The Sun. — London, England, 1860-12-31 00:00:00

THLNA The crew of the screw steamship Royal Albert, 121, Capt. H. Lacon, flag of Admiral Stopford, have sent down her main topmast, and are now stripping her mainmast, in order that the defects may be in spected. It is probable that the mainmast will bo condemned. The screw steam sloop Petrel, 11, is under the north crane in Keyham ateamyard receiving her engine gear. His Danish Majesty's corvette Heindal, Captain Commander Schulz, from Gibraltar for Copenhagen, arrived in Plymouth Sound late on Thursdayeven ing, and on Friday morning saluted the national flag with 21 guns, and the flag of Port Admiral Sir H. Stewart with 14 guns, which were duly acknow ledged by the citadel and by the flagship Impreg nable, 104, Capt. Lord F. Kerr, in Hamoaze. The screw steam gun vessel Lynx, 5, the crew of which were recently paid off, was towed on Friday from the Devonport Dockyard to her moorings up Hamoaze. The Lords of the Admiralty have granted the sum of £25 towards the school library at Chatham dockyard. The Isis, 44, sailing frigate, was placed in the second dock at Chatham on Saturday, to complete fitting far the West Coast ot Africa. The Pigeon, contract-built screw gunboat, 60- horse power, was docked at Chatham on Saturday, to be completed for the second division of the steam reserve. The Orpheus, 21, screw corvette, 400 •horse power (nominal), has been removed from Chatham dock yard, where she has been lying since she made her trial trip to Gillingham Reach. On Saturday orders were given for a party of shipwrights from the dockyard to proceed on board this morning for the purpose of completing her afloat for the steam reserve. The screw steam corvette Jason, 21, Capt. E. von Donop, has left Hamoaze, and is now in Plymouth Sound waiting orders. The paddlewheel steamsloop Spiteful, 6, Com mander Wilson, with the coal depot Alarm in tow, left Plymouth Sound on Friday for Pembroke. TRE AltMI. The inner work of the line of defences stretching from Stokes Bay, on the sh ores o f the Solent, to Frater L a k e , on the w es t ern and upper portion of Portsmouth harbour, has within the past fortnight been vacated by the Royal Artillery who have been stationed there since its completion, some few months since, for the purpose of extensive repairs; and yet this work over its entrance gateway bears the date of 1859. So recently has the work been occupied that only four of its guns are at present mounted, the platforms in most instances not being yet laid, and in others the metal not yet being laid on the stone of their traverses. The trace of the work presents an irregular triangular shape, with its apex cut off on its central front, which is con structed to mount six 8 and 10-inch guns. Its right face and flank will mount seven guns of the same calibre, all the guns on then two faces, with one exception, firing through em brasures. The gun referred to exceptionally works on a central pivot, and fires en barbette, commanding an advanced earthwork thrown out on the right flank and rear in the direction of high water mark in Portsmouth harbour. The left face and flank of the work mounts eight guns on the terre-pleine, with four 10. inch in bomb proof casemates on the terre-pleine a la Haxo. The enceinte of the work contains also three mortars. The gorge or base of this irregule , . triangle is closed by a long brick one-story building containing quarters for officers and men, and with an entrance gateway in the centre. Parallel with this row of buildings, and perhaps 25 or 30 feet further in the enceinte, runs another range of quarters, which are strongly faced with earth to the r-ont of the forti fication, and which has very much the appearance of being an after-thought grafted upon the original design ; it, however, must tend greatly to the security of the quarters in its rear in the event of any bombardment from the front. The whole is surrounded by a ditch provided with caponnieres at its salient angles. This ditch has, however, been designed at too acute an angle, or due allowance has not been made for the want of tenacity in the soil, as along its greater extent slips of earth have occurred from its sides which, if not arrested, must eventually level it with its glacis. A walk round the ramparts in the interior of the work shows a good command of the surrounding country, but everything has a strange neglected appearance— the unlaid platforms, the embrasures already under going alterations and repairs, and, worse than all, a mass of the brickwork at the angle of the western pivot gun, some six or seven feet square, having split from parapet to terra-pleine, and fallen partially forward, leaving a space of several inches between it and the remainder of the brickwork. A glance at the base discloses the cause of this ; the foundation of the work has given way, and the superincumbent weight is subsiding and breaking up. Proceeding along the flat roof of the quarters which close the rear of the fort, the parapet wall on its outer edge displays similar symptoms of subsidence by its cracks and irregularity of outline. 'This is more discernible at the wings than in the centre. Descending from this roof, and entering the rooms below, the means taken to prevent this subsidence and general break up are at once visible —at least, all that have been commences at pre sent. They consist of the ceiling having been cut through in each instance to the lower part of the joists, and the insertion of a heavy iron girder, which is let into the walls on each side of the room. This would appear to a common sense visitor to be merely adding to an already too great superincurn bent weight which the foundation is too weak to carry. Another great and evident fault in the ori ginal design of the work is the fact of its being open to an enfilading fire from its right flank and rear in the direction of the Nelson column on Ports down. The contract work appears to have been well performed, externally and internally; and in the instance of the torn brickwork, the bricks themselves have been broken apart by the force brought to bear upon them, but the cement itself has reuluined firm. We have thus a work standing guard at one end of an important line of defence utterly untenable from faults of design or construc tion in less than 12 mouths after it is completed, or before its guns can be mounted for its defence. By the death of Major-Gen. S. B. Boileau (1858), belonging to the fixed establishment of general otHcers, a Pension for distinguished and meritorious services becomes vacant, and is placed at the dis posal of his Regal Highness the Commander-in- Chief. , Col. Anthony Blalcia,d Stransham commanding the Woolwich division of Royal M ar i nes, received the official notification from th e Board of Admiralty on Saturday last of his promoti on to the rank of Major-General, and retired from the command. He is succeeded by C o l. Fi e lding Alexander Campbell, now Col.