siege. For our own part, we express no opinion, but we are anxious to give every one fair play ; and on this principle we insert an article from a contemporary (Morning Post) on the subject. That article speaks fairly of the prejudice created against the LANCASTE - 1 guns, from no fault of the inventor, but from his production having been brought too prema turely into action before its capacity was fully tested. We extract a few lines from the article referred to, and, beg attention ,to 'the rest : " With regard to LANCASTER'S, the popular opinion is entertained that it has been tried and found un successful, than which nothing can less accord with the circumstances of the case. During the Crimean war his system was pressed into ope ration before either guns or ammunition was suita bly prepared for giving effect to it. Certain of the Lancaster guns blew up in the Crimea, a circum stance which has been laid hold of to justify the statement that they burst. Now they did not burst in any proper acceptation of the term. At that period the shells employed were made of two pieces welded together; the weld joint was occasionally imperfect, on which account the flash of the gun reached the shell charge of powder (121 b.), and the shells exploding within the guns blew off their muzzles." THE SUN, LONDON, - TI-lItRSDAY EVENING, MARCH 8, It6o. LATEST N E NV S. The following telegrams have been received a Mr. Router's office MARSEILLES, MARCH 7. Letters from Constantinople of the 29th ultimo are unanimous in stating that a misunderstanding exists amongst the Ministers, and a change in the Ministry is expected shortly. The Europeans have protested against the tax on house rents and the penalties imposed on their communities. It is certain that the Porte, besides calling out the Redifs, has ordered a double enlistment as a precautionary measure. A body of Illemas have secretly protested to the Sultan against the taking of Tetuan, and have ob tained a letter of encouragement and subsidies for Morocco. BERLIN, NIARcH 7. The journey made on Saturday last by Prince Charles (brother of the Prince Regent) to the Dowager Empress of Russia, at Nice, had no political object, being undertaken merely upon private family affairs. It is stated in reliable quarters that Russia still continues her passive policy, and that it is untrue that she has entered into negotiations with Austria. PRESBURG, Alincii 6 The Evangelical community have unanimously refused to submit to the Imperial decree of the Ist September, and to the Ministerial ordinance of the 2d of September. THE FOREIGN MAILS. The French and German mails had not arrived when we went to press. AMERICA. LIVERPOOL, MARCH 7. The Montreal Ocean steam-ship Bohemia, from Portland on the 25th ult., has arrived at this port. Her news has been anticipated, via Queenstown. The New Orleans correspondent of the New York herald gives an outline of a scheme for the acqui sition of Mexico ; and states as probable that Gen. Houston is now en route for Rio Grande, backed by a large force of Texans, to carry the scheme into execution. Great excitement prevailed at Lynn, Massa chussets, arising out of a shoemakers' strike. The ringleaders had been arrested. A hurricane at New Orleans had done serious damage to the shipping and buildings. NEW ORLEANS, FEB. 24. The market for cotton is firm, and the sales to day have been 12,000 bales, at lOac. to 11c. for middling. The receipts continue on a liberal scale, and the excess at all the southern ports over the same date last year now amounts to 604,700 bales. The exports of the week from this place have been 88,000 bales. The quotations for sterling exchange range from Bto 8 premium. THE ROYAL VOLUNTEER BALL. The brilliant entertainment given at the New Floral Hall, Covent-garden, last night, was a tri umphant close to the Volunteer demonstration. From the earliest hour appointed for the opening of the festivities, immense crowds blocked up the streets leading to Covent-garden, and visitors were surprised to find themselves driving to the West end in order to fall into the long line of carriages. The brilliant appearance presented by the New Floral Hall itself, under the influence of the gas lights and the tasteful decorations, may be imagined, and the general effect of the scene, with the throngs of uniforms and gorgeous toilettes, was most beau tiful. The mode of lighting adopted was very sue cessful. At the base of the roof there was a broad cornice, and at every point in the leaves of this gas jets descended. At each end of the hall were circlets of gas ; and chande liers, wreathed with roses, were suspended along the roof. One of the two galleries, at the opposite ends, was devoted to the lady patronesses, and the other to the musicians. The theatre was also, in request, the stage serving as a refreshment room, The th e pit an d sta ll s b e i ng use d as a res ti ng pl ace . supper was laid out in an immense room under neath the h a ll, an d a most mun ifi cent repas t pro vided. Messrs. Staples, who undertook this de partment, are noted for their efficiency, and their arrangements were on the most liberal scale. Mr. Gunter, who supplied the general refreshments, had also made ample provision. The crow d swere immense, and in some places locomotion was ver y difficult, hut the rush to the supper-room somewhat relieved the pressure of the ball-room. The dancing was kept up with spirit under the inspiration of Messrs. Cooto and Tinney's band, and lancers, valses, and galops succeeded each other in rapid succession till a late hoar. The graceful decorations of the ball and supper room greatly enhanced the general effect ; and when we add that the number of Visitors was estimated at 8,000, it is scarcely necessary to re mark that the Royal Volunteer Ball was a decided success. We should imagine that the Floral Hall would be again in request for entertainments of a similar description, for which purpose it is admi rably adapted ; and we anticipate that it will be come a favourite place of fashionable resort for festivities. Mr. Gye and all his assistants did everything that the most fastidious could wish to afford general satisfaction. TILE WJJITWORTII ORDIVANC'E. foin Cte .11ornivg Tot.) It is an expressive commentary upon the diffu sive tendency of knowledge in this age that three English civilians—Lancaster, Armstrong, and - Whitworth—we mention them in the order of their inventive precedence—should have sought distinc tion in a field seemingly remote in the highest pos sible degree from the domains of civilian life, the manufacture of ordnance and ordnance projectiles. This is not mentioned in any sense of disparage ment or triumph ; not by way of imputing blame to the !unitary- department ; but to direct attention to a circumstance of some significance, whether contemplated by ourselves at home or nations abroad. The fact we would wish to brin g into prominence is this—that whilst there is hardly a nation on the Continent where a civilian found with so much as a small tin canister full of gun powder in his possession would not incur the dis pleasure of his Government ; if not worse—here so great is the confidence reposed, so firm the cohe rence of the different strata of society ; so harmo nious the relations between military and civilian life ; so little the jealousy between class and class ; that civilians, far from being impeded and thwarted when the bent of their genius' leads them to perfect the appliances of war, are festered and encouraged, and, when their schemes are really good, rewarded. We would lay it down as a proposition not easily to be controverted, and which can be enunciated without imputing inordinate egotism or vanity to the national character, that the happy social cir cumstance of this country beget for it a power to which few nations may at present hope to aspire. Co-operation means power ; but co-operation pre supposes confidence; and that confidence which dares to allow civilians a knowledge of war secrets can only subsist under the conditions of a harmo nious Government. When the war department of a nation has once decided in the most liberal spirit of science, not merely to listen patiently to suggestions from beyond its own special pale, but to solicit these suggestions, to weigh them patiently, and to deal honourably by them, it follows as a matter of course that the committee before which new pro positions come will have devolved on its members no small allotment of hard work. It follows, more over, that, inasmuch as the committee, owing mili tary allegiance, must not speak out, whereas dis appointed civilians may speak out, the committee will often seem by the public to have been actuated by envy, hatred, malice, and all the unchristian vices, when, were it possible, a word of explanation on their part would have set them right. What a vicious world the sheep world would be if the wolves had the painting of it ! What monsters of iniquity the Ordnance Select Committee seem to be when depicted by inventors turned rabid, because that committee has refused to buy them at their own price ! Of the three systems of rifled ordnance which are now most prominently before the public some explanations will now be given, with the especial end in view of clearing away misapprehensions in respect of each. With regard to Lancaster's, the popular opinion is entertained that it has been tried and found unsuccessful, than which nothing can less accord with the circumstances of the case. During the Crimean war his system was pressed into ope ration before either guns or ammunition was suita bly prepared for giving effect to it. Certain of the Lancaster guns blew up in the Crimea, a circum stance which has been laid hold of to justify the statement that they burst. Now they did not burst in any proper acceptation of the term. At that period the shells employed were made of two pieces welded together ; the weld joint was occasionally imper fect, on which account the flash of the gun reached the shell charge of powder (121 b.), and the shells exploding within the guns blew off their muzzles. There was no jamming of the shell as is commonly supposed ; and, moreover, had the Lancaster guns been strengthened, as they are now strengthened, by a hoop round the muzzle they would have remained sound even in spite of the bursting of the shell. However, Lancaster shells being now made of one piece, there can be no premature ignition ; so Mr. Lancaster's proposition is eliminated from an adverse col lateral element, which has tended to obscure the merits of it. Here, in justice to Mr. Lancaster, we must state that, with much proper feeling, he did not give publicity to the fact to which we have adverted, until the Government had formally given him permission to do so. Accordingly the state ment was made before the Institution of Civil Engi neers on Tuesday last for the first time. So far from the Lancaster system being abandoned, expe riments arc about to be recommenced with his rifled ordnance, and according to the results of which the adoption of his guns for special purposes will be regulated. Here we would note the tendency of the public mind to exclusive favouritism, a ten dency made evident during the recent discussions in respect of rifled ordnance. It seems too com placently assumed that no two varieties of rifled ordnance can, out of mere deference to their merits, gain adoption in the same service at the same time. Now, this is a mistake. If three or even more inventors should succeed in devising and bringing to bear each a variety of rifled cannon having a de sirable speciality, then there is no presumptive reason why all three should not be adopted. For exemple, there can be no doubt that, other circum stances being equal, breech-loading cannon present advantages over muzzle-loading cannon. They are more quickly charged, and can be worked from casemated batteries and in ships' broadsides