The Sun. — London, England, 1858-12-29 00:00:00

NE W LES. ( From a Correspondent of the Times.) SYDNEY, OCT. 12. During the last month this colony has been wit,- ' ness t'i one of those extraordinary instances of popuhr frenzy which serve to show how little men are g aided by reason, and how much by impulse. The recent rush of miners from California to Fraser's River, has been more than paralleled by a similar rush of Australian diggers to a point on the north-east coast of this continent. The locality which has thus become suddenly populous and famous is situated on the banks of the Fitzroy River, and just about the latitude of the tropics. It is not beyond the confines of pastoral settlement. but it is on their extreme verge. For many years past there has been a small settlement at Fort Curtis, where the town of Gladstone was laid out by the Government. A convict station was once formed :there, but was soon abandoned, and the pert has had no other trade than what arose from supplying the few sheep and cattle stations in its rear. Gold, however, was found by a man named Chapple, at a spot called Canoona, about seven miles north of the Fitzroy River. The news soon spread. Hutkeepers, shepherds, and the few labourers employed in the neighbourhood were soon collected on the spot. Vague reports of their won derful success were circulated, and soon reached Sydney. Coasting vessels, and then steamers, and then large clipper ships were laid on for the new Eldorado, and fitted up with extraordinary ra pidity. The excitement that prevailed was per fectly unaccountable. It was in vain that the Herald, the only daily journal Sydney now pos sesses, entreated the infatuat ed people to exercise a little patience, and pointed out that the gold actually found had been a mere trifle. Rumours ran about town that private letters had been re ceived giving the most glowing accounts of the richness of the new diggings, yet none of these letters were obtainable for publication. No per suasions, no warnings could stay the madness. Men were throwing up their situations in all directions, and in many cases even employers, de serted by their workmen, were following them to the goldfields. The infection reached the neigh. bourin° colonies. From all the goldfields in Vic toria diggers poured down by hundreds to take their passage to the Fitzroy. The first steamer that returned brought only 161 ounces, but the • crowds of adventurers refused to be disheartened, and all sorts of reasons were invented to account for a larger quantity of gold not having come down. The exodus, however, has received a most decided check within the last few days. Intelligence has come down that the spot on which the gold was first found Was an alluvial flat of limited area, con, taining at the most not more than 70 acres; that though it contained gold in considerable quantities, and so near the surface as to be easily obtained, it was worked out, and no new diggings had been opened; that scores of the adventurers, disappointed in their expectations, were flinging away their picks and shovels and rushing on board the vessels in the river, insisting on being carried back. So great was the excitement that the Baratah steamer, which has just returned, has brought back the greater part of her cargo, the agents being deterred from landing it, from a fear that it would be vio lently seized by the exasperated diggers. Hun dreds are still on their way thither, not knowing of the reaction that has set in, and if when they arrive no new auriferous locality shall have been discovered the confusion will be frightful. The Government has despatched a small police force to the spot, and a hospital for the use of the sick. There are no possible public works which it would be worth while to carry out in so remote a spot, so that there is nothing for the unsuccessful diggers to do but to come back. Many of them have not money to do this, though return passages are offered by the ships at halt-price. To raise the money to get tp the diggings numbers pawned or sacrificed their little property, and have rendered themselves per fectly destitute by their folly. The Government has been appealed to to step in and mitigate the misery that must ensue, yet it is not easy to see what the Government can do without overstepping its legi timate province. The whole affair is rendered still more perplexing by the fact that, notwithstanding the confusion and excitement that exists, there are many who still persist in sa yi ng th a t the country is highly auriferous, that a little time will prove it so, and that those who are returning are chicken 'hearted adventurers who ought to have stopped at home. In spite of the return-tide of emigration from the Fitzroy, practical diggers are still setting out with perfect confidence of success. It is cer tainly all in favour of their views that the locality is contiguous to a district pointed out by Sir R. Murchison as likely to contain gold ; and that the Rev. W. B. Clarke, who knows as much of the geology of New South Wales as any man living, years ago pointed it out as a place where gold would be found, and adheres to his opinion still. It is not at all likely either that gold should be found in considerable quantities in one small valley, and yet exist nowhere else in the neighbourhood. The probabilities are, therefore, that a permanent gold field will be opened up somewhere in this district, though there may be no discoveries of such extra ordinary richness as to justify the frantic rush that has taken place. The facility with which the new goldfield could be reached accounts in some degree for the eager ness with which people have rushed there. Had it been 100 or 200 miles inland the difficulties of the journey would have deterred all but a few from venturing till definite information was gained. But the Fitzroy River is navigable for small vessels up to a place called Rockhampton, which is only 27 miles from the spot where the gold was found, while for small boats the river was navigable to within seven miles of the diggings. Under these circumstances men rushed off without compunction, knowing that they could come back again easily if the goldfields should prove a failure. SYDNEY, OCT. 15. The Royal mail steamer Emen, with the August mails, which she brings in her proper turn, and the July mails, which she received from the disabled Australasian before leaving Ceylon, arrived here on the evening of the 13th inst. The Emeu left Suez Aug. 27, and Galle Sept. 12. During her whop service she has been distinguished for per forming the passage with greater regularity than any other vessel on the line. 'fhe•strong feeling of annoyance which pervades this community at the repeated irregularities in the English postal service has been stimulated afresh by the accounts just received of the perverse discouragements offered by the Home Government to opening communication via the Isthmus of Panama. The letter of Mr. J. L. Montefiore, pub lished in your journal in July last, does not in the least overstate the general favour in which the Pacific route is held by the colonists of New South Wales and New Zealand, while there is no oppo sition to it manifested by the Southern colonies, whose separate interests would be, nevertheless, served by the Suez line. The fact is that all parties have suffered so much disappointment from the Eastern postal undertakings that the experiment of opening the Western communication would be hailed with universal expectation in this hemi sphere. With us in particular matters have assumed a definiteness and unanimity - that are sure to pre vail within a moderately short period. On the 6th August Mr. Parkes moved in the Le g islative Assembly a series of resolutions affirming, 1. That steam communication via India had produced gene ral dissatisfaction ; 2. That any new arrangemen , for steam communication by that route would be in no important respect beneficial to New South Wales except as a mairservice, to which this colony must always be the last point of arrival; 3. That in the present state of the question it is highly necessary that some fitsl — Srelis should be taken, and that New South Wales should insist upon having the Panama route ; 4. That in all probability, steam communication by this route would in duce a large amount of spontaneous immigration from the Anglo-American communities, as well as from Europe ; 3. That, in securing an ob jest so important to New South Wales, the question of cost is not the first for consideration ; 6. That this colony requires to be consulted before any fresh arrangement is entered into by the Imperial Govern ment. These resolutions, which will reach England by the mail overdue in London at the time I am writing, were supported by all sections of the House, and were carried by 27 to 9 votes. In consequence the Government