The Sun. — London, England, 1859-01-03 00:00:00

THE NAVIES OF ENGLAND AND OF FRANCE. ~--- - (From the Conversations Lexicon, Leipzig, 1358.) (Continued from The Szen of Dec. 30.) In earlier times and in All lands navies were manned with soldiers. The sailors, properly so called, who were on board acted under the orders of the seaman commander of the ship, and conveyed the others over the seas. Each ship had, therefore, two leaders—the military and the naval, of whom it is true the latter was subordinate to the former, but which latter alone directed the navigation of the ship, the setting of the sails, &c., while the offi cers of the soldiers understood always but very little, and in many cases nothing whatever of these duties. This system, which must necessarily have led to fatal differences, remained nevertheless in force till recent times. The English were the first to abandon it. They perceived that unity of command was of the first necessity on board ship, and that this could only be attained by giving to the military commander also the navi gation of the ship and the command of the seaman portion of her crew. They, therefore, educated their sailors as soldiers and artillerymen, and se lected the officers solely from the seamen. The working of this -wise regulation showed itself very soon in the advantage which they derived from the introduction of their new system in all battles with their enemies. A small number of soldiers, who were not seamen, were, it is true, later added to the ships ; but these served mainly as supporters of the officers against mutinies at any time on the part of the seamen, who are never so much to be relied upon as soldiers. With the service of the guns, however, soldiers have either nothing to do, or they are only made use of in a subordinate capa city. In war henceforth their main duty was to cover or oppose boarding by their musketry or to effect landings. Other nations, however, adhered to the old system. and" the French, to their cost, the longest. Until the year 1822 they had two bodies of troops on board, the seamen and the artillerymen, entirely-dis tinct and under separate command, of whom the one were seamen and knew nothing of gunnery,while the others were gunners and knew nothing of seaman ship. Both corps had different institutions, and were governed by a totally different spirit. Each of them had its own discipline and its especial offi cers, each was jealous of its specialty and proud of its privileges. In the abovenamed year it was at last determined that a change in this respect must be made if the navy was to fulfil its object ; that only one description of force could exist on board ship, and that only seafaring persons possess the • education, habits, and disposition to obey naval offi cers, and perform the requisite and complete service of a ship. Such convictions give rise to the idea of creating af corps of "Equipages de Ligne," which were appointed to serve the guns as well as the sails, and also to use small arms. We shall later return to this arrangement, and only observe here that this new system, which theoretically is of universal adap tation, has in practice to struggle against difficulties. After 11 years' trial it was needful to resort to ano ther change, which did not destroy the unity of the " Equipages de Ligne," but still effected a subdivi sion in them, and this was the seamen gunners, whose special employmentwas the service of the guns. The education of the seamen gunners is especially calculated to enable them to act as captains of guns on board ships, to superintend the service of the fire-workers (sic) and sub-artillery officers, and to form a corps from which in time of war to select so important a personnel and distribute them over the various ships of the fleet. A similar arrangement existed long ago in Eng land, where a special training ship (the ship of the line Excellent lying at Portsmouth) was established for this object. The French formed a similar insti tution after the English model in the year 1837. The best seamen of the navy were selected, and trained for several years in the school ship of the artillery. However, this establishment contained one grand deficiency. As in. France the conscrip tion obtained, the nation received no long service from these persons, who after the expiration of their period of service retired into private life and were barely two years at sea after their education. This defect, together with the remarkable extension which the French navy received under Napoleon 111., led to a material improvement and extension of the institution. The sailors who are taken for this service must engage for a period of 10 years' service in the navy, and the period of tuition on board the several training ships precedes a theore tical course on shore and an examination, so that the seamen gunners combine theory with practice. These schools yield already annually 500 gunners ; and the situations generally of captains of guns on board ship are already filled with thoroughly trained sea artillerymen. Simultaneously with this important improvement in the personnel of the ar tillery, which not only equals but surpasses that of England, inasmuch as it unites theoretical know ledge with practice, the improvement of the mate. rial is also taken in hand. The most careful atten tion is paid to the construction of the guns as well as to the fitting out of the ship. No branch of mi litary knowledge has experienced such changes in the last 50 years as ships' guns. The discovery of shell guns by Gen. Paixham has doubled and tripled the size of the hitherto required calibre, and, while in the earlier armaments the 32• pounder was the largest calibre in use, now it has fallen to the smallest. This change in the armament took place almost at the same time in all the larger navies. 'With slight modifications we can generally take the armaments of similar classes of ships to he also simi lar. The Americans alone are an exception, for they have quite recently, under the name of fri gates, built ships whose size is larger than that of 120-gun ships. The Niagara, which is appointed for the laying of the transatlantic cable, is a frigate of this description. She has, notwithstanding her size, an armament of only 12 guns, the calibre of which, however, surpasses anything hitherto seen, since they send balls of 2361 b. Whether this novelty is practical the future must teach. England and F,rance have not been found to follow the example. A comparison between the armaments of a French and of an English ship of the line will show the reader that the twonavies are in this respect nearly on a similar footing. English—Ship of the line Queen, of 116 guns (nominal). Lower battery-10 shell guns, No. 2, of 8 in., answeringthe French calibre of 22 centimetres ; 18 32-pounders, No. 1, answering the French 30- pounder No. 1. Middle battery--4 B.inch shell guns ; 24 32-pounders, No. 2. Upper deck-28 32-pounders, No. 3. Quarter-deck and forecastle— Each 1 8-inch shell gun, No. 1 (95 cwt.), 24 32- pounders, No. 3. Aggregate weight of a broad side-58 solid and hollow shot, together a mass of iron of 2,1601 b. French.—Ship of the line Ville de Paris of 120 guns (nominal). Lower battery-4 50-pounder guns, 22 30. pounder guns, No. 1; 6 shell guns of 30 centimetres, No. 1. Middle battery-28 36- pounders, No. 2 ; 4 shell guns of 30 centimetres. Upper deck-30 30-pounders, No. 3; 4 shell guns of 20 centimetres. Quarter-deck and forecastle -10 shell guns of 22 centimetres, No. 2. Aggregate weight of broadside, 2,1201 b. Consequently we find between these two ships of similar class a difference of only 401 b. in the weight of iron thrown by their armaments from one broad side, and it is true the difference, is to the disad vantage of the French, but such as can have, how ever, no influence whatever • and a similar result is also shown in contrasting the armaments of heavy frigates on each side. While we believe we have said, as regards the material, all that was necessary to enable the un professional reader to come to a correct judgment as to the strength of the English and French navies there remains now to compare and dismiss the second main point of what constitutes the strength of a navy—the personnel. . Looking here again at the numerical amount of the required complements, we find that England requires for the complete manning of her entire Seaworthy ships 150,000 men, and .France 130,000. In England, which has her shipping to thank for - all .her liower, her riches, her existence, one half of her population is familiar with a sea life, and is even brought up to the sea. -Her extensive ship ping is the nursery of a million of more or less trained seamen, who.; are available on board ship. The seafaring population of France consists, at