The Sun. — London, England, 1858-10-07 00:00:00

THE WEATHER.-SUN OFFICE, Oc - r. 7. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE 60—highest since noon yesterday. 55 lowest this morning and during the night. 61—this day at noon. BARoMETER-29.38—a fall of more than half-an-inch since yesterday . WIND, S.W. by W.; strong breeze, with heavy rain. Two o'Clock, fine sunshiny weather. In The Sin of yesterday we extracted an article from the Times respecting the deplorablo calamiticx that have fallen on the innocent shareholders of the Western Bank. Nothing can be more lamentable than the ruin thus brought on many provident and careful p frsons who had invested the savings of their lives in what they believed, and had every reason to believe, were unexcep tionable securities, in the hope of enjoying pecu niary case in the last years of their lives, and of leaving means to their families which would. ma terially assist them during " the battle of life.' Not only were these fond anticipations defeated, not only was the entire amount of capital absolutely and irretrievably lost, but heavy demands remained to be enforced against these truly unfortunate per sons—demands that have, in too many instances, reduced them to hopeless insolvency. They are far more to be pitied than the depositors or other credi tors of the bank. The latter have already been paid 10s. in the .E 1 on the amount of their respec tive claims, and will eventually receive 20s. It is true that many have been seriously inconvenienced by the delay in the payment of money on which they confidently relied. for meeting their own liabilities. But that inconvenience could be surmounted at a comparatively trifling loss. Few indeed were reduced to ruin, or had all their future prospects in life blasted by reason thereof. But the case of the shareholders, especially of those who had not in any degree participated in the mis management so justly complained of, was far worse. Every shilling of their property was expended, and they had also to pay an additional call of £25 per share, or 10s. in the £1 additional. Not quite two thirds of the amount that might have been antici pated, if every shareholder could respond to the de mand, was received. , The paid-up capital of £5O per share produced £1,500,000 ; and, consequently, £25 per share ought to have produced £550,000. But of this only £440,000 has as yet been obtained. It is said that £65,000 more may be fairly antici pated under this call ; so that, supposing this esti mate to be correct, and that half a million is thus obtained, it shows that £250,000 cannot be ex pected, and that parties who had £500,000 invested in the stock had already become insolvent. These were chiefly retired tradesmen, widows, and orphans, and it would be difficult to find parties more deserving of sympathy and assistance. But even this does net by any means exhibit the full extent of the mischief. The £25 per share was utterly inadequate to provide for all the demands, which were far more onerous than had been anticipated. It was found that the de ficiency, in place of being little more than £300,000, was really £1,420,000, so that an additional call of £lOO per share became indispensable, and with but little time allowed for the payment. This may be responded to by some of the really wealthy share holders, but we fear that it will be impossible for those already reduced to poverty to meet it. It is, in fact, an addition of 200, or, in cluding the first contribution, 250 per cent. to the original loss, or, in other words, each person who held £lOO stock has paid or must pay £250 in addition ; and this, although they are morally, although not legally, as innocent as any of the creditors of the concern, who not only have nothing more to pay, but have received half the amount of their original claims. They are, however, to give up the full pound of flesh— " The law admits it, and the court awards !" But admitting to the full extent the terrible extent of the evil, and the gross mismanagement by which, it has been produced, that still does not establish the accusations which the Times has preferred against the Scottish system of banking and Scotch trading, which we concur with Mr. BUCHANAN in thinking to have been denounced in terms of unjustifiable severity. Such mismanage ment as occurred in respect of the Western Bank must have brought any establishment to ruin and irwl—Tyytny, no mattcr ir, rcint Ponntry, or under what system it was conducted. There were enor mous advances to firms who certainly did not justify the confidence reposed in them. These advances, in place of " falling like the gentle dew from Heaven upon the plain beneath," and fertilising the grate ful soil, had the effect of an inundation, destroying it. They tempted the i artier to' rash speculations that produced m_ - .eh of the subse vent misery. But, as we have eready stated, this has also been the case in Engl , nd, and with equally disastrous results. If we look to banking statistics it will immediately be discovered that the failurespn this side of the Tweed have been in at least a tenfold ratio to those which have occurred in Scotland, even including the Western Bank, and that the proportion of losses to creditors has been still greater. The system has not been at fault. Indeed, perhaps, its benefits have never been more clearly illustrated, so far as the commu nity at large are concerned. The share holders are differently circumstanced, but theirs was a risk that must be encountered by all who desire large dividends or high interest for their money.' They unquestionably deserve deep sympathy, but they have not been worse off than others in this country; and it was unquestionably our tampering with the currency laws in 1844 and 1845 that led to the very deplorable results that have followed. If the rate of interest is to vibrate " between. 1 and 20 per cent. without the interference of any Chancellor of the Exchequer," we must look for periodical repetitions of such calamities in all parts of the United Kingdom. We have concluded a treaty of peace and amity with China, but certain Chinese subjects have re solved on waging more vigorous hostilities than ever, and that in a manner not recognised by the laws of modern war. These men are either encouraged by the Supreme Government, or they are resisting its authority, trusting either to its want of vigour or inclination,, and believing that they will, therefore, escape the severe punishment due to their offences. In either case our course is clear. We must take the law into our own hands, and display that energy and determination which can alone produce the necessary submission of the Celestials. It appears that an association has been formed at Canton and the neighbouring provinces, for the purpose not only of expelling the foreign devils from China, but of recalling every native who has taken service with them, or who enters into any trade transactions with them. A system of exclu sive dealing is inaugurated, by which every Celes tial is forbidden from supplying the wants of any European, however tempting the price that may be offered. Should he do so after the notice, he wi incur the supreme displeasure of " The Sun-kum, and must make up his mind to endure a the. pains and penalties incidental to the pos: tion. This Chinese " Black Sheep Office ". does not merely act against the delinquent, but all his relations and friends will be placed in jeopardy, and subjected to Lynch law on the most extensive and sanguinary scale. The result has been that the Chinese are all flying from Hong Kong, and indeed from every quarter where any foreigners are established. The " junkmen" have proclaimed a sort of holy war, which forbids every Celestial to hold amicable intercourse with any " outer barbarian," and any infraction of ne ordi nance will be severely expiated. Now this uncivilised mode of attack can be easily repelled. But it must be shown that we are thorough/y in earnest and cannot be quieted by any YEll-ite arguments—that we will not wait the action of the Chinese authorities to chastise the wrong-doers, but, taking the law into our own hands, will inflict exemplary punishment on the conspi rators. The people of canton have too long been permitted to set the law at defiance. They