The Sun. — London, England, 1869-01-20 00:00:00

'SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS, The Times thinks that the new Board of Admiralty hat addressed itself to an arduous task. It is certain that s serious check must be applied to our naval expenditure, and equally certain that the way to do it has not yet beer discovered. It is evident that the singularity of the cir cumstances is adverse to the attempt. That it may be successful yet, by some new and unknown way, cannot be denied ; but appearances are always against it. Of course it is the new broom that sweeps clean, and the new housemaid that always declares such dirt and dust and cobwebs were never seen as those she inherits from het slovenly predecessor. We have a sweep of the new broom in the circular letter we published on Tuesday. The charges against the late housemaid were fulminated far and wide from the British hustings in December. The Board of Admiralty seems to propose to attack the establishments and the comprehensive subject of naval expenditure in detail, at every point where it is possible to apply a test. Appealing, in the first instance, to the public spirit of officers and the whole staff employed, they urge economy of time, labour, material, anlgenerally that saving which is commonly understood by the sub stitution of the head to save the work of the heels. Of course material may be visibly wasted ; there may be heaps accumulated only to rot, or to be thrown away ; there may be bodies of men employed on work mani festly useless ; officers may coal their ships where coal, of course, is dear, because it has come the greatest distance. There are persons who never think of the cost. It is hardly possible to get up equal vigilance, or even equal prudence, when one enjoys perfect immunity from the risk, and perhaps wins equally, whatever the result. The Board of Admiralty, therefore, proposes to supply, as far as possible, this vigilance, this prudence, and this calculation and common sense, which, under the circum stances, it is so difficult for the various employ& to supply for themselves, and it begins by an appeal to the officers of the navy and naval establishments to assist in the work of self-control. The Standard considers that English statesmen must shortly direct their attention to the question of emigration as a means of national relief. The evil of pauperism is great, and the burden is more than the nation can bear. It is clearly time that some great national effort should be made, in the interests both of the poor and of the country, to deal with this frightful evil in some more rational and less empirical way. To give money to those who either cannot or will not make money is bad philanthropy and worse economy. To keep a million of Englishmen in a state which forces them to be idle, while it compels us to maintain them in idleness, when, at the same time, there are vast lands in oar possession which require only men to develope their wealth, and to become productive to ourselves and to the world, is a policy of which it is incomprehensible that it should need condemnation. Yet this is precisely what England is content to do. The owner of a territory larger than that of any empire which the world ever saw, she persists in confining her population of thirty millions to two small islands ; in keeping all her swarms in the parent hive ; in burdening herself with the charge of those who have not sufficient room within her narrow bounds. Here is a plain and obvious relief for an acknowledged evil. We have an enormous domain lying waste for want of men to cultivate it, and we prefer to keep our poor at home instead of sending them where they can be of use to themselves and to us. In North America we have a terri. tory of some seven hundred millions of acres in extent occupied by a population of barely four millions. In Aus. tralia we have the whole of a vast and rich continent, equal in extent to the entire territory of the 'United States, in habited along the sea-board by a population of less than a million and a half. In New Zealand we have two islands as large and as productive as our own, with a climate and soil exactly analogous to those of Great Britain, occupied by a population considerably less than that of the city of Westminster. Is it not monstrous that we should make no attempt to turn these lands to use, by distributing over them a portion of our superfluous population ; that we should go on paying eleven millions a year out of the national earnings in maintaining a million of persons in idleness, while there is this grand field for labour lying waste and untilled ? All that our colonies want is men ; yet we complain that we are burdened by too many. The Daily News declares that some people seem to exaggerate the difficulties of the settlement of the ievenuei of the Irish Church, and that they are not justified in so doing. If, indeed, Parliament had to construct a new Established Church, the forebodings we occasionally hear would be more intelligible. As the case stands, however, Parliament will simply have to make over a sum of money; ;end the organisation required will be, so far as Parlia. nient is concerned, strictly an organisation ad hoc. A little reflection on the manner in which this necessity arises may serve to put its nature and extent in a clearer light. The property of an Established Church naturally partakes of a double character. In the eye of the law it is simply a fund reserved by the State for certain specified purposes. But inasmuch as these purposes are carried out by a private association, and the fund itself has been largely increased by the liberality of individuals, there arises a doubt whether the donor of this or that particular benefaction may not have designed to enrich the private association rather than the State reserve. When the disestablishment of the Church is determined on, it follows as a matter of course that this reserved fund must for the future be appropriated to other objects. Concerning the future position of the Irish Church it thus remarks. Whatever social prestige may continue to attach to membership of the Irish Church can. not, of course, be touched by legislation, but the utmost care must be taken not to add to this the smallest iota of political prestige. There must be no pretext given for the notion that in Ireland Protestantism is still the religion of the rulers, and Roman Catholicism the religion of the ruled. If, then, the Irish Episcopa• lians are anxious to make any such proposal as that we have referred to— an anxiety of which, to do them justice, they have shewn remarkably few traces —it will be to their interest to bear in mind that it is by this standard that their wishes will be judged. So far as these wishes affect none but those who entertain them they may be sure of favourable consideration. It is only when they conflict with those more important objects for which dis establishment has been undertaken that they stand any chance of being disregarded. But if they should so con flict, disregarded they assuredly will be. An ecclesias tical revolution cannot put up with half-measures. The Telegraph thinks that it is a serious business to read a bishop's triennial charge, and commends the decision of the Bishop if Gloucester in giving up the old custom of the triennial charge and determining to deliver a short address annually. The pastoral address which the right reverend prelate has just publkehed, is notable for another reason besides its attack on triennial prolixity and dull ness. Dr. Ellieott does not shut his eyes to the fact that the " Church is .in danger." That is no longer a mere hustings cry, raised to frighten timid old women of both sexes into the idea that the Liberals are in league with the Liberation Society, while the Liberation Society is in concert with the Prince of Darkness. The truth is far otherwise. Neither clergymen nor lay men now deny that the Church of England is passing through one of the most critical stages in her history, and that she has to fear, not the attacks of Mr. Miall, but the incompetence of her ordained champions. On this point Dr. Ellicott uses the plainest language. " Subjects," he says, " that a few years ago were but little noticed, are now restlessly discussed ; questions that we might fairly deem closed are now being everywhere re. opened, especially in reference to the divinity of Our Blessed Lord, to the authority of Scripture, to the whole cycle of questions pertaining to man and man's salvation, and, latently, but still very pervasively, to Eschatology, or the doctrine of the last things. All these subjects are now freely discussed ; they are touched upon even in our newspapers and in the current literature of the day, and can no longer be safely left unnoticed in our pulpits." Passing