with less exposure to the gunners than can muzzle loaders. These are clear and indisputable advan tages; but it is possible to conceive the expense of manufacturing breech-loading guns so great, the 'difficulties attendant on that manufacture so con siderable, the possibility of keeping them without de e,ioration so doubtful, that a muzzle-loader would be practically better in the end. Moreover, con ditions of temporisation have to be held in view. Granted that breechloaders are intrinsically best, nevertheless it would be a great point to be enabled to convert ordinary cast-iron smooth bore ordnance into rifled ordnance, for the time being ; this, amongst other things, is what Lancaster proposes to accomplish. There are two classes of inventors ; one compris ing those who discover new principles, another in cluding those who seize upon and collate the prin ciples known to others, and by force of wealth, influence, and physical resources, combine those principles so as to form a compound result. Both classes are necessary in their way ; both may be equally honest ; but the position as to rank and honour of the two is very wide indeed. He who comes forward with new principles is always en titled to respect; but the inventor of combinations and adaptations is only to be encouraged and com mended so long as he candidly attributes - to others the principles he has borrowed from them. So soon as he arrogates to himself credit for principles, under covert of popularity gained by combination, he ceases to belong to the ranks of scientific men ; and, if lured on by inspirations which either can not or will not bear the stern arbitraments of dis cussion and of time, such an inventor had better pause before seeking rank amongst men of science, lest they repudiate his claims and set him down for a charlatan. We have had occasion to speak of Sir William Armstrong before—or rather his gun—so freely, that no person will accuse the Morning Post of being too favourable biased in that direction. It would be, however, no less beyond our ability than it is fa, from our desire, to impute, much less affirm, that he takes an equivocal place amongst inventors: Emphatically, he belongs to the ranks of men of science. He started with the propositions of ac complishing breech-loading and of making an effec tive shell. He has done both ; and when, as in the construction of his fuse, he had occasion to borrow two principles—one from Bormann, the other from Moorsom—that appropriation was never concealed. Neither has Sir William Armstrong condescended to win a spurious popularity by conciliating the public taste in the only way that an artillerist can do so, by merely accomplishing long ranges. He commenced operations by adopting a mode of ensuring accuracy between shot and gun (a lead coating), against the adoption of which there was much prejudice; and which we, amongst others, thought ill of. Sir William had faith in in his principles. Through bad repute and good repute he stuck to them ; and results have justified him. The past history of the Armstrong gun does much credit to the inventor of it ; nor must a due award of recognition be withheld from Mr. Aederson, of Wool wieh Arsenal ; a gentleman who has brought his inschenical skill so efficiently to bear upon Arm strong's problem, and has so ably seconded the Ncweastic engineer in his labours, It c fit clivJmstanc:s,bringit;g Mr. Whitworth's ordnaneo filly into notice, drew from Sir '\Vmn. Aini trong the statement that ; great though the ranges accomplidml by his cytvn ordnance un doubtedly .were, he had never formally gone in for exclusive lung-range practice. Undoubtedly this statement is correct ; but we wonder that Sir W. Armstrong should have thought it worth while to tickle the public fancy by mal:ing it. His ord nance can afford to stand on their own proven cc t i l o l u e rel i s - s i tt t a: s on . nt ) A O l , l tir.ei range guns, within tile (quality c large a or gssuontp. small, the mere ern v u d t e s r he b ll i . n r g rh a e , smaller the bare, and the longer the shot, so pro , portienately the longer the ranee. Every mecha , nical problem involves limiting. conditions; and the lieniting conditions to the diminution of bore, whe ther in small arms or artillery, are easily perceived. In respect to artillery—suppose it'were possible to shoot a twelve pound projectile from a tube no bigger t h an a coil—how e. would the twelve -I°ll9 pound projectile need to be ? How rapidly must it spin on its axis in order to keep point foremost during its flight ? How soon would a quill-like tube foul from the combustive results of exploded gunpowder ? And lastly (granting, for the sake of argument, any conceivable range), what harm would any number of quill-like bolts do the walls of a for tress by penetrating or even transfixing them? These are a few of the considerations which must , necessarily influence any practical artillerist. Had Sir W. Armstrong gone in for mere range, he would have worked with guns of less calibre, for any par ticular weight, than he has done. He rightly ap preciated the fact that artillery power in these days means shell-power; and, to be thoroughly efficient for shell-power, a gun is required the calibre of I which is not less than a certain measurement, incapable of being stated exactly, but appreciable within small limits nevertheless. So fully is this fact understood, that Shrapnell shells are never projected by Continental artillerists from smaller smooth -bore tubes than twelve-pounders ; —so thoroughly recognised, that, prior to the adoption of rifled field-pieces in the French service, the Napoleon gun, as it was called, was proposed to be used in French field batteries exclusively. Now, what was the Napoleon gun ? Why, a gun short almost as a howitzer, so that large bore might be combined with light weight. Range was thus offered up as a sacrifice to competent shell capacity. At this point we cannot do better than