introduced a Bill to enable them to enter into a contract with and subsidise, to the extent of £50,000 per annum, any company that will insure the course of post via Panama within 120 days ; and the Bill, having passed the Assem bly without division, will be road a third time in the Council this afternoon. This subsidy, it will be borne in mind, is from New S out h Wales alone. The general question has been taken up with equal earnestness in Victoria, and the very rational understanding has been arrived at that the colonies must have a fortnightly communication alternately via Suez and Panama, Victoria taking in hand the Eastern, and New South Wales being chiefly respon siNle for the Western line. By this grand arrange ment both the mother country and her Australian possessions will have a connected and complete circle of steam communication for postal :purposes and for passengers, and will be enabled to calculate .the day and almost hour of arrival at any point round the world. An uncomfortable suspicion has latterly forced itself upon us in Australia, in respect to this ques tion of steam communication, that the Home Go vernment has a disposition to sacrifice us to the furtherance of her Indian interests ; but it is to be hoped that the: cordial concurrence of the British Ministers in the almost unanimous wishes of the colonists when they are rightly understood will remove the unpleasant feelings thus engendered. Assuredly, no power or policy can keep the gate of Panama closed upon the Australian cot nies. The excitement which, during the past month, inflamed the public mind in consequence of the reported discovery of a rich paying gold field at the Fitzroy river is in some measure subsiding ; but the removal of so large a class of population to a locality so remote on our northern coast, and into a district hitherto occupiecionly by a few squatters, with their stations 50 miles apart, will produce more important results than are apprehended at the present moment. The Sydney and Melbourne news papers very naturally put prominently forward among the consequences of this exodus the suffer ing and anarchy that will ensue from the precipi tation of 5,000 or 6,000 persons on an uninhabited desert, exposed to the exhausting influence of a tro pical sun, and many of them unfitted for the hard and patiently-sustained toil by which alone they can hope individually to be successful, and very little appears to be thought of the new cast that will inevitably be given to political events in this part of the world, the variety of the natural products that will be added to our exportable wealth, or the extant of the commercial field that will be opened by the colonising phenomenon now fixing the at tention of all the Australian communities. That portion of the English public who have ob served the course of events in the colonies for the last few years will be aware that formerly an at tempt was made by the Imperial authorities to form a new settlement, partly for penal purposes, at Port Curtis, a little over 700 miles north of Sydney, and that the town of Gladstone at that port has since been our most important northern station. The Fitzroy river empties itself into Keppel-bay, about 180 miles further north, on the tropic of Capricorn. It will be noticed that it is nearly as far beyond Moreton-bay—the intended seat of the new Govern ment by those who have been agitating for the sepa ration of the northern districts from New South Wales—as:Moreton-bay is from Sydney, and that the settlement of a numerous population there is almost certain to create a powerful influence against the measure of separation as proposed. The people of Fort Curtis and the Fitzroy, if they are to depend upon a distant Government, will much rather preserve their political connection with Sydney than be pro vided for by a Moreton Bay Administration. A feeling of pride as well as self-interest will urge them to protest against the separation schemes of the Moreton Bay squatters, which would make their fine districts the mere outposts of the petty town of Brisbane, apiece of 2,000 inhabitants. Ano ther great consequence of the Fitz Roy settlement will be its influence on the progress of civilisation on the Pacific, from its proximity to the morefertile and important island groups of Polynesia. But I am forgetting the topic of the hour in these specu lations. In the early part of Aug. reports reached Sydney that gold of a rich quality had been found very plentifully on the surface of the earth at the Fitz roy, and in the course of a few days samples of the precious metal, duly ticketed, found their way into the shop windows of our bullion dealers and jewel lers. The fever which almost instantly spread through society has been a matter of astonishment to most persons on the spot, who were here to wit ness the effect of the discovery of gold by Mr. Har graves in 1851, for the popular excitement even then was not more general, nor did it • exhibit symptoms of greater intensity. This is to be ac counted for on two or three distinct and obvious grounds :-1. The new diggings were many hun dreds of miles further north than any gold field yet discovered, and in a region that may be said to be totally unexplored. The rich "finds" diffused them selves at once over an extensive field, and there were no established facts to damp the ardour of the .imagination. 2. The journey, all but a few miles at the other end, was by water, and therefore pre sented no immediate hardships, and shipping accommodation, even by commodious steamers, readily offered itself. 3. The gold itself and the peculiarities of its deposit were pronounced by ex perienced diggers to indicate a rich and extensive field. 4. The state of business and general employ ment in Sydney for some time past have produced a feeling of discontent, and many persons in situa tions at low salaries, as well as many out of situa tions and others unprofitably engaged in trade, eagerly caught at the chance so suddenly presented to them of bettering their condition. At all events, in four or five weeks as many thousand persons were on their way to the new El Dorado. A Govern ment township named Rockhampton has been laid out on the Fitzroy, about 30 miles from the sea, and the locality where the gold was first found is about 40 miles further inland, and bears the aboriginal name of Canoona. The river is navi gable for good-sized vessels as far as Rockhampton, which consisted at the time of the discovery of three tenements, a public-house, and two provision stores. The Fitzroy is now the name on every body's tongue, and flaming announcements meet the eye at every corner of powerful steamers and first class ships laid on for Rockingham. According to a Government return, dated September 30th, as many as 3,232 persons had then sailed from the port of Sydney alone, and several large vessels crowded with passengers have since left, though the arrival on the 12th instant of the steamer Wonga Wonga with 238 returned adventurers has very sen sibly checked the movement. Yesterday 101 re turned in another steamer. When a ship is about to sail a crowd of 4,000 or 5,000 - men, women, and children collect on the wharves, and she leaves amid a loud interchange of huzzas. The return of disappointed men under such circumstances is not surprising, and proves nothing more than the folly of persons who go out so thoughtlessly on such an errand. By the Wonga Wonga a reporter of the Sydney Herald returned, and he describes as follows the state of things at Rockhampton when he reached that place from Canoona on his way back to Sydney : " I did not reach the Rockhampton tilL the after noon of Monday, when I found about 3,000 persons encamped on the banks of the Fitzroy. They were in a state of great excitement, and were rushing more vigorously to the vessels that were to take them to Sydney than they had done to those that brought them from it. On board some of the vessels that arrived there was also some commotion, the passengers refusing to land from the vessels that had brought them. "On Tuesday there was a large assemblage of persons round the tent of the Australian Steam Na vigation Company on the arrival of the Sampson with the first instalment of the Wonga Wonga's passengers. Some threatening language was used about rushing' the company's tent, and maledic tions were cast upon the company's directors, who were believed to be in some way, though how was not explained, implicated in the delusion under which the men had suffered. One person made himself very conspicuous in this difficulty, and harangued the people for some time. Ultimately the crowd broke up into small knots, and, amid much grumbling, gradually dispersed. " Wednesday morning was ushered in with a report that it had been determined by certain par ties to rush' the stores ; and with the intelligence