The Sun. — London, England, 1860-09-05 00:00:00

TER HOLY PLAYS IN BAVARIA. • - A writer in i contemporary says:—The Passions- Spiel originated in a vow made by the inhabitants of Oberammergau in 1633—0 n .tiwiredeliverance from a plague whi*eavaged the will* itAhe dis trict, but fell wain' -"Se al violence olzikeir village years for ever the l as t —to represent eveve - . scenes of the life of the 11,819iour. At that time such representations were netOncommon ; now this is probably the only one remaining. Into the early history or process of the play I need not enter here. Thom who wish for informa tion of that nature may consult Das Passions-Spiel zu Ammergau vonL. Clcirtes, a pamphlet lately pub lished at Munich, and containing a very clear and apparently an accurate account of the whole sub lect upto 1850. The first representation took place in the following year, 1634. The interval origi nally fixed has been rigidly adhered to, with but one exception, and since 1680 the representations have taken place regularly every ten years. But it appears that it is only during the three last that it has assumed at all its present proportions. Oberammergau, as its name implies, is the upper one of the two villages which lie in the plain or .meadow of the Ammer, enclosed between some of the hills in the lower northern part of the Tyrolese Alps, 40 or 60 miles south-west of Munich. It contains about 1,200 inhabitants, living in some 200 houses, and, with the exceptions of the parson and his curate and the upper and under school master, there is probably not a single resident who is above the grade. of a simple artificer. In this resides one of the chief marvels of this marvellous performance, which is, in pursuance of the original vow, confined, not to the inhabitants only, but to the absolute natives of the village ; even Unteram mergauers are prohibited from sharing in the labours or the honours of that which was vowed by Oberammergau only. The theatre in which the performances now take ' place—formerly they were held in the churchyard —is erected in a meadow ju s t ou t s id e t h e v ill age . It is a temporary building, formed of rough deal planks. The audience part is an enclosure of about am feet wide by 140 long, sloping gradually up wards from the stage. It is open to the sky, ex cept at the back where it is partly covered by a raised gallery for reserved seats, and is capable of accommodating, in all, between 4,000 and 5,000 per sons. The stage is very capacious. First, an ample proscenium, about 80 feet wide by 30 in depth ; then a large centre hall, with two wings pierced by arches, leading into a spacious street or courtyard on each side. Between the hall and the arch on either hand is a balcony, 10 or 12 feet from the ground, to hold eight or nine persons. At the back are extensive dressing-rooms, and stores for the , very numerous dresses and other articles used in the play. The front of the hall and side screens is decorated in a plain style with arches, columns, pediments, &c., and the drop curtain represents the perspective of a street not unlike Fleet-street, look ing to Temple-bar. The whole of this was designed and executed by the village carpenter—a plain though very intelligent and pleasant person, with out any foreign aid whatever. The text of i the drama is the production of a priest, or rather, probably, of successive priests, of the parish. In regard to this considerable mystery is preserved, both as to its authorship and its contents. The songs of the chorus are printed and sold as a programme, but the parts of the solo performers are not be obtained. Of course, a large portion con sists of the actual words of the Gospels, but at least an equally large part is invented. The performance embraces the entire Sacred History, from the entry of Christ to Jerusalem to His appearance to Mary Magdalene in the garden after His Resurrection, and every step in the narrative is preceded and il lustrated by a representation of the scene or scenes in the earlier history which typified, or are supposed to have typified it. These are not, like the scenes they typify, accompanied by either action or dia logue. They are, in fact, tableaux, silent and rigid, . and so far similar to poses plastiques—a term which I several times heard applied to them. They take place in the centre hall, and during the three or four minutes of their exposure the chorus, drawn . up in line on the proscenium, sing verses, explain : ing and enforcing the resemblance intended. Some of these were quite new to me, and most happily chosen. Thus, before the Last Supper, ap peared successively two tableaux-1. The manna descending on the host of the Israelites. 2. The two spies bearing into the camp the huge bunch of the grapes of Esheol. The agony in the garden and the betrayal of Christ were in like man ner ushered in by-1, Adam gaining his bread by the sweat of his brow ; 2, loab stabbing Amasa . under the rocks of Gibeon, while in the act of kiss ing him; and 3, by Samson betrayed by his wife into the hands of the Philistines. The condemna tion of the Saviour by Caiaphas, on the evidence of the false witnesses, was preceded by the similar condemnation of Naboth at the command of Jezebel; the ultimate sentence to crucifixion, by the release of Joseph from durance, and his exaltation as Go vernor over Egypt, and so on. There were in all 25 of these tableaux, some of them containing more than 150 figures, and they appeared to afford great satisfaction to the spectators. I have said that these tableaux preceded the scenes in the sacred drama itself, typified by them. Of those scenes there were in all 17. I shall enumerate only tholost remarkable, though it is difficult to distingaiiili where all were so truthful and so for cible :-1. The Triumphal Entry of Christ to Jeru salem; the children and people shoutin g "Hosanna!" and strewing clothes and branches. This introduced the Saviour and Apostles, and firmed in itself an admirable introduction to the whole. There were certainly not less than 200 persons in the crowd, including 70 or 80 children. 2. The long and ani• mated debates in the Sanhedrin, including- the furi ous evidence of the expelled money-changers, and later the interview with Judas, when the contract was,ratified between him arid the priests by the pay ment-Of the 30 pieces of silver. Nothing could be more characteristic, real, and unaffected than these. 3. The Last Supper and the washing of the Apos tles' feet. Here the table was arranged on the model of the well• known picture of Leonardo da V inci- 4. All the scenes in which Christ was brought successively before Annas, Caiaphas, Pilate, and Herod. The " Ecce Homo" (copied. it struck me, from 'Van Dyck). The Scourging, &c. In some of thesa as many as 250 persons were at once on the s cene , —infuriated mobs of priests, money-changers, Roman soldiers, &c.; and, vio lent as were the passions personified, there was not the least approach to rant, nor the slightest transgression into irreverence or improbability. In the course of these scenes a striking occurrence was the contrast of Brabbas—a brutal and squalid figure—with the noble form and countenance of the sacred sufferer—the latter formed more after the model of those of Albert Durer than of any other painter —at least such was my impression. Both Pilate and Herod were admirably represented, but especially the former. 5. The whole long proces sion, at the sl owest pace, from Pilate's house to Golgotha, our Lord an.O.the thieves carrying their crosses; His interview, with His mother and the other women of Jerusge l l • This contained the only legendary or traditional incident in the whole Performance to which therefore the most rigid Protestant, as such, could object—namely, the wiping of Christ's face by St. Veronica ; but there Was no attempt to show the miraculous impression of the sacred countenance on the handl xerchief which forms the point of the legend, and tlite action was in itself a most natural and becoming one. 6. .of the last dreadful scene—the uprearing of the three crosses with their living burdens, and all the cruel incidents of that most cruel and lingering death—l know not ho w t o spea k . I on ly know that irreverence or incongruity was a feeling which , never once entered my mi n d. It cer t a i n l y was no t perceptible on any of the faces within my reach, and the long-drawn sob or sigh which escaped from the whole mass of spectators, a.s from one man, - when the sacred corpse was at last carried out of ',. view, was one of the mose genuine and remarkable • tributes to the reality of the whole representation % that can be imagined. The fierce blaze of the after noon sun, in the full heat of which the two last scenes took place, gave additional vividness to the representation of sufferings which derived half their torture from the fever and thirst by which they were accompanied. 