The Sun. — London, England, 1859-08-12 00:00:00

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. THIS DAY.—Morning, lh. 14m.—Afternoon, lh. 35m. To-MORROW-Morning, lh. 55m.—Afternoon, 2h. 13m. A short bill, for a new description of copper coin, introduced by Mr. GLADSTONE, is quietly passing through Parliament. This measure is entitled, " A Bill to Extend the Enactments relative to the Copper Coin to Coin of Mixed Metal." The preamble states that, " whereas her MAJESTY may think fit, for the public convenience, to cause to be issued coins of :bronze or mixed metal, instead of copper moneys, or for the purposes of the like payments for which copper moneys have been made current, be it enacted that such coin of bronze or mixed metal shall be placed in the same legal position as the current copper coin, and all enact ments whatever where current copper coin is men tioned or referred to, shall be construed and take effect as if, in addition to current coin, current coin of bronze or mixed metal had been also in every such case mentioned or referred to." In taking a vote of £lO,OOO only for this new coinage, Mr. GLADSTONE mentioned some curious facts. " The whole value," he said, " of the copper coinage was £BOO,OOO, and the quantity of copper was 3,500 tons. Taking the copper at £lO7 10s. per ton, the actual value was only £379,000, so that the copper coin was a pure token, the iubziacio value being less than one-half of the nominal or apparent value." " A part of it was coun terfeit, and another part foreign coins, and another injured and battered—one-third required renewal." Now observe what Mr. GLADSTONE, under these circumstances, proposes. The copper coin at present is, in fact, a pure token. Mr. GLADSTONE proposes to make it a pure token by law. " If it were renewed such as it now was he should be obliged to ask for a vote for £40,000," but he recommends that we should follow the ex ample set by France, and the plan which has been tried in Canada and Nova Scotia—and he might hove added in the United States—and substituted bronze and mixed metal tokens for our copper coinage. " The new coins would be much lighter than those in present use, the change of metal would enable them to be made much thinner in proportion to their superficies, and their intrinsic value would not be more than half that of the present coins. The quantity of copper now coined into 26 of the old pence would make 45 of the new ones. If the 3,500 tons of the old copper were called in and. re coined, the profit would be. about £92,000 ; but if there were an increased demand for the new coin, to the amount of 25 er 30 per cent., that would leave a considerable profit on the operation." " The French," he says, " had paid for the expense of converting the coin, and realised from the reduction of weight a profit not far short of £500,000." In France, however, the copper average being larger than ours, the profit would be greater. We think Mr. GLADSTONE quite right in this measure. By it he departs from the principle of the Bullionists and Peelites, and adopts that of common sense and sound monetary science. Lord LIVERPOOL was the founder of the Bullionist School. The Bullion Committee and PEEL adopted the errors of their teacher. Now what principle did Lord LIVERPOOL adopt when GEORGE 111., in 1798, in recommending a new copper coinage, appointed a committee to consider the state of the coin of this kingdom "Money," said Lord LIVER POOL, " is not only the standard measure by which the value of all things, bought and sold,. is regu lated and ascertained," but " it is itself, at the same time, the value, or equivalent, for which goods are exchanged, and in which contracts are generally made payable." He admits that these two qualities can never be brought perfectly to agree. Money is made of any material, as gold, silver, or Copper, subject to fluctuations in the market, and" fails on that account in the quality of a standard, or measure, and will not continue to be perfectly uniform, and at all times the same." Lord LIVERPOOL nevertheless adopted this im perfect principle of making money of intrinsic value. He might have learned how mistaken he was in adopting it by w h at happened with the n ew copper coinage. These coins were made by Mr. BoULTON, on the principle "that the nominal value of each piece should be equal to the value of the metal it contained, and the price of the work manship employed in making it; these n ew coins, therefore, were of more intrinsic value than any coins of that metal which had hitherto been issued." How did they succeed ? " It is singular," says his lordship, with the most candid simplicity, " that few of the new copper coins ever made their appearance, either in London or its neighbourhood, though to my knowledge great numbers were sent thither." He fancies that the people may have been " desirous of retaining" these copper coins, and that they may "have them still in their pos session ;" the plain fact being that, from a rise in the price of copper, it became profitable to melt the new copper coins, and melted they accordingly were; the expense of the coinage being, conse quently, thrown away, and the object of providing new copper money entirely defeated. The only parties benefited were the copper merchants, who, being practical men, melted down the fine new copper coins, put the money in their pockets, and laughed at Lord LIVERPOOL and his theories. We see, then, how completely Mr. GLADSTONE departs in principle and practice from the head of the Bullionist School. Instead of restoring the copper coinage to its intrinsic and "equivalent" value, he lowers what has become a pure token still lower, and tells us that the intrinsic value of the new bronze tokens will not be "more than half that of the present coins." And Mr. GLADSTONE is quite right. The new bronze money will neither be bronzed, melted, nor exported. It will remain, what it was intended to be, MONEY. It will circulate from hand to hand, facilitating the exchange of commodities, and thus answering for many years the purposes for which it was made. Our amiable CHANCELLOR of the EXCHE QUER tells us that this " pure token " will be " very convenient, very nice in appearance, and a most agreeable coin to handle." It will also, he assures us, smell better—non olet. It will be hard, cheap, durable ; but it will be something much better than all this—it will be in fact, and in law, a " pure token." Observe that the poor man will by law be com pelled to take twelve of these tokens, not worth more than sixpence, for a shilling. But will he be injured ? Not in the least. He can discharge a shilling's worth of indebtedness with his tokens and he can pay Mr. GLADSTONE back in his own coin for his taxes. But why should Mr. GLADSTONE stop here ? Why not have silver tokens as well as copper tokens—why not have gold tokens as well as silver tokens ? Mr. GLADSTONE is, like MICHAEL CAS SIO, a great arithmetician. Will he work out this sum for us ? If by the issue