-Commanda n t o f the division. In consequence of th e i n t en tion of the Govern ment to reduce the strength of the whole of the British regiments serving in India, orders were on Saturday received at Chatham Garrison from the Horse Guards directing the various recruiting parties to join the depots of their respective regiments, with the exception of one non-com missioned officer and one man of each corps. fly the proposed reduction the strength of each of the India depots at Chatham is to be reduced to 100 non-commissioned officers and men, all beyond that number will be sent, early in the ensuing spring, to join the service companies of their respective regi ments at headquarters. The establishment of French classes for the in struction of the non-commissioned officers of the Royal Artillery at Woolwich, under the direction of M. Baron, has thus far progressed most favour ably, and the example is now being followed up by various other grades throughout the regiment. A couple of additional classes, consisting of the male and female teachers belonging to the regimental schools, have been organised, 12 of the former and 6 of the latter constituting two separate classes. A number of the most intelligent gunners of the regi ment have also made application for instruction in similar manner. As the time thee 9 111 1)1031Q in- terferes in no way with the regimental duties, the benefits are twofold, the time being otherwise whiled away by a majority of the mei in occupations which lead to desertion and ether crimes. THE BRITISH ARMY I_;' CHINA. (Fiom the Times' Correspondent,) BEFORE PEKIN, OCT. 17. When I :say "Before Pekin," you are not to ima gine that we are in the position of a besieging army, and that ';Pe could not get in if we wished it, for, as the last mail has probable informed you, one possession, and we have of the gates is now in fur only to push on our advantage to become masters of the entire town. It was not anticipated that it would have become ours without some semblance of opposition, and accordingly on the 12th the Ist Royal Regiment was sent to take e l l its quarters in the " Temple of the Earth," the walls pf which en close a space of many acres, one of them stretching parallel to the north wall of Pekin at a di,-tance of a few hundred yards, and a little to our ioft of the Anting-gate. Behind this wall the siege battery was to have heel placed, openings having been made in it for the purpose, and the plan of attack was to breach the wall at a distance of 15 feet from the ground, then to storm the breach with a party told off from the Second Division, which party, when it had gained the wall, was to turn to its right, and proceed along the wall to the Anting-gate, which it was forthwith tt? occupy. All this preparation was, however, rendered need less by the surrender of the gate, which was gi ven up to us in the course of the day, and is now held conjointly by the English and French, one on the right and the other on the left, our garrison being composed of the 67th Regiment, the Bth Punjab Infantry, and some Artillery. The word " gate" conveys but a faint idea of the com plicated structure which bears that name. As you approach the heavy massive wall, 40 feet high, and, as will afterwards appear, 55 feet thick at the top, passing by a bridge of stone over a ditch that may once have been wet, but now is dry, you come to what I can best term a " semicircular bastion," having at what, if it were built according to our ideas, would be its saliant angle a huge square tower of several stories, pierced with four rows of loopholes, one over the other, and 12 in each row, and surmounted by that peculiar pagoda-like roof with which the willow-pattern plate has made us all familiar. Leaving this on your right, and keep ing along the semicircular excrescence till it joins the main wall of the city, you come to as archway which is gate No. 1. Having got into the courtyard inside this said semicircle, you find another arch way in the city wall, facing the aforesaid tower, and this is gate No. 2, surmounted by a tower simi lar to that already described, but apparently in• tended more for ornament than use, not being fur nished with loopholes, and having a balcony round it at about half its height from the ground. From this balcony, reached by means of an antiquated wooden staircase of questionable solidity, I received my first, and as yet my only, view of Pekin, for ingress beyond the immediate gate is positively forbidden. Facing you as you look towards the city a broad street runs north and south, and at right angles to it smaller streets along the foot of the walls. At the junction of these streets be fore the gate was an enormous crowd of wonder struck inhabitants, gazing with open eyes and mouths at the European soldiery in the gate, as the Trojans may have gazed on the wooden horse when it had passed their impregnable walls. To keep back this curiosity-stricken mob was a task of some difficulty to the sentries, and so far from fearing us were they, that several adventurens spirits brought with them supplies of fowls, fruits, and sweatmeats, with which they drove a good trade with the soldiers on guard. The shops in this part of the main street, as far as I could see, seemed to be small and insignificant, as were also the houses on which we looked down from the wall, and I was struck with the absence of all large buildings, or even of the pagodas of which I fan cied the city had been full. In this respect, I am told, the Tartar position of the city, on which I was then looking down, is far inferior to the Chi nese or southern half, the inhabitants of which would gladly have opened their gates to us long ago, and actually made handsome offers of supplies in case we took up our quarters in their city. I was not at a sufficient elevation to see the wall se parating the Tartar from the Chinese city, but I could clearly see the whole extent of the northern part of the eastern and western walls, each about four miles long, and well provided with gates similar to that on which I was standing. It is strange that a city of the size and antiquity of Pekin should have little or no suburb round it. The walls in most places look down on green fields outside, and the only approach to a suburb is the village in which the British army is quartered, which, however, is quite detached from the city, there being a plain of a mile or two in breadth lying between. There is a carriage road, of not very steep ascent, up to the top of the wall at the Anting-gate. Of this we have availed ourselves to get our gins on tho walls, and the mouths of some howitzers now frown on the main street of the city, while traverses have been thrown up across the wall at each side, thus precluding the possibility of any attempt of the Tartars to dislodge us. The wall is battlemented in the usual manner, with square bastions at intervals, which afford a kind of flank defence, an element of fortifica tion generally overlooked by Chinese Vaubans, and, though there are no embrasures for cannon, I observed a few light guns lying near the gate, the largest of them a brass piece marked with the maker's name, and purporting to have been made at " Middleburgh" in the 17th century. You have heard, I suppose, how the Emperor's Summer Palace has been " looted," to use the word which the Indian mutiny has domesticated in our military parlance. Our allies decidedly got to windward of us on this occasion, and the amount of plunder which they secured is only equalled by the amount of valuable property which they destroyed. 'When I reached the palace, which is five or six miles from here, on the morning of the Bth, nearly all the portable valuables were gone, but enough of a larger description remained to show what must have been the magnificence of those now desolate halls. The English officers were allowed to visit it, but the French being encamped on the spot, both officers and men were there in numbers, and the destruction of furniture, mirrors, clocks, and articles of vertu by the French soldiery was some thing almost painful to behold. My time was so limited, and the crash and din so bewildering, that I feel 'utterly unequal to describe this palace, or rather successiou of palaces, with its noble park full of artificial lakes and mounds and fairy-like summer-houses, with its marble halls and terraces magnificent even in their ruin, its gorgeous turni tire, elaborate carvings, and warehouses of silks and embroideries which not even an army was able to empty. The sight was a practical transla tion of " V victis," and was enough to make every Englishman pray that night that we might never have an invader in London. _ . Prize agents were appointed to get together as much property as they could for the benefit of the English army, and orders were given that all articles brought away by officers should be handed Over to them. They put a value on each article at which the owner m i g h t re d eem i t if he chose, or e l se leave it to be sold for the benefit of the p r i ze fund. The sale took place on