The Sun. — London, England, 1858-09-21 00:00:00

THEATRE -ROYAL, DRURY-LANE. Under the Management of Miss L. I'yne and Mr. W . Harrison, THIS EVENING, Balfe's ROSE OF CASTILLE : Miss Louisa Pvne, Miss Susan Pyne. Miss M. Prescott ; Mr. Fer dinand Glover, Mr. A. St. Albyn, Mr. George Honey, Mr. Bartleman, and Mr. W. llarrison. • Conductor—Mr. Alfred Mellon. To conclude with a Ballet Divertissement : Mdlles. Michelet, Pasquale, and Morlacchi. THEATRE -ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Lessee, Mr. J. B. Bucks tons. THIS EVENING will be performed THE RIVALS : Messrs. Buckstone, Howe, W. Firren, and Chippendale ; Mesdames Reynolds, B. White, E. Fitzwilliam, bc. After which, THE DAUGHTER OF TILE GUADAL QUI VER. Perea Neon. Followed by THE BALANCE OF COMFORT. And MY HUSBAND'S GHOST. Commence at 7. ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. Manager, Mr. Edmund Falconer. (;rent Success. The New Comedy of EXTREMES; or, Men of the Day. Supported by Mrs. A. Mellon (late 3liss Woolgar), Mrs. NN'eston, Miss Kate Saxon, Messrs. Emery, J. Rogers, E. Falconer, and Barrett, EVERY EVENING. To conclude with the New Farce, entitled TOO MUCH FOR GOOD NATURE. M essrs. Emer y , J. Rogers, Mrs. Weston, and Miss Kate Saxon. Doors open at half-past 6, to commence at 7. Box-office open front 11 to 5 daily. ROYAL STRAND THEATRE. Lessee and Directress, Miss Swanborongh. THIS EVENING, NOTHING TO NURSE ; Mr. Swan borough, Mrs. Selby. After which THE LAST OF THE PIGTAILS ; Messrs. C. Selby, .T. Bland, and J. Clarke, dm. Followed by THE BONNIE FISH WIFE. And I'LL WRITE TO THE TIMES. Commence at 7 o'clock. OANTERBURY HALL, Westminster-road.— N..) OPEN EVERY EVENING.—The following Company of Vocalists are engaged for the performance of Selections from all the popular OPERAS, MADRIGALS, CHORUSES, GLEES, DUETS, &c., viz. :—Miss Russell. Mrs. Badsey, Miss Brunell, Miss Ray, Madame Bartoletti, Miss Montague, Mrs. Lawrence, and Mrs. Anderson ; Herr F. Jonghmans, Mr. Henehaw, S. Jones, J. Barker, W. Melling, Sector Antonio, E. L. Mime, Mr. Badsey, Senor Tiroli, Mr. Cozens; Mr. Bell, Mr. Barnard, and Mr. St. stlbyn. Mr. John G. Forde and E. W. Mackney. Pianoforte, Mr. Cecil Hicks—Harmonium; Mr. Courtnay—Director, Herr F. Jonghmans. Commence at 7 precisely. Suppers, Ae., until 12 o'clock. . - • NoTicr.--4Cho Proprietor begs respectfully to announce that in the month of Octpber, A FINE ARTS GALLERY, now in course of construction, will be thrown open in con. flexion with the above Hall. THE WEATHEII.— S tyx OFFICE, SEPT. 21. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 64—highest since noon yesterday.' 58—lowest this morning and during the night. 62—this day at noon. BAROMETER-30.26. WIND, South-Easterly; rather fresh, with dull wea. ther. - It blew from N.B. in the morning. THE SUN. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1858. THE Government of the United States seem to have seriously resolved on the suppression of the Slave Trade. We heartily rejoice at the cheering intelligence that a vessel of the United States' navy has captured a slaver with 314 Africans, the miserable survivors of 455, who had been embarked some weeks previously at the Congou River, some thirty per cent. of the original freight having succumbed to the horrors of the middle passage ! The unknown master tried every expedient to avoid inconvenient inquiries. He first attempted to escape by sheer speed, but, finding that the pursuer had decidedly the heels of him, and that he must eventually be overhauled, he determined to brazen it out, hoping that the intruder on his speculation might be merely a British cruiser, against whom the American Standard would be a certain protection—" The Stars and Stripes " were elevated, but in vain. The persevering intruder was not so easily got rid of. The " tarnation Britisher," as she was fondly imagined to be, clung to the quarry, and,'in the language of the P.R., would not be denied. The commander, whoever he might be—for it ap pears that no one was willing to assume the enviable position before a real " Statesman"—manifestly hoped that he could have escaped by resorting to an indefinite amount of bluster and " bunkum," and holding the journals of America in' terrorem over the English captain. All his calculations were, however, upset, by finding that he had a genuine Yankee to deal with, whose commission was authen ticated by Uncle SAM himself! He then found that he was, to all intents and purposes, " a gone coon." There was no remaining subterfuge, and a motley crew—Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and even English, but (so the story runs) no Ame ricans—surrendered at discretion. The absurdity of the restriction on the right of visitation, and even of search, was thus clearly exposed. The vessel was not American, and had not even an American soaman on board ; and yet by the false and fraudulent use of the American flag she could set the English navy at defiance, and treat with contumely every demand for explanation. There could not have been a stronger illustration of the inauspicious results of the unfortunate jealousy manifested by Brother JONATHAN. The discredit on his flag in per mitting it to cover " a multitude of sins," was far greater than the toleration of a fair and straightforward investigation of the title by which that flag was displayed at the masthead of a suspected slaver. But the Americans are now clearly in earnest, and we hail with satisfaction the accession of such powerful auxiliaries. The captured slaver, the " General Putnam," alias " The Echo," could not have been more roughly treated had she fallen into the hands of one of her Britannic Majesty's ships. She was taken with her living freight into Charleston, where there is a local law, the exact reverse of that so powerfully laid down by Lord MANSFIELD in this country. Here the mere contact with, our sacred soil con fers freedom on the guond«ln slave. There, the dust of Carolina is laden with fetters and shackles. The free man of colour becomes a slave when he sets his foot on the territory, and the only question is as to who shall be his master— " The man and the brother" in whose veins circu lates the smallest fraction of the proscribed blood had better embark in " a plague ship or take up permanent quarters in'a lazaretto" than associate even for a moment with the most clamorous advo cate for liberty and equality in South Carolina. It was perhaps fortunate that the captain of the Dolphin, possibly without thoroughly understand ing the nature of the legal difficulty that might arise, steered for Charleston. There were unques tionably judges who might have given full effect to the claim put forward on behalf of the State, to take and sell the captives for .its Had this view of the own pecuniary use. case been adopted, it is manifest that the captives would have profited but little. They would have had American in place of Cuban masters. And possibly there would not have been much to choose between the two. Indeed, if the doctrine had been affirmed, it would have enabled the trade to have been conducted at a much cheaper rate, although under a different aspect. It only requires that there should be a thorough understanding be tween the masters of the captors and of the slavers to give handsome profits to both, and keep up an ample supply of healthy niggers in the market. The plea put in by the United States' attor ney proved the sincerity of our transatlantic cousine. The artful dodge way at once pet S: 1 :# taut. 14,4 L .Y , -• ` 41. • 1 t lli k t 7 , : 4 ~ 4 111101111" ' 4 t ;.