The Sun. — London, England, 1869-10-28 00:00:00

CHARGE OF LIBEZLING THE EUROPEAS ASS ÜBANCE SOCIETY. Mr. Joseph Bentley, of Aldine Chambers, 13, Pater nester-row, was summoned before Sir Robert W. Carden, at the Guildhall Police-court, on Wednesday, for unlaw fully and maliciously publishing a defamatory libel of and concerning the European Assurance Society. Mr. George Lewis, jun., prosecuted, Mr. Lewis said that he appeared on behalf of the Euro pean Assurance Company, of Waterloo-place, Pall-mall, to make a complaint against the defendant for a series ei libels he had committed on that society_ They were all aware that two petitions had been presented to the Court of Chancery against that society, praying that it might be wound up, but after very lengthy and able arguments by eminent counsel the petitions were dismissed with costs. His complaint against the defendant was, that he had been in the habit systematically, for a series of years, of publishing a statement with a view of terrifying life offices and other institutions either into appointing him one of their agents, cr to obtain a sale for his various "pamphlets," as he called them, for his own benefit. The first charge against Mr. Bentley was that of publishing a table giving the age, income, invested capital, bonus, &c., for which the company did not care twopence but for the fact that in the " bonus" column tho defendant had printed the word " insolvent," and in the margin " In Chancel Sept. 22, 1369." He need hardly say that the we', "insolvent," as applied to the European or any other society was in itself a libel; but Mr. Bentley, if put upon his trial, would have the opportunity of justifying that statement. He, however, not only spoke of the European as insolvent, but the word "doubt" or "doubtful" was printed against the names of several assurance societies in the possession of large incomes, and holding very high positions. Mr. Bentley stated that "the infor mation given as to the present financial position of all life offices is the same as that furnished in ray sixth report to the Board of Trade, price ls. 6d." This conveyed the idea to the public mind that he was authorised by the Board of Trade to make those reports ; but such was not the fact, and people in Mr. Bentley's position ought to sail under true colours. Mr, Bentley had no authority from the Board of Trade, or from any society in the world, to issue that pamphlet. He described himself as of " Aldine-chambers, London," and the court would scarcely believe that he occupied a room on the third floor in a house in Paternoster-row at some few shillings a week. There was no one to attend to the business except a little girl, who sold the pamphlets to any one who called for them. They were utterly false and deceptive, and the tables were not accurate in any one particular. In another pamphlet, published by the de fendant, was a heading, "No Panic can now happen," and under it was the following paragraph—" Because any one may learn by seeing their accounts, which are the ten banks and life offices among the 303 open (with £1,615,863,147 in them) that have lost so much of their own capital as to make their financial position suspicious or doubtful, by obtaining the 'fourth report to the Board of Trade on Banks, Banking, and Life Assur ance,' price 2s. 6d.; ' Wealth and Politics for all the Queen's Subjects in every Rank and Station,' also 2s. 6d.; or the sixth report to the Board of Trade, price ls. 6d. In about two months after this last work was published the Albert and European Life Offices were closed." Why that was a most monstrous libel. There was no more truth that the European Assurance Society was closed than that the London and Westminster Bank was closed, and if anybody represented that it was he must take the responsibility. Mr. Frederick A. Lake, solicitor: On the 20th October he went to Aldine-chambers, 13, Paternoster-row, and purchased a number of two of the pamphlets out of the three produced. He saw painted up on the wall at the entrance of the chambers, "Registry of Life Office and Bank Accounts, Joseph Bentley, Registrar." He went up to a small room on the third floor, where there was a counter, a chair, and a book-case, but no registrar. The young lady present served him with the pamphlets. The table in which the company was described as insolvent was dated the 21st of September, and stated that the company was in Chancery on the 22nd of September. The pamphlet addressed to the provident classes was dated the 12th of October. Mr. Alexander Skeen said that he was a printer. The three documents were printed at his office for Mr. Bentley. He did not know how many he had printed of them, but he supposed between 30,000 and 40,000. He received the manuscript by post, and returned it by post. Mr. Bentley said that Mr. Lewis did not understand his (defendant's) business. The word "registry " meant his going round personally to every life office and every bank in the kingdom for the last twenty-four years, and offering that if they would supply him with their total income, their total funds, their sums assured, and any other infor mation they had to give him about bonuses, ho would print it for them for nothing. Sir Robert W. Carden said he who became a public censor undertook a serious responsibility as to the truth of the statements he made. There were in the pamphlet insinuations against some of the first and best of in London. Five offices refused to make any return, among which were the London Assurance, Royal Exchange, and the Sun, three of the first offices in London. He presumed they did not consider it necessary to give their figures to the defendant. Mr. Bentley said that it had cost him £3,000 during the twenty-four years to get that jnformation. After a considerable amount of conversation Mr. Bentley was induced to reserve his defence, as the case must be sent for trial, and he was accordingly fully committed for trial ; but Sir R. W. Carden consented to take bail, two sureties in £lOO each, and himself in £2OO. At the rising of the court satisfactory bail was not forth coming, and the prisoner was conveyed to Newgate. LAW AND POLICE. -f THE BEvEnnEy amerloN. At Judges' Chambers Queen's Bench, an application has been made to Mr Justice Hayes for writs of Habeas Corpus to procure the release of Messrs. Flint and Fitzgerald, the two witnesses recently committed to York Castle for contempt of court in refusing to give evidence. The counsel who made the application contended that the committal was illegal as the commission illegally adjourned, and the three gentlemen who constituted the commission were not a court under the circumstances, and could make no valid legal report of the proceedings. Mr Justice Hayes admitted the importance of the question, and said it should be argued in court the first day after term, being Tuesday next. FEArns Lv INDIA..—An overseer in the Forest Depart ment at Wynad, in Madras, was charged at Bow-street, with embezzling £313, the property of the Indian Govern ment. The prisoner had held his position for some time and it wa's alleged had entered several contracts fortimber and received various sums, part cf which he paid intC the Madras Bank. He afterwards withdrew the money from the bank and left for England. The warrant wa. made out under the Indian renal Code. The prisoner was remanded. THE SYSTEMATIC SWINDLEItS.—The two elegantly.. dressed persons who, under the names of Captain and Mrs. Howard succeeded in defrauding so many West-end trades men, have been committed for trial from 3larlborough street Police-court. Several other charg_s are in reserve against them. RIVAL OMNlnusEs.—The conductor of an omnibus run ning between London Bridge and Cambridge Heath was charged, at Worship-street, with assaulting the time keeper of the General Omnibus Company. The disputc arose from the competition between the respective com panies, and the magistrates adjourned the case for a fort night, to see if some arrangement could not be come to. SOLDIERLY CONDUCT.—At Salford, a private in the 100th Regiment was charged with drunkenness and dis orderly conduct. The policemen followed him into the barrack, and secured him with great difficulty, owing to the interference of his comrades. The magistrate com mented severely on the conduct of the soldiers, and granted a summons against the corporal of th e guard for assault. The prisoner was sentenced to hard labour for two months. A NEW PEER.