The Sun. — London, England, 1860-12-26 00:00:00

PORTSMOUni A ND In' DEFENCES. Since the notice in T he .` un of the 19th of January last of the new lines and works for the defence of Portsmouth by land and sea, considerable progress has been made in their construction, and many alterations and additions have been made to the plans as originally laid down, the most important of all being the proposed fortification of Portsdown hill, in front of the Hilsea lines, and apparently commanding the entrance by land to Portsea Island. This position (Portsdown) is seven miles in extent; and, from the important bearings towards each other of Portsdown and Hilsea, we propose to leave their consideration until the circuit of the remaining line of defences has been gone through, commenc ing at its south-eastern point, Fort Cumberland, and proceeding by Southsea Castle, Forts Monckton and Gomer, the chain of forts hence to Frater-lake, the proposed detached forts in advance to the westward, and thence to Portsdown and Hilsea. The island of Portsea is of an irregular oval figure, about 16 miles in circumference, separated from the mainland by a creek between Hilsea and Cosham, which unites the harbours of Portsmouth and Lang ston; is bounded on the east side by Langston Harbour and Hayling Island, on the west by Ports mouth Harbour, Gosport, Fareham, &c., and on the south by Spithead and St. Helen's. The new lines of defence, it will be seen, extend considerably into the peninsula on the western side of Portsmouth Harbour, taking their course along the sea beach to the westward, thence stretching across the country at right angles until the upper portion of Ports mouth Harbour shores are reaehed, and the pro posed intrenchments on Portsdown completing the circuit thence to Hilsea. Returning to our starting point, Fort Cumberland, this work stands at the mouth of Langston Harbour, on the end of a line of sea•beach 4,300 yards in length, the correspond ing end of which is held by Southsea Castle with its auxiliary earthworks, both strongly enclosed works, the first named mounting about 50 guns of the heaviest calibre ; and Southsea, with its auxi liary batteries,mounting about 55. Southsea Castle, as the outpost guarding the entrance of Portsmouth harbour charnel, is the more important work of the two, and its earthworks are consequently to be considerably increased and strengthened. The line of beach between these two forts is to be further defended by two intermediate forts—East ney and Lumps, the latter of which is nearly completed, and, as both will be of precisely similar construction, a description of one will suffice. Lumps is constructed to carry nine 8 and 10-inch guns, and is provided with revetments 27 feet high, with a ditch in front, flanked by eapenuseres for musketry. In the interior of the work accommodation is made under the terre..plein for 100 men. The rear of the work is closed by brickwork, with a building for officers' quarters, entrance gateway, &c. The sea face of the work is covered in the usual maaner by an earthen glacis. The fort in front presents a sufficiently formidable appearance, especially taking into consideration that the whole line of beach from Southsea Castle to the eastward is only accessible to gunboats of light draught at high water, or boat flotillas. The rear of the fort is, however, very weak. It is sup posed that two or three pieces of light calibre may be mounted on the roof of the officers' quarters to assist in defending its rear face, but it is also evi dent that a couple of field-pieces, landed from an enemy's boats and brought to act on the same spot, would render the fort untenable. Straith and other authorities lay it down as a rule that all detached works at a distance from the main fortress should be surrounded by a ditch, and present the same obstacles in the rear as in front. Passing by the entrance to Portsmouth harbour, defended, exclusive of Southsea Castle, by upwards of 100 guns of the heaviest calibre, the next point reached is Fort Monckton, flanking, with its 48 6, 8, and 10-inch guns, the line of ditch and rampart erecting for the defence of this portion of the lines along Stokes Bay, and extending to beyond Gomer Fort. The greater part of the earthworks here are finished, or nearly so, and the brickwork and masonry for the batteries flanking the line of ditch are also drawing towards completion. The main defences on this line, consisting of detached forts and batteries on the rising ground in the immediate rear of the lines, have, however, not yet been begun, but the whole, when complete, will form an almost invnlerable line of defence. This had need to be the case, for an enemy effecting a landing in the bay and forcing any portion of this line would turn the whole position, and Portsmouth, its dockyard, arsenal, and shipping, would lie at his mercy. Great care has been taken in designing the plans for this portion of the defences, owing to their great importance, and where the water deepens on the beach the line of rampart aitd ditch, the outer defence, recedes, while at the point where it shoals the line more boldly advances, until it approaches to within a very short distance of high-water mark. Seawards this is the most tempting point for an enemy to attack, should his object be the capture or destruction of the dockyard and shipping. He has but to force the line at this point, and the monster line of fortifications at Hilsea and the chain of forts from Stokes Bay to Frater Lake would be useless, and must fall into the enemy's hands, and that without the necessity of striking another blow. Stokes Bay presents every facility for landing troops ; while at high-water the Gloire could approach within less than 250 yards out of the outer ditch and rampart. This line of cuter defences, corn ncing at Fort Monckton in the midit of swamp ! d morass, ends with a square cascmated u ork in a similar description of ground slightly in advance of Fort Gomer, an enclosed work in an almost inse ct ssil3le position, and mounting 32 6,8, and 10 inch ions, and two 13-inch mortars. In advance of both, I'!: the shingle of the beach, ore tlre auxiliary Browndown batteries, mounting 21 8 inch guts. 'I lie greund in the rear of the line just described eiees to an average of 18 feet, and on this will be constructed the works which will form the really defensive peetion, connecting Monckton with Gomer, none of which have, however, yet been commenced. From Gomer Fort to Frater Lake are the forts of Grange, Rowner, Brockhurst, and El eon, the latter of which only is finished, armed, and manned. The remainder are nearly completed but are to be connected by a line of ditch and rampart, their rear faces being weak in a similar manner to Lumps Fort. In advance of this line of connected forts, and commencing at Hill-head, a point of land to the westward of Stokes Bay and terminating near l'arehaes, will be erected a line of detached forts, considera.bly in advance of the main line of defence, and each complete as a work of itself. The northern fort will prevent an enemy who may have effssted a landi ng i n any part of the Solent from 13-'izing, on the approaches to Portsdown-hill. From Fareham to Chichester runs the public main road, along which it is most likely an enemy would ad vane, either from the e astward or westward. In making this advance his first object would be to take possession of the I,ights of P ortsdown, but to do this from the westward will be almost impossibly owing to the position of the detached advanced forts, and especially of the one at rt, sme. T he r^'z : approach to the hill on the ern .,ids ha s not re ceived equal attention. A strorg d'staehsa Wor k 13sclhampton would effectually protect thehill ft, m any enemy advancin g 'direct pi it b y the main road from Chichester. This feet dssersys seri ous attention. Selsea Bill, with a wind at sc u , }l , wet in the Channel, affords, in conjunction with its reefs of rocks running off miles into the Channel, a safe and easy spot for the debarkation of troop , '• The" Bill" itself with a few works thrown up by n'' active enemy would assure him a base of operations. From Selsea to Chichester is a capital