the 11th and 12th, when a perfect mania of competition seemed to have seized on all ranks, an d the prices realized were almost fabulous. The commonest ornament for a table or mantelpiece fetched from 30 to 50 dollars anything valuable or handsome much more, and th e silks, put up in lots , of a dozen rolls at 50 dollars a lot, generally brought in 80 or 90. The total amount realised by the sale is upwards of £B,COO, which, added to the gold and silve r bul lion found in the place, makes a prize fund of about £30,000, to be divided—two thirds among the non- commissioned officers and men who were in the field on the 6th instant, and one third among the officers—Generals Grant, Michel, and Napier gene- rously resigning their claims to participation in it. A visit to the French camp shows clearly that Tfig MTN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENYNO, DECEMI3ER 81, 1869. our allies/mule the most of their opportunity. Ask the first few men you meet whether they have any thing to sell, and the chances are that one will produce a watch set with brilliants, another a string of perils, a third a lump of silver, and a fourth a handful of trinkets ; at least, this was the case some days ago ; now much of the plunder has been exchanged for English dollars, and the rapidly increasing prices have made the fortunate possessors coy. The number of watches is immense. I believe every French soldier has got one, and I know of one man who brought away 92. The Emperor had a decided taste for clocks and watches. In every room of the palace were some handsome ormolu clocks by London and French makers, and some of the watches I have seen among the French are of superior workmanship and elaborate and costly mounting. I am sorry to say that my doubts as to the fate of our prisoners are now decided, and that our worst fears have been realised. According to the state ments of the Sikh and French survivors, they were all treated with the utmost barbarity, having been taken, tightly bound hand and foot, from village to village; in some eases put through the ceremony of mock decapitation for the amusement of the assembled crowds. Messrs. Parkes and Loch, who were taken to Pekin and restored on the Bth inst., were better treated ; but nearly all those taken along with the Chinese army appear either to have been starved to death or to have sunk under their ill-treatment. It may be some consolation to those who have to mourn our deceased country men's untimely and dreadful end, that their re :nains are now reposing in consecrated ground, and that the last and solemn ceremony of our Church was duly performed over them. This morning their remains, placed on gun carriages, preceded by the band of the 60th Rifles playing the " Dead March in Saul," and by detachments of every European regiment here, and followed by Lord Elgin, Sir Hope Grant, the French Com mander-in-Chief, and nearly 200 British officers, were conveyed to the cemetery of the Russian outside the walls of Pekin, where a large grave was prepared, and the:e we laid them side by side, with all the honours of war, with an univer sal feeling of regret for their fate and of detesta tion of the treachery of which they had been the letims. OCT. 25. Winter is fast closing in upon us; the nights, and sometimes the days, are intensely cold. The first ice of the season has made its appearance, and the adjacent hills of Tartary have for some days been capped with snow. It is time to think of our winter quarters, and the present intention seems to be to leave at Tien-tsin the 31st and 67th Regiments, the 2d battalion 60th Rifles, Fame's Horse, two batteries of Artillery, and some of the Military Train. Hongkong is to be garrisoned by the 44th, now at Shanghae, and Canton by the 09th. The Ist Royals and 87th are to return to England, as will probably the 2d Queen's and 3d Buff's. Probyn's Horse and some of the Punjaub infantry go back to India. The force at Tien-tsin will be under the command of Brigadier Stave ley, C.B. The Ist division was sent out on the 18th to complete the destruction of the Summer Pa lace, which had been so successfully shorn of its grandeur some days before. It is now a heap of blackened ruins, and the demonstration was accompanied by a threat that if our terms were not speedily accepted we would do to the palace and public buildings of Pekin as we had done to the Palace of Yuen-ming-Yuen. You will be glad to hear that to our former terms has been added the stipulation that a sum of £lO,OOO each should be paid forthwith for the families of the English officers and gentlemen who died in captivity, and £l,OOO for each soldier. The French are to start immediately for their winter quarters, which are to be at Tien-tsin, on the left bank of the Peiho ; ours being on the right. We shall most likely follow, if all goes on smoothly, in a week or thereabouts. Our troops are tolerably healthy, with the exception of two regiments which were some years at the Cape of Good Hope, and in them the proportion of sick is over 10 per cent. It is strange that service in one of the finest climates in the world should invariably tell upon men after wards ; yet the fact is indisputable, and may well give rise to a doubt as to the policy of establishing an invalid depot there, for thither and not to England all the invalids of this army are going. An issue of warm underclothing has been made to the troops, and the Military Store Department promise more on our arrival at Tien-tsin. The Commissariat, too, are making active preparations against a time when rivers and roads will be impass able. In the matter of food the troops have had little cause of complaint since they landed, as the rations have been good and sufficient, with the single excep tion of the paltry modicum of rum—one dram daily of 63 to the gallon ; whereas in India the soldier is entitled to two drams of 40 to the gallon, and when he is hard worked he generally gets a third. The Europeans feel this the more as they see the Pun jabee regiments drawing their liquor according to the Indian scale. To wind up my letter with the most important intelligence of all, I can now tell you that the treaty has been ratified and the war is at an end. Yes terday Lord Elgin, escorted by 400 infantry and 150 cavalry, and accompranied by the diplomatic and - military staffs, and three officers of each regiment, went into Pekin for the purpose of meeting the Chinese Plenipotentiary Kung. The procession was formed at the Llama Temple, a fine building in our lines, which contains a magni ficent white marble monument to Confucius ; and, starting at 2 p.m., we entered the city by the An ting gate, and wended our way for about four miles through the streets to the appointed place of meet ing. The streets through which we passed did not seem to contain better houses or shops than are to be seen in Tien-tsin or any other provincial town, and were only remarkable for clouds of black dust, with which we were almost suffocated, and which made one think one was marching through a coal yard. It had been suggested that the streets should bo watered, but difficulties were raised, and the dust-allaying process was confined to a few hundred yards from the gate. Our destination was a com mon looking building, like a large shed, entirely open at one side, near but not within the precincts of the palace, and to which a look of temporary grandeur, evidently foreign to it, had been imparted by red cloth and carpets. Down the sides of the room were chairs and tables covered with red cloth —for the English on the right as you entered, and for the Chinese on the left ; and at the head of the room sat Rung at a small table, a corresponding place being set for Lord Elgin. Kung is the Em peror's brother, and has a high reputation among his countrymen, many of whom would be glad to see their present imbecile ruler deposed and Kung reigning in his stead. He is a surly, dissipated looking young man, and the whole proceeding seemed sadly against his grain, as he regarded neither the barbarians nor the treaty with a favour- able eye, and his restless demeanour formed a striking contrast to the dignified bearing of the British Envoy. The attendant Mandarins were plainly and uniformly dressed in dark purple silk robes, with a square of embroidery on the chest and back, and the only difference in the Prince's apparel was that he wore several round instead of two square pieces of embroidery, and a velvet instead of a cloth hat. He rose and advanced to meet Lord Elgin, who, after an interchange of bows, took his seat with Sir Hope Grant on his left, and the business of the day began. 