7. Whether it was that the subsequent scenes were really less forcibly presented or not I do not know, but certainly they did not equal what . had preceded them. More artifice was necessary in the nianagementof the tomb and of the supernatural incidents of the Resurrection. There was an unne cessarily long scene between the nriests and Pilate, and the illustrative tableaux seemed neither so good nor so appropriate as before. Perhaps the truth is that after so tremendous it denouement even that termination must have the effect of an anti-climax. At any rate, one was, now hot and exhausted, and the termination of the whole at a' few minutes be ' fore four was felt by every one as a relief, The per formance began at eight, and thus lasted nearly eight hours, without any interval for refreshment, The only character which calls for any remark, as being, to a certain degree, different from the e,r , dinary Conception, was that of Judas. He was not exrtPited as- the haracned villain whirl: Plibpom oiry take him t o bk steadily foreseeing a Con t plating throughout ghout the trAnenslous consequences its treachery ; but rather'. as a narrow-minded, .1 pulsive, vindictive man, ".ally puzzled and en enoyed at what he conceived 0 h e the "" waste" of . "the 300 pence on the Preeiou o i n t men t, an d s t ung rf :. to the quick by the reproof s 3 publicly administered t h to him by Christ. Under 6 infl uence o f t h ese h feelings he at last consents ia the sug ges ti ons an d F; entreaties of the priests and'iloney-changers. But he never really believes that,, sbat does happen will a a, i e actually come to pass, and his violent self-murder is • the sudden result of his discovery of the certainty of the dreadf u l cata s t ro phe in which he has been a chief actor. Whether this is the right view of his character I do not pretend to say ; but if I remem ber rightly, it has the authority of no less a person than the Archbishop of Dublin; that it was also adopted some years ago in a dramatic poem on the subject by Mr. Horne, the author of " Orion." I should say that this character was the only instance in the whole play of any approachto exaggeration; but it interested the audience exceedingly, and the indication of the death—for it was most judiciously kept out of view—was received with the only mur murs of applause that I recollect to have occurred throughout. This was, no doubt, partly due to satisfaction at the traitor having met his reward. The minor details of the play were no less excel lent than the more important matters. The music was truly admirable. It was composed or compiled by the village schoolmaster, Dadler Rochus by name, for the performance in 1810, and was throughout melodious and grave, an d i n p er f ec t keeping with the piece. Much of it reminded me of Mozart, though I failed to detect any appropria tions of importance. The long accompanied reci tatives in which the chor us ex pl a i ne d th e t a bleaux we re quite in the manner of Sebastian Bach. No use, however, was made of the chorales of the German school, of which the latter great master has made frequent use in his oratorios of the Passion. In the forMs and colours of the dresses the paint ings of the German school seem to have been mainly followed. The priests and their adherents appear in caps, turbans, and robes of the most curious forms, which have a wild Eastern kind of look, but do not appear to me to be accurate. At any rate, they were not the dresses of modern Orientals. The Roman soldiers, though exceed ingly picturesque, were more like mediaeval than classical figures. I have now given a most meagre sketch of what was to me one of the most interesting days of my life. I could not have believed, and I am quite sure that no one who has not seen it can conceive, how thoroughly real and impressive it all was — how unconscious one became of its being acting at all. It is the nature of things that, with advanc ing civilisation and additional publicity, this sim plicity and reality will wear off; it can hardly fail to do so, to a certain extent, before the next repre sentation arrives. I therefore strongly advise all those who can do so to be present at one of the two remaining performances, which are fixed for the 9th and 16th of September. If, however, the num bers are too great for the accommodation, the play is repeated on the following day.. Those who in tend to come should write beforehand—and the sooner the better—to Mrs. Lang, Posthaus, Obe rammergau, asking her to secure beds in her own house, and tickets for the re6erved seats. The latter are 2 gulden, and 1 gulden 48 kreutzers, ac cording to situation ; the first is the best, but there is little difference. The traveller should at the same time write to the postmaster at Sees haupt, the lower end of the Lake of Starnberg, to provide a carriage and two horses to meet the first boat which arrives there from Starn berg, in correspondence with the train leaving Munich at 6.30 a.m. With these precautions ladies may easily contrive to see the performance. But if rooms and places are not secured beforehand, the traveller should leave Munich not later than 5.30 on Friday morning, as he will find numbers going, and the delays which will occur on the road between Seeshaupt and Oberammergau may pre vent his reaching the latter before Saturday morn ing. In the latter case, some portable food, tea, and soup should be taken. THE GREAT BELL QUESTION. The Chief Commissioner of Works has, in pur suance of a promise he gave to the House of Com mons, endeavoured to solve the question as to the cause of the crack in the great bell of Westmin ster, and for this purpose he has consulted a num ber of eminent authorities on the subject, among others, Mr. John Tyndall, F.R.S., Mr. J. ,Mercy, of the School of Mines ; Professor Airey, and the makers of the bell, Messrs. Mears. The report was proceeding just previous to Parliament rising, but has only been placed in the hands of members during the last few days. Mr. Tyndall, one of the referees, after some pre liminary observations, on the laws of acoustics, says :—On the soundbow, and diametrically oppo site to the hammer, a number of cavities occur, forming, a group which is included in a space of 32 inches by 14 inch. The centre of this group (which is the principal one) is about 121 inches distant from the edge of the bell. The cavities, six in number, excepting one or two very small ones, vary from three-tenths of an inch to less than one-tenth of an inch in diameter, and the depth of the deepest of them is two•fifths of an inch. For the purpose of future reference I will denote the group by the symbol (G.) To the left of this group (i.e., to the left of an observer facing the group), and at a distance of about 11 inches from it, two cavities occur, the largest of which measures two-tenths of an inch across, at the surface, and is two-tenths of an :inch deep. The diameter of this cavity un derneath the surface augments to three-tenths of an inch. At a distance of a foot further to the left, and 16 inches from the edge of the bell is a group of pits, the largest diameter of the largest of them measuring, at the surface, one-fourth of an inch ; the depth of this cavity is ono•eighth of an inch. All the others are small; and with the exception of one little outlier, the whole group would be covered by an area of an inch, Between this group and the point struck by the hammer, at a distance of four feet nine inches from the latter, and 14 inches from the edge - Of the bell, a cavity occurs which measures five eighths of an inch across ; it is filled with a foreign metal, and I am; therefore,unable to state its depth. At a distance of 10 inches to the right of the group a cavity occurs one-fourth of an inch in diameter, and two-tenths of an inch deep. At a distance of six inches above the latter, and in a line which in clines from it to the east, tecavity occurs, measuring, in its longest direction, one-eighth of an inch at the surface, but running under the surface until it attains about three-eighths of an inch in diameter. Finally, at a distance of three feet four inches to the right of G, and at 14 inches from the edge of the bell, a cavity occurs, measuring, in its longest direction, one-fourth of an inch across, and having a depth of two-tenths of an inch. All these cavities appear to have been produced by the rising of air bubbles through the metal while in a state of fusion ; and their occurrence along the sonndbow is, I think, due to the fact that the slop e o f th e mould at this place formed a kind of roof over the bubbles and prevented their escape. Section 3.—On the Cracks in the Bell.