The Sun. — London, England, 1859-06-22 00:00:00

WESTERN BANK OF LONDON. An extraordinary meeting of the shareholders ,as vaeld yesterday afternoon, at the bank premises, ! - L/1.,, Hanover-square, for the purpose of confirming the resolutions (or such of them as required confir mation) which were passed at the extraordinary meeting, held at the Thatched-house Tavern, on the 29tkult. The chair was taken by Mr. Roebuck, M.P. The minutes of the last meeting having been read and cr)nfirmed, The GUAIRMAN, after a few introductory re marks, moved successively , the confirmation of the five resolutions included in the notice ; the first, confirming the provisional agreement for the sale of the business, good-will, and premises of the bank to the London and County Bank ; the second, for the - winding-up of the company under the provisions of the Joint Stock Companies Acts ; the third and fourth, for the appointment of Mr. W. Charman, Mr. J. Stohwasser, and Mr. G. H. Pinckard as liquidators, and the empowering them to carry into effect the agreement before mentioned ; and the fifth Paid last for the postponement of the remunera tion of the liquidators to some future meeting. T he confirmatory resolutions having been seconded we Jre severally put and carried nemine contradicente. The CHAIRMAN said he now came to a resolution which had reference to the directors, assigning to them as it did £l,OOO for their past services. It had been said that the want of success was mainly at tributable to the humble individual who addressed them. (Loud and general cries of No, no.) He did not think it was so, but he was told that others did. He would appeal to his brother directors whether that was the case. (Cheers.) The man who said so cared more for the enunciation of his own base ideas • than for the truth ; and believing that his brother directors and himself were entitled to the remunera tion which had been already voted, he confidently appealed to the justice of the meeting to confirm the resolution which awarded it. He then moved that the vote of £l,OOO for the services of the direc tors be confirmed. Mr. E. F. STRAY seconded the resolution. Mr. A. T. JAY, after referring to a letter from Mr. Arber to the directors, dated Feb. 9, 1859, in which that gentleman, without objecting to the payment of the £l,OOO, said he thought that special notiee ought to have been given of the intention to propose it at the last half-yearly meeting, moved the follow ing amendment :—" That a committee of inspectors be formed from the shareholders to investigate the past management, and the past and present condi tion of the bank." He thought there was ample ground for postponement. At the meeting in January the chairman told them that their capital was intact, and that their losses on promissory notes and overdue bills amounted to about £1,200. At the last meeting it came out from the statement of their own accountant, that the amount was £30,000. The directors had mortgaged the Government stock —a most irregular course of proceeding, if pursued systematically. That also was a proper subject for inquiry. As regarded Mr. Clack, it appeared that they actually dismissed him. The CHAIRMAN—I beg your pardon. He was never dismissed. He was only suspended. (Hear.) Mr. JAY said that neither Mr. Clack himself nor the directors had ever offered any explanation of that gen tleman's conduct. Mr. Cla c k wa s susp en d e d for misconduct. The CHAIRMAN—NO, he was suspended because he was charged with misconduct. (Hear, hear.) Mr. JAY continued—lf there were an investiga tion it should include the balance-sheets issued from time to time, and the question whether the divid ends had been paid out of capital or out of legiti mate earnings. He asked for an inquiry, that blame might rest only . where it was really due. Mr. STOHWASSER, in seconding the amendment, should like to know on what grounds the directors considered Mr. Clack innocent. The question whether or not that gentleman was entitled to £3,000 as compensation depended upon what his conduct had been, and hence there ought to bp an investigation. Mr. ARBER, one of the auditors, hoped the directors would accede to the amendment. Since the last meeting he had discovered an additional reason for investigation. It appeared that a most important book, called " The Lien Book," had been mutilated, a great portion of the leaves having been torn out. This statement led to a long and animated dis cussion. The book referred to being exhibited to the meeting by the chairman, it was manifest that a considerable number of leaves had been removed. It appeared from the remarks of the chairman and Mr. Charman, one of the directors, that it was handed over, together with the other books of the company, to the officers of the London and. County Bank when the business was transferred ; that it was admitted by one of the officers of the purchas ing bank to have been afterwards seen by him in a perfect condition ; that the directors subsequently discovered the mutilation, and that they thereupon directed that an entry of the facts, so far as they were acquainted with them, should be made in their minute-book. The minute itself was read to the meeting. The CHAIRMAN observed that the directors were utterly at a loss to account for the mutilation ; Mr. Walker, branch manager of the London and County Bank, having complied with a request to attend the meeting, in reply to interrogatories from Mr. Jay, disclaimed all knowledge of the matter. Mr. Charman said he would give £5O to ascertain who mutilated the book, although the company could not lose anything by it, the securities themselves being quite independent of the entries in the lien book. After this interlude, which was of an unusually exciting character for a bank meeeting, Mr. MAYNARD, the accountant, presented the fol lowing statement of the present condition of the affairs of the affairs of the bank In the matter of the Western Bank of London. June 20, 1859. Approximation of return to be made to share holders : In the balance-sheet submitted to the ex traordinary meeting on the 19th ult. the assets of the bank were stated at £352,950 4 5 (subject to realisation.) And the debts due by the bank at 160,996 13 5 (other than shareholders) Of the above amount of assets there has been realised up to the close of Saturday last sufficient to pay off the loans on securities of And to the Landon and Countyßanic about 63,000 0 0 Of the £32,888 7s. 3d. due to them 17th of May, leaving due to them June 18 .. Against is to be set the purchase money of bank premises 22,350 0 0 Net balance due to Lon don and County Bank.. £328 5 8 Total of debts paid off The debts of the Western Bank of London are all paid now except £3,275 15s. Bd. I n a f ew d ays there will be su ffi cient funds in hand to extingui . sh these. The time, therefore, has nearly arrived when a fund will begin to accumulate applicabl e to mak e a return to the shareholders towards their subscribed capital. I have no reason to doubt the estimate first made, that with careful management £4O per share will be returned. To pay £2O per share will require £Bo,ooo 0 0 It is expected by the 19th August (three months from the date of the first meeting) there will be got in further as follows, viz. : Railway debenture bonds. Bills discounted.... Promissory notes .. XO,OOOO O 34,000 0 0 15,000 0 0 Loans - Land adjoining bank premises Past due obligations 1,600 0 0 6,000 0 0 9,400 0 0 £86,000 0 0 Mr. Maynard added that he had every reason to believe that, with careful management, at least £4O per share would be returned to the share holders. (Cheers.) Mr. CLACK, the late manager of the bank, said as that. was probably the last time he should have the honour of meeting the shareholders, he begged permission to say a few words with regard to the past. (Hear, hear.) He would first briefly advert to the circumstances under which he became the manager of that bank. He was first invited to come there by one of the auditors. Twice he re fused to accept the invitation, and he believed almost any terms would have been given to secure his services. Very soon after he accepted the office of.inanager he found that certain transactions had taken. place b e t ween th e p romo t ers an d cer t a i n in dividuals in the bank which were extremely dis creditable, and other circumstances occurred which had the effect of creating a prejudice against the concern. He brought with him a very large con nection, and throughout serviceo f his best energies were di rected to the the company. The lateso licitor of the bank , flaying been disappointed of the his bill, payment of endeavoured to deprive him (Mr. Clack) of the £3 ,000 which had been referred to, and which had been such a bone of contention At the meeting in January Mr. nothinger was elected . an auditor. He would