The Sun. — London, England, 1860-12-05 00:00:00

711 E NAVY. The follot ving letter is dated Vqletta, Nov. 30 : Her Majesty's gunboat Foxhound, Commander A. Michell, WI rich left port on Saturday last with de spatches for the Commander-in-Chief at Corfu, arrived at Malta to-day to return with the de spatches sad lett ers for the fleet at Corfu, expected to-night fror.n England via Marseilles, and those received .by the Pers. yesterday from Southampton. Her M ajesty's steam frigate Terrible, Capt. Glasse, also arrived to day from Smyrna. Her Majesty's line-'rf•battle ship London, Capt. H. Chads, took her departure for Corfu on the 25th inst. Major Bolton, Royal Artillery, left by this vessel for the purpose of cruising in the Mediterra nean for the recovery of his health. Her Ma jesty's steam troopship Magmra, Commander Henderson, which came in on the 20th inst., from Corfu, left on the 27th at 11 30 a.m. for Gibraltar and England, with the following passengers :—His Excellency Lieut.-Gen. Sir W. Codrington, who is returned to his post as Governor of Gibraltar, after a short visit to this island and Naples ; Lieut. Sullivan, R.N. ; Rev. Mr. Paynter, R.N.; Mr. Rentham, 22d Regiment; Capt. Thompson, 2d battalion 2d Regiment; Mr. Renshaw; Mr. B exer, R.N.; Mr. E. Spinner, R.N.; Mr. Hentley, R.N.; Mr. Haythor, R.N. ; Mr. G. Denham, R.N. ; Assist.- Surg. M'Neill, 3d Buffs ; 'Mr. Winter, 520 invalid soldiers and sailors, 25 non-commissioned offi cers, five women, five children, Mrs. M'Crea, and Miss Tudor. Her Majesty's surveying vessel Medina, Capt. T. Spratt, C. 8., was at Agha, on the coast of Asia Minor on the 15th Nov. A letter from that vessel of the above date says We are at present cruising round the shores of the Archipelago, cor recting the various charts. Our next anchoring ground will be Mytelene. Thence we go to the Dar danelles, Salonica, and, finally, to Malta, which last mentioned place we hope to see by the beginning of the year. The weather with us at present is very cold, with violent winds and rain. Winter has set in early. All the hills are capped with snow, and last night the thermometer was as low as 38 deg.' This week an examination of candidates for a com mission in the Royal Malta Fencible Regiment was held in the Council-chamber at the Palace, to fill up the vacancy caused by the death of Capt. Gon der. The examiners were Lieut.-Col. Anderson, 2d bat talison 22d Regiment, President; Major Boothby, Royal Artillery; and an officer of the Royal Engi neers. Seven young gentlemen competed, of whom Mr. W. Sciortino, having obtained the greatest number of marks, has been recommended for the commission." In consequence of the duties and heavy responsi bility devolving on the various clerks intrusted with the direction of the cash establishments of Woolwich Arsenal, the Secretary of State for the War Department has recommended, for the consi deration of the Loras of the Treasury, the appoint ment of a paymaster to each of the four departments —namely, the Royal carriage square ; the military store department, which includes the Royal Mili- tary Academy and other establishments drawing their salaries from this department ; the Royal gun factories, and the laboratory. The appointments will be permanent, and, a; suggested, on a progres sive scale, commencing at £270 per annum, with the equal rank of captain in the army. According to an extract from a private lettez yesterday received by an officer of the dockyard at Woolwich it appears that the smallpox is raging on board the 91 screw steamship of th e line Hannibal, Rear-Admiral George Rodney Mundy, C.B. The Admiral, five officers, and 72 of the crew were already suffering from the disease, and, with the exception of the Admiral, the whole of the invalids thus attacked had been removed to the Island of Nisida for treatment. Her Majesty's despatch boat Cockatrice was yes terday hauled out of the fitting basin at Woolwich, and was moored in the harbour; and the paddle wheel steam sloop Basilisk was taken alongside the wharf for repairs. Her Majesty's ship Malacca, screw steam sloop, 200 horse-power, which was recently ordered to be brought forward for the pennant, is in a forward condition in the hands of the riggers at the dock yard at Sheerness. Her topmasts were pointed yes terday, and she will be ready for commission by the 12th inst. Orders have been received at Sheerness Dockyard from the Admiralty to bring forward imm ediatcly her Majesty's ship Griffon, 5, screw steam gun vessel, 80 horse-power, for the first-class steam reserve, and to prepare her for the pennant. The following appointments were made yester day at the Admiralty :—Commander Colin C. A. Kane, to the Cornwallis, additional for service in the Coastguard ; Lieut. Frederick Hardy, to the Jason ; Lieut. Chas. Parry, to the Hero; Lieut. Edwin D. Acklovr to the Bulldog; Wm. C. Buck, master additional, to the Cumberland for the Challenger ; John Molloy, master additional to the Cumberland ; Dr. J. R. Holman, assist.-surg. in the Chatham Dockyard ; Thos. M. Sanders, second-class assist.- engineer, to the Harier ; Henry Vatcher, acting third-class assist-engineer, to the Indus ; Richard S. Kiernan, W. Williams, and George Thompson, acting third•class assist-engineers, to the Camber land. THE VOLUNTEER Mrs YEMENI A numerous meeting of gentlemen of the Jewish persuasion was held at Zetland-hall, Mansell -street, Goodman's fields, last night, when resolutions favourable to the formation of a corps of Jewish Rifle Volunteers were carried unanimously. The members present went through their drill, under an able sergeant, and evinced great zeal to qualify themselves for their new duties. The Bth Tower Hamlets, East and West India Dock Company's corps, the rules of which have just been issued, comprises the clerks and other officers of the above•nareed corporation, and although very recently es ablished, has not only become numeri • tally large, but has also arrived at an advanced state of efficiency ; so mach so that a day or two since the Captain (Mr. C. H. Wigram, a director of the Dock Company) summoned the members toge ther, and having addressed them in line, appointed Messrs. Hughes, Lawrence, Toole, Mayhew, and Hewison to be the first non-commissioned officers of the corps. The regiment went through a series of movements with much precision under the super vision of Sergeants . Skinner and Pinnock. Captain '\Vigram then announced that the Government Titles had now come to hand, and he hoped that they would soon be enabled to commence practice. The uniforms likewise will be ready shortly, when military vitality will be given to the regi ment. It is understood that this regiment will take part in a Volunteer demonstration in Victoria-park at the beginning of the new year. The riflernoverneat appears to be steadily making satisfactory progress in • the metropolitan parishes ; in none is this more evident than in the united parishes of St. Giles and St. George, Bloomsbury, where the 37th G.G.B. v Captain Jeakes, Commandant, has increased its numbers threefold within the last two months. They h ave t h e use of a first-rate drill ground, liberally granted to them The on the .17th by the trustees of the Foundling Rosp i t a l. rifle contest of this corps commenced nit;tit Harrow. The contest was resumed on Satur_ last at the rage of the Victoria Corps at Kilburn, when the. remaining prizes were competed for, v i z . —A purse of £5, to be shot for by non-comini B _ sioned officers, three rounds each, at 200, 300, and 400 yards; nine competitors—won by Sergeant- Major Hooper, who made 10 points. The silver medal of the corps, three rounds,' each at 150, 250,'and 300 yards—gained by Private Cansick, who scored 13 points. A short Enfield, given by the Captain Commandant—won by Private D. Dola more, who made 12 points. A short Enfield, given by Mr. R. Stedall—won by the Captain Comman dant, serving 10 points, and who gave the same to the next highest. A silver medal, the gift of Mr. C. P. Roberts—gained by Private Berridge, with 10 points. On Monday there was a rifle shooting contest among members of the Ist and 2d companies of the Wakefield battalion of Rifle Volunteers. The prizes competed for were two silver medals, one for each company, to be shot for annually, the win ners to be entitled to wear them as badges of honour for one Tear. fifteen members of the Ist and six of the 2d companies, including officers, competed. The ranges fired at were 150, 200, and 300 yards, and five rounds were fired at each distance. Much better practice was made by the Ist c ompany of Volunteers than by the 2d, but ihe firing on the whole was below an average. In the contest for the Ist company medal, Serge , t Glover tied with Private Drake, each obtaining 20 points. In shooting off the tie Private Drake fired *first, and missed; Sergeant Glover scored a white, thus beat ing his opponent by one point. Private Grace scored 17, Sergeant-Major Alder 16, and Lance- Corporal :Carter 16, in the Ist company contest. For the 2d company medal, Ensign Hart and Pri vate Sowerby scored 14 points each, and in shoot ing off the tie Ensign Hart won. The weather and the state of the ground were very unfavourable for the competitors. THE NORTH ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH EXPEDITIONS. The'expeditions sent out during the late summer respectively by the Government and the promoters of the North Atlantic Telegraph, for the purpose of examining into the practicability of the proposed scheme for carrying a line of telegraph from Europe to America via Faroe, Iceland, and Greenland, have at length returned, having successfully accomplished their arduous mission. Having left England at a season almost too far advanced for northern navigation, and having encountered an autumn of unusual storminess, followed by a winter which for its earliness and severity was almost unprecedented in those latitudes, both the Bulldog and the Fox have, nevertheless, most successfully proved the ultimate practicability of the North Atlantic line. As has been mentioned, the season was severe, and in every respect the most unfavourable for the route that has occurred for nearly half a century, and yet, though seen in these very worst aspects, the difficulties encountered were not such as could prevent or retard the successful establishment of the line. Difficulties exist—no great undertaking can be entirely free from them—but they are totally different from those whick are popularly supposed to interfere with the route, and, indeed, are only such as by the present knowledge of electrical and telegraph science can be overcome. It will be remembered that her Majesty's ship Bulldog, under the command of Sir Leopold M'Clintock, left Eng land for the purpose of examining the depths of the sea between the various stations on the pro posed route. The depths from his careful exami nation have proved altogether more favourable for the laying of a cable than those on which the former American cable was successfully submerged, the water being 400 fathoms less in its deepest parts. The Bulldog left the north of Scotland on the Ist of July for the Faroe Islands, taking sound ings about midway, where according to the charts the depth was 680 fathoms, but finding soundings readily in 254 fathoms with a favourable bottom— a depth in which the laying of almost any kind of cable would be a matter of certainty. The Bull dog, after visiting several places among the wild and beautiful islands of the Faroe group, sounded across to Ingolshofdi, in Iceland. In this section of the route no difficulties were experienced, the average depth being under 300 fathoms, and the bottom being mostly of a favourable character. Sir Leopold M'Clintock subsequently visited and ex amined Faxe Bay, on the north-west coast of Ice land, which, notwithstanding the popular belief to the contrary, is as free from ice and icebergs as the shores of the Isle of Wight. From Iceland to Green land, across what is technically called the Greenland Sea, the soundings were, as had been expected, found by the Bulldog to be deeper than on the Iceland and Faroe section of the route, but still the greatest depth was far leas (nearly 900 fathoms) than the deepest portion of the direct route. It is a remarkable fact, as showing the erroneous impres- sions which have prevailed even among scientific men respecting this region, that no ice was found away from the shore where the charts of Manby and Scoresby represent the sea as impenetrably covered with it. The Bulldog being a paddlewheel steamer, unadapted to such navigation, did not pass through the drift ice so as to land on the east coast of Greenland, so long considered inaccessible to ships. She however stood along the coast, sound ing occasionally, nearly as far as Prince Christian Sound, when a gale of wind compelled her to stand off shore. From this date, July the 19th, to the 18th of August, Sir Leopold M'Clintock was unable to proceed with his soundings in consequence of con tinued gales of wind, which drove out the drift ice from the bays and fiords, and prevented the Bull-' dog, on account of her paddles, from approaching the coast. After attempting to enter several of the more southern ports, Sir L.M'Clintock entered God haab, towing in with him the vessel containing the coal intended for his ship. The weather had been most stormy, no less than eight gales of wind hav ing been experienced during the preceding fort night. The quantity of loose drift ice on the coast was greater, according to the information of the Danish residents, than had been seen far many years. The Bulldog, after having sur veyed the harbour, coasted Southward to Cape Farewell, as far as the prevalence of drift ice would permit. From that point, at some distance from the land, a line of soundings was car ried to Hamilton Inlet, en the coast of Labrador. The depths between the two points were very regular, the greatest being 2,032 fathoms, 400 fathoms less than the direct route across the At- The examination of Hamilton Inlet, made by Sir Leopold was necessarily a hurried and im perfect one, but very little ice was seen on the Labrador coast. On the return voyage a second series of soundings were carried from Hamilton Inlet to South Greenland, where the Bulldog anchored, in J uliatishaab, on the 29th of September. The weather she had experienced during be r voyage from Labrador was most severe; she encountered no less than five gales of wind in eight days. After a cursory examination of some of the deep fiords which run inland fora considerable distance— several of which were deemed admirably adapted for the reception of the cable—the Bulldog left Julianshaab, on her return to Iceland, on the 3d of October, and suffered some injury to her paddle floats and cutwater from the floe ice, which pre vailed at the entrance of the fiord in larger quan tity than had been known for nearly 30 years. The Bulldog up to this time had obtained no informa tion respecting the Fox, and many began to enter- tain serious apprehensions that she had been beset upon the east coast of Greenland. Though made at the most unfavourable season, the examinations were said to be most satisfactory. In the channel of the various fiords a most considerable depth of water is almost universally found. On the Bth of October the Bulldog again approached the coast of Greenland, close to the entrance of Prince Christian Sound, at the extreme south end of Greenland, and found so very little ice that Sir Leopold NPClintock commenced taking a line of soundings in towards the fiord. His intention, however, was frustrated by the springing up of one of those terrific easterly hurricanes which occasionally sweep the coast of Greenland. For 30 hours the wind blew with such terrific v,iolence that no canvas could withstand its force for one moment, and the Bulldog had to lie to under " bare poles," keeping the engines going, in case of falling in with, ice. For three days the vessel gradually drifted southward and clear of the land.. While the storm was at its height the engines seemed to have hardly any effect upon the ship. The vessel iuffered less than might have been exßected from so violent a hurricane, but yet sus tained considerable damage. The jibboom, the bow sprit, and the tiller were carried away ; one quarter boat was washed away, the other quarter boat and the stern boat were stove ; the sponson floorings were all washed up, though constructed of n i ne _ inch oak beams; p'ortions of the bulwarks and the paddle-boxes were also washed away. After the abatement of the gale the Bulldog contienlaunedd, bat line of soundipgs back to Reikjavik, in Iceland, was subject to almost continuous interruption s from ga l es o f wind. But the few soundings which could be made were of themost satisfactory character, a depth of only 748 fathoms being found where it was expected to find , 2,000. The return soundings of Sir F. L. M'Clintock were of a peculiarly interest ing character in a scientific point of view, inasmuch .». THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 5, 1860. as they set at rest the long disputed questions of the existence of animal life at great depths in the ocean. Several starfish were brought up from the depth of 1,260 fathoms, which had become entangled with the lower portions of the line, which had lain upon the bottom. At Reikjavik information was obtained respecting