—By the death of Lord Dynevor the Rev. Francis Rice, 31. A., vicar of Fairfo r d Gloucestershire, b ec omes a peer. He was educated a t Christ Church, Oxford, where he took his D.A. degree in 1826. Two years afterwards he was nominated by the Dean anti Chapter cf Gloucester to the vicarage of Fair ford, which he at present holds. An immense Lel of petrified fossil shells has been found near Sara tfAr in South- c:stern Ilunia. The interioi of these shelbi ecutain beautiful ely3tals of sulphate of sell to extract the metal. In r, f :GM whi wariy are in discovery i 3 valuable, a h a goc,l rite of preser their former occu rnti, can be efu , ily traceil Tho special commission of Spandan after tryirT various e:periments have fixed upon a model needle-gun. nis weapon was given to a Lattalion of chasseurs, who figured in the grand manoeuvres of Stargard. The Prussian Government wishes the manufacture of the new gun to .;orameuce at once, as the soldiers put no more faith in the old weapons. The necessary expense will be considerable, and the North German people begin to fin i the Lailitary_tharaes imposed Pgoia_nrt itCY! :' MISCELLANEOUS NEWS. THE ORACLE. The Times at length makes the first definite step in the diredion of pointinc , out a specific solution for the land question. Its last 9 issue contains a guarded intimation that the Ulster system of tenant-right, if not in itself the solution of the tenure difficulty, con tains the materials out of which a settlement can be formed. What the Irish most want is security of tenure ; in the Ulster system of tenant-right we have an example of custom supplying the place of law, and reconciling on the whole the interest of the tenant with the right of the landlord. It is open to serious economical objec tions, and to legalise it pure and simple would be at once "heroic and inadequate." "We do advocate, however, a careful study of those deeply-rooted usages exemplified by Ulster tenant-right, with a view of founding a new code of Irish agrarian law on the ancient structure of Irish agrarian custom." An attempt on the part of the leading journal to form public opinion, instead of following it, is at once novel and gratifying. ANOTHEIt LAND QUESTION. It appears that an Irish land grievance has sprung up in the United States. It differs from the treasure of the kind which we possess. Tho Irish men and women who seek their fortunes in the United States are much addicted to remaining in the coast cities, especially New York, where they are little wanted ; whilst the Western States are grievously in want of population. In some cases the immigrants have no money ; in others, they aro attracted by the pleasures of the seaboard towns. Hundreds of millions of acres of unoccupied lands now await settlers at the West; all substantially free, for every actual settler under the new Homestead law is entitled to a quarter section by merely occupying it. But though land is to be had for the asking, it is difficult to get the immigrants to it. To overcome this, a society has been formed for transporting the freshly-arrived Irish people to a suitable home in the West. What is the precise plan to be adopted has not yet been %rival upon ; but if any scheme of the kind prove practi cable, its influence in extending emigration to the States must be great. MORE AGITATION. Some of the Amnesty meetinEs held this week in the South of Ireland are likely to amuse the public, if not to benefit the prisoners. At Tralee a hearse by some mischance inauspiciously followed the proces sion, and the platform broke down with the weight of the speakers. The meeting at Carrigaline was signalised by the appearance of Mr. Reardon, who moved a resolution respect fully informing the Government that "no mea sure of redress, no matter how ample, will satisfy the Irish people unless our imprisoned brethren are liberated." Mr. O'Sullivan, the famous ex-mayor, was greeted with a warm reception, but the ardour of the audience speedily cooled down when he ex pressed his confidence in Mr. Gladstone. Another less favoured individual met with a shower of groans and hisses for committing the same offence. The Very Rev. Canon M'Swiney presided, and was gene rously informed that though the assembly had not been convened to talk about land, yet in consideration of his personal character the liberal-minded audience would not mind hearing a little on the land question from Mm. The rev. gentleman then called upon them to unite in endeavouring to get justice for the prisoners, and a fair settlement of the land problem. A. voice broke in with the remark that it was " time enough when the prisoners are out for for that ; " and another, of a more provident turn of mind, responded, "Sure, they'll want a bit of land too." This observation gained, as it deserved, great applause. On the whole, however, it is fair to note that the resolutions were mild, the speeches tempe rate, and though the mob occasionally displayed a little effervescence, order was in no way disturbed. A WORKING MAN FOR SOUTHWARK. The Labour Representation League is resolved to try the chance of a working man's candidate in London. The vacancies announced in two metropolitan boroughs, that of South wark- 'which Mr. Layard formerly sat—and that of tao Tower .I.l.o,inlets—wliere Mr. Ayrton ion—have come under their notice. To oppose llr. Ayrton would be ungracious ; but Southwark is to be contested. A meeting to consider the matter was held on Tuesday, and it was unanimously resolved to bring out a candidate. If the rumours be true that Mr. Bradlaugh seeks election, and the can didaturo of Mr. Kirkman Hodgson be persisted in, three claimants—all Liberal—of the votes of the electors are a possible contingency. This state of things would give a very remote chance of a Conser vative victory ; but the differences will probably be made up in one case at least; and even if not, the overwhelming Liberal majority renders a Conserva tive election an improbable occurrence. It is stated by a Conservative contemporary that Mr. Morgan Howard, who was so thoroughly beaten for Lambeth last November, will come forward as the " Church and State " champion. POLITICS IN TEE ISLE OF 'WIGHT. The Liberals have had it all their own way in the Isle of Wight during the late revision campaign. At the last election, tfie present Liberal member, Sir Tohn Simeon, was returned by a majority of 235- 1,353 against 1,118. This preponderance has beer. still further increased, for at the late revision the Liberals are to be accredited with a clear gain of 128. POLITICAL CRISIS IN SPAIN. The Spaniards are just now lending a pleasing nte of fluctuation between the frying pan and the fire. The Government successfully opposed the Carlist insurrection, and then defeated the far more formidable Republican rising. Now the vic tors are quarrelling amongst themselves. The monarchical, party, which rules, is composed of Pro gressists, Liberal Unionists, and Democrats, the first led by Prim and the second by Serrano. A long smouldering jealousy between these two parties has at length broken into open antagonism, and a rupture is imminent. The causes of the quarrel are the clergy and their revenues, and the choice of a sovereign. The former difficulty has been patched up for a time ; but the latter still remains. It is notorious that Marshal Prim, the Progressist leader, is diame trically opposed to the candidate for the throne who has the favour of the Liberal Unionists. MR. ROEBUCK ON TIIE WORKING MAN. Mr. Roebuck has been addressing the working men of Dewsbury on the subject of education, and he made a thoroughly characteristic speech. He was not perhaps so bitter as of old ; indeed, his speech had a kindly tone. But there was the usual egotism ; the accustomed patronising air; the common shrewd ness of thought and argument. Ho claimed that when most men were against him ho had advo cated compulsory education. He was abused then as a tyrant, but now it is pretty clear that the Government will step in and do what he advocated so long ago. And he was in .favour of the same policy now—that the working