have hardened. their hearts, and exult in their iniquity. There can be but little doubt that they were en couraged by the local, if not by the Imperial, authorities ; and it must be shown by some striking examples that any aggression against those who are at peace with China will be re• garde& as acts of piracy, and suppressed with the most unflinching firmness and determination. We trust that the proclamation of Sir JOHN BOWRING Rill suffice to open the eyes of the con spirators. If, however, the language thereof can not persuade the members of " The Sun-kum" to abstain from such unjustifiable proceedings, it must be ascertained what virtue can be found in British steel and British lead, which have proved to be the most efficient peace-makers whenever, or wherever, JOHN CHINAMAN was concerned. Three elections are soon to come off. Guildford, Leominster, and Reigate are to replenish with wisdom a House which the attractions of the new Indian Council have deprived of Mr. MANGLES, Mr. WILLOUGHBY, and Sir H. RAWLINSON. The little fact—for little, we fear, it is—attracts atten tion, as every election ought now to do, in the suggestions it offers in regard to the forthcoming Reform Bill. What, then, have these boroughs to tell us ? We would not be personal, but there, unchallenged, stands, in the pages of the Parlia mentary hand-book, the record of the notorious fact, that each is a borough more or less under INFLUENCE. Mr. DOD gives the names in plain English, and the hon. gentlemen thus signalised probably consider themselves honoured rather than otherwise. None of them that we ever heard of complains of being thus gazetted ; to influence a borough is a sort of knighthood probably in their view, and that the influence should survive the onslaught of 1832 only shows how great a man the borough's lord must be. We may be quite sure that were there anything in the record discreditable in aristocratic circles, both Mr. DOD, privately, and the press, publicly, would soon have heard of it. Another fact is, that these three boroughs re turn five members to Parliament, also that their registered electors collectively do not amount to more than 1,427, which is, of course, in the pro portion of 285 electors to each member. If the metropolitan boroughs, with their constituency of a hundred and ten thousand in round numbers, and enough over to make a borough like one of these, returned members in proportion, they would re- turn considerably more than half the House of Commons. Their share would be 387 members ! If Manchester, with a like surplus to the above over eighteen thousand electors, were honoured in proportion, its share in the representation would amount to sixty-four members ; and were the boroughs of all England to return members to Par liament in the same ratio as these boroughs, they alone, setting aside the counties, would send more than fifteen hundred representatives to the great Council of the nation. Now, concede what weight its advocates may desire to the desirableness of representing classes, can any thing excuse such a monstrous disproportion ? Tak ing the present electoral constituency as it stands, why should some fourteen score of electors, in three 4 , influence" boroughs be reckoned equal to nine thousand electors in London, and to about the same number in Manchester ? Are the ten pound householders in Guildford, Leominster, and Reigate so much better instructed by the local gentlemen of InEnJac_r_, than the ealzcn:-, of the capiial of England by the daily press, and their daily inter course, that the opinion of one citizen of these boroughs ought to weigh as much in Parliament as the opinions of five-and-thirty in the cities P Is the wisdom of the agricultural constituencies really as five-and-thirty to one in their favour compared with us unfortunates of the busy world ? It really seems as if the vaunted superiority of Europeans to Sepoys in India was as nothing to the superiority of the denizens of country market towns over the denizens of the great seats of industry and commerce. Yet, with these things notorious to us all, Sir GEORGE CORNEWALL LEWIS seems utterly at a loss to know why we want Parliamentary Reform. The first of the Whig leaders who has spoken, he at least has informed us that he is as well content as Lord DERBY professed himself this spring, with tie present House of Commons, and demands that, if the Conservatives insist on giving us a Re form Bill, they shall first announce definitely what evils they mean to correct. He can see nothing worth correcting in such an absurd dispro portion of representation as that to which the three little boroughs invite attention. Grant him the favourite " class constituencies" of his political sect, absurd as the attempt must be for any statesman to attempt an impartial classification ; yet, does he see no evil, no unfairness, in such a preposterous predominance conceded to the wiseacres of little towns, which hare only lately and by accident, as it were, obtained the blessings of gas and rail ways ? The late Chancellor of the Exchequer is himself returned by a constituency not above half so wise as those of the three boroughs : one Radnor man not being equal to more than eighteen and a-half Londoners—if we reckon rightly. The excellence of the choice made by the men of Rad nor and its satellite boroughs we do not for a moment dispute, neither do we deny the excellent use which the patrons of the boroughs have made of their " influence ;" still, for it must come out, we do not think that " influence" and electors, and Sir G. C. LEWIS, all taken together, can make us be lieve that one man''of Radnor ought to make eighteen Londoners kick the beam in the balance of Representation. One-thing at a time: we will not, therefore, even touch on certain other evils which are almost as obvious as that on which we have laid stress. The word "influence" alone is quite enough for a lecture, or even far an article in the Edinburgh in due time ; and we hope that the Radnorshire hope of the Whigs will think it well over. There is an other word which pairs with influence as the appro priate remedy, in the opinion of the great majority of Liberals. Sir GEORGE knows it well, but will, we fear, be hard to persuade that the said influence in an evil at all. He does not doubt the remedy, but he thinks the disease the better thing. It is a disease which interferes only with democratic power, of the increase of which, under any pos sible. Reform Bill, he so plaintively assures the Tories. That, he evidently thinks, an evil far more to be dreaded than influence or disproportionate representation, or any other which retains power in the hands of the Whigs, and, failing them, in those, of the Tories. A deputation from the Board of Guardians of the City of London Union, consisting of Mr. Abbis (chair man), Mr. Saunders, Mr. Fisher, Mr. Barber, and Mr. Badger, together with Mr. Bowring (clerk), had an inter view yesterday with the Poor-law Board, at their office, in Whitehall. Despatches for the Governor of Gibraltar were sent yesterday from the Colonial-office. Their Highnesses the Prince and Princess Trou betzkoy and suite have left Claridge's Hotel for Paris, en route to Russia. His Highness the Prince Nicholas Troubetzkoy has arrived at the Brunswick Hotel. His Excellency the Austrian Minister is at pre sent in Hungary. The Countess de Apponyi is passing the season at Milan. His Excellency the Prussian Minister and. the Countess Bernstorff, who intended to come to town last week, and then to make a tour of visits in the country, are, we regret to learn, detained at Brighton by the serious in disposition of their infant son. His Excellency the Danish Minister will return to town on the 12th inst. from the Continent. The Duke and Duchess of Wellington have returned to Apsley House from their seat, Claremont, Nor &Ur. The Earl and Countess of Wicklow are passing the season at Edinburgh. His lordship is expected in town in a few days. The Countess of Sefton and the Earl of Sefton are passing the season at Croxteth Hall, Lancashire. The Countess Andre Schouvaloff and family have arrived at Claridge's Hotel from Sharklin. The Countess (Dowager) of Chichester has left her residence in Grosvenor-place for Brighton. Viscount Eversley and the Hon. Misses Shaw Lefevre have returned to Heckfield-place, Hants, from a tour of visits. Count and Countess Persigny on leaving Count and Countess Flahault's seat, in the Highlands, proceeded on a visit to the Earl and Countess of Malmesbury, at the noble Earl's shooting-box near Fort William. Lord and Lady Willoughby de Eresby wil: shortly leave Drummond Castle for Torquay, Devon The Lord Chancellor and Lady Chelmsford arrived in town on Tuesday, and left yesterday on a visit to Sir John and Lady Pakington, at Westwood Park, near Droitwich. Lord Edward Cecil has arrived in Grosvenor square from St. Leonard's-on-Sea. CANADIAN AND AMERICAN MAILS.