—The principal cracks are two in number; the first, which I will call C 1, is diametrically opposite to the ham mer, and hence in the middle of a vibrating seg ment. It is nine inches long, and runs transverse to the soundbow. It does not reach the edge of the bell, but terminates two inches above the edge. The second crack, C 2, occurs at a distance of two feet four inches to the left of C 1. It also runs transverse to the soundbow, measures 13 inches in length, and terminates at a distance of five inches from the edge of the bell. This crack occurs within 15 inches of a node, an d t h e amplitude of the vibra tions immediately adjacent to the crack was found by experiment to be less than that of the vibrations at the node itself. Besides these two principal cracks there are three minor ones, varying from two and a quarter to two inches in length. Were the hell closely examined with a good light, additional small cracks might possibly be detected. To the naked eye the sides of the cracks appear to be in mechanical contact ; but when a wet cloth is dabbed against the larger ones, the water is forced into them, or soaks in by capillary attraction; and when the boll is struck, subsequently, bubbles issue from the cracks throughout their entire length. Section 4.-00 the Connexion of the Cracks and Cavities.—The pits above described, and other smaller ones which have been disclosed by . the removal of a portion of one of the ornamental rings of the tell, must undoubtedly be regarded as de fects; bst how far such defects are unavoidable in the casting of large bells I am not in a position to state. My duty at present is to estimate the possible influence of the cavities in the production of the cracks. The first principal crack, C 1, certainly originates (or terminates) among the lower members of the group of cavities denoted by G 1. Two of the lowest holes, both of them small ones, are about three-fourths of an inch apart, and occur nearly in the same vertical line. The crack commences mid way between. both, intersects the lower cavity, and afterwards passes through an impitted portion of 'the bell. Hence, though the superior end of this crack is close to the cavities of the group G 1, the fact that it reaches less than half an inch higher than the lowest member of the group, and that the main body of the group is. not,- intersected by the crack, tends, in my - opinion, to invalidate the as sumption that this crack has been caused by the cavities. But setting this apparently doubtful-case aside, a reference to the other cracks appears to me quite fatal to the notion that the cracks are due to the cavities. The second principal crack, denoted by the symbol 0 2, is the most formidable of all, and it runs from beginning to end through an im portien or the metal. As for the minor cracks, no cavity occurs near to any one of them.. With regard to the manner in wlich the bell is , suspended, I do not think that it had any influence in the cracks. Thus, I think the elements of the question reduce themselves to two, viz,, the rHE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 5, 1861 quality of the metal of the bell, and the magnitude of the blows to which it has been subjected. Each of these elements must be considered in relation to the other, and when this is done the conclusion appears to me unavoidable that the hammer and the bell are not suited to each other. If the bell be of the propel composition and right tenacity, the blows of the hammer must have been too heavy ; if, on the contrary, the blows have been no heavier than they ought to have been, it necessarily follows ,that the metal of the great bell of Westminster is too brittle. In the foregoing report I have confined myself to the physical portion of the question. With the chemical. and metallurgical portion I have nothing to do; nevertheless I may be permitted to suggest, as possible, that, owing to the imperfect mixture of the constituents, or through a defect of cooling, the external portions of the soundbow may vary in composition, or tenacity, from the average composi tion, or tenacity, of the bell; thus forming a brittle casing round a less brittle mass. The truth or fallacy of this conjecture experiment alone can de cide ' • but if it should prove true, the cracks might, with proper care, be confined to the brittle enve lope, and thus the bell might be saved. The depth of the cracks is unknown • but they appear to pene trate the soundbow to on ly a small fraction of its thickness. If they were sufficiently deep the grat ing of their surfaces would injure the tone of the bell, but as yet the tone appears to be unaffected. It seems to me worthy of consideration whether the cracks at present existing ought not to be cut out of the soundbow, the striking permitted to proceed as formerly, and the bell subjected to daily exami nation. The result might be, the metal, being par tially relieved from strain at the places now inter sected by the cracks, would yield no further. It might also be desirable to shift the position of the hammer, so as to produce a different system of vibrating segments from that now existing. If, under these circumstances, new cracks should ap pear, or the old ones show a tendency ,to deepen, the recasting of the bell would seem to be the only resource. Mr. Percy, $T the School of Mines, sums up his report as follows :L=l have sought in vain for trust worthy analyses of large and well-known ancient bells; so that I am not able to state whether the composition prescribed for the bell at Westminster is certainly justified by experience. However, my , impression is, that with very few exceptions, de rived from authorities not entitled to much weight, the proportion of 24 per cent. of tin is unusually large for bells of the dimensions of the Westmin ster bell. The greater the proportion of tin, ceteris paribus, the greater will be the liability to crack. The data which I have obtained relating to the composition of large bells are not sufficiently numerous or precise to justify me in announcing a decided opinion that the proportion of tin in the Westminster bell is excessive, whatever may be my impression on the subject. It appears that our an cestors, occasionally at least, adopted the wise pre caution of sounding their large bells during a . year or so before they incurred the expense of raising them to a high position, so that, contrary to the be lief of some persons, the bellfoundere of former times were not always successful in producing bells which resisted the test of repeated sounding, however satis factory they might at first be found. The Astronomer Jtoyal presents a most elaborate , report, the result of which is that with management the bell might be still used. He considers that the cracks of the bell, as they have not penetrated , through the substance of the bell, will not materially alter the sound, but he objects to the weight of the blow of the clock-hammer, which he considers as much too heavy. He says :—As compared, for in stance, with that on the Great Tom of Christ Church, Oxford, I have reason to think that the " West minster" blow is heavier in the ratio of twenty to one. Probably both the weight of metal, and the distance through which it falls, might be reduced. And I would also suggest the advantage of altering the form and material of the hammer face. The effect of giving the whole impact on a very limited space is to produce a disagreeable jar among the particles of the bell ; for legitimate action, impact on a broad surface is preferable. I would propose that the hammer be faced with a broad surface of tin. I have tried an engineer's tin hammer on the bells, and I think its effect preferable to that of an iron hammer as regards tone • there can be no doubt of its superior safety as regar ds injury to the bell. The precautions which I have recommended being taken, I would then propose that the clock be connected with the bell, and that the hour strokes be given regularly. At first it should be made the duty of a proper officer to inspect the bell once every week ; if no injury appears, it will be sufficient, after a time, to inspect it once every month, and afterwards at wider inter vals. I can see no danger in this course, for even if the chinks should extend themselves into inju rious cracks, I do not conceive that the bell could break in such a way as to fall to pieces and endan ger the building. Among the inconveniences which have been supposed to attach to the use of the bell have been mentioned the funeral slowness of, its strokes. I believe that the original interval was nine seconds of time ; it has been reduced to about six seconds and a half, and may at any time be re duced at an hour's notice. The heaviness of the sound, which is said to be disagreeable in the Houses of Parliament, would be diminished by the course above recommended. Mr. Mears, the founder of the bell, writes as fol lows: Bell Foundry, Whitechapel, May 9, 1860. Sir,—l have to acknowledge the receipt of copy of Dr. Percy's report on the analysis of portions of the great bell at Westminster, and without finding any fault with this report I beg leave to state that the cast by me consisted, in accordance with the contract, chiefly of the metal of the first bell, with an addition of new copper and tin in the proportions of 3,7761 b of copper to 1,2071 b of tin, which is only slb of tin in excess of the proportions of 7 tin to 22 copper, and therefore an inconsiderable quan tity. In reference to the difference of composition between the lower and upper part of the bell, as found by Dr. Percy, I beg to state it is a well known fact that the alloy of copper and tin is an unstable one, whieh no skill in founding has ever yet over come, and the result of Dr. Perey's examination does not give greater variation than I have myself found. I feel certain that an accurate average ana lysis of the bell will prove that Mr. Denison's pro portions have been strictly followed. -Mr.