road, fit for the passage of artillery, &c., while from the city itself to the foot of Portsdown is one of the best roads in the kingdom, and the whole length— some 21 miles--as level es a howling-gresi. prevent anything of this kind taking place, Chi chester possesses hut two 18-pounder field guns. The commanding position of Portsdown has se• cured for it an unwonted degree of attention, until, from its having been hitherto only , celebrated for the magnificent panoramic views obtainable from its crest, both seaward and landward, it is now likely to become as celebrated for the extent of its fortifications. The fortifications proposed for the purpose comprise nine distinct works, exclusive of the lines scarfing the hill on each end or flank, and mounting together 226 guns, requiring 2,260 artil lerymen to man them. The cost is stimated at £500,000. Colonel Ross, Royal E gineers, and Staff are already engaged marking t the sites for the forts, but ground has not yet b n broken, nor may the progress here be so rapil perhaps, as has been anticipated. Portsdown is on.; of the finest positions in the kingdom to experimentalize upon, but it can never be turned, as was at first thought, into a second Torres-Vedras affair. The latter was a rock, and Portsdown is chalk. If the position is fortified, as at present contemplated, it must be with the intention of holding it at some future time, possibly in the presence of ttn enemy, and would then afford him a grand opportunity to dis play his skill in mining. The siege of Schweidnitz took place in 1793, and the Prussians prosecuted it for 63 days, the Austrians defending it ; 49 of these days, we are told by Straith, the autho rity we have before referred to, were passed in a subterranean war. In like manner would the possession of Portsdown-hill be contended for, and the question naturally arises, is it a good policy to erect a line of permanent forts when the ground on which they must be erected offers such facilities for mining operations and their conse quent destruction ? It has been stated by eminent military authorities on such matters that the erec tion of permanent works of any great extent on Portsdown can be but an ill-judged proceeding, and that the only method in which the case can be met would be by the construction of a sunk re doubt on the crest of the hill, in its centre, with the entire crest scarped, in conjunction with the proposed scarping and batteries on the flanks, a subterranean passage to communicate with the sunk redoubt. The same authorities contend that an engine, covered properly with a blindage, and fitted with a seven-foot borer, would run a gallery in any direction in an incredibly short space of time, and enable the assailant to blow any fort into the air. Straith says in his work, " Chalk is the best soil for mining, as the slow and troublesome process of supporting the gallery with frames and sheeting can be dispensed with. Eliptical shafts and arched galleries will stand without support in chalk." Opposite to Portsdow n, and on the crest of the slight ridge at the entrance to the island, contain ing Portsmouth, with its Royal dockyard, its vast storehouses and shipping, are the immense works erecting for the protection of the island from an enemy landward. The distance, as the crow flies, is 2,250 yards. The greatest elevation of Ports. down is 444 feet above high-water mark, while the slight ridge on which the Hil sea lines are being constructed is only six feet above high water. This causes the lines in course of development at Hilsea to look somewhat contemptible when viewed from the greater eleva tion, but a closer inspection does away with this ideas, and proves it to have been in the character of an optical delusion. At the foot of the hill lies the village of Cosham, and from hence to Post-bridge, the first approach to the lines, the ground has a gradual ascent, the whole of the ground for 600 yards between the hill and Hilsea, in front of the latter position, being below high-water mark, and, con sequently, by simply cutting the sea-walls at high water, the whole of the land in front to the extent named could he inundated. The only possible ap proach to the position is by the main road from Cosham, which may be likened. to a causeway amid broken ground, swamp, and salt lakes. This will give some idea of the nature of the ground intervening between the foot of Portsdown and the new lines of defence at Hilsea. When com pleted, these works, entered by the road from Cos ham, just described, will present themselves in the following order :—The railway and turnpike roads enter the works at different points, and are the only portion which can by any means be enfiladed by an enemy's fire. The first obstacle met with in enter ing will be the channel connecting Portsmouth and Langston harbours, 200 feet wide, and of sufficient depth to allow heavily-armed gunvessels to pass through, and which would materially assist in de fending the works, their guns sweeping the marshy ground in front in all directions. Means will be applied for retaining the water in this passage during ebb tide. Three wide and deep moats, together with two im mense hornworks, each of the latter of an equilateral triangular shape, have yet to be.passed before the main line is reached. These outworks will have casemates armed a la Haxo, with light pieces of the same character of weapon as the main lines, where it is intended forthe Armstronggun to enter largely into the armament. Passing these outer defences, we enter by the double gates of the western bastion, which is now receiving its earthen front and profile. The bastion trace has three fronts, with exterior sides of about 730 yards, the lines of defence being 500 yards long. The flanks of these fronts arc casemated ala Haxo, and will contain 10 guns each. In the rear of each gun is a bomb-proof chamber for 10 men. These batteries will deliver a heavy flanking fire over the Channel on the flanks of each bastion. The base is 116 feet. The command of the line will average 26 feet. The parapets of all the works ex posed to a direct fire will be 24 feet thick. The whole of the works, with the exception of a portion of the road and railway, as before stated, will be perfectly defiladecl from the fire of any batteries that can be planted in any position in front or on Portsdown. On the east and we t end of the line a demi-bastion casemated protects that pert of the work., and a continuation of the earthwork is car lied for some distance along the shore of each har bour. This latter it, is not intended at present to arm with guns ; still, it would s•?em necessary to do so, especially on the Langston harbour face, as an enctny advancing on the ChicLeeter road might seize boats at Hari ot, s.e he came along, sed, crossing the harbour, take the works in reverse. The top of the works will have a parapet for rifle fire, the terre-plein of which will be well reversed, with a slope of 2 feet to the rear. Along the entire length of the main line, in its rear, is being con structed a military road for the supply of material, &c. In the rear of this road a large se weris in course of construction, which will intercept the natural drainage of the land in the roar, and receive the sew age from the new barracks building in the rear of all. The magazines, 36 in number, are situated at inter vals under the main line. The greater portion of the brickwork and masonry of the main line is com plete, and the line of earthwcyles to cover and con nect the whole has been fairly commenced, and in parts, where the profile is complete, gives some idea of the immense strength and solidity the whole will possess when completed. 