—The steam ship Anglo-Saxon sailed from Liverpool yesterday f or Quebec with the Canadian mail and 120 passengers. On. Saturday next, the Cunard steamer (Europa) sails for Bos ton with the mails and passengers. Letters received at the Liverpool post-office until 7.30 a.m., late fees till 8.30, on thO landing-stage till 9.30. Telegraphic despatches for warded if received within a few minutes of the vessel's sail ing, and on the Exchange. IRISH LEGAL. APPOINTMENT.—The tide of legal patronage is fast flowing in. The Hon. Mr. Plunket (a son of the late celebrated Lord) is about to resi g n the chairman ship of the county of Meath, and the pla ce, it is said, has been offered to Mr. Molyneux, Q.C. a stanch adhe ren t o f the Derby Government. • Mr. Plunket's health, it is but right to mention, has long been in a failing state. PROVINCIAL THEATRICALS.—The drama seems to be in a very flourishing condition in the provinces, for, at Manchester, Bristol, and Liverpool, the theatres are nightly crowded. At Southampton, the manager has good cause to be in high spirits, for the engagement of Mr. and Mrs. Hermann Vezin has turned out a great success. The local papers speak in the highest terms of praise of the ability of these artistes. In noticing the performances at the theatre on the occasion of the benefit of Mr. and Mrs. Vezin, the Hampshire Advertiser says :—" The play was Sir E, Buiwer Lytton's " Money, a piece eminently calculated to develope and sustain the high order of talent possessed by these artistes. The character of the noble Evelyn was pourtrayed in a manner which excited the intense admira tion of every person of dramatic taste present in the house ; and Clara found a most chaste and feeling representative in Mrs. Vezin. Both were frequently and deservedly ap plauded during the progress of the play, and at its close were rewarded with a perfect volley of cheers." Such unqualified praise creates a regret that no metropolitan manager has yet secured these artistes for a series of per formances in London ; for it cannot be said we have such a superabundance-of tragic talent on the boards at the pre sent time, that there is no need of novelty. POLYGRAPHIC HALL, KING WILLIAM-STREET.— Professor Frikell, the incomprehensible, on Monday even ing—the occasion being the 300th representation in Lon don—introduced a number of new tricks to his audience, which were hailed with the greatest applause. Great as have been all the tricks performed by this "king of con jurors," his new delusions add fresh leaves to his well won wreath of fame. Amongst the most extraordinary of hi s novelties, that which occasioned the greatest wonderment and surprise was the facility with which he transferred the heads of two pigeons—one black and the other white— to the necks of each other, and then sent the birds flying amongst the audience. Then, again, as if to heap surprise on surprise, he coolly finds a missing sixpence neatly sewn up in a button on a gentleman's coat, which, of course, he cuts off, and then in a most remarkable manner reattaches the button to the garment in so neat a manner that the most minute examination fails to discover by what means the operation could have heen performed. The applause elicited by this trick was most enthusiastic, and it was some minutes before the professor could proceed with his per formance. Not content with making the " eyes the fools of the other senses," he solicits the loan of a lady's brace let, and, succeeding in his request, the splendid article of female adornment, as soon as it fairly comes into his pos session, falls into innumerable pieces, and is again reunited in an instant. Half-crowns are senefrom different parts of the house with a rapidity that rivals the spark of the elec tric telegraph ; and the entertainment concludes with a perfect shower of cards, sweetmeats, and fireworks from, to all appearance, an empty hat. At one time the feats of the conjuror used to be estimated by the magnificence of his mechanical contrivances ; but Frikell depends solely on his own exquisite manipulations, and the result is that for two hours he alone commands the sole attention of his audience by ins mystic art. We take this opportunity of reminding those who have not yet paid the Professor a visit that his performances in London are drawing rapidly to a close, and those who allow him to depart without devoting two hours to his wonderful performances will debar themselves of one of the most delightful entertainments that it is possible to imagine, LOSS OF THE DIANA. SOUTHAMPTON, THURSDAY MORNING. The Diana, of Hartlepool, from Marseilles, was wrecked near Gibraltar. Crew and. master saved ; the latter came home by the Salsette. Spoke steamship Taurus on the 30th of Sept., in lat. 37 20 N., long. 4 13 E. THE BOYN-HILL COMMISSION.—In the Guardian of last night Mr. West offers his sincere thanks to many friends who have congratulated him on the result of the recent inquiry, and particularly to those who have been so good as to tender pecuniary aid towards defraying the ex pense. As the proceedings have terminated with the preli minary inquiry, the expenses, though considerable, have not been so great as to require that he should avail himself of the kind assistance of his friends. In declining their generous aid he thanks them most heartily for their good will. THE OATLANDS-PARK HOTEL.—An extraordi nary meeting of the shareholders was held at the hotel on Thursday, when a report was made showing the net profits to be progressing at a rate equivalent to a dividend of 12 per cent. ; that the buildings are already inadequate for the increased number of visitors, who continue to be of the highest respectability ; that the non-fulfiment of the con tract as to time requires serious notice ; and that for the extension of the works it is desirable to issue 1,000 of the reserved £5 shares at ss. premium per share. Resolutions in accordance were unanimously passed, as also a vote of thanks to the directors. MR. ANsTEY SUSPENDED.---The China Mail, of August 10, mentions the suspension, from the office of Attorney-General, of Mr. Chisholm. Anstey, " who," it says, " has acted towards the Governor and other officials in a manner which necessitated the step. Mr. Anstey's character and failings are so well known in England that his suspension will not cause any surprise, however the necessity of it may be regretted there, as it certainly is here by all who have observed his honesty of purpose, and his skill in dealing with Chinese witnesses. Mr. Day, the sailor counsel in the colony after Dr. Bridges, who still acts as Colonial Secretary, will take his place in the interim as Attorney-General." NAPOLEON'S FUNERAL CAR.---In consequence of he absence of the French Emperor from Paris, the order for forwarding the funeral car of Napoleon I. from Wool wich Arsenal has been suspended until a communication hasbeen received from the French Government with regard to the arrangements for its reception, which it is stated will be on a grand scale, and will be carried out under the direction of the Emperor and the Duke of Malakoff. The, car, which is now carefully packed for removal, was in spected a few days since by Sir John Burgoyne, K.C.8., Inspector-General of Fortifications, who, accompanied by his daughter, visited the Royal Arsenal for that purpose. The officer named has been selected by the War-olfice to present the car to the French nation. SCOTTISH HOSPITAL.----A quarterly court of this corporation was held yesterday at the institution in Crane court, Fleet-street, City. The chair was taken by Dr. J. Webster, F.R.S. The minutes of the last court and those of the committees were read and confirmed. The accounts stated that the balance last visitin g day was £ 39015. 