to the subject of Ritualism, the Bishop of Gloucester speaks of the decision recently pronounced by the Judicial Committee in terms which arc admirable for their common sense. "Now," he says, "that the law has been finally declared in the matters called in question, it is the solemn duty of every faithful member of the Church of England cheerfully to obey it." THE MANCHESTER EXPERIMENT. The Star attaches great importance to the Manchester Ballot, and thinks the precedent which it will establish will be of the highest importance. Such a choice as is about to take place cannot be made to the satisfaction of the electors without proving the efficacious character of the means resorted to. These means have not been altogether unused in our electoral proceedings, for though the Ballot has been successfully resisted in Parliament, it has more than once been employed by the Liberal constituencies to decide between rival candidates. But these cases have been comparatively insignificant, and the Ballot has been tak en w ith littl e ceremony an d no special precautions for secrecy. In fact, the Ballot has been used without any thought of deriving from a local experiment an argument for the general employment of that method of voting. More over, it. has been used witho u t p ro p er care b e i ng to o b ta i n ae nearly as possib.c the suffrages of all concerned. And in the actual voting there has been a great deal of muddle. Whatever local utility, therefore, may have accrued fr.,m resort to the Ballot in these examples, they did not greatly, improve the position of secret voting before the country at large ; and this is what is to be expected from the 11fan cheater experiment. The Liberals who voted in the last e!ection number some twenty thousand. In fact, they con stitute of themselves a great community. Twenty thousand persons living within one borough-, and owning party allegiance, cannot avail themselves formally and metho dically of the Ballot without establishing a precedent of great value. First, it will provide for the settlement of differences wherever there is an unmanageable number of candidates. Secondly, it will lead up to the general adoption of the Ballot, since a.system which may be suc cessfully employed, even in the absence of the usual electioneering appliances, could not but succeed when practised with all the advantages of legal establishment throughout the.countrY. ADDRESS TO THE LORD-LIEUTENANT. The following address was presented yesterday to his Excellency Earl Spencer, Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland:— " We, the Vice-Chancellor, Doctors, and Masters of the University of Dublin, desire to approach your Excellenc3 with the expression of our respectful congratulations or your appointment of the high office of the representa. tive in Ireland to her Moat Gracious Majesty the Queen. Our university has an .historic life and cherished traditions. Founded by Queen Elizabeth, its privileges have been graciously confirmed by our Queen Victoria. It has endeavoured to fulfil its duty to the State by dif. fusing those influences which emanate from well-ordered and liberal education, from religious literature, and science. It has thus sought to be the ally of the State, in promoting social order, self-reliance, and peaceful progress in Ireland, objects which we doubt not that your Excel lency has at heart, and the encouragement of which, as iustitia pneveniens, non puniens, will be regarded by your Excellency as of paramount importance to our national prosperity." Earl SPENCER, in reply, pledged himself to study well the questions pressing on the attention of the Govern ment, and assured his hearers that the question of the amnesty should receive his anxious consideration. 311?. CARTER, M.P., .AND MR. ILLING WORTH, M.P., ON EDUCATION. Mr. Alderman Carter, M.P., and Mr. IlThsgworth, M.P., have been addressing the members of the Idle Mechanics' Institute, at their annual meeting. Mr. Carter said he did not like the present system of education in England, which he held to be unjust, because it helped those who helped themselves, and would not help those that could not do so. He objected to it also as being denominational, since he held that national education should be purely secular, and that religous education should be given by the Efferent sects with which school children were con nected. If the English system were applied to Ireland, the result would be that £300,000 •of the money given annually to Ireland would go to teach Roman Catho licism. We were doing very little for national education compared with what was being done in other parts of the world, especially in Massachusetts, where one-fifth of the population attended day-schools, each scholar costing the State £1 ss. 9d. yearly, while our scholars only cost 15s. per head. Mr. Illingworth, M.P., was more sanguine about the prospects of England, and held that though her system of national education was defective, there were traits in her national character which kept the people from falling behind their neighbours. Like Mr. Carter, he hoped to see a new system of national instruction, in which religious teaching should be left to voluntary effort. DISCHARGED PRISONERS' AID SOCIETY. The annual general meeting of the Manchester and Sal lord Discharged Prisoners' Aid Society was held on Mon day, in the Town Hall, Manchester. The meeting was largely attended, it having been announced that Lord Stan ley was to take the chair, but a telegram from Knowsley informed the secretary that the noble lord had missed the train, and desired that his apologies be made to the meeting. Mr. Birley, M.P., was voted to the chair. Letters of tpology wero read from many influential persons, among them the Ilecarder of Manchester, who said he considered the subject of the asscciation a most important one, and that the repeated conviction of so many criminals was strong evidence that tho present system of dealing with them had (ailed. The chairman moved the adoption of the report, and declared that our legislators had not yet sclved the problem of the soundest modo of dealing with the criminal classes. The cessation of the trans portation system had greatly increased the difficulties of the affair, but he would rely upon the efforts of such a society as this, and a better administration of prisons. Mr. Hibbert, M.P., as chairman of the visiting justices of the Salford prison, expressed his sympathy with the objects of the society. The Limo Lad come when they must see that their duty to the' criminal population did not ceaso at their discharge from gaol.; Mr. Thomas Dickens said that it had been remarked of the sccety that it attracted rogues and vagabonds to Manchester, but, looking at the question in a national point of view, he did not regret the circumstance. Criminals were attracted to Manchester by tho fact that they would be assisted to gain an honest living if they were so disposed, and it must be borne in mind that they were under the surveillance of the police, and some clue was given tJ their whereabouts. LAW AND POLICE, A DISPUTED APPOINTMENT. —At the Court of Queen's 3ench, Mr. As:good, formerly registrar of the City sheriff's Court, brought an action against Mr. Nelson, the City solicitor, for a certain amount of salary. It seems that Mr. Asgood wasregistrar of the court, and Mr. Aikman bailiff. Some disputes arose between them and the judge of the court, a , AI an inquiry took place before a committee of the Court of Common Council. Both gentlemen were removed from their offices, and Mr. Nelson, the defen :lant, was appointed registrar. The question raised was ss to the power of removal, the plaintiff contending that the office was an ancient one, and of the nature of a free hold. The case was not concluded. As AWKWARD MISTAKE.—At Bow-street Police-court, a constable of the A division, was charged with a violent and unprovoked assault on an engineer. It seems that the constable, who was in plain clothes, was watching for a thief in St. James's Park, and mistook the complainant, who was a respectable man, for the culprit. The complainant, on being seized, flung down his bundle and ran away, pursued by the policeman. A scuffle ensued, when the engineer was somewhat injured. The magistrate remarked that it was a very difficult case to deal with, but finally dismissed the charge, remarking that the complainant ought to be compensated for his injuries. A WORKHOUSE OFFICIAL.—Edward Charles r taskmaster of Lambeth Workhouse, was charged at Lambeth Police-court with stealing some silver from another officer of the establishment. In defence, he said it was done in a joke. The magistrate said it was no joking matter, and committed him for trial, refusing bail. A CRUEL IMPOSITION.