man should be raised to a gentleman ; not placed above his work, but rather made happy in his present position. That might be done by giving the artisan education ; by helping his wives and daughters to obtain refinement ; and by teaching him to respect himself and them more : Why should not the ma. nors of the upper class descend to the other classes ? Why should the man who makes £2OO or £3OO a year by his mechanical labour be a rude, coarse, brutal fellow ? There is no reason why he should be so. Why should he not be like—aye, I win say like a gentleman? Why should not his house be like my house ? When Igo home from my labour what do I find? I find a cheerful wife. I find an elegant educated woman. I have a daughter; she is the same. Why should not you find the same happy influences at home ? I want to know when the working man comes from his daily labour to his home, why ho should not find his table spread as mine is spread ; why he should not find his wife well dressed, cleanly, loving, kind, and his daughter the same ; why he should not find his daughter and his wife as I find mine? Depend upon it, if you could induce good, kindly manners amongst you all, if you could be cere monious, gentlemen, to your wives, to your women—for I will use that good old English phrase —you would be far happier in your families. IRISH RAILWAYS. The London correspondent of the Dublin Mail is slightly premature. He states, in a communication dated llonday, that the Government has had the subject of Irish railways under notice ; and decided that no plan for their general purchase shall be adopted. Now her Majesty's Ministers met for consul tation the first time after the long vacation on Tues day, the day after the Mail correspondent wrote. How then can he tell us what the Cabinet intended to do Ho nevertheless says with an air of great authority that a scheme is under consideration by which assistance may, to some extent, be given to the larger companies for the purchase of the smaller lines, and in working of the system as a whole, and also for completint , the communications of the country. The outlay (he adds) will be advanced on the security of the districts concerned. The whole system is to be placed under a Board of Control to be appointed by `he Government. TIIE HIGH CHURCH 3IISSION IN LONDON. Some not very favourable remark s h ave b een ma d e as to the High Church Mission about to bo held in London. The Daily News observi%r that the attack was to be on Sin and Satan, and interpreting the announcement to mean that those takin' part were anxious for the suppression of moral and spiritual evil, declared that to pray within churches and to preach to those who came to chapels, would have but very limited results. The "mission' would hardly reach the ignorant and the vicious, whose conversion it sought to obtain. The Rev. Newman Hall—lnde pendent though he is—professes to be hurt by this comment, and he writes back to our contemporary:— I am sure that in your somewhat humorous comment you could not have meant that the methods proposed— viz., prayer to God and preaching the Gospel—aro not, according to the Christian faith, the most effectual means 4 dainz _Wan zejacejoiituaLists ARV there is THE SUN, LONDON - , URSDAY notnmg in common, , except our common unnsuanny (which, however, is something); but so great is the preva lence of drunkenness, vice, and ungodliness, that I rejoice in this proposal, and should be glad if Nonconformists were to show the true Catholic spirit which animates thew by selecting the very same week for promoting the very same object by the very same means. Would that the sentiments expressed in the last sen tence were more Common. STUDY AN AMUSEMENT. The Bishop of London distributed the prizes to the students of the City of London College on Tuesday, and afterwards addressed them on the importance and practicability of studying hard. His idea was that study might be made an amusement. When his hearers came home wearied at night "'rest and relaxation might be obtained by calling the faculties which had been unexercised into play." The idea is not a new one, and is to a certain extent a correct one. The statement which his lordship made that amusements so called are often more exhausting than occupation of the mind by science or mathematics, is also a true one. But the other side of the truth—not forgotten by the bishop—lnuit not be overlooked generally. For total weariness the only relaxation is sleep. 'hose engaged in sedentary occupations require manual exercise, not mental exertion. There is however a very certain truth in the proposition, that the mental effort in solving a conundrum is as ()Teat workingas in out a problem of Euclid. How often, liough, is the mental exertion made ? People guess, they do not work, at riddles. EDITC.kTION. Educational movements are being made through out the country. In London an association of school teachers endeavours to preserve the rights of the master, and a branch of the Education League is bestirringiltself ; throughout the provinces aleetings are being held. Dr. Barry, the principal of King's College, presided at a meeting of the school masters on Tuesday and declared for compulsory --,ducation, but argued that it should be religious. At the last meeting of the National Education League in London, Mr. Dixon denied that the object of the League was to eliminate religion from education. The proposal was that the education of the country should be in the hands of the people through their local representatives, and it Trould be for each locality to letermine the nature of the education to be given within its limits. MR. PEABODY. We regret to announce that Mr. Peabody—for a long time in such feeble health as to cause great anxiety to his friends—is now dangerously ill. He went to America, it will be remembered, to get respite from the weakness which has long been coming upon him ; but the journey does not seem to have been effectual, and his return to his adopted country—he is now lying in London—has been marked by a return of disease. SHIPBUILDING IN THE NOltTil AND sotur. An instructive table has been published shelving the daily rate of wages on the Thames, Wear, and Clyde, for carpenters, joiners, platers, calkers, riveters, painters, riggers, sailmakers, boilermakers, engineers, turners, and pattern workers. The cost of one day's labour from these combined crafts is, on the Thames, 725. ; on the Clyde, 68s. Bd.; on the Wear, &ss. Bd, The Thames price is 22 . 72 per cent. higher than the Clyde 1-ate, and 29.34 per cent. higher than that of the Wear. These facts furnish one cogent reason why the shipbuilding trade has almost disappeared from the East-end of London—disappeared as many think never to return. The London shipbuilders de clared that they would work for no wages below a certain limit, let the men in the North accept what ever price they chose. Now, iron is cheaper in the North, coal is close at hand, and if lower wages are taken, the work being as well done, the result is self evident. It is true that the cost of living in London is greater than at Glasgow or Sunderland, but surely small wages are bettor than none. COMFORT FOR RAILWAY TRAVELLERS. Hitherto sleeping in a second-class railway car riage has been out of the question, unless the traveller was so lucky as to get the corner seat. It is now no longer impossible. By means of the "Alpha Rest," the traveller is provided with a support upon which he can lean and sleep without danger of toppling over upon his neigh bour. The Rest when closed is about 14 inches long, 11 inches thick, and 3 inches wide, so that it can be readily carried in a carpet bag. When open it fur nishes a support for the arm or a book. The weari ness of the back, which is felt during long journeys, may be relieved by placing the Rest upon the knees and leaning , forward upon it. When the carriage is quite full this is often the most effectual relief which can be obtained. The Rest is equally available for railway or omnibus travelling, and while it will be useful to first-class passengers, it will afford most substantial relief to those travellers whose wants are not so well provided for by the railway companies. To anyone condeinned to a long journey in a diligence the "Alpha