9d. ; the receipts of the Caledonian ba11,£204 18s. 6d. ; donations received £476 125.; annual subscriptions, £327 18s. 3d.; rent, &c., £1,355 17s. Bd. ; making a total of £2,755 17s. Bd. The expenses of the charity had been £1,731 4s. 2d. ; the passages, £8 ; salaries, £278 17s. 6d. ; other expenses, £5Ol 7s. 3d. ; making a total of £2,519 Bs. 11d.—thereby leaving a balance in the Bank of England of £236 Bs. 9d. The death of The Chisholm, the treasurer of the corpora tion, was announced in feeling terms, and a committee of * three was appointed to select and recommend a fit and proper person as his successor to the annual court, to be held on St. Andrew's-day. A vote of thanks was then voted to the chairman, and the proceedings terminated. THE GUILDHALL OF LONDON.—Although it may be that only a small number of foreigners take the trouble to go to the Guildhall, it is certain that few visitors from the provinces for the first time leave the metropolis without looking, if possible, at the interior of this place, so famous in connection with City festivals and other events. Con sidering the importance which is attached to this "town hall" of the greatest City in the world, it is vexatious to glance at its architectural imperfections. The front is of the Strawberry-hill Gothic, which cannot be looked upon with pleasure in this age of improved taste. The interior, with its incongruous ceiling, is also objec jectionable, and altogether this important national building contrasts strangely with the Hotel de Ville of Paris, and other similar buildings on the Continent. Those who constantly see the hall have pro bably become so much accustomed to the eyesores that they do not observe them, but to strangers the want of improve ment is evident. We commend the subject to the excel lent and able Lord Mayor elect—Mr. Alderman Wire.— The Builder. CENTRAL BUCKS AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. AYLESBURY, Wednesday. —The annual meeting of the Chiltern Hills, Vale of Aylesbury, and Central Bucks Agri cultural Association, was held in this town to-day, and was numerously attended by the gentry and :ao-rieultmists of the district. In the afterno on a di nner was held in a marquee •:ected on the grounds of Mr. Fowler, of the White Hart Hotel, and was very numerously attended. Mr. P. Dauncy occupied the chair, and Mr. T. T. Bernard (one of the borough members), Sir A. Rothschild, and other gentlemen were present. The Right Hon. B. Disraeli, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, had been expected to attend ; but on Monday the secretary of the association received a note from the right hon. gentleman, dated Saturday, in which he said :—" I have been unable to reply to yours before to day. I had hoped to have the gratification of attending your meeting, but having been summoned to London on Monday, I find I shall be detained there for some days at least. I beg leave, however, to enclose a donation of £lO for the funds of the society." The usual loyal and patriotic toasts hav ing been given, the health of the members for the county and for the boroughs of Aylesbury and Buckingham sere drunk, after which the chairman proposed " Prosperity to the Central Bucks Agricultural Society and the Royal Agricultural Society of England." Various other toasts were given, and the prizes to ploughmen and shepherds were distributed. &MOUS AFFRAY WITH POACHERS.—On Tuesday s at Daresbury, near Warrington, five men, named Joseph Wil ', Charles Wild, William Hargreaves, Thomas Carter, and John Travis, all notorious poachers, and natives of Warrington, were brought before the magistrates, charged with unlawfully wounding some keepers in the employ of Thos. Lyon, Esq., of Appleton Hall, Cheshire. John Hunt, the head keeper, stated that he was wat c hi ng , on F r id a y night, with assistants, and saw a body of poachers pass a field in which he and his assistants were. After giving them time to set their nets, the keepers sprang out of the cover. They were seen by the poachers, and a desperate conflict en sued, in which bludgeons and stones were freely used. The poachers retreated in a body, pursued by the keepers, and some of the poachers were captured. At this time another body of poachers came into the field, and seeing how matters were going with their companions, in their turn ran after the keepers, and coming up with those who had their cap tives on the ground, seriously maltreated them. The cries of their comrades brought the keepers to their rescue, and the result was a general flight of the poachers, leaving two of their number in the keepers' hands. The other three pri soners having been identified, they were apprehended.— The magistrates, after fully investigating the case, decided on committing the prisoners to the next quarter sessions at linutsford.-31anchester Guardian. DEATH BY CHOKING.—On Monday afternoon a young woman, of an unfortunate class, named Margaret Stevenson or Calcott, residing in Anderson's-close, Cow gate, met her death under the following circumstances : About three o'clock, the landlady of the house where she lodged awoke her, and then returned to the kitchen, leaving her eating her dinner, consisting of beef and broth, in bed. In a few minutes she came staggering to the kitchen door, pointing to her throat, and unable to speak. The landlady perceiving that a piece of beef had stuck in her lodger's throat, tried to relieve her, but on finding her efforts to do so ineffectual, she despatched a girl for the assistance of Dr. Meldrum, Grassmarket. The messenger returned in a few minutes, stating that the doctor was not at home • upon which the landlady hurried her off to the Royal Infirmary for aid. In the meantime, every effort was made to relieve the sufferer, but in vain ; and by the time that four medical men from the Infirmary reached the house she had expired. —Edinburgh Express. BURNING A CANDLE IN BED.—On Thursday night, about buff-past 12 o'clock, a family, near Lynn, were disturbed by the cries of the maid-servants, and on going to their room found the bed in flames from top to bottom. They instantly procured water and extinguished the fire, with no other damage than the loss of the bed furniture, the rather severe burning of one of the fingers of one of the servants, and the alarm of the family. But the escape was most providential, as it appears that the servants fell asleep with the candle on the pillow, and were awakened by a spark falling on the hand of one of them. Had it fallen on her dress or on the bed-clothes, in all probability they would have lost their lives and the house been burnt to the ground.—Lynn Advertiser. SUICIDE IN FETTER-LANE.—Yesterday morning between the hours if seven and eight o'clock, a determined suicide was committed by Mrs. Pettinger, wife of Mr. G. Pettinger, of the White Hart Tavern, Fetter-lane, Hol born. It appears that the unfortunate woman has been lady in a very low and desponding state of mind, and had been placed in a lunatic asylum, but recovered, and it was not apprehended that she would attempt self-destruction. Yesterday morning, however, on her husband going down stairs, she got a rope and attached it to her pocket hand kerchief, threw the rope over the rail of the bedstead, tied the handkerchief round her throat, and jumped off. When she was discovered in this state life was extinct. SUICIDE OF A SURGEON.