—At Guildhall, on Tuesday, two cases were exposed, in which persons who had answered advertisements of situations for disposal had been vic timised. In one case a young woman had in this way lost £2, which she deposited on her engagement as an accountant, but on going into the City to commence her duties, found the office closed. In the other a man paid £5 on receiving the appointment of money-taker to a travelling concert company, and on proceeding to Per shore, in - Worcestershire, to join the company, found that the post was filled by a man who had paid £2O for it. ASSAULT ON THE POLICE.—At the Middlesex Sessions, on Tuesday, the grand jury made a presentment with respect to the numerous and increasing cases of assault with violence committed on policemen in the execution of their duty, and expressed their opinion that flogging was the only punishment that would adequately meet such cases. The assistant judge promised to forward the recommendation to the proper quarter. TESTIMONIAL TO MR. R. YOUNG.—At a meeting which has been held of the subscribers to the testimonial to this gentleman, who was the Liberal member for Cam bridgeshire, it was reported that the subscriptions were coming in liberally, and Thursday, February 11, was fixed upon for a banquet to Mr. Young, and the presenta tion of the testimonial. The banquet will be held at Cambridge. Two other members of the Ministry have been troubled with the bottle-nosed whales. The Duke of Argyll, in reply to a letter from Mr. Drew, writes:---"I believe there is no doubt whatever that the bottle-nosed whale feeds upon fish. It is the great Greenland whale whose gullet is so small. The food of this animal con sists of minute and gelatinous organisms, but the bottle nosed whale is armed with formidable teeth, which must be intended and kept for the capture of fish. I must add that I believe the capture of bottle-nosed whales to be difficult and quite unremunera.iive." A similar communication addressed to Mr. Lowe is dismissed as fol. lows - " 11, Downing-street, Whitehall, Jan. 15, 1869.—Sir, I am desired by the Char.cellor of the Exchequer to acknow ledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday's date.--I am, &c., C. RAVELS WILSON." IGNORANCE.—The German savants who went to Bombay last year to observe the great eclipse have (the Daily News remarks) brought home a poor account of what they saw, the eclipse having been visible only for six seconds. But they tell some curious stories about the natives of India and the state of their educa tion. At a meeting of the Geographical Society, held last Friday at Berlin, Dr. Tietjens, who was one of the party of observers, mentioned that during the period of the eclipse the assembled natives paid no attention to the phenomenon itself, as they were entirely engrossed with watching the tent and the opera tions of the European magicians. They believed that the whole thing had been got up for the amusement of the Governor, who was present ; and after it was over they addressed a petition to him that lie would kindly allow the exhibition to be repeated. Dr. Tietjens also narrated one or two other traits of the natives, from which it would appear that the European Schoolmaster has still a large field before him. Somewhere in the neighbourhood of Bombay some ploughs which had been imported from England were regarded, not as the instruments but as the gods of agriculture, and were pre served in a temple as an object . of prayer. The Times Madrid correspondent sends important intel ligence from Spain. The Duke of Montpensier's candida ture is impossible on account of his being a Bourbon ; a republic is dangerous ; and, indeed, both these alternatives are obnoxious to France. It is added that the Italian Government has never proposed the Duke of Aosta, but if Spain solicits him Italy will accede. This is very kind of Italy, and it may now be concluded that the second son of King Victor is in the ascendant. It matters not whether he has been proposed by the Italian Government cr Eo lom: as is le s t. by the process of elimination, the only candidate in the field. The elections Madrid have g‘me in favour of the Monarchists, but at Seville, Alicante, Barcelona, and Saragossa the Republicans have won. LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 20, 1869. TJII SUN, FOREIGN NOTES. THE ALABAMA CLAIMS The American correspondent of the Zeiegrap4 enum crate s the principal modifications which have been made in the treaty for the settlement of the dispute between England and America. The treaty is to be called a protocol, instead of a convention. In the original settlement it was agreed that the commission should decide the claims arising out of the Alabama depredations by a majority, but on other claims they must be unanimous. It is now agreed that a majority shall suffice in all cases. The mode of selecting an umpire is also to be altered. When the commissioners cannot decide a case, they shall report the disagreement to their respective Governments ; and if no umpire be agreed on within six months, then the commission on each side is to select a name for itself, and the umpire is to be chosen by lot. In addition to these changes, we announced some time ago that the commission was to sit at Washington, instead of at London. Thus, though no vital principle has been given up on either side, the protocol differs as a whole very consider. ably from the original form of settlement. The result in the shape of the convention which has been laid before the Senate of the United States, may now be summed up as follows :—The principle of arbitration as at first suggested has been retained, but modified in some respects. All claims whatever, which may have been made by either of the two Governments upon the other since 1853, are to be referred to a mixed commission for arbitration, and for full and final settlement. The commission will cons . st of four members, two to be named by each Government. It will meet as soon as possible at Washington, and its first duty will be to choose an umpire on the conditions just mentioned. The tribunal thus constituted will be com petent to decide all cases brought before it, including the Alabama claims. Here we find the most important altera tion. Under Lord Stanley's settlement, the Alabama claims were made the subject of a distinct mode of treat ment ; now they are to be referred to the commission. An important exception is, however, made respecting the choice of the umpire. In the case of the Alabama claims, if the commissioners, or any two of them, should think it desirable that a person in the rank of a sovereign should be the arbitrator in respect of any claims, it will be incumbent upon the two Governments within six months to agree upon the bead of some friendly State, and to invite him to decide upon the justice of the claim. Hence it will always be in the power of the English representa tives to refer any claim involving very important con siderations to an independent sovereign, and, as the Times remarks, the arbitration of our primary liability in the case of the Alabama is secured to us. The Times, how ever, is of opinion that an arrangement has been made by which the Americans earn t, under this rather elastic pro vision, insist upon referring our recognition of the South as a belligerent. We have alm ays refused to submit this to arbitration, and it would not do to be hoist with our owu petard. It is important to note the manner in which the various claims are to be submitted. No unlimited investigation will be permitted. The commissioners will consider only such evidence and information as may be furnished by the two Governments. Every statement or document pre sented to t' e 1 urn . er this authority they will, however, be bound to receive, and also, if required, to hear one person on each side as the counsel or agent of such Governer ent. But though the commissioners will be bound to peruse al evidence, they are not compelled to consider it all as relevant. Two years is the term within which the labours of the commission are expected to be concluded. All claims are to be presented within six months from the day of their first meeting, except in special cases, for which three months more may be allowed. Compensations are all to be paid within eighteen months of the decision. Lastly, the two parties make a solemn declaration that the proceedings of the commission shall be considered a final settlement of all claims since 1853. arrangements for effecting that purchase were carried out.'