Rest" would be invalu able. It can be used by the traveller without en croaching upon the space due to his neighbour. .110SPITAL Nuns Es. Whilst the Ler'-lature was cobbling at a law for regulating the wa. .ing hours of women, it might as well have made some provisions for hospital nurses. These are overworked. They attend to their patients during the day, and take turn at night duty one evening in three. They are in the sick wards fifty hours out of every seventy-two, or on an average seventeen hours a day. The nurse whose duty it is to sit up, say on Monday night, rises at six o'clock on Monday morning, attends to the wants of her patients during the day, and performs her share of the general ward work, remaining on duty until 5 p.m., when she is at liberty to retire to rest until 10 p.m. Th en h er l a b outs again begin, and are continued without intermission until 9 p.m. on the following evening -23 hours. The sickness and mortality amongst this class ofwomen are much above the average. ANOTHER COMMERCIAL STORY. The liquidators of the Imperial Land Company of Marseilles are preparing another tale of commercial morality for the entertainment of the public. This company was started in February 1866, just when the limited liability mania was at its height. It was floated by three London financial establishments, and its capital of £1,600,000 was freely subscribed, although warnings were uttered in various quarters. The liquidators sum up the history of the company in a single sentence. "Our investigations have led to the astounding discovery that the promoters of this com pany, while professing to pay for the purchase of cer tain property in Mar se ill es the sum of £1,109,323, in reality paid only £344,604, while the difference, £764,719, found its way into the pockets of certain persons from whom we, the liquidators, shall seek to recover it." We ought to be astonished at nothing in the way of trade ; but a fraud of three quarters of a million on an expenditure of £344,000 is a novelty even in these days. FOOD FOR MAN. As it is a fact that human beings are liable to the attacks of pleuro-pneumonia, so extensively prevalent amongst cattle just now, it is exceedingly pleasant to learn that there is every prospect of the disease being actively propagated amongst us. A correspondent states that he recently detected his butcher in the act of dressing a cow which had been assailed by this complaint. Inquiry revealed the interesting fact that it is the custom to slaughter all such animals for the meat market, the common idea being that the disease is incurable : In this instance, the disease, although confined to one lung, was far advanced, and at one spot, as large as one's hand, the membrane lining the ribs was coated with an inflammatory product three-quarters of an inch in thick ness. This I thought would have insured the condemna tion of the carcass at Smithfield, but I was soon undeceived. With the skill of a practised hand, this layer of the pleura and the objectionable adherent mass were soon dis sected off. I was also informed that all butchers quite understood what the absence of the costal pleura meant, that the meat brought a comparatively low price, and that the inspectors were equally wise and equally silent. It is some consolation —an agreeable surprise, indeed—to know that we are better off than cats and dogs. They get the diseased lung itself. FOREIGN NOTES. Tim INSURRECTION IN DALMATIA. The insurrection in Dalmatia appears to be assuming more formidable proportions than was supposed. At Vienna little else is spoken of, and it is asserted that the outbreak is something more than a mere question of :ecruiting or taxation. It is a Panslavist movement, which has been long organised. The accounts hitherto received from the scene of action are very contradictory. According to the North Lest Correspondence , the insur gents have taken Fort Stanievitch, and have invested Fort Drageli. The Emperor of Austria has delayed his journey eastwards fe7 a day, in order to take counsel with his Ministers as to the best means of repression. The 2.linisters of War and of Finance were summoned to meet him at Pcsth for this purpose. The 2Vezt Frerndcntiatt, on the other httnd, affirms that the success of the Austrian arms has been complete, and that the insurgents have only maintained their resistance because they expected reinforcements from Herzegovina. The Narodny List:, of Prague, states that arms have been transmitted into Dalmatia from Prussia, by way of Bosnia, Switzerland, and Italy. It is said that the Austrian Government regards with suspicion the intrigues of the Russian Consul at Cattaro. The frequent journeys of this agent are, it is thought, somewhat incompatible with the functions of a simple consul in a town like Cattaro. At any rate the preparations made by the Austrian Govern ment prove that they suspect there is an understanding botw.cen. the insurgents and the Diontennglino. the Bog. nians, the Servians, and, perhaps, even the Roumanians. The insurgents are said to be commanded by a Servian officer of high rank, cousin of the reigning Prince. The Prince of Montenegro finds himself in an awkward position. He fears to endanger his country by taking an active part in the insurrection, while his subjects, who are little accustomed to restrain their passions by political considerations, urge him to take up arms. The Austrian Government has taken most rigorous measures to prevent the transport of arms and ammunition into Montenegro. In official circles little credit is:attached to the professions of Prince Nicholas, who will, it is feared, be drawn into the war against his will. The Czech journals publish a procla mation said to have been issued by the insurgent com mittee at Cattaro. It is couched in high flown language, appeals to the mountain: people to: strike for the freedom enjoyed by their fathers who conquered the Turks, and invites the Herzegovinians to join iu their war cry. There is good reason to doubt, however, the authenticity of this document. SPAIN. Although tho Government of Spain has gained the victory in the recent struggle with the Federal Republi cans, some doubts are cnteitained as to the final discom fiture of the rebels. The French journals comment en the extent of the insurrection, and compare it with the in effectual efforts of the Duke of Madrid. The latter found himself the object of indifference, while the former held possession of the most important strongholds. According to the opinion of an influential person, the candidates to the throne of Spain are likely to be discarded, and the country itself to become a united Republic. EVENING, OCTOBER 28, 1869. lion of the most experienced has a similar commotion men witnessed in the country. On Sunday, at the termination of Mass, three or four hundred thousand persons pressed into the narrow streets of Pera in order to obtain a glimpse of the fair visitor. It is noticed that the Turkish women are most eager in their efforts to see her Majesty. The Sultan seems to take real pleasure in the re Me assigned to him, and his urgent entreaties induced the Empress to prolong her stay for a few days. The Empress herself has explained her feelings by declaring that she is in a dream. and dreads the moment when she must awaken. Last evening tho Emperor went to the Opera accom panied by a distinguished suite. The directors of the opera were only informed of this visit at the beginning of the performance. The Emperor arrived in the middle of the second act, he was received with cheers by the entire audience, aud remained for some time. His visit was a complete success, especially under the circumstances of the case. Contrary to a report that has prevailed, the Prince Imperial has not accompanied his father to Paris, but remains at Compigne. The Li/Tee is very indignant at the rumour of an alliance between Austria and Prussia, which the Crown Prince is said to have ccnaludcd during his recent visit to Vienna. The Minister for Foreign Affairs has now heard, it appears, that the Emperor Francis Josei.,h told the Prussian prince that he should rejoice if the old confidence were renewed between their respective countries. Strikes are the order of the day. It is announced that the working ironmongers, the