130,000 bricks per cloy are now being laid on this portion of the line of de fences alone. About 1,200 men are also employed upon them--500 in. fixing the material, and the re mainder in preparing it. The late wet weather has been pre eminently calculated to try the great masses of brickwork and masonry forming the casemates for the flanking batteries of each bastion. A careful inspection of the whole, however, proves the perfect seausdness of their construet;on, not a single crack or fl , “vbeing vieiblo in any pert. These works, forming es they do one or the most important points in the defence of Portsmouth, deserve an extra amount of attention, and, as their profile has not yet been formed, their apparent deficiency on certain points may be pointed out. They now contain accommoda tion for 600 men, but by slightly raising the height of their profile, and bringing the interior slope of the works square with the base or ground plan, sufficient 'space could not only be gained in which to quarter all tbe,.troops propom,:ll to be quart red in the new barracks in rear of the lines, but also to /fe e d shelter to the Whole of the inhabitants of the island in the event of any bombardment by sea and troops f li t, ' h i e u new is ca barrack snsteaa o land.n f ow being building und ei.tlm t i o ,r r o the tae entirely unprotected, lien of the works, protected, and open to an enfilade fire from any point. In these barracks, too , it is also intended to st ore the greater material required for war service in ines. This concludes the defences of the port t p i c: ( r t n i o e n w o l by land. The propesed defences seaward are fully reported in the Plug' book containing the evicklice taken before the Na tional Defence Commission. They consist of a :ii3:lC3 Heavy-stone forts on the Noman, Horse, Spit, and Stearbr:dge slioals,backed by strong batteries erected on the Isle of Wight THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY E'rENING, DECEMBER 26, 1860. shore, and a considerable strengthening of the existing defences immediately surrounding Ports mouth, or the inner lines of defence. With regard to the fortifications surrounding the town of Ports mouth, the Commissioners report " that the major portion of the works are entirely useless." This may also be said of some of the works recuitly constructed, and the Commissioners also report that they strongly disapprove the mode in which Fort Victoria, at Sconce Point, erected to defend the en trance by the Needles Passage, has been constructed. The evidence given before the Commission on the subject of booms, or floating barriers, to throw across the passage between the Noman and Dean shoals, or at the Needles, was very inconcluive, but the publication of the evidence has attracted much attention among scientific men, and a Mr. Austen, C.E , a gentleman who has had consider able experience in engineering works under Sir Morton Peto and other eminent firms, has prepared models of a plan by which he proposes to effectu ally close and defend any similar passage, and that shall give free ingress and egress to the strongest tideway, and that the cost of the construction shall be about £l,OOO per gun, the cost of a sailing frigate. This gentleman proposes to arm his structures with Mr. Lynall Thomas's gun, or a similar weapon. The models appear to be simple in construction, possess a large platform for the working of their guns, and are so constructed as to give the least possible resistance to the rush o f a tideway. All parts liable to be struck by shot or shell present the end grain of the wood, in a like manner to the surface of a wooden pavement, and are coated with iron plates on a scale of 6 inches. The portion cf the special estimated sum named by the National Defence Commission for the defence of the United Kingdom set apart for Ports mouth amounts to £2,800,000. selves. (Cheers.) lam a Volunteer to testify my high approbation, humbly though it be, to the credit and honour of the captain of your corps whom you honour—respected and admirable in all the private relations of life, and devoting his time, at the sacri fice of other serious and important avocations, for the welfare of the 12th regimental corps of the Essex Volunteers. (Cheers.) And what a cause, gentlemen, is it ? Why, it is that simply of defence ; no one can be fairly and justly annoyed. I can remember in my early days, at the University of Cambridge, that there was no objection raised by the authorities to Messrs. Angelo coming down to reach us the art of fencing; there was no objection raised to that remarkably celebrated well-formed Eaglishman, Jackson, teaching us the art of self defence—(laughter)—a man who, I remember, was stripped by request of the Prince Regent, to show what an Englishman was made of, in the presence of the Emperor Alexander of Russia, the King of Prussia, Marshal Blucher, and the Hetman Platoff. We became self-reliant, but not therefore prepared to stop every Englishman we met in Cambridge, although it did sometimes happen that we knocked down the first bargee who crossed our path. (Laughter.) So I say with reference to apprehen sions from foreign Powers, why should such exist ? No offence is intended. We are annoying to no one, but we are prepared to meet every one. (Cheers.) The cup having been presented to Captain Sparrow with a highly complimentary speech from Lieutenant Courtauld, Mr. Du CANE, M.P., addressed the meeting. In proposing " The Army and Navy" the hon. member said.—" I cannot help thinking that we have learnt during the last few days one especial subject for, congratulation connected with this toast. We must all congratulate ourselves that through the firmness and courage displayed by Lord Elgin and Sir Hope Grant, and that gallant allied band under their command, our far distant friends the Chinese have been brought to their senses, and that which this time I trust will be a solid and durable treaty has been for rally ratified under the walls of Pekin. (Cheers.) We do not know the terms as yet, and the former violation of the treaty of Tientsin, combined with the recent sad episode of the death of our two gallant countrymen, Capt. Brabazon and De Nor man, has taught us that too much reliance is not to be placed on the faith of a Chinaman. (Hear, hear.) But if I have no faith in the Chinese, I have faith in the salutary horror they have evinced of our Armstrong guns—(hear, hear)—and I will never believe that without some strong guarantees for indemnification as regards the past and better behaviour as regards the future, the sword of the soldier has ceded the vantage ground to the pen of the diplomatist." (Hear, hear.) The hon. gentleman, in subsequently responding to the toast of " The County Members," observed—" I could almost have wished to have appeared before this gathering in some more military capacity than that of a plain member of Parliament ; for I know it may be said that the duties of a Parliamentary representative are not incompatible with those of an officer of a Volunteer corps, and that the present House of Commons affords signal instances to the contrary. But I thought, I can assure you, somewhat deeply on this subject, and I have long ago come to the conclusion that, whatever other amusements it may be lawful for M.P.'s to indulge in, playing at sol diers is a game that benefits neither the player nor those with whom he plays. If you wish to be an able and efficient officer or member of a Volunteer corps, you must make up your mind for hour after hour of hard drill and rifle practice; and above all it appears to me that you must make up your mind to be a permanent fixture for many months of the year in the neighbourhood in which your corps is established. (Hear.) I have watched somewhat attentively the progress of this great movement as it affected those members of the House of Com mons who have taken a leading part in it ; and I may mention one name that I think never ought to be mentioned in connection with this cause without a burst of enthusiasm—l mean Lord Elcho. (Loud cheers.) Lord Elcho is a nobleman of very high talent and varied attainments, and he had earned for himself a position of no mean importance in the House of Commons—of no mean importance both as a debater and a man of business. If any man could do two things at once, I think he could, but he has been obliged almost entirely to relinquish that position, many will say, to assume a more glorious one in connection with this movement. I became thereby convinced that so long as I am honoured With the confidence of a majority of this consti tuency I had better act, save so far as an honorary membership is concerned, on the favourite English principle of non-intervention. I