'Phis was soon over, being simply a matter of sealing and signing, and at the conclusion Lord Elgin and Kung rose, more bowing ensued, and we sallied forth into the dust once more. Tea was handed round during the ceremony, and a collation of some kind was said to be prepared, which Lord Elgin declined on account of the late ness of the hour. Before the assembly broke up Signor Beato succeeded in' taking a photograph of the scene, the Mandarins having been requested to remain steady for the purpose, a request with which they willingly complied. I hear that the French treaty is to be signed in like manner to-day. (PROM ANOTHER CORRESPONDENT.) CAMP BEFORE PEKIN, Our, 25. I should have written you by the last mail from before this place, only we had outmarched all our writing materials, and, as a matter of course, they arrived the day after the mail left. However, there was nothing much to note. To begin where I last le:i; off, after the actions of the ISth and 21st, as I wrote you two mails ago, the Commander-in-Chief ordered up all available forces. A naval brigade garrisoning Tien-tsin liberated the Royals and the Bth Punjab N. 1., and these, a company of Madras Sappers, divers convalescents, and some remount horses, made a very respectable force. As the road follows the river, cutting off the corners only, a large fleet of boats was attached to the force, 100 men only being on the boats. These were weak and footsore men chiefly, for the boats overtook us each night at some hour or other, but seldom in proper time—which, as they carried our tents, was a bore. At Matow 100 more men were detailed for boat duty, the balance taking a short cut to head-quarters, about five miles in front of Tung• chow. The boat party arrived at Tungchow on the evening of the 4th, and marched as soon as the baggage was landed to head-quarters, arriving there about 10 p.m., having been on their feet tracking . up the boats from 5 p.m. the day previ ous, with but little rest. They had heard there was to be an advance on Pekin, and were determined to be in time. On the sth the army advanced on some brick-kilns, the men carrying knapsacks, great coat, 'and blanket, at a tremendous pace and under a hot sun. Soon some 50 of the poor over worked boat party " shut up," many very footsore, but before long almost as many men of other regi ments had to do likewise. This, however, had the affect of having the packs stowed away at the kilns, where we arrived about 12 o'clock, and found no enemy. From the top of the highest of them a good view of the city could be obtained, but this was reserved for the Staff ; the small fry had to content themselves with a lower one to take their first peep at Pekin, about five miles distant. Fane and Probyn's Horse were sent out to find an enemy if they could. The whole country in the neigh bourhood, and for some distance towards Tien-tsin, is very densely wooded, rendering the eyesight of little use; feeling has to be resorted to. Probyn saw nothing; Fane reported about 1,000 in an intrenchment, who bolted as soon as they saw him. I may as well say hero that Pekin is four-sided, and facing the four points of the compass. Our view at the kilns was at its east face. The intrenchmcnt spoken of is of old date, and is simply a large bank of earth 40 feet high, or thereabout, and it extends all along the north face of the city at about 9 . 2 miles' distance, and round also on the north-east and north-west angles, but how far this deponent saith not—as likely as not all round ; but that much he has seen. Our march on the oth was an endea vour to outflank this supposed intrenchment, and we proceeded in a north-westerly direction, our ultimate goal being the Emperor's summer palace. After proceeding along a winding road, more like an open forest glade, for about seven miles, we first see the embankment on our left, and ourselves going parallel to it and towards the west, but no enemy in sight. However, as we proceed, news comes from the front that the enemy is in sight, and we hear in confirmation thereof some 20 shots, ono of which hits a King's Dragoon Guard on the head, he being with some other escorts behind a house. It was all over in three minutes, and we open out on one of the large broad roads to the city to find a mob scuttling into Pekin, having been arrested in an attempt to block up this road by an abbatis of cut-down trees and a ditch across the road. An unfortunate poultry man afforded many o! us ducks and chickens for dinner, in place of cold beef and biscuits. We passed the row:, scaled the steep bank, and came to a halt, and, in consequence o f th e fi r i ng , who were on our ru Th r e re F a r r e , n a e n h d proceeded t o th e , left,w e went passedno further. teh ind palace, where also oar cavalry, who were asking the French where we had gone to, also went. The French made a handsome thing out of that same palace, and we have not done so badly either, as a quantity of gold and silver was found there. Almost all the officers went there, and brought something away, which was sold by auction, and fetched very high prices. The Commander-in-Chief and the two Generals of Division relinquished their share, and were voted some article or articles about to be sold, as also a large pair of vases of old enamel, which the army presented to Lord Elgin for the Queen. The bronzes, the enamels, and the jadestone and other carvings were beautiful in the extreme. It was estimated that property to the amount of a million and a half was in the place, and could have been realised if there had been time. As it was, I never saw such a scene of ruin and wanton destruc tion—clocks of most marvellous construction all smashed to atoms; plate-glass mirrors of immense size, magnificent carvings, all served the same. In one instance I saw a good lump of a bronze joss sent at a 50-guinea mirror and irretrievably ruin it, while again a demented Frenchman would run a-muck with a stick among the glass bobs and pendents of the chandeliers. The grounds of the palace are of great extent, and are studded with innumerable small houses, with, as in the generality of Chinese houses, three rooms and one or two inner courts, also with three rooms at the end opposite the entrance, and generally a one or three roomed building on each of the sides. Of a palace, properly so called, you saw little or nothing. There was a fine throne-room, and two or three suites of apart ments near the entrance gates of larger dimensions, but still in the prevailing fashion of construction. These were, of course, more profusely decorated than the rest. In the course of three or four hours' cursory view but little could be seen or understood of the palace. There were large ware houses full of rich silks, satins, embroideries. You may form some idea of the value attached to a 5-guinea silk robe when the French soldiers were pounding away with them at the tag-rag of Pekin, who were looting away ,to their heart's content. Many of the most successful looters contented them selves with waylaying the Chinese and taking anything they took a fancy to. Silk robes were sold ricst day for half a dollar to a dollar, the latter being the prevailing price. Now they are quoted at from 4 to 10 dollars, and few sellers. Watches and Sycee gold ornaments have also been plentiful. Two English carriages and the harness complete were there, and any amount of watches, the chief