the utmost, of 300,000, for here the influence of the sea extends scarcely one mile inland,, and nine teen twentieths of the nation have no idea of a ship. The navy has, it is true, become latterly po pular in the country, but only as one portion of the general fighting power. In her specialty the navy is strange to the greater number of Frenchmen. Apparently-, therefore, the advantage as regards the question of manning the fleet leans to the side of England; but this is only apparent, and in reality the reverse is the case. This state of things is founded on the differing in stitutions of the two countries. Two systems pre vail in England —recruiting and pressing ; while in France an "inscription maritime," or general ob ligation to serve on the part of all seafaring per• sons, is the rule, the same as with the land forces. Enlistment, it is true, does in England in peace time prove sufficient, but in war time not so by any means; and not long back the Eastern war demon strated fully the inefficiency of such system. Not withstanding the high bounty, prize money, secured pensions, and other advantages, which were held out in England for seamen, in order to induce them io enter the navy, it is a well-known fact that, 'with some few exceptions, the ships of the Baltic t ad Black Sea squadrons had scarcely a fifth of ti proper number of seamen, that many ti who were condemned to lie for months idle in the home ports, because they could not get men enough to venture out to sea and face an enemy. Admiral . . . _ - Napier openly declared in Parliament that he could not with so weakly manned a fleet have un dertaken any hostilities against Russia, and the admiral had already, in the year 1850, warned th€ Admiralty in a published letter, t,r,t in the event of a Russian attack by sea the English fleet could not, for want of men, make any effectual opposition, and that England would inevitably fall a prize to either a Russian or French invasion. In former years recourse was had to pressing— that is, the seamen were taken from the mercantile shipping. It may fairly be a question whether this would he in the first place sanctioned by Par liament, as it would give a death-blow to Eng land's trade and most important interests ; or whether it would be practicable in the face of pub lic opinion. The Government itself does not appear to consider pressing as an available mea sure. It would appear that recourse would be had to pressing only in case of utmost need, from the so-called Coastguard having been established about four years back, which is modelled after the Equipages de Ligne ; and it is thought that pressing, that remnant of medireval:roughness, may be superseded by the formation of a fixed corps of seamen. This institution is, however, too young to afford already the desired results, and it will re quire several years before the Coastguard can fulfil its object, considering the little attraction which the naval service seems to possess for the English sailor, In France impressment has been abolished for now 200 years, at which time in its stead the far seeing Minister of Louis XIV. established the above-mentioned inscription maritime. This in scription combines all the seafaring population of France like one family, who are put under the guardianship of the State for their own and the State necessities. The sea service requires a long apprenticeship ; and it is impossible to train a re cruit into a seaman in the time that will suffice to make a soldier.- With this experience the " in scription maritime" has been founded, the prin ciple of which is as follows : Every man who is migagedin the service ofship ping or iii fisheries, on the coast or at the mouths of rivers which flow into the sea, and who is there fore acquainted with the sea, is entered on the muster roll of the Marine—first provisionally, and then definitively, when he has declared that he will remain a seaman. The period of his liability to service, and the power which the inscription gives to the State over the seaman, extends from 18 to 50 years of age. In time of peace a seaman can free himself from the inscription by declaring, one year beforehand, that he intends to quit the sea service or fishery. So long, however, as he con tinues on the list he must obey the call of the State. All seamen who are not called upon to serve, can, under fixed rules, freely dispose of themselves, but must, wherever they may be, immediately obey any call for service in the fleet. The levies from the in scribed are:made in a regular manner, and in such way that those seamenwho have served the least on board ship, and have not passed their 40th year, are the first taken. The duration oftheir active service is the same as that of the land service. Besides their pay, of which they can during their service allot a portion to their families, they have prize money for any enemy's ships that they may capture. Their pay cannot be confiscated, and in consideration of their arduous services they receive, after a certain number of years, pensions and support from the State. Moreover, they cannot be transferred to any other than the naval service. As it is not absolutely necessary to man a ship of war solely with seamen, awl it is sufficient under all circumstances for the efficient service of the ship that two-thirds of the complement should be sea men, it is, therefore, and in consideration of the re quirements of the mercantile marine, provided in the inscription that only two-thirds should be held ready. The levies are calculated according to the actual amount of the navy in commission. With the in crease of the French foreign trade, which at the time of Napoleon's wars was reduced almost to no thing, the number of the inscribed has materially increased, and especially in the last ten years. In the year 1825 the list gave 94,611; in 1845,125,272; and 1855, 162,000 as liable to sea service, at the same time that the peace establishment of the French navy called for only 50,000 men. France is therefore not only in a'position to man her navy fully with seamen, but also possesses, in the event of a serious war, where the trade by sea would have to be discontinued, a reserve of 42,000 men, as much as in the time of Napoleon I. the whole inscription maritime at the utmost produced. However good this institution might appear to be for manning the navy, it helped but little in the earlier stages of its organisation; and as in respect of its inferiorityin ably manning the fleet other na tions, and especially England, surpassed it, France was compelled to introduce here also some modifi cations. This consisted, as we have before shown, in the establishment in the year 1822 of a military marine force, the Equipages de Ligne. People were at last convinced that it was not enough to have ships and to fill them up with men, even if these men came from the inscription and were sea men ; but that the ship's complement, in order to be worth anything, must be accustomed to the life of a ship of war, and have confidence in them selves. " When it is the question," says Admiral the Prince de Joinville in his Essaz sur la Marina Francaise, " to fit out the ships of a fleet, that is only a matter of expense. Money, which a State can always extract, achieves this point and fits out the ships. But gold provides no sailors, no trained ships' companies, no experienced officers ; and what are ships without these living elements of a reliable crew. To provide these, to educate and raise them up, is the first care of a naval Power, and the heaviest part of its task. For everything else there is the means so long as there is the will." The abandonment and neglect of this fundamental truth, which Colbert had in view when he established the inscription, had cost France dear in the wars of the Revolution and Napoleon L Then followed the re establishment of the Equipages de Ligne from the inscribed and from volunteers ; and through them was created a regular stock for the several ships' complements, since the strongest and most expe rienced seamen were sought out, and the greatest attention paid to their training for man-of-war ser vice. The corps of Equipages de Ligne is divided into five divisions, one of each belongs to each Of the five French militaryports—Brest, Toulon, L'Orient, Cherbourg, and Rochefort. Each division consists of permanent (provisional) depot and ships' boys companies, each of which is 103. j strong. Tho strength of the whole corps was in the year 1845 36,000 men, but is now grown to 60,000. As a sub division of the Equipages de Ligne is the corps of Artillery of Marine, which is charged with the ser vice of the ports and arsenals, the manufacture of the guns, and preparation of the ammunition. In the year 1845 the Marine Artillery consisted of 30 companies