—Mr. Wakley, the coroner for Weft Middlesex, held an inquest yesterday after noon touching the death of Mr. John Skinner, a g ed 31 years, a medical gentleman residing at No. 6, Leighton grove, Kentish-town, who put a period to his exist:nce by poison on Monday last the 4th inst. Mrs. Emily Skinner, only 21 years of age, stated that she was the wife of the de ceased, Mr. Skinner. She found him dead in bed on Mon daylast, about 20 minutes to one o'clock in the afternoon. She immediately sent to Mr. Miller, the chemist from whom her husband purchased his drugs, and also to Mr. Rawlins, sur geon. They both came without loss of time. On the top of the bedroom drawers she subsequently found a small blue phial, labelled—" Hydrocyanic acid," quite empty ; her husband had obtained it from the shop of Mr. Miller on the 13th of September last. Mr. Miller had informed her that such was the case. She asked her husband for it, but he refused to state where it was. She consequently searched for it, but could not find it; her hus band had never before attempted suicide, although he had threatened to destroy himself before he obtained the poison. He was a man of very intemperate habits, and his violence of temper was extreme. A large wound on her forehead had been caused by the deceased striking her with a three-quart jug in the month of July last. When he began life about ten years ago he came to a good practice, an was then a man of property. His father left him £lO,OOO, which he obtained on arriving at the age of 21. She was his second wife, and there were four children in all, namely, three by the first wife, and sho (witness) had borne him one. He had gone through all his property, and had also disposed of the furniture of the house by a bill of sale a short time be fore he committed suicide. In reply to some question by the jury the witness was understood to say that the reason why she went up stairs was that she heard her husband e,xclaim " I've done it, l've done it." Mr. R. A. Rawlins, surgeon, of Francis-place, Kentish-town, stated that on arriving in the room he ascertained that Mr. Skinner was quite dead. There was a strong smell of prussic acid pervading the place which he traced tb the deceased. The post mortem exami nation left no doubt on the point. Mr. Miller, the chemist, of Gloucester-place, deposed to having supplied Mr. Skinner with the prussic acid, and said that the deceased told him it was for an experiment. The label explained the nature of the medicine. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that death was caused by prussic acid, administered by him self when in an 1111801,111 d state of mind. LATEST NEWS. INDIA AND CHINA MAILS. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) SOUTHAMPTON, THURSDAY MORNING. The Salsette steamer, Capt. Brown, has arrived, with the East India and China mails. She left Alexandria Sept. 25, Malta Sept. 28, and Gibraltar Oct. 2. The Salsette brings 93 passengers, £1,760 in specie, and general cargo. The Indus, with outward InEa mails of the 20th ult., roached. Gibraltar .at 7.30 a.m. on the 26th, with loss of a boat and part of a paddle-wheel washed away in a gale. She proceeded to Malta at 2.30 p.m. same day. The Malta, with Bombay mails of the 25th, arrived at Gibraltar on the 29th, four days from this. The French brig Hippolyte was capsized by a whirlwind between Algesiras and Gibraltar, and sunk. Captain Labautier and one man drowned ; rest saved. Several minor casualties occurred in the same storm. The following telegrams have received at Mr. Reuter's office, Oct. 7, 10.58: VIENNA, THURSDAY, OCT. 7. The Vienna Gazette of this day publishes a new law concerning the military conscription. The term of military service remains at eight years as previously. The nobility will not be exempt. King Otho is expected at Trieste on his return to Greece. BERNE, OCT. 7. The Federal Council has decided to send Messieurs Dubs and Rischaf to Geneva, as Commissioners for the execution of the federal decree concerning the political refugees. FRANCE. PARIS, WEDNESDAY. The Emperor of Russia has conferred on the aide de-camp who accompanied Prince Napoleon to Warsaw the Cross of St. Vladimir, and on the other officers of the suite that of St. Stanislas. Lieut.- Colonel Faidherbe, Governor of Senegal, has obtained leave of absence to visit Paris. 'He is to confer with the Emperor on the plans now for some time under consideration for the improve ment of the colony under the Colonel's orders. The son of Fuad Pasha will remain in Paris as one of the secretaries of the Ottoman Embassy. It is said that apartments have been engaged at the Hotel de Louvre for Jung Bahadoor, the Nepaulese Prince, who is expected here on his way to London. Mehemed Bey will shortly arrive in Paris to re sume his mission as Turkish Ambassador. " Fuad Pacha, Minister of Foreign Affairs for Turkey,' says a Vienna letter, " will pass through this city on his way from Paris to Constantinople, and will stay some days, in order to come to an understand. ing with Count de Buol relative to the affair of the navigation of the Danube." Turkey and Austria continue to act together in the closest alliance on all foreign questions. General Codrington and Colonel Blanc have arrived at the camp of Chalons by invitation of the Emperor. Baron Ward, the famed Yorkshire groom, who played so prominent a part at the Court of Parma, died last night at Vienna. The history of this ex traordinary man is full of remarkable events. He left Yorkshire as a boy in the pay of Prince Lichten stein of Hungrry, and after a four years' successful career on the turf at Vienna, as a jockey, he became employed by the then reigning Duke of Lucca. He was at Lucca promoted from the stable to be valet to his Royal Highness. This service he performed up to 1846. About that period he was made Master of the Horse to the Ducal . Court. Eventually he became Minister of the Household and Minister of Finance, which office he held when the Duke abdi cated in 1848. At this period he became an active agent of Austria during the revolution. As Austria triumphed he returned to Parma as Prime Minis • ter, and negotiated the abdication of Charles 11., and placed the youthful Charles 111. on the throne ; who, it will be remembered, was assas sinated before his own palace in 1854. It should be observed that as soon as Charles 111. came to the throne the then Baron Ward was sent to Germany by his patron as Minister Plenipotentiary to repre sent Parma at the Court of Vienna. This post he held up to the time of his royal patron's tragical end. When the present Duchess Regent assumed State authority, Ward retired from public life, and took to agricultural pursuits in the. Austrian do minions. Without any educational foundation he contrived to write and speak German, French, and Italian, and conducted the affairs of State with con siderable cleverness, if not with remarkable straight forwardness. Baron Ward was married to a humbis person of Vienna, and has left four children. Per haps no man of modern times passed a more varied and romantic life than Ward, the groom, statesman, and friend of sovereigns. From the stable he rose to the highest offices of a little kingdom, at a period of great European political interest, and died in retirement, pursuing the rustic operation of a farmer, carrying with him to the grave many curious arcana inzperii. BOURSE, Oct. 6.—The market has been heavy, with a limited amount of business doing, but there has been no material change of prices. Threes have been done at 74f. 15c., and are now at 74f. 5c.; Mobilier varied from 1,015 f. to 1,002 f. 50c. ; Aus trian, 662 f. 50e. to 660 f. ; Orleans, 1,400 f. to 1,395 f. ; Lyons, 885 f. to 882 f. 50c. ; Eastern, 742 f. 50e. to 740 f. ; and Southern, 610 f. to 605 f. The following were the last quotations : 41 per Cents. .... 96 50 Do. end month .. 96 60 sperVe;ct; -- 73 70 Do. end month 73 85 CrMit Fonder 670 Belgian 4f . — Piedmontese (6) 92 Roman 93 Austrian Spanish Threes Home Debt -- ..,-- Bank Shares 3090 Credit Mobilier 985 Do. Account 985 RAILWAYS. Cash. Account. Orleans Northern New ditto 835 .. 835 Lyons and Mediterranean 88t) .. 880 New ditto — -- • . -- Geneva 665 .. 652 50 .. 605 - . ; 605 :: .. 622 50 .. 620 - .. 737 60 .. 740 - Midi . Western. Eastern Grand Central Sardinian 460 .. 462 50 Austrian Exchange on London, at sight, paper, 25f. 17c. ; money, 25f. 15c. ; three months, paper, 25f. ; money, 24f. 971 e. e ot.o I. MA, '4.s 7 ' :2:114 c y" • , • • • k• c A t t . T. l 6t 1 4 .4,"' ' t • ;tom S • >6141.:" "4. A:• - THE SUN. THURSDAY. OCTOBER 7, 1656. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE. Under the Management of Mr. Charles Kean. 