did not rise for the purpose of making a long speech, and if I had done so, I should be somewhat puzzled to find a subject. Politics, we all know, are most strictly and properly forbidden; of agriculture during the last few months you have had enough, and more than enough; even Garibaldi has retired into pri vate life and. the future intentions of the Emperor of the French are as much a mystery to the world at large as the Road murder. (Laughter.) We now hear on all sides inspiriting martial music, and patriotic exhortations to Form, form, Riflemen form.' I trust the day may never come when another well known military air may be more in vogue—l mean, The soldier tired.' (Hear.) I confess I thing that as time goes on some means besV.es what you have at present in this county may be desirable to keep the steam up to its pre-- sent high pressure, and, if I may be allowed to make the suggestion, I would say why not follow the example other counties, and set on foot in Essex a county rifle association ?'' (Rear.) Mr. T. S. WESTERN. M P., responded on behalf of the "Members for the &SCA and in the course of a brief address, said,—" There was a time when liberal politicians viewed with jeal ousy any increase in the land forees of this country; when a standing army was not seldom spoken of as a standing menace to liberty ; but the stanchest Liberal may well unite with the stanchest Conservative in hailing the creation of our army of Volunteers. (Hear, and applause.) Drawn from the ranks of civil life, and continuing to bear his part in all the duties and social interests appertain ing to his position, the gray-coated or green-coated rifleman may well be considered as suspected by nobody of being dangerous to freedom—(hear, hear) —and, although perhaps at the present day one cannot contemplate the possibility of a despotic Government—if Huai a calamity should ever betel us, if sneh a Government should ever threaten us, I am sure it will not ho among the Volunteers that it will look for its tools. (llear, hear.) Several other toasts were given in the course of the evening. Her Majesty, through Mr. Sidney Herbert, the Secretary of State for War, has, after the necessary preliminary inquiries, been pleased to accept, through Lord Fortescue, the Lord Lieutenant of the comity, the services of the Artillery Corps connected with the D2vonport Dockyard, which are to . be termed " the 12th Devon Volunteer Artillery." The number of men belonging to the Dockyard Volun teers is about 200, and to the Keyham Steamyard nearly 100. Mr. T. Knight is honorary secretary at Devonport, and Mr. Curry at Key ham. An effi cient band (21 each) is attached to each corps. For shot practice these volunteers will have the use of the guns in Plymouth Citadel, and for shell practice the battery at Picklecombe Point, Mount Edg- ' cumbe. CRYSTAL PALACE. - ONE SIIILLING DAY.- l'uesilay, Christmas Day, Dee. 25.—Admissions on pay ment, 1,190; ; ditto by season tickets, 816—total visitors, 2,806. 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PASTORAL LETTER OF CARDINAL WISEMAN. The following pastoral from his Eminence Car dinal Wiseman was read in all the Roman Catholic churches and chapels of the archdiocess of West minster on Sunday last, being the fourth Sunday of Advent : Nicholas, by the Divine mercy of the holy Roman Church, of the title of St. Pruden liana, Cardinal Priest and Archbishop of Westminster : To our dearly beloved brethren and children in Christ, the clergy, secular and regular, and faithful of the said diocese. Health and benediction in the Lord. The Word of God, the co-equal, Son of the Father, eternal, infinite, God Himself, taking our human nature, with all its iniaeries, except sin and corruption, maimed, nevertheless, and subject to pain and to sorrow, coming among us as a helpless infant, as a poor outcast, as an unknown, unheeded, neglected, despised babe of poor parents, presents Himself vividly every year at this season to our wonder and admiration. And is this all? Oh, no, far from it. It is to our love—our inmost, tender est, purest love—that He offers Himself as the most special object. To an adoring love, if we please, but to a love unmixed v'ith reproach, with fear, with anxiety. Happiest indeed and sweetest of all the Church's holydays—Easter may be more glori ous, Ascension more triumphant, Whit • Sunday more mystical ; but Christmas-day is the day of simplest affection, of most untroubled confidence, most human feelings when looking towards God, or rather looking into His very face, gentle and loveable as that of an infant, in the first visible radiance of His incarnation. Hence has this festival worked its way into our very social institutions ; it excites a charity for the poor, more wanted indeed at thi s p er i o d, y e t inti mately connected with it, or rather inspired by it. It is not a winter charity, or a New Year's charity, but Christmas charity, which clothes the naked, feeds the hungry, warms up many a cold garret with its fuel ; which penetrates the prison and the workhouse, to regale their inmates with Christmas fare. It is this season, the coldest of the year, which warms again affections chilled by separation, by conflicting interests, by strange mis understandings; which draws close once more bonds relaxed by worldly cares, or by the formation of new ties, straitens them for a season, and gathers round one family hearth the disjointed members of one house as they were in earlier and happier days, like yousg olives round the father's table, like unanxious children about the joyful mother—matrenr . filiorum letantem. Christmas is thus the love-feast of the Christian calendar, endowed by the force of domestic affection and social institutions with power enough to have resisted every Puritanical and unloving effort to efface it, with so many other commemorations of Divine mercy. It remains a holiday because of the very intensity of its sweet love ; for ao other festival, as we have said, brings more directly and unre proachingly to our hearts the charity of God, " The benignness and humanity of God our Saviour ap pearing to us." And we have seen how instructively this sense of our Lord's great charity to us inspires imitation and the gratitude which he loves best, the repayment iu kind to those who need our help. Oh, how slight, how insig nificant is all that we can do to mark our sense of this charity to us, of that fathomless, immeasur able, dimensionless love and unspeakable goodness which, being one with His infinite wisdom, is an abyss the depths whereof angels cannot reach, in comprehensible to their intelligence, inexplicable to their hearts. The treasures of this immense good ness have been unstintedly lavished upon us, giving not only riches where before was poverty, but lite where was death, light where was darkness, happi ness where was wretchedness, bliss where woule have been woe, God where would have been the wicked fiend, glory with the One on high where would have been infamy and torture with the other. It has not been a diminution of evil, or an increase of good that the charity of God has brought or given by the incarna tion ; but it was the substitution of positive good for positive evil (if we ‘ may so popularly speak), the transition from one extreme to its very opposite. What can we do, in imitation of this excessive kindness and love, that can be worth His acknow ledgment—how much less His acceptance ? If His goodness had not come to our assistance even here, how helpless would have been our condition ! We must have sunk into hopelessness and remained contented with bare utterance of thanks. How simple, however, the method which He adopted ! He knew that we should easily understand how everything, slight though in itself, nay, worthless, which touched Himself, would receive infinite value in the eyes of those that loved him gratefully. And this He gave us power to make our poor charity do. " Clothe the poor," Ho said, " and you clothe Me. Feed the hungry, and you feed Me. Give but a cup of cold water to one of my thirsting little ones and ye have quickened Me." How simple, and yet how noble ! How easy, and yet how sublime, this sanctification of kindness—this