present authentic measurements of the Armstrong guns, preparatory to a comparison of them with the par ticulars of Mr. Whitworth's ordnance. MEASUREMENTS OF ARMSTRONG ORDNANCE Diameter of bore :-100 pounder, 7 inches ; 25 pounder, 3.75-inehes; 12 pounder, 3 inches ; 6 pounder, 2.5 inches. MEASUREMENTS AND WEIGHT OF WHITWORTH'S ORDNANCE AND PROJECTILES :- The 3 pounder, minor axis, 1.48 inches; major do., 1.6 do.; length, 6 feet ; weight, 1 cwt. 3 qrs. ; pitch of rifling, one turn in 44 inches ; weight of shot, 2.751 b. ; length of shot, 615 inches ; charge of gun, 7 ounces. The 12 pounder, minor axis, 2.8 inches; major do., 3.1 inches; length, 7.5 feet ; weight, 8 cwt. ; pitch of 'rifling, one turn in 5 feet ; weight of shot, 121 b. ; length of shot, 9.5 inches • charge of gun, I.7filb. The 80 pounder, minor axis ,. clinches ; major do., 5.3 do.; length, 10.5 feet; weight, 4 tons; pitch of rifling, one turn in 8.5 feet; length of shot, 16 inches ; charge of gun, 121 b. Before arguing on the premises furnished by these data, it will be necessary to draw attention to the form of Mr. Whitworth's rifling and projectile. That gentleman commenced by manufacturing rifled arms, large and small, with hexagonal bores. In deed _the hexagonal bore came to be associated at length with the name of Whitworth, as though he were the- first manufacturer who had adopted it. Nevertheless he has of late abandoned the hexagonal bore. Hii recently constructed small arms and ordnance have really a 12-sided rifling—the ordi nary diamond-grooved system of gunmakers in point of fact. Mr. Whitworth's small-arm projec tiles actually fit the barrel throughout their whole length ; but how little this remark applies to that gentleman's ordnance bolts will be seen from an inspection of the annexed woodcut— 'WHITWORTH'S CANNON SHOT. from which it will be perceived that the actual surface of contact between the projectile and the barrel is very small; and the firing of such a pro jectile leaves the question still unanswered whether the abrupt rifle pitch—so strenuously advocated by Mr. Whitworth, and necessary to maintain the polarity of extremely elongated shots—be not, as artillerists assert, productive of enormous friction in proportion to the area of frictional surface. • Mr. Whitworth avers that he tapered his bolts fore and aft to the end of giving them a shape better adapted to cleave the air; but he has not given that shape to his small-arm pickets ; and, being within our knowledge, we vouch for it as a fact, that some of that gentleman's ordnance projectiles, not tapered fore and aft, actually crushed to fragments in the act of firing, and came out almost in the state of powder.. What should have been the cause of this but excessive friction ? We lay great stress upon this point, feeling that the adaptive inventor who works with borrowed data—one relying on adjust ments and conciliations for achieving points of seeming success—is very apt to come out with masked propositions. Obscurities of this kind must be torn away, and naked truth revealed, be fore the real value, if any, of an adaptive invention becomes evident. Now the opponents of abrupt rifling say "rifling means friction, not range, other wise than collaterally and subserviently," wherefore the practical minimum of abruptness should be given, Mr. Whitworth would seem to have it in ferred that rifling means range ' • that a screw may work in a screw with no more friction than a cylin der in a plain tube, He says, "My shot can be pulled. out of my ordnance by the traction of a string." True, but why veil the propoSition, and create a suggestio falsi by concealing the fact of the diminution fore and aft ? Why conceal the other fact, that, until this tapping was accomplished, all, nay: more than all, artillerists said would happen did happen—the shot' crushing in the gun ? Why not give prominence to the fact that each shot is accurately planed and turned, and the barrel polished to such a finish that one slides within the other like glass upon glass ? Why not state (as is a fact) that on trying some shots not thus planed and polished, then the only achievement to which Mr. Whitworth can point as having accomplished —range, furnished nothing to boast of? A good number of questions equally pertinent might be asked by way of demolishing the absurd mystification with which the records of Mr. 'Whit worth's ordnance have been brought before public notice. Once for all, we would protest against the absurdity of denominating rifled ordnance-accord ing to the weight of their missiles. A round - shot, weighing any definite number of pounds, can only be got into, and shot from, a tube of definite size; but a long shot of any imaginable weight might (length enough conceded) be made no bigger across than a knitting-needle. Mr. Whitworth knows perfectly well that maximum range involves mini mum diameter. The public do not know it, or at least are apt to lose sight of it. We therefore hold it incumbent on a man of science to have explained this matter to the public. What is the result ? Why, simply this : Mr. Whitworth waits until Sir William Armstrong has published records of experiments with guns nominally as so many pounders; and he makes guns nominally equal, as - to weight of projectile, but practically less than in diameter. Not stopping here, he makes an inch and-half gun (a scarcely larger bore than an ele phant rifle); he fixes it, ordnance fashion, to a ear lriage, so that it may withstand any amount of re coil ; and he sets forth the practice of this toy as comparable with the practice of a cannon. Making a gun of smaller bore than Armstrong's, it was bound (weight for weight of projectile) to shoot farther than Armstrong's; but Sir William would compromise no principle involved in the construc tion of his gun were he to diminish the bore of these guns to a less calibre than that of Mr. Whitworth's; under which circumstances he is bound to surpass that