'fillS EVENING will be presented Shakspere's Play of THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. Preceded by the Farce of DYING FOR LOVE. THEATRE -ROYAL, DRURY-LANE. Under the Management of Miss L. Tyne and Mr. W. Harrison. THIS EVENING, Balfe's ROSE OF CASTILLE : Miss Louisa Pyne, Miss Susan Pyne, Miss M. Prescott ; Mr. Fer dinand Glover, Mr. A. St. Albyn, Mr. George Honey, Mr. Bartleman, and Mr. W. Harrison. Conductor—Mr. Alfred Mellon. To conclude with a Ballet Divertissement : Mdlles. Zino, Michelet, Pasquale, and Morlacchi. THEATRE -ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Lessee, Mr. J. B. Buckstone. THIS EVENING will be performed WIVES AS THEY WERE AND MAIDS AS THEY ARE. After which, THE DAUGHTER OF THE GUADAL QUIVER. Perea Nena. With LEND ME FIVE SHILLINGS. And THE KING'S GARDENER. Commence at 7. ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. M a na g er, Mr. Edmund Falconer. THIS EVENING, the New Comedy of EXTREMES; 07, qe - A of the Day. Supported by Messrs. 11. Vandenhoff, Emery, J. Rogers, and Barrett; Mrs. A. Mellon (late Miss Woolgar), Mrs. Weston, Miss Kate Saxon. After which the Ballet of THE RENDEZVOUS, in which e Lauri Family will appear. Doors open at half-past 6, to commence at 7. Box-office open from 11 to 5 daily. ROYAL STRAND THEATRE. Lessee and Directress, Miss Swanberough. THIS EVENING, MY AUNT'S HUSBAND ; Mr. Swan borough, Mrs. Selby, Miss Ternan. After which THE LAST OF THE PIGTAILS ; Messrs. C. Selby, J. Bland, and J. Clarke, &c. Followed by THE BONNIE FISH WIFE. And I'LL WRITE TO THE TIMES. Commence at 7 o'clock. A STLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. Sole Lessee, Mr. William Cooke. This Grand Hippodramatic Temple WILL OPEN, at Prices commensurate with the times, and superbly re decorated, on MONDAY, Oct. 11. Dress Circle, 3s. ; Boxes, 3s. ; Pit, ls. ; Galleries, 6d. New Act Drop—New Company—And the largest Stud of beautifully trained Horses in Europe. To commence with a Drama, called THE COVENANTERS, dramatised from the Waverley Novels by Mr. T. Townsend. Grand Illustrations of all Nations by English, American, and Continental Professors in the Arena nightly. Box-office now open. No fees. CNTERBURY HALL, Westminster-road.— OPEN EVERY EVENING.—The following Company of Vocalists are enga7 - ed for the performance of Selections from all the popular OPERAS, MADRIGALS, CHORUSES, GLEES, D7fETS, &c., viz. :—Miss Russell, Mrs. Badsey, Miss Brunell, Miss Ray, Madame Bartoletti, Miss Montague, Mrs. Lawrence, and Mrs. Anderson; Herr P. Jonstmans, Mr. Renshaw, S. Jones, J. Barker, W. Melling, Senor Antonio, E. L Hume, Mr. Badsey, Senor Tiroli, Mr. Cozens, Mr. Bell, Mr. Barnard, and Mr. St. Albyn. Mr. John G. Forde and E. W. Hackney. Pianoforte, Mr. Cecil Ilicks—Harmonium, Mr. Courtnay —Director, Herr F. Jonghmans. Commence at 7 precisely. Suppers, &c., until 12 o'clock. NOTICE.—The Proprietor begs respectfully to announce tnat in the present month A FINE ARTS GALLERY, now in course of construction, will be thrown open in con. nexion with the above Hall. PRUSSIA. The departure of the King and Queen for Meran has been adjourned to the 12th October, in conse quence of the indisposition of his Majesty, who has been confined to his room for the last few days. The Prince of Prussia has returned to Berlin. Lord and Lady Loftus and Lord and Lady Clarendon had the honour of dining with Prince and Princess Frederick-William on Saturday, at Babelsburg. Count Nesselrode is staying at Berlin. Baron Alexander von Humboldt, who has been suffering from gout in the feet, has so far recovered that he was able to drive to and spend the day at Sans-Souci. SPAIN. Accounts from Madrid of the 2d inst. state that the permission to hold meetings, make speeches, and publish manifestos with a view to the elections, as done by the Pro,gressistas, has been refused to the ultra-democratical party. They complain that they are not considered as a " legal party" by the Minister, who declines permitting what former Governments tolerated. Party spirit runs very high in Madrid just now. Four Moderado journals have publicly announced that with one organ of the press, the Diario .Espanol, they will hold no intercourse, nor take any notice of it except in a court of justice. A personal conflict took place at the Cafe Suizo on the Ist, between the editor of the Iberia and the editor of the Diario. The former struck the latter in the face, and in two hours after was on his way to Valladolid. on urgent private affairs. THE PRESIDENT OF THE POOR-LAW BOARD ON ADULT EDUCATION. SALISBURY, WEDNESDAY. This afternoon the annual meeting of the Hants and Wilts Adult Education Society, and the Con ference of Institutions in union with it, was held by permission of the Mayor in the Council Cham ber; the Right Hon. T. S. H. Estcourt, M.P:, President of. the Poor-law Board, in the chair. There were present the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Salisbury, the Dean (Dr. Hamilton), Arch. Honey, Sir E. Hulse, Mr. Marsh, M.P., Mr. C. W. Squarey, the Mayor, and a large number of influ ential gentlemen connected with the counties. The - CHAIRMAN, after a few introductory re marks, called the Hon. and Rev. Samuel Best, of Abbott's Ann, Andover, one of the secretaries, who read the report. . _ The CIIIIRMAN, in moving the reception and adoption of the report, said the cause of education generally, by which was meant, in common par lance, the teaching of children, from the first day they entered an infant school till the day when they went out to work, had not been so beneficial during the last fifty , years as they could have wished, for at that period, when the intellect was ripening into something like appreciating and un derstanding what it had been taught at school, it was, in the great majority of cases, entirely neglected. Every year large sums of money were distributed by private and public enterprise for the purpose of establishing schools all over the country, and to such an extent has the question of education been carried, that it has been made the subject of party discussion and party competition—a thing that could never be avoided, and would generally, on the whole, lead to more good than evil in a'free country like England. For fifty years past they had had the State and individuals com peting and doing all they could for the purpose of establishing schools, and at this moment nearly a million of money was annually paid out of the public purse for that purpose, and yet they could not blink the result, viz., that at the time when ideas were beginning to take the place of mere sounds, and the mind was beginning to carry away something like substance, they found that almost the whole body of scholars were with drawn from their ken, and discipline, and know ledge, and were taken off, necessarily he was going to say, to work. They ought, therefore, on that account, to feel much indebted to the gentlemen who had founded this society, and did their ut most for its support, and thereby drew attention to the present unhappy state of things, and endeavour to provide a remedy. What that remedy should be has been and will be the subject of controversial discussion, from which it is to be hoped the public will be able to collect something like practical results. (Hear, hear.) He was not so presumptuous as to wish to put in his oar amongst them, but he would take the liberty of stating what he thought they could not do, and what they ought not to attempt to do. He was persuaded that anything like an attempt to catch hold of the, youth of both sexes after they had left school in an artificial manner — that was, by holding inducements of pecuniary profit or interest to them other than those their own minds would induce them to take on the subject, of education, would end in failure. (Hear, hear.) Such a course was tempting to the clergyman, who has with infinite labour established a school, and also to• the lay squira who was anxious to promote the welfare of the people on his estate, as an inducement for them to leave their natural employment and attend to their mental culture ; but he was persuaded that anything of the kind would only be of a temporary and exceptional character. What, however, they ought to do was to establish the means of giving both sexes instruction after the usual period of their attending school, without interfering with their ordinary occupations, through the instrumen tality of their relatives, friends, and employers. (Hear, hear.) As an instance of the difficulties that at present existed in keeping the children of the agricultural labourers at school, the right hon. gen tleman said that about a