? MR. XENOS AND OVEREND AND GURNEY. Stefanos Xenos has published a denial of the state ment made on Saturday by the official liquidator in the case of Overend, Gurney, & Co., to the effect that he was a debtor for the sum of £144,000, and that no attempt had been made to recover the debt, which was considered hopelessly bad. Mr. Xenos explains that in March 18k33 he' sold, by a properly drawn up contract, the steamers of the Greek and Oriental Steam Naviga tion Company, of which he was the sole owner, to Messrs. Overend, Gurney, and Co. for some thou sands of pounds. The purchasers engaged to pay all the debts and to collect the moneys belonging to the Greek and Oriental Company on account of freights and grain unsold. Mr. Xenos asks how, in face of this contract, he can be charged with a debt of £194,000; and he adds that the business of the company was carried on till 1865 by Messrs. Overend's nominee. In conclusion, he expresses his belief that Mr. H. E. Gurney and Mr. Birkbeck are most honourable men, and the victims of the acts of others. The Greek and Oriental episode was but one act of the great commercial drama of Lombard street, and Mr. Xenos declares that he is waiting for the result of the present trial before he publishes in detail the history connected with it. Mr. Xenos vouches for Messrs. Gurney and Birkbeck; /- vouches for Mr. Xenos ? ments connected with magisterial law, with salaried clerks, and greater care in th© selection of the clergy men put in-the commission, such an affair as that of Willenhall could not wenn TURKEY AND GREECE. The Conference has done its little best, and the protocol awaits the assent of Turkey and Greece. Some autho rities think that everything promises a conciliatory result; others are doubtful of the attitude of the Turkish repre sentative, who awaits instructions. The LiberV believes that the only object of the Porte was to gain time, and thinks that the Powers have been outmanoeuvred by Turkey as well as Greece. The same journal has received a telegram from Constantinople, stating that the Porte continues its rigorous measures against Crete and the Greek shipping. Preparations for war still go on, and fresh reinforcements have been sent to Thessaly. SPAIN. CEItIIANY. The project of a South German Confederation seems to have died of inanition. Three of the four States are con tent with their independence and their alliance with the North ; Bavaria alone, who would attain the first place in a Southern Confederation, still endeavours indirectly to bring it about. Hitherto, however, its intrigues have met with no success. It has even failed in its attempt to create a combined army of the South. An endeavour to establish common consulates for the four States has met with no better reception. A certain number of these con sulates already exist, but they are common to North as well as to South Germany, and the Wurtemberg journals contend that to maintain consuls for the South only would be a needless expense. D EN MARK,. A slight difficulty has arisen between Denmark and the United States respecting the Island of St. Thomas. This Danish possession was sold to America, but Congres;, after the Alaska purchase, refused to ratify the bargain. The Danish Government, however, urges that it could treat only with the Executive Power ; that the treaty is therefore valid, and that the honour of the United States Government is involved in its sincere execution. A deft• nite decision will be given by Congress. RUSSIA. The Marquise de Caux (Adelina Patti) arrived at St. Petersburg on the 10th. She received an almo st official welcome. The director of the Imperial theatres and several of the attaches of the French Embassy awaited her at the railway station. The charming singer has turned the heads of the phlegmatic Russians ; wines, scents, and articles of dress have been christened after her, and the name of Patti figures as prominently in the Russian capital as recently did La Lanterns in Paris. Accordingly, when the Marquise made her debut, the audience was prepare to be frantic. It recalled her forty times during the per formance of "La Sonnambula." It does not appear why they stonned then. MISCELLANEOUS NEWS. THE REDUCTIONS. The Admiralty is not only determined to stop wastefulness itself, but is anxious that those under its control should learn to practise economy. A circular has just been issued calling upon every one to co-operate with the Board in the work it has undertaken. The following paragraph will shew the spirit in which the notice is written : " Economy in administration is attained not only by spending no more than is necessary on the work which is undertaken, but (still more) by not under taking work unless it be absolutely requisite for the public service. Moreover, effective control over expenditure is better secured by holding compe tent officers responsible (within due limits) for necessary work, and by enforcing the con sequences of that responsibility, than by too minute interference by superior authority." Each official, from Admiral-Superintendent to clerk, is told to be oh his guard. One order is especially worth notice, as directed against one of the greatest evils of our Government offices. " Officers in every branch of the service are enjoined to reduce the amount of useless writing and copying by all the means in their power." This is the heaviest blow dealt at the Circumlocution Office since Ar-. Dickens pit it into a novel. MORAL SPASMS. We tare suffering just now from a spasmodic attack of morality. Woe be to any one who is found out within the ne::t few months doing anything wrong--be he proprietor of bestial " Judge and Jury," owner of a shady night-house, or director of a joint-fitock company. The public has suddenly been aroused. The night-houses have existed for years without molestation, but now they must be shut. The accompashed baron—we believe he is a baronet— who ret. Os at half a crown a head filthy gutterings to the " voung man of the period," has long carried on his di: 'gusting business. But it is only now that he is dis lowered to he something more than a nuisance. In the ether department of immorality— commercial immoral2w—there is an equally keen desire for punishing the g vuilty, and. two batches of di rectors have trials pending. vinally,the liquidators of Overend, Gurney, and C o . h av e come to the conclu sion that perhaps something may b got out of the directors, and they have " filed a against the directors of the company, with a view of making them responsible for the losses sustaine, 4 . by the shareholders arising out of the purchase of ness of the 4 old firm.' and the mode in which _the Whatever may be said of trades unions, they certainly are not always reasonable. The dispute between masters and masons as to dressing stone, -which lirs raged in Manchester and elsewhere for the last few weeks, and has relieved there a comparatively dull period, is a case in point. Some time back the men struck against stone being rough-dressed by machinery. They were powerful enough to force the masters to submission. But rough-dressing stone by hand is by no means a profitable employment, and this the men soon discovered. Whereupon, awaythey went again to the masters, begging for the restoration of the discarded machinery. But the masters, having made a change, and having been made to knock under, and for other reasons not stated, refused the request. The men now threaten to strike. The masters are said to be firm, and the men " obstinate." But it does seem rather too bad that after what had taken place the men should act as they are now THE RAILWAY CLEARING-110USF. Very few persons who travel long distances by rail are at all aware of the obligations which they owe to the Clearing House in Euston-road. When it was first established each railway line only booked as far as its own rail went, and every fresh line entailed a fresh ticket. At the present day such a system would be unbearably irksome. The traveller from London to Inverness has to pass over six lines of railway ; from Lynn to Inverness over ten. A change of ticket, carriage, and luggage would be intolerable, but the Clearing House steps in, and by a system of through booking smooths all difficulties. It makes out and settles the accounts of the different companies one against each other, and instead of there being conflicting accounts of £15,000 or £20,000 between them, the ready accountants of the Euston-road present one of them with a humble bill of £lO or £2O for the balance. •So excellent is the management of the Clearing House, that notwithstanding the enormous traffic which it superintends, and the vast sums with which it has to deal, its accounts, amount ing annually to some twelve millions sterling, are balanced to the fraction of a farthing. There is one chief manager, :Mr. Dawson, four chief clerks, and about 900 subordinate clerks, and with these the whole machinery works perfectly. The stations are worked in pairs, and more than 100,000 adopt the through booking system, and send their monthly accounts to the Clearing House. 