-Mallett, in his Treatise on Artillery; sec. 174, refers to the' fact of the variation of proportions of the metals as observed in bronze guns, in which the proportion of tin to copper is only about one-third that of bell metal. That the bell, as a casting, i; unexceptionable, may be seen by inspection, and I quote the following extract from a re port made by Messrs. May, Bramwell, and Renton : " Looking at the Westminster bell simply as a specimen of casting, we have no hesitation in saying that it is one of which the founder may be proud ; and we believe a great many might be cast before one with less obvious unsoundness would be turned out. It is vastly superior in this respect to Great Tom' of Oxford. We believe that no casting of such magnitude, and so unequal in thickness will ever be found free from cavities, caused by the sur faces cooling before the inside." I most unhesitat ingly assert that the bell being cracked arises from no fault of mine. I can prove that I endeavoured to persuade Mr. Denison that the alloy he proposed was too hard ; but as he refused to be convinced, and the contract bound me to obey his instructions lof course followed them. The alloy preferred by me, when I have to use new metals, is 41 oz. of tin to 16oz. of copper, or 7 of tin to 24.88 of copper, and when, as frequently happens, I have to recast old bells new metal is added in trial alloys, so.as to bring it as nearly as possible to these proportions, which experience enables the workmen to form a pretty accurate 'judgment of, from the appearance of the metal when broken for the furnace. Mr. Denison's alloy, as before stated, of 7 tin to 22 cop per is a much more brittle material, and w'as adopted by him against my remonstrance; and in addition thereto the bell was struck by a hammer of unprecedented weight, so that I assert not a shadow of blame can attach to me for the result I am, &s., (Signed) GEO. MEARS. Mr. Percy is further referred to, and thus sums up an interesting report : " The result communicated in the former report, as to the larger proportion of tin in the metal form ing the lower and outer part of the bell is confirmed. It may now be certainly concluded that this part of the bell contains about 2 per cent, more tin, and consequently is more brittle than the alloy pre scribed to the founder, which should consist of 76 par cent. of copper, and 24 per cent, of tin: The bell remains untracked to the thickness of about four inches below the deepest part of the crack. It is yet capable of being sounded, and, according to the opinion which Mr. Tune expressed to me, without any sensible alteration in the quality of the sound which was produced before the cracks were discovered. If considered desirable, it might, I believe, be still used with safety, as simple and not very costly arrangements might be adopted to provide against the possible, though in my opinion not probable, contingency , of the sepa rationOf any portion in consequence of ai;yfu a rt n h d el f . a llg extension in of the cracks. A bell, I presume, can only be condemned as worthless when it produces the jarring and discordant sounds cha racteristic of cracks extending through its entire substance. " The nature and extent of the crack which has been examined is pectfliar, and it seems not unrea sonable to attribute it, at least in a certain degree, to the defective character of the casting, and the excess of tin, especially in the outer part of the bell." BARNET GREAT CATTLE FAIR. Yesterday this great fair commenced. It is cele brated for its varied and choice description of cattle, gigantic in extent of supply, and has acquired the reputation of being one of the largest cattle marts in the country, and is productive of a great annual gathering of stock breeders and cattle dealers, sel dom brought together. This mart is held, under sta tute of ancient date, for the sale of horned cattle, horses, and sheep; and, although this county (Hert fordshire) has no great pretensions as a cattle dis trict, yet the great contributions of stock from all parts of_the country to this fair give it an unequalled importance. Without farther comment we proceed to record selling prices of the various breeds of stock, &c. Much cows.—The field which contained this description of stock comprised some choice bred cows ; large-framed Yorkshire cows in full milk, and suitable for the London milk trade, readily found buyers at £22 to £26 each, and cows down calving £lB to £22 ' • shorthorns, half-breds, Ay rs hi re cows for country dairying, made from £l4 to £l6 ; Al derney cows in full milk and to calve early, £l4 to £l7 ;in calf heifers, £9 to £l4. Hereford Beast.— Three-year-old steers in high condition were very quickly selected for the fatting stalls at figures vary ing from £lB to £2l; and well-breed useful steers, £l5 to £l7; and lean store beasts, £ll to £l3. Devon Steers.—Well-grazed three-year-old steers sold at prices varying from £l7 to £l9; choice se lections made £2O ; and store ditto for grazing, £8 to £ll. The Scotch Cattle-field.—There were some exceedingly choice and well-fed cattle on offer, and notwithstanding the high figures asked, a very ex tensive business was transacted ; poled Scots in high condition made from £l3 to £l6; ditto useful store beast, £lO to £11: and plain steers, £l2 to £l3. Highland runts—these diminutive, but well-formed little animals, with long shaggy coats and wide spread antlers, were in good request, making prices of from £5 to £l2. The Welsh Cattle.—The busi ness was slow among this class of cattle, but many large droves were sold, -good Welsh steers made from £9 to £l2, and-beasts in good condition, £l5 ; Welsh heifers sold at £9 to £lO, and milking cows £ll to £l4 ; yearlings, £3 to £5. Mixed Stock.— Shorthorn steers, £l3 to £18; ditto heifers, £9 to £l3; and yearlings, £6 to £B. Well-bred bulls realised from £l4 to £lB. Sussex beast.—Well grown steers, £l5 to £l7; ditto heifers, £l3 to £l5 ; and oxen broke to the yoke, for agricultural work, £2O to £24. Irish Stock.—Large useful steers, £l4 to £l6 ; heifers. £8 to £11; yearlings, £3 to £5. The Horse Fair.—The show was large, and comprised every description of anithal. Well-bred, good-stepping horses, suitable for single and double harness, made 45 to 55 guineas, and cattle of high fashion 65 guineas ; aged horses, 14 to 24 guineas ; horses suitable for London purposes, van work, and machiners, 20 to 35 guineas. Cart-horses, sound, young, active cattle, made from 40 to 50 guineas, and seasoned cart-horses for a•gricultural work, 15 to 24 guineas ; cart colts, 18 to 30 guineas. Ponies —The renown which this fair has acquired for its usual large supply of Welsh ponies and foresters was fully sustained. There were many large herds on offer, and equally numerous were the buyers. They sold at prices ranging from 6 to 14 guineas. Some promising colts realised 16 guineas. Irish colts.