that a meeting of diggers was to be held that after noon to take the whole matter into consideration. The rushing did not come off, though the meeting did. It was not numerously, and certainly not respectably attended. Its gist may be gathered from, the speech of o ne o f th e gent l emen, ev i dently one of nature's orators in the rough, or rather in the very rough. He said, ' Look here, mates, we're not going to starve in this here hole. I'm for rushing the stores ; and if any of you will stand by me, here's the man as will lead you on.' The sentiment was cheered,. butit _did not meet with further support; and, luckily, a diversion in favour of order was created by the arrival of the Eagle. Here ensued another scene of confusion, some 300 or 400 persons assembled on the shore and shouted to those on board the Eagle not to land, but to seize the ship. After some questioning and answering, those on board made up their minds, and declared by their spokesman, We'll stick where we are.' Capt. Moodie now came ashore from the Eagle, and yells and hootings resounded from the bank, all aimed at the unfortunate little steamer. As soon as Capt. Moodie had landed he was surrounded by about 150 per sons, evidently with no friendly intent, for nume rous criss were heard of Pitch him overboard ; he's as bad as the rest.' By the employment of considerable taet and by the manifestation of much coolness of temper the jolly old captain managed to drag through the difficulty, and at last soothed down the disturbance by announcing that those anxious to go back should be taken at half price. This at once allayed all the excitement, and on the following day the tickets were taken up as fast as they could be issued; and the Wonga sailed on the following Friday for Sydney." It is evident that many of the gold-seekers of this class turned back before the search commenced, as will ever be the case where people suffer their desires to outstrip their reason. The practised dig gers are, however, still confident that a vas t go ld field ex i s t s in thefar north, and the work of re moval is steadily going on among them both in this colony and in Victoria. The latest letters from this description of adventurers are not calculated to discourage their own order from , following them.. The Fitz roy gold is in coarse , nugget ty" grams, and is of a redde r colour than the produce of other diggings It has been found at a depth of from two to 12 inches. A parcel assayed at the Sydney mint gave a value of 1;3 11s. Bd, per oz. of gross pro duce. The Government have acted w ith much fore thought and promptitude i n sending to the new settlement police protection and the requisite means for preventing starvation and. suppressing tumult. ThreG of the Sydney banks—the Union,. the Joint- Stock, and the New South Wales—have sent offi cers to establish bullion branches at Canoona. It has long been thought by many persons who take an interest in Australian colonisation that sugar, coffee, and spices, as well as cotton, will yet be successfully cultivated in the northern parts of this extensive and varied territory. It has been urged, too, by East Indians that the soil and cli mate are well suited for opium. The great obstacle, no doubt, to these pursuits is the present cost of la bour, which, however, does not appear to be an in surmountable one in the arrangements of the future. The interesting country which has been suddenly unlocked by this northern gold discovery, it may be reasonably inferred, will be admirably adapted for tropical cultivation. One of the Fitzroy diggers in a letter just received, says :—" I consider this the finest climate I ever rambled in, and I have seen a great part of the world." Little has been done in the Legislature during the past month. The Electoral Bill is still in com mittee of the Upper House. As it was sent up from the Assembly, this bill conferred the suffrage on every British-born or naturalised subject of the Crown of full age, and not under any legal dis ability, who at thetime of making out the electoral roll of any district should have resided there con tinuously for six months. This clause has been altered in the Council on Mr. Deas Thomson's motion, so as to establish a complicated system of franchise similar to the present. By the amend ment every freeholder, every 110 leaseholder, every £5 householder, every recipient of a yearly salary of £lOO, and every depositor of £5O in the savings bank, will have a vote. The object aimed at, no doubt, is to preserve a property foundation for the right of suffrage ; but it is difficult to see the sub stantial superiority of this scheme over the simple plan proposed by the Government, while it will give rise to endless complaints and agitation. It is not likely that the Assembly, consisting of the " representatives of the people," will submit to this wholesale alteration of the franchise clause by the Council, which is composed exclusively of the Go vernor's nominees. The unsatisfactory result will probably be several months' delay in the passing of any bill on the subject. As yet nothing final has been done for the restric tion or regulation of Chinese immigration. From one cause or other, chiefly owing to the large hold of the Fitzroy goldfields on the public mind, politi cal feeling just now is at a low ebb ; but, whenever a general election comes round, the question of Chinese immigration will assume a sudden import ance little dreamt of by some of our legislators. Among the small settlers and the working popu lation it is felt as an intolerable grievance that these people should be prowling about the colony in thousands, all of one sex, engaging in none of the permanent industrial pursuits, and apparently bent exclusively on carrying off our gold to their own country. In many instances, on the gold fields where they have had a numerical preponder ance, they have assumed a menacing attitude, and numbers of them carry arms. The feeling very general is that the convicts of Great Britain would have been a preferable class to these Chinese pagans. The revenue of the colony for the quarter ended Sept. 30 was £352,230 against £337,916 for the corresponding quarter of 1857, showing an increase of £14,314. The revenue for the year ended same date has amounted to £1,248,011 against £1,182,361 for the year terminated Sept. 30, 1857, showing an increase on the 12 months of £65,650. _ Among the occurrences of the month a public testimonial, consisting of £1,068, has been pre sented to an old colonist, Mr. Wm. Bland, who was among the earliest and the most faithful advocates for the introduction of free institutions. The name of Wm. Bland will be honourably known to all Australians resident in England. The total quantity of gold received in Sydney by escorts from the different diggings, from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30, is 182,092 oz. 8 dwts. The gold received at the Mint in Sydney during the same period has amounted to 261,276 oz., and the coinage of the same establishment has amounted to 791,500 sovereigns, and 486,000 half-sovereigns. The total shipments of gold and coin have reached the following totals :--41,021 oz. 16 dwt. golddust, and £170,103 bullion. THE CHAPLAIN OF ST. PANCRAS WORKHOUSE. Yesterday a meeting of the directors and guar dians of the poor of St. Pancras was held at the Court-house, Camden-town, for the purpose of re ceiving the report of a committee appointed to draw up a statement of the facts which led to the dis missal of the Rev. Thomas Pugh from his office of chaplain to the workhouse. Mr. Churchwarden Cameron having been called to the chair, Mr. Plaw, the clerk to the board, read the report. It stated that the true statement of the recent painful events which led to the dismissal of the chaplain were the following :—" On Tuesday, the 7th•of December, Mr. Wyatt, as chairman of the Officers' Duties Committee specially summoned it together to report that on the preceding day it had come to his knowledge that the chaplain had, on the previous Saturday, visited Mr. Muskett, a fugi tive from justice, and that after consulting Mr. Humphreys, jun., solicitor, he sent f or th e rev . gentleman, in the presence of Mr. Humphreys requested to be furnished with Muskett's address; to which Mr. Pugh replied, Ido not know it.' On being told that the answer was not satisfactory, as it was well understood that he did know it, he said, You cannot know that ; you are only guessing it.' On being further pressed he admitted that he did know it, but declined to give the information. He was cautioned of the impropriety of aiding a criminal to escape from justice; that such conduct might possibly lead to his own dismissal. Mr. Wyatt begged the chaplain to reconsider the matter. About two hours later Mr. Pugh called on Mr. Wyatt, and stated he had seen Mr. Dale, the vicar, who