‘ ' 1 1NT:07 41 1 4 Pa '4 1 SRO T „ • •• ' aside. The niggers were not only declared free, subject to temporary detention under local laws, while remaining in the State, but they were to be transmitted to Liberia, to become free citizens of that flourishing colony. Heavy expenses will be incurred in this truly noble work. 1 . ut these ex penses have been unhesitatingly undertaken, and we may now, notwithstanding the continuance of the domestic institution, recognise the Government of the United States as cordial co-operators in the great, the glorious undertaking of extirpating here ditary servile bondage from the civilised world ! With such assistance we cannot fail in accomplish ing our object, and rendering slaveryobsolete— a thing of past generations. We have not, like Mr. BRIGHT, been favouredwith a copy of the resolutions of the "Glasgow Council of Trades' Delegates," but must gather their purport from his published answer. The main point in them appears to have been that they wanted Govern. ment to enable them to emigrate. It would be unworthy of any journalist not to sympathise with the aspirations of working men for bettering their condition; and especially, after a period of suffer ing consequent on the failures in Scotland and elsewhere, last autumn, we muct all feel much for the thousands who realised the effect of it, not in their bankers' balances merely, but in the quantity of food itself, 'or of clothing which they could pur chase. Still, like Mr. BRIGHT, we must not attempt to encourage impracticable projects, and to aid working men in anything as hopeless as the famous land scheme of poor FEARGUS O'CoNNoR, ; and such, we must think, is the character of any plan which could be devised for Government emigration. Not only would it mistake the essential laws of Free Trade—which, however, we should be the last tp press in any case in which Govern ment should fairly become the almoner of the public —but it would, we fear, become the means of wide spread suffering and distress among those whom it sought to benefit. As Mr. BRIGHT observes, the difficulty would . seem to be insuperable of denying the equal claims of all who might , apply for aid to their common Government ; but, even supposing this got over, how could any Government distinguish the persons likely to succeed as immigrants from those wholly unfitted to encounter the trials of such a kind of life, and yet eager in their distress to try it ? What misery would be the result of deporting to Australia or to Canada thousands of working-men and their families, whose habits of life wholly unfit them for open air agricultural labour, and who, besides, know nothing of the management of flocks of sheep, and arc perhaps even more incompetent to hold the plough or to drive a team, if such work were offered them. Even of the Irish there has been a considerable return emigration from the United States ; from the accounts we receive of them there, they seem in great numbers chiefly to supply the place of neg,roes in the free States. Their habits are agricultural, and yet they do not appear to find it easy to become little farmers without some capital. The Glasgow men would probably not like to turn hodmen and unskilled labourers in New York, while in Canada or Michigan they would fail for want of muscle and of knowledge of farm work. If Government carried them in a spare seventy-foxy, not a very desirable employment of such vessels, across the water, they would in great numbers be reduced to the lowest distress during the first few months, especially near the winter months, and perhaps for the first year after their landing ; and would probably be thinking it the duty of the Government to take them on its back again and to carry them home. The truth is, few are fitted for emigrant life, but those who have the self-denial and courage to pro vide themselves with the means to emigrate. The helpless man at home is a helpless man abroad ; the man who spends all his wages here will never rise above a drudge in any colony. It is mortifying to think of the hundreds of Scotchmen and of Englishmen who have, in the times of brisk trade which preceded last autumn, been earning wages from which, by a little ordinary self-denial and prudence, they might have saved enough to have taken them to almost any of our colonies, to Ame rica, at least. We speak what we know when we say that hundreds, dependent first on the pawn broker, then on the parish, might and ought to have had, when difficulty came, a respectable sum of money in the Savings' Bank. It has vanished, the greater part of it, in strong drink, and, in the case of the females, in bedecking their persons in a style far beyond their stations. It is no kindness to working men and women to conceal from them the plain facts of the case; and we fear these are among the plainest. We well know that there are hundreds of truly worthy exceptions, whose dis tress and whose better feelings we would not in sult ; but they will, with us, be the most ready to agree that such a large number of their now needy comrades needed not to be in their present difficulties ; that though in a humbler line of things they have been brought into them by the same process as that by which the man who, in a higher station of life, has indulged himself in unwarrantable luxuries, appears in the Gazette. These are not the men, unless they reform, who will succeed abroad, especially if they are now en cumbered with wives and families. The Govern ment does now provide everything that can be desired for the protection of the emigrant. He need not be the victim of imposition ; beyond that what can a Government do which will not do more harm than good, which Will not be a premium on thriftless emigration, and eventually starve thousands in a colony who must be cared for at least here, and who will take their turn in the next run of brisk trade, when .our ac cumulating gold begins to clamour for employ ment ? As to Mr. Baroirr's political philosophy, and its bearings on the case, we cannot think there is much in it. We believe there is not a peasant, in conti nental Europe at least, perhaps none elsewhere, more lightly taxed in regard to the necessaries of life than the English peasant. Almost everything which he must eat, drink, or wear is taxed; he does not pay 30 per cent. on his clothing, or 50 on his iron tools, as he would do in so many other places ; and advocates as we are of an extended suffrage, we question whether it could advantageously free him from a single tax. What would he gain by lower ing the duties on ardent spirits and on tobacco' and even any larger reduction of those on teas, than those to which we are coming, would be an altogether insensible relief. As to the pressure of war on the labouring man, or his sufferings on behalf of the balance of power, we suspect it would puzzle Mr. BRIGIrr fairly to trace effect to cause. We have not space enough just now to discuss with him that part of the subject : we only remind him that a few commercial failures, wholly uncon nected with the war, have told far more disas trously on the fortunes of the operative than the which, as Mr. BRIGH T con f esses, he European bur glary • of struggle willingly in CZIR. joined, to put down the An Oxford correspondent writes :—" It is cur rently rumoured that her Majesty will visit this university and city at the opening of the museum, at the Grand Com memoration, June neat" THE -SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 21, 1858 LATEST NEWS. CANADA. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY MORNING. I 'The screw steam-ship Anglo-Saxon, with advices from Quebec to the 11th instant, was off Donagha dee at 3 a.m. to-day. t ions to the cessimr by Piedmont of the port of Vil lafranca to Russia. I think I can assure you that the Imperial Government, being better informed than the writers of the said letters us to the real signification of the maritime establishment of Villafranca, attaches only secondary importance to it, and will not make it the subject of any diplo' matic notes." ME BAST INDIA AND CHM MAILS, The sere* steamship Pero of the Peninsular and Oriental Company's fleet, dapt4iii T. idmifmon, bringing the heavy portion of the Calcutta, liom bay, and China mails, in charge of Lieut. Tickell, R.N., Admiralty agent, arrived at 10 a.m., yester day. This vessel left Alexandria on the 7th inst., Malta the 11th, and Gibraltar the 15th. he had fine weather during the voyage ; from Gibraltar to Ushant a heavy swell from, the westward. She passed Hurst at 4.40 yesterday morning, but was compelled to bring tip for an hour or two in the West Channel on account of a very dense fog. The Pera brings 162 passengers (viz., 88 first class and 74 second class, children and servants), and landed 40 'at Malta, to proceed ela Marseilles, being a total of 202. The Hon. F. W. A. Bruce proceeded, via Marseilles, with the new treaty con cluded with China for the signature of her Majesty; also, the Marquis de Bellecourt, who was the bearer of the French treaty, for the Emperor's signature ; and Dr. Bradley, bearing the United States' treaty. The ,passengers for this port included several wounded officers from the Indian army, and also Captain H. Bown, of the Hydaspes troop steamer, who has quite recovered from the severe accident which compelled him to leave his vessel at the Mauritius on the outward voyage. On freight the Pera brings £21,952 in specie ; jewellory, value 5,468r5. ; rough rubies, value 400 rs. ; rough dia monds, value 5,700i5. ; and- precious stones, value 19,350r5. ; and a cargo consisting of 1,777 bales of raw silk (valued at £160,000), 15 cases of silk, 59 cases of shawls, 68 packages of elephants' teeth, 10 boxes of vermillion, 12 bales of senna, and 199 packages of general merchandise. Advices from Gibraltar are to the 15th inst. Latest quotations of exchange were as follow : London, 90 days' date, 504- to 501 ; Paris, ditto, sf. 28c. ; Marseilles, ditto, sf. 30c. ; Genoa , ditto, sf. 31c. ; Ma_rid, eight days' sight, 1 , dis. ; Cadiz, ditto, 1 dis. ; Malaga, ditto, 1 pm. ; Seville, s dis. ; Alicante, I dis. • Valencia, par ; 'Barcelona, par. Spanish pillared 3 per cent. premium, none, and no demand. A heavy thunderstorm burst over the Rock about 10 o'clock on the night of the 13th. At the upper signal -station the light n i ng s t ruc k th e t opyar d o f th pole of the flagstaff, and the axletree of a 12-pounder gun-carriage, splitting both, The lightning-cofiductor shook, and the ground was turned up at the foot of the mast ; fortunately, doing no further serious damage. After a heavy shower of rain the storm abated. The wind con tinued in the East on the following day, and the atmosphere very oppressive. In the immediate neighbourhood of the Rock the . thunder and light ning were unattended by rain. The steamship Jura (Cunard's fleet), Captain Moodie, arrived in the Bay on, the night of the 12th, four and a half days from Queenstown, with the 2d battalion of the Bth Foot, under the com mand of Colonel T. M. Wilson, for Gibraltar gar rison, to relieve the 48th, which were to proceed in the same vessel for Alexandria, en route to India. The troops were landed on the following afternoon at the New Mole, and marched to Windmill-hill and Buena Vota barracks. The heavy baggage and ammunition of the 48th Foot were shipped on the afternoon of the 14th, and the regiment em barked early on the morning of the 15th. The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam ship Salsette, four days eight hours from South ampton, with the India and China mails of the 4th inst., reached Gibraltar during the night of the Bth, and resum e d h er vo y age t o 111alta and Alex andria at 10 a.m. on the 9th. The Turkish line-of-battle ship Shadie left the Bay for Plymouth at 1.30 p.m. on the 6th. Several steamships had passed the Rock, from Patras for London, laden with currants. The R.Y.S. schooner Leda, 29 days from Cowes, 13 from Lisbon, and 20 hours from Cadiz, arrived at Gibraltar on the Bth. The following outward-bound British merchant steamers had arrived at Gibraltar :—On the sth, the Sydney Kali, Captain J. Michell, eight days from London,• with general cargo for Genoa; 7th, the Marvel, Captain W. Lago, 14 days from Liver pool, with general cargo for Genoa ; 9th, the Don Affonso, Captain M. Dow, 13 days from Glasgow and two from Lisbon, with general cargo for Gib raltar and Leghorn ; 12th, the Braganza, Capt. W. Landon, nine days from Liverpool and two from Lisbon, with general cargo, for Gibraltar ; 14th, the Ella Constance, Capt. W. W. Pittuck, seven days from Liverpool, with railway iron, &c., for Ali cante. The Gibraltar Chronicle of the 11 th has the fol lowing :-- - " We have been favoured with the sight of a private letter of the 19th ult. from Casabianca, which states that there was a great commotion in that town on account of a num ber of Bedouins having made their appearance from the country, demanding the head of the Governor and also that of his brother ; but the people of the city refused to accede to their demands. An assault was expected to have taken place on the previous night, and it was feared that these marauders would succeed in entering the place. A party of six horsemen were'sent by them to have a parley with the Governor, but two only were allowed to enter the gates, which were immediately closed again, as it was observed that about 200 on foot were close upon their heels, without reckoning 400 more who were expected to follow. The two horsemen allowed to enter were holding a conference with the Governor when the letter was despateded. No person can, therefore, leave the city, and but little grain comes in, on account of it being robbed by the bandits who infest the outskirts." HOLLAND. The session of the States-General was opened by the King in person, at the Hague, on the 20th inst. His Majesty was accompanied by the Prince of Orange. His Majesty spoke as follows : " Gentlemen, " This solemnity has to-day a higher signification for me than usual. Beholding my beloved son at my side while open ing the States-General, my heart overflows with gratitude towards God, who has deigned to preserve his days, develops his faculties', and bless his youth in so many respects. " The nation, represented by you, gentlemen, celebrated with enthusiasm the day upon which a new Prince of Orange entered on his political career.. " The expressions of attachment to my house which were manifested on that occasion increased my endeavours to de vote all my energies to the welfare of the country, for the happiness of which my ancestors lived, and for which many shed their blood. " The constant mission of my government has been the development of the free enjoyment of the benefits of civili sation and of peace. My relations with all foreign Powers are of a most amicable nature. " At the same time that the exchange of intellectual pro duce with a neighbouring State has been settled by a recent convention, my Government continues its efforts to remove gradually the barriers to commerce in our Indian posses sions, and the Empire of Japan has been rendered accessi ble to general commerce. " Nevertheless the safety of the country renders neces sary the maintenance of a sufficient military force for its defence. " I can give you the assurance that my army and navy continue to show themselves deserving of my solicitude. The public revenue flourishes under the blessing of Heaven and the tranquillity of peace. The financial crisis l • which a few months since threatened commerce and indus try, was happily of short duration. The harvest promises to be more abundant even than was expected. The state ments that will be laid before you when the Budget is pre sented will show the favourable condition of the finances of the State. The cultivation of art and science is the con stant object of my care. " Order and prosperity also reign in our colonial posses sions. My Government, by a just administration, which favours material and 'intellectual development and respects the institutions of the native population, strengthens the confidence and attachment to the Dutch authorities. Nevertheless, should our authority be disrespected, there are