clerks of the attorneys and notaries, and the chemists' assistants are all to join the ranks of the disaffected employes in the course of the week. AMERICAN A FFAIRS. (From the Anglo-American Times.) NEW YORK, Oct. 9. The year has been singularly chequered in its weather. Heated terms followed instantly by cold snaps, broken up by a bowling storm or deluged by floods. Those on their " summering" trips caught out in the cold were hurried back to fird themselves in town during the hottest period of the year, and laughed at by citizens chained to their desks as "sold" by the weather, This week set in with heavy rain and a hard blow; freshets followed as the rain poured down along the coasts and far back inland, and the consequence has been heavy inundations. Many merchants have been cut off from their business by the floods, cars ceasing to run, banks overflowing, and the country in large tracts being under water. Along the North and East rivers much property has been damaged, and there have been several shipwrecks, although the steamships off Sandy Hook weathered the storm. Among these were the City of Brooklyn, the Cleopatra, the Sisal, and Vera Cruz. The newspapers thus summarise the loss throughout the country :—" Among the prin cipal losers are the Pulp Works and Nixon's Paper Mill at Manayunk, $30,000 to $40,000 ; A. Camp bell and Co.'s cotton mills, $20,000 ; J. M. Pres ton's woollen mill, $17,000 ; Waitzfelder and Co.'s mill, $B,OOO to $lO,OOO ; the Girard tube works, $15,000. The Lehigh Valley suffered severely from the flood. At Bethlehem, the Pennsylvania House and Felter's Hotel were much damaged, and large quantities of lumber were carried off. The Lehigh Valley and the Lehigh and Susquehanna Railroads had part of their tracks washed away. A Potts ville despatch says many of the collieries in the Schuylkill region were ' drowned out.' In Con necticut the town of Manchester suffered losses estimated at over $300,000. The loss at Hudson, New York, is estimated at $500,000. The loss to lumbermen at West Troy, New York, is stated at $lOO,OOO. The damage by the flood in New Hamp shire is estimated at $1,000,000. In four counties of New York, along the Hudson, the losses are esti mated at $3,000,000. A number of lives were lost in various localities inNew York and New England." But every hour adds to the list of loss of property and life, which now we begin to understand is some thing awful. Not less chequered perhaps has been bu siness in Wall -street. There also have been "heated" terms and " cold snaps." We are in a cold snap, hav ing had a very heated term broken up by a hurri cane. The failures are over twenty, the greatest being that of Lockwood and Co. The bead of the firm, Mr. Legrand Lockwood, is much liked and re spected, and everywhere sympathy is expressed for him. He has been noted for hospitality and the generosity of his donations, and the instant mea sures he took to place all he possessed in the hands of an assignee have much tended to confirm this favourable impression. Many of the creditors have arrived in town, and it is generally desired that the house should resume, but nothing will be decided on till the accounts have been laid before the credi tors. The board of the Lake Shore Road have for days been in session at the Farmers' Loan and Trust Company. The sum due to the railroad from the house is known to be large. Mr. Lock wood's resignation as treasurer has been accepted, but no one as yet has been chosen in his place, though Messrs. Alanson Robinson, Horace F. Clark, and James H. Banker form a committee to settle the affairs of the house. The first is head of the firm of Robinson, Cox, and Co., and he succeeds Mr. Lockwood as director. The creditors of the firm met on Thursday to ascertain the extent of the loss, if possible ; but all that has transpired is that $2,000,000 of equipment bonds will be issued to run for 10 years, bearing 7 per cent. per annum, payable half yearly. At the same time that general sympathy is expressed for Mr. Lockwood, the public desire that a statement of his affairs should be made in his own interest. Two more stock firms have been added to the list of failures, both in Wall-street—Adams, Kimball and Moore, of No. 14, and Puleston, Ray mond, and Co., of No. 5. The latter are reported to be victims of a trusted cashier, who, though receiv ing $5,000 a year, was content with only $50,000. He did not appear at his post as usual, and it trans pired on inquiry that he had made a free use of the cash placed in his care. Suits for differences continue to be brought against Fisk, Gould, and Co. ; one by Brown and Co. is for the recovery of $2,500,000 lost through an irregular sale of $7,000,000 in gold by the former. Fisk bas created another sensation. In a letter, accompanied by affidavits, he endea vours to prove that Mr. Corbin, the President's brother-in-law, was not' only implicated, but was the originator of the late Gold Gamble, and, as he plainly insinuates, with the privacy of the Presi dent. Mr. Fisk is always amusing, and in no small degree original. His connection with Mr. Corbin, when interviewed by the Tribune's reporter, he termed " a business affair, all going in to bull gold, Corbin being the biggest toad in the puddle." He was expected to carry them through, but he did'nt, and that was the head and tail of the affair. George Francis Train proclaims publicly in all his speeches, in his usual reckless style, that Fisk, jun., is Grant's younger partner, and the Democratic press are blowing up these embers into a fierce flame to make the most of in the coming elections. Many of the newspapers have been unsparing in their denunciation both of Mr. Boutwell and General Grant, and the Journal of Commerce calls on them to cease such attacks and gross insinuations, or to bring forward the evidence on which they ground them. It considers all, without distinction of party, interested in protecting the President from such attacks, which, if true, would affix an indelible stain on Republican institutions. America has had incompetent men, but never Presidents so dis honest as to tamper with the national prosperity and happiness to fill their own pockets. If General Grant had done one-half of what the papers accuse him, the form of Government would be called in question as a failure through which such men at tained to the Executive Chair. This is plain talking, and is aimed against the President while professing to be written in his interest, but the extraordinary documents published by Fisk, and the fact that Jay Gould is bringing an action against Mr. Corbin for some half million of dollars, the differences be tween the buying and selling price of three mil lions in gold and two millions in stocks, have given so much colouring to the rumours that the agent of the Associated Press at Washington, called on the President, who spoke freely on the subject, raore especially in allusion to an interview with Fisk on board the steamer then about to leave New York for Newport. Some surprise has been ex pressed at the way in which the President bore the insolence of the proposition to give him prior in formation as to the financial designs of the Trea sury. The Post says that President Jackson would have hurled a chair at the man's head who dared thus to approach him, and it is a thousand pities that the " Admiral" was not seen making a quick retreat from his own boat, and the President of ter him with a sharp stick. He has now the insolence. in a letter to the Sun to allude to that interview as one exceedingly pleasant to both parties. When this blows over it will, I suspect, leave a useful im pression on the President's mind to avoid all con tact and all parleying with such people, to deny them any interview, and to take care when their presence is forced upon him that he has a Secre tary at his elbow. The scandal must be injurious to any reputation, and, worse still, injurious to a post of perhaps the highest dignity in the world. It will end, if such things continue, in more cere monial and a greater difficulty in reaching a Pre sident. A delegation from the Citizens' Associa tion has been urging the Mayor and Common Council to allow dummy engines to be run on the roads down to Fourteenth Street. The Chamber of Commerce has