quite approved of his determination to withhold the required information, it being a privileged commu nication, received as a 'confession' betwecnminister and layman, and Mr. Pugh further suggested a reference to the bishop. On this latter point Mr. Wyatt reported that he very carefully pointed out to Mr. Pugh that he did not ask him to reveal one word of what had passed, but simply that he should name the place where he himself had been to as this fact could not be deemed any part of the com munication made in confession. On being sent for by the Officers' Duties Committee, Mr. Pugh declined to fufnish them with Muskett's address, on the ground of its being a privileged communi cation. He was duly cautioned as to the conse quences to him, and it is distinctly affirmed by the Officers' Duties Committee that, while before them, Mr. Pugh never ga v e th e s li g ht es t intima tion hat he had pledged his word to a third party not to reveal the address, but founded his refusal simply on the privileged character of the commu nication between and himself. The committee reported the same day to the Board of Directors, before which Mr. Pugh was called and interrogated. He was asked what he meant by saying he did not know Muskett's address. He denied at first ever having done so ; but, on Mr. Humphreys fully corroborating Mr. Wyatt's state ment, Mr. Pugh admitted it, and replied, that it was a long address, and he could not remember it without referring, and, further, that he wished to evade the question. He still refused to give up the address, on the grounds al rea dy s t a t e d ; b u t, j ust before leaving the room, in reply to a question put by a director, he stated that, before receiving the address, he had given Mr. Muskett's solicitor a solemn promise not to divulge it, thereby putting the matter in an enti re ly 'diff eren t light." After referring to the resolution sent up to the vestry, recommending his removal from the office, the com mittee stated " that they were satisfied that the chaplain's evasive and unsatisfactory conduct before the board mainly produced this result, and not his refusal to reveal the address. Even had he stated the entire truth in the first instance the committee had no doubt but the board would have considered him very blameable, in consenting to receive the address of an officer suspected to be guilty of a serious crime, under the promise to maintain the same inviolate." The report next gives the resolu tions of the vestry for the dismissal of the chaplain and those adopted last week, and remarks that " the subject had been much discussed in the public press ; and in some cases, from a want of knowledge of the real facts, the conduct of the directors had , _ -- ---- been severely animadverted up on . — It also appeared difficult to credit that the bishop, the archdeacon, and the vicar could have had the whole truth before them when they gave the unqualified approval of the conduct of the chaplain, as stated in the motion of Mr. Young. The committee recommended that a copy of this report should be forwarded to the vicar with a positive assurance from the board that they never pressed Mr. Pugh to reveal the address after he had informed them that he had pledged his word to a third party to keep it secret, and that his dismissal was mainly caused by his own evasive and unsatisfactory conduct before the board, which rendered it impossible for them to recommend his restoration to the office of chaplain to the work house, and that the vicar be requested to communi cate these facts to the vicar and archdeacon." Mr. WYATT moved the 'Adoption of the report, and that a copy be sent to the vicar, with a request that he would lay the same before the Archdeacon. of Middlesex and the Bishop of London. He con tended that this statement was a faithful exposition of the whole of the painful affair. (Hear, hear.) Mr. STOCKTON seconded the motion, bearing his THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 29, 1858. testimony to the truth of the statement, as did also Mr. Tomlinson and other gentlemen. Mr. YOUNG denied that the statement was ‘a truthful one, and - complained that the committee ex cluded the press. He moved as an amendment, — That the committee ought not to have excluded the public press, or proceeded with an inquiry into the statement of facts relative to the Rev. T. Pugh without offering him the option of being present at such inquiry ; that the report of the committee containing fresh allegations against Mr. Pugh was unsupported by certain evidence of their truth ; and that, in lieu of adopting the report, a faithful copy of the minutes of the directors' meeting of the 7th, and the vestry of the Bth of December, be forwarded without comment to the Rev. Canon Dale, for the use of the clergy about to inquire into the conduct of the Rev. Thomas Pugh." Mr. STUBBS seconded the amendment, and The CHAIRMAN explained that it was unusual for the press to attend committees, and that no appli cation for admission was made. The amendment was negatived by a majority o? 19 to 3, aml the original motion ultimately carried with three dissentients. THE DERBY MURDER. The inquest on the body of Edwards, the man who was stabbed in the neck by his companion, named Bland, on Christmas-eve, at Derby, was held on Monday afternoon, in the grand jury room, Town-hall, before Mr. Coroner Vallack. Mr. Flewker appeared for the prisoner. The following evidence was adduced : James Birch, silk-twister, said—l was at Bishop Blaze public-house on the afternoon of Friday last. The deceased and Bland came in about 11 o'clock in :the forenoon and drank together in the tap room. They quarrelled, and between four and five o'clock they adjourned into the yard and fought. Edwards seemed to have the best of the fight. They fought fair for three rounds, and then shook hands and went back into the tap-room. Arthur Bland then stood up between two tables, and commenced scraping his trousers with a clasp knife, his face being turned towards the fire. Some words which I did not hear took place be tween Edwards and Bland, and the former got up from his seat and struck bland on the side of his head, and he fell down. When he got up Bland struck at Edwards in return, and, the latter fell down on the settle in a sitting posture.. Edwards never spoke, but a great quantity of blood gushed out of his throat, just as if it' came out of a tap. He died in a minute afterwards, before medical assistance arrived. He never spoke after he was stabbed. Both Edwards and Bland were in liquor. I was not sober. Before they went out to fight I heard Bland say that Edwards could not beat him in half an hour. Neither of the men were drunk, but were rather "fresh." Edwards gave the first challenge to fight, and struck the first blow on re turning into the taproom. In the yard Bland had been knocked down, and he was scraping the dirt from his trousers when he received the blow from Edwards. The knife produced is the same that Bland used. William Tarr seized hold of Bland and held him until the police came. A boy named Owen, a waiter, was in the room at the time Bl an d stabbed Edwards. Some other witnesses gave evidence as to the quarrelling and the fatal blow that followed, and the surgeon testified to the examination of the body of the murdered man. The Coroner ;summed up, and The Jury, after a brief consultation, took a mow merciful view of the case, and returned a verdict o Manslaughter only, and he was committed for tria at the next March assizes. THE APPALLING ACCIDENT AT THE VICTORIA THEATRE. LATEST PARTICULARS, TUESDAY NIGHT. A sensation which it would be difficult to describe still exists on the Surrey side of the water, arising out of the deplorabl e a ff a i r w hi c h occurred in the Royal Victoria Theatre, on Monday night, and some particulars, as far as they could be obtained during the excitement which prevailed, appeared in this journal of yesterday. At an early hour yesterday morning Mr. J. Towers, the lessee and manager of the theatre, summoned all hands who had been engaged the previous day in the house, for the purpose of inquiring into the cause leading to the deplorable loss of life, It was stated that a gas explosion had been the principal cause of the disaster; this has been found, upon inquiries instituted, to be entirely erroneous. Mr. Towers stated that a report appeared in one of the daily papers that ho mentioned swething about an explosion of gas having taken place; on the contrary, he begged to state most distinctlythat there was no explosion whatever. From the inquiries made of the master carpenter (Mr. Wood), and. various others connected with the theatre, there is not the slightest ground for the supposi tion that any explosion happened; on the con trary, a box or package of fusees, i n a man's pocket, ignited, when lucifer matches, by some