—There 'ere several droves of very promis ing and well-bred young Irish horses, and which commanded a good sale at prices varying from 30 to 40 guineas. Inferior breed and 2-yr-old colts made 15 to 25 guineas. A large amount of stock has been sold, aid much yet remains on hand. The fair will continle open this day (Wednesday) and to-morrow. SHOCKING MURDER OF A YOUNG GIRL NEAR PONTEFRACT. (Flom the Leeds Mercury.) The usual Sabbath evening quietude and repose of the inhabitants of the small but picturesque village of Upton, near Pontefract, were startled on Sunday evening by the announcement that a dreadful tragedy had been perpetrated there, the victim being a girl of only 14 years of age, and the supposed murderer her fellow-servant, a youth of 17, but whose conduct has evinced an amount of hardihood and wickedness, which we hope are but rarely found in one so ylung. The village of Upton is distant between five and six miles from Pontefract, and a mile from the well-known village of Badsworth. It is built upon somewhat rising ground, and consists principally of farm-houses, scattered here and there, the popu lation not exceeding more than from 150 to 200 persons. Upton Farm, the scene of the murder, is in the occupation of Mr. Thomas Spink, who, how ever, has only resided there about 12 months. The house comprises a kitchen and two sitting-rooms on the ground floor and three rooms above. Im mediately behind the kitchen, and about two yards to the right of the back door is an outhouse used as a coal place, &o, and it was here that the body of the murdered girl was discovered. The common road from. Wakeflald to Askern, &c., skirts the house, and the only . buildings near are a number of cottages occupied ')y labouring men. The general fats connected with this horrible tragedy, as far as they could be collected on the spot, are these :—On Sunday afternoon, about half past two o'clock, Mr. and Mrs. Spink, who were but recently married, left home to visit some friends at Derrington, a place four miles distant. The house was left in charge of the deceased, Elizabeth Mitchell, who was 14 years of age, but whose height and strength and fully-developed appearance, Con veyed the impression that she was much older. She had been in Mr. Spink's service since Martinmas last, her parents residing at North Emsall, a vil lage about a mileand a half from Upton. The only other person in the house was George Thorpe, the farm servant whois accused of the murder. He had been in Mr. Spink's service since the latter end of March last, his parents being also in humble life, and residing at a place about eleven miles distant' called Fenwick, near Askern. Thorpe, it is said, was a lad of a sulen and morose disposition. There appears to have been little congeniality between him and the deceased, notwithstanding which, we understand, it is alleged that he had - made im proper overtures to the girl. How far this is true we are unable to affirm, but the whole of the facts upon which this rumour is founded will no doubt be elicited at the inquest. jt nppear4 that after, Mr..and Mrs, Spink 'had left home, Antis Cookson, a young woman, eighteen years of age, who resides near, joined the deceased and Thorpe, and continued with them till about five o'clock, when she returned home to tea. During the afternoon some joking took place, in the course of which Thorpe attempted to obtain possession of a ribbon head-dress, which the girl Cookson had on. This displeased the deceased, who was not inclined to view Thorpe's conduct over leniently, and she pulled his hair somewhat severely. This seems to have greatly annoyed him, for he relapsed into a state of sullenness, in which he used language of a threatening character to wards the deceased. The murder must have been committed shortly after five o'clock, although it seems somewhat sin gular that no alarm should have been heard by, or attracted the attention of, those living near. Shortly before six 'o'clock, however, after having partaken of tea, Cookson returned to the house, and was horrified to find that the a gleceased laid, apparently dead, in the coal-house. She imme diately ran and gave an alarm. Mr. Joseph Thorpe and several other persons wore attracted to the spot, and the deceased, who was found to be quite dead, was removed into the house. Mr. . Ibeson, surgeon, Hemsworth, was sent for, and he arrived, but his services were of no avail. The deceased, ho discovered, had been shot in the left side, near the spine, just below the shoulder bone. Information of the murder was at' once given to Police-constable Skelton, No. 299, of j the West Riding Constabulary, stationed at South Emsall, who proceeded to Upton, where he re mained all night, having placed Thorpe under sur veillance. Yest?rday morning, Skelton communi cated the fact of the murder to Mr. Superintendent who was engaged during the d H a a y l f the Pontefract, examination in of the premises and in the collection of evidence, assisted by Detective Inspec tor Wetherall, from the central police-office, Wake field. Col. Cobbe, the chief constable, and Captain Williams also visited Upton during the day. The result of Mr. Hall's investigations was that ho took Thorpe into custody on the charge of mur der. In the course of the examination of the house Mr. Hall found that a gun, which belonged to Mr. Spiny, but which had not been used by him since March last, had evidently been fired recently. This gun had been removed from one of the sitting rooms, communicating by a door with the kitchen in which the deceased and Thorpe were sitting, but which the latter had no right to enter. Some shot and caps had also been disturbed, and a portion of a cap which had been used, similar in size and ap pearance, was found in the kitchen, as if it had dropped from the nipple of the gun as the party who had used it was returning it to the place from which he obtained it. A post mortem examination of the deceased was also made yesterday, by Dr. Clark, of Ackworth and Mr. Ibeson„ and we are informed that a large number of shot were ex tracted, which corresponded with those removed from Mr. Spink's drawer. The position in which the body was found favours the supposition that after the departure of Ann's Cookson, about' five o'clock, the prisoner had quar relled with the deceased, and having possessed him self of the gun, she had become alarmed by his threats, and had attempted to escape by rushing out of the back door. Unfortunately, she was not suf f iciently rapid in her movements, and the mur derer must have deliberately shot her in the back as she was entering the coal-house in her attempt to get away from him. Tho deceased, on receiving the shot, had fallen upon her face, her feet towards the door, upon which her brutal murderer coolly left her, and quietly returned the instrument of death to the place whence he had obtained it. Yesterday evening the prisoner was conveyed to the lock-up at Pontefract, where he will undergo,a preliminary examination this day, with the view of being remanded to a future day. On leaving the farm he bade some of his companions, who were assembled, a farewell, but he appeared, neverthe less, somewhat dejected. He has, since his appre hension, preserved a sullen silence, except when he has uttered oaths and blasphemy. His father, a respectable hard-working man, visited him yester day, and the poor old man appeared nearly heart broken; The inquest on the body of the unfortunate girl will be opened to-morrow (Wednesday), before M. r. Marriott, of Doncaster, the coron er f or the district. TERRIBLE RAILWAY COLLISION. A little before 1 o'clock yesterday morning a ter rible collision occurred on the East Lancashire sec• tion of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, near Helmshore station, about 18 miles north of Man chester. On the previous day (Monday) a great number of excursionists had gone to Manchester from Coke, Burnley, Accrington, and other towns on the East Lancashire Railway, most of whom had no doubt been attracted by a fete at Bellevue Gar dens, near Manchester. We have not heard the number of the excursionists, but it must have been considerable, inasmuch as three heavy trains were necessary to convey them back again. All three trains had left Manchester before 11 o'clock at night, and the first accomplished its journey in safety. The second train, consisting of 18 carriages, reached Helmshore station soon after midnight, where some of the passengers alighted. Helmshore is situated on a steep incline, rising in some places 1 yard in 52, which extends nearly from Ramsbottom to Has lingden, a distance of four to five miles. As the train was again put in motion at Helmshore the coupling chains between the third and fourth car riages broke, and left 15 carriages at the station. Whether there was any break van to the latter portion of the train has not jet been ascertained, but if so, it is evident that the break, power was in- sufficient to hold the 15 carriages in Their position on so steep an incline. The consequence was, that the detached carriages began to move backwards, at first slowly, but with gradually accelerating force, towards Manchester. About 300 yards from Helm shore they came into collision with the third train, which was advancing at no very great speed, but still the shock was terrific. Two of the detached carriages, those first coming upon the engine of the advancing train, were broken almost to atoms, and several of the succeeding ones were much shattered. The engine-driver and stoker, having done all they could to stop the train, lay down upon the bed of the engine, and some portion of the debris of the first carriages they ran into passed over their heads, but they escaped without injury. A terrible scene, however,met the eye elsewhere. Human beings were seen closely hived together in the carriages, ap parently inextricably mixed up together with the broken wreck, and their cries of pain and alarm were heartrending. In a short time this scene was height ened by ,the passengers from the remainder of the two trains coming in search of friends in a frenzy of agitation and distress. Of course a considerable number of passengers were able to lend assistance, and aid the railway