say now with re gard to that gentleman's na , t i ve ,, in the course he had pursued. H e , was , he believed, one of the ori ginal promoters of the co mpany; at all events, he had received a portion of the promotion money. (Hear, hear.) His app ointmen t as audito r was e.. matter of vety little concern to him. The accounts of this bank were in . a sound state ; and at the period of the meeting. in January be confidently believed that the company had got over all its diffi culties, and was going smoothly forward to ulti mate prosperity- (Hear, hear.) To his great sur prise, Mr. Arber and his brother auditor came to the board and stated that they had certain allega: tions to make against him, and they insisted that • he should be suspended while they examined his books. Was that, he asked, a fair position to place a manager in ? (Hear, hear.) Now, what were the charges that led to his suspension ? The first charge was that he cashed a note for £3OO, and held it for a certain number of days without charg ing interest upon it. His reply was, first, that in one year that person paid £36 for interest ; se condly, that he charged him £1 18s. 4d. on account of this note (as was understood) ; and, lastly, that he had at the time £670 in the bank on which he received no interest. He might remark that when he called for the books, in order that he might be able to rebut the charges of Mr. Arber, he was met by the statement that that gentleman had exacted a pledge from the directors that he should not have access to them. How, then, was he to answer his accusers ? (Hear, hear.) When he did obtain access to them, the result was that the cashier admitted that three statements of his on which some of the charges were based were incorrect. He was charged with having concealed from the direc tors that he had in his possession an overdue note for £4,000. The directors knew that there was no foundation for that statement. The truth was that he refused to renew the note, that £3,000 was paid before the charge was brought, and th a t th e w h o l e a mount was paid ultimately. (Cheers.) He never attempted any concealment at all. (Hear, hear.) The chaages were all e x par t e s t a t emen t s , an d h e emphatically said those who had made them had been the means of shutting up the bank. Mr. STOHWASSER here interrupted the speaker, but the chairman ruled that he had no right to do so, and insisted on his sitting down. Mr. CLACK continued—He repeated that they were the means of shutting up the bank. If the accounts as they stood last Christmas were care fully, examined, it would be found that half of the monies in the bank came to it through private con nexions of his own. The reason why his services were originally sought was, he believed, that he had been in the neighbourhood for thirty-two years, and that he was expected to bring a large number of customers. The condition of the bank was, he repeated, sound in January, the only loss that had occurred being £3OO, and it it had not been interfered with it would have steadily worked its way upward. (Hear, hear.) It had been stated that losses had occurred through the adoption of a reckless mode of advancing money; but that state ment had no foundation. As regarded the mutilated books, he would observe that when questions were raised by Mr. Maynard, with regard to the value of particular bills, he observed that there were liens, and it was when Mr. Maynard inquired for the lien book, to which he referred him, that the muti lation was first discovered. The animus of all the charges against him was connected with the £3,000 to which he was entitled. The accounts would show that there had been no recklessness in the management. Mr. Arbor, having got £l5O of the promotion money, afterwards applied for the situa tion of surveyor and valuer to the bank, which he did not obtain. Mr. STOHWASSER again interrupted Mr. Clack, and the chairman again decided that he had no right to do so, Mr. Clack bein g entitl e d to p ursue the course th at he was doing in consequence of the manner in which he had been attacked. Mr. CLACK said, in support of the statement which he had just made, he would read the following letter from Sir Henry Bulwer :—" Paris, Aug. 8,1856. — The bearer of this, Mr. Arber, is a man with a griev ance; he wants to be made auctioneer, valuer, &c., to the bank. I hope you will excuse my giving him these few lines for you. I have known him some time, and should be very glad if anything could be done for him." Mr. Arber came to him (Mr. Clack) before the laSt half-yearly meeting, and told him that if Mr. Roebuck attempted to put him down as he had done previously, he would do his best to fight it out with him, even if the shutting up of the bank should be the result. That had been the result of the course pursued. As regarded the management, he had been obliged in the case of a young bank to coax business to some extent, and that necessity might have entailed some losses whieh would not have been suffered by an older establishment, but he had always conducted the business to the best of his ability, and he ventured to say . that throughout the whole of the transac tions in which they took part, the directors and himself were actuated by a desire to do their duty fairly and honestly. (Cheers.) Dr. BENNETT said, having been led to investi gate the affairs of the bank for himself, he had been led to the conclusion that there had been great misrepresentation with regard to their real state ; and independent b'ankers had confirmed him in the opinion that the bank was a good concern, and that, had it been allowed to go on, it would have succeeded. (Hear, hear.) As to the allega tions with regard to serious bad debts and misin vestments, the accounts now presented afforded a sufficient answer to such statements. (Cheers.) He trusted that the meeting would terminate the affair in such a way as to avoid any needless loss. It would be best to forgive and forget on all sides, and as there appeared to be a fair prospect of their realising £4O a share let them not be guilty of the folly of risking the diminution of their assets by re ferring the matter to a committee of investigation. Mr. BROOKS did not admit that they would get off well if they received back £4O per share. From the accounts presented in January, it appeared that the deficiency did not excee d .216 , 000 ; and, as Mr. Maynard now estimated it at £40,000, there must, of course, have been a loss of £30,000 in realising the assets of the bank. He should like to have that explained. Mr. MAYNARD explained that he had taken the loss at the maximum, and that the sum returned might be considerably more than £4O. £35,000 was the utmost loss, he thought, that could arise. In reply to a question from Mr. BROOKS, Mr. MAYNARD said it was possible that the shareholders would get back as much as £45 per share. He added, that since the transfer of the business there was received up to the 17th of May £84,000, and up to the present time £130,000, making a total of £214,000. Of the proceeds of the Government stock there remained, after re-pay ing a loan of £70,000, a balance of £6,100. Mr. KENDALL, solicitor, stated that the directors had divided the £l,OOO voted for them without waiting for the confirmation of the meeting, under the advice of the firm to which he belonged, adding that the only object of seeking it was to avoid the e possibility of a chancery snit. Mr. ANDERTON hoped there would be no objec tion to the vote of £l,OOO for the directors. (Cheers.) As regarded the amendment, he believed the sole result of adopting it would be that the shareholders, instead of getting their money within two or three months, would have to wait a twelve month for it, and the inquiry would possibly end in a Chancery kuit. (Hear, hear.) At this stage of the preedings a very animated dialogue took place between Mr. Anderton and Mr. T. A. Jay, in which anything but compli mentary language was used on both sides. Mr. NORTON, a director, said the directors were quite ready to have an- investigation, having, as they believed, been guilty of few errors in judg ment, and of none in principle, in conducting the affairs of the bank. '(Cheers.) As regarded the au ditors, it was no doubt their duty to see that the accounts were faithfully kept ; but when they went beyond that, and sought to control the actions of the board they were guilty of attempting to usur p the functions of others. (Hear.) The directors could have no i n t erest in injuring their own property, and if the auditors thought they had anything to complain of, they should have had recourse to gentleman-like communications with the board. On that occasion Mr. Walker had been examined, as if the directors were in some way parties to the mutilation of the lien book—(loud cries of no, no) — which he might observe, did not contain the securi ties, but was only an index to them. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Jay had remarked that whereas in January last the loss on past due bills was stated to be £1,200, it now appeared to be £30,000. He forg o t t h at over due bills did not necessa ril y represent lost money. (Hear, hear.) The directors had, he repeat e d, no ob jection to an i n vestigation so far as they themselves were concerned; but it should be remembered that three liquidators had been appointed, that they had nofotaydeotpteionmgmtehneceadmthenedirmaecntitown,oaunl would h e a t t o theeffectin vestigators over them; who would also, perhaps have others over them in turn. (Laughter.) [A VOICE—The Court of Chancery.] In such a case it might well be asked, " Quis custodiet ipsos cus todes ?" ("Who shall watch the watchers P") As regarded Mr. Clack, he could not help remarking that had a foreigner entered the room, and listened to some parts of the discussion he would naturally have supposed that the shareholders had been in some way defrauded of their money, whereas, in fact, there was no pretence for saying anything of the kind. (Cheers.) There might have been some irregularities, but no man who was acquainted with the facts, and who had a proper sense of jus tice, would call them crimes. (Cheers.) On the amendment being put from the chair 11 hands were held up in favour of it, and it was nega tived by a very large majority. The original resolution was then adopted, there being only three dissentients. The CHAIRMAN having declared the meeting at an end, On the motion of Mr. ANDERTON a vote of thanks was unanimously accorded to the hon. and learned gentleman and his brother directors. Mr. STOHWASSER said he thought that before the meeting separated something ought to be said in favour of the auditors. (Laughter, cries of oh, oh, and hisses.) The meeting then separated. THE SU N, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENIN G, J UNE 22, 1859, HEAD-QUARTERS OF 7HE SECOND AUSTRIAN ARMY. (From the Times' Special Correspondent.) SORESINA, JUNE 10. Nearly all the wounded Austrians are to-day in safety behing . the Mincio, none but utterly hope less cases having been left behind. Poor fellows, they have had a dreadful week of it. In excellent health and on horseback, I have found the sun and dust (the latter especially) almost insupportable ; what must some of them have suffered, dragged along ten or twelve hours a day on the springless ox carts of the country ? I mentioned to you before that the ambulance waggons are numerous with this army, much more so than is usual with any other European army, but they still fall far short of the exigencies of such a retreat as this. The heavy baggage is two days' march behind us, that is to say two days' march nearer the Mincio, so the roads are now unencumbered ; but at first a total jamb seemed inevitable. This will not sur prise you when you consider that this army with its trains of artillery, pontoons, ambulances, baggage, &e., cannot occupy less than 120 miles of road. The day we left Abbiate Grasso it took me three hours to reach Castelletto, a village only two miles off, even on horseback, I having missed the opportunity of riding with the General, owing to a Croat having given over the British Commissioner, Captain Mildmay, to the hands of the Proiost-Martial, on suspicion of being a Piedmontese. He was liberated after some little trouble, but at head-quarters they positively forbad him to run the risk, of riding back through the town to call for me, as had been agreed, so he sent a messenger, who arrived about an hour afterwards, telling me where to join him. I accordingly mounted and proceeded leisurely to the saburb where the head-quarters had been, and where I expected still to find them. I confess I felt exceedingly uncomfortable when I discovered that every Austrian was gone, and that my appear ance caused such alarm to the Italians that all I approached to ask the way took to their heels. It was not till they had closed and locked their front gates that a dozen of them ventured to appear at a first floor window to parley, but then we soon came to understand each other, as they all spoke at once. From Binasco we went on the 6th inst., by Pavia, to Belgiojoso ; this journey of under 20 miles, re quiring 11 hours, so crowded were the roads, although the finest and broadest in Europe. Had the French been in a condition to follow, confusion must have ensued. That they did not follow proves beyond the possibility of a doubt that they under state their loss at the battle of Magenta, if it be true, as the telegraph announces, that they pre tend only to have had 2,500 killed there. If their loss was so trifling, why did they pause four days ? On Wednesday, the Bth, their advanced guard first came on the Austrian rear guard, General Boer's brigade, near Malegnano. In the fight which ensued General Boer was killed, but the next day, yesterday, Benedek moved out from Lodi and drove the French beyond the Lambro, whence they , did not venture to return to molest, as they might have done, the corps which to-day crossed the Adda. The head-quarters remained two days at Codogno, whence they proceeded yesterday to Cavatigozzi, on the direct road to Mantua, and here to-day, to be in the centre of the army. The army has retreated in three main columns, the first, second, and third corps, and part of the seventh in the centre, protected by the rest of the seventh and the eighth on the right flank, and by the fifth, joined at Codogno by the ninth, on the left flank. Urban holds Treviglio and Bergamo on the extreme right. The sixth corps is at Verona, the 11th at Mantua; so the army is approaching its resources. By this evening the whole will be across the Adda•—the Bth and part of the 7th corps by Lodi, where there was a wooden bridge, which is probably burnt at the time I write. Pontoon bridges were thrown across at Vinzasca and Fermi gana for other corps., and the sth and 9th and the garrisons of Piacenza and Pavia cross at the fortress of Pizzighettone. The two former places are already destroyed and abandoned ; the last-named and Lodi will be demolished to-morrow, or perhaps next day. Pavia was given up on the 6th, the day I was there, but re-occupied on the Bth. Yesterday the place was again abandoned. Piacenza was almost perfect as an entrenched camp for about 40,000 men. How they can have made up their minds to destroy the result of so much skill and labour I know not. It must strike all who have watched the events of the last few weeks attentively that there have been frequent changes of purpose in the Austrian coun cils. There was the resolve to act entirely on the defensive ; then the threat to overrun Piedmont after three days ; then that was not carried out at the request of England ; then a defensive position was taken in the Lomellina, and abandoned almost without defence; then the troops crossed the Ticino so scattered that it must have been intended either to march straight back to the Mincio, or else to try some coup-de-main on the left ; the next day battle was accepted, and the victory abandoned the day after, when nothing was requisite to secure it but to remain quiet; then came the retreat ; then the day before yesterday Pavia was re-occupied, and Benedek turned so fiercely on the Frenchman that his outposts ran no risk of being disturbed for some time to come ; then yesterday the backward movement was resumed, and to-day here is the army on the east of the Adda. I. suppose you look to me for some explanation of all this, but I can only guess what is wrong, so I will not risk being unjust by telling you what I guess, but will mention some facts which will enable you to judge for yourself. 1. There was latterly an electric telegraph direct from Vienna to the head quarters of the operating army, and messages used to arrive sometimes every half-hour, even during the night, much to the disturbance of the superior staff. 2. General Hess, Count Gyulails superior officer, met him at Bereguardo on the morning of the 3d inst., at daybreak. 