of active service men, and six companies of artificers, forming a total of 4,529 men, including 222 officers. But this corps also has been mate rially increased, and numbers now 6,000 men. The seamen gunners, who amount to an effective force of 3,500, are embodied with the five divisions of Equipages de Ligne. Independently of the preceding body, France has also the Infanterie de la Marine, or naval soldiers, who are not, however, as in England, permanently on board, but only on extraordinary occasions. The Marine Infantry forms the garrisons of the war ports and colonies, the administration of be longs to the Department of Marine. Ther effective strength reaches 20,000 men, and their organisation is almost the same as that of the infantry of the army. Besides these there is also a permanent company at L'Orient, and a Gendarmerie Maritime for the police of the ports-400 men—who arc re cruited from trustworthy non-commissioned officers of the marine troops, and consist of five ocmpanies. Further, the convict guards-1,600 men—at the three harbours of Brest, Rochefort, and Toulon, where convicts are employed. Then five companies of seamen artificers, for the preparation of ships' rigging at the several war ports ; next the fire brigade men, also five companies strong. Finally, there is also the corps of Ingenieurs of the Imperial navy, which supplies the designers of the fleet, 500 strong, and which is supplied from the Polytechnic School. Adding these several corps together , we have a sum total of 92,000 available combatants with which France can at any moment man her fleet, besides the reserve which the Inscription Maritime holds in readiness. Taking into account the personnel of the English navy, we will assume that the peace establishment which England keeps up without difficulty, and which would represent the Equipages de Ligne of France, is tho normal condition. This peace establishment, from the budget of 1847, which is the only one we can lay our hands upon, shows that, exclusive of 12,000 marines (who can be added or substracted on either side), the number was 34,000 sailors and boys, to which, adding the Coastguard, who will in five years amount to 6,000 men, we find that under all circumstances the avail able force of the fleet amounted to 40,000 men. Add yet the seamen artificers, police of the ports, &c., making about 10,000 men, and we have a total of 50,000 men who can really be relied upon. England, therefore, stands behind France as regards the personnel of her navy, as we have shown by the comparison, and we shall not err when we state that in this respect the comparison between England and France - stands as • two -to ,hree. However, the necessity for men does not alone come before us. Experienced naval officers are also required. There it must be allowed that France has shown remarkable forethought in perfecting an effective corps of naval officers, and in case of need, in providing additions to it, and this has led to re- .ulations such as exist hitherto nowhere but in Prussia. It is this, namely—that no French mer chant captain has permission to command a ship until he shall have served two years on board a ship of war, and shall have passed an examination to show that he is enabled to undertake the duties .of an officer of the sea service. By these rules the Government insures, in case of necessity, that some thousand young and capable seamen shall be avail able from among whom to choose : and they are not under the necessity of having recourse to un fit, invalid, and decrepid officers when on a sudden any extraordinary number of ships are called into service. As captains and officers of ships of war men in full vigour are especially needful; old offi cers prove themselves no longer equal to the exer tions of the service. At the same time this arrangement affords a re markable relief to the budget, and diminishes ma terially the extrordinary sacrifice of money to which England is condemned by its regulations for the support of the corps of naval officers. When England, in time of peace, has not the half of her ships in commission, she must keep up and pay, in case a war should occur, the corps of officers for the other half; because she wants the preparation for an easy and sufficient reinforcement. It therefore happens that we,find in the English naval esti mates for the half-pay of naval officers an enormous sum, which must fill with astonishment any one not conversant with the fact. ,But still more, not only all those who are liabl3 for active service at sea, but all unfit officers, draw half-pay and ad vance quietly on. In the budget of 1847, which we have here brought under consideration as a peace budget, £726,000 are thrown away as half-pay of officers, and besides £492,000 more for pensions. —An aggregate amount which represents the fifth part of the whole budget ; while in France the half pay is only 2,000,000 f. and the pensions 6,000,000 f., being the fourth :part of the English sum, and the 14th part of he French marine budget. The bad system by - which in England unfit half-pay officers advance on in rank has this great disadvantage, that they will not allow themselves to be com pletely pensioned off. The progress of the re mainder is consequently so retarded that in the year 1847 there was no English Admiral under 70, no Vico-Admiral under 65, and no Rear-Admiral under 60 years of age. Officers of so great an age are seldom at all fit for the field in the army, and much less are they fit for naval war, the fatigues of which are far greater. Young officers are a neces sity for the fleet, and admirals over 60 years of age will scarcely ever make active or successful com manders. As concerns the manning of the two navies, Eng land is, as is shown in our exposition, decidedly in the background. The English press rightly re marks on this unfavourable comparison, and calls the attention of the nation to the entire sufficiency of the French system. Here, however, another and a very important circumstance presents itself, which we must enter upon. This is the relative strength of a fleet as opposed to the positive (the number of ships, guns, and men), and consists in professional efficiency, in the superior spirit and intelligence of the individual, in better discipline and subordina tion, in personal courage and endurance, and which is of so much value, and conduces so much to the result of a battle. These relative powers stand out in importance beyond anything else in naval ac tions, where we in numberless instances have seen small ships engage with advantage larger ones, and in which, on account of their peculiar nature, the physical strength of the individual has less scope than on land. Let us now consider professional capacity, in which respect one is accustomed to look at the Eng lish seaman as the very type of a sailor, and this idea is so generally prevalent that we ourselves in Germany are accustomed to rank our seamen after the English, although this is altogether erro neous. There are no better seamen than the Germans, and this fact will be allowed by all foreign nations. On the other side, on the contrary, a poor opinion is formed of the French, and they are considered bad sailors. None were more confident in this respect than the English, who always looked back upon the swept up crews of the French ships during the Revolution and under Napoleon 1., until the Eastern war opened their eyes on this point, and they made the discovery that the French crews of the present day are no more those of 1806 ; but that, on the contrary, they do not in the least re spect come behind those of England. The Prince de Joinville had also first recognised this great want for a navy, and supplied it by keeping con stantly large squadrons of evolution, by which officers as well as men were trained into practical seamen. The English were at all times compelled, on account of their extensive colonies, to keep up even in time of peace large squadrons constantly on ser vice, the crews of which kept in constant practice, afforded a warlike body of men on the breaking out of a war. This made them necessarily overpoweringly superior to those of other nations, and especially the newly shipped complements of the French fleet. Since 1840, however, this fault in the French navy has been removed by keeping up, permanent squadrons of evolution, which, under the excellent guidance of Admirals Lalande, Joinville, Ducas, Hamelin, and Brust, have become the training schools of the present highly distinguished force in seamen, which since 1853 has laid the foundation for much humility and many sorrows to the former superiority of the proud English. Those who had the opportunity of seeing the united fleets of the Western Powers in the Black Sea and in the Baltic, and of instituting