year ago he was desirous of doing something to promote education in his own parish, and as an example, wanting one boy on his farm, he thought he would take two, and that the two should make one boy, as regarded their work—one being at school and the other at work alternately—a kind of Castor and Pollux, one in heaven and the other on earth; but what was the result ? Why, he was sorry to say that after about three or four months' trial he found they preferred earth to entering the gates of para dise; or, in other words, that they preferred dig ging in the soil of the earth to that of the fields of knowledge--(hear, hear)—and they left his em ployment as soon as they found another master who would employ them in the sole cultivation of the soil. (Hear, hear.) The alternate system would not answer, and they had no right to expect success from it, because it was an attempt to interfere in an artificial manner. The only enduring mode by which they might hope to effect the con tinuance of the education of boys and girls after the period when they usually left school, would be by producing in their minds a desire for it, either because it would promote their interests or give them pleasure ; and to speak plainly he saw no other mode of doing it than by the establishment of evening schools—(hear, hear) —where, for a slight emolument, working men of some little education would be willing to attend and instruct those requiring it. (Hear.) In his district it was extensively done. The main thing, however, after all, was to interest the people who were to be benefited by this movement. During the Crimean war his parishioners took a great interest in the events of that period ; and, in order to cul tivate among the labourers a desire of improve ment that then manifested itself, he established a reading-room for them, provided them with paper, candles, and fire ; and, in order to make them feel greater interest in the matter, and a degree of independence, he made each person who attended contribute a penny a week towards the expenses ; and the result was that every adult in the parish enrolled his name as a member, and attended the reading-room ; but, at the end of the month, one of them informed him that they could not go on, because many of them could not read on account that the print was so bad. He advised them to get a reader, and they did so, and upon the whole it answered very well. A man when 'ad vanced in life became aware of his deficiencies by their being in that manner brought home to him, and he was desirous of improving himself, but he did not like to go to school from not being able to stand the gibes of youngsters. Now if such a man had an opportunity of catching an hour's instruction, morning or evening, to bring him up to the standard of others, he would not then be ashamed to go to school and mix with them for further improvement. Their object, however, must first be to interest the people by such means as he had pointed out, and afterwards give them the opportunity of improving themselves and that intellect with which God had blessed them. The Bishop of SALISBURY seconded the resolu tion. In doing so he said he entirely concurred in all that had been said by the chairman. He fully approved of night schools for the labouring population, and he had taken every opportunity of informing his clergy that he thought so far as their health and means would permit they could not be more usefully employed in the winter months than in superintending such schools, and, he rejoiced to say, he believed there was no diocese in England where there was more being done in that respect than in the diocese of Salisbury. He was not speaking by comparisons he had instituted, but from information given to him by one of her Majesty's inspectors of schools, and who had given him most pleasing information relative to the number and efficiency of those schools. To make them attractive to the adult population they must not view them simply as schools, but as a place where they might obtain interesting infor mation. By that means • they might induce them to accept that training and information which they probably would refuse if they put the school too much forward. (Hear.) He was of opinion that great good would result from drawing being introduced into all our schools, not simply as a means .of g i v i ng a particular accomplishment, b u t as an attractive means of making the people obser vant, and thereby acquire information they would otherwise probably pass by. If they taught draw ing he thought it would be an additional induce ment for the people to attend them. The resolution was unanimously agreed to. On the motion of the Mayor of SALISBURY, se conded by Mr. MARSH, M.P., the officers of the society were unanimously re-elected. A discussion then ensued relatWe to competitive or standard examination for the attainment of the object in view, and whether education alone would raise the moral status of the humbler classes, and if not what other measures were necessary, in which Archdeacon Honey and other gentlemen took part. The lion. S. BEST said he was of opinion education alone would not raise the moral status of the humbler classes. Their social position must be improved. They must be provided with better cottages, and to enable them to participate in that benefit there must be a corre sponding effort to put the payment of wages on a sound basis, so that the labourer might be able to pay his increased rent, and to put the skilled labourer and man of integrity in his proper position. He also advocated the establishment of rustic games and cricket clubs for the labourer as a diversion after the conclusion of his day's work, and to keep his mind in .a sound, healthy, and active state. Reading-rooms also should be supplied for them as an inducement for them to abandon the pub lic-house? but at the same time refreshment must be provided for them, in addition to good light and a comfortable fire. The higher classes possessed these luxuries in their clubs, and he saw no reason why the labouring man should not in his reading-room have a glass of beer or a cup of tea or coffee. Such a reading-room had existed in his parish for four years, and to one cup of beer drank there there had been six cups of coffee. (fear, hear.) Unless they gave the labourer some inducement to leave the public-house, the labour of such societies would be in vain, and he felt confident that were reading rooms, such as he had named, multiplied through out the land, the publichouse would be less fre quented, and the moral state of the labouring population raised. After some further dismission of an interesting character the proceedings terminated. IRELAND. DUBLIN, WEDNESDAY MORNING. A REUNION. . I The Belfast papers of yesterday announce that the Right Hon. Spencer Horatio Walpole, Secre tary.for the Home Department, who is at present staying at the Abbey, the seat of Mr. It. Davison, M.P., with other distinguished guests, visited Bel fast, accompanied by Mrs. and Miss Walpole, Sir H. Cairns, Solicitor-General for England, the Right Hon. James Whiteside, Attorney-General for Ire land, and Mrs. Whiteside, Miss Tennent, Mr. R. Davison, M.P.,Mr. A. B. Davison, and Miss Davison, Mr. enry H. M'Neill, Mr. Greatorex, &c. At 2 o'clock on Monday the entire party paid a visit to the Deaf and Dumb Institution, and were received by the Principal, the Rev. 1. Kingham, to whom the several distinguished visi tors were introduced by Mr. Davison. Donations were then handed to Mr. Kingham, in aid of the funds of the institution, and the visitors took their departure. The Right Hon. the Home Secre tary, Mrs., and Miss Walpole, the Right Hon. the Attorney-General and Mrs. Whiteside, Miss Ten nent, Mr. R. Davison, M.P., Mr. A. B. Davison, Miss Davison, and Mr. Greatorex then drove, at three o'clock, to the Queen's College, where they were received by Dr. Andrews, Vice-President. There were also present at the College the Rev. Dr. Cooke (Presbyterian Dean of Residences), Pro fessor Craik, Professor Dickie, Professor Hodges, Professor W. Thompson, Rev. Richard Oulton (Registrar), and Mr. Alex. Dickey (Bursar). Mr. Davison introduced Dr. Andrews, Dr. Cooke, and the several professors, &c., to Mr. Walpole. The entire party were then conducted through the