The Sun. — London, England, 1860-12-03 00:00:00

- - FRENCH PLAYS.- Bl JOU THEATRE.- A: At HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE, Haymarket, (Grand Entrance.) Directeur—M. Talexy. THIS EVENING, LE ROMAN D'UN JEUNE HOMIIE PAUVRE. Mar guerite, Madame DOCHE. • Commence at 8 o'clock. P OYAL ENGLISH OPERA , COVENT -BA) GA DEN.--Under the Management of Miss Louisa Fyne and Mr. W. Harrison, Sole Lessees. The Production of flalle's new grand legendary opera will take place on THURSDAY, December G, BIANCA, THE BRAVO'S BRIDE. Supported by 3liss Louisa Pyne, Miss Thirlwall ; Mr. A. Lawrence, Mr. A. St. Albyn, Mr. H . Corri, Mr. J. Wharton, Mr. T. Distin, Mr. Lyall, and Mr. Wm. Harrison, Conductor, Mr. A. Mellon.—Orchestra of Eighty Pertormers ; Chorus of Fifty Voices. Doors open at 7 ; commence at half-past 7. 11) OVAL ENGLISH OPERA, COVENT ' GARDEN —cinder the Management of Miss LOUISA j'YNE and Mr. W. HARRISON, Sole Lessees. THIS EVENING, THE AMBUSCADE. The new Operetta, THE MARRIAGE OF GEORGETTE, Miss Louisa Pyne and Mr. H. Corti. To conclude with THE NIGHT DANCERS. Messrs 11. Haiah, H. Corti, G. Kelly, Distin, and Lyall ; Madame Palmieri, Miss Albertazzi, Miss Leffkr, Miss Thirlsvall, and Miss Huddart. Conductor--31r. Alfred Mellon. Doors open at Seven, Commence at lla7l-past. 9'HEATRE-ROYAL,. HAYMARKET. Lessee, Mr. J. B: Backstone. TT - HS EVEN! the nertnrig,MlCee Will 00mmenoe with THE BABES IN THE WOOD. After which, BOX AND COX. And JACK'S RETURN FROM CANTON. Commence at 7. ROYAL PRINCES S'S THEATRE.- Lolsee and Manager, Mr. A. TJ'arris. THIS EVENING, the performances will Commence with SUSAN SMITH. To be followed by RUT BLAS. Supported by - Mr. Fechter, Messrs. W. Lacy, Meadows, Garden, Graham,• fcaymond, Morland, Collett, Paulo, Daly, A. H arris ; ~`•liss Rose Leclercq, Mrs. Weston, and Miss Heath. To con.llude with THE GARIBALDI EXCURSIONISTS THEATRE - ROYAL LYCEUM- Snip Lessee and Directress, Madame CELESTE. THIS EVENING, THE PE PS OF THE PARTERRE. Scenic Department under the direction of Mr. Wm. Callcott. The Music by Mr. Georye Loder. Principal characters by Mr H. Neville, Mr. John Rouse, Mr. Colorls, Miss M. Ternan, Miss Neville, Miss - Hudspeth , Missart, Miss Turner, Miss Donolas, Miss Annie Collinson, and Miss Lydia Thompson. Atfer wh!elt. a new Drama, entitled HANDY ANDY. Messrs. Campbell, .Tohnstone, T. Lyon. Forrester, Villiers, Butler, arid lan flrew (his 7th arpearancel : Mrs. - 1- - Rouse. Miss flrdsp P., Miss 11. Tertian, ilnd Miss Neville. Followed by the ri •w drama, entitled ADRI ENNE; or THE SECIIEO 1' F A LIFE. Principal charaters bY Mr. Henry Neville. Mr. John House, Mr. H. Butler, Mr. Villiers, Mr. G. Vinino . , Mr. Forrester. Mr. Campbell,. Mr. Clifford, Mr, J. John tone ; Mrs. Keeley, and Madame Celeste. To commence at a quarter to tai 7, nments.on account of the length of the enter A D p Ti• 1 Nti - !w THEATRE-RoyAL. sole P,wrfrtor pn4 Manager, Mr. Ben!. Webster. F.n,ement for a limited number of ni g hts of Mis s Ag n es B an d Mr. Dion Boucicault, who will appear - o a bertßon ever y evening" in the highly successful D rama o f "The Colleen Bawm T ins EVENING, TfIE RIFLE BRIGADE. Messrs. W. Smith. D. Fisher, C Selby, Miss Woolgar, Miss Kate Kelly, and Mrs. Billington. After which, TILE COLLEEN BAWN. D. Roncicault, D. Fisher, Billing - ton, Falconer, Stephenson. C. J. Smith, Romer. Miss Agnes Robertson, Miss Woolgar, Mrs. Billington, and Mrs. Chatterley. To conclude with ICI ON PARLE FRANCAIS. Messrs. J, L. Toole, C. Selby, Billing - ton,: Mrs. Chatterley, Miss K. Kelly, &c. Doors open at Intlf-past C.—Commence at 7. Box-office open from 10 till 5. No charge for bookincr. Private boxes, £2 25. ; Family Boxes, Orchestra Stalls. ss. ; Balcony, 4s. ; Front Circle Stalls, Zs. Pit Stalls, 25.; Pit , ls. sd. ; Amphitheatre, is ; Gallery, lid. Acting Manager—Mr. Wm. Smith. ALSTLETS ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.- Prcprietor and Manager, Mr. WM. BATTY. This Evening., a new Spectacle, entitled THE LION CONQT3EIZOTt • or, The .Death Jungle, expressly for the i n t ro d u ction of the Wonders of the World, " The Groupe of Performing Lions." The Lion Conqueror, Mr. J. Crockett. To be sneceeded by Scenes in the Arena, supported by the celebrated Madame Newsome, Mr. James Newsome and their Troupe of uneqnalled performers, Arc., including the incomparable Young Charles Ducrow, the Greatest Wonder of the age. Concluding with a popular Farce. Doors open at half-Fast 6, performance commence at 7. Box-office open daily from 11 till 4 stage llianazer—Mr. W. WEST. Tg E CATTLE SHOW A CANTERBURY HALL. C. MORTON begs to inform visitors to London that the above HALT, with its Mag,nificent Gallery of Modern Paint ings, by all the best masters, is OPEN EVERY EVENING at 7 o'clock. GRAND SELECTIONS FROM BELLINI'S NORMA AND FLOTOW'S MARTHA. PRINCIPAL ARTISTES, Miss RUSSELL MADAME MARIA MISS TYRREL MISS WILKINSON Mr. 11 - ENRY HERBERT and Mr. BERNARD. Condor for Mr. JONGITMANS. The COMIC Department comprises Messrs. A. B. Hollinzs worth, W. T. eritchflell, J. Blanchard, G. W. Pell, Charley Pox. and E. 'Marshall, in his transformation song, "TIIn DOMESTIC DRAMA," personating five different characters. H. )2 WEATHER.-SUN °MU:, DEC. 2 1860. TRIMMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 52 —highest since noon yesterday. 44 —lowest this morning and during the night. 46 —this clay at noon. BAROMETER-29.68. WlND—South-Easterly; rather fresh, with dull rainy weather in the morning. Afternoon, fine. DEC. 3, THERMOMETER, IN THE SHAMS. 47—highest since noon yesterday. 41--Llowest this morning and during the night. 44—this day at noon. BAROMETER-29.48; falling- rather fast. WlND—South-Easterly ; light, with dull weather. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. THIs DAY.—Morning, 4h. 43m.—Afternoon, sh. 4m. To-mon.Row.-Morning, sh. 27m.—Afternoon. sh. 52m. • ~_..) ~,, 1 .4,V?A;ii.'; ,-.-.. - - /:. ,-- • 4 4-t - )•;' \ AN. ,r cite , , , .... ~..,..._ _ , ..„, ~,...,......i.,....,,,6,...: -1-4, ', • ,":- „ < - t , .. - ,> , .:,..'.';',---.7-- -- : , '' -, , . 1 ' ' • `'---..,''' - `(_,. . ' -.,, -- F. ! , -;...„._.,- --,•. , -,.--A,, _..:%•,-.,;.• , .`„•, 0 N ' -, • 43AA- 1- ' , c, ) =,-,-- , :',. ~,,,,,,...,-A., - , 'el A ', ,b ,- /--,..,-104..--------.._s__,., •, ~ 4 , -- Yr IT E SUN. LoNotx, MONDAY, DEC. 3, 1880. Is it a dream ? That France is really and truly to apply Fne-trade principles to her commerce ? That the French Chambers are to enjoy liberty of speech, and that freedom of the press (so far, at least, as relates to the reporting of the debates occurring in those Chambors i 3 concerned) is to be engrafted upon French journalism ? ..Yoavna//y, all these good things are assured already to France and to Fren.ehmen ! In name they are—but—are they in realify ? " Aye,.