just met to consider a communi cation from the Liverpool Chamber to dircet the tare to be allowed as iu England, of 41bs. per cwt., and a draft of 21bs. per bale. Proceedings have been taken against the owners of the Quaker City for violating the neutrality laws, having hoisted the Haytien flag when at Hayti, and received from the town an armament ; and it is added that military uniforms were in the vessel when she left New York. Dougherty and Hugh Marra have been brought before Judge M'Cunn, charged with im plication in the assassination of Brookes, the revenue officer of Philadelphia, and the case was adjourned, theDistrict-Attorney pledging himself to furnish con vincing proofs of their guilt. There has been a grand review by Governor Hoffman, in Madison-square, of the First Division of the National Guard. The regi ments, mostly in new uniform, turned out in fina condition, with full ranks. The weather was beau tiful, and all the buildings around were crowded with spectators ; and next day it was the turn of Brooklyn, Governor Hoffman as Commander-in- Chief, with his Staff, also reviewing the Militia there. The Second Division, on that occasion, turned out under the command of Major-General Woodward. There has been a strike of the la bourers employed at night on the new Post-office, who want an extra half dollar a day, and eight in stead of ten hours. The contractors say, " Let them go," as labour is plentiful. The European steamers continue very full of first-class passengers recrossing the Atlantic. Affairs in the Gold Ex change have not yet shaken into their place. There was a meeting on Thursday, two-thirds of the re gular members being present to receive the report of a committee they had appointed to prepare a plan to clear contracts in gold. Delinquent mem bers were directed to withdraw, and the Secre tary has requested them to refrain, as a point of honour, from doing business in the Gold Room until their accounts have been satisfactorily settled. Mr. Underhill, a director of the Gold Ex change Bank, declared that it was sound and solvent, and will immediately resume ; and he requested the Exchange to postpone action on the Committee's resolutions. He hoped the members would deal magnanimously with the Bank, adding that the stock holders would elect a new board of directors. Mr. Hodgkins, in reply, spoke of the Bank as failed ; it was not the Exchange which had withdrawn from the Bank, but the Bank from them. Mr. Clarence H. Seward has been employed as counsel for the officers of the Gold Exchange to act in the matter of the injunctions served upon them. Injunctions are everywhere flying about, and much law business is anticipated during the winter. An acoustic tele graph has been successfully tried in Brooklyn. How it works lam not prepared to say. Many steam. boats, in anticipation of the predicted tidal wave, got up steam, yet the tidal wave did not come, but the terrible earthquakes in South America had followed too closely on the prediction of Mr. Falb for people to sneer at the other prediction. We have had one of those shocking murders the atro city of which arrests attention. It was in a street of the Fourth Ward, misnamed Cherry-street, where lived a woman from Yorkshire, England, who bad married a Chinaman, named Acong, a steward in a vessel trading between Liverpool and Hongkong. In the same house, No. 67, was another Chinaman, a tobacco-roller, called Archoea. Lately Acong returned from a voyage greeting his family and his old friend Archoea warmly, but more re cently he had shown strange symptoms, laughing, crying, jabbering broken English, affected, it was supposed, by jealousy, On Tuesday night Archoea was aroused from sleep by Acong offering to repay two borrowed dollars. While the drowsy Archoea was replying " there is time enough," a double edged knife with a blade like a razor was plunged into his heart and he died without a groan. The Yorkshire lass was asleep on a sofa in her own room, and though she received the same weapon in her breast with more than one wound she appears to have rushed down stairs and fallen dead at the threshold. The amiable Celestial then turned on a boy named Chas. Acong, but the lad escaped, howling " Murder ! police !" which alarmed the house, and a woman running into the room found the Chinaman on the bed, dying from seven gashes, with the deadly knife still in his clenched and stiffening hand. Placing a tumbler of water to his lips he ground the glass to pieces and died. The house was instan taneously turned into a pandemonium. A mob had gathered, the screaming vultures of the " Bloody Fourth ;" within lay the woman in the pool shed from her heart, with her long dishevelled hair and agonized face pressed against the floor. In one room, on the dripping mattress, was the murdered man ; in the other, a more horrible picture still, the murderer and the suicide. Touching , the trouble in the Methodist Book Concern, the Rev. James Porter ably defends himself against the aspersions for the rumoured defalcations. During his official connection with the concern all such purchases as paper were made by Mr. Goodenough, the super intending printer, and neither he nor his son, as far as Dr. Porter knows, supplied anything for the bindery. Instead of defrauding, he has been out of pocket $l,OOO a year by his connection with it, to which might be added the literary labour given gratis to aid the Concern when it became embarrassed with the Church south. Finally, he states that he is willing to be branded as a thief and a robber on its being shown that he took any commission on purchases for the Concern, adding that no such charges had emanated from it, the rumours neces sitating his denial arising from outside parties. Mr. Koopmanschap is at the St. James's Hotel, having just arrived from New Orleans. WASHINGTON, Oct. 8. Secretary Boutwell had left for Philadelphia, but was recalled by business, but more still by the storm which has deluged the country, rivers overflowing their banks and sweeping all before them ; dams bursting, railroads under water, and, I fear, a great loss of life. The papers are tilled with accounts of the devastation. The Secretary will, however, manage to speak before the elections come off, a the leaders of the Republican party see the necessity of counteracting the injurious and untruthful stories lately put in circulation against the Administration. Commissioner Delano has been compelled by the press of business to give up his intention of stump ing Ohio, contenting himself with going home to vote. General Sherman returned thanks for the Cabinet on the opening of the Art Gallery last Wednesday. The speech was remarkable for a bold allusion to the removal of the capital. As a Western man, he desired to see it at St. Louis, but he was opposed to removing a stone of the piles connected with great American names, and from spots where such men as Webster, Clay, and Calhoun had made their fame. Ex Secretary Staunton is here, and better; but Amos Kendall has been dying for some time. The plan for an interna tional exhibition, to be held in this city in 1871, gains consistency and strength. Though suggested by persons of little influence, it has been taken up by leading citizens, headed by the President, who shows a great interest in it, and desires its success, as do Sherman, Admiral Dahlgren, and many others, be sides the liberal banker, Mr. Corcoran. There was a meeting yesterday evening, Henry 1). Cooke in the I chair, and a draft of a charter from Congress was adopted. The excess of the profits over 6 per cent. ou the capitalemployed it is proposed to devote to any national object the President sanctions, and the corporate authorities of the District of Columbia will be empowered to appropriate half 3 million of dollars -to the enterprise. Not 0 01 1 is a land reserve to be made for the building, s r° Foreign Ministers and Consuls asked to co-opera te and will goods be transported in Government vesse ls ' but an Executive Committee has been appointed, at the head of which is that able and earnest wa g ' General 0. 