sea and land forces on the spot sufficient to maintain it. " The enjoyment of all these blessings, gentlemen, ought to make us persevere in our efforts to improve and com plete the institutions of the State. Some new or modified bills will shortly be laid before you. Before the examina tion of the budget is terminated a proposition will be pre sented to you for the settlement of the colonial finances. " Although the bills which will immediately be brought before you in favour of the construction of railways and the assistance of the State in favour of some districts where the finances are in an embarrassed state will render a call upon the Treasury necessary, nevertheless the state of the general finances will allow me to propose a reduction of some taxes. Various bills on this subject will be submitted to you. The sinking of the debt will continue all the same. " Kim always been painful to me to speak of a slave population under Dutch dominion, and I hope you will re ceive favourably the measures concerted to put an end to such a condition. "Another attempt will be made for reforming our courts of law and the administration of justice. It is not the less necessary, and the fundamental law exacts it, that a penal code should be establi . shed. Your co-operation will be re quired to fix the principles upon which it is to be based, and it can be discussed simultaneously with the proposed law reforms. "Various other Bills will be presented to you; among others, one to determine the power of the Council of State, one for a revision of the electoral lists, another concerning the transport of emigrants, one on general safety and on railwajs, another respecting the organisation of the militia, and one on the police-. " Gentlemen,—The importance of your labours adds to the feelings of my heart on this solemn occasion. You will share those feelings when you have accomplished the task before you, and when you will be conscious of having largely contributed to the welfare of our beloved country. " May the blessing of the Almighty be upon us. "t I declare the Session of the States-Genera to be open." FRANCE. PARIS, TUESDAY, The Moniteur contains the following notice : "Different journals have announced that the Go- vernment contemplates introducing material modi fications in the commercial regime of Algeria. These pretended projects and the discussions to which they have given rise have excited a certain degree of uneasiness in the manufacturing districts. To put an end to such a state of doubt, it suffices to say that the Government has no idea of changing the customs laws of Algeria now regulating the relations of that colony with France." A Paris letter, in the Nord, says :—" The text of the French treaty with China cannot be officially published until after the exchange of ratifications, which will be necessarily some months dist9it, on account of the distance between the two couhtries. The French official journal will, however, give in a few days an analysis coitaining the "principal clauses of the treaty. This document is expected every moment from Biarritz. As the treaty is particularly favourable to the propagation of the Roman Catholic religion, the Emperor felt desirous, it is said, to pay the compliment to the Pope of sending him one of the first copies. A person at tached to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to be charged with this friendly mission, and convey at the same time an autograph letter from the Em peror." Accounts from Martinique and Guadaloupe to the 28th ultimo state that the commercial situation of the two countries was satisfactory, though specie was so scarce that 10 or 11 per cent. was paid for it. Owing to the scarcity of coin, a number of planters of Martinique had brought an action against the bank of that island to compel it to pay its notes in specie ; but the action was rejected, the bank having shown that it has been authorised by the Government to offer in exchange paper having a forced circulation. In the course of a fortnight Guadaloupe had received 1,500 im migrants—half coolies, the other half Africans. The French squadron was about to leave for Venezuela, where serious complications had arisen. BOURSE, September 20.—The market has been flat, but prices of Rente without much change. Shares have been in good request, and several lines have advanced. Threes have been done from 73f. sc. to T3r."l3c. ; Mobitier , 962 f. 50e. to 975 f. ; Or leans, ,1,440 f . to 1,445 f. ; Lyons, 882 f. 50c. to 887 f. 50c. ; Eastern, 757 f. 50c. to 760 f. ; Southern, 615 f. to 620 f. ; and Northern, 1,005 f. to I,olof. The mar ket became heavy before the close, when the follow ing were the last quotations : 41 per Cents. .... 95 75 Do. end month .. 96 3 per Cents. 72 75 Do. end month.... 72 86 Bank Shares .. 3075 Credit Nobilior .. 965 Do. Account 958 75 Credit Fowler 680 Belgian 41 — Piedmontese (5) Roman 921 A us trian Spanish Threes Home Debt 4Ol RAILWAYS. Orkalif; Cash. Account. 14321 1435 . Northern - 997/ New ditto. 8371 .. 8421 Lyons and. Mediterranean 8771 885 New ditto Geneva Midi We4tern Eastern Grand Cential Sardinian . Austrian. 647} - 6111 - 6521 - 755 - 460 - 680 - • 662 f • 610 - • • 650 - .. 7561 - AUSTRIA. - 462 f - •• •• 6821 - " It is again in contemplation," says a letter from Vienna, "to reduce the Austrian army, which is considered too large for the financial re sources of the country. It is even affirmed that the Emperor has acquiesced in this measure, which would lead to a saving of 10 million or 11 million florins in the budget. Adding thereto the 65 mil lion florins which, it is said, is to be paid by MM. de Rothschild for the purchase of the Southern Railway, an equilibrium between the receipts and expenses of the State could be soon effected." Another letter from Vienna says :—" Some sur prise has been occasioned here by reading in Vienna letters addressed to foreign journals that Austria has thought right to make Aerious objec- ~. ~ , ~ BELGIUM. A letter from the camp of Beverloo, in Belgium, of the 18th, says :—" The Duke de Brabant last evening announced to the officer s th a t t h e D uc h ess de Brabant would arrive this day a t t wo o ' c l oc k , and that her Royal Highness expressly desired that they would make no preparations to receive her, and take no trouble on her account. But, not withstanding this, all the officers of the artillery, cavalry, and staff went to Eppen, a league's dis tance, to meet the Duchess, and escort her ; and all the officers of the infantry reg i ments col lected in the camp,and wh en th e P r i ncess appeared greeted her with the loud es t mar k s of enthusiasm. The non-commi ss i one d o ffi cers of all the regiments, infant r y, cava l ry, and artil lery, on their part collected, and the Princess had, amidst their acclamations, to pass them in a sort of non-official review. The camp presents a picturesque appearance ; the soldiers having de corated it with triumphal' arches, gardens, cas cades, statues of lions, and even :with models of ships of the line and frigates." SPAIN. The Madrid journals of the 16th have arrived. On the preceding day the officers of the garrison paid Marshal O'Donnell a visit to congratulate him in the name of the army on his arrival in the capi tal. The Marshal returned thanks in a pithy sol dicrlikc speech ; assuring the officers that he was highly satisfied with the brilliant state of disci pline and military instruction of the army, and that he should rely upon them for the defence of the constitutional Queen against her enemies, what ever be the disgliise they should adopt in order ta assail, her. The dissolution of the Cortes had caused general satisfaction to the Liberal yarty in the city, and telegrams from different towns state that the same was the case in the provinces also. The Moderado journals, however, affect to be seri ously alarmed at it. A Ministerial organ thus speaks of the dissolved Parliament, which