the Fox, that she had left that port for Greenland at the end of August. The Bulldog left Reikjavik on the 28th of October, experiencing on her homeward voyage a constant succession of foul wind, with frequent very heavy gales, which retarded and in some instances completely prevented her sounding operations. Sir Leopold M'Clintock carried his line of soundings into the Rockall-bank, and on the Bth of November obtained bottom in 1,310 fathoms, about mid-channel between it and the Vidal-bank. The wind still continuing adverse, and the coal being nearly exhausted, Sir F. L. M'Clintock was obliged to put into the port of Killybegs, county of Donegal. The instruments supplied by the Admiralty for the purpose of obtaining specimens of the bottom, according to all accounts, did not answer the expectations formed of their efficacy ; the valves would not always close, and the quantity brought up was so very limited as to be almost valueless. Several contrivances were, however, devised during the cruise, some of which, by means of double scoops, were capable of bringing up a considerable quantity of the bottom, and even stones one inch in diameter. By these contrivances not only were the soundings rendered more certain, but very often the under stratum of the bottom was found to be composed of entirely different material from that which lay upon the surface, and which is usually brought up by the rod or lead in ordinary deep sea soundings. Indeed, it is not too much to say that until the present soundings were taken by Sir F. L. M'Clintock the true nature of the bottom of the sea at considerable depths was hardly understood. It is really a matter of considerable astonishment to those conversant with nautical matters that in a succession of such violent gales, and a season of cold and ice so entirely exceptional, Sir F. L. M'Clintock and his enter prising officers should have prosecuted their arduous duties with such complete success. The expedition of the Fox was, as will no doubt be remembered, fitted out at the expense of the promoters of the undertaking, and was intended not alone to co- operate with the Bulldog in the sounding and gene ral survey of the seas which intersect the various stations on the route, but also to fix upon and examine the precise localities for the landing of the cables, as well as to explore and fix upon the overland route through Iceland and Greenland. The expedi tion was commanded by Captain Allen Young, who accompanied l‘PClintock in the celebrated voyage of the Fox in search of the Franklin expedi tion. Her 9ruise, like that of the Bulldog, was ill its main results entirely successful, though her operations were retarded, and in some measure pre vented, by the almost unparalleled succession of gales which prevailed with but little intermis sion from the time of her departure till her return to England. The Fox sailed from Cowes Roads of the 20th of July last, and, after calling in the Downs, on the following day proceeded through the North Sea with a fair wind and calm weather. On the morning of the 24th, when off Whitby, the moderate breeze changed to a hard gale from the north—of course, dead ahead—and for the two suc ceeding days the Fox could do little but hold her own against the wind and sea, which ran very high the whole time. Gales cannot always blow—at least, so it was thought at that time—so towards the evening of the 26th the breeze gradually slackened off and fell a dead calm, which allowed the little engine again to hasten the Fox towards her destination. During the 27th the sea was calm, and the winds, though light, were fair, so that by the morning of the 28th Aberdeen was reached. Having remained the whole day off the town, the Fox finally took her departure in the evening for the Faroe Isles. On the 29th and 30th the wind continued still to blow stiffly ahead, which so far retarded the progress of the ship that it was mid-day on the 31st before the wild and rocky islands of the Shetland group were passed. For the two succeeding days the weather was squally, but the wind was generally sufficiently favourable to allow the ship to lay her course, " close hauled" to the wind, so that about twilight (10 p.m.) on the 2d of August the lofty precipitous cliffs of the Faroes were sighted, distant 45 miles. From day light on the morning of the 3d a line of soundings was carried from a distance of 20 or 30 miles out into Thorshavn, Stromoe Island, the capital of the Faroe group. The depths were found to vary from 800 to 30 fathoms, with a generally shelly or muddy • bottom, and in every respect most favourable for the reception of a telegraph cable. On the after noon of the following day the Fox again got under way, steaming through Hestoe Fiord, a wild and romantic channel, enclosed between the high moun • tains of Stromoe Island and the lofty basaltic cliffs of the islands of Nailso, Hestoe, and Coultra, for Heldervig, on the north side of Stromoe. The wind increasing to a gale during the afternoon, she again anchored for the night in the small harbour of West manshaven, near the end of the fiord. The weather continued stormy and wet during that night and next day, so that it was kite in the afternoon of the sth of August before the Fox could again get under way. After getting clear of the land, and outside the fiord, a severe gale of wind again sprung up, with a heavy sea, both setting the ship dead towards the stupendous basaltic cliffs, some of which rose perpendicularly from the sea to a height of 2,000 feet. While beating the ship out of this unpleasant position, an accident occurred which might have caused the loss of several of the crew. While the men were reefing, the foretopsail yard snapped in the middle, leavinr the men clinging to the pieces, which dashed violently against the mast with every roll of the ship, threatening momentarily to fling them off into the sea, from which it would have been impossible to rescue them. They were all, however, eventually rescued from their perilous position ; but five of them were more or less in jured. The wind shortly afterwards again fell light ; but the sea continued to drift the ship into unpleasant proximity to the cliffs, and it was not without some difficulty that she succeeded is round ing the north point of Stromoe, and reaching Hal. nervig Fiord. On the evening of the 6th, the party under Dr. Rae, Rho had left the ship at Thorshavn for the purpose of examining the island of Stromoe, arrived, and on the afternoon of the 7th, the damages having been repaired, the Fox started for Iceland, taking a line of soundings freni the mouth of the fiord to about 20 miles out to sea, the depth varying from about 30 to about 200 fathoms, with - a bottom generally of a nature favourable to submarine lines. On tee niorning of the Bth it again blew a strong gale of wind from the north-east, with a heavy sea, which obli g ed tho morn i ng ship to lay until th e following when the wind again Ml light, but, the swell being heavy, little distance could be made by aid of the steam. In the afternoon a sounding was obtained, some what to the southward of the proposed line of cable, in 624 fathoms. The 10th was another day of light variable winds, during which but little progress could be made. At midnight, though some consi derable distance from land, soundings were ob tained in 60 fathoms water. At daylight on the morning of the 11th, the high and beautiful moun tains of the east coast of Iceland were plainly visible above the clear horizon, but they were soon obscured by one of those dense fogs which so fre quently prevail in the North Atlantic during the summer. The ship was consequently obliged to come to an anchor for the day, under the lofty headland of Oster Horn. At daylight on the morning of the 12th of August, the fog having again lifted, the Fox got under way fur Bent Fiord, standing northward along the coast, which here rises in one beautiful chain of lofty and rugged volcanic mountains, the dark and barren sides of which are occasionally relieved by snow covered peaks and streams of glacier ice. At noon the anchor was dropped on the wild, mountainous inlet of Beru Fiord, close to the factory station of Bern Fiord. The day was beautifully fine and clear —a most unusual circumstance on that coast. The five following days were occupied in sounding and surveying the fiord and the various inlets and bays, many of which were found to be most favourable for the reception of a cable. On the afternoon of the 15th Dr. Rae's party left for the purpose of explor ing and laying down the route for the land line across the island, intending to join the ship again at Reikjavik. On the evening of thel7th, the sound ings and survey