±here's the rub !" We can only bide our time and see. We can only hope, so far as hope is in any way possible. Consoling our selves as sympathising advocates and enjoyers of Free-trade, a Free Press, and Free Speaking; con . - soling ourselves, even at the worst, with the reflec tion that it is at least something to have before us the spectacle of a Despotic Government so far con ceding to to the liberality of the age in which we are al 11v1ug; as at any rate to affect the concession of t hese three Priceless boons, each in turn to be regarded as a palladium of Constitutional Go- ve,tnnaent. The arre etatien at least of these concessions we ha we been w i tnessing of late across the Channel as co!lspicuoits among the later acts of NAPOLEON 111. Th ere in France, d ur i ng 1860, the Imperial Ruler has been accnydin_ g to the people, one after another, the " shew" or eiclolon of each of those wondrous gueirantees (already enumerated) of social, and pol itical, and commercial freedom. Upon the latest of these apparent concessions we h ave i n these columns hut very recently commented. It vet remf tins to be seen w hether the y Will or will no t cons! :itute the insertion of the small end of a wedge to bey. afterwards driven home little by little, until Fran na shall at last find herself again Possessed simultaneously of the advantages of a Free Press and ur.:Parliaraentary Government. The Ministers of the Crown in France will still, it is true, be no minate 1 solely and exclusively by the will of the Sover,o gn. They will yet continue to give place, collectively or individually, to other Minis te rs of the Crown—their successors — at the ,rhim or pleasure of their Imperial Master. But—'o enceforth the so-called representatives of the ne,t ion assembled together in the two Chambers will of the ILcgislature, have the power to discuss the pc ti icy of those stationary or changing adminis trate) ; arid henceforth, too, France has the pro mise ) Likewise that the debates thus taking place in tue I m perial Legislature upon the Imperial Policy will be printed in the form of a sort of an official t uv anit-dried epitome day by day in the public journals of the same evening, to be given in extenso the day afterwards in the columns of the Moniteur. Supposing these fair promises to be loyally ful -1 filled, there could not of course remain an instant's doubt but that arrangements of this kind in regard to the Tribune, in the first place, and in the next place in reference to the general constitution of political Journalism, would, by necessity, be to the good—would, in very deed, be what we have all of us hoped it really might turn out to be in earnest, namely the insertion of that small end of the wedge aforesaid—would in point of fact be the inaugura tion of a new era in the consolidation and the popularization of the Napoleonian Government. Remembering what in other respects that Govern ment of the BONAPARTES notoriously is, remem bering that the sceptre of those modern CiESARS, under all its lavish gilding and jewellery, is in truth but an iron rod welded out of the sword of the greatest conqueror and the greatest genius of modern times—one can only, however specious these fair promises may look at the first blush, one can only at the best regard them, so to speak, with half a hope, one can only doubtingly and hesitatingly trust that (in reference to each of these three boons before mentioned) France may get it ! The introduction into France, however, of the Free Trade principles —that was " the first love" among those Three Graces regarded in any way with glances of affection by the present despotic Govern ment of our Gallic neighbours. For that " first love " now i n December, as originally in January, the Imperial Government across the water remains faithful ; and this, moreover, in spite of the count fos3 little petty peddling efforts at opposition directed against it from the first to the last by the purbind multitude of the French Monopolists. Our colx.rnns of that evening will be seen to demon strate in a rather striking manner how faithful, how staunoh in its adherence- to its first impulse towards Free Trade, at the commencement of the year of grace sow closing, the Imperial Government of France conCnues to be. Of the firm adherence of the French Ciovernmext to the principles in volved in the Comoaercial Treaty recently negotia ted between oursePres and our neighbours, the Supplementary Tariff reproduced from the Moniteur of Saturday in The Sun of this evening affords, indeed, a sufficiently forcible attestation. Glance down those columns and you will see clearly enough—though you may chance not to be a thick-and-thin believer in the advantages accruing from Reciprocity Treaties even of 60 most left hand description—you will see clearly enough, even though remaining in considerable doubt and jealousy as to Mr. COBDEN'S late mysterious doings in Paris—you will yet see in very despite of that quite enough in this Supplementary Tariff now appended to the Treaty, and formally com pleting it, to assure you at last that some good may come of it after all : though very far from what was so confidently predicted as certain to result from the Treaty to those who believed in, and who have continued to believe in it unceasingly from the first period of , its announcement. The advantages we shall look for from the treaty, so soon as it shall have come into actual operation, will, nevertheless, be little more than the advantages likely to arise from the ordi nary influences of association ; from the French commercial world " rubbing elbows" with the Eng lish commercial world, and so gradually coming little by little to a recognition of the manifold asd multiform blessings resulting from Free-trade prin ciples. So soon as reliable knowledge shall be ob tained by our French neighbours, away with this other wise intrinsically absurd treaty ! Free-trade then at last assuming the place now occupied by that spectre of Free-trade, the mercantile phantasm of Reciprocity ! The greater part of the general public probably never heard of " the Spinning House." They know more of Spielberg and St. Elmo—Austrian and Neapolitan despotism, and the dungeons by which it has been upheld, and all mutineers against it, vulgarly called patriots, punished, being far better known than the Spinning House and the despotism of his Majesty, the Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge. The ignorant of Cambridge have learned, however, within the last few days what the " Spinning House" means, and have seen that it is a University prison ; they have seen, too, that its inmates do not consist of delinquent members of the University only, but of persons suspected by M. M. the Proctors and Vice-Chancellor of the University, whom ar d the former may have captured in forays into the streets, and into the interior of omnibuses, anywhere about the town. In fact, it comes out that all persons, suspeceas de Inalo, or, according to various proffered translations, "sus pected of wrong," and " suspected of wrong doing," and " suspected of evil," and "guilty of evil"—all such persons might be seized by by the University authorities, and incarcerated at their pleasure in this said " Spinning House." To this place, without a warrant, merely by word of mouth, the Lord Chief Justice tells us, the Vice- Chancellor may commit the unlucky suspcctas de nu 10, there to atone ing i a prison dress and on prison fare, and in the cold and darkness of a narrow ce or being suspected. Now the law of this case it is not for us to dis pute. The Judge lays it down that so it is, and we take his word for it without hesitation. We only say, that if law it be, the sooner it is mended the better. Such a loi des suspects is wholly at variance with all our criminal legislation ; even the Lord Chief Justice in a summing up that leaned strongly to the University authorities, so felt the repugnance between Cambridge proctorial law and the common law of the land, that he felt con strained to remind the jury that, "It was not for them to consider whether the law was just, but to administer the law as it stood." A pretty plain confession that the jury might well be incredulous as to any law au thorising imprisonment by any authority at dis cretion, on the ground of suspicion merely, and without the troublesome * formality of a public trial. The public certainly would hardly have believed, but for the evidence, that any Englishwoman could be arrested by a proctor, and not merely