3. General Hess was present at the battle of Magenta next day. Now, whether this retreat is a masterly move ment or a most weak one, I think that it will be unfair, considering these coincidences, to give all the praise or all the blame to Count Gyulai. Of course, the whole army is furious ; the Lancers have torn the flags from their lanced ; the Sagers have thrown aside the flowers they always carry in their hats during war. Indiscreet officers give vent to their feeling. in words ; the more discreet twirl their moustaches by the hour together; but I must in justice add that the general tone is that of stern determination to let the future atone for the past. The more I see of this huge army the more con vinced I am becoming that, whatever Power de votes its attention to the perfection of the indi vidual soldier will secure an almost incalculable advantage in warfare by being able to use fewer, men, who will be more easily fed, and who can be brought to bear on any one point with much greater facility. With the Austrian system of recruiting it is impossible to make really efficient soldiers. A peasant boy is enlisted nominally for eigkt, years, but after two leave of absence is given, and he is not called on again except in case of war. Three-fourths of this army, then, even of the Artillerymen, are men of less than two years' service. To such men the warfare of this country must be most trying. The trees are so numerous that they never see their enemy till within a couple of hundred yards, and they never see their own sup ports. That an army so composed can have fought on equal terms for ten hours with a superior force of picked French troops proves that with good management during this campaign the men can be depended on next year to do anything which sol diers have ever done. Like all allied armies, the French and Sardinians abuse each other. French prisoners say of their friends, " Ces . . . la ne se battent pas," and a Sar dinian gentleman, carried off by a patrol the day before yesterday, says the French Guards never stopped running from Magenta tilLthey reached Vercelli. 2,000 Austrian soldiers were got together close to Milan, having straggled so far as that when their regiments were beaten back on the 4th. Some of them were seen fraternising with parties of French who did not know the country and were walking off straight to Milan. The French having brandy in their canteens and the Austrians water may have added to their mutual amiability. The Commissariat of this army is not good. Clam's men left Milan for San Martino at daybreak on the 3d inst., some of them having just arrived from Verona, and for 50 hours I am assured they did not even get a piece of bread. aslAoynndeisw division of the armies is expected shortly, the Ist and 9th corps, though operating with the a n r e m ar y, belonging, Trie s Trieste, and to s the also first. dest when thoroughly organised. Each Austrian corps d' arme consists iil •- 1 sions under a lieute e • 1 nant-general, or lieutenant- , field-marshal, as they call b i it here ; the divisions generally have two brigades, but some few have three ; the brigade consists of four b • attalions of infantry, a troop of cavalry, and a battery of artil lery--in all 4,200 men when complete'. Besides eorldflefwo ro fourthldty these there is a force of reserve artillery and a I cavalry corps, under General Count Mensdorneglected ff, a e a l me of the g l etter llic e to r. m ß eiit i t o l th y a e y n , colonel who led tha t g allant charge at Ponte i m o ost ay da l s o l s ii t n Magenta. It was Baron Editsheim, with three troops of his regiment, the Preussen II u3StITS. In consequence of the frightful slaughter of officers in every late affair, the Emperor has ordered that they shall wear caps. This will be a great boon to the Quartermaster-General's Staff, of whom 13 have fallen already, being so easily known by their light green plumes. If a battle is acce p ted on this side of the Mincio, the Austrians must hurry up more cavalry. At present they have only 5,000, quite to enough for patrolling, but utterly insufficient manoeuvre on the open country about Montechiaro and Castiglione. The people are very frank with the Austrian officers. They acknowledge that they would prefer to be under a purely Lombard Government, but they add that if either France or Savoy attempt to annex them they will assist the Austrians to come back. We are promised the re-establishment of postal communication to-morrow. It has been quite cut off for the last ten days, so that I have been much puzzled how to send my letters to you. However, I hope you have received them safe. THE HEAD-QUARTERS OF THE ALLIED ARMIES IN ITALY. A letter from Cassano, on the banks of the Adda, dated June 13, says : Another promenade militaire has brought us over the Adda. Although the Austrians have suc ceeded this time better than before in destroying the bridges over tke river, not only at Lodi but likewise at this place and Vaprio, this measure has, as you see, not very much retarded the progress of the allies. Provided as they are with a nu merous pontoon train, calculated especially for this country, with its numerous rivers and canals intersecting the road, a few hours were sufficient to re-establish the means of commu nication. As for defending the banks of the Adda, the Austrians could scarcely think of it, except in a very desperate case. The reason of this is simple enough. The right, or Lombard bank of the river, commands the opposite bank almost all along its course. A crest or plateau of from 40 to 100 feet in height skirts the right bank, now approaching the river quite close, and now receding a little distance from it. The other side, on the contrary, is an uninterrupted plain, which the eye can follow almost to the banks of the next tributary of the Adda and Po—the Serio. It is something like that of San Martino and Turbigo on the Ticino, with the difference, however, that there is no canal and corresponding elevation on the opposite bank. There is, indeed, a canal alongsidethis river, which fertilises the district of Lodi, but it is on this side of it, and at this point so close to it, that it looks more like a little branch than a separate stream, only a narrow bank intervening between the two. The Adda is the last line of defence which exists up, to the Mincio ; there are, indeed, here and there positions which possess a certain strength, but they are isolated points only, where the defender may offer a battle under favourable conditions, if he be so inclined. All the different roads which come from north-west and south, after passing the Adda, unite in two main roads, one in the north by Brescia to Verona, and the other by Pizzighettone and Cremona towards Mantua. These two roads, or one of them, at any rate, must always be the line of operations for an army marching to the east, but there are so many byroads and crossroads connect ing the two that for an array used to forced marches nothing is easier than to deceive the enemy on the object of its operations. The more one approaches the Mincio the easier this becomes, for the two main roads converge. Whether the Austrians will receive us in the famous rectangle of fortresses, or will meet us on the road, remains to be seen. We know that they have received great reinforcements, and likewise that others are still on the road ; it will probably depend on whether they are able to bring them up in time. On the other hand, the allies have like wise taken their measures to oppose to these efforts on the part of the enemy others on their side. Whatever one may say about the rapidity with which the French army appeared on the scene of action in Italy, France was not prepared for the war; the regiments - which had to leave in hot haste were on a peace footing, except those which came from Algeria. They had scarcely more than one half of their strength, the rest being on what is called conge renouvelable—that is, after serving three or four years, the men are allowed to go on furlough, which is renewed at short piriods, until they have served their time. It is only since the war has begun that these men have been called in, and most of them have by this time arrived. Their number alone - will add quite a third to the forces, and then it must be remembered that these are not recruits, but seasoned soldiers, most of them dating from the Crimean campaign. Thus both parties are preparing with equal vigour for the great occasion. In the meantime, until it happens, the allied armies, at any rate, have an agreeable time of it in this fertile and beautiful Lombard plain, through which they are marching. It is like an agreeable promenade in a park. Although the country between Milan and the Adda is similar to that further west, yet the richness of the vegetation, combined with the per fection of cultivation, gives it an entirely different character. Thus you have the long, straight chaussees, it is true, but they are not those mono tonous sunburnt roads, with equally monotonous rows of willows, or naked, closely-planted poplars, cropped close as charity boys, but you have a road protected in most parts by high, full-spread chest nuts, poplars, and elms, which impart shade even at noon-day. Two little ditches, with clear ,flow ing streams, on both sides, impa r t additional:fresh ness, and vivify a dense mass of brushwood and creepers at the foot of the high trees. Besides the wild vine, which creeps up gracefully under the branches of its more powerful neighbours, you find there all the old acquaintances —the