maker being Ilben. These were doubt, less presents from Lord Maeartoey or Lord Am herst. It was expected that this would bring the Chinese to their senses, and also stand as a punish ment for their treachery on the 17th. I had no when I last wrote heard that the Chinese theirs• selves were showing the camping ground to Colonel Walker and Staff, and it would probably have been chosen, but Sir Hope objected to it on the ground of its being too far from the water ; and it was when they found we were not going to fall into the trap they had so nicely baited for us—for they had, I believe 76 guns:in position to play on the ground —that they seized on the unfortunates mentioned in my last—viz., Parkes and Loch, De Norman, Anderson, a private of the Royal Dragoon Guards, Brahazon, a French Abb6, some 25 Sikhs, and also some privates and one French officer. Matters remained in a tolerably quie9cent state for some days, the Chinese wanting to treat, and we refus ing to do so till the prisoners were given up, we fearing lest our attack on Pekin might be the signal for the execution of the prisoners. Parkes _ _ _ and Loch, who were in the city, had communicated to us their safety and whereabout, but of the rest we knew nothing. I forgot to mention at the time, but on the morning of th© 7th a Royal salute was fired to let the cavalry know our whereabout ; arge fires were lighted tho evening previous, and fifes and drums played for the same pur pose on the top of the mound. This Royal - • salute nearly caused the decapitation of Parkes and Loch; but, finding no damage was done, and the firing so soon stopped, the Chinese desisted, and asked Parkes the cause of the firing. On the 9th Parkas and Loch were given up, the Mandarins in the city being induced thereto by a threat of sack and pillage of the city and palace of Pekin. Of the other prisoners they knew nothing, but would send to some of the camps to inquire. Parkes and Loch being rescued, it now became a matter of im portance to get the remaining prisoners and the city into our possession. The engineers discovered that a largo enclosure, probably of 100 acres, called the Temple of the Earth, afforded a good position for a breaching battery; and within 190 yards of the walls this face of the temple was screened from view by a wall about 20 feet high, and the battery was constructed, the outside row of bricks being left untouched to the last day. The ground also outside the temple favoured the construction of a trench, and the French from their proper left soon got a large trench and a battery in advance of the temple, and within probably 100 yards of the city, in which, I presume, they intended to place their small canons rates. Oar trench led to within 80 paces of the walls, and would have gone closer had time permitted. It was now notified to the Celes tials that the town would be attacked, and the palace plundered and burnt, if the remainder of the prisoners and one of the gates of the city were not given up, the General pledging himself to respect the city if not molested. They were given until 12 o'clock at noon of Saturday, the 13th, to make up their minds. The Royals were marched down to the breaching guns, and a wing of the 67th was parading for the same purpose. The guns were about to be loaded, when, five minutes before 12, a gate was given up. Detachments of French and English troops jointly took possession. I cannot speak for certain on what date the second batch of prisoners came in, but they consisted of several French and some Sikh troopers. Ido not know the numbers, and have no time either, as the mail closes soon. I believe on the 13th we received our Sikhs, the French came in three or four days before, and we then became aware of the horrible end of the poor fellows, of whose safety none of us for a moment doubted. Let me hasten over the revolt ing subject as fast as possible. Brabazon and the French Abbe were taken before a Tartar General, who had been wounded on the 18th, and he had their heads cut off at once in revenge ; so their end; at all events, had nothing horrible about it. The others were taken before Sin-ko-lin-sin, at the Summer Palace, and one of them by signs was asked if he wanted to wash; on his signifying assent he was taken out of the room and thrown down, his hands and feet tied together behind his back, and the rest were served the same way; the Europeans were tied with double cords, the Sikhs with only single ones, and they say the Europeans were worst offi Not content with this, they tied them in pairs together; for four days they had neither food nor water, and then only a little rice. You may fancy the indignation this caused in the army, and fortunate are the Tartar army there has been no encounter since, for not a man would have been spared (we took 2,000 odd at the Taku, and sent them all adrift harmless). It was determined to burn the Summer Palace, where the tragedy commenced, and the Ist division, or rather what was left of it, marched there, devoting that and the succeeding day to its destruction. It is now a heap of ruins, or nearly so; the cavalry marched about five miles to the rear without coming to the end of the grounds, and I believe far more jade-stone orna ments, china, gold ornaments, and old enamels were discovered than on the first sacking; these were a real gain to the captors, for each took what he got, no bon° public() this time; it was a grand bonfire, the carriages, the gift of the English, being burnt, else some officers who had ponies there and more loot than conveyance for were going to dig them out of their peaceful retirement and parade them in the English camp. The next move was a demand of £lO,OOO for each European 'twas said—but I suppose, as the Sikhs were only ,put down at £l,OOO each, the King's Dragoon Guards were in the same scale—as an indemnity (this to go to the families of the deceased) before any treaty could be entertained, the money to be paid down on the nail, or else the Emperor's Palace in Pekin was to be sacked and burnt. We were in orders to attack the gate iof Victory at 10 a.m. on the 21st, proceeding along the wall of the city, which is about 40 feet high, and about 18 yards wide at top, paved with large blue bricks, more like slabs, from the Anting-gate, or the "Peace-gate," which we held, and about two miles distant from that of Victory. Guns had been dragged up the slopes to the top of the wall when we first occupied the aforesaid gate, and the horses had come down to move them along to the attack on the next gate, and the men were all ready to fall in, when the move was countermanded. The Chinese had pro cared the services of the Russian Ambassador, and terms had been arranged, our side being only too glad to have a treaty at this late period of the season, and the Chinese to save their Emperor's Palace. Peace was made on the 21st, the indemnity paid on the 23d, the treaty signed en the 24th, yesterday, at the Hall of Conference, near the Emperor's Palace. Lord Elgin was escorted by 100 cavalry and about 400 infantry, all the cocked hats to be mus tered in the army, and three officers per corps, who could raise full dress, being allowed to attend. The said last muster was scant indeed. Where public transport is provided for only 701 b. of officers' bag gage, including half a tent, which weighs 301 b., some more useful articles than dress coats are needed. All the second division marched into the city and lined the streets at the entrance to it; the Royals were furthest into the town, then the Bth Punjaub Native Infantry, 67th next, another Panjaub regi ment, and 99th near the gates, front rank on one side, rear rank on the other. After his lordship and his body guard, his ,brass hatted retainers, had passed through, the ranks closed, and regiment after regiment, forming column of sub-divisions, marched on into the city, taking up commanding positions at intervals along the road, with patrols between each division. On his lordship's _return— for of the signing of the treaty