servants in extricating the suf ferers. This was a wok of considerable time, but when it had been accomplished it was found that 11 persons had been killed, besides a great number badly injured. The latter are stated to be 19 or 20 in number, but the reports vary considerably. Al together it is believed that upward of 100 suffered injuries of a more or less serious character. A great number of medical men were soon after in attend ance, and did all they could to aid the sufferers. The servants of the company also rendered all the assistance in their power. The following particulars have been obtained from lan official source :—There were about 2,500 passen gers in the three trains. The first consisted of about 14 carriages and arrived safe. The second train had 31 carriages, one of which was left at Ramsbottom. This train arrived at the next station (Helmshore), stopping at the usual platform. There were two guards in charge of the train, and three carriages supplied with breaks of the ordinary kind, two being in the rear and one in fi 4 bnt of the train. When the guards released their breaks at Helmshore, the carriages_rebounded, as usual, causing the shackle and coupling chains of a Birkenhead Company's carriage (which had been lent to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Company) to give way, and owing to the fracture 14 of the carriages began to move back wards down the incline. An examination of the links of the shackling showed the iron was bad. The shackling and coupling chains were attached throughout the train. Immediately the backward movement was observed one of the guards jumped on his carriage again and applied his break, but the other guard, being at the front of the train assisting the passengers to alight, was of course unable to apply the break under his charge. One break was insuffi• cient to arrest the 14 detached carriages, which had rolled back 400 yards, when they came into collision with the third train. This had left Man chester 20 minutes after the second. Three of the carriages of the second train were smashed to pieces, and eight passengers were afterwards found dead among the remains of them. The driver of the third train, on rounding a curve which is in a cutting at that point, saw the car riages approaching slowly towards him, reversed his engine, and applied the breaks, but it was too late. The gradient is about 1 in 78. The receding car riages were not moving much faster than a walking pace. . Mr. Shaw, the passenger superintendent of the line, was ridingin thefirst portion of the second train. Immediately the separation had taken place, he had the engine detached, moved it to the other line, and proceeded on it with a view to stop the third train if possible, but it was already too near for a collision to be avdided. The killed are four women and six men ; and about 20 others are more or less injured, so far as bad,been-.3aseertained at 5 o'clock,,y.esterday after noon. At least half of tilde are seriously wounded or bruised. Among the dead the only persons identified are Richard Heap, mechanic, Burnley; John Hartloy, labourer, Accrington ; Isabella Hindle, wife of a collier at Baxenden ; and Alice Tattersall, weaver, Burnley. Among the injured are Richd. Deard'm, working spinner, Burnley; an operative named Hartley. Butterfield (dangerous compound fracture of the ancle), who was taken to the Manchester In firmary ; Margaret Fell, Barrowfield, weaver (frac tured toe) ; Abraham Pilkington, collier, Baxenden (fractured wrist) ; John Duckworth, Haslingden (fractured leg) ' • Mary Ann Bullock, Burnley (frac tured leg) ; Margaret Clegg, Burnley (fractured leg) ; John Clegg. husband of the last named (frac tured led) ; J. W. Duxbury, Symondstone, near Whalley (fractured leg) ; S. Medley, Burnley (frac tured leg) ; J. Whittaker, Nelson, near Colne (frac tured leg) ; Catherine Doyle, Accrington (contused knee). About half-a-dozen surgeons of the neighbourhood were promptly in attendance, and all the wounded persons were carried to an hotel close to the scene of the accident. All were taken to their homes by special trains, except the one conveyed to the Man chester Infirmary. 1 ',Greyness, baldness, and other diseases of the Hair, their cause and remedy,:with " Hfhts on the Hair, its Care and Cul ture," by F. M. HERRING, 32, hasinghall-street, London post free, 6d.—" A very useful little treatise, that may be con sulted with advantage, conveying a considerable amount of information respecting the beneficial effects to be derived from the proper care and cultivation of the hair."—Morning Herald.' —[AD VT.] [ADVERTISEMENT.]—A few more of the extraordinary cures without medicine of indigestion, (dyspepsia) flatu lency, constipation, nervous, bilious, and liver complaints, cough, asthma, consumption, and debility effectel by Du Barry's delicious health restoring revalenta arabica food, are here given :—Cure 52, 422 .—Bridgehouse, Frimley, Surrey, April 8, 1854.-33 years' diseased lungs, spitting of blood, liver derangement, deafness, singing in the ears, con stipation, debility, shortness of breath, and cough, h ave b een remoyed by your revalenta arabica.—James Roberts, tim ber merchant. No. 32,836.—Three years' excessive ner vousness, with pains in my neck and left arm, and general debility, which rendered my life very miserable, has been radically removed by Du Barry's health restor ing food.—Alex. Stuart, Archdeacon of Ross, Skibbereen. Avoid Pills and Medicines : they invariably aggravate and perpetuate diseases ; their annoyance, disappointment, and expense may be avoided by using Du Barry's Fcod which, at a few pence per day, saves 50 times its cost in) other remedies, removing effectually, without purging, constipation, indigestion (dyspepsia) nervous, bilious and liver complaints and all their consequences. Certificat No. 36,418. We find it the safest remedy. Andrew lire MD., F.R.S., Dr Harvey, Dr. Wurzer, Dr. Shorland, D r . Campell. Let invalids a void the fearful dangers of spu rious and injurious imitations offered under a variety of false pretences. Nevill's imitations are prohibited by the high Court of Chancery under a penalty of £5,000 against Alfred Hooper Nevill and his agents ' • and the pretence s that Nevill h as a p a t en t f or Arabica Food and• that Du Barry's aro connected with such patent are utterly false. No canister is genuine without the name Barry Du Barry and Co., 77, Regent-street, in full, ontheseal and wrapper. Shopkeepers who attempt imposition in one article must expect to be distrusted in all others. Packed it tins 11b.„ 2s. 9d.; 21b. 4s. 6d. ; 51b. lls. ; 121 b. 225. ; 241 b. 40s. The 121 b. and 241 b. canisters are sent carriage free cth receipt of Post-office order by Barry Du Barry and Co., 77, Re gent-street, London; Fortnum Mason, and Co. ; Abbis, 60, Gracechurch-street ;. 4, Cheapside ; 63 and 150, Ox• - ford-street ; 330 and 451, Strand ; 49 and 60, Bishopsgate street ; Batty, 16, Finsbury Pavement ; Phillips and Co, tea-dealers; Potty, Wood, and Co., King William-street, City ; at 127, High Holborn; and all grocers. POLICE INTELLIGENCE—Sept. 4. WESTMINSTER.—THE AUDACIOUS AMERI CAN SWINDLE.—The following relative to this widely-spread swindle have been handed to us by Mr. Paynter _ " London, Aug. 31, 1860. " Sir,—The newspapers show that you have in a most laudable manner taken the trouble to put the public on their guard against the audacious American swindle. I venture to address you for the purpose of stating that ever since the exposure of that rascally trick to extort money, I have had a strong impression that the scheme is much like a fellow's, whose handwriting and person I am familiar with, and who, if identified, will be amenable to punish • ment of some sort in this country. You are quite at liberty to; use this letter for any purpose that will aid in stopping the wicked course of this scoundrel. I' enclose my card. " Cheltenham, Aug. 26th, 1860. E. S." " Sir,—l am induced to send you this letter (an enclosure returned to the writer by Mr. Ingleby, of the Athenaeum Club), which I received in April, about six weeks after my husband's death, addressed to him, on seeing mention of such in the Times of the 23d inst. Owing to my husband's character, as well as his former life being so thoroughly I known to me, I believed it to be a falsehood, and sent no money, but I had no idea others were subject to such cruel , suspicions being cast on their dear departed ones, and was much surprised, as . well as very thankful, to see it made public. I write this merely to let you know of another in stance of this diabolical system of swindling, which it truly is when slandering the name of the dead and blaspheming God's name in common. I beg you or other good men who have authority in the matter to leave no means untried to expose the authors of it. Surely some one will be ready to rise on the side of the wiiows and fatherless, to prevent them being subject to such treatment, and I hope you will not let the subject drop here, but will succeed in setting on foot an investigation into the matter. May I beg you to return the note of Clara •Mostyn.' in the envelope ad dressed to me. You will see it is almost word for word the same as one Mr. James sent for publication.