detained till a public trial should be had of her case, but that the Vice-Chancellor could be sent for to this " Spinning House," and that he could, then and there, without the roundabout formality of hearing witnesses for the accused, much less of giving her the opportunity to seek legal advice, order her at once four teen days of " Spinning House" discipline. It is in his power, we believe, to order six weeks of S pinning Hous e di sc ipli n e to those who are unlucky enough The mo ra l s to be suspecte d b y hi m an d the proctors. of the y oung men w h o a t ten d th e University are, of course, the pretext for this anoma lous jurisdiction. But surely the base will not bear the superstructurebuilt on it. Let the Chancellor and the Proctors have what power the Uni vers ity sees fit to give them within its own walls, let them have the fullest control over all who are in any sense mem bers of the University where ver t h ey may find th e m ; let the University confer all the powers over its own subjects which it thinks needful for the morals of its young men ; but in the name of English liberty, and the spirit of English law, let npt University officials have the free inhabitants of ThE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 2, 1860. thcs town at their mercy. With far more reason mi ght the chief officers of barracks claim the right to suspect, to summon to their presence, and to imprison oil suspicion, those whom they thought likely to injure the morals of their men. The case before us, u °twit standing the remarks of the judge (the remarks, we mean, relating to the character'of the facts which were to go to the jury) appears to us one on which an English jury, unhampered by direction from the bench, would not long hesitate. Apart from University Charters and Customs, the facts disclose a gross outrage on the liberty of a respectable young woman. There mighthave been reasonable occasion for the kindly admonitions and warnings of a grave ecclesiastic to a young girl who was off for a not very judicious spree, but the idea of fourteen days' imprisonment, on such a purely constructive offence, constructive suspicion, we might say, is an outrage on common sense. EMMA KEMP, the plaintiff, was so far as all the evidence gives, a respectable young dress maker, living at home with her mother. Not a single fact was adduced to throw suspicion on her character. Her offence was only that for which she was sentenced to the fourteen days' confine ment—and the offence amounted to no more than this,—that on the invitation of Mr. WILLIAM GRAHAM, who proposed to have a frolic on taking his B.A. degree, she and a number of other persons were going with him to a ball, at Shelford, in an omnibus. The house where it was to be held was one of orderly character, and all the attendant circumstances went to prove that nothing more than a " lark" was intended. Of course, we may admit with all parties the impropriety of the damsel's joining such a party; the judge asked whether it was likely the young man would ever make her fair and honourable pro posals, and if so, that the inference could not be to her advantage. But, on the other hand, if a young dressmaker, flattered by the request of one of her superiors, was willing to have a little mirth at his expense, is it fair to assume that she had any thought whatever beyond that of enjoying the fun ? The evidence seems, indeed, as conclusive as in such a case it well could be, that nothing commonly understood by the word immoral in this reference, was contemplated by any party, anti a very slight investigation might have satis fied any one but a Proctor, or a Vice-Chancellor, that this was the case. But, allowing the Vice-Chancellor all the legal authority he could claim, is he not responsible for using it with ordinary discretion ? That, he did, in this instance, the jury could not ;be con vinced. The Judge did what he could to get a "yes," or a "no," from them on the question Did the Vice-Chancellor hear and examine the plaintiff, and was he satisfied of the matte,:'s alleged in respect of the proctors P That they had found her in a carriage and took her up, reasonably suspecting she was there for im moral purposes, j and that the plaintiff had been so in company with undergraduates for idle and dis orderly purposes, as alleged by the proctors.'" To question the jury could not say yes or no, but they could, and did unanimously, express their opinion that the Vice-Chancellor should have made further inquiries before he imprisoned the plaintiff. We quite agree with the jury. Taking the law respecting his powers, as the Court says it stands, he had no moral, social, equitable, and, we hope, no legal right to imprison a British subject, to injure her character, and her health, too, it appears, by the cold and wretched fare of his prison, without the fullest inquiry. The in quiry, too, would have been easy, as it seems that both she and her mother had worked at houses of members of the University. We do not see the necessity for the University authorities having power over the inhabitants of the town in which the University is situated ; they might effect all their objects by dealing with their own alumni. In this case, Mr. GRAHAM, who gave his evidence in a very manly straightforward way, was ready to bear his own responsibility, and there it ought to have stopped. The grievance is that the authori ties, not content with this, without a particle of evidence, and after a most indolent and perfunctory inquiry deprived an innocent British subject of her liberty. If such really be the laws of England, then we cannot stand by the old answer—for we do wish to change them. A CLERICAL IMPOSTER. A few weeks ago the Rev. W. B. Bradford, curate of Rushali, Wilts, finding himself obliged to leave home in consequence of ill health, advertised for a clergyman to perform his duties, and shortly afterwards entered into arrangements with a person calling himself the Rev. William Simpson, whose testimonials were highly satisfactory. This worthy accordingly made his appearance, bringing with him nothing but an empty carpet bag, but with a doleful story of having lost his luggage on the railway ; and Mr. Bradford not only procured him excellent lodgings, but left a quantity of plate for his use in his absence. His first attack was on a neighbouring clergyman for a shirt, after which he patronised several tradesmen in Devizes for clothing, boots, confectionery, groceries, &c., to a large extent, living, in short, on the fat of the land. His sermons were decidedly puseyite in doctrine, and gave little satisfaction, but a collec tion which was made for the Diocesan Association he put in his pocket. After two or three Sundays, however, the Bishop of Salisbury's request to have an inspection of his letters of orders became too pressing to be pleasant, and finding the place get ting too warm for him, he suddenly decamped with his carpet bag full to bursting of Mr. Bradford's plate, and no end of packages, the fruit of his raids at Devizes. Two or three very impertinent letters to the people whom he had cajoled were left on his table. It is now know that the fellow, who has been living in this way some years, is not a clergy man at all, but the son of a bailiff named Burch, living in the neighbourhood of Plymouth, where the swindler was for some time a linendraper's apprentice. His testimonials were of course forged. —Bristol Mercury. BRIGHTON AND SOUTH EASTERN RAILWAYS.