gentleman's ranges. Finally, the point must be mentioned (and we are sorry to have to do so), that, in comparing range against range, Armstrong's shells have been set against Whitworth's solid shot. If the records of Mr. Whitworth's experiments be carefully examined, the ranges of neither of his guns, save the three-pounder, give any results to boast of; and the ricochetting of his projectiles late rally, and the great allowance necessary to be made for the influence of wind upon them, are much to their disfavour. Mr. Whitworth, in a printed let t6r, states The practice with the sinollest gun, the three-pounder, proved.all I wish to - establish in point of range ; it was therefore not requisite to surpass it with the heavier cannon fired at a high elevation." Will artillerists concur in this ? We think not. Why, here 'is another veiled proposi tion—another suggestio falsi. The small gun shoats far; granted. Is this because of the small bore or because of the Whitworth construction ? The pub lic generally believe the latter; seeing they have had to do with a veiled proposition. The suggestio firlai is that of begetting the assumption, that be- C 2 use the small cannon shot far, the big cannon would have shot farther. Now we say this is a non sequitur. It is really big guns, fired with big charges, that will put the breech-loading ordnance on their trial. 'We have purposely said nothing in respect of the Whitworth small arm. What need P The Enfield has beaten it. Mr. Whitworth, we know, has said—" My small arm has beaten the En• field." Well, take it thus. Whitworth's small trns, with bores less than half-an.inch in dia meter, beat the regulation Enfields with bores of more than half-an-inch in diameter. Was that any marvel ? That is what Mr. aWhitworth means when s " I have beaten the Enfield.' But the notion occurred to Mr. Gunner, of Enfield, director of the small-arm factory, a gentleman who, as his surname proves, was born into the world on purpose to be where he is. Ile said—" Let us start fair, Mr. Whitworth. I will make a musket in every respect like the regulation Enfield rifled musket, only its bore shall be the same as that of your gun." Well, this was done; and the Enfield beat the Whitworth. We have not stated, and we ca nnot find space to-day, some points relati ve t o the loading of the Whitworth ordnance. These points must be deferred. Meantime; so far as in us lies, we will not permit the notion to go forth that Mr. Whitworth is a victim of prejudice or neglect. His guns, large WO small, bee had a fair trial ; r.o far as be has cheaen them to be t: ied. The Ord nance Select Committee have attentively noted what his guns have done, and will attentively watch for the performance of many tl4n4e they yet have f to do, before they can seriously rival the preten sions of either Armstrobg or Lancaster. Our desire is that every inventor may have fair play. Free interchange of views between the War-office and civilian life is a novelty; it should be an advantage. But, speaking for the civilian public, as one of its daily organs, we tell them that newspapers have other duties to fulfil than merely chronicle the self-made statements of inveLtors or their partisans; or disseminate veiled propositions —half-way stepping-stones between casual error and voluntary mystification. Newspapees have to tell the whole truth ; not a part of it. That, at least, is our rule, and we shall follow it; even in the matter of big guns. We won't' have the Ord nance Select Committee too hardly dealt with by any great gun inventor. Those poor gentlemen have enough to suffer, day by day. What follows is a fact—the principal in the narrative himself related it in our presence some years ago : " I have been grossly insulted by the Ordnance Select Committee," said he, in our hearing, one day. " What did you propose to them ?" '• That I would throw a projectile, heavier than any used—a projectile of enormous weight— amongst the enemy." " And how ?" "As thus :—I take a gun—a cannon ; I thrust an iron bar, fitting its bore, into the ground at an angle. I fix the cannon, which becomes, you see, the projectile. Off it flies, and in amongst the enemy it goes.". " What did the chairman say to you, my little man ?" '• He said, ' Pooh, pooh !" I was never so in sulted." TEE NAVY. The Rodney, 91, is being fitted with her engines and machinery at Chatham by the contractors, Messrs. Maudslay and Co., after which she will join the steam reserve squadron in the Medway. Her Majesty's D ew screw steam corvette Barrosa, intended to carry 21 guns, and constructed on the same principle as the Jason, recently launched at Devonport, will be launched at Woolwich on Satur day next. She will be floated round to the fitting basin immediately afterwards to receive her engines, of 400 horse-power, and, from her peculiarly sharp build, she is expected to have unusual speed. The preparations are to be complete, so that she may be in the river about five minutes after three o'clock p.m. Mr. Turner, master-shipwright, recently appointed to Woolwich from Devonport, has been indefatigable in his exertions to complete the Barrosa in order to effect the launch during the present high tides, which were yesterday at two o'clock three feet higher than usual, and ranged twenty-three feet, the wharfs in Woolwich dockyard, being completely flooded ; insomuch that precautions were taken in caulking the mast house and store sheds to prevent them from being inundated. Her principal dimensions are :—Length between perpendiculars, 225 ft. ; ditto of keel for tonnage, 179 ft. 7-tin.; breadth extreme, 40ft. Bin. ; ditto for tonnage, 40ft. 4in. ; ditto moulded, 39ft. Bin.; depth in hold, 24ft. 2in. ; burden in tons, 2,623 43-94. The following appointments were made yesterday at the Admiralty :—Lieut. Loftus C. H. Robinson, to be Flag Lieut. to Vice- Admiral Bruce, Comman der-in-Chief at Portsmouth ; Lieut. F. bl. Prattent, to ' the Centurion ; Lieut. Arthur