nut, the rasp berry, the cranberry, and every variety of the three, while at their feet near the fresh water, nestle a number of wild flowers in all their varied garments. The side roads are no longer those tire some nursery garden rows, which must have served as models for the background in the pictures of the early Italian school. The richness of the vegetation has transformed them into delicious cool country lanes. The rice-fields have quite disappeared, and the corn-fields are much less frequent. Instead of them the eye roams over large plots of grass, chiefly thick Lucerne, which is grown in large quantities in this country, renowned for its dairies. The formal en closures beyond are so completely hidden by the rich ness of the brushwood and the free growth of the trees that they seem the borders of a considerable forest, just sufficiently cleared to admit the grass plot. All this mass of verdure is animated by the song of the nightingale, the blackbird, and lark, who seem to have forgotten the numerous sports men of Lombardy, or, perhaps, think that while the cryis " lJiorte at Tedeschi ' " they, as good patriots, have nothing to fear. From Milan all along to the Adda the villages succeed each other with as much rapidity almost as in the neighbourhood of Lon don, only they are picturesque Italian villages, and not uniform suburban hamlets. Besides these you almost every moment meet one of the cascini, or large detached farmhouses, or see them in the distance, peeping out of the trees beyond the road. Every one is the centre of groups of peasants, who seem to have forgotten their work in their anxiety to have a look at the troops. Everywhere you are greeted by the sounds of music and glasses, gaping crowds saluting and crying " Evviva,". troops reposing and refreshing themselves ; the whole looks like going to a fair. And through this jubilee the soldiers have to march by easy stages. When they arrive at the halt for the day they encamp in the green fields to the right and the left, the tents are soon pitched, there is plenty of wine, bread, and meat, plenty of wood to cook with, and water everywhere. A de tachment goes to the village to fetch clean straw, and the bivouac is as comfortable as can be. Now and then, indeed, a shower comes down to spoil the fun, but no one cares much about this while there is plenty to eat and drink, and the next morning the sun does the rest. Not the least im portant part of the afternoon's business is foraging for dainties, which is pleasant work among such numbers of rich farms; eggs, fowls, and milk are never wanting, nor is the payment at full market price only, but often rather more.' , If it goes on like this, the peasant will soon lose his fear of war, which, in his mind, is always equivalent to'giving without receiving. The stir, animation, and easy life which the army leads at present are, it seems, contagious, for every where you see volunteers, whom you can recognise by the tricoloured feathers in the hat, and often a piece of printed paper behind it, with Clacciatori delli Alpi printed on it. The name of Garibaldi, the less severe discipline, as it is supposed, and the romantic character which attaches to his troops, seem all to be so many allurements, which take much more than the regular military sorvice in the regiments. With all this the good people, I think, rather deceive themselves, for the Cacciatori delli Alpi have just as much regular drilling to undergo before they join as if they were regular soldiers of the line of his Majesty Vittorio Emmanuele 11. Those who are under the superintendence of the captain of the depot at Como have, I dare say, found this out by this time; The question of a further issue of Victoria .Six per Cent. debentures is under discuSsion by the agents of the colony in London, but the joint-stock banks being wil. Hug to make advances on this security, there is no com pulsion from want of funds to bring them out at any path• cular time. [ADVERTISEMENT.] — HoIIoway's Ointment and Suitable for all.—These purifying preparations should be in every house ; they are compoSed altogether of vegetable extracts, and being entirely free from mercury or any other mineral, they may be used with the utmost safety and cer tainty of success by all members of the family circle. Their action is always alterative and slightly aperient. They regulate digestion, adjust the secretion of the liver, promote the activity of the kidneys, and over every organ exert the most wholesome control, rousing the sluggish, and re • pressing excessive action. Their beneficial influence is not confined to .any particular region, but ranges over the en tire system, from which they eradicate everything thac, is noxious and etibetitute health for disease. THE PEERAGE. The present Ministers have not yet appealed to their constituencies, they have exercised no act of Government, they have scarcely had time to enter the offices of their several departments, and yet they have elevated two gentlemen to the Peerage —Sir Benjamin Hall and Mr. Vernon Smith. It is, of course, desirable that when a politican has established an inconvenient claim to office there should exist some honour which he may be induced to accept instead of the coveted post; nor can we doubt that in the cases of Sir Benjamin Hall and Mr. Vernon Smith the usefulness of the institution has been properly tested. But it remains to be I seen how long the Peerage can be made to render such services without losing its efficiency as a part of the Constitution. It must be confessed that of late the privilege of creating peers has been suffi ciently asserted. In the memory of living men the House of Lords consisted of little more than 250 mombers, even counting the 28 representatives of the Irish Peerage; now the number is about 460, and there is every reason to believe that in a few years it will have reached 500. In fact, since the advent to power of the second Pitt the British peerage has changed its character. Pitt's policy placed the greater part of the Tory gentry in the Upper House, and Pitt's successors kept possession of power for the first 30 years of this century. The consequence was that the rural balance of power was disordered, and in every county there were old, wealthy, and powerful Whig families in the ranks of the commonalty, while much s inferior houses en joyed the honours of the peerage. That Earl Grey and Lord Melbourne should have advised King William and her present Majesty to remedy these inequalities was only natural, nor can we blame them, although from 1830 to 1841 an immense in crease was made in the number of the Lords, an in crease loudly protested against by the Tories of that day. But with the equalisation of honours between the two great parties this extravagant diffusion of honours might well have ceased. We are not about to indulge in any sentimentalism with respect to the aristocracy and its privileges, but, for better or worse, the House of Lords is an institution of the country, and ought not to be tampered with to suit the convenience, of every Minister. Now, it seems to us that the making of peers has for the last three or four years especially been carrried to a length which is prejudicial to the dignity of the Upper House. Take first the creatiou of law Lords. Three years since the house took upon itself to declare that a peerage for life did not confer the right of sitting and voting as a peer of Parliament. On the legal question it is our duty to submit to this high authority, but, as it is notorious that the oppo sition was prompted by other than legal convic tions, we may ask what has the House of Lords gained by this obstinacy in refusing the admission of peers for life ? There are now sitting on its benches five ex-Chancellors—Lords Lyndhurst, Brougham, St. Leonards, Cranworth, and Chelms ford. Lord Wensleydale and Lord Kingsdown have been lately created, Lord Cottenham and Lord Truro are dead, leaving families to inherit their honours. So great is the necessary influx of legal personages that men without sons are notoriously sought, in order not to fill the house in the second generation with members of no ancient lineage and with very slender fortunes. But, with every endeavour to keep down the number of ennobled legal families, the Peerage is receiving a continual accession of them, while the appellate jurisdiction, the pretext for this yearly creation of new Barons, is inefficient and dilatory to a degree known only to lawyers and their unfortunate clients. But, if veteran judges must perforce be brought into the house, and their families, rich or poor, be made part of the Peerage in order to obtain a Supreme Court, there can be no such reason for constant creations of country gentlemen and second rate politicians. For some time this process has been going on with increased