being complete, the Fox left Beru Fiord with a fair wind, and on the morning of the 19th reached the Westmauna Islands, off the south coast of Iceland, which are alike of world-wide celebrity for the rocky nature of their shores and the millions of sea-birds of all descriptions which swarm them and the sea around. Having commu nicated with the shore, the Fox stood on her way to Reikjavik, those on board just catching a glimpse of Hecla, which was partially covered with clouds, in the distance. Passing the rugged lava streams of Cape Reikeanesse during the afternoon, the Fox arrived in Reikjavik .on the evening of the 20th. During the succeeding 10 days • that the 'Fox remained off the " capital" of Iceland, every part of the neighbouring coast which seemed to afford a favourable landing-place for a cable was examined and thoroughly sounded, and several places in every respect eligible for the reception of the cable were discovered. On the 29th Dr. Rae and his party returned, having successfully accomplished the dif ficult journey across the island, a distance of nearly 450 miles, in 14 days. Everything being now ready for sea, and thedelav having far exceeded what was anticipated, it was intended to start for Greenland at once, but a very severe gale from the north east sprang up, and blew with such violence for two days that the ship had to be kept steaming at her anchors, and it was not with out great exertions that some of the ships in har bour were kept from driving on shore. The weather having moderated, on the afternoon of the 31st the Fox lefet Beikjavik for Greenland, On the Ist of September, being fairly in Faxe Bay, the wind came dead ahead, and commenced to blow hard, with a thick fog, so that she could do little else than cruise backwars from Snafells Nefs to the opposite side of the bay, scarcely making a mile towards her des tination. This unfavourable weather continued till the night of the 4th, when the wind increased to a violent gale from the south-west, with a dangerous breaking sea, which obliged the ship to be hove to, awaiting finer weather. Throughout the night the little ship rode it out well, but at 7 next morning a heavy sea broke upon her, carrying away the for ward bulwarks and stanchions on the starboard side and the bulwarks from the port bow, washing away the forecastle hatches, casks, barrels, and a variety of loose gear which happened to be in the way, be sides severely injuring the boatswain and one man. Being deprived of the protection of the bulwarks, the seas now came on board so frequently that the forecastle and fore hatches had to be battened down and the crew sent aft into the cabin. The gale con tinued to blow with almost unabated violence till the evening of the 6th, when, it moderating, the ship was again enabled to resume her course. During the 7th and Bth the wind continued light and baffling, so that little progress was made to the east coast. On the 9th the wind came fair, but blew so strong with a heavy sea running that the decks were almost constantly covered with water all day. On the 10th and 11th, the weather having moderated, the pro gress made towards the Greenland coast was consi derable, and yet no ice, nor indeed any indications of its presence, though, according to the chart of Manby, the whole sea over which the Fox had been sailing for the previous three days was laid down as perpetually covered with an impassable barrier of it. At 6 p.m. on the 11th, when distant 130 miles from Cape Bille, East Greenland, a sounding was obtained in 1,135 fathoms. At daylight on the morning of the 12th the first ice and the sup posed inaccessible east coast of Greenland were sighted. The ice lay in loose streams in various directions, but principally close to the land it ap peared to have been much weather-worn, assuming all those beautiful fantastic forms into which the combined action of the sea and the wind in time moulds the massive blocks of Polar ice. The land, which then, probably, for the first time, was seen from a ship, was of a high, mountainous, and gene rally precipitous character. Being short of water, Capt. Young made the ship fast to a large floe piece of ice, from portions of which the tanks were soon replenished. Having obtained soundings, bearings, and angles, the ship coasted southwards along the land, the ice lying closely packed along the coast, and the ship in the afternoon, being closely sur rounded with floe pieces, was kept away to the margin of the ice. At daylight on the following morning, the 13th Sept., the weather being fine and clear, the Fox again stood through the ice towards the land to within three miles off the high mountainous island called by the natives Omen arsuk. Some closely packed heavy ice lay along the coast, and, there being no opening for the ship to get in, and no prospect of an off-shore wind to disperse it, the vessel was kept along the tend of the land southward, looking out for a harbour. Views of the land angles and bearings for fixing positions were obtained. There being the appearance of open water in some of the fiords led to the hope that the ship might reach the coast, but during the afternoon the wind freshened from the S.S.W. As the weather was threatening, Capt. Young was com pelled to stand off the land to the south-eastward for the night. On the 14th the Fox was about 60 miles east of Prince Christian Sound, having been led off the land with the ice, which appeared to have accumulated in most unusual quantity round Cape Farewell. Soundings were obtained in 1,120 fathoms gravel and Baud, and again on the following day, 75 miles north-west of Cape Farewell, in 1,230 fathoms. On the following day a violent gale sprung up from the north and north-west, which blew almost with out intermission, to the 20th, during which on seve ral occasions, Capt. Young had penetrated into the ice in order to ascertain if the coast was suffi ciently clear to admit of surveying operations in the southern fiords being carried on. On the 20th the high land about Cape Farewell was made at day light, about 40 miles distant, the late gales having blown the ice into a compact park filling up the intervening space. As the sun rose the tops of the lofty mountains could be plainly discerned to be surrounded by a dense vapour, which looked like the smoke of a volcano, but which subsequently ',coved to be the efAct of a violent hurricane whirling the snowdrift from the lofty summits of the mountains. The wind at the time was blowing stiffly from the northward, so, after in vain endea vouring to find an opening, the Fox was hove to under storm-staysail till the afternoon, under the lee of the ice. bn the morning of the 21st the ice was found to be considerably loosened by the gale, leaving open lanes of water between streams of ice. Through one of these openings the Fox beat against a strong northerly wind till the afternoon, when, the weather moderating and the main body of the ice being sufficiently open to sail through, the Fox's course was shaped direct for the Torsukalak Chan nel, leading between the islands to Julianshaab. Night, however, coming on, Captain Young made the ship fast to an iceberg. The night was beauti fully calm, and the sea as smooth as glass ; there was no moon, but the few black cloud s w hi c h occa sionally flitted across the sky served, by contrast, to render the light of the aurora doubly brilliant. or the first portion of the night the ship lay as quiet as if id a dock—a most inexpressible relief to those on board, who for the previous three weeks had been buffetted about amid an almost continu ous succession of gales. A sounding was taken, and, though not more than 36 miles from land, a depth of 1,550 fathoms was found. As the night wore on the quiet which all enjoyed was disturbed by a slight swell, which caused the floe pieces to grind together with an ominous noise. After mid night the sky became overcast, the ship was un easy, and the watch was almost constantly em ployed in resetting the ice anchors. The barometer, which had stood very high, began to fall rapidly ; at 3 o'clock a.m. a rudder) gust of wind tore away all the ice anchors, while some of the hAnds . were employed in resetting them, and the ship rapidly drove away from the berg and them. The steam was immediately got up, and by its aid, and that of the fore and aft sails, the men were got front the berg ; but by the time this was accomplished the full three of a south.