a compari son, must have very soon come to the conclusion that all which appertains to manoeuvres, tactics, and exercises, was far better, quicker, and more exactly executed by the French than by the Eng lish, and that a large portion of the prestige which the English navy possessed from centuries back had then vanished. Again, with respect to theoretical training and schooled intelligence the French are far a-head of the English. While the English set only in the fore ground practical education, and make so litte ac count of theoretic that many of the English officers cannot calculate a right-angled triangle, the French sea officer ordinarily combines with practical know ledge also a scientific traininc , in philosophical ac quirements. The English in the education of their sea officers go upon the system that no person can be taken on board ship too young. Consequently the majority of the youths destined for the sea ser vice are placed on board in their 12th year in order to learn their practical duty. Their theoretical and higher education is then usually as good as stopped, and there is henceforward imparted to them, wherewith to pass their examination for lieutenant, only common acquirements, which, me chanically learnt, are soon forgotten, and are not in any case educating to the mind. There are, it is true, many efficient officers in the English navy, and it has raised up men who have distinguished them selves by high professional acquirements, as well as by general intellectual culture. But these men have not to thank the public management for the pre-eminence of their acquirements or of their edu cation, but only their own efforts, or the chance of a better instruction and education at home. Those who follow the ordinary run of naval officers will I carry away but little knowledge of their profession —nay, it may even happen that an officer may re main at that point of nautical education practically and theoretically, that he may occupy the post of a naval officer, and yet not be able to carry a ship across the sea. This fault is only possible through a very peculiar institution. From the earliest times in the English navy a class of employes,the masters or navigators, a position between officer and sub officer, who cannot advance further, whose duty, however, it is to convey the ship across the sea, to make the astronomical observations and reckonings and especially to be on board ship—those who do understand navigation, whether theoretically or practically, or the Tatter only, however, will not be inquired into. To men of their subordinate position, who, even if he should know, cannot be controlled by other officers, is a valuable ship as well as the lives of hundreds intrusted. For the first time, lately, do they appear to have perceived in England that the naval officer cannot , well do without a theoretical training for his prac tical calling. A naval college, has therefore, been lately established in which the naval cadets are taught something more than formerly. Whither this will answer, with the objections English sea men feel against theoretical knowledge, time will show. Against the French, on the contrary, one might have more readily reproached that they m ere too theoretical if their efforts in practical education did not prove the contrary. In France those pupils who are destined for naval officers receive in the Ecoles _Navales, and also on board ship, a thorough education. They are not allowed to pass their examination for officers if they have not attained a certain standard of education, which answers to the higher college class. Navigation is there considered as the first line of study, and each officer must be scientifically grounded in his nautical reckonings, which is not always the ease with the English. Under the control of the first lieutenant and of the captain, a lieutenant in French ships per forms the duty cf the English master ; although the French have also a corresponding appointment (chef de timonerie), or head helmsman. He is, however, onlrthe asssistant of the officer on duty, and not in any way exelusivelyintrnsted With the navigation Under such circumstances there must also in 'social respects be a great difference between Eng lish and French officers in favour of the latter, just as high education shows itself in the tone of the corps, and gives to their subordinates in service an altogether different position. The French naval officer is treated by sailors even on shore with respect, while the English. officer out of his ship must lay aside his uniform in order that he may not be insulted by his own people. A similar dif ference exists between the seamen and the petty officers. Every military commander knows that with practised men, who understand their busi ness he can attempt and perform more than with unpractised. This is the case to a much higher degree on board ship than on land, for the sailor is much more accustomed to thick - and to act on his own responsibility than is a soldier. An expressive result of the above comparions is further shown in the respective discipline of the two navies. It requires no lengthy balancing. to perceive that in a military body, which consists of the children of the country liable to service, who from their youth are aware that they must serve their fatherland, and that they are honoured by wearing its uniform, a totally different spirit and better discipline prevails than in a troop of persons assembled together who have bartered their posi tion and blood for a pittance of money, and the prospect of possible prize money,—a state of things which once existed in France, and now actually exists in England. The occurrences before Kertch and in the Sea of Azoff during the Eastern war brought to daylight in a sufficiently clear manner this difference in discipline, and in each English and French naval port any one can be readily convinced by personal observation of the truth of this statement. Excesses such as daily occur among English sailors, such, for example, when a ship is ordered to sea, as that seamen, petty officers—yea, even officers—are brought on board drunk by the police, are not possible in France. The difference in this respect between the two countries is so well known that no further exposition is here required. Discipline is, however, a momentous point in battle, and the French have a great advantage in this, that they in this are superior to their neighbours. So far as relates to seamanlike and military courage in both nations, we must allow that each posses heroic bravery, although it shows itself in a different manner. While the fire of the French thirsting after deeds of glory and prowess consumes itself, and the vehemence of their first attack soon slackens if it is not crowned with success, the Eng lish display a perseverance which borders on the incredible, and an endurance in danger which has often achieved victory and glory. These peculiari ties, which are mostly valuable in close actions and in hand-to-hand conflicts, are less often brought into play in naval engagements, which are gene rally decided by gunnery. As regards the naval war ports on each side, which also indirectly show the strength of a navy, we will only quote the remarks of an English autho rity, and we think we shall thereupon have then said enough. "What we find in the port and arsenal of Cherbourg," says this authority, the United Service Gazette," on which all opinionslare unanimous, is that every ship entering the port is exposed to the fire of 100 of the heaviest ordnance, and that no enemy is in a position to do damage either to the arsenal or to the fort. The same can not be maintained of either Portsmouth, Plymouth, or Sheerness. The completeness with which the works planned for the arsensal have been carried out is in every respect perfect, and a comparison with the arsenals of Devonport and Portsmouth shows so bright a contrast that it must make every right-minded Englishman blush." If we recapitulate our comparisons into one general result, we must declare that at present, with about equal materiel,the French navy exceeds that of the English as regards the availability and efficiency of the personnel. France can, at least, as affairs at the present moment exist, place herself as a rival at the side of the British naval power. This novel condition of power takes place moreover at a time when the affairs of the world are about to be brought to an issue; the policy of Great Britain shows itself yielding and respectful to France, such as has never been the case before. Whatever may be the case as regards the so often foretold invasion of England, Napoleon 111. could beyond doubt attempt a landing on the British islands with far more prospect of result than could his great predecessor. While the ships of