- We are sorry to learn that an unpleasant feeling has arisen between these two companies in consequence, we believe, of the Chatham and Dover line having accoss to the London bridge and Victoria stations of the Brighton Company. The 21 miles of railway between London and Red-hill, or Reigate Junction, were wont to be considered a sort of common highway to the two companies, and passengers between the two stations might travel with tickets of either by either line without challenge. About a month or sob ck the South Eastern Company stopped their neigh bour's passengers from using their line and charged them the fares for it. This unpleasant step the Brighton direc tion, as a matter of course, is about to follow. The public will be the sufferers.—Herapath. GREAT FIRE NEAR EUSTON-ROAD.—Yesterday (Sunday) afternoon a fire happened on the premises be longing to Mr. R. Richardson, marquee, tent, horticul tural, and portable house manufacturer, carrying on busi ness at the White Horse factory, Bidborough, treet, street, Euston-road. The premises were of vast extent, being over 100 feet long and 50 feet wide, and contained property of great value, one compartment being filled with marquees, tents, &c. There was also on the premises a great :number of portable houses built of wood and iron, summer house, poultry house, and garden nets, as well as a great assortmont of railway tarpaulings, waterproof capes, patent felt, and transparent sheeting. The work of devastation continued, and the upper floor was burned, the valuable stock therein consumed, and the rocf burned off. The whole of the workshops under and the contents are likewise seriously damaged by fire and water. The origin of the fire is unknown. Mr. Richardson was partially in- , cured in the Sqn, Fire-office Her Majesty's contemplated visit to Osborne, which was fixed for Thursday next, is postponed in conse quence of the prevalence of fever at the Isle of Wight. THE EMPRESS OP THE FRENCH.—Her Imperial Majesty is expected to arrive to-morrow on a visit to her Majesty and the Royal family at Windsor Castle. It is stated that the Empress will stay two nights at Windsor Castle. The Duchess of Sutherland, the Mistress of the Robes, arrived in town on Saturday evening from Trent ham, Staffordshire, by order, to meet the Empress Eugenie, at Windsor Castle. The Duchess, by a singular coinci dence, met the Empress on Saturday while travelling on the Trent Valley line, and had an interchange of compliments. Before the Empress pursued her journey to Leamington the Duchess of Sutherland had time to forward a basket of grapes to her Majesty culled from the vines at Trentham. The Duke of Bedford left Woburn Abbey a few days since for T orquay, with the intention of passing a few weeks at that favoured watering place. The Duchess (Emily) of Beaufort left town on Saturday on a visit to Sir W. C. Codrington, Bart., and Lady Georgina Codrington, at Donnington Park, Glouces tershire. The Marquis and Marchioness of Ailesbury and Miss Harbert are expected to arrive in town to-morrow from visiting the Countess of Dunmore, at Dunmore Park, near Falkirk. His Serene Highness Prince Edward of Saxe- Weimar left town on Saturday on a visit to her Majesty at Windsor Castle. Their Excellencies Count de Persigny and Count ale Flahault go to Windsor to-day to present respectively to the Queen their letters of recall and credence. Viscountess Castlerosse was safely delivered of a son and heir, at her residence in Belgrave-square on Satur day last. Her ladyship and the infant are doing well. Count A. d'Essen, Aide-de-Camp to the Em peror of Russia, has left the Brunswick Hotel, Jermyn street, for Paris, en 9' eute for St. Petersburg. The Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mrs. Gladstone left town on Saturday, on a visit 'to her Majesty at 'Windsor Castle. We (Leeds Mercury) understand there is some intention on the part of the merchants of Bradford to invite the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, Chancellor of the Ex chequer, and Mr. Cobden, M.P., to a public banquet in that town. THE HEALTH 'or SIR PETER FAIRBAIRN.—Since Saturday morning, and during the whole of yesterday, Sir Peter was reported to be easier, and altogether in a more favourable position than for some days. • The Etching Club meets to-morrow, at the house of the member of the rota, This is the first reunion of the season, The Sacred Harmonic Society, Exeter-hall, per form Handel's " Messiah" on Friday next, Dec. 7, with Miss Parepa, Madame Sainton-Dolby, Mr. Sims Reeves, and Mr, Weiss, principal singers. We (A thenceum) are glad to be able to announce that Mr. Woodward, her Majesty's new librarian, is pre paring plans for the publication of the whole body of the Stuart papers in the Queen's possession. These papers com pose, as scholars are well aware, a mass of material for his tory of very great interest. Mr. Woodward will very soon be ready to submit his proposal to her Majesty. FREEDOM OF THE CITY TO GARIBALDI.—Mr. Richardson intends tc move in the Court of Common Council, a resolution tc the effect that the freedom be pre sented to that noble, devoted, and disinterested hero, Gari• baldi. Should this be carried, and the brave general accept the honour, he will meet with a recognition that will show him how responsive is the feeling of liberty in English hearts, eventwhon the struggle for it does not affect Eng lish homes. THE EXPLOSION ON , BOARD THE TONNING.— Two of the sufferers from the late explosion on board the Tonning have left the Great Yarmouth Hospital, and only three of the injured men now remain in that institution, viz., Reay, the chief engineer; Peake, one of the firemen ; and one of the Danish cattleman. If possible Reay will be examined on the resumption of the inquest. THE FRENCH MARINE.—The French Government are actually building steamvessels at St. Cloud for the Im perial Navy. They have just launched from opposite the Park a screw despatch boat called the Argus. She was com menced only in May last, but from 1:50 to 200 workmen have been constantly employed on her. The chief novelty attached to the Argus is connected with her boilers, which are chiefly heated by means of a jet of fire, carried into the water itself by means of a metal worm. The Argus, after having been subjected to various experiments before the Minister of Marine and a body of scentific engineers, will be sent to Cherbourg, there to be fitted out for sea.—. Army and :Navy Gazette. THE CASE OF MISS AYLWARD.--The applica tion on the part of Miss Aylward, of proselytising celebrity, for discharge:on the ground that she was in illegal custody, came before the Court of Common Pleas, Dublin, on Fri day, and the Chief Justice delivered the judgment of the Court on Saturday. His lordship, after reviewing the cir cumstances which had led to the lady's commitment for six months, and which will be fresh in the recollection of our readers, said :—" There was much difficulty in the case, but that the rule of law was, that one court should be bound by the decision of another of co-ordinate jurisdiction until that decision was overruled by a court of error. He dis • claimed any authority in the Court of Common Pleas to review the decision of the Court of Queen's Bench in the case. The judgment of the Court was accordingly that Miss Aylward should be recommitted to prison." THE DOG SHOW AT BIRMINGHAM,—The Field, which has taken a prominent part in getting up the forth- coming show at Birmingham on -Monday and Tuesday next, thus foreshadows its prospects :—" The pointers and setters will be by far tie most numerous; the former ex tending to exactly one hundred specimens, and the latter to forty-three, including, as we are informed, the blood of all the best kennels in the three kingdoms." THE RECENT POACHING AFFRAY, NEAR DERBY. —ln the Manchester Guardian, of