rapidity.' We have had the Peerages of Aveland, Fermoy (Irish), Ken mare, Chesham, and Ebury conferred on indivi duals more or less commonplace ; while Lyons, Wensleydale, and Macaulay suggest merit of various kinds. Si nce L or d D er by' s accession to office we have been favoured, as far as we recollect, with Chelmsford, Kingsdown, Churston, Clyde, Elphinstone, Leconfield, Egerton, Tredegar—pretty well it will be allowed for sixteen months. And now we have two new Peerages, while other ambi tious Whigs will, no doubt, shortly make their way to that empyrean of earthly greatness—the Upper House. To this must be added the constant in crease by the establishment of claims to dormant titles, the calling out of abeyance of baronies by writ, and the sundering of these old dignities from the higher ones with which they were held. Thus within the last year the two Scotch Peerages of Newburgh and Herries have been successfully claimed; a nephew of the late Duke of Leeds has succeeded to his barony of Conyers, and no doubt other events of the same kind have taken place. The extinctions of Peerages by failure of heirs by no means counteracts this constant increase, and it is for the Lords, who have shown themselves so indignant at the very moderate and reasonable proposal of creating one or two lawyers Peers for life, to consider how far the indefinite extension of their numbers is consistent with their dignity and usefulness. To us it seems that a change in the constitution of the Upper House must sooner or later be the result of this extravagant scattering of honours.. A ROMANTIC STORY. On Saturday morning last a gentleman, who hap pened to be passing the Mansion-house before the opening of the justice-room, was accosted in sorrow ful accents, by a neatly-dressed and rather pretty yowlg woman, who asked him whether he could tell her how to get access to the Lord Mayor. Struck by her appearance, and anxious to aid the afflicted, the gentleman questioned her as to the purpose for which she wished to see the chief civic magistrate, and learning that she was a stranger in London, that she had been robbed and was penniless, and that her object in seeking an interview with the Lord Mayor was to apply for some assistance while she was struggling for the means of living honestly and honourably in the great world of London, he took her up to the justice-room, through the private entrance, and recommended her to the officers of the court until she had an opportunity of stating her case to the Lord Mayor himself. Upon this recommendation she was kindly received, and had a seat assigned to her, where she remained while the charges were being disposed of, About 18 years old, rather tall, somewhat slim in form, with fair and intelligent features, a neat little bonnet (but not too little), a modest little veil, a holland jacket, and a well-fitting dress, she made a considerable impression upon those who happened to )-e present and heard the outlines of her history, and when, as ever and anon was her way, sho lifted her eyes from the floor and glanced upwards with a sigh, then stooped and affected hastily to wipe away a tear that would force itself from beneath her eyelids, pity and sympathy were excited on her behalf to a very appreciable extent; for she seemed to be a martyr to the tricks of Fortune, who was persecuting a sensitive mind by exposing it to the tortures of a degrading but inevitable appeal to charity in a public court. Some deference was shows to - the apparent lacerated state of her feel ings by disposing of all other business, and giving a hint that " strangers might withdraw," before she was told that his lordship was at liberty and would listen to her application. Twice the officer gently urged her to ascend the witness-box, and twice she shook her head with a movement as if her very soul revolted from the sacrifice. But the officer essayed his persuasive voice a third time, and then, gathering up her garments with dignity about her, she made her way to the spot, and spoke, but in tones so discon solate and inarticulate, that the Lord Mayor sought to encourage her by telling her to come nearer and speak without fear. Upon that invitation, so kindly given, she got down-from - the - witness-box, and walked to the desk which stood convenient for her purpose, about a yard distant from his lordship „ • and whether it was that the courage which before seemed to have entirely forsaken her returned of-itself, or whether it was conjured back by the benignant countenance and paternal accents of the chief magistrate, cer tain it is that all at once she became a marvellously self-possessed young woman, especially considering the diffidence which, only a minute before, she had displayed in responding to the invitations made to her to come forward to state her case. Upon the *desk before her she laid two small and neatly-gloved hands (for she seemed i n all respects to be an fait to the proprieties) ; upon the desk, too, she fixed two lustrous, but downcast eyes (she had previously thrown up her veil) ; and so estab lished in a most favourable - P osition, she made her appeal, and thus ran her tale _ Her name was Anna Bell , and she was a native of Carlisle, in which ancient city her parents for many years occupied a respectable position i n society. But, alas , f or the uncertainty of all things sublunary, her father and mother died, and she was left to push her fortunes as best she could in a cold-hearted and cruel world.. She had never been to service, but she had served a year's appren ticeship to a milliner, without, however, being able to maintain herself, as she desired to d o . She had no relations save one—an aunt, who lived at or near Carlisle (she wa s not ver y explicit as to whi c h), t o whom she had some little tim e ago paid a visit, and m i ght , perhaps, have continued there in comfort, only her aunt introdu ,ed her to a gentleman whom she (her aunt) thought Would mak her a good hus band and protector, but whom she herself loathed) hated, and detested. [Here she lifted up her eyes for a moment, paused, and looked furtively into his lordship's face, to see, probably, what degree of encouragement was in store for her.] Nevertheless, she felt it politic to appear to acquiesce in her re lative's suggestion, and left Carlisle as if for the purpose of being married; but instead of going to the altar with her suitor she made the best of her way to Newcastle, where she consulted some friends as to what was best to be done. It was suggested that she might perhaps be able to obtain a passage to Australia as stewardess in some passenger ship, and while some recommended her to go to Liver pool with that view, others told her that she would be more likely to succeed in London. She took pas sage in a steamboat, and to London she.came, land ing at some wharf somewhere against the docks, on the night of Tuesday week. She took lodgings, she said, in some street of which she did not know the name, but you went down the Minories to it, and it was close by that place where the soldiers walk about all day with those great high caps. [Conjec tured to be the Mint or the Tower] There she had slept at night, making inquiry all day for employ ment, but without success. Worst of all, since she had been in London—she did not know how, and she did not know where [and she did not say when] —some one had robbed her of all she had. It might be at the house where she had lodged, for they seemed to be a noisy, drinking set, but she could not say. However, finding her money gone, she quitted that lodging on Friday morning, leaving a quantity of clothes behind her for 35., which she owed, and on Friday night she slept at a coffee-shop. Alarmed at finding herself helpless and destitute, and fearing for consequences, she ventured, in accordance with advice she had received, to ask his lordship for some little assistance to enable her to struggle on till she could look further for a situation, or get assistance from her friends. [Here she gave ano ther and keener glance at the Lord Mayor's face.] As for returning to Carlisle, that she hardly wished, as her relative might still insist upon her marrying the gentleman from whom she had fled. She -would of course rather—much rather not have mentioned this at all, but—[with such an air of candour] —as she was making his lordship acquainted with her history, she felt it was better to tell him everything. Having thus finished the recital of her history, and put her claims to sympathy upon a proper foundation, she bowed down her head, relapsing into her original weakness while she awaited a re sponse to her appeal. The Lord Mayor, who had listened very patiently, told her she deserved some little sympathy if her tale were true ; but upon that point he could of course say nothing until some inquiry had been made. Nevertheless, as