England are scattered on all points of the world on account of her trade and extensive colonies, France can con centrate her naval forces, and possesses, moreover, thoroughly organised means of transport wherewith to throw in a few hours on the ill-guarded coasts of her adversary, at any concerted: moment, a portion of her large land force from Brest, Dunkirk, or Cherbourg. What might be the final result of such an undertaking is not within our province. Not withstanding the elevation which the French navy has taken in present circumstances over the English power, we must not conceal that which we have already shown in the course of our discussion, that the two powers have, in the nature of things, a dif ferent naval calling—France one conditional, limited ; England one absolute. France is essen tially a high continental Power, which must have a corresponding naval force. To let all her strength take a naval turn would be against nature and against the character of the land and nation. France possesses neither the inexhaustible naval population nor the personal reasons and re quirements, nor the funds, to play the first part on the seas of this globe. On the contrary, England has an, exclusive call to the sea, and all the conditions necessary for re maining the first naval power of the world. Her geographical position, her maritime population, the extent and peculiarities of her manufactures and of her trade, her incalculable amount of capital, the wide-spreading of her nationality through gigantic colonies, enables, entitles England to the first naval position, which she has hitherto maintained with unprecedented result. If, however, the British nation desires to see this her position in the world undisturbed and unshaken, she must not turn away her attention from the further development and disciplining of her naval power, nor venture to shut her eyes to the progress which the other large Powers of our times have made in military matters. Industrious States which do not properly support their policy by corresponding military power lead, as history has often taught us, an impeded and always threatened existence. " CLAIRVOYA.NCE" EXPLAINED. The whole system of presumed " double-sight " rests with two persous—one who advances to the audience to receive the article desired to be experi mented upon, and who asks a question of the other; and the blindfolded person who replies. The effect of these questions and answers being arranged into a system and order constitutes the whole art of clairvoyance. Every question has a corresponding answer, and to be perfect requires a good memory —not more, however, perhaps than that required of an actor who learns "a part" in a new tragedy. The simplicity of the questions principally mis leads the audience, being no other than an ordinary interrogation which any one would make: modi fied only by an understanding between the confe derate parties, that the same sentence, differently arranged or put, calls for a different reply, thus : Q. Is it plain or ornamented P—A. Ornamented. Q. Is it ornamented or plain ?—A. Plain. We will now give a few illustrations of the sys tem of questions and answers, premising that the same order can be and is frequently carried out to a very elaborate extent. First, then, we have questions relating to colours, precious stones, metals, wearing apparel, jewellery, numbers and dates, money, miscellaneous articles : Fon COLOURS. Q. What colour is it ?—A. Black. What is the Colour P—A. Blue. Q. Tell me the colour ?—A. Green. Q. Has it a colour P—A. White. Q. Any colour ?—Orange or yellow. Q. Name the colour P—A. Brown. FOR METALS. Q. What metal P—A. Gold. Q. What is the metal ?—A. Silver. Q. Tell me the metal ?—A. Copper. Q. Name the metal P—A. Iron or steel. Q. What metal is it?—A. Brass. FOR STONES. Q. 'What stone is it P—A. Jet. Q. What is Mb stone ?—A. Topaz. Q. Tell me the stone P—A. Emerald. Q. Name the stone P—A. Diamond. Q. Do you know the stone ?—A. Cornelian. Q. Any stone P—A. Amethyst. There arc many other examples given, but these will b 3 sufficient to explain the principle on which the mystery of clairvoyance may be, and perhaps is, practised.—" Natural Magic," by G. Sep timus Pierce. [ADVERTISEME irr.]-7olloway's Ointment and Pills.— Medical maltreatment and neglect, .and imprudence on the part of the sufferers themselves, annually destroy thousands of lives that might have been saved with the greatest easy by the use of these perfect antidotes to disease, external and into - mt'. MultitUdes (4f rheumatic sufferers are now limping tithe grave with contracted joints, and .in constant agony, who might be cured in a few weeks by the ointment; and the vital strength of a still greater number is oozing away through scrofulous sores, abscesses, and other exhausting outlets of suppuration, which might be promptly and safely cared by the same means.. Whilst the heart beats the patient need not despair—Holloway's remedies will prove a present kelp. POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—Ian. 1. WOE.SIIIP-STREET.--A MATRIMONIAL PRA CAs.—Harriet Ellen Allen, of ladylike exterior and address, appeared before Mr. Hamthill, under the folloWing peculiar and delicate circumstances : On Thursday last, three men, named Slade, Cole, and Cumin;; were charged at this court with being found in inclosed gardens for an unlawful purpose. The fact was proved, and in answer, the prisoners: one and all, gave the -following account of the matter. They said that while playing at skittles on the preceding day in Whitechapel, a person who stated his name to be Mortimer, and represented himself as a solicitor, offered them a " job." They were, with others, to proceed to his residence, in Dalston, and assist in taking a child from a house close at hand. The proposition was accepted ; all went to the gentleman's habitation, 7, Hepzediah-terrace, Dal ston, and were introduced to a lady, who asserted that she was the mother of the child in question. It was then proposed and arranged that she should obtain admission at the street door of the house No. 1, llepzediah-terrace, and having secured her ob ject, retreat by the back garden, where they were to be in readiness, and assist, if required. At the time appointed the movement was made, and resulted in their discomfiture and present position. This singular attempt at explanation excited much astonishment in court, which was increased when Inspector Lan; don, N division, mentioned, that a man, giving the name of Mortimer, had, after the three men were at the station-house on charge, boisterously and in a half drunken state, demanded their release, alleging that he had prompted them to the act, and swearing to accom plish his object despite all authority. At this juncture, Mr. Lovell, an attorney, of Gray's Inn, addressing the Bench, observed that he could throw some light upon the whole matter. He did not believe that the men at the bar had any in tention to commit a felony, but' were actually on the spot for the purpose mentioned by them ; and the father of the child, whose possession was sought, now attended, to make application for a warrant against his wife, believing his life in danger at her hands. A gentleman who stated his names to be Thomas Allen, a military equipment manufacturer in the Strand, here stepped forward, and gave informa tion, upon oath, that he resided at No. 1. Hepzediali terrace, Dalston ; that he was living apart from his wife, and had instituted a suit for divorce, on the ground of her adultery ; that, since the commence ment of the- said suit, she had on several occa- sions threatened and annoyed him ; a month since she got into his cab, - and while drawing a knife across her throat, vowed she would not allow him to live and possess another woman ; that, in pre venting injury to her at the time in question, he had severely cut his own hand ; and that on the identical Thursday morning she had, opposite his residence,- threatened him with her clenched fist, and dared him to go outside to her, at the same time calling him " a coward." The required warrant was hereupon granted, and in due time the lady, in virtue of it, appeared in court to answer the complaint. She said that her husband was a trunkmaker, and not what he represented, that he had an in come of £l,BOO a year, and positively deniedhaving directly or otherwise authorised the three men to act as they had asserted. The prisoners, on hearing this, protested that the lady was present at the time the arrangement had been made ; and, the magistrate cautioning them never to engage in such a delicate affair again, permitted their discharge, Mr. Mortimer did not make his appearance in court. Mrs. Allen asked time to disprove the charge and secure the attendance of her solicitor ; and Mr. Lovell objected to