Friday last, appeared a full report of an encounter that had taken place on the Tuesday previous, between the servants of Mr. P. W. Cot, Spondon, and four poachers who were beating the game, in the middle of the day. Three of the poachers implicated in the affray, named Arthur Bland, George Calladine and William Harpur (alias Punsh), were brought up before the county magistrates, at Derby, on Friday afternoon last, and after the evidence of Mr. Cox's servants had been taken, together with that of the police, they were fully committed to take their trial, at the next county sessions, for the assault upon George Lavender, one of Mr. Cox's men. Lavender said when he was scuffling with the man, one of them (George Calladine, a returned convict) drew a knife out of his pocket, and attempted to stab him. The managing committee of the Artists' Rifle Corps (38th Middlesex), which body has largely increased in strength of late, have effected a separation of their non effective (or those who have been prevented from attend ing drill by pressure of occupation, illness, or other cause) members from the constant attendants at drill. The former are now to be enrolled amongst the honorary mem b ers, who subscribe, but do not drill. THE PROCTORS AND THE SPINNING HOUSE. This case terminated on Saturday in a very unsatisfactory way. For four hours the jury were locked up. On. being sent for by the learned judge they said they could not agree. The judge, however, with consent, took a verdict for the plaintiff, at the same time expressing it as his opinion that it was an imperfect one. The next step will be an applica tion to set the verdict aside. A FRUITFUL VlNE.—There is living at present near the parish church of Knockbain, Ross-shire, the wife of Mr. Munro, farmer, who has certainly been very suc cessful in fulfilling the command of Genesis i., 28. The worthy woman, who is only 44 years of ago, has had 24 children ; four died at birth, twenty she nursed and weaned ; eight of these are dead, and twelve survive —seven daughters and five eons. Mrs. Munp, adds our correspon dent, "never had any of the above in double or treble ply, and, if spared, she may, from all appearance, have half a dozen morel—Elgin Courant. The report of the Peninsular and Qriental Steam Company was issued on Saturday. It appears that the directors have recently taken active measures to obtain the • decision of the Government upon their application for a new arrangement, which shall consolidate the various con tracts and agreements relating to the India and China postal service. In explanation of their recent notice, re suming from the Ist January next the enhanced rates of freight and passage, which were payable from December, 1853, to August, 1856, it is mentioned that the cost of fuel during the last 12 months has reached the enormous sum of £850,000. OPENING OF ST. PAUL'S CATITEDRAL.--Yester day this building was reopened, after the suspension of Divine service for some months. Certain important altera tions have been going on which will add greatly to the inter nal beauty and effect this magnificent specimen of Italian architecture was, from the first, by the great architect in tended to produce. The application of brilliant colour and gilding to elaborate stone architectural decorations was practised, perhaps always, by the architects of ancient Greece and Rome; and Mr. Penrose himself, the present architect to S. Paul's, in a ver y care f u l work on the ancient remains now existing in Athens, found upon a frieze the colour in situ. Here, however, the result of the reaction which arose in this country against every senti ment and feeling which had marked Roman Catholicism, the plainer the building the more Nirorthy, it was believed, was the service offered in it, until in many parts of the country at this moment the sacred buildings are in a most disgraceful state, and unfit for houses dedict.ted to the ser vice of the Most :High. We are glad that this important step in regard to St. Paul's Cathedral has been taken, and we may canclude by expresstng an earnest hope that, in the midst of the wealthiest city in the world, we shall see the work thoroughlyand efficiently done. THE ADMIRALTY AND THE WARRIOR.—At the eleventh hour, after more than a quarter of a million ster ling has been spent upon building the gigantic armour plated ship Warrior, the Lords of the Admiralty have dis covered that she is not the description of vessel that will combine stability with invulnerability; but after stopping the works for two whole days, pending the deliberations which were being held at Whitehall on the subject, the following decision was arrived at :—" She is not the vessel we could wish for, but, after laying out so much money upon her, it will be as well to see what can be made of her." So, in accordance with this resolution, the company in whose yard the ship is building have been urged to use every possible exertion to got the ship into the water before the end of the year. Thus, vihile we were wasting our energies upon a doubtful experiment, the Emperor of the French has tested his La Gloire, the performances of which have been again reported as having given great satisfaction, and is quietly but rapidly constructing several other vessels i en a sirallar ?tan,—Army and Navy Uazfetet LATEST NEWS. (REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.) PARIS, DEC. 3. The 2Voniteur publishes an article on the warm and enthusiastic reception of the Empress of the French in England. The article announces that the Empress will visit the Queen at Windsor on the 3d December, and concludes thus : " These sympathetic manifestations on the part of the English nation cannot but draw closer the ties which bind the two nations, and prove in a striking manner how well the good sense of the masses know how to treat the violent and incon siderate attacks of which a certain portion of the press fears not to make itself the organ." The liloniteur also publishes the report of M. Hausmann, Prefect of the department of the Seine, on the budget of the city of Paris. He discusses the question of the Octior, and concludes by ex pressing an opinion against its abolition. MADRID, DEC. 2. The .Espana publishes numerous letters from inhabitants of the province of Biscay, energetically protesting against the projects of annexation to France contained in letters which had been inserted in the Espana. PARIS, DEC. 2. The Constitutionnel says there is no intention of dissolving the Corps Legislatif. The Emperor has granted permission to the Bah timore battalion to visit Paris, fully accoutred, in the coming spring. TURIN, DEC. 1 King Victor Emmanuel arrived at Palermo at half•past nine this morning, and was received with extraordinary enthusiasm. The people wished to detach the horses from his Majesty's carriage, and to draw it through the streets. People assembled from all parts of Sicily, and the total number pre sent in the city was estimated at 400,000. His Majesty, before descending at the palace, went to the Cathedral, and was solemnly received by the Archbishop of Palermo. The King afterwards received the constituted bodies, and deputations from the municipalities of Sicily. The sea was calm, and the sun shone brightly. A copyright treaty was concluded yesterday between England and Sardinia. MARSEILLES, DEC. Letters from Gaeta to the 27th ult. state that the fire of the besiegers had slackened. There was a talk of burning the, suburbs on account of their sheltering . the Piedmontese from the fire of the garrison. The dearness of provisions was in creasing. It was said that the King was expecting money. NAPLES, DEC. 