of copper tokens the country gains £92,000, how many millions sterling would it gain by the issue of silver tokens, and how many tens of millions sterling would it gain by the issue of gold tokens ? Lord LIVERPOOL, indeed, affirmed that " coins should be made of metals more or less valuable, in proportion to the wealth and commerce of the country in which they are to be the measure of property." But this was a mere affirmation, unsupported by a shadow of argument. He might as well have said that the rails on a railway should be made of metal more or less valuable in proportion to the wealth and traffic of the line. The whole of PEEL'S monetary system is based on this absurd assumption. As the wealth and commerce of a country expand, we should have the most conve nient, the cheapest, the least fluctuating, the steadiest circulating medium. We then require money not to be hoarded, melted, or separated ; money for the use of which we do not give 2 per cent. one day and 20 per cent. another. Will Mr. GLADSTONE tell us who would be inconve• nienced by the adoption of cheap gold tokens, or paper pound notes, any more than by the adoption of bronze penny tokens ? If he will not, we will tell him. The goldsmith, or gold chainmaker, who at present melts down, as the Act of 1844 allows him to do, new sovereigns from the Mint, would be slightly inconvenienced. He would then have to assay and weigh the gold he bought for manufac turing purposes. This would no longer be done here at the national expense. The foreigner would have to deal with the bullion merchant for gold re quired for exportation, or with the Bank in the character of a bullion merchant, instead of export ing our coined intmay _ But thQ pnrgnns princi pally inconvenienced would be the hard calculator and the usurer. Gold tokens would not be ex ported, the whole basis of our circulating medium would not be violently contracted, the hard calcu lator would not buy his commodities, every now and then, 30 per cent, below cost price, nor would the usurer gain his £lOO,OOO bya panic. We will further tell Mr. GLADSTONE who would benefit by cheap gold tokens, or national paper money. First, the people of England. They would retain the money necessary for the circulation of commodities from hand to hand, and for free and honest remuneration of their labour. Their money would not, as now, be one day depreciated by a glut of gold for which the Bank is obliged to issue out bank-notes where they are not wanted, thereby engendering unwholesome speculation, nor could it be subject to irregular and violent contractions by which commerce is paralysed and labour starved. The whole commercial class would benefit imme diately and largely by money at a settled and equitable rate of discount, and a freedom from the ruinous disasters of periodically recurring- monetary panics. And last, not least, we can assure Mr. GLADSTONE that that inestimable functionary, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, would be a prosperous and a popular man. Give the country a steady and unfluctuating circulating medium, and the talent, energy, and industry of the people will have fair play. Uncertainty, commercial depression, and panics lie at the root of all our financial diffi culties. And commercial depression, speculative over-trading, and monetary crises have been proved by sad experience to be the inevitable attendants on the unsuccessful attempts to carry out Lord LIVERPOOL'S system of money of intrinsic value. Mr. GLADSTONE dislikes loans, and so do we. But with a well-regulated monetary system the re sources of the country would not only be found sufficient for ordinary, but even for extraordinary requirements. In time of peace the great incubus of the country —the National Debt —might be rapidly reduced. In time of war a revenue might be raised adequate to the necessary expenditure. Mr. GLADSTONE has already thrown overboard the bullionist theory of money of intrinsic value. Let him go boldly on in the course of Cur rency Reform, and he will restore permanent prosperity to his country, and enable England once more to take her proper position among the nations of Europe. When Doctors disagree—but the proverb's some what musty. Mr. STEPHENSON 15 in favour of the experimental project for cleansing (?) the Ser pentine by means of filtration. Sir JOSEPH PAX TON is against it. Mr. FITZROY is still infatuated with the notion that this is the very wisest plan of cleansing the waters of a stagnant pool that the ingenuity of engineering ever yet hit up. It is so extremely simple—don't you see ?—this charming little scheme of Mr. HAWKSLEY'S contrivance. All that will be required to carry it out will be simply this —to erect an ornamental building at the Bays haatte rbueinlng end of the Serpentine ! To put together in ta couple of stationary engines for the purpose of pumping up the polluted water from the other extremity of the Serpentine ! To subject this polluted water (when f filtration ! A n d then u t m o p e e t d i t up) ru n t o toffh_e_ I p v r h o t e h s s e r o Why," bock again" into the old dirty bed of the Ser pentine ! And so to go on perpetually—pumping, and draining, and running the water back again " to the place from whence it came," there to be passe d out once more, and refiltered, and returned in a never ending circle of wishy Washy dabblin,rs between dirt and cleanliness! be of two horse Power e ac h The engines will only —the building hiding them from view will prevent the possibility of their being an eyesore—the whole puffing and swilling process will be accomplished. sub rosa, but, alas ! it must be added sub naso of every frequenter of the Ring and the Row, as well as of every inhabitant of that aristocratic, but un- fortunate, neighbourhood. True, a certain area in the vicinity of the ornamental home of the sta- tiotary engines will be required for the purpose of filtering every day 2,000,000 gallons of this abomi nable water, pnmped out and immediately after wards washed back again into the Serpentine. But that, Mr. FITZROY tells us, will be the merest trifle—just three-fourths of an acre, or thereabouts. What a sweet, charming, melliffious picture to be sure ! Three-fourths of an acre of stench arising from alternately dry and liquid abominations in a continual sequence of stir and stagnation! Why, a bed of heliotropes in full bloom with a south breeze fluttering over them is nothing to it. No wonder that Sir JOSEPH PAXTON, that later KENT—that king among land scape gardeners—shrunk with dismay from the notion of such a stretch of perpetuated effluvia, reeking, and sweltering, and steaming over the surface of three-fourths of an acre in the midst of the verdent sweep of Hyde-park, on the banks of the Serpentine, in close contiguity to that highly-favoured (soon also, at this rate, to be highly flavoured), but really most unoffending Bayswater. Mr. STEPHENSON'S argument in direct advocacy of the pet project of Mr. FITZROY this (bright idea of Mr. HAWKSLEY