means b ecame when a false outcry of "fire" was immediately raised, and hence arose the awful panic which led to so many fearful deaths. Many persons complain of what they describe an ac 4 -, of indecency in opening the theatre after such a fearful sacrifice of human life, but it is only right to say that it was not done for a matter of gain, but from sheer compulsion—the gallery stairs being entirely choked up bypeople, and to attempt to expel them would have been attended with far more serious consequenees than unfortunately hap pened. Mr. Towers, in addressing his company, said that no man could deplore more than himself the loss of life, and he would not only go to the expense of burying the bodies of the unfortunate deceased, but he would freely grant the use of his theatre for the benefit of the relatives of the unfor tunate parties. Had it not been for the praiseworthy exertions rendered by the police under Mr. Superintendent Beekerson and Inspector Byron, of the L division, it is impossible to form a conception of how many other lives would have been lost. Harrington, who is specially engaged as an Offi CK.T in the theatre, in endeavouring to keep the populace back, was seri ously injured in various parts o f the body. The following is a correct list of the names and addresses of the deceased lying in the workhouse of St. Mary, Lambeth, which have all been identi. fled by their respective friends, viz. : Charles Buchan, of No. 11, John-street, West street, St. Olave's. He was.aged only 13 years. Henry Monks, of No. 1, Harwood-court, Peter's hill, Doctor's-commons, aged 17 years. James Valentine Novinan, aged 16 years, of No. 108, Saffron-hill. Robert Cobley, of No. 8, Union-street, Boroun.h road, Southwark, aged 16 years. George Craig, aged 14 years, of No. 2,'.Upper Cross-street, East-lane, Walworth. Moses Holford, aged 17 years, of No. 42, Kent street, Southwark. Charles Marven, aged 21 years, of No. 9, Grove place, New .cut. T°lna g, of No. 15, Dudley-street, Sev en . dials, h Thomas Lewen, 1 e 5 1.1 years.. ill mas Lewen, a ge d 15 ye a rs , o f N o . 43, aJudd street, Brunswick-square. Charles Barber, of No. 9, Pepper-street, Union street, Borough, aged 14 years. In the dead-house of Lambeth are lying : William Jenning s , of No. 5, Wellington-court, Wellington-street, Blackfriars-road, aged 13 years. Patrick Hanorein, of 15, Cherry-garden-street, Bermondsey, aged 18 years. In St. Thifinias's Hospital are lying : Two persons dead, one named William Cooper, of No. 7, Anthony-street, Bermondsey, aged about 15 years. The other person is supposed to be the son of a painter named Connolley. The inquest upon the two bodies lying in this hospital will be held by Mr. Sergeant Payne, this afternoon (Wednesday.) In Christ Church dead-house, Blackfriars-road, is lying the body of Edward Walter Maizey, of No 17, Neptune-street, Spring-place, Wandsworth road. Upon making inquiries at the other hospitals to • which other persons had been removed, after being injured, our reporter was informed that, notwith standing they had been frightfully hurt, they were likely to survive. • Drs. Donahoo and Johnson, with surgeons Bate son, Sewell, and Edmunds, of the New-cut; Brookes, of the Waterloo -road; and various other medical gentlemen, have been unremitting in their attend ance upon the many other petsons who have been removed to their own resideriees in the immediate vicinity of the theatre. The moment Inspector Byron, of the L division, became aware of the calamity, he sent for his super intendent (Mr. Beckerson), when that gentleman 'and nearly 30 police officers hastened to the theatre, and to their exertions may be ascribed the salvation of the lives of many other persons. In giving the details of this fearful catastrophe we cannot omit to notice the kind treatment dis played to many hundred persons by Mr. Piersey, Master of Lambeth Workhouse, who had the esta blishment kept open the - whole night, to enable those who had missed any of their children •or fiends to enter the place and identify them if they were amongst the killed or wounded. About nine or ten years ago two boys were suf focated on the stairs leading to the gallery, and the breaking of the banisters, but since that time Mr. Towers, to avoid, if possible, a similar occurrence, has had the entrances fully ventilated by having fresh openings made, but notwithstanding he was unable to prevent a far more, serious loss of life Oarithen happened. it should be stat e d f or th e guidance of the public,_th a t_ w h en an a l arm of fire -- - - is raised, even if correct, providing the audience is not too eager to rush o u t, no d anger to lif e nee d b e apprehendd, as this•theatre can be cleared in less than a quarter of an hour. HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE WEEK. (Prom the Registrar-General's Report.) The London returns give satisfactory indications of an improved state of the public health. The deaths ' which in the w ee k en di ng D ecem b er 4t h were 1 ,738, and in the two following weeks were 1,531 and 1,442, have still further declined, and in the week ending last Saturday they were 1,240. The mean temperature of the air last week was 44.5 deg., which is 9 deg. higher than it was in the third week of November. In the ten years 1848-57 the average number of deaths in the weeks corresponding with last week was 1,142 ; but as the deaths in the present return occurred in an increased population, they should be compared with the average after the latter is raised proportionally to the increase, a correction which will make it 1,256. It appears, therefore, that though the difference is small, the actual return for last week is less than the result obtained by calculation, If the deaths in London last week had been'ac cording to the " healthy rate" of mortality derived from certain selected English districts in the last quarter of the year, they would have been 765 ; and'the excess above this point which the true number exhibits is 475, and represents what may be termed the unnatural part of the mortality. The deaths referred to in the present return to zymotic diseas:s amount to 320, the corrected aver age being 280 ; those ascribed to pulmonary com plaints (not including phthisis or whooping-cough) are 307, the corrected average being 264. The deaths that arose from phthisis (or consumption) are 126, whilst the average is 135. The mortality from scarlatina continues to decrease slowly ; it numbered 106, which, however, is still double the average. Measles was fatal in 40 cases ; it carried off five children in the sub-district of Whitecross street. Sixteen fatal cases of scarlatina occurred in St. Pancras, many of these in Son3ers Town, where it appears to be very prevalent. Twelve deaths from the same complaint occurred in the Poplar district; and six in the sub-district of St. Peter, Walworth. Last week the births of 703 boys and 709 girls, in all 1,412 children, were registered in London. In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1848- 57 the average number was 1,489. At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean height of the barometer in the week was 29.438 in. The barometrical readings varied from 29.0 in. to 29.68 in. The mean temperature of the week was 44.5 deg., which is 6.5 deg. above the average of the same week in 43 years (as determined by Mr. Glaisher). The mean daily temperature was above the average throughout the week, and on three days, Tuesday, Wednesday 'and Thursday, this ex cess was from 7 deg. to 10 deg. The thermometer in the shade fell to its lowest point, 34.9 deg., on Monday, and rose to its highest, 53.5 deg., on the following day. The extreme range was therefore 18.6 deg. The mean range of the week was 10.2 deg. The difference betweeen the mean dew-point temperature and air temperature was 3.6 deg. The mean degree of humidity was 87. On two days the humidity of the air was 95, approxi mating to complete saturation. The mean tem perature of the water of the Thames was 42.2 deg. The wind blew from the south-west. Thursday night was very wild and stormp. Rain fell to the amount of 0.79 in. in the week. TILE NAVY. Yesterday tenders were received at the East India-house for the conveyance of the following reinforcements of cavalry and infantry to India, viz., 315 men for Calcutta, to embark at Gravesend on the 15th of January, 25 men to Kurrachee, to embark at Gravesend on the 3d of January ; 63 non-commissioned officers and men, to embark at Gravesend for Bombay on the 3d of January. The following ships of war were in Malta harbour at the latest dates :—The Marlborough, 131 (bear ing the flag of Vice-Admiral Fanshawe, C. 8.), Capt. Lord F. H. Kerr ; the Conquerer, 101, Capt. H. R. Yelverton, C.B. • the Centurion, 80, C a pt. Si r G. N. Broke, C.B. ; the Hibernia, guard s hip (b ear i ng th e flag of Rear• Admiral H. J. Codrington, C. 8.), Capt. the Hon. A. C. Hobart. Gunboats—The Coquette, 4, Commander the Hon. Fitzgerald A. Foley • the Boxer, Lieut. S. P. Towns en d, t en d er t o the ifarl borough. Paddle-wheel Steam Vessels.