1. Montezemolo, Cordova, and Cafarina left to-day for Palermo. The Sardinian law concerning the press, with some slight modifications, has been promulgated. Reactionary movements have been suppressed in the province of Avellino. NAPLES, Nov. 30, A commission, composed of Sardinian and Sicilian officers, has been appointed to examine the titles of the officers of the Two Sicilies who have adhered to the new Government. PARIS, DEC. 1 The Patric says :—" According to the latest news, insurrectionary movements were increasing in the Abruzzi. Colonel Delagrange, with 7,000 Sardinian troops, occupied the defiles o f Vellino, a position of importance." PARIS, DEC. 2, The following notice has been communicated to the Paris papers by Messrs. Rothschild : " The Papal Government has not yet remitted the amount of the coupons of the Roman loan due on the Ist December. "As soon as the total amount is remitted, the bearers will be informed of the time when payment of the coupons can take place." PESTH, Nov. 30, Yesterday Count Carolyi, Obergespann of the Comitat of Pesth, convoked the principal inhabi tants for a preliminary discussion of the question whether a political organisation of the comitat shall take place. After a warm debate it was resolved that the inhabitants of the comitats would not yield a hairsbreadth of their rights and laws and the wishes they expressed in 1848. It was also resolved that all further steps should be determined upon by the general congregation of the comitat, which is to assemble on the 10th of December, CONSTANTINOPLE, Nor. 29, The constitution of the committee for the new loan has been authorised by the Council of Minis. ters. FRANCE. BOURSE, Dec. I.—The business of the settle ment has mainly occupied the attention of specula tors to-day to the exclusion of any fresh operations of importance. The market has been firm, Threes being now at 70f 40c; Mobilier, 773175 c; Orleans, 1,388 f 75c; Northern, 987 f 50c; Mediterranean, 910 f; Austrian, 510 f; Lombard, 4871 50c. The fol lowing are the last quotations:— 41- per per Cents 96 7Q Do end month 3 per Cents Do. end month 7O 20 Bank Shares .. 2930 —I Credit Mobilier 772 50 • Do. Account 772 50 Credit Fowler 920 Belgian 4f 9B Piedmontese Fives BO Roman Austrian Spanish Threes — Home Debt RAILWAYS. Cash. Account. Orleans 1385 .. 1386 25 Northern New ditto 9OO .. Lyons and Mediterranean 910 .. 910 Geneva 405 .. 400 Southern 623 75 .. 525 Western Eastern Sardinian Ay strian Lombard , — .. 485 REPRESENTATION OF SOUTHWARK.—On Satur day evening the friends and supporters of Mr. A. H. Layard met in large force at the Brown Bear, Southwark bridge-road, to hear from the candidate a statement of his claims to represent Southwark in Parliament. The meet ing, whichnumbered at leas:, 3,000, passed a unanimous vote of confidence in Mr. Layard, and pledged themselves to support him at the poll. Mr. George Scovell attended meetings in the evening. Very satisfactory returns were furnished, and Mr. Scovell was received everywhere with enthusiasm. ALLEGED CLERICAL INTOLERANCE AND NEG LECT.—The following statement has been communicated to the Chester Chronicle :—There lies, at Parkgate, a poor woman, apparently not long for this world, who has been regularly visited by the Rev. Mr. Halket, Presbyterin.n minister. A few evenings ago, whilst administering some consolation to the dying woman, the Rev. Mr. Dean, curate of the parish church, Neston, entered the room (for the first time), when the Rev. Mr. H. arose and offered his hand. Mr. D., in silence, shook hands, and, pointing to the door at the same time, said, " There is the door; you are not wanted here." This is only one of the many disgraceful proceedings which occur in this neglected place. It is a well-known fact that the funerals of poor people are often kept waiting at the church gates, in wet and cold, some times half an hour, and not unfrequently three quarters of an hour. Igikkaft AMERICA. LIVERPOOL, SUNDAY. The Royal Mail steamship Persia arrived he:e this afternoon. She brings 91 passengers, amongst whom is Mr. Lindsay, M.P., and diamonds valued at 64,000 dols. A conference of the Bank directors of New York was held ou the 19th ult., and a committee was appointed to purchase 2,500,000 dols. of sterling bills for the joint account of all the banks repre sented, for the purpose of relieving the market for foreign exchange. Salutary results were expected from this measure. The banks in Illinois were in difficulties, and the bills of eight institutions had been thrown out by the Chicago bankers. There was little probability of the South Caro lina banks suspending payment now. The New York money market on the 20th was a little more cheerful under the action of the banks relative to sterling exchange. The relief, however, was but partial. The banks discounted with more liberality, but rates were nominal. Some prime paper had been done as high as 2-h. per cent. per month. Nothing was done below Ito 1 per cent. The weekly bank statement showed a . contractioa in loans of nearly 2,500,000 dols. The stock market was fluctuating. On the 20th ult. stocks opened at a considerable decline, subse quently rallied, but the buoyancy was not retained. Quotations of sterling exchange show a wide mar gin, the range being 100 to 104. .At New Orleans, on the 20th ult., the sterling exchange was quoted par to 1 prem. At Savannah, on the same day, sterling bills were offered at par, without finding purchasers. The latest despatches from the south indicate that if South Carolina secedes, she will be alone in the movement. The President's message for the opening of Con gress was ready. Latest advices from Mexico state that Miramon had resigned, and had been succeeded by Robles. The Glasgow, from Liverpool, had arrived out. Mr. Lindsay spent the week previous to the departure of the Persia at Washington, and con ferred with the Government on the subject of re moving the difficulties in the way of a settlement of the important maritime e questions pending between England and the United States. A grand Republican jubilee was held at Mr. Lincoln's residence on the 20th ult. Mr. Lincola made a short conciliatory speech. Advices from Washington report that a rupture of the Cabinet on the secession question was probable. TILE _RELIEF OF DISTRESS. A large and influential meeting of the supporters of th© New Society for the Relief of Distress in the Metropolis was held on Wednesday atthe Thatched house Tavern. The meeting was for the most part composed of those who had tendered their support to the undertaking. The chair was filled by the Duke of Manchester, who, after introd uc i ng th e subject, called upon Mr. W. Davenport Bromley, the originator of the society, to afford any further information to the meeting which it might be desirable to give. Mr. Bromley then explained fully the object and prospects of the society, its distinctive features being—First, that the entire expenses were to be defrayed by the committee, who thus guarantee to the public that the money intrusted to their charge shall be applied without deduction to the relief of distress. The balance sheet would therefore merely have to deal with the following items :-1, the amount subscribed by the public ; 2, the amount given to the poor ; 3, the balance in hand. Second, its universal and com pletely unsectarian character, no distinction of religion or nation being allowed to influence the just exercise of its charity. Third, the recommen dation of all persons, whether subscribers or not, would be uniformly attended to at publicly adver tised houses of relief in every district. Fourth, it would co-operate with all existing charitable and religious institutions, the clergy and ministers of every denomination, and the magistrates, for the purpose of affording the strongest protection against imposture on the one hand, and neglect on the other. The machinery for carrying out these objects con sisted-1. Of a general committee, by whom all expenses of management will be defrayed. 