aithost deifica tion of humanity ! If, then, the love of Jesus Christ was most pro fuse to us when He was made flesh and first dwelt among us, and was, in fact, the germ of all His love —if in proportion to His love ours ought to be in return—if, in fine, this, our thankful love should be exhibited, as He wishes, towards His poor brethren and curs, let our Christmas be one of out pouring mercy, overflowing generosity, exuberant charity, towards all who need our assistance ! But what class of poverty and misery can pnt forward a more prominent claim by association with the mystery of love now specially brought before us ? For surely it is natural for us, when looking for His image in the indigent or afflicted, to study those many resemblances of His sufferings which are to be found on earth„ and select such as best suits the particular for for our devotion. St. Elizabeth, Queen of Hungary, found a poor man covered with sores and ulcers from a foul leprosy which afflicted him. Moved with com passion, anxious to relieve him, she had him borne upstairs, and finding the Royal bed nearest at hand, placed him in it, and there nursed. him, The King suddenly returned home, and was soon informed by envious courtiers of the loathsome spectacle that awaited him in his chamber. Angry, he drew his gentle and holy Queen thither, and drew aside the rich curtains, and what he did find ? The figure of Our Lord, lying in it, with the thorny crown on His Lord, His body bruised, cut, and la cerated by blows and scourges, and His hands pierced by nails; and he worshipped in s tead o f reproaching, and begged pardon instead of reprot intr. For he saw now what his saintly Queen had all along seen with herlinnocent eyes, that the sick, the sore—those tossed on the hospital bed, ulcera ted within or without—those who moan with pain or writhe in agony, are the truest types to us of Jesus, their friehd and lover, scourged at the pillar or racked on the cross for Vie love of us. St. Eliza beth saw Him in that leper, and thought no bed too soft, too white, too dainty, for that lovely image of her dear Lord. Thus, dearly beloved children in Christ, when you wish thus to requite your Saviour's love to you in passion and death, ought not your grateful affection naturally to turn to those indeed more lowly beds, where day and night so many of your poor brethren and sisters and little ones are nursed by devoted imitators of that saint in the hospital which bears her name ? Ought you not to feel as though the alms-box which solicits your charity for this holy purpose were fastened to the trunk of our Saviour's cross, below His blessed feet, rather than to the door of a poor dwelling in darksome London. Or, again, do you read in the Annals for the Propagation of the Faith the touching accounts of recent martyrdoms, far, far away in the Eastern world. young women and old men, tender boys and venerable ecclesiastics, torn by scourges, pierced with lances, fastened to crosses, tortured even like the heroes of the first three Christian centuries ? If you do, and rightly feel honour and love towards those your brethren, do you not behold in them more than images, repititions of our blessed Lord's own torments ; and, if so, do you not run at once to send your charity where it so imme diately reaches Him whom these represent so truly, by pouring it into the coffers of that ad mirable institution which, under the name just quoted, directly ministers to the relief of those poor afflicted, but most honourable of the Church's children ? But, if our Divine Redeemer is thus represented to us in the sublimest and most awful of His ap• pearances on earth, He stands before us living day by day, in the more ordinary forms of suffering.. " The poor ye have always with you." How beau tiful this His word ; how cheering, how consoling. Yet it was not understood by thew who heard it— by Magdalene any more thun by Judas ; but to the children of the kingdom. They have reached their . maturity, and they say—" Upon me personally you. will not be able, like this faithful woman, to lavish Hpiketirtrd and alabaster, but the price of these you will be at any time able to give to the poor who will represent me." In fact, do you wish to relieve the destitute in this bleak season and city, to give a home to those who lay their weary heads on stone doorsteps, or huddle together for warmth in the mud of dry river arches,—do you wish to give but a small coin to one who cannot pay the smallest just claim to him P Do you long to fill the hungry and faint after long fast? And do you strive to cheer your charity by the thought that these forlorn, abject, and ragged creatures can in any way receive your alms as with Christ's outstretched palm and speak blessings on you in His dear name P Oh ! surely yes ; do so and fear not. " The foxes have their holes, yet as Son of Man hath not where to lay His head !" Who more like Him than the houseless poor. A penny is demanded of him for toll, and so empty is his purse that he must needs send Peter back to his renounced occupation of fisherman to obtain, though miraculously, what was needful. Then how like to Him the utterly destitute and penniless ! And, finally, whom but angels will you resemble when you feed the hungry,—those angels who, when Jesus hungered after long fast, spread a table for Hihi in the wilderness P If, again, you wish to sustain the efforts of honest industry, to give work to those who would gladly undertake it, to cheer on the languishing but virtuous household by the kind visit and apparently casual order which leaves no sting or shame of discovered struggles and patient endurance, surely we can transtuSe these good works in mind and intention to the humble workshop of Nazareth, and honour in the industrious, though unsuccessful poor the inmates of that humble but happy home. Nevertheless, we do not seem as yet to have reached that special class of poor who best represent Jesus in Bethlehem, a child laid on straw, in a stable on a manger, left by the world to suffer, sometimes to die. Surely the orphans of either sex may put for• ward here a high pretension .and advance good claims to be His representative! Jesus lies before us a little child, and such is the orphan who wants our charity; Jesus is poor and destitute, and such is our little one when first he needs it. Jesus is desolate—cut off from the world, and is there a creature more destitute than the orphan re turning from its parents' pauper funeral to what was once its wretched home—now not even that ? In one respect the likeness would be complete, but for the greater misery of such a child. Our Lord never had one whom He could call His father upon 'earth. In this respect He was the type of the orphan child, and may well transfer to us a father's duty to him. He had, indeed, from the beginning, the love and attendance of the tenderest of mothers, and He had the affectionate care, equal to any parent's, of the most affectionate of foster fathers. Alas ! had the poor orphan in London always one, even the second of these, deprived often of both parents, perhaps in cmnpany of several little brothers and sisters hapless as himself, he ,nay for a time be tossed from the precarious support of one relation to another, till at length he is allowed to drop into the oblivion of the union, where he grows up a lonely youth who prays not for his unknown parents' souls. There are among the poor heroic exceptions to this sad history ; we find constantly the poorest relations struggling manfully to keep their rela tions' or even friends' children from this terrible fate, but a melancholy experience teaches us that many, very many, fall through this utter helpless• ness into those abysses of perdition. And, strange to say, even in this we can trace a resemblance to the lot to which our Divine Redeemer was doomed by a malicious world. Herod is described as having sought his life in singular words :—" Mortui sunt, querebant animam pueris." "They are dead," it is written, " who sought (literally) the soul of the child." Yes, Herod sought to take away the life of the body of the Holy child. Many strive to take the soul's life from our poor orphans ; and observe, Herod