-east hurricane had burst upon the ship. The sky was covered with a uni form dark mass of scud, from which the rain drove in torrents, freezing as it fell upon the rigging and upon the deck until everything was crusted with ice. The staysail was set, but immediately blown away, the storm staysail and trysail were bent, but the wind had increased to such violence that no can vass could withstand its force. The position of the Fox was at this time most perilous. Hove to under bare poles, the force of the wind was yet so great that she drifted with fearful rapidity, surrounded in all directions by loose pieces of ice. The spray was torn from the top of the waves, filling the lower stratum of air with eddying clods like snowdrift, which drove with blinding violence into the faces and eyes of those on deck. The ship vas in an almost helpless condition ; the clouds of spray hid the pieces of ice from view until the ship was upon them, while the intense roar of the wind drowned every other sound, the ship driving helplessly before the wind, avoiding many pieces of ice, but striking, others with a force which would have immediately proved destructive to any other ship less strongly constructed. At 12 noon the ship ran stem on to a piece of ice with such force that even the power of the wind was insufficient to disengage her; other pieces of ice were driving astern, and for a few minutes the lives of all on board did not seem worth 10 minutes' purchase, the fore trysail was leered I and immediately split, but the impetus given was sufficient to clear her, and she glided from between the pieces as they closed. Throughout the remain der of the day the wind continued to blow with increased•violence and the barometer to fall, and the liulwark stanchions on the starboard side were carried away by the sea and ice. The water in the engine-room increased so fast that 'from 12 o'clock both the engineer and the two firemen were standing above their knees in hot water, throwing the coals upon the furnaces with their hands, the ,engine during the whole afternoon working completely under water. At 6 p.m. the water extinguished the fires in the engine-room, and the engines stopped, thus removing the last chance of steering the ship clear of the floe pieces and bergs, as they appeared. Night was also coming on, so that the preservation of the ship and those on board seemed little less than miraculous, as human exer- lions could do nc more. At half-past 7 p.m. the barometer, which had fallen an inch and a-half, showed a deeidedtendeney upwards, and in half an hour the violenca of the squalls was perceptibly less ; • from this t . tne till 11.30 p.m. the wind con tinued to fall off tntil it so far abated that the ship could be hove to with the staysail set. Shortly afterwards the vind changed to the northward, blowing a moderate breeze. At daylight on the 23d sail was made, and the ship stood to the north east with a fair vind. But so totally had the ship been driven out cf her reckoning by the preceding storm that she was found at noon to be nearly a de gree to the northward if her supposed position, and according to the iharts and chronometers absolutely sailing upon the land ; the former were, however, found ultimately to be incorrect. Very little ice was to be seen, the storm having, as is usually the case, effectually scattered-and destroyed it. On the after noon of the 23d it again threatened, and in the evening again blew with such violence that the ship was hove-to under storm staysail. During the succeeding eight days the Fox encountered nothing but a succession of foul winds and such heavy gales that it was impossible to reach Fredrickshaab for the purpose of refilling and obtaining water. After great difficulty, on the 2d of October, the above named harbour was reached. Soon after her arrival the ice from the southward again made its appear ance, and as the reports concerning its extent were contradictory, a boat expedition was organised to examine it, and, if necessary, to proceed to Julian chope, about which district the principal examina tion would be necessary. After proceeding south ward one day's journey, the ice was seen close in shore, but the sea far out; apparently free. On the 12th October the boats returned to the ships, and next day the vessel proceeded, with a strong northerly gale, through the Torsukalak Channel to Julianshaab, where she arrived on the 22d Octo ber. Having completed a survey of the port and the adjacent fiord, the Fox proceeded to the exami nation of a deep and romantic fiord called Tgalika Fiord, into which large icebergs never enter, and in the channel of which sufficient water was found effectually to prevent the grounding of the largest ever seen. Captain Young, after returning to Julianshaab, sounded the estuary of the fiord out to sea, and found that a uniform channel, 160 fathoms deep, could be depended on—a depth, it is needless to mention, considerably greater than that of any iceberg ever seen upon the coast. The winter had now fairly set in, and for weeks past quantities of ice had formed upon the surface of the bays and fiords, continually breaking up before it attained any considerable thickness, so Captain Young deter mined to return to England at the earliest oppor tunity, the season being over for proceeding with the examination of either the .Greenland coast or that of Labrador. But at the beginning of No. vember, the fiord through which Dr. Rae's party would have to pass on their return to the ship from their inland examination, was found to be frozen 16 miles from the head, and that it was not without considerable difficulty that a sledge party reached them on the 6th of November, and informed them that a boat awaited their arrival at the open water. On the Bth of November the Fox sailed from Julianshaab; the ice, as is usual after northerly winds, had dispersed from that part of the coast, laying out of the way of navigation a consi derable distance off the shore, more to the south. Being far to the north, the north-easterly winds, which so long delayed the ship from the west, was taken advantage of in standing to the south, so that after a rapid run of 15 days she entered Portland Roads. The results, of the cruise are universally considered by those who accompanied the expedi tion to be most satisfactory. Colonel ghaffner's statements as to the existence of long deep fiords, in which the water was co deep as to preclude the remotest possibility of a cable being injured by ice or icebergs, is fully confirmed. The existence of drift ice along the south coast is in reality no diffi culty ; it only prevails at the commencement of the season except in an exceptional year, such as that recently experienced. Even when thickest its movements with various winds are so perfectly understood that, under the command of experienced captains, many frail ships, totally unadapted for ice navigation, visit and return from all parts of the coast annually in safety. Wiih regard to the American terminus of the line, now that the Green land difficulty has been removed, when once the line has been carried there in the 50th par. of wes tern lortgitnde, the landing on the opposite shore can be selected on any point within some hundreds of miles without materially increasing the length of the circuit.-7 isnes. £7,917 11 10 it Lady- Christ- The increase in the receipts of the las mas quarter over that of 1858, is . The increase in the receipts of the las _ day quarter over that of 1859, is The increase in the receipts of the last Mid summer quarter over that of 1859, is The increase in the receipts of the last Michael mas quarter over that of 1859, is 8,965 9 7 The last quarter of the financial year is the largest in amount since the existence of the society, and the receipts for the financial year (with the single exception of 1854 when the St. Margaret's mansion was sold) exceed those of any other year. The increase in the receipts of the year 1859- 1860 over the corresponding year of 1855-• 1859, is .. Amount of reserve fund, 29th September, 1860, is 8,570 11 1 Total Withdrawals from the formation of the society in September, 1852, to Mi chaelmas, 1860 .. £118,693 4 0 Total sale of land during the above period £255,090 10 11 An analysis of the items in the abstract of accounts pre sent the annexed gratifying results : Subscription on shares: year ending 29th Sept., 1860 .... £39,869 5 2 • Ditto 1859.... 23,778 5 5 • Increase.... £16i090 19 9 Deposita : year ending 29th Sept., 1860 £18,320 1 2 Ditto 1859 6,743 17 1 Increase.... X 11,576 4 Plots of land paid for by shares in the Society : year ending 29th Sept., 1860 £16,455 8 4 Ditto 1859 2,889 11 5 Increase.... £13,565 16 1 Shares withdrawn year ending Sept. 29, 1859. £23,651 19 0 Ditto 1860.... 15,924 15 11 Decrease.... £7,727 3 1 Advances made on Land and Building Account : year ending 29th Sept., 1860....£23,727 9 3 Repaid for the same period .. 