2. A cen tral board of management, composed of members of the general eommittee,who would make sucharran ge ments as should secure the presence in London of a sufficient number of members at all times of the year to insure the efficient working of the society. 3 District committees, consisting of such residents in the various localities as would be prepared to give their gratuitous services. 4, Visitors. 5. Volun teers, agents of existing societies, &c. Mr. D. Bromley then read out a long list of those who had promised their support to the society. Among the names were those of the Dukes of Beaufort, Wel lington, Argyll, Marlborough, and Manchester, the Duchess of Sutherland, the Dowager Marchioness of Londonderry, Lady Ashburton, the Marquis of Abercorn, the Marquis of Stafford, Lords Ashbur ton, Annesley, Bess borough, Chesterfield, Lichfield, Portarlington, Sefton, Darnley, Dartmouth, Hare wood, Shelburne, Coventry, Craven, Aylesford, and Grosvenor, Baron Rothschild, Viscount Somerton, Sir Augustus Clifford, Mr. Meynell Ingram, Mr. Lane, Mr. Hankey, Mr. Murray, and many others, the satisfactory result being that upwards of £2,000 had been already subscribed for the purposes of the society, which hoped to begin its operations at a very early period. Mr. Murray, of Philiphaugh, one of the promoters of the project, then moved a resolution to the effect that the meeting approved the object of the society, and pledged itself to sup port it in every way. He was followed by the Hon. G. C. Norton and other speakers, after which the resolution was carried unanimously. A vote of thanks was then passed to the Duke of Manchester for his conduct in the chair, and the meeting separated. Among those present were Earl Grosvenor, Earl Darnley, Lord Frederick Fitzroy, Lord Charles Bruce, Mr. Bass, M.P., Mr. Sheridan, M.P., Mr. Kingscote, Mr. W. Lyon, Mr. Lane, &c. [Mr. Davenport Bromley's benevolent scheme having now been formally "ventilated" through the medium of this public Private Meeting in the Thatched House, St. James's—we do earnestly trust that the promoters of the project will not I relax their efforts until such time as a substantial association shall have been fairly organised. Until this one good result of the humane movement cora- mensed by W. D. B. shall in truth have been fairly effected, we shall continue, as we have done from the first, to watch the progress of its development with the liveliest interest and the warmest solici tude.—ED. Sun.] TERRIFIC COLLIERY _EXPLOSION. ABOVE ONE HUNDRED LIVES LOST. NEWPORT, SATURDAY MORNINd. To-day a mino explosion, tremendous in its con sequences, happened at the Black'Vein Pit, Risca, about six miles from this town, and the property of the Risca Coal Company. The colliery has been in work some years in the production of steam coal, and as gas is in such pits more or less generated, the usual preventive measures were adopted. The pit was examined according to custom this morn ing, after which, between five and six o'clock, some 200 men descended. About nine o'clock a terrific explosion occurred, which was heard far above the surface; and upon inspection, it was found that at some distance from the bottom of the pit the gas had fired. Considerable damage was done to the workings. As soon as the ventilation would allow, dead bodies were found in several directions. By twelve o'ciock 11 had been sent up; and at four 40 more had been collected at the bottom of the shaft, the whole being brought up in the course of the evening, and, in carts and on hastily constructed biers, conveyed to their respective homes. At the time of writing between 60 and 70 individuals remained unaccounted for. The general opinion was that all had met their deaths. If so, no less than 120 men and boys have perished, together with 28 horses. The cause of the explosion cannot yet he stated. The locality is in a state of the most painful excitement. Anxious inquiries, dejected men, and weeping women and children surround th e pit, and are to be met with on every hand. THE VOLUNTEER ZOUIVE PROJECT.—A corre spondent writes :—" This climax of the many absurdities which have disfigured the volunteer movement now seems doomed to speedy extinction. Within the last week Lord Enfield, M.P., the new commandant of the 29th North Middlesex Rifle Corps, has intimated through his adju tant, Captain W. Jones, to the candidates for popular ridi cule—happily for the credit of the country their number is small—that he cannot consent to admit them into his corps as Zouaves, though he will be happy to receive them in the ordinary costume of the regiment. What Lord Enfield's good sense has so properly condemned, surely no other metropolitan commandant will be weak enough to sanction; WHEN ARE THE .7% 7 RIF PUBLIC OFFICES TO BE COMMENCED How is it that the public are still kept in the dark as to what is eventually to be done with the public offices in general, and with the Foreign-office in particular ? Rumours are afloat that the Foreign office is in such an unsound condition that Lord John Russell does not feel safe when a cabinet is summoned to meet there, and that, therefore, his lordship and staff are forthwith to remove to Spring -gardens, until something definite shall be arrived at as to the class of architecture to which the new edifice shall belong : whether it shall be built upon its present site; or whether the plan originally recommended by the Committee on Public Offices, of having them in close contiguity, and near the Houses of Parliament, is to be carried into effect. The difference of opinion as to the style of architecture of the new building is as great as ever. Lord John Manners, the late Chief Commissioner of Works under Lord Derby's Administration, is as firm a supporter of the medireval system as ever, whilst Lord Palmerston will not give way one iota as to the Italian design, which he has so strenuously supported. The Chief Commissioner of Works naturally adopts the views of his illustrious relative ; but there is still the House of Commons to be dealt with, and they have as yet shown a determination not to allow a stone to be laid for the new offices without their sanction. The two former chief commissioners and the pre sent are at variance. Lord Llanover is for the plan as originally recom men d e d, o f having all the public offices concentrated. Lord John Man ners does not take so comprehensive a view, and would prefer that the buildings should occupy something about the same site, but that the architecture should be Gothic. Mr. Cowper does not like to ask the House of Commons for thelarge sum that would be required to complete the ori ginal plan, and therefore proposes to adopt the present site generally, to sink the concentration, but to adopt an improved system of architecture. Each have partisans who more or less chime in with their views, and they are as firmly attached to them as if the question was really one of great poli tical importance. There is, however, this distinc tion ; the two latter chief commissioners only fall foul with the first on the ground of expense. Lord Llanover would take the site as originally proposed, from the Thames up to Whitehall to St. James's park, and have all the public offices, figuratively speaking, under one roof. Lord John Manners and Mr. Cowper (the late Mr. Fitzroy