did not threaten and bluster, nor did he use violence at first. No, all was gentle and respectful; he loved, nay, he worshipped the child whom he was about to destroy. " When you have found him tell me, that I also may come and adore him." Such were his words to the wise men of the East. The crafty false friend ; the hypocritical destroyer of all that was best on earth, had not God foiled him ! And it is always with smooth words and kind looks that the little orphan is claimed for destruction. "I will educate and support him," a benevolent patron or rich relation would most winningly say. But one condition is inexorably added—he must be put into a Protestant institution; the child's soul must be the purchase-money of charity. " Let me have your child," whispers a truly well-meaning, kind-hearted lady to the sickly mother or burdened kinswoman, " and I will make a lady of her ; she shall want for nothing." In what religion will she be brought np P "Of course not in the Catholic." Always the same—it is the child's soul that is begged for. And if this be refused the poor thing is flung back, remorselessly, to the risk of losing its earthly life. And it is even batter so. It may be thought that, after all, if our orphans are placed in the receptacle for varied misery pro ♦ided by the nation, though their existence may be solitary their religion at least will be safe under the guarantee of the law. Would to God it were so ! It would be difficult to frame a law in favour of Catholic children which the craft or the power of petty Herods will not elude or violate. We have learnt how, by vexatious delays, intri cate correspondences, harassing denials, and put ting to proof of uneducated relations, by the divi sion of jurisdiction between boards and committees, and by no end of paltry excuses and mean eva sions, months and years can be dragged over till a child's affections have been weaned from a sister, or its mind poisoned against the only inheritance of a mother. No, they are far from dead who seek the souls of our children. We earnestly hope that not another Session of tly3 Legislature will be allowed to pass over without a united and power ful and a universal effort of all Catholics to redress this crying evil, and lay bare this mystery of ini quity to the detestation of the fair and the honest. But this is not our present scope. The only real effectual remedy is to secure to ourselves, as far as we can, the education of our own poor orphans. To snatch the very babes from the danger of sucking in poison with their very milk, we have an excellent charity under the invocation of the Immaculate Conception ; but the especial object of your charitable contributions to-day is the education of Catholic orphans in the two noble establish ments of North Hyde and Norwood—the first for boys, under the fatherly care of Brothers of Mercy; the second under the maternal direction of the Sisters of our Lady of the Orphans. Both'are doing their work efficiently ; both are worthy of your utmost support. Your contributions on .26th February last added £135 to the funds of each orphanage. A full state ment of the accounts of that at North Hyde will be made public at the beginning of the ensuing year. The number of boys at present in the institu tion is 70, being an fnsrease to the amount of 19 in the establishment during the current year. There is ample space to accommodate 100 boys, but frequent applications for the admission of poor destitute orphans are refused through the want of means to support them. At the Asylum of Our Lady of the Orphans at Norwood, the accounts of which are published with the pastoral, there are in all 203 orphan girls, of whom 74 are from th e di ocess of Westminster, 15 of this number being maintained by the diocesan collections. Here, too, although the vacancies which occurred during the year were immediately filled up, no less than 59 orphans have been refused admission, either for want of room or of funds to support them. Now, to you who are lich we say, make this your great Christmas cha rity.. Draw near to our Lord's humble resting place, to His bed of straw, and offer him your gifts. The kings bring him gold and spices, the shep herds lay before him the:fruit of their flocks. Do you come before him with far more welcome offerings. - Bring to Him many little ones like Himself, souls more precious to Him than gold, lambs more tender than the firstlings of Abel's flock. Better than in any mirror will He see His own likeness reflected in the inno cent looks of these dear children, when thus by your charity brought close to Him. And a happy, thrice happy Christmas awaits you if you bless it by this charity. And not to the rich alone do we speak. Yon honest sons of toil, stuut and fearless in your inde pendent industry, take intoyour powerful clasp the desolate orphan. Let him share your honourable gains, nay, work expressly for him. Put aside a mite of your earnings. Give him, if you can, a few hours of extra work, and happy may you also be if, in the course of many years, y ou shall have saved or given enough to rescue but one child from the detestable workhouse, as it generally proves for our little ones. How noble you will appear one day, and how you will hold up yuur head before You r Judge, if you bear in your arms triumphantly be. fore Him one living image of Him, more like Hi m than any painted or sculptied portrait as He was on his first Christmas-day on earth, all inno cence , ' all love. And you pale and sinking follo wers o f Mary, scarcely able to fight against poverty and ill-health, faint not in your work of charity. Nurse still your poor friend's child ; lend it some of your scant warmth ; divide with it your hardly -earned bread. You are nursing and feedin g the infant Jesus and bringing eternal bl ess i ngs upon your last hour, though bitter with the feeling that your adopted child will he soon a second time an orphan. But no; the charity of your brethren an d s i s t ers , aroused this day, will come to your succour, will snatch your little one from perdition, and ease your pillow of one anxiety. The lonely Babeof Beth lehem will bless you in your parting moment. And, dearly beloved, may He bless you all; Him your give your love at this holy season by your abundant charity to His poor orphans, and He will give you happy homes and much devotion to Him and rich spiritual graces. " Orphuno to eris adjutor," "Thou shalt be the orphan's helper," says t he prophet to God Himself. Be ye like to Him, like to the Father, that lie may recognise in you the image of Him self' grac ious, and benevolent , and merciful; while His infant Son • • sees Ms own likeness in the help- less innocents on whon.the at 'aibu.tes of 'God ale lavishd.. The e blessing of God des/Tim) 'monk you, andabide with you for ever. Amen. Given in Westminster this fou.rth Sunday of Advent, December the 23d, 1.800. N.,. Card. Archbishop of WEB luktimsTETt• THE NAVY. In consequence of the activity now observable in the shipbuilding department at Chatham dock yard, and the exertions which are bring made for the completion of those vessels now on the stocks which are ordered to be brought forward for launch ing, orders have been issued for the whole of the mechanics and labourers employed in the steam sawing mills at the dockyard to work extra hours, both morning and evening, in order that no delay may be occasioned in furnishing the timber re quired in the shipwright department. The follow ing line-of-battle and other screw steamers are now building in the dockyard, several of which are in a forward stag i and will be ready for launching— soon—the Bulwark 91, 800-horse power, about half completed; the Royal Oak, 91, 800-horse power, only recently commenced, but already making con siderable progress ; the Undaunted, 51, 600-horse power, completed, and waiting to be launched on the Ist of January ; the Belvedere, 51, 600-horse poWer, a sister frigate to the Undaunted, commenced a few months since ; the Rattlesnake, 20, 400- horse-power, one of the improved screw corvettes designed by Admiral Sir Baldwin Walker, the late Surveyor of the Navy, and about one-half finished ; the Reindeer, 17, 200-horse power, one of the