—l am, Sir, yours faithfully, E. P. " C. M. Ingleby, Esq." GREENWICH.—COMMITTAL OF A BURGLAR. Joseph Cronin, 28, a well-known thief, was charged on remand with burglariously entering the premises' of Mr. Long, landlord of the Golden Fleece public - house, Deptford, and stealing various articles. It appeared that on the morning of the 15th ult. the house of the prosecutor was discovered to have been entered during the night, and a quantity of articles of wearing apparel, a black leather bag, and a large and peculiarly-shaped knife stolen. Some three or four hours before the discovery of the rob bery, the prisoner asked a man at a neighbouring night coffee-house to purchase a shirt, which he declined doing, the prisoner being afterwards seen to throw a knife, which proved to be the one stolen, down a grating. He afterwards left the neighbour hood, and nothing more was seen of him until a few evenings since, when police-constable Membery, 216 R, met him at the London-bridge station of the Greenwich Railway, and on arriving at Deptford by the train; he took him into custody. The prisoner declined making any defence, and Mr. Maude committed him for trial. ROBBERIES BY A DOMESTIC SERVANT.—EIiza Ansell, aged 16, was charged on remand, with steal ing a sum of ss. 21d., the moneys of her master, Mr. Charles Gardiner, landlord of the Greycoat Boy public-house, Greenwich. The prisoner had been six months in the service of the prosecutor as nursemaid, and had no right to be in the business part of the house. On several oc casions money had been missed from the till in the bar, and the aid of a detective officer was obtained to find out the thief. On the following morning, shortly after six o'clock, before the house was opened, the prisoner was observed to come down stairs from the nursery into the bar, and take the amount of money named from the till, upon which she was secured and taken into custody. There was also a second charge of felony against her—that of stealing a small gold brooch, while in the service of another person, the brooch being discovered in her box when searched after the above robbery by Margetson, 373 R. In answer to the magistrate, The prisoner pleaded guilty to both charges. Mr. Maude said the prisoner had been guilty of very serious offences, having committed robberies at two places where sh; had obtained respectable situations as a domestic servant, and he should, therefore, without committing her for trial, pass upon her a severe sentence. His worship then ordered her to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for six calendar months. WOOLWICH.—A PAINFUL CASE.—Margaret Low, 16 years of age, residing at White Horse Cottages, New Charlton, was placed at the bar on a remanded charge of stealing a dress and bonnet, the property of :her sister, Jane Ann Low, a young woman of respectable appearance. The case was one of a very painful description, The complainant, who appeared overwhelmed with grief, and gave her evidence with much reluctance, stated that herself and the prisoner lived at home with their mother, but recently the prisoner had conducted herself in a very bad manner. A short time since she took a gold ring from the finger of an imbecile old lddy residing in the house, and put a brass ring is its place ; witness being compelled to take the gold ring out of pawn, in order to save her sister from being sent to prison. On the morn ing of Sunday week witness went to church, and during her absence, the prisoner, who would never keep ary decent clothing, went out attired in a dress and bonnet belonging to her. The prisoner did not return all day, and on the same evening witness saw her about to enter a house of ill-fame. As the prisoner refused to leave the house; and de clared that she would never return home again, witness, in order, if possible, to save her sister from a life of misery, gave her into custody for stealing the clothing. The evidence having been corroborated, Mr. Traill expressed his opinion that, under the circumstances, the complainant had acted quite right in giving her sister into custody. She was evidently a badly-inclined girl, and the course he should now adopt would be to send her for trial, which might afford an opportunity for, her admis sion into a reformatory institution. The prisoner, who exhibited a very careless man ner, was then removed. HAMMERSMITH.—IMPUDENT ROBBERY OF A. GOLD WATCH.—CAUTION TO HOUSEKEEPERS. —A tall, dark-complexioned young man, named William Weaver, was brought before Mr. Ingham, charged with stealing a gold watch, value £l2, be longing to Mrs. Mary Ann Watson, of No. 1, Cam bridge-road, Hammersmith. The evidence went to show that on Thursday . afternoon last the Prisoner called at the prosecu tor's house with a basket full of glass and china, and inquired if she had any old clothes to exchange for anything she might choose from his basket. She told him that she had none, and he then asked if she had any old parasols. She went up stairs and brought him down one, and upon her intimat ing that she had another he offered her five plates for the two. At that time he was standing outside arid his basket stood on the door step. She went up stairs for the second parasol, and when she returned the prisoner had disappeared, but had left his bas ket of glass and china behind. Upon going into the kitchen she immediately missed her gold watch from over the mantel shelf. It also appeared that, from the position in which the prisoner stood at the' street door, he could see the watch hanging up in the kitchen. Information of the robbery was given to the police, who took possession of the basket, and the diligent inquiries they instituted led to the apprehension of the prisoner. Upon Mr. Ingham asking the prisoner if he had any questions to put to the prosecutrix, he said it was very hard that he should be identified in that manner. He had always borne a respectable char acter. Mr. Ingham said he should remand him for a week. As he was being removed a female in the body of the court called out to him to apply to his wor ship for the basket of china to be delivered up. ILowever, he took no notice, and h e was remove d to the cels. WANDSWORTH.—DAKING PLATE ROBBERY. —George Price, a' man who described himself as a shoemaker, was charged before Mr. Ingham with stealing a quantity of plate and other articles from the dining room of the Grange, in the Chase, Wands worth•road. It appeared that shortly before two o'clock on Monday afternoon the servant laid the cloth in the dining room for the children's dinner, and not long afterwards the prisoner was seen to jump out of the window with a cruet stand in his possession. The window had been left open a little way, and a per son standing on the lawn in front could see the in side of the room. The prisoner dropped the stand on the lawn as he ran away. A constable followed him across some allotment grounds, and he was ob served to throw a pair of lady's boots into an open sewer, and also some plate. When captured a gold brooch and two silver'spoons were found upon him. A plated spoon was picked up close to hi m, and in the sewer were found the boots, a cruet, an d two plated spoons. :Hrs. Ellam, the occupier of the Grange, identi fied all the articles as her property, and said th e y had been taken from the dining room. She also stated that some of the bottles and silver castors belonging to the cruet-stand were missing, It being stated by the police that there an other charge against the prisoner, Mr. Ingham remanded him for a week. A DISTURBANCE AT "LITTLE VAUXHALL. — Three youths, named James Morley, Joseph Mor ley, and James Mullens, were placed in the dock, before Mr. Ingham, charged with wilfully destroy ing some illumination lamps. James Leckett, a general dealer, of High-street, Vauxhall, said be supplied the illumination lamps at Little Vauxhall, the .water-eress.grounds in th e Wandiworth-road, and on. Monday •night he at tendeoras usual, when he was called to the entrance where there vv4sa. star, and he fo u nd fo ur or fi ve of the lamps destroyed. The damage was about is. Mr. James Evans; the proprietor of the grounds, said he happened . to he near the on Mon day night, and hearing bad language used, he went to the 'spot and saw the, prisoners, jumping up.at the star and pulling, down the lamps. The prisoners, in &fence, said they were only hard-working chaps. Mr. Ingham said the witness Leckett was a hard working chap, and he was not to have hie lamps broken. • • • . The complainant saidhe had had upwards of 150 lamps broken in this way. Mr. Ewens said it was the-pilictice for the boys