78,354 book goods and cattle through ; 18,514 book passengers through ; and • 34,349 book parcels through. The parcel depart ment is by no means insignificant. Last year the number of articles left at the stations amounted to : 150,769. Of these, nearly 95 per cent. were restored. through the Clearing House to their owners. A demur n ge is charged against any company retaining another company's carriage beyond the specified time, and last year the number of days charged on demurrage was 353,343. This shewed a falling off under this head of 33 per cent. owing to the depression of trade. In 1867 the total gross receipts of the Clearing House were upwards of 11 millions. Ten years before they had only been half that amount. The total mileage of lines under its juris diction now amounts to 1:3,000 miles, and the mileage for which charges were made in the year 1867 were in the aggregate 269,213,158 miles. Three years after its institution there were only 16 com panies on its books ; ten years later there were 73. Now its books include all the lines of importance in the kingdom, and come of the steamboat lines. All DIV e have reason to be satisfied with the efficiency of its services and with the simplicity of its manage ment. THE STONEMASONS IN LAI:CASIIIRE. A EC TT , E OF PRAYER.? " Ladies and gentlemen, you can take your choice of any seat in the house except Mr. Beecher's." Such were the words which Mr. Pilsbury, the auctioneer, addressed to the fashionable attendance who crowded to the annual auction of seats in Mr. Henry Ward Beecher's church at Brooklyn, New York, a few days rgo." flow much am I offered? How much am I offered, gentlemen ? Two hundred dollars !—twenty five, fifty, seventy-live, three hundred, three-fifty,four hundred dollars, gentlemen ! five, ten, fifteen, four hundred and fifteen dollars, gentlemen. Who is the happy man? Going at twenty, at twenty, at twenty, at four hundred and twenty dollars-420—are you all done at four hundred and twenty dols.? Sold! to Henry C. Bowen for four hundred and twenty dols." Mr. Bowen took No. 89, the second pew directly back of the pastor. Mr. Bowen had to pay this amount in addition to the assessed value of the pew, so that it cost him 540 dols.—say. loo guineas. Very spirited in Mr. Bowen ; more spirited than spiritual, in fact. The total amount paid for pew rents at the auction was about 10,000 guineas. At this rate Mr. Beecher must be doing better than a director in city com panies, with the additional advantage that he is in no danger of a proszcution for conspiracy. A DIVISION AMONG THE RITUALISTS. A correspondence published w hi c h h as passe d between Archdeacon is n Denison, chairman of the R itualists' meeting o n the 12th, and the Rev. C. F. . Lowder, of St. Peter's, London Docks. It is very long, but the substance of it may be stated in a few words. Archdeacon Denison complains that Mr. Bennett and Mr. Lowder (who was formerly Mr. "Bennett's curate) "should. while holding their posi tion under the law, refuse to declare that they owe obedience to the law when it decides against them upon a matter not of faith, but of cer emon i a l." M r . Lowder, in replying, says " You could scarcely sup pose that when you had placed so trusty a weapon (the memorial) thus carefully wrought, tempered, and sharpened, into the hands of earnest men, who are in the thick of a very serious warfare, that having admired its workmanship, we should wilfully destroy its beautiful edge and point by casting it to the ground." He concludes by hoping that nothing may hereafter occur to hinder the Archdeacon and himself from " fighting together the Church's battles for free dom from State oppression." The Archdeacon answers that it is a strange way of uniting men to ask one side to sacrifice the pr i nc iple upon which they stand. He adds : " The effect of your proceeding is necessarily the contrary one. It has already done damage in this respect which I do not look to live to see repaired. It has sadly weakened our hands, because it has formally disunited us. I will not, for one, act with men who hold their position by law, but will not submit to law. When the connection of the Church of England with the Church Primitive and Catholic is in terms denied by the law of England, or when we, its bishops and clergy, are forbidden by law to teach primitive and catholic doctrine, we can, by God's help, unite in leaving that position." He admits that " certain links which bound the Church of England as esta blished by law to the Church Primitive and Catholic have been broken by the Ittw ;" but, he asserts, "many links remain untouched. Bishops and clergy are allowed by law to teach some of the worst heresies, but the liberty of teaching the truth of the Church Primitive and Catholic is not denied by law. It is a bad position, doubtless, but it is not the worst. These being the facts of the case, I hold my position, and obey the law. You hold your position, and resist the law. How is it possible for us to unite in any course of action for amending the law ? Which of us is bound by the religion we teach to give way, I leave to yourself and to others to judge." There can scarcely be a difference of opinion as to which of the two correspondents occupies the more logical position. Both are ministers of a Church in which certain laws prevail. The laws may be bad laws, and it is competent in that case for both to remain in the Church and endeavour to get them altered. But until ihese are altered they must be obeyed. If con science forbids obedience, conscience should counsel secession. Conscience can, under no circumstances, counsel disobedience so long as a man has power to get biuisclf free from the obligation to obedience. The dinner at DELMONICO'S to Professor S. F. B. MORSE was made the more interesting, from the his tory he took that opportunity of telling the world, of the invention which associates his name for ever with that great wonder of our age—the telegraph. Mr. MORSE made no uncertain sound, yet he advanced only the statements and actsof others while proving that to him, and to his country belong the invention of the telegraph. Doubts could only have arisen on the subject from confounding two things—the semaphore and the telegraph., The former conveys a signal, which vanishes when made ; the latter gives a mark, which remains on permanent record. The one is a semaphore, the other a telegraph, both widely differing, as theirnames indicate. Let people understand this, and then they will know the ground on which Professor MORSE claims for himself and his country the credit of the invention. Mr. COOK'S sys tem, improved by Professor WHEATSTONE, and esta blished in Great Britain in 1837, is a semaphore, but as a long step towards the perfection of this new power, Professor MORSE'S invention superseded it in all other countries, and in a great measure in the United Kingdom also. It has been, then, only by con fusing two things so distinct, awsignalling and writing, that men managed to confound a subject so simple in this aspect, and thus to do an injustice to the dis tinguished American. The idea of the telegraph ori ginated on board a ship then on her voyage from Havre to New York in 1832. Three years afterwards the instrument was so far perfected as to be tried in the New York City University, though then a feeble, ungainly, and stammering child, and it was indebted to Mr. ALFRED VAIL, of New Jersey, for being able even to make that appearance. It looks but a small thing to assist with encourage • meat and with money the efforts of a successful in ventor when the world has elevated him into a great man, and his name is associated with a marvel which in a measure is revolutionizing society. So difficult is it truly to compare, that it is almost im possible not to be unjust to men like Mr. VAIL, for we see the wealthy, the titled, the decorated and distinguished individual set up on high as an ex ample for others, as an honour to his country ; and we turn to the man who takes the credit for having aided him, with the sneer in look, if not in words. which says, " You might as well proclaim your libera lity in lending ROTHSCHILD a hundred pounds." But to a ROTIISCHILD stArving in the streets a hundred pounds might not only have been a generous loan, but the turning point from a pauper's death on the one hand to enormous wealth on the other, and it is not the rich ROTHSCHILD who is to be grateful, but the poor ROTHSCHILD, and so with the inven tor. It is not the figure set up on high men should picture when they hear of the generous aid ten dered, but what the world regard's as a crazed monomaniac, a bore, who can see but one object in life, and that no object at all —but the mere creation of a distempered brain—in pursuit of wh'.ch all else is sacrificed ; they must see one who looks like a man smitten with this disease, sinking into hopeless