last vessels commenced at this dockyard; and the Myr midon, 4, 200-horse power, just put in frame. In addition to above, the line-of-battle ship Bom bay, 91. built in the East Indies, is in dock, being lengthened and converted into a screw steamer, and the large sailing frigate Arethusa, 51, is in the adjoining dock undergoing the same process. The Isis, 40, sailing ship, is lying alongside the dockyard wall being fitted for a coal ship for the African coast ; end the Trincomalee, 26, under going the necessary alterations to adapt her for a training ship for the Naval Coast Volunteers, at Sunderland. Pl'he Linnet, 5, 200-horse power, is being complete afloat for the second-class steam reserve. The paddlewheel steam sloop Styx, 6, Comman der John. Cave, four days from Halifax, arrived at Bermuda, November 24. She is under orders for the West Indies, to relieve the screw steam cor vette Cossack, 20, Captain Richard Moorman, which vessel, according to the Bernzuda Royal Gazette, is ordered home. The Cossack was com missioned June 15, 1859, when she went to her present station. The screw steam gunvessel Lan drail, 5, Commander Thomas IL M. Martin, from England, was expected at Bermuda about the Ist inst. The paddlewheel steam sloop Spiteful, 6, Com mander Wilson, from Sheerness and Portsmouth, arrived at Plymouth on Monday morning with supernumeraries and with seamen and marines Paid off from the Amethyst, 26, at Sheerness. She went up Hamoaze in the afternoon. and should the weather continue fine, will tow to Pembroke the coal depot Alarm, which will be in charge of Assist-Master-Attendant Commander Paul and a party of riggers from the Devonpart dockyard. Rear-Admiral Stopford struck his flag on Satur day evening on board the Royal Albert, 121, Capt. Henry Lacon, in Hamoaze, and is gone on leave of absence. THE VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT. The following correspOndence has been sent us for publication : St. James's-place, Dec. 13, My Lord,—Some of the officers commanding volunteer corps in the metropolis met at the Volunteer Service on Monday, Dec. 3, to considrr the question of the admis sion of.members of the Society of Foresters into their re spective corps. Having reason to believe that the Government wei e opposed to the admission of members of secret societies into the volunteer force as separate bodies, whether small or large, end agre&ng with this view, we passed the following resolution : " That the commanding officers present do all in their power io give t ffect to the views of the Governmnt, as ,bove stated, and pledge themselves not to admit into their respective corps members of secret societies in separate bodies, small or large." Since then my attention has been drawn to the enclosed paragraph, headed " Foresters Rifles," which appeared in the Volunteer Service Gazette of Saturday last. From this it would seem that Lord Radstock had communicated to a body of metropolitan Foresters what passed at the meeting to which I have referred, and had likewise expressed to them the views which the Government are believed to entertain with reference to the admission of Foresters as sepal ate bodies into the volunteer force. Nevertheless they resolved : " That this meeting is of opinion that ono or more com panies of Forester Volunteers should forthwith be orga nised in this (the west) district, and pledges itself to co operate in the movement now being made for that purpose, notwithstanding the communication from Lord Radstock." This resolution can, I imagine, only have been adopted by the Foresters in the belief that the views of the Govern ment, as expressed to them in Lord Radstock's letter; would not be enforced; and as this question of the admission of members of I lie Society of Foresters, or of other secret socie ties, into the Volunteer force, as separate bodies, is one the importance of which cannot, I think, be exaggerated, I would venture to suggest to your Lordship the propriety of some public official announcement being made of the views and intentions of the Government upon this subject which may serve as a guide to officers commanding Volunteer corps.—l remain ,your lordship's obedient servant, ELMO. War-office, Dec. 20. My Lord, —I am directed by Mr. Secretary Herbert to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 13th instant, relative to the admission of members of the Society of Foresters into Volunteer corps. In reply, I am to inform you that while Mr. Herbert is fully sensible of the public spirit displayed by the Foresters who desire to form separate corps or exclusive companies in the ♦arious metropolitan corps, he is absolutely precluded from sanctioning their proposal, as the regulations of the service do not allow the members of any secret society, as such, to constitute corps, or portions of corps, in the Volun teer force.—l have the honour to be, my Lord, Your Lordship's obedient, servant, DE GREY AND lttroN. Lord Etch°, St. James's-place. The presentation of a silver cup to Captain Basil Sparrow, of the 12th .Efex Volunteers, was made the occasion of some interesting proceeding; and speeches. The cup was presented at a puFlic din ner in the Corn Exchange, Braintree, Mr. Onley Savill Onley presiding ; and Mr. C. Du Cane, m.p Mr. T. S. Western, M.P,, the Rev. Sir J. Page Wood, and several of the leading local country gentlemen heingUmong the guests. The Rev. Sir J. P. WOOD, in responding to the to.tst of "Th e Bi s h o p an d Cl erg y," s a id : "Alth ough my coat is biack arid my neckcloth is white, yet I am a Volunteer to-night as well as your- CAPTURE O,F A SLATER. - The Cora, of New York, • unaer command of Hen derson Eastman, sailing master of the Constellation, —fl,kgehip of the African squadron, arrived off this port on Saturday 11°,1: Monrovia, and anchored off the Nati.) Yard at 4 p.m , °" was captured on the coast of. Africa by the Constellatfal (41 the 26th September, with 705 slaves on Voard. The folle o- ant ing is a detailed account of the capture avid s ubsequ events connected therewith :—The Constellatio•n left Boster in July, 1859, with a crew of about 350, all told, offi cers and men. She is a 22-gun sloop, and was rebuilt at N orfolk in , 1853,.fr,m the old frigate that, in the war of 1812 .a.-tained souse fame under the command of Commodore T. rux°rl ; She oracle one cruise to the Mediterranean in. l For ne.•trly a year-and-a-half she has been actively' enj ployed ire cruising on the Western Coast of Africa, bet' peen 18 deg. south latitude end 32 deg. north. During the 0 6t six months of her trip she captured, after ten hours' chase: , a brig without - colours or papers, named the Delicia, which was sent to Charleston. There were, however, no slaves 0 11 board. The Constellation left Loanda on the Bth of 6er tember, and cruised off the Congo River up to the 25 65 ' On that day her course was shaped to return to that place for the purpose of getting wood, water, and provisions. -At half-past 7 o'clock in the evening, while 30 miles south of, Congo, the cry was made of " Sail on the weather bow.' At the time of making the sail, which was about five miles distant it was thought she was a packet from Loanda bound. for Boston, no slavers being supposed to cruise on that part of the coast. The Constellation, however, immediatelY gave chase, In an hour and a half the pursuers had gained enough on her to make out from her rig that she was net one of the regular packets. Afi er getting within about two miles of the stranger a gun was fired for the purpose of bringing her to ; but, tnstead of heaving to, she kept on her course. At this time tie Co.o.stellation was going eight knots an hour, and slowly gaining on the slaver. After an interval of some 30 minutes another gun was fired but to which no attention wee pat. 4 by the slaver. It was then 11 o'clock, the breeze had fres;:ezted a little, and it° Constellation was going at the rate of r ti 'ne knots by log. The fugitive was now within range, and na arly ahead. . 