was elected under the influence of M. Notedal, Minister of the Interior :-- " Not one useful measure has it left as a legacy to the nation it misgoverned. It approved the in crease of every oppressive and impolitic tax, ap plauded scandalous loans, and voted the laws that forbade the expression of men's thoughts. But nothing better could be expected from a Parliament composed of men known as the reprerntatives of things gone by, of the admirers of intolerance in religion, passive obedience in politics, and rabid hatred of every country that enjoys the blessings of freedom." An article in the Fenix, the organ of Queen Chris tina, had excited some attention. It again de clares that her Majesty has no desire lo return to Spain, though she sees with uneasiness the tical passion s w hi c h " agitated stat e o f th e country, an d th e ardent poli prevail, and which threaten to cause serious complications." " The Queen," it adds, "would only be induced to return if grave circumstances should require fresh sacrifices from her in order to sustain the throne of her august daughter, and defend it, as she did in former times, from usu r pation ." A telegram in the Gazette states that the Queen and Royal Family reached Villafranca, at a quarter to two o'clock on the previous day, and , as every where else, were well . received. Th e t r i a l o f Rivera, the ex-police spy, for attempting to assassi nate Colonel Verdugo, had been fixed to take place on the 15th, and the greatest curiosity was mani fested to be present at it. But it was adjourned. The adjournment was occasioned by the refusal of the surgeons who attended the colonel to certify to the probability of his recovery, though the crime was committed six months ago. The Government had ordered a 11cNV reinforcement of 3,000 men, and all the. large vessels of war disposable, to be sent to Cuba forthwith. Prince Gortschakoff, General of Infantry, and Member of the Council of the- Emperor of Russia; arrived at Venice on the 14th from Verona. A Berne letter in the Union Conmerciale of Antwerp says : • " Your so - vereign Leopold lately passed through Neutchatel,where he went to the post-office himself, and inquired Whether there were any letters for him, giving the name of the Count d'Ardennes. identity. k Th e Ki ng , w h o The clerk, who recognised the Ki ng , an d was not f begged him t o p ro d uce tel des Alp es . Th ere were, his however, p as sport a some e y p t a o pe p r la t y o p h ro im ve a hi t:ic felt embarrassed at this request, repli e d th a t h e h a d left the floiro him, and the cl er k t o ld him so, and made no further rem ar k." n o let ters t STRAND THEATRE. Last evening a new piece by Mr. C. Selby was produced at this theatre, under the title of " The Bonnie Fishwife." It is founded upon an incident which makes a considerable figure in dramatic literature, though it is doubtful whether it has often occurred in actual life. Sir Hickory Heartychecr (Mr. Selby), having determined to marry his son Airildoates (Mr. Parselle) to Miss Thistledown (Miss M. Oliver), suddenly sendS for him from the Con tinent to celebrate the proposed nuptials. Mr. Heartycheer, who has not s een t h e lady for some years, objects to the arrangement, flatly refuses to comply with it, and runs off on a shooting excur sion in the Highlands. Sir Hickory is in despair, but he somehow manages to communicate to the lady the manner in which she has been slighted. She does not, however, take it much to heart, for she knows that she is herself the cause. In point of fact, she has already made his acquaintance ; for, prompted by a pardonable curiosity on the subject of her future husband, she has thrown herself in his way, disguised as a Newhaven fishwife, an idea apparently put into her head by Mr. Reade's story of " Christie Johnstone." She proposes to recom mence the campaign in that character ; and follow-' ing him to Scotl an d, s h e l oses no t i me in bringing him to book b means of an artful legend about an enamoured " W.S.'---which, for the enlightenment of the southern reader, it may be as well to say means a " Writer to the Signet." No sooner has Mr. Heartycheer promised her marriage than a drunken old soldier and a hideous old ,woman arc introduced to him as his future father and mother in-law; and it must be conceded that the prospect of having a couple so hideous stand to him in such a relation- would , go far to excuse almost- an act-of, perfidy. Nevertheless the lover behaves honour ably, and he is rewarded by finding that his new connexions are only his father and his vallet (Mr. Clarke) ; and that his wild uncultivated floweret is a young lady of almost incredible graces and accom plishments. The piece was exceedingly well re ceived, and was announced for repetition till further notice. TIER ALH,I.23IBRA, Wallett's Equestrian Troupe continue to attract full houses at this, the most convenient and noisy circus of which the metropolis can boast; and a con stant change in the performances from week to week ensures novelty to those who admire this peculiar species of amusement. Last evening. he programme included M r . F r ank Pastor's daring feats of horsemanship, the graceful riding of Misses Julia, Louise, and C. Tournaire ; the comic eques trian scenes of the Messrs. Cooke, and the wonder ful gymnasti c ac hi evements of theDelavanti In la perche, the operatic gymnasia, and the trapez monstre these extraordinary persons leave all other acrobats whose performances we have witnessed completely in the shade. But talented as they all are, the youngest o f t h em, a l i tt l e b o y, a pp ar ently about six years old, bears away the palm. His somersaults are thrown with such astonishing rapi dity that the eye can scarcely . ..follow his move ments, and his fearlessness and daring in mounting a high pole borne on the breast of the elder Dela vanti, standing on the top, hanging by the foot or the arm, poising himself on his breast, and lastly fixing a heavy ch a i r upon i t, an d c li m bi ng th e reon, and while there standing upon his head casting somersaults in quick succession from the upper bar of the back, and always alighting safely—the bearer of the pole moving about all the while-- must be seen to be appreciated or believed. The humorous and appropriate jokes of Mr. W. F. Wallett, the jester, and of Herr Footit, the clown, enliven and give variety to the equestrian and acrobatic perforratmcm STATE OF AFFAIRS AT CANTON. The following letter has been received from an officer serving at Canton : "Itis on everybody's lips, How much longer is this state of things to last ? How much longer are our troops to be well-nigh decimated by sickness and assassination ? Within the last five days our casualties have amounted to 23 unfortunate victims to the cowardice and treachery of our savage and cowardly enemy. Two men, an European and his servant, were kidnapped in the western suburbs, and, of course, never seen again. The following morning I myself had a narrow escape. I was in command of a working party, detailed from the military train, pulling down houses, where the enemy, some nights previous, taking advantage of the shelter afforded, threw in some rockets among _ _ the landing-place guard. I had told off the party to pull down houses on either side of the narrow street, having an open space, formerly occupied by houses to our rear, and a narrow canal separating us from the landing-place. • A small Sepoy guard, consisting of one corporal and four privates of the 65th Regiment were placed by the Deputy-Assist ant-Quartermaster-General at the head of this street nearest our working party, and sentries were posted facing either way. My European orderlies were acting under my directions and seeing that the men did their work well. All of a sudden, without any apparent cause, the men at the • right (Chinese) threw doWn their long bainboes with which they were knocking down the thin brick