this unless she could find bail, alleging that her word could not be taken. It had been decided in the Court of Di vorce that Mr. Allen should retain possession of the two children ; yet, in defiance of this, she had already possessed herself of the younger, and un doubtedly was a moving agent in the attempted abduction of the other. A razor had been found beneath her pillow in June last, and although al lowed ss. a week by her husband, regularly paid to her, was continually annoying and threatening him. The magistrate said that he could not refuse the lady's application for a remand under the circum stances, and would take her own promise to ap. pear and meet the allegations against her. Mr. Thos. Beard, of Basinghall-street, now at • tended as her adviser, and observed that the pro ceedings against the lady were in all probability for the purpose of prejudicing proceedings in a superior court. With respect to the alleged abduc tion of the younger child it should be known the Court of Divorce had simply refused to interfere as to possession of the children while the matter was in abeyance ; and any reference to misconduct prior to October last, when the suit was first commenced, should not be permitted, as the husband had co habited with the wife up to the Gth of September previous. Mr. Beard added that if it was permitted him to interrogate the complainant as to matters connected with, the whole disagreement, the posi tion of the gentleman might possibly prove a very unenviable one. The other court would of course admit the lady's testimony, and until then it was sufficient to answer the charge attaching to the last alleged offence. Mr. Allen was then cross-examined, and admitted an intimacy with his wife up to the 6th of Sep tember.—(The alleged adultery was understood to have occurred on the 31st of August.) Two witnesses, a cab-driver and the defendant's ser vant, swore that on the morning in question, no threatening language was used by Mrs. Allen, who, it was sworn, merely held up her finger, and addressing her husband at his parlour window, called him a coward for not allowing her to see their child. Mr. Hammill remarked that this was satisfactory, and he should dismiss the warrant. Any reference to preceding matters would be noticed in that court, at which, in due time, both parties would appear. In the meantime, the lady had better not repeat her visit for any purpose. ALLEGED CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD.--Joseph Stanton, landlord of the Crystal Palace beer shop, New-cut, Lambeth, was charged on a summons with unlawfully conspiring with others to get into their possession divers goods, the property of J. I. Ferdi nando, an in diarubber manufacturer, Spitalfields. The evidence, which was very voluminous, went to show that the prosecutor had sold goods to a per son named Roberts, •of Prior 7 place, Walworth, to the amount of £8 12s. 6d., at a month's credit. This was only a portion of the order, and it was executed on 20th March last; on the same date of the follow ing month the house was 'closed, and Roberts was non est. The_prosecutor swore that, in the interim, Stanton, who had from the first been on those pre mises apparently as foreman to Roberts, assumed the name of Smith, wrote a letter in the name of Stanton, and directed it to 10, Hampton-Street, Walworth-road. To this person Roberts had refer red, but on apply lag there Stanton could not be seen, so that for a long period the prosecutor was unaware of Smith and Stanton being ono person. Subsequently, the defendant was found at his shop in Lambeth, but was not given into custody, the prosecutor alleging that he was waiting to have him and Roberts in his power at the same time. Mr. Sleigh cross-examined prosecutor and his witnesses, endeavouring to show that the motive for the prosecution was that of inducing Stanton to forego appearing against a man nanwSllele, an ac quaintance of the prosecutor, at a forthcoming trial for robbery-; but this was denied. The defendant was ordered to find bail on his own recognisance. CLERKENWELL—ATTEMPTED MURDER IN ST. PANCRAS.—A masculine-looking_ female, who peared in the dock with a frightful black eye and bruised face, who gave the name of Amelia Frank lin, 21, described on the police, sheet as a prosti tute, residing at 11, Wood-street, Cromer•street, St. Pancras, was brought up in the custody of Inspector Witham, of the E division, charged with feloniously cutting and wounding Adam Turner with a knife at the above house, with intent to do him some grievous bodily harm. It appeared from the evidence that on Friday night, about eight o'clock, the injured man and the prisoner quarrelled, when the former took up a poker and was about to strike her with it, when she rushed upon him with a knife and inflicted a wound upon his throat, from which the blood flowed pro fusely. The man was taken to the hospital, uhen the house surgeon found a wound along the base of the right ear about three inches in length. One of the arteries had been divided, and one of the right ribs had been fractured, and he was in such a de plorable state that he was detained at the hospital, and was unable to attend before the magistrate to give his evidence. When Police-constable Eldridge, 85 E, took the prisoner into custody she did not deny the charge. He found the place covered with blood, and the things were strewn about as if there had been a great disturbance. Both the parties are very bad characters, and have several times been in the custody of the police. The wife of the injured man was the keeper of a most notorious brothel, and was convicted at the last Old Bailey sessions for robbing a sailor, and was sentenced to 18 months' hard labour. The house in which the in jured man wiis stabbed is also a very low brothel. The prisoner, in defence, said she had several times wished to leave the complainant in conse quence of his continual brutality towards her, and the marks on her face arose from his hitting and kicking her. The wound with the knife was quite an accident, as he came against her when she was paring her nails. Prisoner was remanded for a week, bail being refused. SOUTHWARK.—THE LATE FATAL CALAMITY AT THE VICTORIA THEATRE.—Thos. Clark, a young fellow, who called himself a lighterman, residing in Bermondsey, was brought before Mr. Combe, by Harrington, 32 L, charged with creating a disturb- ante in the Victoria Theatre gallery stairs. Mr. H. Young, treasurer, said that about a gut - r ter to six on the previous evening, prior to ad mitting the audience, he went round to see that the gaslights were all right, and everything safe. As soon as he reached the upper door in the gallery. he heard some persons calling out on the other siee, and on opening the door he saw the prisoner climb ing along a beam to enable him to get before the others who were on the stairs. By doing so he knocked against several of the people who were calling out. As soon as the prisoner saw witness he jumped down among the people, at the risk of his own life and others, and attempted to make his escape, but was secured and taken into custody by Harrington, the officer appointed to the theatre. Mr. Young added that his chief reason for giving him in custody was to prevent persons for the future from climbing on the beams or supports of the stairs, as it injured the gas pipes and other property. Such conduct was the cause of the escape of gas on the afternoon when the recent fatal calamity occurred, and threw the people on the stairs into such a dreadful state of alarm and confusion. _ _ Mr. Burcham asked the prisoner what he had to say in answer to the charge. He should have thought that a person of his age would have known better than to conduct himself in such a manner after so recent a catastrophe - at the same place. The prisoner, in the most impudent manner, re plied that he did not know he was doing wrong, as he had frequently seen others do it previously. Mr. Young here said that it was not their wish to punish the prisoner, but to prevent such an oc currence by other parties. The prisoner promised not to do so again, when Mr. Burcham told him his conduct might have led to very serious consequences, but as there was no wish to punish him, he should merely order him to enter into recognisances to keep the peace for six months. If he or any other persons were brought •before him again on a similar charge, he should punish them severely. In the course of Friday Mr. Smith, the treasurer of the Surrey Theatre, waited on Mr. Combe for his advice under the following circumstanced : Mr. Smith said that on Thursday evening last, at the opening of the theatre, a man was observed en tering the pit with a lighted cigar in his mouth. The officer went up to him and told him to put the light out. The man