10,920 12 6 Increase in Assets on Loan Accounts. £12,806 16 10 The returns for the current quarter, ending December 25th (which are excellent up to the date of this report), and those for the second quarte r, endin g at L ady Day, 1861, fo r the ninth financial year, will be g iven a t the quarterly meet ing in April next. The returns to 29th Sept.,:lB6o, of the Register of Order of Rights aro as follows : Completed. Drawn. Seniority. T o t a l. 3812 3104 1631 8547 Deduct rights exercised on estates, &c... 6016 Unexercised rights 2531 The last share number on the register by seniority, on the 29th of September, 1860, is No. 12,215, and the last share number taken to the same date was No. 16,055. Total amount of land allotted during the year ending Sept. 29, 1800 £31,448 1 10 Total amount of plots on sale at Michael mas, 1859 45,758 17 0 Total .. .. 77,206 18 10 The sale on the allotment of 1860 was The sale of stock in hand during the past year was 21,066 10 4 4,751 16 6 Total sale of land in 1860 25,817 6 10 Freehold building plots now for sale in various counties Grand total of land sold to ,December Ist, 1860 Gratifying as the above analysis proves io be, the enema, 51,389 12 • tive Committee have an addition to make .to it which will be eminently satisfactory to the sharehold era, inasmuch as the balance-sheet shows that the amount .of £1,500 bor rowed last year from the Reserve Fund hat• been repaid, and that the latter has been increased by iv terest to the amount of £8,570 lls. Id. The Conamittee will continue the rate of interest for the present at 5 per cent. per annum on completed shares and shares paid a. year in advance, and 4 per cent. per annum on the Deposit Department. The holders of uncompleted shares in respect of which plots on estates have not been taken, will likewise receive per cent., which will be placed as bol me in their pass books on all shares not in arrear at the da to of this annual meeting. With this account the Executive Committee close their Eighth Annual Report, cony. inced that the financial returns will speak for themselves, and that at no period of the history of the Conservative Lea td Society was there more reason for congratulation. No exertions will be spared by the Committee to maintain this i.iregress." A cordial vote of thanks to the chain nan closed the proceedings. After leaving the room the members proceeded to ballot for the right of choice of allotments o f land. We regret to state that the able and indefatigable secretary of the society, Mr. C. L. Grttneiseu, although . present at the meeting, was from tempo rary ill health unable to take an active part in the proceedings. COURT OF ALDERMEN. Yesterday, at 1 o'clock, the members of the Court of Aldermen held a .meeting in their chamber at Guildhall for the transaction of business, the Lord Mayor presiding. There was an unusually large attendance of members, one only of the body being absent. The Recorder, Mr. Commissioner Ker, Mr. Woodthorpe, the town clerk; Mr. Scott, the Cham berlain; the Remembrancer, the City Solicitor, and other officers of the corporation were also in attend ance. The sheriffs, Alderman Abbiss and Mr. Lusk, presented an official report as to the state of the wools, stating that in the prison of Newgate there are at present 54 prisoners, not ene of whom is in the infirmary ; in the Debtors' prison, in Whitecross-street, - 200 prisoners, of whom seven are in the infirmary ; and in the city prison at Holloway 349 prisoners, 10 o f , who are in the infirmary. The report was accom panied by the surgeon's certificate in each case that the gaol was in a fit sanitary condition. Mr. Orton, one of the attorneys of the Lord Mayor's Court, prefented the return of the election of Mr. James Clarke Lawrence as alderman for the ward of Walbrook, in the room of Mr. David Williams Wire, deceased. Mr. Lawrence, the alderman elect, was then introduced to the Court by Mr. W. Frederick Rock, one of the principal inhabitants of the ward, who said the duty had devolved on him in the unavoidable absence of Sir Anthony Rothschild. It afforded him pleasure, he added, to present Mr. Lawrenae to the Court in the capa city of a member of their body, inasmuch as his (Mr. Lawrence's) family were well known to them, his father, now dead, having filled some of the highest civic offices with propriety and dignity, and his brother being already a member of the Court. At the recent contest Mr. Lawrence had• to contend against an able :opponent, a gentleman well worthy of the confidence of the electors of the ward, but Mr. Lawrence, by a mak). rity of voices, was held to be still more worthy. These were times in which it was peculiarly desira ble, whenever an occasion arose, to refresh the con stitution of the Court of Aldermen by the introduc tion of persons of wealth, station, influence, talents, and integrity ; and it might be important in coming time, as it had heretofore been, should the corpo ration be assailed by persons *hose aims went far beyond its reasonable and legitimate reform, to have among its constituent members those who were capable by intelligence and influence to defend it. If time had at all impaired its efficiency, or if its excrescences still remained, Mr. Lawrence was a man who would assist in removing what was obso• lete, and in invigorating what was weak; and that he would do it with a tender, kindly hand, desirous at the same time of preserving the corpora tion, if it should be thought to require reform, in its integrity, as one of the gpardians of popular liberty, not only in the city of London, but to some extent throughotit the country at large. He trusted Mr. Lawrence would be found a fit successor of the worthy gentleman •who had preceded him in the office, and that he would fulfil the . duties devolving upon him in his new capacity with credit to him self, to the ward which had returned him, and to the advantage of the citizens in general. The oaths customary on such an occasion having been admi nistered to Mr. Lawrence, he assumed the violet robe of an alderman, and, receiving the congratula tions of the Lord Mayor and the other members of the Court, took - a seat among his brethren. The Court was about to proceed to the consideration of the petition of Stavois Dilberoghu and others, com plaining of the conduct' of George Henry Darby Lawrence, a broker ; but, Mr. Lawrence not ap pearing when called, and proof having been given by Mr. Sewell, the sword-bearer, of au ineffectual attempt to serve him with the summons, it was resolved, on the motion of Mr. Ald. Carter, that his sureties have notice to attend the next court, and either produce their principal, or return an answer to the allegations in the petition. The Rev. J. Owen was then elected chaplain to the prison at Hollo way, in the room of the Rev. Mr. Cohen, resigned, by 16 votes, as against 6 recorded for the Rev. C. J. Hutt. The Rev. G. Acres was also, with Mr. Hutt, an unsuccessful candidate. The court then adjourned. WATCHES IN RELATION TO THE FINE ARTS.—" Indeed one of them has already made a very marked advance fn this respect by producing artistically ornamented watches, adapted to meet a high standard of cultivated taste. The manufacturer here alluded to is Mr. J. W. Benson, of 33 and 34, Ludgate-hill. In recently visiting his newly-en larged show-rooms, we found a most rare display of highly ornamented watches of all kinds. The watches here exhi bited surpass that of any other English manufaoturer, in respect to novelty of design, combining artistic beauty and exquisite finish in ornamentation. The wide reputation which Mr. Benson has gained for the perfect time-keeping qualities of his watches, leaves nothing for us to say on this point. Mr. Benson caa meet the views of the economic utilitarian with the same facility as ho can the wishes of the most elevated. A buyer intent on securing'a superior watch of good design and lasting qualities cannot fail of meeting with satisfaction at this establishment."