H. Gilmore, to the Donegal ; and Edward H. Stanton, paymaster, to the Falcon. TILE ARMY. Captain Green, 77th Regiment, proceeds from Bombay to China as Deputy-Assistant Adjutant- General to General Mitchell's division. Dr. Gibson, C. 8., has been appointed Director- General of the Army Medical Department. Four troops Ist Dragoon Guards, under command of Colonel Sayer, with Major Slade, Captains Brad bury, Mitchell, and Wingfield, are to embark at Madras in the present month for service in China. A party of 200 men and six staff sergeants, under the command of Colonel Hay, have left Warley barracks for Halleybury, near Hertford, the depot at Warley being fully occupied. Major-General Henry Charless Russell, Royal Artillery, expired yesterday at his residence Rose cottage, Charlton. The deceased officer was a veteran in the service, having entered the regiment as second-lieutenant in April, 1802. The subsequent promotions were—Filst-lieutenant in September, 1803, captain in July, 1808, major in May, 1825, lieutenant-colonel in January, 1837, colonel in November, 1846, and major-general in June, 1854. Although of advanced age the deceased had not re tired from the corps, and would have been appointed to the command of one of the new batteries as staff-officer. Government having decided on establishing a School of Musketry for the North of England at Fleetwood, with that object have purchased, for £20,000, the splendid range of buildings, well known as the Euston Hotel, which will be con verted into accommodation for the troops who will be sent to Fleetwood for instruction and practice in musketry.—Cumberland Pacquet. Two of Capt. Grant's military cooking-waggons were yesterday delivered over to the commandant of Woolwich garrison, Major-Geneneral Sir R. Dacres, K.O 8., at the recommendation of the select committee of the Arsenal, with directions from the Minister for War to travel them a dis tance of 600 miles. One of these waggons is fitted with an ambulating boiler for cooking while troops are on the march, and the other is fitted with a set of the pontoon kettles for cook ing in the field. Each waggon is 'said to be capable of cooking for 800 men, and, as they have been specially constructed and fitted for the pur pose of being deposited as patterns in the Royal carriage department in Woolwich Arsenal, they are considered to be good specimens of the excellent work of that establishment. Independently of the facilities afforded for cocking, the consumption of fuel for the ambulating boiler is not one eighth part of the present Government allowance. Sufficient apparatus upon this principle has been shipped for the service of 5,000 men in China. Vice-Admiral Charner, the new commander of the French forces in China, sailed on Thursday from Marseilles in the English steamer Panther, for Alexandria, on his way to his destination. ROYAL DRAMATIC COLLEGE.—The theatrical public and the profession generally will hear with much gratification that the tenth and last house has been pre sented by Mr. John Knowles, of the Theatre Royal, Man chester. This act of munificence will, we are sure, be highly appreciated and gratefully remembered by every member and lover of the drama. From South Australia the advices reach to Levi generally r C a 1 0 l o J f a A nu d a e r l y aid l e B ; it l i n s s t t h a e te c d ir t c h u a l t a b r u o s f in M ess es t s r r a s n . were limited to actual requirements. Although the colony s P ac . tios had suffered from a severe drought, it was expected that the crops would not be much below the average for the last few years. The pastoral and mining interests, especially the latter, are represented as making strides. It was feared that great mortality would take place among the sheep and cattle in consequence of the long-continued drought. The general monetary position of the colony remained sound. The price of Burra Burra shares was £l5l ex-dividend. Copper remained firm at £lOO per ton, at which price there was a good demand. Tallow was quoted at £6O per ton, and fleece wools is. sd. to ls. Bd. per lb. Bank draughts on London, at 60 days' sight, 1 per cent. premium. With regard to the mixtures foisted on the Lon don public as butter, the duty on which is now to be abolished, it is stated by respectable houses in the trade that the usual consumption of Irish butter at this period of the year in Lon don and the surrounding districts is about 10,009 casks weekly ; but that this year it is under 3,000 casks,—" a fact attributable entirely to the immense importation of stuff, called butter, from Holland and other foreign coun tries." In summer, when the make of butter is at its largest, these countries shipped from 6,000 to 7,000 casks weekly. At present they send from 13,000 to 14,000 casks a-week, when it is impossible to produce that quantity in its genuine state. Of these 13,000 casks more than two thirds are adulterated with farina, beef suet, and other sub stances, to the extent of 30 to 50 per cent. The true and only remedy for the evil will be found by the public select ing respectable shops, where detection in false practices would be ruin, and acquainting themselves with the lowest price at which the genuine commodity can be honestly sold. The announcement that the French Emperor has agreed to remove the prohibition on the export of rags from France has created a very favourable impression, not only in the paper trade, but among the general public, the feeling being that thus far the Emperor has mani fested a desire to make concessions on most points of the treaty where cases of peculiar injustice or inconvenience have been pointed out. There are several articles on which relaxations are still hoped. for, and one of the principal ap pears to be beer. Messrs. J. and R. Tennent, of Glasgow, who are among the largest exporters of bottled malt liqnor in Great Britain, have addressed a petition to the Chancel lor of the Exchequer to procure its admission into