about filtration and refiltration) is really when one comes to examine it rationally, the result of one of the oddest non-sequiturs imaginable. Mr. STEPHENSON maintains energetically (not to say dogmatically) that the Serpentine is already as sweet and pure as any reasonable man could wish it to be. He speaks from experience, he re minds the House—having to pass and repass the Serpentine always twice, occasionally four times a day. While, to almost every one else, the offence of the Serpentine, like that of the King in HAMLET— it And smells to Heaven ! " to the olfactory nerves of our eminent engineer, it is really and truly, if we understand him rightly, about as free from anything disagreeable as the balmy and aromatic breath of Araby the blest. Mr. STEPHENSON'S nasal organ must be about as case hardened, we should imagine, as the palate, in the first instance, and the stomach afterwards, of that lover of strong waters, the Humane Society's drags man, who told that correspondent of the Times the other day, that whenever he was thirsty he drank the water of the Serpentine ! And smacked his lips after it, we suppose, with a relish However this may be—the Humane Society's man (himself humane apparently to everybody but himself) drinks and likes the water of the Serpentine— while Mr. STEPHENSON, in the same spirit of com placent satisfaction with things as they are, sniffs and likes the atmosphere wafted by every passing breeze from those same waters of the Serpentine. Yet it gives one rather a qualm, by the way, to hear Mr. STEPHENSON at the very same time observing, that, "as one of the Commis sioners of Sewers, he had devoted a good deal of attention to the exclusion from the Serpentine of the sewage of Bayswater, which some years ago was conveyed into it, and the exclusion of that sewage had undoubtedly, to a very considerable extent, led to the purification of the river"—meaning, more correctly, not the river, but the stagnant lake of the Serpentine. So—that only a few years ago the sewage of Bayswater was poured into the b©d of that stagnant Serpentine. It was poured in thud for many years previously. Since it has been directed from its course elsewhere, we are not aware that the bed of that same stagnant pool (into which the sewage had been pouring so long and so abundantly) has ever once to this day been' cleaned out even partially. It has never in fact been cleaned out at all. It is this very cleaning out that we are now arguing for, as a piece of cleanliness imperatively demanded. There the sewage has been allowed to settle down as a substratum to this pellucid lake of liquid crystal at whose Hygeian spring the Humane Society's man quaffs with such a relish— and by whose ambrosial banks Mr. STEPHENSON ambels his cob day after day with a sense of such ineffable satisfaction. We commend the memory of all that sewage to the dragsman, and to the honourable gentleman the member for Whitby, as calculated possibly to impart (by the mere thought of it) an extra relish to the tonic cup of health drunk by the one, and to the daily zephyr inhaled by the other. Testi mony like that of Mr. STEPHENSON must have been " nuts" to Mr. FITZROY. He also, as might have been expected, can regard the reputed abomination of the Serpentine somewhat in the vein of Sir Chas. Coldstream—protesting that there's Nothing in it! Yet—and here is the non sequitur of Mr. STEPHEN SON'S argument—while the First Commissioner of Public Works and the honourable member for Whitby, and others who think with them, people who have particularly strong noses, or who have no noses at all—while they maintain that the Serpentine is not by any means so foul as it is stated to be ; on the contrary, that it is rather delicious and refreshing than otherwise—yet, at the same time, most inconsistently suggest that it shall be elaborately cleansed and re-cleansed over and over aga;n by one of the most preposterously complicated arrangements that engineer ever yet thought of, for the simple purpose of cleaning out a dirty piece of water. One would suppose that about the most obviously rational course that any one could pursue in regard to a stagnant lake like the Serpentine would be preciesly the very course we are insisting upon as the one of manifest neces sity—namely, to drain the whole of the water now in it away—to lay the bed of its channel bare—to clear away the whole of the filth there discovered—to fill up the dangerous holes in which, year after year, so many people are drowned acci dentally—to reduce all to one uniform level, sloping up to the margin—to line the whole bed of the Serpentine with concrete, and then to brim it up again —but this time with really pure, fresh sparkling water. Common sense tells one that this would be immeasurably better than all this puddling, and draining, and messing, and filtering of the old dirty bed and the old dirty water just as it is—with an ornamental building to hide the nasty process—with two steam engines pumping and wheezzing there in affected secresy—and with an area of three-fourths of an acre, permanently supplying the neighbourhood with stench, for £l7,ooo,the vaguely estimated cost of this absurd scheme of filtration. It is recorded among the sayings of the Great NAPOLEON that he once whimsically observed (speaking of course as a physiognomist)—" Give me a man with plenty of Nose !" It is remarked, however, of the EMPEROR, that he closed his own career only upon the very occasion when he himselfat last encountered a man with just perhaps a little too much n3se. However this may be, we certainly trust that the next PREMIER will, if only in consi deration of the Serpentine, take that saying of NAPOLEON'S as his guiding principle—" Give me a man with plenty of nose"—when making a selection of the most fitting administrator to fill the office of First Commissioner of Public Works. The adage says " Time is money," therefore the quicker you go the more you save or make. On this principle the bill which has just received the Royal assent, in very spite of the so-called guar dians of St. Thomas's Hospital, will be a great boon to that portion of the public at the West-end who want to go by the Brighton or South-Eastern Railways, from the Grand Terminus, near London bridge. We can speak from personal inconve nience, too frequently experienced in going to the station either by cab or 'bus, no matter which, for both are doomed to pay a heavy toll (of time) on London - bridge before arriving just too late for the train ! Why, it often takes as long from the Strand to London-bridge Station as from the station to Brighton or perhaps Dover ! Thanks to that spirited directors of the South Eastern Railway and others, this torpid incon venience will soon be remedied by a branch from head-quarters right away to the Waterloo-station of the South-Western, and crossing the Thames, pitch its tent at what now is Hungerford-market. The statue at Charing-cross will begin to be wide awake, while the Church of St. lilartin's will