—Observer. Benson's Illustrated Pamphlet, post free for two stamps, is descriptive of every construction of watch now made. Watches safe by post to all parts of the globe. (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 they will receive gratis and free by post the " IfsvmaDs' Ows GUIDE," or Natural Restorer, without medicine or ex p.nse, 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, palpitation, 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, "Unquestionably the safest Quide to health.,' Shares Shares Total Quarters ending in Receipts. progres. Complete Shares. £ s. d. Dec. 25,1859 lOl 66 167 17,012 13 2 March 25,1860 l3l 127 258 17,883 13 9 June 24, 1860 Sept. 29, 1860 Totals for the year, 472 490 962 73,026 14 2 Totals to Sept. 30, 1850 12,435 2,658 15,093 407,973 14 5 Grand totals to Mi chaelmas, 1860 CONSERVATIVE LAND SOCIETY. The half-yearly meeting of this society was held yesterday at the offices, Norfolk-street, Strand. Vis count Ranelagh was in the chair, and amongst those present we observed Viscount Ingestre, M.P., Colonel Knox, M.P., the Hon. and Rev. W, C. Talbot, Lieutenant-Colonel Meyrick, the Rev. Dr. Worthington, the Hon. Robert Bourke, N. W. Winstanley, Esq., T. Knox Holmes, Esq., R. N. Fowler, Esq., the Rev. W. G. Goodchild, and a large number of gentlemen. The following report of the executive committee was submitted to the meeting, and agreed to una nimously : The executive committee, in presenting their eighth annual report, have great satisfaction in announcing to the shareholders, that the position and prospects of the Con servative Land Society were never more healthy and pro mising than at the close of the financial year ending 20th of September, 1860. There has been progress in every department of business. Four highly successful allotments of estates have taken place during the past year, namely, the Roman Road Estate, North Bow, on the 18th of January ; the Iffiey Road Estate, Oxford, and Battersea Ground Rents, on the 23d of May; the Hertford Estate, the Camberwell houses, and the first portion of the Roe hampton Park Estate, en the 18th of July; and finally, the Felixstowe Estate, on the Suffolk coast, on the 28th of August. The holders of rights of choice have thus had ample opportunities of selecting plots of land for building or investment, as well as securing the freehold franchise in five different counties. The Roman Road Estate is conti guous to the first property purchased at Old Ford, with which it is now connected by the completion of the works for the Usher and Armagh Roads. Building operations are in active progress; and as Victoria-park, with two stations, at Bow and Victoria-park, are close to the society's estates, the committee anticipate that it will be speedily covered with houses. The Iffiey Road Estate is within a mile of Oxford, and is admirably adapted for building pur poses. The contracts for the roads, drainage, and supply of water have been signed, and the works commenced. The Hertford estate is on the Ware-road, and a continua tion of Fore-street, in the town of Hertford. The property is adjacent to the terminus of the Eastern Counties R,ail way. The contract for the roads alai drainage has been entered into, and the works will be finished early in the spring. The Camberwell houses are in Denmark-road, not far from Denmark-hill and Camberwell-green. All the houses are let, producing good rents, so that the property is actually realising an excellent return for the investment. On the Battersea estate, holders of early rights availed themselves of their privileges,, and obtained four well secured freehold ground-rents. On the Roehampton-park estate, 26 plots were offered at the south-west part of the park, abutting on Richmond-park and Putney .heath. In laying out the first portion of this important property, the committee have kept in view two considerations—first, that the allotment should in no way affect the future sale of the mansion and as much of the park as a purchaser may desire; and, secondly, that the mapping of the plots should be so done as to harmonise with the sites of the villas pre viously disposed of and those which may be hereafter selected for building purposes. Bessborough. Mansion, with its surrounding scenery, presents as great attractions as before the allotment for any nobleman or gentleman desirous of having the advantages both of a country and town residence, being within half an hour's drive from the West-end and an hour from the City. The quantity of land sold, in fact, brings the acquisition of this fine estate within the means of a larger number of buyers. At the same time the executive committee feel bound to announce that, anxious as they have been that the mansion and park should be preserved, and the Richmond-park frontage left undisturbed by the builder, the time will arrive, should f purchaser not come forward, when the estate can only be looked upon by the society as building land ; a clearance of materials and timber must be made, and the whole laid out in sites for the erection of villas and houses. The Felixstowe estate fronts the sea, and is five miles from Harwich, nine miles from Woodbridge, and 11 from Ips wich. The progress recently made in disposing of portions of this beautifully situated marine property, shows that Felixstowe is destined to become one of the principal bathing places of the eastern coast. The committee con sider that the society has been fortunate in obtaining free hold land in so promising a locality, the demand for houses in the season being so much in excess of the present accom modation. The executive committee have the agreeable duty to add that there has been considerable movement in the building operations on other estates of the society, and that the sale of the stock in hand has been consequently considerable. The rents on the Roundhill-park estate, Brighton, are rising, the demand for houses being on the increase. The development on the Woodbury-park estate, TunbridgeWells, has been recently so marked as to demand a second allotment early in the ensuing year. A further laying out of Roehampton-park estate will follow in due course, as well as the offering of another portion of the Felixstowe estate. The works for the drainage of the Ken tish-town estate are fast approaching completion, after which the committee will consider the best mode of offering the unsold portion. The Downvhire-square estate, Read ing, must also be cited as exhibiting signs of revival in building operations. On the Weymouth estate there will he fresh works contracted for in addition to the roads and drainage now nearly completed. The raising of the land, which was . suggested at a public meeting, will be carried out, and a great improvement will be thus insured for this popular watering - place. New purchases constantly occupy the time and attention of the Board. The society has now acquired forty-three estates in seven teen counties, and negotiations are in progress for land in counties hitherto untouched by the society. The claims of the allottees have been sustained, as usual, free of expense, at the courts of the Revising Barristers in whose districts in which the society's estates are situated ; and a considerable number of voters have been added to the register in various counties. This satisfactory result has not however been arrived at without some of those conflict ing decisions peculiar to the working of the present regis rationg.stem, the anomalous state of which cannot be better iliustraied than by mention of the fact that a plot of land for which £52 4s. 6d. has been paid, and adjoining, a house producing £5 a year ground-rent, and £3O per annum house-rent, has been pronounced not to worth 40s. per year; and from such a monstrous decision there is no appeal, because it is a question of fact and not of law. The executive committee have had to regret the retirement of one director from the board this year—Borlase Hill Adams, Esq.—but as the present number of members of the board is in conformity with the rules, it has not been thought necessary to fill up the vacancy. The following members of the board retire by rotation, but are eligible for re-elec tion, namely :—Viscount Ranelagh, J. C. Cobbold, Esq., M.P., the Hon. W. E. Duncombe, M.P., T. Knox Holmes, Esq., and the Rev. Dr. Worthington, who offer themselves for re-election. The executive committee having nomi nated Wm. Astbury, Esq., and Newnham Winstanley, Esq., as their two auditors, the shareholders appointed out of three candidates their two auditors—the Rev. Mr. Good child and E. S. Harding, Esq. The four auditors met at the offices in Norfolk-street, on the 15th and 16th of November, certified their examination of the books and vouchers of the society, examined and verified the balances carried to profit and loss account of those estates of which the accounts have been closed and approved, and signed the balance-sheet on the 16th of November. Th 3 committee refer with pleasure to this balance-sheet. The tabular statements below show the receipts for each quarter, the totals for the year, and the grand totals since the formation of the society : FROM THE GAZETTE OF LAST NIGHT. WAR-OFFICE, DEC. 1. The Queen has been graciously pleased to give orders for the appointment of Rutherford Alcock, Esq., her Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Tycoon of Japan and Charles Alison, Esq., he r Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister rlenipterutiary to the Shah of Persia, to be Ordinary Members of the Civil Divi sion of the Third Class, or Companions, of the Most Hon ourable Order of the Bath. WHITEHALL, DEC. 3. The Queen has been pleased to present the Rev. Alex. Speirs to the church and parish of Kilsyth, in the Presby tery of Glasgow and county of Stirling, vacant by the transportation of the Rev. Alex. Hill to the second charge of the church and parish of St. Andrews. FOREIGN-OFFICE, DEc. 4. The Queen has been pleased to approve of Mr. Sigismund Cahlmann, as Consul in London for his Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Saxe Weimar Eisenach, and for his Serene Highness the Prince of Reuss•Griez. _ The Queen has also been pleased to approve of Mr. Geo. W. Ewon as Consul in London for the Republic of Costa Rica. CROWN-OFFICE, DEC. 3. MEMBER RETURNED TO SERVE IN THE PRMSENT PARLIAMENT. District of Burghs of Kirkwall, Wick, Dornock, Ding wall, Tain, and CroMarty.