refused, but when the officer told him he could not enter with the lighted cigar, he threw it at him, telling him to put it out him self. Applicant wished to know whether, after such a dreadful calamity at the Victoria Theatre, he would not have been justified in giving him into custody. Mr. Combe told him that he would not have been justified in doing so • but the man at whose person the cigar had been thrown could have a summons for the assault. In fact, had a policeman seen him he could have taken him then and there into custody. Mr. Smith answered that, after such a fearful disaster taking place at a neighbouring theatre, the managers of the Surrey Theatre had desired him to make the application,' as they wished to know whether they would not be justified in giving such persons into custody. Mr. Combo told him certainly not, but they could prevent any person from entering the theatre with a lighted cigar, and if that person committed an assault in the presence of a constable, he could be given into custody. Mr. Smith thanked his worship and withdrew. THE BALLOT. (From the Daily News.) The opponents of the Ballot have been across the Atlantic to find—a mare's nest. They have made the notable discovery, long familiar to all those at all conversant with the subject, and repeatedly admitted in these columns, that in certain States a system of voting by loosely folded open voting papers is found to afford no effectual protection against bribery and intimidation. What does this discovery amount to ? Is it any argument against the Ballot, in the only sense in which that word is ever used by those who advocate its adoption in this country—the sense in which it is identical with secret voting ? Is secret voting practicable ? That is one question. If it be prac ticable, is it beneficial ? That is another ques tion. Upon neither question, it is perfectly plain, can any light be thrown by referring to the prac tice of those States of the Union where voting, though currently and inaccurately called voting by Ballot, is not, and is not even pretended to be, secret. As to the practicability of secret voting. that is a point which has been proved over and over again by as great a cumulation of evidence as any political fact is susceptible of. In the State of Maine, in the State of Ohio, in other States of the Union, the simple expedient of putting the voting paper in a closed envelope is found to secure the most perfect degree of secrecy. Where this simple precaution is observed, and where the voting is in consequence really secret, the ballot is found to be a thoroughly effectual preservative against intimi dation, a most successful discouragement to bribery. Directly secret voting is thus shown by actual and most satisfactory experiment to be pos sible, all arguments directed against a system, which, whatever it may be called, is in fact not secret voting—are utterly wide of the mark. They merely go to show that where the ballot system is imperfect—where it is not maintained in its integ rity—where it is not absolutely secret voting, but to a great extent open voting—there the invete rate evils which always attend open voting are to be found in its company. If no precautions are taken for making the voting urn inaccessible and the voting paper a closed secret, the principle of secrecy is virtually surrendered ; and to argue against the principle of secret voting from the bribery and intimidation that follow upon the sur render of that principle, is manifestly in the very highest degree illogical and absurd. It is the old fallacy of arguing against a system from its perver sion. Let us' have no press, because it is occa sionally licentious; no police, because it is some times oppressive ; no religion, because, under one set of influences, it degenerates into superstition; under another into fanaticism. The simple fact is, that all evils which avowedly attend the exercise of the electoral franchise in some States of the Union are from openness of voting, not from secrecy. We are told—and for the purpose of the argument we are willing to accept the statement as substantially true, that at some of the worst conducted elections in the State of New York bribery funds are subscribed, and marked ballots handed to the electors, of course with a view to subsequent inspection and the exercise of intimida tion. Be it so ; but what follows from this ? Call it by whatever name you please, this is simply and purely open voting. It is its openness that makes corruption possible ; its openness that makes in timidation possible. It is ballot without secrecy— the name without the thing. A man who votes by a loosely folded voting paper previously marked is as much an open voter as the man who declares viva voce at the poll the name of the candidate for whom he records his suffrage. As Mr. Berkeley puts it, in an admirable letter which we published yesterday, "What constitutes open voting if this does not ? What signifies it whether an elector carry a bit of paper open in his hand with a name written on -it, or whether he pronounces the name he would vote for ? Either way lie votes openly." To argue against any evils which may result from such a, system as this is to argue against the evils resulting not from secret, but from open, voting ? not from ballot maintained in its integrity, but from ballot abused till nothing remains of it but the name. But is this sham ballot—this ballot without secrecy—the only form of the institution known in the States ? In other words, is secret voting, by the general experience of the American Union, found to be a practical impossibility ? Nothing of the kind. In many States—in all the States which have adopted the simple mechanical contrivance of the closed envelope—ballot and secret voting are strictly convertible terms. The results are pre cisely what on theory might have been expected. Intimidation is suppressed, bribery discouraged. The institution of secret voting is regarded in these States as inseparably bound up with freedom and purity of election. According to the explicit testi mony of a well-informed citizen of the State of Maine, which we published on the 7th ult., the ballot is there prized not only because it ensures that the vote is the true expression of the voter's real poli tical opinion, but because it discourages all attempts to control the exercise of the franchise, by giving the most practical demonstration that all such attempts are in the result purely nugatory, The abolition of the elective protection afforded by the ballot is regarded by the citizens of those States where it is worked as a reality, with undisguised. repugnance. - Electoral contests without this protec tion would, as our correspondent assured us in lan guage of fervid sincerity, terminate in scenes "from the contemplation of which I turn as from a vision of incipient anarchy, to thank God that from such horrors my country is preserved by the use of the ballot." Such is the testimony recorded in favour of secret voting by those States where oeoret voting really! exists ; but even in New York, where, as Mr. - Berkeley admits, " secrecy is optional, the ballot system defective, corrupt influence powerful"— even there, will you find any American try the remedy of re-establishing avowed open voting ? Not one. They are too painfully sensible of the evils which attend on that departure from the principle of secrecy which has already been introduced among them. Their loosely conducted system of ballot has let in to a considerable extent the evils of intimida tion 'and bribery. It has done this because it is to a great extent a system of open voting. To re introduce a system of open voting without limits would simply be to remove the only barriers which now partially avert the evils whose existence they deplore, and at the prospect of whose increase they tremble. " Weak floodgates,"—we quote Mr. Ber keley,—" may impede, but not prevent, the rush of a tide ; would you cure the evil by pulling them down, or making them stronger P" The Times is for pulling them down. The Times has the strange hardihood to assert that the President of the Re public has come to the same conclusion. We are told that the "People's choice himself has assured us that all the perils of American liberty begin in the ballot-box." Only one word in the language— very short, very Saxon, but unluckily not very po lite—is adequate to describe as it deserves this auda cious statement. President Buchanan has never whispered one word about the perils of the ballot box. He has indeed spoken strongly, fiercely—with the bitterness, as itseems to us, of a disappointed poll titian rather than with the sorrow of an afflicted patriot—of the increase of electoral corruption. He has laid bare the sores of his country in the sight of the