be greater than St. Paul's, or even St. Peter's at Rome. Time changes everything else, but stands stock-still itself ! There's the marvel which has puzzled the philosopher, and will yet puzzle our wise legislators, who are never tired of mak ing amendments upon amendments, but always forgetting to amend themselves. They say that charity begins at home, but few can believe it for our charity chiefly walks abroad, as in the golden age when small change was scarce. Well, with one improvement upon another we may hope to do by and by without either doctors or lawyers, which will indeed be a blessing as yet unhoped for. But good times are coming, and the sooner one can shake them by the hand the better. To be in London at one, and in Brighton, Tunbridge Wells, or Dover at two, seems to be too good to be true ; but so it will be, and we hope our travellers will become all the wiser for their speed. Really the people of Bel gravia will henceforth be the very elect of tra vellers, and may exult in the happy cognomen of wise men of the West—not West-enders, for place and circumstance have undergone a change, and all for the better. Thanks, say we, to the spirited promoters of this rapid accommodation to the metropolis, which will prove beneficial to the over-crowded streets and to the people at large. Our foreign news seems to be " all at sea." Italy is in a blaze of excitement—hoping for the best yet evidently preparing for the worst—come what will. It is said the Red Republic has been proclaimed at Parma, and the Piedmontese driven from the city. We must wait for more reliable news. While the Conference is talking at Zurich, the Italians are arming to obtain a better and more general peace. Half measures will not do, as Villafranca can bear witness. The Queen will hold a Privy Council at Osborne to-day. After the Council her Majesty and his Royal Highness the Prince Consort will embark on board the Victoria and Albert royal yacht, for an excursion for a few days at sea. In all probability her Majesty and her illus trious Consort will, during the cruise, visit the Channel Islands. We have reason to believe that the Grand Duke Constantine, on leaving Ryde, will pay a visit to the Em peror Napoleon at Biarritz. The foundation stone of the Metropolitan Taber nacle at Newington for Mr. Spurgeon's congregation will be laid on Tuesday next by Sir S. M. Peto, Bart., M.P. It is stated in letters from Berlin that a Prussian expedition will sail in October for Japan. The report of the directors of the Mid-Kent Rail way recommends a half-Yearly dividend at the rate of 3 per cent. per annum. The Diritto of Turin reports, on the authority of letters from Venice, that 200,000 Austrians will remain in the Venetian* country during the winter. Accounts from Batavia state that M. Teengs, president of the factory of the Dutch Commercial Company at that place, had been murdered by one of his clerks. The Piedmontese Gazette contains a royal de cree authorising the concession to Messrs. Peto and Wag staff of a railway to be constructed between Voltri and . Savona in Piedmont. The steam-ship Ellora arrived yesterday. at Southampton from Marseilles. On Tuesday she passed an American frigate in the Bay of Biscay, standing to the westward. The opening of the shooti ng season in the de partments of the Seine, Seine et Oise, Seine et Marne, Seine Inferieure, and the Somme, is fixed for the Ist of September. We understand that a telegraphic cable, intended for submersion between Marseilles and Oran, in Algeria, is now in course of manufacture in this country. It will probably be laid down in November next. The half-yearly dividend on the shares of the Dublin and Belfast Junction Railway Company is officially announced at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum, being the same as that paid for the corresponding period of 1858. A letter from St. Petersburg mentions that an account had been received of a fire having broken out at Moscow. When the intelligence was sent off, 50 houses had been destroyed, and the fire was then burning with great violence. The Quebec .Morning Chronicle says: "The youngster Young, who wanted Blondin to carry him over the Niagara river on a rope, went to the Falls, but Blondin demanded the payment of 500 lols in advance for the trip. Young thought the fare too high, and wasn't carried." DETONPORT ELECTION.—Mr. Ferrand, who was unsuccessful against Sir Michael Seymour on Tuesday, has determined to contest with Sir Arthur Buller the seat va cated by the promotion of Mr. Wilson. It is probable that the nomination will take place on Tuesday, and the election on Wednesday next. DEATH OF SIR GEORGE STAUNTON.—We have to record the death of Sir George Thomas Staunton, Bart., which occurred on Wednesday at his town residence, No. 17, Devonshire-street, Portland-place. The deceased baronet was born at Milford House, near Salisbury, in 1781, and succeeded his father, the first baronet, in 1810, and was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. WIFE MURDER IN BEDFORDSHIRE.—The in habitants of the usually quiet town of Luton, in Bedford shire, were on Tuesday greatly shocked by the intelligence that a murder had been committed in broad daylight on a public footpath near the ruins of Summeries Castle, about one mile from the town. The facts appear to be that the unfortunate victim was the wife of George Castle, who previous to the murder had been working in a malting at Ware. In consequence of a domestic quarrel on the previous day she left her husband and went for pro tection to her parents, who reside at Luton. The hus band followed, and being denied access to his wife, would seem to have then decided on his deadly revenge. On the following morning, having provided himself with a knife, and his mother-in-law being obliged to leave home, he got into the house and persuaded his wife to re turn with him to Ware, for which place they left ; but in about two hours afterwards her dead body was found by the roadside with her throat fearfully cut, the ground bearing marks of a desperate struggle having taken place. Infor mation was immediately given to the police at Luton, who at once instituted an active pursuit, in which they were as sisted by several gentlemen and inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood. After a long search the prisoner was traced going through several woods to Welwyn, where he gave himself into custody a few minutes before the arrival of the Luton inspector of police. The unfortunate deceased was only 21 years of age j and had been married only six months. THE MURDER AT DURSLEY.