0. Howard, with Henry D. Cooke 85 Chairman of the Finance Committee. I think I ar e justified in informing your readers, many of w ll°lll will doubtless take a deep interest in the mat ter ' that this is something more than an embryo ent er ' prise. You know how quickly ideas that suit th e public mind assume a reality in America, and t hi3 is one of them. Money will be forthcowing ig abundance, the executive will give its full weigh t, Congress will follow, and in a few months hence there will be a louder ring of preparation over the Union than that sounded by the "Anvil Chorus" a' , the "Hub." Mr. A. Delmar is here, as is the of the late Gaieral Rawlins. There are several Senators and other influential gentlemen new Washington. A monument of Quincy granite bs a ' been finished in memory of C o l one l Bowers, killed on the Hud•on River Railroad, whe n on Gene rat Grant's staff. It is to be ca rr i e d t o an d erec ted at Ali r e i : t e Point, and is now to be s e e n a t th e s h o p near t Executive Mansion. There are some delegations a ls at present here; one of Quakers fresh from the dians of the Plains, who have seen the President; another from Maryland to tender him an invitation to the State Fair. There h as b een a meeting of the Universal Franchise Associ a ti on t o e lect offic el r for next year. Senator Pomeroy h a d the 1 10°1 : of being re-elected president, h u t a ll the vice - P r "; sidents are ladies. The session of the SnU relll , Court of the United States co mmence d on 1) 1 0. day, but adjourned in th e a b sence o f a quern es Chief Justice Chase was p resen t, as wer e JustLe,o Clifford, Davis, and S wa y ne . At th e bar w e ' Attorney-General Hoar, Cushing, Ashton, 1 3e : jamiu Butler, T. M. C ar li s l e , an d man y othe rs. Reductions in pay are sharply follo w ing reduet ie bo in strength. The Ne w Yo r k C us t om -h ou se is t o ard cut down annually $22,000. In the Navy-l o here second-class painters were reduced from $ 3 60, $2 75 per day, wheelwrights from $2 75 to $ 2 60. and second-class laboure r s f rom $l. 75 to $1 This is so unpopular that the mechanics have b eeo 0 , deeply stirred, the more as a commission has a ct t d ally been appointed by the comma n d a nt of the l at e report whether the reducti on sh ou ld be made°, bf general. An interesting trial has been ordere e Admiral Porter to test the boat-detaching aPP ara ;c e, invented by Noble, the "let-go" or lifeboat de b° and Admiral Dahlgren is to name the officers D oE are to pronounce on its merits. The Solic:,„rpo the Treasury is considering the q ue s tion whe t l o o United States coll ec t or can engage i n the colle c it h of State and Municipal taxes on a dispute : 0 0 some shipowners whose clearance papers had cv v e re withheld after a ll l ega l U n it e d S ta t es dues '' t be paid until State taxes had been likewise pai d; ite d Commissioner of Custo ms cons id ers that v a rie r States officers have no right to exercise their P e j o in the collectio n o f any o th er d e bt s than if 1 3, 1.. States debts. Strange reports are often here e [ c heo lated ; one has just been publi s hed that des& eu ell had reached the Secretary of State from the F r 01 and English Governments, to the effect th a t order s abo o been given their ships to capture or sink the ag privateer Cuba, and to hang the officers and cre t r e' pirates. On Sunday night the Governme e ceived a telegram stating that possession ha d o r 3 , taken of the vessel, but this was not till 24 l ' o o eo t after her capture, and intelligence was thee to the foreign representatives, and an order te eigo o mington detain the privateer pending the de al of the judiciary. Another delegation has bee t iot Washington to give a reply to the allegatie e c s ste el. frauds were being perpetrated in the import e "" The Pennsylvania and other manufacturers ra et i, tain that they are subjected to an unjust c ernP oti Lion by untruthful invoices, and the othe r t h e ir complain of the Consul declining to sign 0 papers. I suppose this is the beginning of a cOO about the merits of which I confess my ign°ll COURSE OF EXCHANGE• Amsterdam Do Rotterdam S 3 o i r tii t 11 1 22 1 1 1 81 12:25 45 1 11 2 9 5 Autwerp ••• 2 ... '23 4U ••• 25 Brussels 13 11 25 Hamburgh ••• Paris Ditto 3 Ms. 12i 321 25 5 Marseilles Frankfort-on-the-Maiu —120 f Vienna — ... 12 55 ... 1.2_,62j Trieste - ”. 12 oi 2 .• 29 ". 9 24 ••• Petersburg 9 20 ••• 6 2 3 Copenhagen Berlin 6 27i ... 48f 481 ••• 49 8 5 ... Madrid.. ... 481 . •" 26 8 6 Ca.diz i 1 •" 26 0 Leghorn ... '26 771 •"' 6 ;5 Milan ... 26 771 ••' 26 8 6 Genoa ... 26 771 •" 26 8 5 Naples 26 7 7 1 •" 26 0 -- ••• Palermo 26 77 1 ''' D', Messina Mt ''' ••• Lisbon — 514 -- - ••• Oporto . Rio Janeiro ••• ••• New York ••• •.. PRICE OF GOLD. an d P ar , the quotation of gold at Paris is abou t s' torll°l tle short exchange on London is 251. 15.3. Per ' rio h :t ~n comparing these rates with the English 31'11, £3 tie. 100. per ounce for standard g old, lt 491) ; gold at the above price is slightly dearer in rdi . '" London, bill' st6 c llo The course of exchange at New York on London for tl'•j days sight was 1071 per cent. on the 19th inst. A t this it° would be a loss on the transmission of gold 11.0 1 tl's ° States. / 9 RAILWAY NEWS.—An application wi ll bt: tan r4O o r e t to the Parliament of Canada, at its next se ssial i' t porate a company for the purpose of building' virestes under the Detroit River, to connect the Gre93 nnd 0 6 ; Railway with the Michigan Central Railrond, v 7 ll dsor ill cure to other railroads terminating either in N;l3 f Detroit the use of the same on fair term %• p,,3 also be asked to work the same by steam and 13°- e . , it for local passenger and freight traffic between ve,° *" Windsor. 1/ ote 5 c Eugene Schuyler has been appo inte- the States Consul at Revel, in Russia. He has f°r u ae l ' efl4 9 o three years been the Consul at Mosco w, Fh to t ff, Grant unfortunately removed him to give th e r old and valued army surgeon who had served os is tor- bls g the newly appointed Consul at Moscow, LIP ° te was dissatisfied, and has sent in his r esign 3 ia ll° , l t The following amusing incident is rel ste v ou' i ° s , 2, page 151, of the battle of Waubatchie, ne4e2oo Mountain :—" When the battle began a bout 0 - " f $t frightened by the noise, dashed into the ran e s eclAb -° :0 federate Gen. Wade Hampton's Legion and P i ' dile l; I m3r°' o l P anic * • • ." The incident inspired s r at ' c outrie,/ poem of six stanzas in imitation of Tennysen'g, goiVO' the 600 at Balaklava, two verses of which are tts' ° " Forward, the mule brigade, Was there a mule dismay'd ? Not when their long ears felt All their ropes sundered. Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to make them fly, On to the Georgia troops Broke the two hundred. Mules to the right of them, Mules to the left of them, Mules all behind them, Pawed, neighed, and thundere LI D- it A o v E u f mvi - Horace n Davey, th n e th - ----- & e t he 26th inst., at 44, Norfolk-Sclu- r ' u 0 ~,uo OND - -LI .-0 10th ult at Sealkote, PuoJ ~ ' Drummond, of a daughter. etwell, John MARRIAGESasEaIph, P' 0 eriao, I=- 1) : 11 ' ' f i ll et ' RA I II : b • fbare - 5 0)i , , to Caroline English o 1 hild of Thortat „g , Pi i ii-FALL i f li r c A s a L ui L- be O rw n e t l l i i: 21St jest ., at Denmar , 6 .14/ r A Cij,, 3 .