world—he has• betrayed her shame to make sport for the stranger. But in all the unmeasured bitterness of his diatribe he has breathed no syllable against the ballot box. It. would be strange, indeed, if he had. The electoral corruption which he deplores is the foul parasite that is invariably found clinging round every system of open voting. Where the ballot system is loosely conducted it still thrives, though less rankly ; where the ballot is maintained in its integrity—where voting is, in fact as well as in name, secret—it ultimately perishes for lack of soil in which to root itself. Strange, therefore, would it have been if President Buchanan, in his anti-national Jeremiad over the electoral corruption of a portion of his countrymen, had traced to the only political institution by which that corruption is at all likely to be diminished the germ of the perils which beset American liberty. No : President Buchanan has a great deal to answer for ; but it is not he, but the Piffles, which is guilty of ascribing the electoral corruptions of America to that system of secret voting which the Americans themselves cling to as the sole means for preventing thoso corruptions from becoming intolerable. COUNTRY MARKETS. NOTTINGHAM-JAN. 1. At this morning's market the trade in wheat was of a rather better character. Wheat of good dry quality was is per qr. dearer ; in inferior descriptions little doing. Bar ley in tolerable snprly, and fine qualities is higher. Oats in limited demand. White wheat, new, 44s to 51s Barley, grinding...2Bs to 308 Red do. 3Be to 43s Oats, old, .. 3os to 348 Old white 4OB to 49s New do 23s to 28 Red do.. 37s to 42s I Beans. 47s to 508 Barley, malting.— 31s to 45s Peas —s to ROCHESTER-JAN. 1. At the market this morning there was a moderate sup ply of English wheat, for which the demand was good for best qualities. Prices firm, at last week's currencies. Barley trade inactive, and prices about stationary. In oats little alteration. Beans and peas the same as before. Wheat, white 4os to 44s Beans, Mazagan..--s to —4 I red 38s to 44s Middle & small 40s to 44 4 Barley 3Bs to 44s White peas 4os to 424 Oats 23s to 27s I Grey —s to —4 CAMBRIDGE-JAN. 1. At this day's market there was rather a fair supply of wheat, and sales were effected at the quotations of this day se'nnight, and in some instances rather dearer. Barley were rather dearer. Oats unchanged in value. In beans we have little alteration. Wheat .3Bs to 40s Oats . 26s to 30N - White .44s to 48s Beans . . .44s to 46s Barley .40s to 42s Malt.. —s to —0 OXFORD-JAx. 1. We have to report a moderate supply of grain at market, and prices at a slight advance on last week, but there was little doing in the trade. White, 41s to 465. ; red, 40s to 43s per qr. Barley ruled about the same as previous rates. Beans and peas unaltered. Oats, 21s to 275. CHELMSFORD—DEc. 31. There was a fair supply of wheat from the farmers to day, and transactions in the market were dull, with very little change in prices. Wheat, white 348 to 47s Peas, Partridge ..44s to 469 red 30s to 4 Is hite 41s to 43s Barley 34s to 41s Boiling 42s to 489 Chevalier ....37s to 458 Dun 44s to 469 Grinding 27s to 33s Beans, Tick ~... 38s to 409 Malt 70s to 73s Harrow Ticks 38s to 42s Chevalier 728 to 73s Mazagan 36s to 399 Oats 25s to 35s NORWICH-JAN. 1. To-day the show of wheat was very fair, and WO were freely made at is per qr advance on last week's prices. A moderate show of barley, and fine malting parcels main tained their value. White wheat is quoted this evening at 44s to 455, red 38 to 425. Flour, 27s per sack from the miller. STAMFORD-JAN. 1. Wheat in limited supply, the best dry samples being in request at an advance of is to 2s per qr. Barley in mode rate supply, and is higher. Other articles were about pre vious values. Wheat .... 38s to 41s I Oats.. 2 Bs t o 30s White do ..44s to 46 s Beans, new 42s to 44s Barley 38s to 42s I Ditto, old .44s to 48s DUBLIN -DEC. 31. The market continues quiet, but prices are about sup. ported in the few transactions recorded this Week. it. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. Wheat, white.. 22. 6to 24 6 Do., new ll 6to 13 0 Do., red 2l 6t022 0 Bere Do., new .... 21 6to 24 6 Rapeseed Barley Oats Do., black ll oto 12 0 Indian corn .. 26 0t029 0 SUDDEN DEATH.—One of the clerks employed in Woolwich Dockyard, named Charles Betts, about 46 years of age, while on Friday engaged at his usual avo ca ti ons , an d feeling slightly indisposed, was advised to consult with the surgeon. He left his office for that purpose, having the ap pearance of a robust, long-lived man, but was no sooner seated in Dr. Fuller's dispensary than he was a corpse. His death was pronounced to be the result of a deep-seated disease of the heart. CANNY SCOTS.—Wisdom is not likely to die with all Scotchmen, "canny" as they are admitted to be in general, if we are to believe a story in an English journal to this effect :—" A Fifeshire man b r i ngs hi s child to the minister to be baptised, who asks him, ' Are you prepared for so important, so solemn an occasion ?" Prepared !' he echoes, with some indignation, I hae a firlot o' bannocks bakin', twa bacon hams, a gude fat kebbuck, an' a gallon o' the best Hielan' whusky, an' I wud just like to ken what better preparation ye could expek frae a man in my condi tion o' life.' He meant the christening at home. A kin dred mistake is made by another peasant, who, hearing Prince Albert prayed for in the service, fancies a small steamboat of that name as the object intended; and, on coming out of the church, is greatly incensed that the min ister should mak sic a sang about a bit cockle-shell o' thing they ea' Wince. Albert, a craft nae muckle bigger than a common wherry, that carries a wheen coals an' o sma' steam-kettle in its belly.'"—Knickerbeeker. [ADVERTISEMENT.]—Rarey's Horse and Cattle Improv ing Food is equally adapted to improve the stamina of ill conditioned Horses, Cows, Bullocks, Calves, Sheep, and Pigs. It causes no extra expense, as it contains far more and better nourishment than its cost of lid. per feed sup plies in corn and hay; hence ensures an actual saving in the keep. But its principal advantages are a great im provement in the digestive functions, the stamina anti general condition of horses enabling them to perform far more labour without getting distressed.. It imparts new vigour to sick, debilitated, or old apparently worn-out horses, and it puts rapidly the finest flesh on cattle gene rally, and improves the milk in cows, as it enables them to extract the entire nourishment out of everything they feed on. Rarey and Co., 77, Regent's Quadrant, Piccadilly, London. Packed in tins of about 99 feeds, I ls. ; in casks of about 450 feeds, 50s. ; of about 1,000 feeds, £5, being lid. Der feed. BIRTHS. LANG.—On the 31st Deo., at Pwllcrochon Recto near Pembroke, the wife of the Rev. Owen C. S. Lang, of a Moat.—On the 31st Dec., at 26, Somerset-street, Port man-square, the wife of Frank Mori, Esq., of a son. MEIKLERAM. — On the 30th Dec., at Grange Mount, Claughton, the wife of M. A. Stuart Meikleham, Esq., of a daughter. WEA.I.L.—On the Ist inst., at Woodcote-villa, Loughbore park, Mrs. William Weall, of a daughter. MARRIAGES. MANN—BARNES.—On the 30th Dee„ at St. Luk e ' s , Chel sea, Richard Mann, Esq., of Pycrot House, Chertsey, to Henrietta Louisa, eldest daughter of Robert E. Barnes, Esq., of Sloane-street. WARING—WHITE.—On the Ist inst., at St. George's, Han over-square, Mr. William Joseph Waring, to Eliza, the oldest daughter of James White, Esq., 48, Baker-street, Lloyd-square. DEATHS. BUTLER.—On the 30th Dec., Hampden, eldest son of J. H. Butler, of Ashford, Kent. DAVIS.—On the 25th Dec., at Friern Barnet, Jane, aged 9 years, and, on the 26th, Francis Walter, aged 4 years— children of Mr. W. D av i s, f ormer l y of Oswestry. DARK.—On the 7th Dec., at Walton.-on-Thames, Surrey, Charlotte Dark, aged 58. DEVON.—On the 30th Dec., at Oval House, Kennington park, Frederick Devon, Esq., Assistant Keeper of Public Records, in the Record Office, Chapter-house, Westmin ster, aged 60. GEESIN.—On the 31st Dec., Rosalie Charlotte Geesin, the wife of William Gesin, Esq., of Golden-square, St. James's. .ONDON : Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, No. 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the county of Middlesex, Monday } January 3, 1859. L TVA Gi Torn celel tame erca the Bari vate Seat Tv Pin. 0' TI r Get InOda, Merit; Mode] 2711 P .4 Thorn Thom NO7 XITAI Assoc] Pebni The or OM re-eie and N The Prior t PRI NOT NUAL of flit ilish op } 'ebrua 4011 N 15,111 The II prior tc V Alfred I te ll 11 1, liouve Edward Thomas Sir Ale: Bart. John 1J Itenry PR YSIC] SURGED: SoLim A ERE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY' 4 ` EVENING, JANUARY 3, 1859. I