walls, and ran away with all their speed—nearly upsetting p_______, D e puty-Assistant-Quartermaster - General, and my self in their headlong flight, followed immedi a t e l y by the left-hand party (European orderlies), who, by-the-by . , had only their side arms, and native guard. We tried in vain to stop them ; their panic was so great that they were beyond all control, and only by dint of abuse did I succeed in stopping three of the guard ' just—as-they were in the act of plunging into the eafial ; I Wen began to look about for the .cause, when I saw an European being led along by his • comrade wounded; the latter laid him down, an , seeing all the others had gone, left him. The oor wounded man seemed in an agony of despair,, and called out to them not to desert him. P---- and I went towards him to assist, when the other man immedifitely returned and led him off. We looked up the' street, and saw some Chinese armed with matchlocks and knives, sneaking along the, side of _the street, evidently thinking the wounded man had been deserted, and thinking to cut off his head, according to their usual custom, for reward; but immediately the cowardly villains saw us- coming round the corner they turned to the right about, and cut away as hard as they could. Pursuit among their streets and by-lanes, with only three panic-stricken sepoys, was out of the question,- so we contented ourselves with guarding the street to prevent their escape until a strong guard should come. In the mean time the other side of the canal was lined with men, who opened a spattering fire of k t mus ery on our side upon, I think, an imaginary enemy on the housetops and through the windows, where they saw numbers. Our subsequent search was not successful, and I fear others, and not the guilty, suffered. In the afternoon we burnt down- a large portion of the suburbs in the neighbourhood of the attack, and in that very street we came across three ready-dug graves, —I imagine, to receive our head less bodies. One European was killed, three wounded, and two-Sepoys. I had heard some shots fired about immediately before the panic, but, as the Frenchmen on the landing place side not un commonly fired off their pieces, I thought nothing of the occurrence. "The other day four Frenchmen were waylaid in the suburbs and fired upon on their way back ; one was left behind, his body was afterwards found in a grave, its head cut off, and three other graves dug for his comrades. " A police patrol, consisting of 14, was fired upon a few mornings ago, and nine of the number were shot down, and last night again another patrol was fired upon, one killed, and four wounded ; in each case the murderers decamped ; in fact, they never have, in any instance, made their dastardly attacks unless perfectly safe from detection. One of our European officers was murdered on his way up to heal-quarters the day before yesterday, and his body was found down a well with its head and one arm cut off, and frightfully gashed, his musket, bayonet, &c., of course, taken away by the mis creants. I was behind some houses talking to P— itt the time of the 'firing on that morning ; had I been standing, as I very often did, in the street, or wandering about looking for concealed arms or armed men, merely with P— and perhaps an orderly, we might have been wounded, or perhaps killed. A kind of Providence was watching over us. " But this is the kind'of miserable war in which we aro concerned, and these the wretched shifts of fighting that these cowardly rascals have recourse to. We have had several expeditions after them, but have only once seen anything of them, and that, unfortunately, under most unfavourable cir cumstances to ourselves. They tried to blow us up the other day, house and all, by exploding a bag of powder under our verandah, but the powder was so bad and so injudiciously placed that it did no further harm than to leave a very unpleasant taste in our mouths, and wake us out of a refreshing sleep. We searched for them, but searched in vain. If we could only catch them ! I should so enjoy -seeing some half-dozen of their short swords within arm's distance. I think my good old trusty long cavalry sabre would make good account of any that would remain to taste the temper of its steel. The wish and prayer of almost every soldier is to be at them. " But these continual Murders are very painful. No officer has as yet been taken, except poor Dr. T-- in that unlucky expedition, and one other at the capture of this place. We go about more cau tiously ; at the same time double care is required now ; 300 dollars is a heavy load to carry on one's head." THE DOWAGER MARCHIONESS OF LONDONDERRY. The annual entertainment of the tenantry in con nection with an agricultural show on the estate of the Dowager Marchioness of Londonderry was held in the village of Carnlough, on Thursday last in the Town-hull. At half-past two o'clock, the tenantry having been previously seated, y her ladyship entered th e room, when all parties present stood up and joined in loud cheering. The table at which her ladyship sat was erected on a platform in a central portion of the room. About 300 persons sat down to dinner. In the absence of Lord A. V. Tempest, Mr. R. Wil son, her ladyship's agent, occupied the chair. On the right of the chairman were—the Dowager Mar chioness of Londonderry, Very Rev. Dean of Ross, A. Montgomery . , Esq., E. F. Cuppagc, Esq., J.P., and the Rev. Mr. Williams. To the left of the chairman were Lady Anne Beckett, John Ttumley, Esq., J. P., Walter T. Stannus, Esq., J. P., and Rev. A. Pakenham, J. P. The usual loyal toasts having been given, Mr. P. O'LOANE rose and said—Mr. Chairman, ladies, and gentlemen, as one of her ladyship's tenants, I have the high honour to propose a toast, and it is one that requires very little eloquence upon my part to ensure an enthusiastic reception from those assembled here. Gentlemen, the toast I ask you to drink is, " Health, long life, and happi ness to our noble hostess, the Marchioness of Lon donderry." Her LADYSHIP then rose to reply amid prolonged cheering. She said—My friends, the sympathy and feeling you have shown towards me on these occa sions claim my gratitude, as partaking more of the affectionate nature of relationship than that of the formal tie of landlordund tenant—and justly proud must Ibe to witness these sentiments. (Loud ap plause.) I do not attribute them entirely to my own merits, but principally to our mutual aKociations with ancestral recollections, and I hope I may add, in part to your conviction that the motive of my action is the desire to do my duty towards you. (Applause.) I confess I feel great satisfaction in knowing that since ten years ago, when I first came to reside among you, a great and visible improve ment has taken place—that you, in conjunction with the people of this country generally, have made vast strides in progress and amelioration of your condition ; but though much has been done, much more remains to be accomplished. You may think at such a time as this, when I am glad to meet you on a festive occasion, that lecturing is out of place—(no, no)--or you may . say,—" As long as you receive your rents punctually you have no right to complain. In answer, I would say, our meeting would be productive of little beneficial re sult if I did not tell you frankly my views for your welfare—(applause)—and that my selfishness would preclude my usefulness, if I satisfied myself with a punctual discharge of rent, to the neglect of your improvement and advancement in social comforts. I fully admit the regularity in the discharge of your rents, and wish on this occasion to testify , my acknowledgments to our friend Mr. Wilson. (Ap plause.) I say our, because I say he is no less be loved by you than regarded and valued by me. I have, however, another mission to fulfil towards you besides seeing you do your duty towards me. I have to try to assist you