her position in London, ac cording to her own showing, was a dangerous one for a friendless young woman, and as he was anxi ous to redeem her from destruction, he would do something for her at all events. When could she hear from Carlisle ? She could get an answer by Tuesday, if she wrote that day, she said. Well, then, she must write at once, and bring the answer to the court on Tuesday. Meanwhile an officer would go with her to her former lodging, redeem her clothes, and then take her to a respectable house, where ber expenses for a week should be paid from the poor-box. Whether any more were done for her must depend upon the result of the inquiries about to be made. With an ostentatious curtsy, and a most melo dramatic " Thanks, my lord," she then retired with an officer, leaving the impression that she had carefully studied her part, and got herself well up for the occasion. She also left behind her a suspi cion that she was no stranger to the stage ; and alto gether it was apparent that she was no stranger to the world and its ways, and by no meaas afraid to battle with the little difficulties that a young un protected female has to encounter in pushing her way onward and upward. While sitting below in the officers' room, Munday, who is a good fatherly sort of a man, gave her some sound advice, and warned her against the snares which beset the feet of the unwary in London, upon which she became communicative and confidential, telling him that last night, as she was walking about, looking for a lodging, she met an old gentleman who offered her gold, and that she refused his offers with scorn and indignation, for she would sooner die than do such a thing ; and Mundav, in the plenitude of his sympathy, believed her. Therefore, he made haste to obey the injunctions of the Lord Mayor, by going with her to her lodging in Burr-street, East Smith field, where he redeemed her clothes, and then placed her with a respectable widow woman, living in Fenchurch-street. But first he had questioned her connexions by way of references, and she gave the name of her aunt, Mary Bell, living in Fort-road, Carlisle, and also that of Madame la Comtesse de Maricourt, or as she wrote it, in a scrawling hand and very questionable orthography, " Counts de Maricourt, Swinburn-place, No. 7, Newcastel." Having fixed her comfortably, Munday left her to the care of her new landlady, who, upon a subsequent visit informed him that her young lodger had been doing nothing all day long but reciting plays. This strengthened the notion previously entertained that she was by no means a stranger to the stage. It must be said here that Munday, although in clined to trust in the virtuous asseverations of his protege, took his own steps to ascertain her real cha racter and history. In the first place he made pri vate inquiry of the landlady in Burr-street, with whom Anna Bell had told the Lord Mayor she had lodged since she had been in London, with the ex ception of the Friday night, and then, with the strong instinct of his calling, he applied to the police of Carlisle and Newcastle, as the fountain-heads of information on such a subject, the result being that he was soon placed in a position to lay before his lordship the following report : " Mansion-house, June 20, 1859. " My Lord,—By direction of your lordship I have made inquiries respecting the young woman, named Anna Bell, who applied to your lordship for assistance on Saturday last. I have seen Mrs. Stephens, who resides at 51, Burr-street, East Smithfield, and who stated that the girl has-been lodg ing at her house about ten days, but did not sleep there for the last two or three nights; that she was at the theatre on one of the nights she slept out, and that she (Mrs. Stephens) had a very bad opinion of her, from her manner of conduct ing herself. I have also communicated with the police at Carlisle and Newcastle, the result of which will be explained in the accompanying letters.—l am, my Lord, yours, &c., " G. MUNDAY, Mansion-house Officer." " City Police Office, Carlisle, June 19. 1859. " Dear Sir,—ln answer to your letter of the 18th inst., I beg to inform you that Anna Bell left Carlisle about six weeks ago, and was said to have gone to Sunderland as a dressmaker. While in Carlisle she cohabited with an officer of the 3d West York Militia, then stationed at Carlisle Castle. She formerly lived at Blackhill, near Berry Edge, Durham. She is a native of Carlisle. Her mother, a very old woman, nearly blind, lives in Fort-road, but she has no aunt living there. She is a tall, slender girl, and is well educated; but she bears a very indifferent character in Carlisle.—Yours, &c., " GEO. E. BENT, Chief Constable." " Chief Police Station, Newcastle-on-Tyne, June 19, 1859. " Sir,--I have the honour herewith to acknowledge the receipt of your communication this morning, and, in reply, to forward you the report of the officer engaged in making the inquiries. —I am, sir, &c., " JOHN SABBAGE, Chief Constable." " Detective Department, June 19, 1859. " Sir,—l beg to inform you that, in reference to the com munication from London respecting Anna Bell, I have seen the Countess de Maricourt, who states the girl Bell was an inmate of the infirmary in this town. The Countess was a visitor there, and she then stated to her that she belonged to Carlisle, and on her coming out of the infirmary she called on the Countess and wished her to recommend her to a situation. That is all she knows respecting her. " JOHN ELLIOTT, Inspector. " To the Chief Constable, Newcastle-on-Tyne.' ) With this information before him the Lord Mayor was well prepared to receive his expected visitor, who yesterday once more appeared before him look ing as pretty, and as demure, and apparently as unsuspicious as ever. She ascended the witness-box with a curtsy and awaited his lordship's leisure. The Lord Mayor did not keep her long in sus pense. He told her that the result of the inquiries made since Saturday had, he was sorry to say, not confirmed the truth of the statement which she had then told him as to her having left Carlisle to escape a marriage with a man whom she hated, as to her having always led a virtuous life, and h er b e i ng anx i ou s for assistance to preserve her in an upright course. He would read to her the result of the in quiries, in the hop e tha t it would be taken notice of, and so prevent her from imposing on other's. Sh e curled her lip, in a way w hi c h was meant ' to be haughty, as his Lordship commenced reading Munday's report; but her smile soon relaxed into a grimace, and a strong nervous twitching of the corners of her mouth bespoke a state of mind any thing but pleasant. She endeavoured to interrupt his lordship, but he requested her to remain silent until he had fi n i s h e d , and he then read to her the letters received from the police at Carlisle and Newcastle. " Then," she said with some excitement, " as to that militia officer at Carlisle, as God is my Judge, and as you, gentlemen, here, arc Christians, it's all false. And as to Mrs. Stephens, where I lodged, I never was out after 10 o'clock at night, except once, and then happening to walk towards the West end, I asked where I was, and was told it was the Wellington Barracks ; and if that is indiscretion, I don't know what is." The Lord Mayor—And you were then walking with a soldier. Anna Bell—No, I Was not. Will you not allow me to clear my character P The Lord Mayor—l am quite satisfied with the result of the inquiries, and would rather let the matter conclude here. After this it is quite impos sible for me to give you any assistance. Anna Bell—lf I can prove myself innocent, wh a t is' to be the result ? The Lord Mayor—Why, if you are innocent, I would advise you not to stay in London, or you may not remain so. With theatrical gestures she exclaimed, " With all deference to you ,my lord, I quill stop in London till I clear my char acter, and I will clear it if I stop till I starve." After this heroic • declaration she gave a slight curtsy, turned ,on h( heel, and left the court. FROM Tif_E G... 4; I :ETTE OF LAST NIGHT At the Court of Wu tdsor, the 18th day of Arne 1859, present the Queen's M ost Excellent Majesty in C ouncil. Her Majesty, upon a ,rei , resentation of the Right Honour able the Lords of the tr.',4) mmittee of Council on Education, was this day pleased to ) appoint the Reverend Nevill Gream, M.A., Curate c Tetbury, in the county of Glou cester, to be one of he 7 I viajosty's Assistant Inspectors of Schools. BOARD OF G 8,17. EN CLOTH, JUNE 18. The Queen has been phrased to appoint the Right Hon ourable Edward Granv Me. Earl of St. Germans, G.C.8., to be Lord Stewaid of he, • Majesty's Household in the room of the Most Honoural zle Brownlow, Marquis of Exeter, K.G., resigned. WAR-Cri ''FILE, JUNE 21. The Queen has been fp •aciously pleased to give orders for the appointment of Genei 'al Sir Thomas M‘Mahon, Bart., K.C.8., General the Eat l Cathcart, K.C.8., General Sir William Maynard Gomm, K.C.8., and General Sir Robert William Gardiner, K.C.B ~ to be Ordinary Members of the Military Division of the First Class, or Knights. Grand Cross of the Most Honour'able Order of the Bath; and of General Henry Wyndh..tu i and Lieutenant-General John Aitchison, to be Ordinary 1 dembers of the Military Division of the Second Class, or nights Commanders of the said Most Honourable Order. WHITE rIALL, JUNE 13. The Queen has been pi 'eased to appoint Francis Skey, Esq., to be Surgeon in t2i, Artillei". Company of London, for the term of five years 'm the date hereof. WHITEHA ..14L, JUNE 17. The Queen has been pleas ed to direct letters patent to be passed under the Great Sea 1, granting the dignity of an Earl of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland unto the Right Hon. A rc hib a , id William, Earl of Eglinton, in that part of the United Kin gdom called Scotland, R.T. and the heirs male of his bed. v lawfully begotten, by the name, style, and title of Earl f Winton. WAR-OFFICE, PAT L-MALL, JUNE 21. COMMISSARIAT DEPARTMI ...INlT.