to come there and have .what they called a lark, by breaking the lamps.. • • • .. Mr. Ingham ordered. them to pay .Is. each for the damage done, together with a fine of 55., or seven „days imprisonment with ha r d labour. He can . tinned them if the breaking •of the lamps were re peated the punishment would be much more severe. .HEALTII OF LONDON DURING THE WEEK. (From the Registrar-Get erar s Weekly Return.) The deaths in London declined to 937 in the week that ended August 25 ; they rose to 1,018 in the week that ended last Saturday. If 1,287 deaths from cholera, that occurred in the 35th week of 1854, are withdrawn from the returns to be com pared, it will be found that the average number of deaths in the weeks corresponding with last week of the years 1850-9 was 1,045.; and this average, corrected for increase of populat io n, becomes 1,149. Hence it app ears th a t th e public health is now comparatively good ; for the deaths were fewer by 131 than they would have been under the average rate of mortality as calculated for the end of August. The births last week exceeded the deaths in the same time by 831. Smallpox continues to exhibit a low mortality ; last week the deaths from it were seven, which is, the average number for the last six weeks. Diar rhoea was fatal in 91 cases; the average of corre sponding weeks in the last 10 years, corrected for increase of population, is 173 ; of the 91 all except seven occurred to children. There were also five deaths from cholera or choleraic diarrhoea, all, with one exception, among infants. A gardener, aged 51 years, died at 17, Lavender-road, Battersea, of cholera (six days), consecutive fever (five days). The deaths from measles were 43, of which three occurred in St. Mary, Paddington, three in Belgrave sub-district, three in the Hackney-road sub-district, three in St, Mary (St. George-in-the-East), and three in Bow. Scarlatina was fatal in 37 cases, six of which were in Poplar. A boy, aged eight months, died of acute eczema ; a young woman of chlorosis. A laundress died in the Paddington workhouse of fever and diarrhoea following cold and destitution. A widow died at the age of 94 years. A child was scalded by overturning a can of hot water. Three infants were suffocated in bed. A labourer, aged 42 years, was suffocated in the cabin of a barge in the London Docks. A boy died at the age of 15 weeks of idiotcy from birth—atrophy. He was one of 10 children born of healthy parents in the coun try ; six of these died of brain disease in infancy ; three, of whom two survive, grew up idiots; one is quite healthy. - Last week the births of 944 boys and 905 girls, in all 1,849 children, were registered in London. In the 10 corresponding weeks of the years 1850- 59 the average number was 1,586. , - At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean height of the barometer in the week was 29.537 in. The reading fell from 29-75 in on Monday to 29.19 in on Thursday. The mean temperature of the air in the week was 58.0 deg, which is 1.3 deg below the average of the same week in 43 years (as deter mined by Mr. Glaisher). The thermometer in the shade rose to 70 deg on Sunday, and fell to 46.7 deg on Saturday. The range of temperature in the week was therefore 23.3 deg. The mean daily range was 174 deg. The difference between the mean dew-point temperature and air temperature was 5.9 deg, showing the amount of dryness in the air. The mean degree of humidity was 82, com plete saturation being represented by 100. The wind blew from the south-west. Rain. fell to the amount of o'Bl in, most of it on Monday and Tues day. It fell on every day except Friday ; heavily for 35 , minutes on the evening of Saturday, when there was considerable electrical disturbanoo. Tho mean temperature of the water of the Thames was 604 deg. COUNTRY MARKETS. BRISTOL--SEPT. 4. A dull business passing in wheat to-day, owing to the fine weather. Prices were 2s per qr. decline on last week. Beans, maize, barley, and oa t s very li ght in stock, and in quired after at extreme rates. LEEDS, SEPT. 4. The slow report from Mark-lane, together with the most delightful change of weather, has a depressing influence on the trade to-day. The business doing in wheat is still on a small scale, and prices 3s per qr. lower. Barley un altered. Beans, oats, and other articles held for former rates. LIVERPOOL--SETT. 4. There was a thin attendance of millers and dealers at this morning's market, with little dipposition to buy except for immediate wants. Wheat may be quoted 3d to 4d per cental down on oats red American. Flour in slow sale at is per sack and larrel lower on the week. Oats and oat meal were in moderate request, at late rates. Beans, peas, and barley remain without alteration in value or demand. In Indian corn there was scarcely any business done. NEWCASTLE-UNDER LYNE --SEPT. 3. At this 'corn market there was but a small show of wheat for the season, but the demand was slow, and prices declined is per quarter—white making 64s to 68s, and red 61s to 645. The samples of barley shown were few, but prices held firmly. Oats in small supply, and the turn dearer, from 29s to 34s per 24 stone. Beans made from 46s to 50s per qr. • • NORWICH CATTLE—Atra, 31. The show of store cattle to-day was excellent, many lots being of superior condition and quality. The weather being fine, and farmers engaged in the harvest, trade was on the whole rather dull at prices in favour of purchasers. Scoti, 4s to 4s 6d ; s h or th orns, 3s 6d to 4s 6d i I r i sh, 3s to 4s 6d; Devons, 4s Od to 4s• 6d (estimated weight when fat). • ... Pat beasts a small show, and sales firm, at 8s 6cl to 9s Od per stone. Sheep—There was a good supply of sheep in the pens, and:sales slow. • Fat sheep, 9s Od to 9s 6d per stone ; prime , Os to Os Pigs —A fair supply. Store pigs, 25s to 355; fat pork, 78 6d to 8s 6d per stone. THE MAILS. • MAILS DUE, Australia, Ceylon, and Mauritius (via South ampton) .. .. .. .. .. .. Sept. 18. Do. ( v i a Marseilles) Sept. 12. Brazil and Cape Verds .. .. . .. Oct. 5. Buenos Ayres, Monte Video, &c. .., .. Oct. 6. Bahamas and Havana (via New York) .. .. Overdue. Canada, &c. (via Galway) .. .. .. Sept. 8. Cape of Good Hope, &c... .. • • • • Oct. 3. China, Penang, and Si nga p or e (via S'ampton) Sept. 18. Do. (via Marseilles) Sept. 12 . Gibraltar (via Southa m pt on ) • • • • • • Sept. 9. India (Calcutta), Ceyl on , &c. (via (via Marseilles) Sept. Southampton)l2. Sept. 18. Do. India (Bombay), (via Southampton) .. • . Sept. 9. Do. (via Marseilles) • ' .. Sept. 19. Lisbon .. .. • • • • • • ~ Sept. 11. Cuba and Mexic) .. • • • • • • .. Sept. 1 3 . Malta, Egypt, and Men (via Southampton) .. Sept, 9. Do. (via Marseilles) .. S e pt. 3. Vigo, and Oporto .. • . .. .. .. Sept. 11. United States, California, &c. . , . .. S e pt. 8. Western Coast of Africa, Madeira, l' ener iff e ... Sept. 10. West Indies and Pacific, Carthagena, Cuba, &c. Sept. 13. BI RTHS. DELGADO.—On the 4tb. iust at Ki ngs t on Villa, Highbtuy Brigade, Oa daughter. New-park, the wife of George Delgado, BK., of a son. park, the residence of Ler . mother, Lady Grant, the wife —HOennsthhaaw3:lEina.st ,Ra.tites, O x ford-square, Hyd e . 4., I :o E c f:C s A Er i R i n p w t s o o n . S omerset -street, Portman-square, the wife of major J. F. Richardson, C. 8., of a daughter. . 11.—On the 3d inst., at 7, o Mr. Ald r id ge , o f un MARI"AGES• ALD RIDGE-VALL.-O n the 4 th inst., at th e Ch urch of Nthoettliinogl_yhikitnoitEy izSatbraettLor y d -n-Avon, o gest daughter of the late Wiz. Wall, Esq., of Strat ford- on - Avon, W arw i c k s hi re . Fox — On Joseph Fo x , 8.A., of Barnet, to'E rania Conder, second daughter of the late Rav ensworth Elsey, Esq., of th e Bank of England. —On the 13 13 4. T H S. BERRIDGE.— On the 3d inst., at 22, St. Swithin's-lane, ‘ B er ridge, aged 74, — . On the Ist inst,, suddenly, Henry, eldest son radbury, of Whitefriars, aged 31. Hollo way, martin Bleay, lEsq., of Win. the Ist inst., at 1, Seven Sisters'-road, Holle- BB: J AE o An s y e B p :J:7 c ,- f ßn .. o f the metropolitan roa d s. upwards 6 w 2. rds aof 30 years surveyor HAnvnv.On the I s t i nst., at Princes-park, Liverpool, Thomas Harvey, Esq.:, aged gon.—On the 3d inst., a t 33, Gloucester-place, Hyde-park, John Herbert Roe, -- Esq., (LC. Mourxr.On the 3d ins t. at Pawson's-road, South Nor wood, John M. Morlat„ Esq., aged 60. SWODY.—On the Ist inst.., at 1, Mount-place, the Rev. J. M. Snody, M.A.,Chaplainof London Hospital, aged 34. LONDON: Printed and Pt tblished by MURDO YOUNG, of No. 112, Strand, Prim ter, at The ,Sur. JfEce, No. 112, Stiand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the ootulty of Middlegoir, Wedilesday„ .&ptetuber 5 * 1860.; Deautil modat , For gate-si G' On F. will lea and 13! at 5.30 will le Aldern bury, a Goring Oxford as per G I 13th, issued media any d B° 0- CESI ten& p.m., under Septe TRA 8.55 a tunli Pal amin of int Dei with( Th ME/ cons' Hug The LAI