held the same opinion) admire the proposition in the abstract,but demur to the details and to the cost. The tem porary removal of the Foreign-office to Spring gardens will, at the very least, entail a first charge of £20,000, besides a variety of con tingencies, to which every one knows public depart ments are subjected. Granted that the Foreign office is removed to Spring-gardens, at the above cost, what then may be expected? Why, that the old office will be pulled down, and thus add another eyesore to that which is presented by the vacant piece of ground opposite to the Privy Council office, and next to the Foreign-office, for which the Government paid large sums, and which for years has been allowed to remain useless, except as afford ing facilities for bill-stickers. It is much to be feared that once the Foreign-office is removed to Spring-gardens, the old edifice pulled down, and the officials comfortably settled in their new habi tation, they will not care to trouble the Government to press on with the new office, and then the interest of the purchase money will be lost to the public. Great, however, as is the loss there can hardly be more than one opinion that it should be incurred rather than an incongruous pile of buildings should be erected without any reference to the great plan of concentration that may eventually be carried into effect. The House of Commons at the present time has large .; demands to meet. The constituents twit their members with a tenpenny income tax and the high price of provisions, and the members, especially the representatives of country cities and towns, hardly dare vote for a large outlay, although it may ulti mately prove an economical work. With respect to public offices, however, the great objections raised against employing the public funds for metropolitan improvements cannot apply. Because although the erection of new and proper offices would materially add to the beauties and attractions of the metropolis, yet they could not by any ingenuity of reasoning be considered as other then national works. The House of Commons has voted several millions for the fortifications of the country ; its executive might, therefore, be fairly entrusted in laying out Ohne few hundred thousands in providing sufficient accommodation !for the public service. The sum of money annually paid as house rent for the accommodation of the public departments is enormous ; and if this amount were only capita lised, enough would be raised to erect almost all that the public requirements demand. The great scheme must come sooner or later. When the new Westminster -bridge is opened, and the beauties of its proportions seen, an outcry will be raised that all the buildings which intercept the view of the bridge and the palace at Westminster should be at once removed, and this will evidently be done. But whilst the Govern ment has its hands practically tied by a House of Commons who will not vote the necessary funds, they can do nothing ; and thus it will turn out that that which might have been obtained reasonably will not eventually be procurable for less than three times the amount. The freeholders, the lessees, and the tenants of the prope r ty, o f course , take every advantage of this interregnum, and by making showy improvements and increased income tax returns, will be able to squeeze out of Govern ment a much larger sum than the public ought to pay.— Observer. PAUPERISM IN _ENGLAND AND WALES' The Poor Law Board have just issued a set of tables giving an account of the number oZpaupers is the various " unions" of England and Wales at the end of the first half of the year 1860, but not includ ing parishes incorporated under Gilbert's Act, or still under the Act ofElizabeth—an exception which makes the returns of the Board to a certain degree imperfect, extending as it does to a portion of the kingdom containing r a th er more than a quarter of a million of persons in 1851. The returns comprise 646 unions and parishes, with a popula tion of 17,672,475 at the last census, and now esti mated at 19,740,000; and the number of paupers relieved on the Ist of July last was 817,573 (104,204 in -door, 713,369 out-door). This givesthe proportion of paupers as one in 24, or 4.20 per cent. on the estimated population ; the ratio for the year ending at Lady-day, 1849, was 6.2 per cent. ; for the year ending at Lady-day, 1856, 4 8 per cent. since which date it has been further decreasing. It is true that on the I s t o f J u l y , 1859, the number of paupers was only 817,082, but the apparent increase this year is accounted f or by the circumstance that many unions have now included in their statements of the number of paupers relieved two classes not hitherto reckoned in such returns—n ame l y, paupers receiving medical relief only and non-resident paupers, so that these last, we pr esume, are counted twice over. Excluding now the vast pa r i s h o f St. Pancras, the returns of which are not so exact in their details as those of othe r p l aces, we can give some analysis of this great c ompany of the poor. First, it may be decided thus —There were 162,337 men, 357,271 women, 289,587 c hild ren un d er 16 , and Ivaguants, the m en th us f orm i ng 2 0 per cent.; 7 th 3 e 7 women 44'1, th e c hild ren 35 - 7. Again, a classification may be made upon a different prin ciple : 338,497 are described as able-bodied, 438.935 as not able-bodied, and 31,763 insane, the 1,737 vagrant s completing the number; the able bodied formi ng 4 1 . 8 per cent., the not able-bodied 54.1, the i nsane, 3 . 9. Still another division may be made, ex cept i ng the vagrants, but it is necessary to explain that, in Poor Law computation, children relieved with able-bodied parents are classed as able-bodied, while children relieved without their parents, or with parents not able-bodied, are classed as not able bodied; so reckoning, we find the able bodied class consist of 28,367 men, 95,205 women, and 214,925 children under 16; the not able-bodied —120,398 men, 244,524 women, and 74,013 children ; the insane -13,572 men, 17,542 women, and 649 children. Lastly, concerning these able bodied paupers and their children, there is an account supplied by 629 unions of th e causes which brought them on the poor-rates—an account apply ing to 303,797 out of the 338,497 able-bodied paupers above-mentioned. The description of Class 2 appears to require explanation or correction, but we can only give it as it stands in the return . Causes of relief to oat-door able bodied paupers, July 1, 1860. 1. Widowhood—widows Children dependent on them 2. Families dependent on males in classes 2,3, and 4—wives Children „ 3. Sickness, accident, or Children Men. Women. under 16. 49,232 - - 123,646 19,6 18 51„194 mity—Their own .......... 16,11 G That of any of the family, or funeral 4. Husbands non-resident 7,376 - - 3,867 10,102 - 1,568 4470 - 2,122 5. Husband in gaol, tte 6. Bastardy --mothers Children 7. Husbands in the army or navy Wives Children — 3,407 8. Single women without children 5,267 9. Want of work and other causes BC9 ____ 10. Sudden and urgent necessity 117 .___ 1,435 24,478 83,139 196,18 0 It will be seen from this table that of the large number returned as "able bodied paupers," not quite a 12th-part ar e men. The proportionate numbers mayulbeardst women, be taken children under 16. pn about one adult man d as eight • 3,261 Ales; of Am prices l ax l y to la 10 s•; south ti ne() Great North The south 131 I In 1 kent 55 •9 at Soil ti nue N avin 2 , 6 1 21 4ted 3 Per ( 4Per ( V ew 3 14 dia, vitt Fitt Ditt 33 itto uitt D itty ) itt i °4 Mol ,ig e h e bitt sligl of nog( indi i t ll tazl -44 i, I) 4tti, owi