France and her colonies at a moderate duty--a point on which, notwithstafilling the course taken by England with regard to wine, no provision has yet been made, and Mr. Glad stone has replied that he will use any influence in his power to attain this object. Mr. William Brougham, in whose favour her Maje,ty has been so graciously pleased to extend the re mainder of the Barony of Brougham and Vaux, was formerly a Master in-Chancery, and sat in Parliament as M.P. for Southwark in the sessions of 1831-32, and 1833-4. He is the youngest and (with exception of Lord Brougham) the only surviving son of the late Henry Brougham, Esq., of Brougham Hall, and was born aeout 1786. He married in 1834 Emily Frances, only daughter of the late Sir Charles William Taylor, Bart., M.P., of Hullycombe, Sussex, by whom he has issue three daughters and also two sons, Henry Charles, born in 1836, and Wilfrid, born in 1842. Lord Brougham's other brothers were James, Sometime M.P. in the unreformed House of Commons for Tregony and Win chilsea, and M.P. for Kendal in the first Reformed Par liament, who died in December, 1833 ; Peter, an officer in the army, who was billed in a duel by the late Mr, Camp bell, of Sha,wfield, in 1801; and John, who died in 1829. Lod Brougham's only sister, whose name by some unac countable mistake is omitted from the peerage, died at an advanced age in 1847 or early in 1(58, PARLIAME'VTARY ELECTION COMUTTRES.-(THIS DAY.) DOVER. This committee re-assembled this morning, and the hearing of evidence having closed, Mr. Phinn, Q.C., "proceeded to address the committee on the part of the sitting member. The learned gentleman, in his opening remarks, commented very strongly on the absence of Mr. Bormingham and Mr. Stockwell, from whom, if he had been placed before the committee, he thought he could have something very material. His learned friends, however, on the part of the sitting mem bers, had, with their usual judgment and discretion, ab stained from bringing them into the eommittee-room, and he (Mr. Phinn) had no doubt there was a very good reasen for it ; for he must confess that a gentleman who had got a hundred guineas for his services might perhaps be led into making statements which might possibly have a very damaging effect upon his employers. That the committee would report that Welsh, Whitto, and Giles had been guilty of taking bribes he had no doubt; and the next question to determine was, by whom were they bribed. The sums given to these parties did not appear in the auditor's report, and everything pointed to Stockwell, who he thought was clearly proved to have been an agent of the sitting member. With reference to; the Folkestone cases, no less than 13 or 14 of the immaculate freemen of that locality had been clearly proved to have taken money for their votes. It was not a large amount, it was true, yet it was as illegal as if they had received £lOO a piece. He could not doubtfor a moment that the committee would in their report state such to be the case, for what other meaning or construction could be put upon the proceedings that had taken place. The marking the figure 28 on the table one night, and being refused, and the rumour that prevailed in the locality the next morning that " Stocks has risen to gO," inconteatibly proved the fact. The learned counsel was proceeding with his speech. when we went to press. CLARE. The proceedings in this,committee this morning were devoid of public interest. The greater part of the day was oocupied with the examination cf the election auditor for the district as to the payment of the several sums-entered in his accounts. LAW INTELLIGENCE.—(I7iis Day.) COURT OF BANKRUPTCY. (Before Mr. Commissioner Evans.) The only case before the Court during the morning was that of C. Lambourne, of Chiswick and Salisbury-wharf, Strand, barge builder, who passed his examination without opposition. The debts are about £B4O, and the assets very small, the expenses having greatly exceeded the profits. POLICE INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY.) MARLBOROUGH-STREET. NUMEROUS PICKPOCKETS AT THE LEVlE.—Sidney Wildgo, Thomas Morgan, and James Smith were charged with picking the pockets of ladies while standing to see the Rifle Volunteer officers enter St. JaMes's Palace on the previous afternoon. The case was proved by Sergeants Joy and Dole, two active officers, and the prisoners were committed with hard labour. Robert Clifford was charged with stealing a watch at the same place, giving his address as Windsor. He was re manded. John Thomas, a smart lad, with a poncho, was charged with stealing a purse containing silver. He was seen by Sergeant Cole, 23 C, to ' put his hand into the pocket, he (prisoner) be'ngaccompanied at the time by a women and two men seeing him (Cole) he started off, and was seen to throw something down the area of the Cavendish Hotel, Jermyn-street, which was found to be the purse which he (Cole) had seen him take from the female's pocket. Ho ivas remanded for a week. Sophia Wicks, Wm. Cole, and Wm. James, were also charged, the former with annoying, and the two latter with loitering for the purpose of committing a felony. Mr. Edward Lewis appeared for the prisoners. The female was seen by Sergeant Cola to stop several gentlemen, in the course of four hours' watching, and her palls were loitering behind, evidently for the purpose of committing a felony, and the prisoners were all well known to Sergeant Toy and Cole. The female was discharged and the men ordered to pay 40s. each. I THAMES. EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF AFFILIATION.