—The following are more detailed particulars of this horrible crime briefly re ferred to in The Sun of yesterday. The deceased, Thomas Rutter, was 36 years old, and followed the trade of a jour neyman blacksmith. His wife Ellen, the murderess, is a few years younger, and is his second wife. By a former wife the deceased had. a son, now a young man, who was still living at his father's house. On Saturday evening last his father gave him money to procure meat for Sunday's dinner, and he was about leaving the house when his mother-in-law stopped him, and wanted to know the reason she was not to be mtrusted with the money. This circumstance was the origin .of a quarrel between the deceased 'and his wife, who since their marriage have lived very unhappily toge the. Late the same (Saturday) evening they were both at the Star publichouse, and drinking, Mrs. Rutter sit • ting with other men, and not with her husband. Of this conduct he complained to her, and said he married her in order that she mi g h t wait upon him. The woman, how ever, with an oath, denied the marriage, and used several filthy expressions towards her husband. Later in the even ing she told the man, by whom she was sitting of her deter mination to "go home and cut Tom's throat," being at the same time in a very excited state. She also subsequently said, on being remonstrated with, that "if 20 p eo ple per suaded her she'd go a n d do it." A woman named Wood accompanied Mrs. Rutter part of the way home, and by that time she promised not to carry out her previous determina tion with regard to her husband. Early on Sunday morn ing, however, she knocked up a neighbour named Hancock, and said, "Tom has made away with himself," adding, "and see how he has served me," her sleeve and dress being covered with blood. Hancock and his son afterwards went to Rutter's house, and found the deceased bleeding profusely from two wounds on his face, and a frightful one in the throat. Hancock said " Who did this ?'" and Ellen Rutter replied, " I did." At Gloucester yesterday the judge commented on this case in his charge to the grand jury, and said he was afraid they could come to no other decision than that of a " bill for wilful murder." The trial is expected to take place on Saturday. LATEST NEWS. The following telegrams have been received at Mr. Reuter's office : FLORENCE, AUG. 11. OFFICIAL DESPATCH. The Ministers and Deputies went this morning to the cathedral to implore Heavenly benediction. They were cheered at the opening of the Assem bly. A great number of the population were pre sent. The opening message of Signor Ricasoli was much applauded. The Assembly was occupied with the examination of the elections of the mem bers. The whole town is covered with placards ending with the words, " Viva Vittore Emmanele it nostre Re." ZURICH, AUG. 12. The diplomatic banquet has taken place here. Speeches were made by the President of the Go vernment, M. Dubs, Count Colloredo, and the Federal Vice-President. M. de Bourquency has invited the diplomatic corps to a grand banquet for the 15th inst. The Grand Duke of Baden will be present at the open ing of the railway of Waldshut, and will arrive at Zurich on Tuesday next. VIENNA, AUG. 11. The official Austrian Correspondence of this even ing contains private intelligence, dated Parma, the 9th instant, stating that the Piedmontese had been driven from the city. The red republic had been proclaimed. Property holders and the friends of order were taking flight. TURIN, AUG. 11. Advices received from Bologna state that a decree of the Government has convoked an assembly to be elected by the inhabitants, in order to express the wishes of the population. Several agents of Mazzini had been arrested and expelled. It is asserted that the conference of Zurich has prolonged the armistice indefinitely. The French troops have suspended their depar ture from Italy. BERNE, AUG. 11. According to news received from Zurich, M. de Bourqueney had to-day a conference with M. de Desambrais. At three o'clock p.m. another con ference took place between M. de Bourqueney and Count Colloredo. Marquis de Turgot, French Ambassador at Berne, has issued numerous invitations for celebrating the fete of Napoleon on the sth inst. BERNE, AUG. 11. Yesterday there was no sitting of the Conference at Zurich. At the sitting of the day before yester day the representative of Sardinia was not present. j , • , NT- ti \ ti DP OIT "' THE SUN. FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 1859. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE. Under the Management of Mr. Charles Kean. THIS EVENING, THE CORSICAN BROTHERS. Fabien and Louis dei Franchi. By Mr. C. Kean. To conclude with A MIDSUMMER NIGH r's DREAM. Commence at 7. T HEATRE -ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Lessee, Mr. J. B. Buckstone. THIS EVENING, A NABOB FOR AN HOUR. THE CONTESTED ELECTION. After which, OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF MIND. To conclude with MALLOWE'EN. Commence at 7. NEW THEATRE - ROYAL, AD ELPHI. Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. Benj. Webster. THIS EVENING, the performances will commence with THE FLOWERS OF THE FOREST. Followed by the new burlesque, THE BABES IN THE WOOD. Messrs. J. L. Toole, Paul Bedford, C. J. Smith, Eburne ; Miss Woolgar and Miss K. Kelly. Acting Manager—Mr. Wm. Smith. Mr. W. Smith's Benefit on Thursday, August 18. Doors open at a quarter-past six—Commence at seven. Box Office open from 10 to 5 -no charcr,e for booking. No fees to servants permitted. A registry kept of all articles found. ROYAL STRAND THEATRE. Lessee and Directress, Miss Swanborough THIS EVENING, CAPTAIN CHARLOTTE. Miss M. Wilton. After which, A SCHOOL FOR COQUETTES. Misses Bwanborough, Oliver, and Lavine. Followed by THE VERY LATEST EDITION OF THE LADY OF LYONS. Commence at 7 o'clock. VERDI'S OPERA OF MACBETH. The whole of the first Act of this Opera, now produced for the first time in this country (the remaining three acts being in course of rehearsal), is sung nightly at the CAN TERBURY HALL CONCERTS. THE DELEPIERRE FAMILY, Consisting of three Juvenile Violinists, viz., Jules, Juliette, and Julia Delepierre, aged, respectively, FOUR, SIX, and EIGHT years. The perfect execution by these Lilliputian Artistes of some of the most difficult and brilliant Solos, Duets, and Trios evc: written for the violin, has excited mingled wonder and admi ration in Continental Musical Circles, and drawn forth enthu siastic tributes of praise from the Public Journals of France and Belgium. They will perform T VICE EACH EVENING, in addi tion to the usual Entertainments. THE WEATHER.-SUN OFFICE, AUGUST 12. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 70—highest since noon yesterday. 60—lowest this morning and during the night. 