—The Recruit, 6, Commander H. McKillop ; the Caradoc, 2, Lieut. C. M. Buckle; the Hearty, tug-steamer ; and the Euryalus, steam-frig,ate, having on board Prince Alfred. Her Majesty's Revenue screw schooner, the Argus, mounting four, guns, Commander John S. W. Grandy, having had a six days' Channel cruise, returned into Portsmouth Harbour on Tuesday. Sbe will re-coal and again proceed on her usual Channel service. The following foreign ships are now at or off Portsmouth :—The Dutch bark Macao, Capt. Kroll, from Amsterdam for Batavia. The Dutch bark Antoinette, Captain de Winter, from Rotterdam for Cadiz. The Dutch brig America, Capt. Meer mans, from Rotterdam for Boston. The Rostock bark Johanna Friedrich, Captain Dade, from Alex andria, for orders. The French vessel Padan,,, ,, Captain Gerard, from Havre for Arica. The Dutch galliot Albertine, Captain Zwaal, f rom N ewcast l e for Seville. The Prussian bark Friedrich Wilhelm IV., Captain Rasch, from Onega for Bordeaux. The American ship Lelia, Captain Haines, from Rotterdam for Baltimore. The screw steam Coastguard ship Russell, GO, Captain Storey, is be paid, off at Plymouth on the 31st of December and recommissioned on the Ist of January. The paddlewheel steam troop-ship Dee, 4, Master- Commander Thomas Pullen, is appointed to call at Plymouth to convey supernumeraries to the fleet at Queenstown. The Curacoa, 31, screw, Captain Thomas H. Mason, has sustained no d amage f rom h av i ng got aground off Smyrna. She is caulking decks in No. - 2 - dock at Portsmouth, and repairing other eefects. A great number of foreign ships are at Ports mouth repairing defects from the recent gales, and are receiving every attention from consul Chevalier Vandenbergh to expedite their departure. Forty-eight men belonging to the Ist Royals, 6th, 7th, 25th, and 48th Regiments arrived at Fort Pitt yesterday evening, having disembarked at Portsmouth from the Perseverance steamer, which sailed from Gibraltar on the 15th inst. On the arrival of the invalids at Fort Pitt, 21 men were taken into hospital,' and the remainder sent to the 'invalid establishment at St. Mary's, to await their discharge. The Royal Commissioners for manning the Navy have terminated their labours for this year, and adjourned until the 11th January, 1859. It is believed says the United Service Gazette) that they have with some few exceptions, exhausted their programme. of examinations, and it is probable their report will be laid on the table of the house at an early period. The following appointments were made yesterday at the Admiralty :—Lieutenant G. T. Patterson, Lieutenant .G. S. Nares, Lieutenant M. Lowther, and Lieutenant J. W. James to the Britannia ; Lieutenant E. H. Kirby and Lieutenant H. M'C. Alexander to the Russell • Lieutenant G. G. B o y er to the Himalay a; and Matthew Burton, Surgeon, additional, to the Nile. THE ARMY. The colon e l cy of the • 88th Regt. (Connaught Rangers) has become vacant by the death of Lieut.- General It. B. Macpherson, C.B. and K.H., who died on Saturday at a ripe age after military ser vices extending over 63 years. In June, 1795. the gallant officer entered the 88th as ensign, and at the latter part of that year he accompanied a part of that regiment to the West Indies, and was pre sent at the taking of St. Lucia in the following year, also at the reduction of the brigands in Gre nada, at the storming of Port - Royal, and several other places in that island. He embarked for the East Indies with his regiment in 1799, and for six years was actively employed in the three Presi dencies. In 1806 he proceeded with the expedition to South America, was present at several skirmishes on the march to and in front of Buenos Ayres, and at the storming of it, when he was wounded. In June, 1809 he accompanied the 2d battalion of the 88th to the Peninsula, and was present at the de fence of Cadiz. In March, 1813, he succeeded to the command of the Ist battalion, and commanded it at the battle of Vittoria, and at those in th e Pyrenees • he was present also at the battle of th e Nivelle. ke succeeded to the command of the 88th at the battle of Orthes, and was at the battle of Toulouse, besides being in several minor affairs. In July, 1814, he proceeded to Canada in command of the Ist battalion, but was recalled with his regi ment from North America in June the follow i ig year to join the army iu the Netherlands. For his services in the Peninsula he was in 1815 nude a Companion of the Order of the_ 'Bath, and in 1835 he was made a Knight of . the Royal Hanoverian order. He had received the gold medal and one clasp for Vittoria and Orthes, and the silver war medal and three clasps for the Pyrenees, Nivelle, and Nive. In July, 1852, he - was appointed Colonel of the 73d Regiment, and in February, 1857, on. the death of General Sir I. A. Wallace, was ap pointed to his old regiment, the 88th. The late General's commissions bore date as follow :—En sign, June 3, 1795 ; Lieutenant, July 22, 1795 ; Captain, December 3, 1800; Major, March 17, 1808; Lieutenant-Colonel, June 4, 1814; Colonel, January 10, 1837; Major-General, November 9, 1846 ; and Lieutenant-General, June 20, 1854. Since the account which appeared in The Sun of the experiments made at Chatham with the newly invented breech-loading gun the invention has attracted a great amount of interest, the model having been inspected by several of the most emi nent officers belonging to the Royal Artillery and the Royal Engineers, with other person s qua lifi e d to give an opinion, all of whom are unanimous in pronouncing it one of tle most valuable inventions of the day. The model, which is of brass, and only four inches in length from the breechto the muzzle, has been subjected to the most severe tests, and always with the most complete and satisfactory results. The inventor, Mr. Robt. Warry, Armoury Sergeant of the 3d battalion at Chatham, has made repeated experiments with it in the presence of a large number of officers connected with Chatham garrison, the results being as satisfactory as they were astonishing. The model gun, although of the diminutive length stated, propelled the balls to a distance of at least 200 yards, doing effective exe cution at 100 yards. With the greatest ease the gun is made to fire 10 rounds per minute, and on one occasion 50 rounds were fired in seven seconds less than five minutes, the shot at each discharge striking an object placed at 100 yards distance Notwithstanding the rapidity with which the model was loaded and fired the gun remained as cool at the close of the experiments as it was at the commencement, the opening at the breech .admit ting a current of air to pass through the gun, thus entirely doing away with the serious evils resulting from the heating of cannon caused by incessant firing, which, it i s we ll known, will in a comparatively short time render a piece of ordnance almost useles s . M r . W arry is now engaged completing a model of his breech loading cannon of much larger dimensions, for the purpose of submitting it to the Duke of Cambridge. The gun is of wrought iron and 15 inches in length, the interior of the bore being rifled on the same principle as the ordinary Enfield rifle musket. The ball to be used will be the conical-Shaped rifle bullet, which, however, will be covered with a composition coating of a peculiar character. The inventor expresses his confident belief that this cannon will throw a ball fully two miles, doing effective execution at 1,000 yards, the gun being loaded and discharged at the rate of five rounds per minute. 7HE"NAVAL BRIGADE IN INDIA No. 1. The roads were very bad ; in many places the men waded through two or three feet of water, and once for three miles, besides two nullahs and one river to cross. On the 9th, a body of rebels advanced within three miles, and, in conjunction with Captain Mulcaster, we crossed. the Raptee with a portion of our force ; they, hearing of our approach, retired, but the cavalry were able to cut up 40, principally sepoys. The guns and infantry, with every exertion, could not keep up, owing to the flooded and bad state of the roads, and great heat of the day. Brigrdier Fisher, Madras N. 1., took the command on the 10th and loft Bansee on the 12th, with the view of getting in the rear of the rebels at Burgudwah. When within three miles of Dumoorlahgunge our ad vanced guard was fired on by a strong force of rebels posted in a line of works commanding the road. The guns were speedily got off the elephants and galloped to the front. We opened with shell, and were _received by a well directed fire of musketry. The enemy, however, deserted their works very soon, but from the state of the country the cavalry could not act. Having burnt their camp and level led the works, we proceeded to Dumoorlahgunge, on the bank of the Raptee, halted for the day, and crossed early the following morning, and were marching towards Etawah, when we found the road quite impassable; we, therefore, recrossed, and then heard that the rebels had fallen back to Beshohuer, in the jungle. The object being accomplished, we returned to Bustee on the 17th inst. I must beg leave to express my great satisfaction at the very willing and cheerful conduct of the officers and men under most trying circumstances. The great heat of the sun, and the exertion of wading through so much water, and being constantly wet, rendered it most harassing. The following officers accompanied me, Acting-Lieuten ant A. W. Ingles, Mr. H. H. Edwards, Midshipman, and Mr. Parkins, Gunner.