library, museum, lecture-halls, &c., of the College, by Dr. Andrews, and they expressed their entire satisfaction with the appearance of the whole. Having walked round the College grounds, and visited the observatory, they next proceeded to the Presbyterian College, through which they were conducted by the Rev. Dr. Cooke. They expressed themselves highly pleased with this institution ; and the portrait of Dr. Cooke, which occupies a place on the end wall of the large hall, was the subject of general admiration. They then drove to the Botanic-gardens, and, after visiting the censer- vatory and examining the different parts of the gardens, they expressed themselves greatly pleased with the entire premises. Having left the gar dens, they entered the carriages which were in waiting for them, and returned to the Abbey. BALLINASLOE FAIR. The second day's sheep fair was by no means as satisfactory as the graziers anticipated. The suc cess of the first day, however, may be taken as a reasonable set-off to the failure of yesterday. THE GOVERNMENT PROVISION CONTRACT. The Cork Reporter says it .is generally thought among those who ought to be well informed on the subject that the contract for 10,250 barrels, and 7,000 tierces of beef, and 15,000 tierces and 7,700 barrels of pork, will average about £7 10s. for pork, and for beef about £7. THE GREAT WALL OF A letter from Shanghae of the 2d August, in the Moniteur, contains the following interesting account of a visit to the Great Wall of China : " The treaties of Tien-sinhaving been ratified by the Emperor Hien-Foung, Baron Gros was desirous , of visiting the Great Wall, and of judging, from personal observation, of the correctness of the statements representing it as commencing in the sea at the entrance of the Bay of Leo-Toung. At 7 o'clock in the morning of the 11th July, the Am bassador, followed by his secretaries and attaches, embarked on board the small steamer the Pregent, The distance of the Wall from the place where the Audacieuse frigate was at anchor was thought to be from 30 to 40 leagues. Towards evening, the weather not being very clear, it was thought pru dent not to approach too close to the shore, and the steamer came to an anchor in the offing. At day break on the following morning she again got under weigh, and soon after the Wall appeared in view. It looked like a long range of buildings of the same height, crenellated, and traversing the plain from the sea to the foot of the chain of mountains which run parallel with the coast, but at more than a league inland. An hour after, the Wall, with its crenellated top, forts, jetties running out into the sea, and the pagoda on the shore, were perfectly distinct in all their details. We had before us the most pictu resque prospect that can be imagined; along the sea coast the vast plain is covered with the most luxuriant vegetation, with numerous villages buried in trees, and at the back a horizon of lofty mountains. At the foot of the Wall, on the side of China, were seen the white tents of two Tar tar camps, with their horses grazing at liberty around. Seen from the Chinese side the Wall re sembles an immense work in earth, crowned with crenelated wall in brick, but in a very dilapi dated state. On the Mantchouria side, on the con trary, it is built of brick on a foundation of stone. It has, along the whole length, square towers at a distance from each other of about, two bowshots' length, so that the enemy might be struck from either of them. It runs down into the sea by two parallel jetties, the incline of which is so slight that persons landing from a boat may easily walk up to them. The largest vessels may approach to within about two miles of this spot, which is the place where future tourists ought to land. Unfortunately. we were not then aware of this fact, and we came to an anchor at a spot where the landing was not very easy. The shore was soon covered with Chinese from the neighbouring villages. M. Mar ques, the interpreter to the mission, and Count d'Ozery, the commandant of the Pregent, were the first to go on shore, in order to confer with the au thorities, and ascertain whether any objection would be made to the landing of the party. A mandarin, mounted on a white horse, and 'followed by two horsemen, arrived from the camp to inquire what these men, come from an unknown world, wanted. On receiving pacific assurances from our interpreter, he said no opposition would be made to the disem barkation. When all were on shore, we proceeded direct towards the Wall. We had to cross several rivulets which ran down towards the sea, and we were afterwards obliged to strike a little more inland, in order to find ground rather less moist. As we approached towards the Wall, we observed the Tartars mounting their horses, and betraying by their gestures considerable emotion. They sepa rated into three bodies—one remained on horseback in front of the tents, thus cutting off the road to the Wall ; another proceeded on our left, where they alighted among the high grass ; and the third advanced at a hand gallop to meet us. They asked • ' whence we came, where we were going, and told us that they would not allow us to advance any farther. Their chief, they said, was absent, and they could not take on themselves the responsibility of permitting us to approach. You may judge of our astonishment when we learned from these men, encamped as it were at the very gates of the capi tal, that they had heard nothing of their country ha 'ring been at war with France and England. The taking of Canton, the bombardment of Takou, and the peace concluded at Tien-tsin, they were completely ignorant of. After a little negotiation we thought we had got over our difficulty, and we were allowed to advance, but we had not proceeded more than 300 or 400 yards when some fresh horse men advanced and urgently impressed on us the propriety of not going any farther. With our escort of 12 men well armed, and our revolvers, we might have kept off those 300 Tartar horsemen, and have mounted the Wall in spite of them, but the Ambassadk r was anxious to avoid any dispute, and would not compromise his position for the mere gratification of curiosity. After having taken a few sketches, purchased some fans from the Tartars, and astonishing a whole host of Chinese by letting them taste our brandy, and look at our watches and compasses, Baron Gros returned to the boats. These Tartar horsemen had neither bows nor arrows, but they all had matchlock guns slung over their shoulders. Their powder appeared to be very coarse, and in addition to ball they had in their cartouch•box es small pellets of lead. Each man carried in his larre boots his pipe and fan. Before leaving the coas t we went in the Pregent to have another view of the country on the other side of the Great Wall, opposite the plains of Mantchouria, which were covered with the most extraordinary verdure, onl.y to be found in countries :where the ground aft er being long buried in s now i s v i v ifi e d b y a h o t sum. The Wall was seen growing up as it were out 'uf this exuberant vegetation, and ascending the sic to of the mountain to follow, for more than 60 0 leagues, the half-savage countries which extend ao far as the confines of Mongolia and the Kou-Kou- • Noor. After having for some time contemplated this magnificent scene, Baron Gros gave the signal for departure, and the Pregent steered for the Toki Islands, where the Audacieuse frigate was waiting for us." LION The next F taut ac last fel sive sic; be far of £l4l such a prising should among of MOl3 tion to upon. t the E IK E ence current tion s 1 dirceto disc om money on situ Pao sed This tti tam :Id that -t1 whit e , the ' Cc will . b( the e Ao e( Mark e and 1:4",1 valu ks , and pr Canal; stated. dend dividex report The nonnei tions, 1 deuce f Many Postpa paid, n correkl tion medi a l The: moclat It is borr c i v the 13. be moi easin el Ay tran s a e 07111(!: couni; s wheh. depre* favour lug th been instaia and u standi Cent., Marc'c issue, steady Ad SPanif been t well a fluent' the b' impo.! Passi the ,1 rapidi sorbed went privat cau se the i n affair, s Ways incalc B Perit larity In more Turk; 71, pre New Porto Cent, Spani ditto Thi to thi THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 7, 1858.