to do your duty to your selves. (Applause.) And I ask you, is this per • formed nearly to the extent it might be ? Your farms are not high set; prices have been good; help and assistance have been given to many. I ask you is your social condition what it ought to be ? Might you not, by adopting a more beneficial and enlight ened system of agriculture, immensely increase your produce? Might you not, by thrifty and frugal habits, improve your houses and domiciles, still greatly capable of it? and might you not, by super vision, promote, what is more important than all, the education of your children, rather than, from a false desire of gain, take them from school at a period when every hour is of advantage for their wel fare? Now, I ask you to ponder over these questions, and if I am right I ask further, for your own sakes to apply a remedy. (Enthusiastic applause.) I confess I have been discouraged in some of my en deavours. The agriculturist I got to give you ex tended notions you declined making friends with, and he left from discouragement. The premiums I offered for gardens did not seem to be properly received, and I was obliged to give up the flower show. It is, however, a great consolation to find that the entries this . year for agricultural prizes are greatly on the increase, and evidently pr ove that there is a spirit o f em ulation arising amongst you which will, I am convinced, if persevered in, tend to your improvement and future prosperity. [Her ladyship then read the prize list.] New, I hope you will not think I have lectured you too much. (No, no.) It is because I sec how you dis charge your duty towards me that I wish to im press on you to do more justice to yourselves. Discard prejudice, determine to progress, be thrifty and careful, and, with God's blessing, you will ad vance in that path of improvement in which you have already made such progress. I believe you will agree that you have a good friend in my agent, Mr. Wilson. (Applause.) I only wish you to fol low his advice. For myself, I like you to know my wishes are for your improvement. (Cheers.) With these few words, and the expression of my happi ness in finding myself another year amongst you, and my cordial thanks to the kind friends who have been good enough to attend, I beg you to accept the heartfelt assurance of my appreciation of your affectionate welcome. Her ladyship then remra:l her seat amid great ap plause. WAITER TREVOR STANNITS, Esq., J .P., proposed k" Prosperity to Agriculture"—(applause)—and said, I rejoice at being present on this occasion, and while I congratulate the tenantry on this fine estate with being presided over by a lady whose heart and soul seems to be to advance the interests a her tenants—(cheers)—l must, at the same time. congratulate Lady Londonderry on being suited with an excellent agent, who is ready to carry out her wishes for the welfare of the tenants—(cheers) —and also with having such good tenants on her estate. (Applause.) lam aware the tenantry on this estate have advantages—great advantages—that the tenantry in other parts of Ireland are deprived of— (hear, hear)—but I am also aware that, however, indefatigable the agents may be unless the tenantry co-operate with them heart and hand , their exer tions are unavailing. (Hear.) My friends, I h ave the honour of being entrusted with the management of a very large and extensive estate in this country, and I have had opportunities of witnessing many improved systems of agriculture, and my conviction is, that all these are thrown away unless you go in the right way of adopting them. Lady London :it i npssible fo r anyderry has asked you a question which I should very answered. much like to hear is O " Have y ou , by an improved system o , f agriculture, increas e d th e produce of your farm ? ' It system of agriculture to avail you unless you beg in w ith the fundamental system —(h ear hear , )___ that is thorough drainin g —(l oud applause)— without which, on an ext ensive scale, .you cannot hope that any impro d ve method of agricul ture will be of avail. Aire were all shuck with the nice arrangement of the • loom, and the beautiful mottoes which are hung round it. I was asked by a party what was the meaning of "Live an d l e t live." I an swere d that it olden tim es , w h en the 1 was a remini scence o f that tion would not only live themselves but allow others to live also.L ( aughter.) Now, how ever, times ar e changed, and the tenants on thi s estate are determined to show that they are now in a position to live themselves, and , by their punctu ality in paying their rents, their determinati on t o oor let the p proprietors live also. (Laughter.) "The health of Mr. Richard Wilson, the agent on these estates," "Lord A. V. Tempest," " The Ladies," " Our next merry meeting," followed, and the 4§§enably Aquae/ THE STORE AND CLOTHING DEPOTS AT WEEDON. INQUIRY-(THIS DAY.) The Royal Commissioners appointed to inquire into the state of the stores and clothing depots at Weedon, Wool wich, and the Tower, resumed their investigations this day, in No. 11 Committee Room of the House of Commons. Mr. Selfe, the magistrate of the Thames Police, occupied the chair ; the Commissioners present were Mr. Turner, M.P. for Manchester, and Col. French, of the War-office. Mr. Selfe said the Royal Commissioners wished that comments on the evidence given before them might as far as possible be avoided. They did not wish to prevent pub licity of the inquiry, but comment was calculated to throw great difficulty in the way of getting the fullest informa tion possible on this point. Mr. Bontem, examiner of ledgers at the War-office, in answer to Mr. Selfe, said the ledger at Weedon had been examined since the commission last sat, and several vouchers were found wanting, but they would be supplied by the Commissary-General. ' When the vouchers were supplied we shall be able to see whether the stores charged have been properly paid for. The ledger which I have examined is in such a state that it could be submitted to the accountant on Friday next. That ledger goes up to March, 1857. There are about 5,400 entries, and the number of vouchers wanting amounted to about 50 or 60 items, but they were for trifling amounts. Mr. Turner—You were here six weeks ago, and then you stated that fifty or sixty vouchers were then wanting; why has not the examination of that ledger been completed ? Witness—l have been waiting for a statement from the Commissary-General of the sums paid for stores supplied to Weedon. Mr. Turner—Your difficulty is to check the amount with the sums actually paid ? Witness—l expect the ledger will be ready for the ac countant of the Royal Commission by Friday next. Mr. Warthman, manager to the firm of Pollard and Co., of Halifax, army cloth merchant, was next examined. He said—Our house has for some time had contracts from Government, under the old and new system. We furnished cloth both to the Government and clothiers under the old system. Our contracts have been quite as extensive under the new system as formerly. We have delivered large quantities of cloth to the establishment at Weedon. It was inspected on delivery by Mr. Hoyle and other persons. Mr. Turner—Did you ever complain of the inspection being too severe under the new system ? Witness—We have thought the inspection too rigid. Ifr. Turner—You have had some rejections. What is the amount of those rejections ? Witness—Here is a memorandum of the amount. Mr. Selfe—l see a contract for 60,000 yards of cloth, and the words, " allowed 484 yards." What is the meaning of that ? Witness—The Government received 484 yards in addi tion to the 60,000 yards. Mr. Turner—Have you ever had the extra quantity returned by Government ? Witness—li has not been returned. Mr. Turner—Then, although you supply 60,484 yards o cloth, you only get paid for 60,000 yards ? Witness—Yes. Mr. Selfe--Do you, in supplying the clothier, make the same allowance ? Witness—Yes. Mr. Turner—You don't know what becomes of 484 extra yards of cloth. Witness—No. Mr. Selfe—That will be a question for us to put at Wee don—what has become of the 484 yards. Mr. Turner—Have you ever been fined for non-delivery ? Witness—Yes. Mr. Selfe—Do you think the inspection, during the last six months, has been too rigid ? Witness—Yes. Mr. Turner—Where a great deal of trouble is given, ill it not usual to put on an increased price ? Witness—Yes. Mr. Selfe—l don't wish the question to be considered offensive, but was there any shoddy in the cloth you supplied? Witness—The cloth supplied by us was free from shoddy. It was one of the specifications of the contract that goods should be so. Mr. Selfe—Do you think a better system of receiving and inspecting goods could be adopted ? Witness—l think, in cases of difference, if an arbitrator were appointed, as in other commercial transactions, much good would result. Mr. Selfe—Haviyon have any reason to believe there is any bribing at Weedon ? Witness—l have no reason to believe so. Mr. Ellis, of the firm of Joshua Ellis and Co., Dewsbury, examined by Mr. Selfe—We are cloth manufacturers. We have not had much to do with Government. We have had three contracts with the Government—one for 15,000 yards infantry red, 15,000 rifle cloth, and 24,000 yards blue cloth. We have had reason to complain of the regidity of the inspector of the blue cloth-15,000 yards were rejected. The inspector said the goods were not so strong as the pattern. The cloth was tested by the machine, butit wasfoundtobe strongerthan thepattern. The objection was withdrawn, and the matter was referred to arbitration. We had no compensation for the loss of time. We paid our part of. the expenses of the arbitration. The arbitrator inspected the cloth and compared it with the pattern, and decided in our favour. Mr. Turner—That proved that the inspectors at Weedon were incompetent. Witness—l don't say that. It proved that our cloth was equal to the pattern. Mr. Selfe—You have not contracted with Government Since Witness—We have not been successful. We have sent the prices, but received no orders. • Mr. Turner—You never have suffered from returns? Witness—No ; our goods have always been placed. Mr. Turner—Your name is still on the list, and yoti receive intimations of contracts required ? Witness—Yes. Mr. Turner—But you have never succeeded in getting au order ? Witness—No, our prices have been said to be too high. Mr. Selfe—Have you any reason to believe that there le any bribery or corruption at Weedon ? Witness—No, I have never had any reason to believe so. Mr. Turner—Nothing on the part of viewers or in spectors ? Witness—No, nothing. _ _ _ Mr. Thomas Cook, of Hagues, Cook, and Co., Dewsbury, said—Our house has had a great many small con tracts from Government. I don't think we have any reason to complain of over-strictness at Weedon. We have been Government contractors for 40 years, principally blankets. The cloth supplied has been very small. The GovernMent inspection of cloth is strict, but we have never had reason to complain of re jections, they have been very small, scarcely worth speaking of. They have always been remedied and returned to Weedon. I have no reason to be dissatisfied with the system at Weedon. If you contract under certain conditions and g et your goods received, I don't think you have any reason to be dissatisfied with the system. I don't know any of the officers at IVeedon, but I do at the Tower. Mr. Selfe—Then you don't think there is any corruption at Weedon. Witness—As far as I am concerned, certainly not. A few more questions having been put to this witness, the committee adjourned. CRYSTAL PALACE.—Notwithstanding the damp and foggy appearance presented by the metropolis yester day, nearly 8,000 persons visited the Crystal Palace during the day. It rarely happens that the London fogs reach the level on which the Crystal Palace stands, and on a dark dreary day in town the air at Sydenham is often clear and fine. In the afternoon of yesterday such was the case, the stillness 'of the day showing the great fountains to unusual advantage. Taking advantage of the harvest moon being nearly at the full, the novel experiment is to be tried of playing the terrace fountains by moonlight this evening, at 7 o'clock. EARLY-CLOSING FETE.—The programme issued for to-morrow's concludin,s , fete in aid of the funds of the Early-Closing Association, includes a display of all the Great Fountains, with numerous athletic games and pas times, in which the boys of the Duke of York's School, and a large body of the military, will take part. Mr. Harrison --is-also engaged to exhibit those prodigious feats of muscular power on the Indian clubs, which always so much astonish those who witness them. To this is to be added the band of the Royal Military Asylum, so that the entertainment pFovided is of a character to meet every taste ; and is espe cially adapted to afford enjoyment to the young—to schools, for instance, whose proprietors might be tempted to devote another day to a visit to the Palace before dreary winter sets in. The playing of the Great Fountains on the occa sion will afford an opportunity to that portion of the public to witness them, to whom it is either not convenient, or who object to make holidays on, the days that those match less waterworks are ordinarily displayed—Saturday and Monday. With one or two exceptions only, the various pastimes specially provided for the day, in case the weather should move inauspicious, will take place in the interior of the building. The flowers at the palace are in a state of great luxuriance at the present time. THE MARQUIS OF LANSDOWNE IN LIVERPOOL. — The venerable Marquis of Lansdowne arrived in Liverpool on Thursday, taking up his abode at the Adelphi Hotel. His lordship appeared to be in good health, and, as regards dress, was precisely the same man we remember him forty years ago—blue coat of ample dimensions, with brass but tons,, yellow waistcoat, over which an eyeglass is suspeneded by a black ribbon, fawn-coloured trousers, and a once white beaver, browned by many a summer's sun. In the evening the noble marquis went to St. George's-hall, to hear Mr. Best's performance on th e organ . After the music, Mr. Mackenzie conducted his lordship to the small concert-room, which was lighted up for the occasion, and with which he was much pleased, declaring it to be the most beautiful room of the kind he had ever seen. On Friday Lord Lans downe paid a visit to Mr. Wm. Earle, in Abercromby square, from whence he proceeded to the Brown Free Library and Reading-room, where he was fortunate enough to meet Mr. Brown himself, with whom he entered into conversation. Subsequently his lordship was driven to the landing-stage in front of the docks, and went on board the Australian packet steamer Royal Charter. The noble mar quis took his departure in the evening for Shrewsbury. — Liverpool Journal. FRACAS BETWEEN THE MILITIA AND THE POLICE AT LivEnrooL.—The militia at present stationed in Liverpool and its neighbourhood includes many rough and violent characters, who have frequently come into col -1 sign the police, and a good deal of irritation and ill feeling has been caused in consequence. An outbreak of the more unruly members of the militia force was antici pated on Saturday night, but prompt measures being taken with respect to extra pickets and patrols, the rencontre was prevented, quiet the a eounr mark pleth is no: be fo Si' of we becoE Cons; accou and t the this x 38s. I are fu ditto basin are 91 Cents 3 per 93; d Cents Vene; 1001; Thl in tl imprc Londi Rota; BRIT 3 per I India Ditto Ditto,l Ditto COnso: Exche Ditto: Ditto Ditto Ditto, ?RIC Au3tri Brazil Ditt Chilia. Moxic Ditt reruv Ditt Ditt Portul Ditt Russia Ditt Sart& Spanil Turki; Ditl Ditl Venei Dill Belgir batch Ditl - 13 - T 4 i I dur and Max The Rai] and in t comi tract susta is or then went