—l have, &c. HENRY GRANT, Commander, R.N., Commanding Detachment of H. M. Pearl's Naval Brigade. Captain Edward S. Sotheby, R.N., C. 8., Naval Brigade No. 3. C B Oct. 15. Sir,—l have the h onour t o report am for your ustce information the proceedings of a detachment of the Pearl's Naval Bri ,gade under my orders, from the 27th September to the 7th October. We left Bustee, at two a.m. of the 27th, with the force named in the margin (Pearl's Naval Brigade, 2 12-pounder howitzers ; Mountain Train, 30 men and 2 offi cers; 72 H.M. 13th Light Infantry; 27 Bengal Yeomanry Cavalry), under the command of Captain Twynam, H.M.'s 13th Light Infantry, arrived at Bansee on the 28th, 40 miles, and crossed the Raptee at 9 p.m. ; and encamped in the entrenchments. On the 29th we crossed the Paranassi Nuddee, and joined Captain Howlett's force, as per margin (200 27th Madras Native Infantry ; 100 Seikhs ; 1 troop 6th Madras Light Cavalry), at one p.m., marched to Chetteah, where we halted for the night, the men and cattle being much fa tigued from the heavy rain during all the day, and flooded state of the country. Next morning proceeded to Mowee, and thence towards the jungle ; the cavalry came upon the rear guard of the rebels, 400, at the edge of it. The guns were got quickly to the front, and opened with shell, at 600 yards, and quickly dispersed them, and pur sued them for six miles into the jungle, but it was impas sible, owing to the nature of the country, to come up with them ; we then halted, after a most harassing day. Our object having been accomplished we returned to Bansee the following day, and marched back to Bustee on the sth. I have great pleasure in bringing to your notice the ready and obedient manner in which the detachment under my command performed this arduous and trying service, wading through a most flooded country and into thick jungle, during heavy rains with occasional hot sun. Mr. H. H. Edwards, Midshipman, accompanied the expedition.—l have, &c., (Signed) A. W. INGLES, - Actin Litenant, RIC Captain E. S. Sotheby, C. 8., Commanding H.M.S. Pearl's Naval Brig:. Amorha, Oct. 2, 1858. Sir,---I have the honour to report, for your information, the proceedings of the detachment of the Pearl's Naval Brigade under my command, engaged against the enemy at Amorha on the Ist inst. At noon the patrol - and villagers reported that the enemy, in number about 1,200, were advancing in our front with •others on either - flank. Capt. Gerrard, of the 27th Madras Infantry, in -command of the force as per margin* (.50 Naval Brigade, two 12-pound howitzers, 50 18th Light Infantry, 50 Sikhs, 70 Madras Infantry, one troop of 6th Madras Cavalry), moved out and took up a position in a village about 800 yards from camp ; parties of infantry were thrown out on both flanks. The seamen and Sikhs, with the guns, formed our centre. The enemy, about 2 o'clock, commenced the attack from both flanks and centre, which they renewed several times, but were repulsed each time by the precision of the rifles, and our shells ; at 4 o'clock they slackened their fire, and commenced retreating. Captain Gerrard immediately followed them up with our horsed gun, at a gallop, supported by cavalry and Sikhs. We pursued them for about three miles and fired a few rounds of grape and case with good effect. The cavalry charged and cut down several on our left. The infantry not being able to keep up, a few of the guns' crews assisted the troopers attached to the gun with their rifles, especially John Lee, A. 8., who was engaged with his cutlass against several sepoys, being unsupported for some little time, but wounded in the left I regret. to say ar , m while thus e ngage d , was severely From tho bodies seen and the report of the natives the loss of the enemy is computed at about 200. The conduct of the men was most praiseworthy, and the practice of the guns most accurate. Acting Lieutenant T. E. Maquay was in charge of the guns. Dr. Wilson in attendance on the wounded.—l have, &c., ( Si gned) 11. FAWKES, Li eu t enan t . I beg to enclose a list of casualties in Naval Brigaae : John Lee, A. 8., severely wounded in arm. Wm. Rayfield, contusion in left arm. j Ain Williams, A. 8., slightly wounded in arm. • Captain E. S. Sotheby, C. 8., Commanding the Pearl's Naval Brigade. .OPAL AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.—Th e Christ mas sessional examination of the Royal Agricultural Col lege, ut Cirencester, took place on the 16th inst. The exa mination included practical agricultural chemistry, the veterinary art, natural history, surveying, and engineering. Amonrst the prizes awarded was one to Mr. Bramston, son of the member for south Essex, (From the Gazette of last Evening.) ADMIRALTY, DEC. 24 " Despatches, of which:the following are copies, have been received by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, from. Captain Sotheby, commanding her Majesty's ship Pearl's Naval Brigade in India : Camp, Bustee, Oct. 20, 1858. Sir,—l have the honour to forward, with much satisfac tion, for the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty's infor mation, the accompanying report (sub-enclosure and 3) from the officers in charge of detachments of the Pearl's Naval Brigade, and feel assured their lordships will per ceive how much they have contributed to the success of this field .force. The roads, owing to the floods, were at times nearly impassable, scarcely any carriage being able to move, the guns were transported on elephants. Much praise is due to the officers and men for their great exertions, in which Brigadier Fisher, in command, fully concurs. In report No. 2, I beg especially to bring to the notice of their loidships the conduct of John Lee (A. 8.), as therein mentioned; as also James Williams (L.S.), captain of the gun, who always presses forward most eagerly.—l have, &c., (Signed) E. S. SOTHEBY, Captiin, Commanding Pearl's Naval Brigade. To the Secretary of the Admiralty. Camp, Bustee, Sept. 20, 1858. Sir,—l have the honour to acquaint you that I left this place at four p.m., on the 6th inst., in charge of a portion of the Pearl's Naval Brigade, accompanied by the detach.. ment named in the margin*. (* Pearl's Naval Brigade, 2 12-pounder howitzers, Mountain Trains, 1 24-pounder rocket, and'73 seamen and marines; Her Majesty's 13th Light Infantry, 70 non-commissioned officers, rank and file, under Lieut. Gillet), in pursuan ce o f fi e ld force orders to march with all expedition to the relief of Bansee. On reaching Goutah, 12 miles from Bansee, Capt. Mul caster joined with a squadron of cavalry and took command. We arrived at Bansee on the Bth, having marched 50 miles in 39 hours, and found the enemy had retired on our ap proach. -_ FROM THE GAZETTE OF YESTERD,44 FOREIGN-OFFICE, Dec. 24. t the The Queen has been grac i ous l y p l ease d t o a ppoin Hon. Wm. George Grey. now Secretary to her Maiew,, Legation at Stockholm, to b e Secretary to her Majest) Legation at Berlin. The Queen has also been graciously pleased to ePP °ili er t the Hon. Edward M orr i s E rs ki ne, now S ecre t a ry to ~ her Majesty's Legation at Washington, to bo Secretahl her Majesty's Legation at Stockholm. ° jut The Queen has also been graciously pleased to aPP„ fs , Wm. Douglas Irvine, now First Paid Attache to her jesty's Legation at Vienna, to be Secretary to her MajegY Legation at Washington. FOREIGN OFFICE, DEC. 27. J 19. • The Queen has b een pl ease d t o approve o f Mr. of Volkart as Consul at Bombay for his Majesty the Sing Sweden and Norway. The Queen has also b een pl ease d t o appro ve. of 3 ,.. m ,f t ' Daniel David Dy mes , as C onsu l a t M a d ras, f or the 11 ' . Hanseatic City of Bremen. ADMIRALTY, DEC. 10. vE e l Corps of Royal Marines—Gentleman Cadet Henry Stint to be Second Lieutenant. COMMISSION SIGNED BY THE QUEEN• be Cornwall Rangers Militia—James Murry, Gent., t° Quartermaster. COMMISSIONS BY LORD LIEUTENANTS' So b ° County of Pembroke—Thomas