I only heard that Prince Kung, the heir presumptive, is young looking, but showed signs of living a fast life—the same ceremony was observed of lining both sides of the street wherever the troops might happen to be, salut ing as he passed, and following in rear in clouds of dust, the ceremony, as far as the poor soldier was concerned, occupying from 12.30 p.m. to 8 p.m., and well he earned his extra glass of grog yester day. It is a great pity we could not have occupied Pekin this winter, or for a month or two. I would have had a wonderful effect, doubtless ; bu our armies have been into the city, and that sight will not soon be forgotten. The streets were lined with crowds of men, women, and children ; of the women few had the deformed feet, but I cannot say much in favour of their faces either. The 'French treaty was signed, and the French entry of troops took place to-day. Heavy baggage is ordered to be sent to Tung chow, thence by water to Tien-tsin to-morrow, and no time will be lost in getting away the troops. The weather is very fine, but it freezes very sharply at night, and to Southern Chinese and In- dians it is very cold. Furs are at a premium Some Indian horses have died from cold. The post is closing. I have no time even to read over what I have written, having been interrupted several times to-day to count silver for the men's prize money, which comes to within a fraction of 14: dollars privates, 21 dollars corporals, and 28 dollars sergeants; officers not known yet. The bodies of the sufferers by the tragedy were buried in the Russian cemetery, as many officers attending as possible, and in all probability suit able monuments will be erected to their memory. By next mail this will be decided. OFFICE OF A ROCKY MOUNTAIN PAPER.—The Rocky Mountain News is the leading newspaper of that gold region. A graceful festoon of revolvers bangs over the sanctum table, within reach of the editor, and three ominous-looking guns rest in the corner. Descending to the composing and press-room, is found each man quietly at work in his proper place, with "something that would shoot" lying near him. [ADVERTISEMENT.] Pills and medicine invariably ag gravate and perpetuate diseases; their annoyance, dis appointment, and expense may be avoided by persons in indifferent health sending only their address to E. S. Barry, Esq., 77, Regent-street, W., London, and the} will receive gratis and free by post the "INVALIDS' OWN ( iIIIDE," or Natural Restorer, without medicine or ex rnse, of perfect digestion, strong nerves, sound lungs, and refreshing sleep, to the. most enfeebled, insuring the removal of indigestion (dyspepsia), constipation, liver complaints nausea, epilepsy, paralysis, debility, nervousness, palpitatiot, cough, asthma, consumption, dropsy, flatulency, diarrhoea, dysentery, biliousness, fevers, sore throats, catarrhs, colds, noises in the ears, rheumatism, gout, impurities, eruptions, hysteria, neuralgia, irritability, sleeplessness, acidity, palpi tation, heartburn, headache, despondency, cramps, spasms, sinking, fits, bronchitis —"Unquestionably the safest Quids to_heap,'2 1 MEETING OF 211 E BIR2WINGIIAiII CHAMBER 01 COMMERCE. BIRMINGHAM, DEC. 27. A special meeting of the Chamber of Commerce for this town and neighbourhood was held this day, at noon, to consider the propriety of memorialising the Government in favour of the appointment of a consul at Abbeokuta, and also to pass a vote of thanks to Mr. Cobden, M.P., for his services in con nection with the commercial treaty with France. The MAYOR presided, and opened the proceedings by reading the notice convening the meeting. He also stated that Lord Alfred Spencer Churchill, Chairman of the Committee of the African Aid Society, had attended to explain why it was desir able that an English consul should be appointed at Abbeokuta. Lord ALFRED S. CHURCHILL, in a speech of great length, explained why the African Aid Society considered it desirable that a consul should be appointed at Abbeokuta. The movement was one of recent date, the society being commenced at the end of the last session of Parliament, in July and August, and was the result of the arrival in this country of two coloured men from Abbeokuta and Yoruba, where they had been sent by their fellow-countrymen in Canada to inquire if there were not some districts to which they and- their families might emigrate and enjoy that freedom which was denied to them in the United States, though not in Canada. But the climate of the latter country was almost fatal to the negro race. The result of the researches of this deputation (Messrs. M. R. Delany and It. Campbell, both co loured gentlemen) was most favourable, and they gave a glowing description of the state of society and the powers of cultivation and production. They had also executed a treaty between the King and chiefs of Abbeokuta, by means of which the co loured people of Canada and the United States would be enabled to return to Africa and enjoy al the privileges accorded to the natives, and to culti vate the land and develope the resources of the country. One of the articles of the treaty is as fol lows :—"That the commissioners on their part also agree that the settlers shall bring with them, as an equivalent for the privileges accorded, intelligence, education, a knowledge of the arts and sciences, agriculture, and other mechanic and industrial occupations, which they shall put into immediate operation, by improving the lands and in other useful vocations." It was upon that particular article of the treaty that the African Aid Society based its operations. They were anxious to in troduce into Africa, and afford facilities for the introduction of those skilled labourers who are now resident in the United States and Ca nada. They proposed to do this not by giving the coloured people money to enable them to reach the country, but by advancing them sums on loan in part payment of their passage, and to enable them to cultivate the soil. By this means the society hoped, in some measure, to render this country independent of the United States for the supply of cotton, as the plant was indigenous to Africa, having been introduced to America by the negroes them selves when they were taken from their own land into slavery. Already a supply of cotton was ob tained from the western coast of Africa, and he believed that the amount which had been imported into this country from Africa during the last seven or eight years was fully equal to the amount received from America during a similar period on its first introduction into that country. The increase on the importations in 1859 over 1858 was no less than 100 per cent. His lordship read a letter which he had received from the President of Li beria, describing the progress of that country. Not only did they export cotton, but they did consider able business in sugar, coffee, palm oil, ivory, gelddust, &c., in return for which they took our manufactures. His lordship described the dis • trict ofg Abeookuta, remarking it was much more favourable for the growth of cotton than the adjoining districts of Liberia, and that there was a district four or five times the size of England well calculated for the growth of cotton. It was also calculated that a district of the same size as York shire would produce sufficient cotton for the supply of this country, so that the result of the extension of the growth of the article in Africa would have a great effect upon the price; and not only so, but whereas we now paid for a greater portion of the. cotton purchased from the United States in gold, the Africans would gladly take in return our manufactufes. Though he presented the matter to them in a purely commercial phase, Lord Alfred Churchill said it would be impossible to estimate what effect such a movement would have on the slave trade of America. Mr. S. S. LLOYD moved the adoption of the fol lowing memorial, remarking that it, was a matter of national importance that we should not be depen. dent on a single nation for such