- 0 C, SNEYD-HUNT -On the 2Gth inst., at St. joblfr!,,,, DJ'', ton, Henry, second son of Thomas Sneyd,,,,''„,v,,, sec-c• House, Sidbury, Devonshire, to Caroline tiftr-r.Au daughter of R. H. Carew Hunt, E•tql. , 115de-P3 , of t" pEATIIS. A tu i,so , ATKIN. SON-On the 26th inst., George B. P- 0 1, 0 0 Adelaide-road, Surbiton, aged 33. Rie b MILMAN -On the 23d inst., at the Old Palace: r, ajor-General Milman, aged 50. ,„ DIP Sarre.' RuSTON- On the 27th inst., at Horlen Ruston, sen., aged 81. fls Vlj ; l -r, 11 A I4P t , London: Printed and Published by WIL-115'.,4.0,11%.,0yd of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at TRH SUN Offic e "; - odat e in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the County 0+ Thursday, October 28, 18e'. Esc, BIRT HS . . ,of aI . ITALY, The Ministry of Mcnabrea has lasted longer than any other Administration since the time of Cavour, it having been in power two years. The three real Ministers have been Menabrea, Cambray-Digny, and Gualteria. The changes that have taken place in the component parts of the Administration are singular enough. There have been five Ministers of the Interior, four of Justice, two of Public Works, and two of Com merce, besides various other alterations in minor offices. The new members of the Cabinet arc not expected to bring any additional strength to it either in Parliament, or by favour of public opinion. The desired object is to gain time and to repress the extreme tendencies of the electoral colleges. DENMARK. the Diet of Copenhagen, which was convoked at the beginning of the month, to verify the elections of its mem bers, has been adjourned, after only two sittings, until the end of November. This extraordinary adjournment is attri buted to the recent changes in the Cabinet, in consequence of which the Ministers asked for time to prepare their measures. Danish commerce has suffered from the disturbed state of feeling in Europe, and the Customs returns shew a decrease of 150,297 rigsdalers in the year. Jutland has suffered most. The Schleswigers arc preparing an address to the King of Prussia setting forth the national wishes. The Prussian functionaries, irritated by the constancy of the people to their old allegiance, keep up, the Danes say, a system of petty persecution and annoyance. THE DISARMIAMIT QUESTION. Mr. Richards, M.P., the secretary of the Peace Society, has had many conferences with the Liberal party in Prussia on the subject of disarmament, He made an earnest appeal to them to take the initiative in this matter, but he did not meet with a very hearty response. The representatives of the party seemed to think that this was a bad time "to fix upon for making the change, and that the national welfare of Prussia was bound up with her military policy. At any rate, the question is to come before the Chamber, and the Liberal party will discuss its merits. They will find themselves in a very difficult position. They can hardly oppose the Progressists with consistency at a time when all Europe is demanding peace, when there is a deficit in the Prussian Budget, and they know that the fate of the motion rests with them. MEXICO. The Congress of the Mexican Republic opened its fifth session on the 16th of September. President Juarez de livered an address, in which he said that the amicable relations of the Republic with the European powers would soon be re-established, and that meanwhile all foreigners residing in Mexico enjoyed the most ample and secure protection in their persons and interests. Ho hopes this just and benevolent conduct on the part of the Republic would be duly recognised abroad. The revolu tion in Tamanlipas being subislued, the whole nation was at peace, and the Executive intended to propose several intej4ial reforms. Relations of amity would be preserved with the United States. The speaker of the Congress in his reply paid extravagant com pliments to Juarez, and declared his conviction that at the conclusion of his term of office he intended "to deposit the burden of •Government in the hands of his successor elected by the nation." This passage referred to the general belief that Juarez intends to constitute himself Dictator. The " peace " which prevails throughout the country exists only in the President's message, and tho prospects of the Republic are anything but cheerful. The report of the Minister of Finance shews a falling off of four million dollars in the year's revenue, and public credit is at a discount, partly owing to the prostration of commerce, partly to the disturbed state of the country. The census just concluded gives the entire population as 8,567,000, or very little more than the last return. Great dissatisfac tion is felt at this, as there are little more than ten inhabi tants to the square mile, Mexico con+Qininz 833,000 square miles of territory Perfect tranquillity reigns to-day in Paris. A heavy rain fell all the morning, and perhaps had the desirable effect of keeping idlers withikt doors. Towards ono o'clock, how ever, the skies cleared, and soon a few wanderers appeared in the Place de la Concorde, and stationed themselves near the obelisk in the hope of •seeing, not M. Raspail, nor the Count de Keratin nor any other political notability, but M. Gagne. The poet did not disappoint his admirers, but precisely at th e hour of o n e , and dde commenced m a e p n pran ce ea dr c e e ading his verses. Before they were finished, a civil officer and a sergent-de rille advanced, and gently suggested that he hild better retire. M. Gagne made no objection, and walked off quietly, followed at a distance by some curious gamins. The Emperor loft the Tuileries about a quarter past one, and taking the arm of General Montebello, walked on the terrace by the waterside until two o'clock. He waspeeted re-entered the palace most of th e i dlers d i spersed. T h e by G cheers and cries Government " -V ivo l'Empereur !" After ho had acted wisely in not allowing its precautions to be too manifest. The troops were not visible, neither was there any extraordinary display of the civil force. The most lavish preparations were talked of, as I have pre viously told you, but whether they were actually made or not, they were neither required nor displayed. The Faubourg St. Antoine presented its ordinary aspect. The workmen were all at work. Some employers, anticipating the absence of most of their men, had thought of closing their establishments for the day, but they were dissuaded from their intention by the workmen themselves. Perfect tranquillity reigned at Belleville, at Montmartre, and at the Faubourg du Temple. Louis Blanc has addressed a long letter to the Temps describing the Fenian amnesty meeting in London last Sunday. He followed it during the whole route, lis tened to the speeches, &c., and evidently sympathised in a great measure with the processionists. The one thing which s:ruck him, however, and which he specially com mends to the notice of the French people, was, that at a meeting openly hostile to the Government, and held in defiance of' the Prime Minister's refusal to liberate the prisoners, not a soldier was to be seen, and the only guar dians of public order were two or three policemen a mile from the place of rendezvous. A Frenchman, he adds, could not but blush in remembering that, at a similar dis play in his own country, the first question asked by a spectator would be, "will the Chassepots be turned on this unarmed multitude?" Great interest is felt here in the English and Irish meet ings, and the Paris press seldom fails to point the moral of the public respect for law and the absenoe of the ominous police functionary. The tonstitutionnel affirms that there was never any intention of convoking the Corps Legislatif . before the 29th November, and that all the rumours to that effect have been "inexact." The imperial manifesto is also, according to this journal, an unsubstantial vision, and it tells us with complacency that the Parliamentary inter regnum is to be occupied in the preparation of measures resolved upon at Compi6 gne . According to the Prase, it was easily perceptible in these same deliberations at Com piegne that the influence of M. Rouher was greater than ever, and counteracted all other influences for the time being. M. Rouher advised the Emperor to make several little concessions, but is anxious that these should be the last, and that any more demands should be refused with decision. There are not wanting, however, significant indi cations that the people are in no mood for such a policy. The provinces display a strong democratic tendency. At Conde there were five vacancies in the municipal council, and five candidates belonging to the Radical Opposition have been elected by an immense majority. The Gaulois states that Prince Matternich has become much worse The doctors were by no means prepared for so serious a relapse as that which has occurred. It is attributed to the imprudence of the Prince, and to the want of care taken with respect to the surgical dressings. Notwithstanding all those contretemps the prevailing opinion at the Austrian Embassy is that no immediate danger exists. The Empress's visit to Constantinople seems to have created quite a furore in that city. The Ministers and the official functionaries have given themselves up to pleasure, -and fetes are the order of the day : Never in the reco,loo ;