poverty, and carrying down his family with him as victims to an idle whim. When this is thoroughly understood, those will be appreciated who have saved to the world many of its greatest inventions. Could we but learn the statistics buried with the conceptions of generations of in ventors, we would learn how our race has been de layed in its scientific progress by the want of such men. There is no lack of prejudice, opposition, open undisguised hostility ; but there may be the need of a friend, of a look, of a word of encouragement, above all of the means, and a genius freighted with a grand conception sinks into the pauper's grave, realizing the very prediction of his opponents, who sing the old tune " I told you so; the man was a mere visionary, mad upon one point, making that one point his all in all." At the same time we are bound to confess that it is only in the exceptions that the world is wrong, and being nearly always right, it assumes an air of the greater confidence in its suppression of inventors. But while people sneeringly point to the poverty-stricken deaths of the crazed fools, the unsuccessful inventors, the successful inventors an retaliate with the bitterest sarcasm. There never was such a story told as the English opposition to STEPHENSON'S railroads. Men read it, and won der whether England is like other nations or idiotic, at least on particular subjects. A whole nation had taken up the role of the unsuccessful inventor, and gone mad tu its opposition to a threatened benefit, and they marvel more than ever when informed that these people on the contrary are held to be advanced in ci vilization and liberal in their notions. In answer to the assertion that it is Toryprejudice which is always found blocking_ the way, it can be stated with truth that the most stubborn opposition to improvement comes from the labouring classes, and that the most Republican assembly is at least as likely as the most aristocratic to bar the road. Those who doubt this have but to read the speech of Professor MORSE. Thirty-two years ago that gentleman proposed to the Secretary of the Treasury at Washington the attachment of the telegraph to the Post-office Department, and though backed by the Secretary of the Treasury the late Judge WOODBRIDGE in a letter to the Speaker of the Representatives, dated Dec. 6, 1837, the suggestion was suffered to lie dormant till Dec. 30, 1842, when it was again reported on by the House Committee of Commerce, which during the two years 1837 and 1838 had come unanimously to a favourable agreement on the subject. The proposal of the:Hon. C. G. FERRIS was brought up for discussion on the motion of Mr. KENNEDY of Maryland, on a bill appropriating $30,000 to be expended in experiments to test the merits of the invention. Mr. CAVE-JOHNSON of Tennessee did not wish to see the science of mesmerism neglected, so he proposed that half the sum be given to Mr. PISK, then lecturing in Washington, to expend on mesmeric experiments. SAM HOUSTON of Texas thought that " Millerism" should have a slice of the appropriation • Mr. STANLEY "of North Caro lina then came in with a little more " chaff." He would votelor the mesmeric experiment, provided the gentleman from Tennessee was the subject, to which CAVE-JOHNSON quickly replied he had no objection if the gentleman from North Carolina was to be the operator. Amidst loud laughter the amendment was read, when Mr. MASON, of Ohio, not considering it bona fide, rose to order, urging that it was calculated to injure the character of the House, but the Chairman sustained CAVE-JOHN SON'S amendment on the ground that he could not undertake to settle its bona fides, as it would require a scientific analysis to determine how far the magnet of mesmerism was analogous to that to be em ployed in telegraphS. Yet this occurred in 1843, showing even at that date how the House regarded the invention. The Hon. CAVE-JOHNSON in 1845 held the office of Po3tmaster-General, and the ex perimental line between Washington and Baltimore was put under his control. Here then was the very individual selected officially to report on an inven tion which two years before he had openly en deavoured to discredit in the eyes of Congress, and through it, of the nation. No notice was taken by the Government of the patriotic offer made by Professor MORSE to surrender his whole invention to the coun try for $lOO,OOO, which, considering the 13 years of labour, and the large sums expended, was but a trifle, while it absolutely sinks to nothing when contrasted' with the enormous interests now in volved. Yet his letter did not even receive a re ply, and it was then that the Professor, through the Hon. AMOS•KENDALL, formed joint-stock com panies to work his instrument. Still unwilling to shut the door on the Government, Mr. MORSE THE WILLENHALL POLICE CASE. " A Chairman of Quarter Sessions," writing to the Times about the "Willenhall police case, fully endorses all that has been said of the evils arising from the system of paying the clerks of petty sessions by fees and not by salary. When the bench puts on a nominal fine—perhaps of a farthing —the clerk's feca defeat tic intended obje3t. It is idle, in the opinion of this writer, to rail at clerical magistrates, for in some parts of the country there would be no magistrates at all without them. Their chief fault is that they are too much influenced by their clerks, and from a fear of the mysteries of the law they do not think enough for themselves. With a strict supervision in the improvement of the enact- AMATLIIa DOCTORING. The Times published a letter two or three days ago from Mr. Le Neve Foster, of the Society of Arts, in which he advocated the administration of carbolic acid diluted with ten parts of water for scarlet fever and typhus, the dose used being one teaspoonful. It is to be hoped no one attempted to administer it, for the next day letters appeared from two doctors stating that such a dose would kill a child. Mr. Foster now writes correcting his former letter. He says that he did not mean the pure concentrated carbolic acid, but a ," solution of the medicinal " preparation7A smaller dose. be is told. would be efficacious. PROFESSOR MORSE AND 711 E 7ELEGRAPII. (From the Anglo-American Times.) caused the insertion of a clause in every contract providing for the surrender to Government, on liberal terms, if the purchase were concluded by the 4th of March, 1847. At the expiration of the time the Postmaster-General had but reported that though he considered it vastly superior to any other, he remained • unsatisfied that any rates could make the revenue derived from the telegraph equal its expenditure. This wise opinion finished off every chance of its adoption by Congress, nor that only, hut for a period effec tually checked the construction of the joint-stock lines then in progress, and had it not been that many gentlemen were by this time as persuaded of its value as Mr. MORSE himself, these wiseacres would have burked one of the greatest inventions of the age. What the Government is likely now to get the telegraph for, we cannot say ; but it is possible that the action of the Hon. CAVE-JOHNSON has lost to the United States some millions of dollars. Here, however, we may observe that Mr. ORTON, who presides over the Telegraph system of the United States, which nearly equals those of all Europe com bined, gave some good reasons why it should not be transferred as a department of the Government. The Professor's speech was one well worth reading, as in simple, earnest language he tells the story, alike honourable to himself and to many of the most able of his countrymen, while almost unconsciously he stigmatizes severely the prejudices and follies of others. Not far from him sat CYRUS W. FIELD, the man of practice. Both names are indelibly engraven on the telegraph, but each in different characters; the one associated with a scien tific invention, the other with a gigantic enterprise ; and that they heartily respect and appreciate each other is seen in the fact that the most active pro moter of this public acknowledgment of Professor MORSE'S services was CYRUS W. FIELD, while as graceful a compliment as could have been paid was interwoven with the name of FIELD in the Profes sor's able speech on which we now comment. MONEY AA D BUSINESS. NEW YORK, Thursday, Dec. 31. At the Stock Exchange here to-day there was inquiry for Governments, and we note sales of $13,000 Five - Twenties (Consols of 1865) at 1101. The other issues were firm. Baltimore City 6's continue in demand and firm, 1890's selling at 94, and 1893's at 96. A small lot of old registered Virginia 6's sold to-day at 448. Northern Central Railway shares sold at $431, yesterday's prices, and a lot of forty shares Mechanics' Bank brought Silk. Railway Bonds were steady, Baltimore and Ohio 1865's selling at 94, and Western Mary land, endorsed by Washington County, at 85. To morrow being Now Year's-day, and a holiday, there will be no session of the Stock Board, and business wil Le generally suspended. Business will also be suspended at New York. At New York this morning gold was firm, prices ranging from 1311 to 134 f Governments were also strong at about the rates current at the close yestei day. The market for Railway rhares was again strong. New York Central, however, fell off after tha opening, prices first ranging from 1591 down to 1584. Reading was steady at 98k. Erie sold early at 381, but fell subsequently to 381. Michigan Southern sold at 87} to 871. North- Western common at 81 to 811 ; ditto preferred at 831 to 831; and Rock Island at 1171 to 118-k. Fort Wayne opened at 1131, and Pittsburgh at 831, but they each fell off sub sequently per cent. 2d Board. 