a great article o, manufacture. At present a large trade was done with the western coast of Africa, which was pro ductive of great pecuniary advantages to those en gaged in it; and an extension of that trade would increase the advantages derivable therefrom. He concluded by moving the adoption of the following memorial to Lard John Russell :--- THE MEMORIAL OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR BIRMINGHAM AND THE MIDLAND DISTRICT. Humbly showeth,—That it is important to the trade and commerce of this kingdom that the cultivation of the cotton plant upon the west coast of Africa should be encouraged, in reference both to the supply of cotton for the English trade, and the opening of new markets in Africa for Eng lish manufacture. That the E ing and chiefs of Abbeokuta have by treaty undertaken to grant settlers the fullest advantages at pre sent enjoyed by natives. That if settlements be made in Abbeokuta it would pro duce a rapid extension of our commercial relations with that part of Africa, and especially a vast increase in the export of cotton to this country. That, to induce the investment of capital in such settle ments, it is necessary that an accredited agent of the Eng lish Government should be resident in Abbeokuta. Your memorialists therefore pray that your lordship may be pleased to give early and serious attention to this sub ject, and that your lordship may be pleased to advise her Majesty to appoint a resident Consul at Abbeokuta. Mr.'BROWETT seconded the motion, at the same time expressing an opinion .that the effect of the introduction of the growth of cotton into the wes tern districts of Africa would not only result in a large supply, but the price of the raw material would be much reduced. Some discussion ensued, in the course of which the policy of the Government in adopting a free trade policy was questioned by a member of the Chamber, who expressed an opinion that a differen tial duty should be imposed on cotton, so as to give cotton the produce of free labour the benefit. This proposition was however decried by the other mem bers, and the motion was carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to Lord A. S. Churchill, for the able manner in which he had introduced the sub ject, was then passed unanimously, for which his lordship returned thanks. The CHAIRMAN then stated that the only other business for consideration was the adoption of a vote of thanks to Mr. Cobden, for his services in connection with the French treaty. He had re ceived a letter from Mr. Scholefield, M.P., express ing regret at being unable to attend, but bearing testimony to the invaluable services of Mr. Cobden. Mr. C. WAGNER, who, with Mr. Fletcher, formed the deputation from this Chamber to Paris to arrange the terms of fixed instead of ad valorem duties, moved the following resolution : "That the cordial thanks of this Chamber be presented to Mr. Richard Cobden, M.P,, for his invaluable and sue - cessful services in connection with the recent treaty with France —services not more distinguished by eminent talent and zealous and unremitting labour than they were by dis interested patriotism ; end that the thanks of this chamber be presented to Mr. Mallet and Mr. Ogilvie, the English commissioners, for the valuable and efficient services ren dered by them in connection with the French treaty." He believed that all persons connected with the hardware trade must be of opinion that their inte rest could not have been in better hands thou in those of Mr. Cobden, who had succeeded iu obtain ing the adoption of such moderate rates of duties that both he (Mr. Wagner) and his coadjutor were astonished at the results. The effect .of Mr. Cob den's labours had been felt not alone in the trade with France, for Spain was at present remodelling her tariff; the United States were about to abolish the ad valorem for a specific rate of duties, and other nations were following in the same direction. He believed the labours of Mr. Cobden bad put an end to all protection, an d as commercial men they were deeply indebted to him. The motion was s e con d e d by Mr. FLETCIIER. Mr. BODINGTON took e xception c the onsid etor i ng that the motion, considering it pre m ature. operatives.of Cov en try, Kidderminster, and o th er places were out of work, he regarded it as inoppor tune to adopt such a resolution. Mr. G. A. EVERITT, while agreeing in some mea sure with the resolution, said that in one branch of industry—the manufacture of locomotive tubes, the trade in which used to amount to £lO,OOO a week— through a mistake of Mr. Cobden the trade had Re Was in Paris an d h a d an n een en interviewtirel y w d i e t s h t destroyed. Mr. Cobden, and he left with an understanding that a low scale of duties would bo adopted. But, u nfortunately, a much higher duty—more than double what was originally in intended —had been fixed, and the consequence was trade and the wire t ra d e h a d b ti e l e a n t the brass tube ruined. Another An be o ther proof that the treaty was not well received in this district was the absence of tt e members of the iron trade on that occas imposition o f a duty of 7f. per ton on bar iron amounted to a prohibitin, tina the treaty wa s l oo k e d i.';:n. The upon as i s n t e against a dead letter. Though the should not op pose th e vote of tha n k s , lie wished to rec o r d hi s pro s t o e the terms of th e t rea t y. discussion ensued, i n t h e course of which Mr• TROMAS LLOYD stated that the inhabitants of the Nouth of France complained of the terms Which LEICESTER — DEC. 29. The supply of wheat to-day was very good, with a attendance ; prices ls to 2s higher. White wheat, 60s to 1 —red, 62s to 66s pe r 36 s t one; a very mo d erate sa le , barley, grinding, 30s to 36s ; malting, 37s to 45s per it! oats, 26s to 30s per 24 stone. Beans—old, 56s to o ' 4 new 44s to 48s per 38 stone. NORWICII—DEc. 29. At this market to-day wheat was in rather limited atiPl 3 _ 4 , ll° and as the farmers com mence d b y as ki ng higher pr ig business was somewhat checked. The sales made were an advance of is per qr. A ss White wheat. 62s to 63s I Red wheat 62 s to - Malting barley,...4ls t o 45 s I Ch eva li er b ar l ey 3 8 s to 4U Distilling do . .308 to 33s I Oats. 26s to Flour, 43s to 43s 6d per sack from the miller. YORK--DEc. 29. The trade was firm, and wheat sold at 2s per qr advaPe l on previous rates. Wheat, red .. „ ...45s to 56s Oats.... 'White do .56 s t o 64 s B eans Barley .32s to 34s P eas 4B s4s l to e ° ..._661261: STAMFORD—DEc. 29. A fair supply of wheat at market to-day, for wili t3ll an advance of 2s on last week's prices was obtained. ~ Wheat 52s to 65s I Oats.. 24s to 3 7 4 _,_ White do 58s t o 69 s I B eans 4 Bs t o bu , Barley ...........36s to 43s I Ditto. old ~ . a --3 t° ....4 'f CONSECRATION OF A NEW CHURCH.—The TTY church of St. Paul's, Onslow Square, South Kensingt° llB was consecrated on Saturday by the Bishop of Lond° l4 who afterwaids preached in the church to a large cone s gation. Th e b u ildi ng , w hi c h i s calculated to hold about 1,500 persons, is in the plainest Gothic style of architectur e : Nearly one-fourth of the sittings are to be fret, or let at merely nominal rent. [ADVERTISEMENT.]—We are happy to quote the folloll; ing interesting infor ma ti on f rom D u Barry ' s Repor t °s cures without Medicine by Du Barry's_ Revalenta Araby Food. Cure N o . 