73—this day at noon. BAROMETER,--30.0 7. WIND, South-Westerly ; light, with fine warm weather. Baron Meysenburg has departed for Vienna. The Vice-President of the Confederation of Swit• zerland and the Councillor Cioda assisted this even. ing at the diplomatic banquet. TRIESTE, AUG. 11. Advices have been received from Constantinople to the Gth inst. The Sultan has returned from his journey. He has sanctioned the double election of Prince Couza with the condition that Prince Couza is to come to Constantinople to render homage to the Sultan. M. de Thouvenel has arrived here. It is confirmed that the town of Erzeroum has been entirely destroyed by a fresh earthquake. News from Smyrna of the sth inst. announces the death of the General Governor. HAMBURG, THURSDAY. To-day the citizens of Hamburg representing all the parishes voted for the modification of the con stitution as proposed by the Senate, which was adopted by 578 against 153. PARIS, AUG. 12. The 31oniteur of this morning contains a decree ordering a medal to be struck in commemoration of the Italian campaign, which is to be awarded to all those soldiers and sailors who have taken part in the said campaign• The Moniteur also contains the usual monthly return of the Bank of France, which shows the following result as compared with the July ac count : INCREASE. Cash 67-! t millions. Notes Treasury balance 1 ~ 91 DECREASE. Bills discounted not yet due 681 )1 Advances - ~ Current accounts ~i 1, FRANCE. PARIS, THURSDAY. Letters from Toulon confirm the intelligence that the experimental squadron stationed at that port is about to be reduced to a peace footing—four ships of the line and two frigates. Similar arrangements have been made for the Atlantic squadron at Brest, under the command of Rear-Admiral Fournichon. "Owing to the interest excited by the entrance of the troops on Sunday," says the Sport, " several persons have hired windows of houses on the line of march to relet to spectators. Some of these per sons have, it is said, already gained large sums ; one of them, for example, hired 3,000 windows at an average price of 30f.—thereby making a clear profit of 90,000 f. The number of houses on the line to be taken by the troops is 843, and they have about 16,160 windows in all ; supposing that each window be occupied by only six spectators, there will be in those houses 101,160 persons : " At the battle of Solferino the battalion of Rifle men of the Guard, which formed the head of the column of light infantry, distinguished itself so much, capturing a flag and several pieces of artillery, that the Emperor gave it the cross of the Legion of Honour to be attached to its colours. When the battalion arrived at Milan, Marshal Regnaud de Saint Jean d'Angeley resolved to present it him self with the cross, and, having assembled the bat talion, he spoke as follows : " Riflemen of the Guard—The Emperor, desir ing to revive an ancient and noble custom, has decreed that a cross of the Legion of Honour shall be suspended to the eagles of all the regi ments which take a colour from ;the enemy. This glorious exploit you accomplished on the great day of Solferino, and I now, in the name of his Majesty, attach a decoration to this eagle, the glo rious symbol of courage, discipline, and military devotedness. May this flag, decorated in recom pense of your bravery, become still dearer to you! May each of you understand that this Cross of Honour, which will henceforth be carried at your head, and the rays of which will be reflected on the whole battalion, is the object to which he ought to aspire, and France, our dear country, happy at your return, will salute in you children of whom she can be proud. Vive l'Empereur!' PARIS BOURSE, Aug. 11.—The market still con tinues in the same heavy state. Threes declined from 69f. 55c. to 69f. 30e. ; Mobilier from 847 f. 50e. to 832 f. 50c. ; Orleans, 1,372 f. 50c. to 1,367 f. 50c.; Lyons, 872 f. 50e. to 867. 50c. ; Southern, 517 f. 50e. to 512 f. 50e. ; Austrian, 567 f. 50c. to 563 f. 75c. ; Lombards, 562 f. 50c. to 558 f. 75c. , A sudden rally took place the following were the qi e towards the close, when [notations : 41 per Cents. 96 651 Credit Foncier.... 660 Do. end month .. i Belgian 41 — 3 per Cents 69 35 Piedmonteso (5) .. FG Do. end month 69 70 Roman B6 50 Bank Shares 2825 Austrian — Credit Mobilier .. 837 50 Spanish Threes Do. Account ..... 847 50 Home Debt — RAILWAYS. Cash. Account. Orleans Northern 930 .. 932 50 New ditto Bl3 75 .. 815 Lyons and Mediterranean B7O .. 872 50 Geneva 535 .. Southern Western 565 .. Eastern Sardinian 415 .. 415 Austrian Exchange on London, at sight, paper, 25f. 131 c. ; money, 25f 121 c.; three months, paper, 24f. 97}c.; money, 24f. 95c. ITALY. The King of Sardinia visited the military hospi tals at Milan on the Bth, distributing crosses and medals to the wounded. His Majesty, on his return to the palace, received the visits of the most distin guished personages of the city. This was followed by a grand dinner, Ale'ssandre Manzoni being one of the guests. The King and Prince Carignan conversed a long while with the venerable poet. In the evening the city was splendidly illuminated ; the Corso presenting the most brilliant appearance. The Corriere Mercantile of Genoa asserts that the princes who have lost their thrones in Italy have sent secret emissaries into their respective States to foment disorder and distribute money among their adherents. The Indipendente of Turin states that 26 out of the 29 communes of the province of Parma have declared their adhesion to the Sardinian. Govern ment. A new journal, called the _Risorgimento, has just been started at Florence. It advocates a Con federation of Italian States, not of Italian Princes, which, in its opinion, are two very different things. A letter from Milan of the Bth says :—" Yester day morning, on the occasion of the preparations for the King's arrival, some slight disturbance took place near the cathedral. A . numlier of per sons seeing that the draperies which were being hung up in honour of the arrival of the King of Sardinia were those which had previously served in Austrian receptions, and still bore traces of the Austrian colours, tore them to pieces. In the course of the day a proclamation couched in rather severe terms, was stuck up, telling the Milanese that in the grave circumstances in which they are placed their first duty is entire submission to the acts of the authorities. The sth French corps d'arnzee is dissolved, and the provi sional Army of Occupation is to be composed of five divisions, which have remained on this side of the Alps, and of the third battalions of the regi ments that have returned to France. Marshal Vaillant continues to command, but the chiefs of the staff, the Artillery, and the Engineers leave to morrow for Paris. Two regiments of light dra goons are to be added to the cavalry regiments of the sth Corps ; and the whole will form a fine division of cavalry, which is to be stationed at the foot of the mountains." THE TYROL. The session of the States of the Tyrol opened on the Ist. The Archduke-Governor delivered an ad dress of which the following is a summary : " His Imperial Highness stated that the Com• mittee of the States had been strengthened by the addition of confidential men, to deliberate on the most important questions arising out of the parti cular circumstances of the present time, and the dangers which threaten the Tyrol. The committee would have to call the attention of the Govern ment to those questions, and through the go vernor make known to his Majesty the wishes and the wants of the country in order