Meyrick, Esq., Deputy Lieutenant. Royal PembrokeshirQ Artillery Regiment of George Calvert, Gent., to be Second Lieutenant. The following article is substituted for that which' peared in the Gzette of the 24th day of December inst'; Stirlingshire, &c., Highland Borderers Light Infan t i Regiment of British Militia—Ed gewor th H orroc ks, Ge n to be Ensign, vice Dunlop, appoi n t e d t o th e Li ne . Queen's Own Light Infantry Regiment of Tower 1 1 - 391. :, lets Militia—Major S amue l W a lk er t o b e Lieutensl i to Colonel, vice Dickson, displaced ; Captain Henry Cooper be Major, vice Walker, promoted. Royal Aberdeenshire Highlanders—Charles Leith 116 I' Gent., to be Lieutenant. Royal Carnarvonshire Militia—Lieutenant John Bailey Williams to be Captain, vice Griffith, resigned. West York Rifie Regiment of Militia—Thomas Ate din Andrus, Gent., to bo Ensign, vice Edmund Bowyer , signed. e 2d Regiment (Light Infantry) of West York 31 , V i .0 Ensign Octavius Ridl e y L awson t o b e Li eu t ena nt, ` IC Edward George M'Dougall Ick, resigned. MEMORANDUM —sth Regiment of West York Militi a- " Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to accept the r o signation of the commission held by Lieutenant Thom Forbes Augustus Leith. BANKRUPTS. lf-P a6t Jonathan Hills, miller, Dartford, Jan. 13, at ha two, and Feb. 8, at twelve, at the Court of BankruptcY• Joseph Care, licensed victualler, Alcester, Jan. W u Feb. 4, at eleven, at the Birmingham District Court. 1. 3 John Cheetham, general dealer, Birmingham, 1811 _,.' and Feb. 4, at eleven, at the Birmingham District Cour':.. William Pearsall, licensed v i e t ua ll er , Kidd erm in s ter, 10 and 31, at eleven, at the Birmingham District Court; Richard Rothwell and William James Rothwell manufacturers, Rochdale, Jan. 12 and Feb. 8, at twelrel'i the Manchester District Court and James Mq.ntyre; draper, Merthyr Tydvill, Jan. 1 1 Feb. 8, at eleven, at the Bristol District Court. SCOTCH BANKRUPTS. Alexander Roy Stewart, dyer, Aberdeen. William Bisset, innkeeper, Aberdeen. George Robertson, general merchant, Kirkwall. Robert Waugh, baker, Coatbridge, Lanarkshire. John Robb, builder, Edinburgh. COUN2'RY MARKBTS. BRISTOL—Dtc. 27. There was a tolerable supply of g ra i n a t mar ket. .SP ies were fair, and prices at about late rates. LIVERPOOL—DEC. 28. A firmer tone pervaded the grain market to-day, tholig li we had few buyers present. Good wheat and flour CO: manded extreme rates upon the moderate business trai: acted. English and French sack flour meved less free l ,'' but on the whole we feel a good demand for daily consto 4 ; tion. Egyptian beans advanced 6d to is per. qr. With much doing in oats, barley, and peas, the late quotation 5 are quite supported. LEEDS—DEc. 28. At this day's market there was rather a fair suPP I Y °I wheat, and sales were effected at the quotations of this (1 : 11 1 se'nnight, and in some instances rather de arer . W 4 O again rather cheaper. Oats unchanged in val ue . In we have little alteration. Averages for the week : Wheat 2,281 qrs., at 40s 1018 8ar1ey.........1,919 „ 3ls 91d Oats 133 „ 2ss 31d Rye ....-. 0 ), Beans Peas a ••• • • ---. ff Arrivals this week : Wheat . Oats Barley Beans Rapeseed Linseed . 3,182 qrs. 25 751 SHEFFIE At to-day's market a mod in wheat, white of good quali treme rates of last week White wheat, new, —s to:,—s Barley, grinding.. 27s to 3 , 1 ! Red do. —s t o — s O a t s , o ld, .. 22s to Old white l6s t o 20 s N ew d o 23s to 28; Red do.. 15s to 16s Beans. 17s to 19 ' I Barley, malting.... 32s to 36 s Peas •• • 48s to 544 Millers' prices for flour—ls sd, is 7d, and is 9d Pe r 141 b. Hay, 80s to 85s ; wheat straw, 28s to 368 ; oat straw, 285 to 365; turnips, 18s to 20s per ton. M—DEC. 28. crate business was transacted ty being in demand at the es' RICHMOND—DEC. 24. There was a middling supply of grain to-day, and a 8 1 °2, business at the annexed p r i ces :—White wheat, from Od to 58 9d per bushel ; red, 5s Od to 5s Gd ; barley, 4s 4s 6d per do. ; oats, 2s 9d to 4s ; beans, 6s to 6s 6d. ROCHDALE—DEc. 27. -•- There has been a fair supply of grain at market to-dat; —White wheat, 5s Od to 5s 9d pe r b us h e l ; re d, 4 s 3d to 6d ; barley, 30s to 31s per qr. ; oats, 18s to 225. of In the provision market there was a small show a potatoes, and the trade was b r i s k, w ith lo wer p r i ce s at close. Flukes, 9s to 98 6d ; radicals, 8s ; Wellingtons, 54 per 2521 b. BELFAST—DEC. 27. To-day's market was thinly attended, and in the trans' actions which occurred the turn in value favoured the buyer. GLASGOW—DEC. 27. With a fair supply of wheat from the growers, the trade was steady, at about the rates of last week. NORWICH CATTLE—DEc. 24 There was a good show of store beasts to-day; consisting of Scots, shorthorns, Irish,' and D evons . S a l es were veil dull. The selling price.for Scots was 3s 6d to 4s; shor t ' horns, 3s 6d to 4s Od ; Lrish, 3s to 3s 6d er stone of 141bs. estimated weight when fat. Fat beasts firm at 8s Od to 86 6d per stone. _ Sheep—Fat sheep, gs to 8s 6d, prime lots 9sod per stoilP Pigs—Good store pi gs , 15 s t o 20 s per h ea d . F a t pork 5s 6d to Gs, prime 6s Gd per stone. [ADvEuTisEmENT.]—Rarey's Horse and Cattle Impros' ing Food is equally adapted to improve the stamina of conditioned Horses, Cows, Bullocks, Calves, Sheep, an Pigs. It causes no extra expense, as it contains far more and better nourishment than its cost of ld. per feed sup- plies in corn and hay; hence ensures an actual saving: u" the keep. But its principal advantages are a great lm provement in the digestive f unc ti ons , th e s t a mi na general condition of horses enabling them to perform more labour without getting distressed. It imparts DI vigour to sick, debilitat e d, or o ld apparen tl y worn-out horses, and it puts rapidly the finest flesh on cattle gene rally, and improves the milk in cows, as it enables them n extract the entire nourishment ou t o f every thi ng th e y fee' on. Rarey and Co., 77, Regent's Quadrant, PiccadillY , London. Packed in tins of about 99 feeds I ls. ; casks of about 450 feeds, 50s. ; o f a b ou t 1,000 feeds, £.,5, being lid, per feed. COUNTY OF EDINBURGH VALUATION.—This do cument shows that the railway valuation for the curren t year in the county district is £56,541175. 2d., which, added to the valuation of lands, &c., £359,087 18s. Bd., gives .4 total valuation of £415,629 15s. 10d. exhibiting an increase on the county valuation of the previous year of £lO,l lO 18s. 7d. BIRTHS. ARNOLD.—On the 25th inst., at 2, Chester-square, the wife of Matthew Arnold, Esq., of a daughter. BLACKMORE.—On the 25th inst., at ,Garway-road, BaYe; water, the wife of Lieut e nant J. Bl ae k more , R.N.) '9' a daughter. FENWICK.—On the 25th inst., at 33, Rutland-gat*, th e wife of C. R. Fenwick, Esq., of a son; LEES.—On the 24th inst., at Tunbridge-wells, the wife of the Rev. W. Lees, of a daughter. MARRIAGES. BARKER—J3ROOKER.----On the 21st inst., at St. Georgs,% s ./ Hanover-square, R. S. Barker, Esq., second son of ly • B. Barker, Esq., of her Majesty's Office of Works, t ° Rosina, youngest daughter of George Brooker ) Esq., late of Cathbridge. ROBERT SON -I WALHNE.--On the 28th inst., at St. Peter's Church, Eaton-square, Arthur Masterton Robertson, younger of Inshes, Inverness-shire, Captain 4th Dragoon Guards, to Sarah Margaret Louisa, eldest daughter of the late Colonel James M'Alpine, of Wyndsor, co. Marl and formerly of the 15th King's Hussars. DEATHS. ANDERS.—On the 26th inst., at Wyndham-street, Bryan' ston-square, Richard Anders, Esq. BELSRAW.—On Thursday, the 23d inst., at Kensington , Mr. Thomas Belshaw, aged 44 years, so well known ag connected with exhibitions of arts, manufaotures, Scel for the last t wen ty y ears , esp.cially by his receiving an d arranging the goods, &c., at the Great Exhibition a' 1851. BEETT.—On the 22d inst., the Rev. Wm. Brett, vicar o f Linton, Cambridgeshire, aged 62. Cnuncsnnyx.—On the sth Nov. at Simla ' Dr. WA 113131 Cruikshank, Deputy Inspector-General of Hospitals. GREEN.—On the 26th inst., at 9, James-street, Bucking ham-gate, Vice-Admiral Sir Andrew P. Green, E.C.11., aged 82. WILLIAMS.—On the 27th inst., at Bushey-heath, lie u the Von. John Williams, Ar c hd eacon o f Cardigan) 311`. late rector of the Edinburgh Academy. WILSON.—On the 27th inst., at In Park-street, Grosve nor-square, Sir Belford Hinton Wilson, K.C.8., son of the late General Sir Robert Wilson, Governor of Gibral tar, &c. 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 Middlesex, 'Wednesday, December 29, 1858. , I t On Thr, eye r th o corn ery, J an] in ai Hon ( 3 1A J A ne Ca rialef heal 132, Liar' inter SW/ 80p; Ruth A 110 y The rgiro Accti ttutt erg additi( 15, rilli Alfred Ilenr th e i t t4 no w uv r .Th o : Bir ;161 14 v l o l'417);( ' IIII OEI 8 0L/c 101 The . the eve 1' Zra *i ll be Th e Ags ui "el Pate ci_L kNt) p, 7