133 114 i 1108 107. i 104 1101 1114 1111 10511 :~ . - business as private bankers, avoided taxation, evaded the requirements of the Currency Act, and still retained the most profitable feature of a National bank. The establish ment of a central redeeming agency is not so gonera ll / favoured. Pretty much all outside of New York will op pose it. In regard to the periodical stringencies in Nevi York, and the loaning of money by the banks in largo amounts on call, by which the reserve fund is handed over to the tender mercies of Wall-street and its purlieus, decisive action will bo recommended by the committee, but exactly what is unknown. The same may be said of the proposed squelching of the causes that bring about apanic, no theory of the number advanced seeming to carry with it sufficient power of conviction to be calle:t the plan, though Comptroller Hulburd's idea of holding in re serve a certain amount of Legal-Tender notes in excess of the amount of money in regular circulation is the one most discussed, and has the most supporters and the most opponents. Regarding a return to specie payments and free banking, an attempt to enumerate the various theories by which the former desirable object may be attained would lead too far into the mazy labyrinth of financial propositions; while it may be safely said that the com mittee aro disposed to act favourably upon the most of the recommendations of the Comptroller, but the question of specie payments being such a vexed one, it is not at all likely that the report will favour his propositions un amended. (Front the Philadelphia Public Ledger, Jan. 1.) It is stated that Mr. Commissioner Wells, in his forth coming Report, will show that in addition to the thirty five millions surplus which the Government had last year, we may expect this year a saving.of thirty millions more, on various accounts, among which are the finishing up 0f the bounties, the reduction of interest from conversion a l and the withdrawal of the compound interest notes, and the surrender of pensions. Mr. Wells further estimates that an increase of thirty millions of receipts from the same source of revenue may fairly be looked for, with an ordi nary efficient collection, and an ordinary honest adminis tration. He believes therefore that it is within bounds to regard the Treasury as master of a clear yearly surplus, from this time fcrward, of one hundred millions. The report of the finances of the State of Michigan , just published, is highly gratifying. The Treasury has ta ' surplus of 1,130,229 dols. on hand, and received 29, 359 dols. * at 4 per cent. interest for its use last year. This was done because the holders of the debt refused to allow the redemption until maturity. The war bonds. amounting to 185,000 dols., are duo to-day, and will be paid. The general Government has paid in 188,900 dols. for the ad justment of war claims, and 23,000 dols. came from a spe cial mortgage. The Treasurer states that he can meet all obligations as fast as they mature, and proposes a reduc tion of the State tax. The legal-tender issue now pending before the Supremo Court continues to attract much interest, and the more it is canvassed the greater is the number of dissenters to its constitutionality. Among others who have spoken uP° n the subject is the Hon. E. G. Spaulding, the author of the Legal-Tender Act, who, in a recent letter from Buffalo, New York, to the Secretary of the Treasury, declares hi s belief that as a peace measure the Legal-Tender Law is unconstitutional. Drexel and Co., Bankers, No. 31, South Third-street , Philadelphia, quote—U.S. 6's, 1881, 111/ 114 q; Old U.S. 5-20's, 1862, 1101 114 ; New U.S. 5-20's, 1864, 1071 1 07 1 New U.S. 5-20's, 1865, May and Nov, 1071 108: New Q.S. 5-20's, 1865, July and Jan., 1101 111; New U.S. 5-20'st 1867, July and Jan., 111 1111 ; New U.S. 5-20's, 1868 , July and Jan., 1111 1111; 10 40 Bonds, 105,1 1031; gold, 1341 135 ; sterling exchange, 1471 1471 ; Paris exchange/ 381 397. Ist Board. Gold 1344 U.S. Coupon 6's of 1881 ... • 1141 U.S. Five-T went i es o f 1862 1101 U.S. Five-Twenties of 1864 1071 U.S. Five-Twenties of 1865 1074 U.S. Five-Twenties of 1865, new 1101 U.S. Five-Twenties of 1867 111 U.S. Five-Twenties of 1868 ... 111 U.S. Ten-Forties ... 1051 Missouri 6's ..„ 90i Tennessee 6's, ex cpn ••• 69 1 Tennessee 6's, new ••• ••• 69 North Caroline 6's, new 61 North Carolina 6's, x cpn 63 Virginia, 6's new Virginia 6's, x cpn ••• ••• 554 Canton Company 49A• Cumberland Company ... 42 1 Cumberland Coal, preferred ... 351 Quicksilver Mining ••• •• 221 Boston Water Power Ohio and Mississippi Certificates 311 Pacific Mail S. S 1191 Atlantic Mail S. S Western Union Telegraph ... ..• 33 1 331 Adams Express Company ... 41+ 481 Wells, Fargo, and Company's Express 251 241 LT. S. Express 45 New York Central Railroad 158+ 159} Erie Railroad . 38+ Hudson River Railroad 134 i 1331 Reading Railroad ... ... 98f 98 Michigan Southern ... 871 88} Cleveland and Pittsburg ... 83 1 4 831 Northwestern Common .., 831 824 Northwestern Preferred 831 84 Cleveland and Toledo ... 1001 1011 Rock Island •.. 1171 118 Fort Wayne ••• 1131 113 1 Toledo, Wabash, and Western RE. 58* 591 Milkwaukee and St. Paul P re f erre d 871 881 Messrs. Stokes, M‘Haffie, and Co. have received the following message from thcir New York correspondents by Atlantic Telegraph :—" New York, Jan. 13.—Four days' receipts of cotton at all the ports are 30,000 bales. Approximate estimate of receipts for the week is 60,000 bales; same week last year, 83,000 bales. Price of mid dling upland, laid down in Liverpool, is 121-d. New Orleans, Jan. 13.—Price of middling Orleans, laid down in Liverpool, by sailing vessel is 12d. Savannah, Jan. 13. —Middling costs, from this port, laid down in Liverpool, per sail, 12id. Galveston, Texas, Jan. 12.—Good ordi nary from this port, laid down in Liverpool, by sail, costs 111 d. Tone of all markets very strong. The above quotations include an allowance of 6 per cent. for loss in weight." The Commercial and Financial Chronicle shows that Senator Morton's estimate of the gold now in the United States is far too high. The Senator thought that the amount had actually largely increased since 1860, and might now be as high as 572,000,000 dole., certainly above 400,000,000. The Chronicle, assuming that tra vellers in Europe have taken out as much as emigrants have brought in, and leaving out the circulation in the Pacific States as of no use to the banks or people of the Atlantic States, makes the following estimate : Gold in Atlantic States in 1861 $165,000,000 Product of mines for 8 years ending June 30, 1868 485,000,000 Imports of specie for 8 years ending June 30, 1868 141,900,000 Total supply, 8 years .