to enable him to satisfy them as much as possible for the welfare of the province. The Committee of the States would have been convoked as soon as those confidential men had been added to it, but the promptitude with which it had been necessary to place the country in a state of defence, by forming companies of carbineers, had compelled him to visit different parts of his government to hasten the execution of the orders which had been given, and had prevented him from convoking it sooner, as he wished to preside himself at the opening. He had to express his gratitude for the good spirit which the people had evinced in coming forward for the defence of the country; every one, he said, had comprehended the danger and the necessity of de fending the monarchy as well as their own homes. In this circumstance the Tyrol had given a fresh proof of its well-known fidelity ; it had shown the enemy its power of resistance, and thus produced a moral effect which had even exceeded the hopes con ceived. The princes-bishops, the venerable clergy, the chiefs of communes, and each of their members, as well as the authorities called on to co-operate in this object, had all clone so with the greatest ac tivity. Now that peace had been made, the mon:lent had come to freely discuss the wants of the country, and to submit them to the Emperor. His Majesty had himself said in his last manifesto that the bless ings of peace would give him leisure to turn all his attention and to devote all his care to the accom plishment of the task which he had proposed to himself—to found in a durable manner the pros perity of Austria by legislative and administrative ameliorations in conformity with the spirit of the times." The Archduke, in conclusion, alluded to one of the reforms most important and most urgent for the material prosperity of the Tyrol, namely, the re form of the forest organisation of 1856, which had been already undertaken by order of the Emperor. This reform would, he said, produce no advantage to the State, but would rather impose fresh sacri fices on it, and exclusively benefit the Tyrol. ROME. A letter from Rome, in the Union, says :—" have recently witnessed the celebration of a reli gious festival which the Romans all observe with peculiar fervour. J allude to the feast of St. Peter in Vinculis, during which the chains that fettered St. Peter in his dungeon at Jerusalem and Rome are exposed for a week to the veneration of the faithful. It is well known that, by divine permis sion, and in order to remove the doubts which had risen in certain minds, the two chains used to bind St. Peter at Jerusalem and Rome clung together when brought into contact, and became so closely joined that it is now impossible to tell where one ends and the other begins. These chains are pre served in the Church of St. Peter in Vinculis, built A.D. 40, by the Empress Eudoxia, wife of Valentine 111., Emperor of the West. 'This princess presented to Pope Leo the chain with which Peter was bound by Herod's command in the prisons of Jerusalem, having herself received it as a gift from Juvenal, the patriarch of that city. This church was rebuilt in the XVlth cen tury, and modified in the XVIIth ; it contains the magnificent statue of Moses, by Michael Angelo, and many admirable paintings by Guercino, Dome nichino, Guido, and Giulio Romano. During the week the church was crowded with people all the more anxious to kiss the chains sanctified by the suffrings of the Prince of the Apostles as these venerable relics are only exposed at this festival, and cannot bo seen at another time without an ex press permission from the Pope. The Holy Father attended by several prelates attached to his house hold, came to the church to join in the prayers of the faithful and venerate these precious chains, which bound the first pastor of the Church, whose seat he at present fills." A Frankfort letter of the 9th says : " Yesterday the civil and military authorities took several measures to prevent a recurrence of the military riots. Strong patrols paraded the town; posts of gendarmes wore established; the gates were closed, and the soldiers were forbid den to approach certain points of the public pro menades; but the only efficacious means—to con fine the soldiers to barracks and disarm them — were not taken. The consequence was that some sanguinary encounter occurred in several places. The worst were at the Bolkenheim gate and All _ - Saints' gate. This last the Prussians took by storm several times, and when a strong mixed patrol came against them with fixed bayonets they defended themselves, and the commander of the patrol, a Frankforter, was mortally wounded. It is said that certain civilians have instigated the soldiers, and several persons have been arrested on the charge. This morning, the Austrians and Ba varians have been quarrelling. It is difficult to get at the truth, because public report exaggerates everything, and it is not safe to go and see for one's self, as the soldiers are walking the streets sword in hand. We hear that two men have been. killed, and there are from 20 to 30 wounded in dm hospitals." The Madrid Gazette of the ith publishes a Royal decree charging the Count de Lucena (O'Donnell), President of the Council, with the ad interim ad ministration of the department of Foreign Affairs, in the absence of M. Calderon Collantes, who has gone into the country. The Iberia had been seized- Some of the journals express a hope that the malady which has broken out at Murcia, and which hag been stated to be Asiatic cholera, will turn out to be of infinitely less gravity. The semi-official. Correspondancia Autogrqfa says the Government: has authorised the Governor of Fernando Po tar permit the steamers of the North American station. to have a depot of coal in the island. A Berlin letter in the German Journal of Frark fort says :—" The Prussian Government has decided positively on assuming the initiative in the question of fortifying the coasts of the North Sea. She in- tends to present a proposition to that effect to the , Germanic Diet, and she relies the more on the , assent of Austria, and the other State of Southern. Germany, that her own share of the expense for the Southern fortresses is very considerable. ify however, any difficulties should he thrown in they way of this measure, it is hoped that the Prussian- Government will know how to accomplish her ob ject in spite of the Germanic Diet." AMERICA. LIVERPOOL, FRIDAY MORNINCL The City of Washington has arrived from New York with 1,214,631 doll. in specie. On the 30th of July passed the ship Troy, bound east ; on the 3d inst. the J. F. Patton, for London on the sth several vessels steering westward; on the 4 Bth, a barque-rigged steamer, bound west, supposed. to be the Saxoma ; on the 9th the barque Mechanic,. steering east; and on the 10th, a barque-rigged steamer, steering west. The Harvest Queen and the William Rathbone , from Liverpool, and the Riga packet from Menton, Spain, were at New York. The Joseph Fish, from Liverpool for New York. was passed in lat. 48 N., long. 36 W., on the Bth oi . July. The Columbia, from New York for Liverpool , was spoken off George's Bank on the 24th of July- The Uhland, bound east, off George's B an k, on the 26th of'July. The Admiral, from New York, was at Baltimore to load for Marseilles. The Allan Kerr, from Ardrossmn, was at Balti more. The New Empire, from Matanzas for Falmouth,, was spoken in lat. 31 N., long. 78 W., with four of, crew sick with yellow fever. The Houston, from Galveston for Havre, vva° spoken off Tortugas july 15. The Arizana, from Havannah for London, WO passed, July 19, in lat. 31 N., long. 80 W. THE PENINSULAR MAILS. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) SOUTHAMPTON, FRIDAY MORNING. The Tagus steamer, Capt. Hall, has arrived, with Lisbon mails of the 7th, Oporto and Vigo Bth. She brings 39 passengers, £7,497 in specie, and cargo of fruit, eggs, and sundries. Off Beleme Castle passed steamer Vasco de Gann" , bound up the Tagus ; passed Sultan, steamer, 011 the 10th, outward bound ; and the French barque Kingdom, the same day. Lisbon exchanges on London, 522 to 521 ; Paris , 542 ; Amsterdam, 411; Hamburg, 461. The Portuguese Government had advertised fo r tenders for concession of a railway contract from Lisbon to Santarem and the Spanish frontier nea r Badajoz with a subvention of £l,OOO per kilomet er, and from Santarem to Oporto with a subvention of £1,200 contract for 99 years, and £40,000 deposit to be made in the Bank of Lisbon before the 12th of September. °sit THE NINE _HOURS' MOVEMENT Little progress has yet been made towards the. settlement of this question. Both sides think th at their strength consists in silence, and neither ap pears to be inclined to advance a step. Masters say that men are to be had, although they d o not make their appearance. The men point to Bristol and elsewhere, and argue that instead of provincial workmen coining to London to supplant there, th e movement will be spread to all the country towns' and will in a short time become universal. Mr. Plummer, the Kettering operative, has ar rived in town, and offered his mediation, but there. were peculiarities abo u t hi s pos i t i on w hi c h i n duced., the men, although h e apparently b ore some so rt et. mission from the masters, not to accept his pre: posed services. Th e K etter i ng opera ti ve is ; youngish man with an active hand and a reflectivf countenance. He is sli g htly l ame an d very deaf' and has a cqu i re d a certa i n amount of notor i e ty .1 his ans wer t o th e pr i ze pamp hl et on th e 111 , Hours Mo vemen t. Thi s was wr itt en b y Mr. Eva; Daniel, and o f cour s e r a n k s hi g h i n th e literatur e of the nine hours movement. Mr. Plummer's a ll : swer meets with equal approbation in a nothe r quarter. He has called upon the Conference of the United Trades, but his efforts and mediation ha ve resulted in nothing. It is stated that nine of the 225 firms who ar e supposed to have g;ven their adhesion to the Ce ll ,; tral Association, have since opened their doors the men ; and it i s anticipated that by degrees th e point will be conceded by others. Each builder views this question as affecting LI own peculiar interests, and he does not and cann e , a recognise the necess ity o f s acrificing immediate'en' positive gains to prospective and uncertain adva e ; tages. Whil e ; th er efore, this small number of nin e is admittedas defections from the Central Associ a ; tion, there can belittle doubt that others have Ol e o their adhesion, and that the masters since ha l gained strength. In the absence of positive information it wou ld not be prudent to give cur renc y t o the report s which are in circulation. CREMORNE GARDENS.—" The Fete of the Sea' son" took plac e h ero yes t er d ay , b e i ng , i n o th er wor ds, benefit of Mr. Si m p son , th e en t er p r i sing l ess e e of this We' t. e a conducted place of amusement. The gardens were open to at three o'clock, and a series of al fresco entertainrae l l ie filled up the time agreeably until the commencement of t various evening performances, including an attractive con' cert and various rustic sports. The gardens were illuminated, some thousand additional lamps being ch w played on the occasion; the centre walk was particular„ v e noticeable for the radiant vista which it p resen ted to eye; and various other other parts of the grounds effe of n devices appropriate to the occasion. Th e crow ded state a the gardens bore ample testimony to tho rank they fill place of public amusement, and the esteem in which proprietor is held. LONDON AND Nortn of i-WESTERN.—The divid e t. for the past six months will be at th e ra t e o f 41 per ° f per annum, with a balance of ab ou t £lO , OOO t o th e credit i °, the current account. The last J une di v id en d was Onto. rate of 31 per cent. per annum, with a balance of £ 6 7u_w The present June half-year has the benefit of £23,00 0 from the previous December six months' working, Nylls,,fa r last year's June account dre w no l ess th an £13 , 000 ~. ue the balance of the previous six months' revenue. Ite vell o. during the past half-year h as b een c h arge d no less a ll e y £7,000 on account of a brid ge b urn t upon t h e T ren t V u ii to line. The dividend prop ose d t o be paid, in fact, eta °ll ; to £66,000 more tha n was di v id e d for the corresponding' months of 1858. d fit EXPANSION OP CUR RENCY . A corr espon-clor writes as follows to the editor of the Times :—" The fic y of your city article men ti ons an expansion of the cur t*: to the extent of £2,000 , 000 and upward* ; this exe cs :os increase of notes i n th e h an d s o f t h e pu bli c he aPP-„01 unable to explain. Now, I have travelled for Mil l e years in England, yet never before witnessed to lines of railways so crowded with passenger s t ilt they aro this year. As for the hotels, they Wi n e i g bt overflowing; even th e , co tt ages are occup i e d at oea by late tr ave ll ers, th e surp l us outcasts f rom t h e hotels ter usual lodging-h ouses ; th ese are g l a d i n d ee d t o s eek 83. ;plo anywhere. Th e i ncrease o f no t es, th en, t o a consia cr tr o• extent may be traced to the great increase of hcnr w ere yellers this year, who are using home currency ; inev t the usual pr o portion of English travellers on the Con' and this year, then they would be using circular ne_t es rol ol foreign currency, and by so much our home c urt would become diminished, h for NEW CHURCH AT REIGATE.—A new chur c h eP n the ecclesia s ti ca l di s t r i c t o f St. M ar k, R e i ga t e . ba , o ll l , coal:nen ccd audcl• E,,tl " ct are , of the church which will be a handsome Gothic situ i n be will be calculated to hold 700 persons, and the cost rola £3,600. Th e fi rs t i ncum b en t will be the ReV• j '' ate of Cazenove, M.A., of Exeter College, Oxford, c ur- FrAtenden, near Staplehurst. THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, AUGUST 12, 18b91