1 e• 32- pounder was shifted to the bow port of the Constellation, and another shot fired, but the slaver did not sk 'em to Mina it, and kept on her cocrse. The pursuers then kept awe,' a little to get ready to set their stun' sails. if neces. sary. BY this time they had approached to within 500 ya."o- 18 of th e vessel, and were still gaining on her, but she did uot hoe" to. The Constellation now fired another gun loaded wah sho t, which cut away some of the slaver's port sturesail gear. Vi e bark then braced her mainyard aback, the Constellation rang ing up under her lee quarter, and Commander Eastman er' dered her to haul up her courses. An armed boat was then lowered, and the prize boarded. Commander Eastman' asked what ship it was, and where was the Amerklan car tai'. He was answered in Spanish, by a gentleman' Nate received him very politely, that it was the barque Coro, that the American captain had remained ashore,llknd tha t he (the Spaniard) had command of the ship ; that she foci 705 slaves on board, was 24 hours out from Mangul Grande , and concluded by congratulating Commander Eastman 0 11 the excellence of the prize. Commander Eastman then called all the crew of the slaver to the gangway, and sent . all of them except three Americans and five Spaniards, the latter being retained to take charge of the Africans, in boat to the Constellation. They numbered about 26 men, and were made up mainly of Portuguese, with one China man and three Americans. Commander Eastman, assuming command of the Cora, now began examining the ship and cargo. She appeared to be new, handsomely fitted out, and far superior to the class of vessels -that are generally em ployed in the slave trade. Those vessels engaged in the Cuba trade are very poor as a general thing, and are usually burnt after landing a, cargo. The .hold was filled with men and boys, and her cabin with women. Two thirds of the whole number were under 15 years of age. All were in a perfectly _nude state. They were classified as follows :-172 mew, 106 women, 343 boys, 31 girls, and three boles at the breast. Commander Eastman represents them to have been fat and hearty, seemingly unconscious and careless of their situation, and all gabbling 'at a great rate, while the , sounds emitted were void of any well-defined articulations. Thirty tierces of rice, 90 barrels of bread, and a large quan tity of beans, with a light store of beef, Were found. During the voyage two meals per day were given the negroes. The morning meal consisted of a junk of bread and some water, and at 3 p.m. a dinner of boiled beans one day and boiled rice the next was served. Thedr appetites appeared to be first-rate, and there was Mae necessity for washing the dishes after a meal was over, for Me Negro es displayed an expertness in licking the tubs that 'you'd defy competition on the part of the most painstaking &v. The five Spaniards who took special charge of the dining arrangements would set the blacks in masses of 15 ,and 16 in a circle on deck, with a wooden tub of boiled rice or beans in the centre of each group. After all were d.ulf ranged round the smoking tubs, the Spaniards made thein go through an exercise of clapping their hands and singiDO which lasted about three-quarters of an hour. By this tirate the repast would have partially cooled off, and the Negroes' were allowed to "pitch in," the one having the largest hands getting most. They seemed, however, very kind to each other, and if a boy got an extra large piece of bread he was always ready to share it with his companions, They appeared contented and in good spirits throughout the voyage. Arrived at Monrovia, the.captured Africans were delivered over to the United States agent, Mr. Seyes, whose' duty it is to apportion them out to families, a certain amount being paid by Government for the support for one year of the recaptured Africans. The Cora, with icerevr of 10 men, and the three Americans found in her at the three she was taken, left Monrovia on the-18th of October, and arrived at this port, as' stated above, last Saturday. MOW' day she was to be put into the hands of Marikal Rynders. who retains control of her until the propertirbunal shall have declared her a lawful prize. The first, second, and third officers, named Frederick Wilson, and Olson (the three Americans referred to), are also to be put in the Marshal's custody to await their trial. It will be remem bered that the Cora was detained in port for several days last May on suspicion that she had been fitted out for the slave trade; but was finally allowed to depart.—New York , Tribune. TILE MAILS. MAILS DUE. Australia Ceyhin, and Mauritius (via South ampton), .„ „, „ Jan. 18. Do. (via Marseilles) 'Jan. 12. Brazil and Cape Verds Jan. 4. Buenos Ayres, Monte Video, &c. Dec. --• Bahamas and Havana (via New York) lkic• • Cuba and Mexico Dec. 29 Canada, &c. (via G a l wa y) .. Dec. —• rape of Good Hope, &c. Jan. 1.. China, Penang, and Singapore (via S'ampton) Jan. 2. Do (via Marseilles) Dec. 27 Gibraltar (via Southampton) .. Dec. 25 India (Calcutta), Ceylon, &c. (via Southampton) Jan. 2. Do. (via Marseilles) Dec. 27. India (Bombay), (via Southampton) .. • • Dec. 25. Do. (via Marseilles) Jon. 4. Lisbon .• • • Dec. 21 Malta, E; ' Southampton) Dr 25. ,alta, zgypt, and Adon (via Ju._ pc..•• )ee. J. Do. (via Marseilles) .. Jan. 4. Vigo, and Oporto .. .. • • • • .. Overdue. United States, California; &c. • • • .. Dec. 26. Western Coast of Africa, Madeira, Teneriff e J an , 10. West Indies and PacificCartliagena, Cuba, &o. Dec. 29. [ADVERTISEMENT.] Holloway's Ointment and Pills.- - Look to your Children.—Diseases incident to early life fall more under the management of the mother than the medical man ; were parents duly impressed with the preser vative powers possessed by Holloway's ointment in fully bringing out the rash in measles and scarlatina the bills of mortality would not weekly register 68 deaths against the former and 50 against the latter disease. This invaluable ointment may be rubbed twice daily upon the throat and chest of the youngest invalid with a soothing rather than annoying effect. When the child is placid and obedien t Holloway's pills s h ou l d b e likewise given, but not if their administration t ease the infant, as the ointment, unaided , will certainly, though more gradually, cure. BI B. II S. A NDERTON.—On the 22d inst., at Buxton Hall, the Lady Emma Anderton, of a daughter. BARNARD.—On the 24th inst., at The Vicarage, Yatton the wife of the Rev. Henry J. Barnard, of a daughter. Hu GIIES.—On the 22d ult., at Peshawur, the wife of Lieu: tenant-Col. W. T. Hughes, of a daughter. MARRIAGES. ROBERTSON—STOCKDALE.—On the 18th inst., at Milton, near Lymington, Hants, Major-General William Donald Robertson, of H.M.'s Indian Army, to Elizabeth, third daughter of Captain Stockdale, R.N. WAITT—BRACE.—On the 22d inst., at St. Andrew's; Montpelier, Bristol, Thomas Waitt, Esq., Yetholm Ha, Kelso, Scotland, to Tryphena Brace, daughter of the late Rev. John Brace, Montpelier, Bristol. D le, A T II ki. Arrnicr.ouovou.---On the 24th inst., at Islip, Northamp tonshire, Mr. John Attenboreugh, aged 88. BULLEN.—On the 23d inst., at St. Leonard's-on-Sea, Robt Bullen, jun., Esq., of Mauritius. CHAMBERS.—On the 19th inst., at The Cottage, Benham, near Newbury, Berka, Commander Ennis Chambers, R.N., aged 35. COBBFTT.—On the 22d inst., Sarah, widow of the late Win. Cobbett, Esq., of Sunbury, Middlesex. HAMBLEY.—On the 21st inst., at North Cheam, Surrey/ William Hambley, Esq., late of Queen-street-place, Southwark, aged 70. SAMUELS.—On the 23d inst., at 1, Bernard Villas, Upper Norwood, Edward Alexander Samuels, Esq., C. 8., of H.M.'S Bengal C.S., aged 47. 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 middleonc , Wednesday, peoember_2o, 1600. ki te 4arly uck ie ° , y edne 7 :l S e cj tl be ' °pC al l3ll clcl4 bik e Sta 10 4 . 44 b, +l.--M0 At Meet ' , l - ! 41 the It ß I t°Yal W a aB Prop ° aecei nat the i t : , q i a Thilitar °f hie e( lesed b atcl aecc 4 11 4 t h e 13 °rtz With, co4 lltri tpir. th e 4 3' th e tr Pr 44thor ' -a cti by li ee°4 (led ar t, ti ot 4 a 8114 k tb3Uh r)f qat lj Passedl tie el Pitti; K N 1 Sir (i j Sir ° ~ It h ,' lle htl'c ,l ! () 'Ar j t il eterr : 044;:eetlera iB 1;! 1 . ela x t, . 1) kiew of q 4 l . l 4ea e Bj or n Pror vu e iveter a iarl o f E e th e ' l ac% th e e Cg'-qtrsh a e higheo pe la. th ' el I ) . t tal s S i , t ~