—A respect able-looking woman named Hannah James, and residing at 46, Clarke-street, Stepney, appeared before Mr. Yardley, for the purpose of affiliating two illegitimate children upon the putative father, George William Holmes, a master gun stock maker, and a vestryman. of Bethnal-Green parish; residing at No. 5, " Belvidere," Cambridge .road, Bethnal ! Green, who had received two summonses and did not ap pear. Mr. Fletcher, solicitor of Arbour-square, Stepney, represented the complainant, Mr. Charles Young, solicitor, of Arbour street, East, Stepney, represented the defendant, and when the case was called on, at once said the defendant would admit the paternity, and consent to pay Se. per week or 2s. 6d. per week for each child. Mr, Yardley said the woman must be sworn, and prove. formally on oath the defendant was the father of her children. The complainant said she had lived with Mr. Holmes as his wife for 11 years, commencing in 1849, and that three children had been the issue of that connection. One of them was dead ; the other two—Emily, bOrn Jan. 12, 1852, and Georgiana Alice, born Jan. 20, 1856—were still living. The defendant was the father of them. He turned her out of doors about two months ago, and was now reaping the fruits of her property. She had £BOO worth of property, and Holmes had taken it all from her. Mr. Yardley—How came you to live with a man as his, wife without being married to him ; and let him have your property ? The complainant—l don't know, sir. Two months ago he thrust me into the street. Mr. Fletcher—The defendant has bought :houses with this woman's money, and made them over to himself. There is a suit in Chancery now going on against him for the recovery of the property. Mr. Yardley asked the complainant if the defendant had contributed towards the support of the children within the first 12 months of their birth. The complainant—Oh, yes, sir, he lived' with me before and after their birth. Mr. Young—The defendant will not offer any opposition to the order being made. Ile has lived with the woman 11 years. - Mr. Yardley—l order 2s. 6d. per week for the mainten ance of each child from the date of the summons, and £1 ss. for costs. The co mplainant—How am Ito get the remaining part of my things ? Holmes has got my property in his house. Mr. Yardley —I have nothing to do with that, my good woman. Consult your attorney. THE COMMODORE PERRY.—From the notice given otthe fact of six to ten guineas having been paid on gold and wool on board this vessel at Lloyd's, some misap prehension is likely to arise in the minds of persons having friends or relatives on board ; and although as much as guineas was paid yesterday on the gold, there is no real apprehension amongst persons well informed on the sub ject as regards the safety of the vessel. The distrust arises from the shippers of gold. By the present - Australian mail intelligence has been received of the sailing for England of the following goldships :—Copenhagen, December 26, with 30,225 ounces; Wellesley, 25th, 23,441 ounces; Champion of the Seas, 30th, 44,000 ounces; and Suffolk, January 10th, with 32,383 ounces—making a total of about £520,000. Includ ing the amounts by the Commodore Perry, Cleadon Sal danha, Essex, and Indemnity, of which advic es h a d pre viously been received, the aggregate Australian gold known to be at sea for this country is £B3O 000, The letters by the Bombay mail were delivered yesterday afternoon, and confirm the fact of the . 5f per Cent. Loan having been closed. It also appears that the recent rise in Government Securities has occurred in the face of an advance of 3 per cent, in the rates of discount, the terms of the Bank of Bombay being now 10 to 12 per cent. The minute of Mr. Wilson on the proposed issue of a Govern ment note ctrculation against one-third specie and two thirds securities, which is likely to have an , important influence on prices, does not seem to have transpired. A third return of four pounds per share has been (upon application of the official manager Mr. Wryghte, to the Master in Chancery, under the winding-up) directed to be made to the shareholders of the Royal Bank of Australia who have paid the calls making (with the two former payments of £2O and £6) the sum of £3O per share returned to the contributories, after discharging all the debts, little short of half a million, and the expenses of winding-up. The report of the official manager states that the recent adverse decision in the House of Lords, on the appeal against the Scotch decision in the case of "Drum mend, deceased," only determines that the mode of re covery is not by sequestration, and that another proceeding is to be pursued. The report also announces that the sale of the remaining property in Australia, the only other re' quisite to the final winding-up, has been advised to take place on the 20th of January last by public auction at Sydney, the result of which is not yet to hand. LIMIT ON THE VARNE AND RIDGE.—WO (Shir, ping Gazette) are ena bl e d to state th at t h e Trinity Boort' have strongly urged upon the Board of Trade the necessity that exists for placing without further loss of time a light ship on these dangerous sands; and that the Board of Trade have acceded to the recommendation of the Elder Brethren. The lightship will be moored probably at the N.W. junction of the 'Verne and Ridge, or immediately fronting the Eng lish coast. According to some of the private letters from Manchester, the profits of that city continue on an unpre" . cedented scale, and are expected for the future, under obi' commercial treaty and the simplified tariff, to increase even at a still greater pace, supposing the contingency of a cot: ton failure to be avoided. Three individuals are each oil to have recently returned £lOO,OOO t o th e income-tax, and the general gains of the cotton trade at present are rough*" estimated at £1,000,000 sterling per month. During J ail " nary and February the deposits at the Manchester Saving* Bank alone were £37,000. At a meeting of the Great Ship CompanX , " Tuesday, Mr. Hope in the chair various amendments in the deed of settlement were carried, , togethlir with a re solutioa to raise £lOO,OOO additional capital in 17i per cent. pr efer " ence share of £1 each, redeemable in two years, at 20 Pe cent. premium. P