—DeputyCommissary.. General William Henry Drab C. 8., to be Commissary- General. CHAPLAIN'S DEPARTMENT. --The Rev. Edward J. Rogers, Chaplain of the Fourt. is Class, to be Chaplain of the Third Class. COMMISSIONS BY LOW DS-LIEUTENANT. County of Gloucester—Willian t Montague Baillie, Esq., to be Deputy Lieutenant. 90th, or Stirlingshire, &c., Hi Oiland Borderers Light Infantry Regiment of Militia—Lie u tenant John Henderson"; to be Captain, vice Robert Stuart 1 VI cGregor, resigned. 7th Regiment of Lancashire 11 UT itia—Lieutenant John Hamilton to be Captain, vice Ge( irg e Davison Bland, re signed; Ensign George Edward C ort.ton to be Lieutenant, vice John Hamilton, promoted. 6th Regiment of Royal Lancashio re Militia—John Clarke Swanton, Gent., to be Lieutenant. Royal North Lincoln 111ilitia—C1 iarles Frederick sharp, Gent., to be Ensign. Ist or Western Regiment of r iorfolk Militia--Georg• Hill, Gent., to be Lieutenant. Western Regiment of Suffolk " Militia—Lord Augusta' Henry Charles Hervey to be Lieu . tenant. BANKRUP TS. Samuel Carter, corn merchant, Fen Stanton, Hunting donshire, to surrender, June 28, at eleven, and July 21, at half-past one, at the Court of Bani kruptcy. William Trump, wine merchant, Wellington, July 4 a nd 25, at twelve, at the Exeter Distria t Court. Armond Stannard, livery-stable . keeper, Little Cadegan• place, Chelsea, July at two, and July 29, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Robert Davies, innkeeper, Liana. illo-yrt-rhos, Denbigh. shire, July 6 and 27, at 12, at the Li'lrerpool District Court. Charles Freeman Cotterrell, linen. draper, Paddington, Middlesex, June 28, at one, and Juky 28, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. David Sillar and John. Chrrles SMasr, merchants, Liver pool, and Shanghai, China, .July 6, and 27, at eleven, at William Dennis Shutt, the Liverpool District Court. 116 High-street, Shoreditch, July 6, at half-pas t twelve, and Aug. 3, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. i r onmonger, , SCOTCH BA N'ICRITPTS. John Goodchild Mordey, farmer, Dunse. David Ballantyne, spirit dewier, Hamilton, Lanarkshire. John Dunn, flesher, Glasgow. James Hendry, merchant, Airdrie. James Galloway, carrier, Abirygton, Lanarkskire. COUNTRY It fARKETB. LEEDS—J] (nix 21. There is more tone in the wh eat trade to-day, and fresh qualities would be readily taken, at Friday's rates, but there is very little on offer, holders pn &erring to wait rather than take present prices. Barley non mina'. Beans fully as dear. Oats and other articles without ] siaterial change in price. Arrivals this N reek : Wheat .. 3,371 qrs. Barley - — 20 Oats Peas . • .. Rapeseed, ... .. - • • 662 Beans • 625 Linseed - _ Averages for t be week : Wheat 2,539 qrs., at 49s lid Beans 3l „ 475 Od 8ar1ey......... ft —s Od Peas .... ~ —a Od Oats l6 „ 22s 5d Rye 35 ff 3ss 9ld LIVERPOOL—JuNn 21. This morning we had, a rather better attendance at our corn exchange. The business passing was very fair for both wheat and flour, and where transactions occurred wheat may be quoted at 2d per cental advance since this day week. Indian corn 4d dearer, with a moderate busi ness. Oats and oatmeal a dull sale, and 2d lower. Beans and barley unchanged. NORWICH CATTLE—FUNS 18. A large show of store beasts to •day, comprising . Scots sal shorthorns, and Irish. Sales were rather restricted, but a good attendance. Scots, 4s to 45 6d • shorthorns, 3s 6d to 4s 6d ; Irish, 3s to 3s 6d. Fat beasts, '75 6d to Sc per stone. Sheep—The pens were well filled. Prices --Fat sheep, 7s 6d to 8s 6d per stone. Pigs—Good store pigs, 25s to 30s. Fat pork, 6a to es 64 per stone. LOCAL SHARE MARKETS. LtvEuroot,—JuNE 21. The market was firmer, without any increase of business. Birkenheads, 68! 9;—Leeds Northern, 44 s—Blackburn', Hi I—North British, 531 4—Great Western of Canada. 14i I—Grand Trunk of Canada, 8 11-16—GreatWestern, 55 —Sheffields, 35 1—Caledonians, 79L—Lancashire and York shire, 89I—London and North-Westerns, 891 90—Dutch Rhenish, 6/ dis.—East Lancashire, 87 88—Berwick', 881—Midlands, 98 91—Chester and Holyhead', 48 49- , Eastern Counties, 111—Dovers, 20 1. BIRMINGHAM—JUNK 2L There was a very inactive business done in this market to-day. No sales reported. Great Western, Birmingham Guaranteed, 711 72—Birminham Preference, 91 7—Lon. don and North-Westerns, 89f 90f —Midlandm, 981 *— Worcester Canal, 14 15-01 d Union Mill, 10f 111—Vown and District Bank, lli, sellers—Birminghana Canals ! , 92} —Birmingham Banking Co., 26127}• LEEDS--JUNE 12. There was little doing, and prices closed rather easier. Midland stock, 991—Dovers, 67 5..16. eds, 89/ MArrmiEsTER—JUNE 21. There was a limited busi 9 n B 7 99 d 9 o B ing_, N a o n rt d h t u he nia p n ric A e: Sheffields, 351 — were steady. London and North Westerns, 891—Ditto, 242 —htetprns°,vCelortunsd' it2sioe—Midlands, -119dsLe' 11—Birkenhead, 69 PRICE OF GOLD.—The quotation of gold at Paris is about at par, and the short exchange on London is 2.5.121 per £1 sterling. On comparinc, these rates with the Eng lish Mint price of £3 17s. 10W. per ounce:for standard. gold, it appears that gold is about 2-10ths per cent. dewier 1 Paris than in London. By advices from Hamburg rho price of gold is 4191 per mark, and the short exchange on London is 13.14 per £1 sterling. Standard gold at the English Mint price is therefore about 2.loths per: cent dearer in Hamburg than in London. The course of ex change at New York on London for bills at 60 days' sight is about 110 k per cent., which, when compared with rho Mint par between the two countries, shows that the ex change is in favour of England ; and, after making allowance for charges of transport and difference of date rest, the pr esen t ra t e l eav es a profit on the importation o f gold from the United States. BIRTHS. ALLEYNE.—On the 20th inst., at 4, Oxford-square, Hyde+ park, the wife of A. M. Alleyne, Esq., of a son. BRowELL.—On the 18th inst., at MOulsford, Berko, the wife of Commander Browell, R.N., of a daughter. CAVENDISH.—On the 19th inst., at 12, Hyde-park - stre et, the Lady Elinor Cavendish, of a son. YARDLEY.—On the 20th inst., at Horton Manor, Bucks, Lady Yardley, of a daughter. MARRIAGES. HURST—PARRY.—On the 18th inst., at St. Matthew's Church, Islington, James Chas. Hurst, of 10, St. Ann's villas, Notting-hill, eldest son of Lim pus Hurst, Esq., of daughter of the late 0. H. Parry, the Audit Office, Somerset-house, to Emma Jane, eldest Esq., Reading. lON—BATTY.—On the 18th ins t., at Littlehampton, Mr. John lon, of Aldersgato, London, to Kate, the youngest daughter of the late Mr. William Batty, of Littlehamp ton, and Aldersgate-stree t . DEATHS. ALEXANDER.—On the 20th inst., at 2, ,Darnley-place, Gravesend, Kent, Mr. Robert Alexander, late of H.M.'s Customs, Lyndon, aged 76. ANSTRUTRER.—On the 19th inst., at Edinburgh, Marian, wife of James•Anstruther, Esq., W.S. BRERETON.—On the 17th inst., on board the ship Barham, on his return from Madras, Edward Brereton, midship man, fourth sou of the Rev. John Brereton, of Kensing ton, aged 15. GRUT.—On the 19th inst., at Stoneville, Sevenoaks, Nicholas Grut, Esq., aged 71. MARSHALL.—On the 19th inst., at Richmond, the lion. , ')(3 Rosalinda Elean3r Marshall, relict of Lieut.-Colonel Marshall, late 91st Regt., aged 59. Pr,LissiEn.--On the 18th inst., at Chepstow, William St. George Pelissier, Esq., LL.B., aged 84. SCOTT.--On the 19th inst., at Curzon-street, Mayfair, Lydia, Lady Scott, widow of the late, Sir Dohnan Scott, Bart., of Great Barr, Staffordshire,aged 60. , LONDON : 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 Middlesext Webesclay,Juse 22, 1858.