—The Right Hon. William Coutts Keppel (commonly called Viscount Bury), in the room of Samuel Laing, Esq., who has accepted the office of Fourth Ordinary Member of the Council of the Governor- General of India. BANKRUPTS. William Cole, jun., iron merchant, Mark-lane, city. David Murdoch, grocer, Liverpool. Charles Eaton, jun., leather factor, Manchester. George James M'Lennan and John William Bird, builders, Osnaburgh-street, Regent's-park. John Brook, electro plater, Birmingham. Samuel Hopkins, horn worker, Bewdley, Worcestershire. Edward Wason. Freestone, milliner and straw hat manu facturer, Islington. William Harris, jun., miller, Ilford, Essex. Henry Parris, machine maker, Bridport, Dorsetahire. Richard Baker, general smith, Barnstaple, Devonshire. Benjamin Hinchliffe, cloth manufacturer, Pudsey, York shire. John Kippax, watchmaker, East Retford. SCOTCH BANKRUPTS. Robert Thomson, commission merchant, Glasgetw. Robert Hamilton, tea merchant, Glasgow. John Halliday, wool carder, Dumfriesshire. COUNTRY MARKETS. BRISTOL—DEc. 4. With a continuance of wet weather, the condition of the English wheat is as bad as ever; about one-fifth only of it can be used in a sack of flour, causing the consumption of flour to be extremely large. To-day we had numerous buyers, who took retail quantities at late prices. All other articles maintain their prices. LIVERPOOL—DEc. 4 There was a good attendance of town and country buyers at this morning's market, and we had an improved busi ness in wheat, which maybe quoted at full prices for choice paroels, and 2d to 3d per cental lower on all other kinds. Oats inactive, and the turn lower. Barley and beans un. altered. Peas is per qr cheaper. For Indian corn there was an inactive sale at a decline of ls. Flour was active at 6d per barrel decline. LEEDS—DEC. 4. Our ;market to-day was fairly attended by millers, but we notice no alteration in good descriptions of new and old wheat ; inferior sorts very unsaleable at irregular prices. Fine bar!ey maintains its value, but damp parcels must be quoted at is to 2s below the rates of last market day. Oats and beans held for former rates. NEWCASTLE-UNDER LYNE—DEc. 3. At this corn market there was a moderate show of old and new wheat, but the demand was limited, and milers succeeded in making late rates—white making 58s to 70s, red 54a to 645. The demand for barley was only middling, at barely former pricca. Oats in fair supply, and the trade firm, from 26s to 34s per 24 atone. Beans made fiom 48s to 54s per qr. SLEAFORD—DEc. 3. The attendance was fair to-day, with a moderate supply of wheat, and sales effected about the rates of the previous week. White wheat ruled at 62s to 625, red 40s to 64a per qr. Barley a rather liberal supply, 30s to 368 ; oats in slow demand, with a dull demand, at 24s to 345; beans, 44s to 68s ; peas, —ste —s. THE MAILS. MAILS DUE. Australia, Cl and Mauritius via South ampton) . ..................Dec. 19. Do. (via Marseilles) Dec. 13. Brazil and Cape Verde Dec. 5. Buenos Ayres, Monte Video, &o. Dec. —. Bahamas and Havana (via New York) .. Dec. —. Canada, &c. (via Galway) Overdue. Cape of Good Hope, &c. Jan. 1. China, Penang, and Singapore (via S'ampton) Dec. 19. Do (via Marseilles) Dec. 13. Gibraltar (via Southampton) .. Dec. 10. India (Calcutta), Ceylon, &c. (via Southampton) Deo. 19. Do. (via Marseilles) Dec. 13. India (Bombay), (via Southampton) .. Dec. 10. Do. (via Marseilles) .. Dec. 6. Lisbon . • .. Dec. l 1 Cuba and Mexico .. • . .. Dec. 29 Malta, Egypt, and Aden (via Southampton) .. Dec. 10. (via Marseilles) .. Dec. 10. Vigo, and Oporto .. Dec. 11. United States, California, &c. Dec. 6. Western Coast of*Atrica, Madeira, Teneriffe Dec. 10. West Indies and Pacific, Carthagena, Cuba, &c. Dec. 14. [ADVERTISEMENT].--It is ever a pleasing duty of a journalist to introduce to his readers some new discovery calculated to benefit that vast portion of our fellow-crea tures, which has the strongest claims upon our sympathies. It is with this feeling that we call the attention of invalids to the following extracts from Du Barry's interesting report of Cures without medicine by Du Barry's Revalenta. constipation,liver Arabica Food. Cure No. 52,422.—Bridgehouse, Frimley Surrey, 3d April 1854. I have suffered these 3 3 years con tinually from diseased lungs, spitting of blood, de rangement, deafness, singing in the ears, de bility, shortness of breath and cough, which have been re moved by your Revalenta Arabica. My lungs , liver, sto mach, head, and ears, are all right, my hearing perfect, and my recovery is a marvel to all my acquaintances. James Roberts. Cure No. 36,418. Rev. Dr. Minster of cramps, spasms, and daily vomitings. Avoid Pills and Medicines : they invariably aggravate and perpetuate diseases ; their annoyance, disappointment, and expense may be avoided by using Du Barry's Fcod which, at a few pence per day, saves 50 times its cost in other remedies, removing effectually, without purging, constipation, i n digestion (dyspepsia) n ervous , bili ous an d liver complaints and all their consequences. Certificate No. 36,418. We find it the safest remedy. Andrew Erre, MD., F.R.S., Dr Harvey, Dr. Wurzer, Dr. Shorland, Dr. Campell. Let invalids avoid the fearful dangers of spu rious and injurious imitatiops offered under a variety of false pretences. ' Nevill's imitations are prohibited by . the high Court of Chancery under 'a penalty of £5,000 against Alfred Hooper Nevill and his' agents ; and the pretences that Nevill has a patent for Arabica Food and that Du Barry's are connected with such patent are utterly falai. No canister is genuine without the name Barry Du Barry and Co., 77, Regent-street, in full, onthe seal and wrapper. Shopkeepers who attempt imposition in one article must expect to be distrusted in all others. Packed in tins 11b. 2s. 9d.; 21b. 4s. 6d. ; 511 a. lls. ; 121 b. 225. ; 241 b. 40s. The 121 b. and 241 b, canistdrs are sent carriage free on receipt of Post -office order by Barry Du Barry and Co., 77, Rer gent-street, London; Fortnum Mason, and Co.; Abbis, 60, Gracechurch-street ; 4, Cheapside ; 63 and 150, Ox. bard -street ; 330 and 451, Strand ; 49 and 60, Bishopsgate street ; Batty, 16, Finsbury Pavement ; Phillips and Ca. tea-dealers; Petty, Wood, and Co. King William-street, City ; at 127, High Holborn ; and all grocers, BIRTHS. BEAUhtONT.—On Sunday last, the 2d inst., at Bywell Hall, Northumberland, the Lady Margaret Beaumont, of a son and heir. HBALLY.—On the 2d inst., at Brighton, the wife of the Rev. H. D. Heftily, of a daughter. . LING.—On the 3d inst., at Southend, the wife of Comman der E. W. Lang, R.N., of a son, stillborn. MARRIAGES. MORLEY—GIBBES.—On the 3d inst., at S. Nicholas Church, Brighton, J. Evelyn K. Morley, Esq., to Sarah only daughter of the late Charles Gibbes,Esq., of Cavan dish-square, London. NooN—Law.—On the Ist inst. , at St. Mary's, Myddelton square, Mr. George Noon, of Islington, to Mary Jane Law, only child of the late Benjamin Law, E sq ., o f Cleckheaton, Yorkshire. DEATHS. BIRNES.—On the 2d ult., at Copiapo, Chile, Philip Edwd. Barnes, 8.A., F.L.S., barrister-at-law, Danish Consul at Coquimbo, Chile. BURNELL.—On the 30th ult., suddenly, George Burnell, Esq., of Sussex-terrace, Hyde-park, aged 83. FOLEY.—On the 2d inst., at Prestwood, the Hon. Mrs. H. W. Foley. ' GREB/C—At Madras, Francis Edmund Green Esq., late of Felmersham Grange, Bedf o rdshire, aged 12. Jecxsom.—On the lst inst., at Orpington, Joseph Jack / , son, Esq., Dep.-Lieut. and Magistrate for the county of Kent, aged 82. LONDON: Printed and Published by KURD° YOUNC of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun AU ce, No. 112, Strand, in the Preninet of the Savoy, in the ;Tonto •f Middlesex, Wednesday, December 5, 1860.. 16 I, jet Sub,