4,2oB—S ervant of Rev. John W. Flact" Ridlington Rectory, Norfolk, o f e i g ht years ' dyspepsia,ln, vousness, debility, with cramps , spasms, and nausea. C TS 18,216—Dr. Andrew Ure of constipation dyspepsia, nerve,7 6 irritability. Cure No. 36,212—Captain Allan of epileP: fits. Cure No. I,6o9—Three years' excessive nervousnefr: with pains in my nec k an d l eft arm, and general debt' lity, which rendered my life very miserable, has DZ, radically removed by D u B arry ' s Revalenta Amu" Food. Alex. St uar t, A rc hd eacon of Ross, Skibbere e , _:i Avoid Pills and Medi c i nes : th ey. i nvar i a b ly aggravate uP" perpetuate diseases ; their annoyance, disappointme o o and expense may be avo id e d b y us i ng Du Barry ' s which, at a few pence per day, saves 50 times its cost P. other remedies, removing effectually, without purg i gi C constipation, indigestion (dyspepsia) nervou s , bil iou s liver complaints and all their consequenoes. Certifl . s " 4 . : No. 36,418. W e find it the safest remedy. Andrew 1?,.'; MD., F.R.S., D r H arvey, D r. W urzer, D r. Shorlandt "; Campell. Let invalids avoid the fearful dangers of 00,4 rious and injurious imitations offered under a varietn e false pret ences . N ev ill' s i m it a ti ons are prohibited: p high Court of Chancery under a p ena lt y o f £5 ,000 Alfred Hooper Nevill and hi s agents; an d t h e preteeZe that Nevill has a patent for Arabica Food and that r Barry's are connected with such patent are utterly fa 4 No canister is genuine without the name Barry Du PIT. and Co., 77, Regent-street, in full, onthe seal and wrap Pr.; Shopkeepers who attempt imposition in one article mr,,_ expect to be distrusted in all others. Packed in tins „, 1 ',"; 2s. 9d.; 21b. 4s, 6d. ; 51b. lls. ; 121 b. 225. ; 241 b. 40s. 1 , 1 4 121 b. and 241 b. canisters are sent carriage free on row of Post-office order by Barry Du Barry and Co., 77, F j , gent-street, Lond on ; F or t num M ason, an d Co. ; 21bei 60, Gracechu rc h- s t ree t ; 4 , Ch eaFs id e; 63 and 150, o%' bard-street ; 330 and 451, Strand ; 49 and 60, Bishopsge,r street ; Batty, 16, Fin s b ur y P avemen t ; Philli ps an d tA,, tea-dealers; Petty, Wo o d, an d C o ., King Willisan-strem City ; at 127, High Holborn; and all grocers, [ADVERTISEMENT.] Holloway's Pills. Certainif t against Supposition.—ln how many diseases is a treatmen t founded merely on supposed causes commenced and cost: tinned, to the protraction of the disorder, and danger of the patient ? This can by no means occur from these celebrateu pills ; with the utmost certainty they will remove all fine; rities from the body, and conduct it towards health, whetna` a particular complaint be really in existence, or only in stir position. Holloway's Pills exercise their powers in drain: ing pestilential humours from the human system, whethe r contaminating the secretions or the blood. They retooill by a peculiar purifying process everything that proves PT: nicious to vigour and health, and so prevent innumersir: diseases which might creep on Us stealthily w ith ou t Wit ing suspicion. TL( MAILS. MAILS DUE. Australia, Ceylon, and Mauritius (via South ampton) , • Jan. 18. Do. (via Marseilles) Jan. 12. Brazil and Cape Verde JO' 4. Buenos Ayres, Monte Video Bt . c.. Deo. ..."" , Bahamas and Havana (via New York).. Dec. and^• Cuba sc Al e. e x i o • Dec. 29 (via Galway) Dec. Cape of Good Hope, Bce. . . Feb. 1. China, Penang, and SiAgapore (via S'ampton) Jan. 2 . Do (via, Marseilles) Jan. 1 2 Gibraltar (via Soßthampton) Jan. 2 India (Calcutta), Ceylon, &a. (via Southampton) Jitn• 2. India (via Marseilles) Jan. 1 1 . c. (liom-bay), (via Southampton) .. J an . 10. Do. (via Marseilles) Jan. 4 . Lisbon • Jan. 1 Malta, Egypt, and Aden (via Southampton) . . . Jan. 2. Do. (via M arse ill es ) .. J a n. 4 . Vigo, and Oporto .' Jan• 1. United Stat es , C a lifornia, &c. Jan. Western Coast of Atrica, Madeira, TeneriffJane . . • 19' West Indi es and Pacific, Carthagena, Cuba, & o. Deo. BIRTHS. llA.nuts.—On the 20th inst., at Wbilton Hall, Nerthu lli r tonshiro, the wife of R. Harris, Esq., of a son. HOPEGOOD.—On the 20th inst., at Leys Castle, Inveref r . shire, the wif e o f F. V . H opegood, Esq., of a daug l MAcLAGAN.—On the 19th N ov ., at N egapatam, M a 's' e the wife of John T. Maclagan, Esq., of a daughter. MARRIAGES. BEG BIE—CIIMINCY.—Onthe 20th inst. at Christ'-t , u Bayswater, George J. F. Beg J. 11. , M.'s , second son of Major-General P. . Bogbie to Gertxuu youngest daughter of the late N. S. Ctur o,lo Y. MURRAY—BRETT.—On the 23d Nor., at Bombarf Anthony Maxtone M urray , C ap t a i n Boinbai Artillery, t o Fl orence, daughter o f the l a t e Henri Whalley Brett, E sq ., C ap t a i n B on b a y Artillery. DEATHS. ALAN.—O n the 11th Nov., at Musdourie, Lieut.-Col. Ilenri Alan, Olphert's Bengal Hone Artillery, aged 39. ALEXANDER.—On the 20t1 inst., at 3 , George-stree t, Minories, Julia, daughter of Mrs. Solomon Alexander. BUTLER.—On the 20th List., at Hastings, Elizabeth Jan e ' eldest daughter of he late Mr. William Butler, 246, Oxford street. LONDON : Printe" and Published by MORDO YOUNG , ° I No. 112, Strani, Printer, at TnE SUN Office, No. 112, Strand, in the Preeisct of the Savoy. 111 MU County 01 BliddlelleSs DiplOay, VeOlalaber.at 3860. U we had made as to the alcoholic strength of win as strongly as some persons iu England, and sng i gusted that the mist a k e re f erre d to b y M r . Ev'llt might be rectified. The motion was then carried, with one dissentient' The proceedings then terminated. TILE SNOW AND TILE _RAILWAYS. The traffic of the South-Western Railway be ' tween Andover and Salisbury has been interrupted more or less during the past few days by snowdrifts' On Thursday last the trains were stopped severa l hours while the engines were dug out of the snow the drifts varying from two to five feet deep in several of the cuttings between Grately and Pe r ' ton stations, a brisk wind blowing the snow fro?: the fields more rapidly i n s om e i ns t ances than th labourer's could remove it from the engines. 1 ' trains from Exeter and Y eov il were constan tly run from and to Salisbury over the old route by Bishop' stoke. On Friday and up to the afternoon of 1; turday, the snow havi ng b een remove d, th e trot of the line was carried on as usual, but on the ari l : val of the express train from Exeter at Salisbury ° telegram had been received informing the CO i r pany's agent at that station that the express Wen... must be sent via Bishop s t o k e , th e prece di ng Oar having been brought t o a s t an d a b out h a lf a mile the Porton station by:th e snow . A s soon as n sistance could be pr ov id e d an eng i ne was d espa tche" (with men under the direction of Mr. Goble; superintendent of the line, an d M r . Haywood, th e company's representative at Salisbury) for 0 0 purpose of bringing back the train fix e d a t Port% to Salisbury, but on thi s eng i ne gett i ng into oo cutting about a mile from Porton it was thoroughly embedded in the snow that the °IL%) course left was to get conve y ances b y t h e t ur nplv road from Salisbury to take back the passenger' Mr. Godson and Mr. Haywood then abandon_ the engine, and made th e i r way across th e fields!, the nearest village (Wint er b ourne ), a b ou t f our tailr o from Salisbury), and kn oc ki ng at th e d oor o f the first residence seemingly capable of affording aile ir _„ tance made an appeal for c onveyance to SalisbuN ~i there being no p u bli c ve hi c l e i n the locality. 111 s appeal was most h eart il y me t b y M r. -Burt, Who at once placed his carria ge a t th e i r di sposal. B u t t this act of kindness the passengers, about 50 in number, must have remained during the night small station, scantily supplied for such a num of persons with shelter, to s a y no thi ng o f th e ou'' , tenance which was freely given for the time to o °, large a party of une x p ec t e d v i s i tors. Th e roil(' from Porton to Salisbury, like the railway, ova' partially stopped up, an d i t was on l y b y go l through two or three fields th a t th e d r i ver o f 131 engine made his way to Salisbury, whence he re . tarned a guide to a cavalcade of vehicles, the de' parture of which gave rise to no small stir awed the inhabitants of the town. The passengers WI finally conveyed to Salisb ur y, an d th ence b y s pec' train to London. COUNTRY 111ARR.ETS. CAMBRIDGE--DEC. 29. The wheat trade was firm at is to 2s more money ; moving off at 565 to 66 s ; re d, 44 s t o 52 s per 36 st°,."-. Barley for malting, 38 s t o 46 5 ; gr i n di ng, 20 s t o 329 1"; 30 stone. Oats at 24 s t o 32 s p er 24 s t one. Beans 29"' 38s per qr.