„ $791,900,000 Exports of specie last 8 year5...8518,100,000 Sent from South dining the war 15,000,000 Total loss in 8 years 563,100,000 Stock in 1868 5228,800,000 "It would thus appear that the present stock of the precious metals in the Atlantic States is close upon 230 millions of dollars. It is not to be supposed, however, that all this exists in the form of coin, or even of coin and bars. A certain portion of the supply cf gold and silver has been taken for commercial purposes. That form of consumption has been largely increased within late years, under the high duties of jewelry and plate, and perhaps could not be safely estimated at less than $10,000,000 per annum. Assuming this to be a full estimate, and deduct ing only $70,000,000 from the foregoing balance, we should have about $160,000,000 as the present stock of coin and bullion in the Atlantic States." If there is so much gold in the country, where is it ? It is difficult to account for much more than half oven of that sum. (From the ( Philadelphia Public Ledger, Dec. 30.) We learn through the medium of correspondence from Washington that the Committee on Banking and Currency have under consideration the recommendations containe in the report of the Comptroller of the Currency in relit. tion to Bank reports, banks in voluntary liquidation, the periodical stringency in New York city, panics, specie payment; and free banking. It is reported that the majority of the committee seem to be in favour of the Comptroller's plan of remedying the system of requiring quarterly bank reports to be made on a specified day, by which the letter, and not the spirit, of the law has been very easily complied with, the banks being careful to ex hibit the required amount of reserve at that time. The Comptroller contends that the actual working condition of the banks can hardly be expected to be shown when the day of making the report is known in advance, and re commends that section 34 of the Currency Act be so amended as to authorize the Comptroller to call upon the banks for five detailed statements or reports during each year,fixing upon some day that ispast,as such achange would bar the prepara tions now made about the end of each quarter, and pre vent outside operators from conspiring against the bank and the honest trade. The evils of the present arrange ment mentioned are no doubt true, and the remedy sug gested, it is believed, would be adequate to the end. The committee, we understand through the same medium also, seem favourably inclined to the proposition of the Comptrol ler that banking associations going into voluntary liquidation be required to provide for their out standing circulation in lawful money, and take up their bonds within three months, under penalty of haviug their bonds sold at auction in New York city, and to pay such association the excess of the amount required to pay its outstanding circulation. This, be claims, will remedy the present partial system authorized by section 42 of the Currency Act, by which a banking association may go into liquidation, pay off its creditors, do uo business, and yet reap all the benefits of a circulation guaranteed by the Government. In some cases two or three have owned a bank, gone into Equidation, done THE. RED INDIANS. The troops out West have had another fight wi th the Indians of the plains, near the spot where Cus ter destroyed Black Kettle's band. Our r eader may recollect th a t Li tt l e R aven was encamped S ig miles lower do wn th e 'W as hi ta River, and that he attacked the U n it e d S tates troops, being only bea t e n off afte r a h ar d f i ght. This chief, together W i t h Satanta, a w arr i or renowned for his eloquence, an d , the tribes c ons i st i ng of the Kiowas, Arapahoes, an d Cheyennes, w ere d e f eated with the loss of lar ge quantities of provisions and much cattle. Not long ago General Sherman issued strict orders to capture or kill Satanta and Ball Bear, believing them to be the most hostile and treacherous of the Indians; and if this, the principal chief of the Kiowas has , in truth, been taken, his apartments are already al lotted for him at Fort Gibson. The messen ger lost his despatches when crossing the Arkansas River, so the particulars as yet have not been re ceived ; but we learn by previous despatches that the Kiowas had split into two parties, friendly 5 03 unfriendly, the latter being joined by nearly all the Cheyennes and Arapahoes, and they had gone to the head of the north fork of the Red River, near the junction of the Sweetwater ; the number being about 100 warriors. General Sheridan was to have started on the 7th December for Fort C )bb from his camp on the Canadian River, and he expected in a few days after, in conjunction with General Haziro, to strike the hostile bands without inter fering with the friendly Apaches, the Caddoes, IVichetows, and other friendly tribes, about 3,000 being clustered about Fort Cobb. Gen. W. S. Han cock has defe n d e d hi mse lf aga i nst the charges al an Indian agent who accused him of ruthlessi9 burning an Indian village. Sherman approved his action, which was forced on him by the hostility et the tribe, and the killing and burning of white people he was unable to stop by peaceable mea n t !' A telegram f rom St . L ou i s, Dee. 31, announces tae arrival of Dr. Gall from Fort Wallace, who sta tes that there is great indignation there against CO' Butler for failing to capture sixty lodges of Indian s at Ackonary Creek, as he might easily have do ne ; Colonels Carp en t er and Graham have left F o rt Wallace in pursuit o f t h e same red skins. A iiis chief named Satant a was captured and hung. " If this true Sat an t a was quickly disposed of ; but t lO . 1 latest from S t. L ou i s is to the Ist January, where in General Sherman sa y s h e h as received no off icial 3 informati on o f the recent reported battle with ta,_ Indians. Gene ra l Sh er id an ' s commissary fee d s his Indian prisoners on roast horse and dog fricase!! but the dogs are the prair!e animals, more like ra u cf bits, differin g ma i n l y f rom them, and resem blin ; dogs in being muc h n i cer t h an ra b bits an d barking. Corporal punishment in schools has been entirely o abolished, with success, i n one di str i ct in Boston h there are over 1,000 pupils. va le [ADVERTISRMENT.]—fienceorth no one will doubt the bier) properties of Du Barry's health-restoring Revalenta Ara gS Invalids' and Infants' F oo d , s i nce to the thousands of hier bo io o 0 it has already r ece i ve d f rom Invalids whose position Wu-I/wrs e, deemed hopeless, we may n ow a dd t h at of his Holiness the whose health has been p er f ect l y restored by it after thirty Ye t s te da , unsuccessful medical treatme n t. W e quoie from the " az -A „Icor Midi," July 25th:—" Rome, July 21, 1866. The health of the Father is excellent, especially since, abandoning all other r ierit o, dies, he has confined hi mse lf ent i rely to Du Barry ' s Bevteal• Arab!ea Food, of wii,ch he consumes a plateful at every . - 60 (1. It has produced a surp r i s i ngly beneficial effect on his health , we his Holiness cannot praise this excellent food too highlY.,' of extract a few oat ofmo re t h an 63,000 cures:—Cure No. 53,-4',"toot the Marchioness de B re h an, of seven years' liver colig"tioo, wasting away, debility, nervousness, with a nervous palPiT t all over, bad digestion, constant sleeplessness, and the no s cis tolerable nervous agitatio n . C ure N o L 771: Lord SW , 0. Decies, Lord-Lieutenant of Waterford, of many years' dYsPIO, No. 49,832: "Fifty ye ars ' i n d escr i bable agony from dysllols, nervousness, asthma, cough, const i pat i on, flatulency, si ) ;" 3lr sickness, and vomiting —Maria Joly " Cure No. 46.27 0 ;0, 0 James Roberts, of Frimley, S urrey, o f 30 years ' d i seas ed / 0- spitting of blood, liver derangement, and pariial deafness au portant Caution—Beware o f th e many unsavoury and mor'ig's sloppy imitations to which, w ith out author i ty, Baro n Lle name is most audaciously attached. In tins, at Is. lid.; 1 lb. 2s. 9cl. 2 lbs. 4s. 6d. • 51b5,115.; 225. ; 24 lbs., 40s.—Also Du BARRY'S RRYATANTAARABB, „ A c e for 2 1 LATE POWDER is packed i n ti n can i sters: for 12 cups at 2s"guc° cups at 3s. 6c1., for 48 cups at Os., for 288 cups at 305., for 5' 7 ,5 t ies at 55s.—being about one p enny per cup. The 30s an d 5 Pffle ° are sent free of carriage in England on receipt of Post „ J r irder.—BAßßY DU BARRY and Co., No. 77, Regent-street, don; and all Grocers and Chemists. Births. woof HILTON—On the 17th the wife of Arthur Esq., of.a son. JANSON—On the 19th inst., at Croydon, Mrs. J.Vir.u aone of a daughte r . -- alth SYMONDS—On the 18th i ns t., at Torquay, Lady SY ri ll o r of wife of Vice-Ad m i ra l Si r ThomasSymonds, a daughter. Marriages. ,„ L'eu,t:: CURRIE —MONEY— On the 14th inst. at at St. Itlaii„ - n i tov Colonel Currie,. 39th Regiment, to . Augusta B'""' youngest daughter of the Rev. W. Money. ri burA TAYLOR WALKER— On the 14th inst., at Prior3r n ",, T jort of the Dominicans, Haverstock-hill, George A; `,, t g - whtet of 55, Adelaide-road, to Emily El • e ldest " a- 1" Ir Eleanor,Ken "of Edmund Walker, Esq., 9, Caversham-road, town. Deaths. ~, stiV ill.. ASIIPITLL —On the 18th inst., at Poet's-corner , .....,,- e t , AS. , ster Abbey, Arthur Ashpitel, Esq F.S.A.: -''''. , '7 ilte , aged 62. I _roa° , BIRD—On the 19th inst., at 2"/ 4, Kennington - P ar ''' Henry Bird, Esq., aged 70. icT t 1 , /3 ' HAHN—On the . 17th iust., Mr. Hahn, of Kahn's .---° e America-square, lelinorie . T , 3- r eoilf NOTTIDGE —On the 18th inst. at 19, Streatham ' c Charles Nottidge, E sq ., aged 73. w a r' PALMER —On the 17th inst., at Li -hth o rne Rectorl, °, O• wiekshire, th e L a d y C b Charlotte, wife of th ° It Palmer, aged 83. 4S , London Printed and P.iblished by WILLIE.. 3 i of No. 112, Str an d , Printer, at '.28.1E, SUN UdieV: l ti °- Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the ' 2- Illddlesex,—Wednesday, January 20, 13x9. 841 120 f