The Sun. — London, England, 1865-01-16 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence. -~- During the terrific gale from the south-west which prevailed early on Saturday morning, and continued with more or less fury throughout the day, her Majesty's large paddlewheel steamer Ter rible, 21, 800-horse power, fitting for sea in the Medway, broke away from her moorings in the river about an hour or two after daylighi, with the tide about three-quarters ebb, and was driven on shore close to the dockyard. Fortunately she took the ground forward before she reached the granite apron at the entrance to the steam basin, and be came embedded in mud and sand, with her stern in comparatively deep water. Information of the occurrence was immediately telegraphed to Chatham, and the paddlewheel steamer Adder, Master-Com mander Blakey, and a party of riggers were de spatched to her assistance. In the meantime the naval Commander-in-Chief, Vice-Admiral Sir C. Talbot, Capt. the Hon. G. D. Deane, commanding at the naval barracks, and other officials of the dockyard, were on the spot, and with the assistance of a large body of seamen, marines, and seamen riggers, under the direction of Commander J. Jack son,lMaster-Attendant, the necessary :precautions were taken to prevent the steamer heeling over at dead low water, the Adder, Locust, and Sheerness steamers standing by her to render any assistance necessary. Towards noon the gale had sufficiently moderated to allow of the requisite efforts being made to float her, and by half-past one the steamers had towed her off into deep water. Steam was im mediately got up on board, and she was removed to the west shore, where she now lies. Until she has been docked it will be impossible to ascertain the extent of damage she has sustained, and, as she has all her guns, most of her stores, and severalhundred tons of coal on board, she will have to be consider ably lightened before she can go into dock. In consequence of the enormous size of her paddle wheels it will be necessary to remove the outer ring before she can enter the Sheerness basin. It is uncertain, therefore, whether she will be docked at Sheerness, or sent to Chatham or some other yard. The Terrible is the second steamer which was blown from her moorings during the gale which has prevailed for some days. The Tien-tsin, one of the Anglo-Chinese squadron, parted from her anchor at her moorings in the Lap well, but was fortunately brought up again before getting foul of any other vessel. By direction of the Admiralty the officials con nected with the Steam Reserve are engaged in making a careful survey of the various steamers composing the Anglo-Chinese flotilla in the Med way, in order to enable them to arrive at the exact value of each vessel, including all machinery and stores. The screw corvette Cadmus, 21, 400-horse power, Capt. A. C. Gordon, sailed from the Nore for the West Indies on Friday afternoon, calling in at Plymouth to embark supernumeraries and for final orders. The propeller of the Achilles weighs about 17 tons. The blades or fans, which are twisted in the usual way, weigh each 3 tons 3 cwt. ; the boss of the propeller is 4ft. in diameter, the blades are 10ft. Sin. long ; the entire diameter of the propeller is consequently 24ft. bin. The whole is composed of hard gun-metal, and was manufactured by Messrs. John Penn and Son. It will be remembered that during the late trial of speed at Portsmouth, two of the blades of the screw were broken off, and it is chiefly in consequence of this casualty that the Achilles is now in dock at Keyham. She was visited soon after her arrival at Plymouth, by Ad miral Robinson, Controller of the Navy, and last week her machinery was inspected by Mr. Wright, who belongs to the Engineering Department at Whitehall, and by Mr. Knight, from the firm of Messrs. Penn and Son. The two blades broken off are next each other. In both cases the fracture is close to the axis or boss ; in what was previously considered the strongest part of the blade. The blade here is about 2ft. 3in. wide, and is in its centre at this part 9in. thick, diminishing or tapering to the outer edges, and decreasing in thickness to the end of the blade. The fractures do not appear to have arisen through any defect in the castiugs, but simply from the blades not being strong enough to resist the enormous pressure, when the engines, which are of 1,250-horse power nominal, were worked up to a power estimated at about 6,704 horses. Two new blades are at Keyham, but it is very doubtful that with the ex perience obtained the Lords of the Admiralty will permit the Achilles to go to sea provided with blades similar to those previously in use. This doubt will be resolved into a certainty when it becomes known that the two blades remaining on the boss are not in working condition. The outer end of one is more than 12in. out of its position, the inclination being towards the ship. This defect was so much increased when the screw was in full operation that the upper part of the blade struck repeatedly against the under part of the ship's counter, and in order to stop the grinding it became necessary to reduce the revolu tions of the engines 32 per min. This blade has a crack or fissure near its base exactly in the same po sition as the fractures in the broken blades, and it 1 astonishes everyone tothink how the blade continued attached to the boss. Under these disadvantages, the Achilles made 9 or 10 knots an hour going from Portsmouth to Plymouth, working only four of her ten boilers. It now becomes necessary to note the fact of the great flexibility of the blades of the screw of the Achilles, notwithstanding their size and weight and the hardness of the metal of which they are composed. If our information is correct, the flexibi lity 'is greater than has ever before been found to prevail in any screw propeller. It is partly owing to this peculiarity that the blade last alluded to struck against the ship's counter when she was put on high shed. Engineers, in describing the action of the screw in steamships, use the term " negative slip" as that am ount o f speed w hi c h ex i sts i n excess o f the estimated speed attributable to the screw. When the ship is going faster than the screw there is a negative slip. The Achilles, under steam, has ex hibited an unusual amount of negative slip, which is now attributed to the extraordinary flexibility produced in the blades by the great power of her en gines. There is another point of interest connected with the blades, and that is in their mode of being fixed to the boss. On the boss, which is globular, there are four circular flats to receive the bases of the blades. The flange of the blade is fastened to the circular flat by 13 screws of about 21 inches diameter each, and the flange in the case of one, if not both, of the blades remaining, has been loosened, notwithstanding the number and strength of the scre ws . These screws are in two ranges, and it is the outer screws which become loos e. The fourth bile is in conse q uence 23 inches ou t of p osition. Thi s deficiency of holding power will form a subject for th e _r ave consideration of the Governm ent en gmeers. The propeller of the Achilles _ _ has sometimes been described is much used in as th llaugin's, which is patented, and four bladed navy. an Admiralty It is, however, are equal in size, and are screw, the blades of which The boss when taken ar:_equidist rnt from each other. uninjured—the. apetErton Saturday was found to be officers continue their full aperture also perfect. The in the condi tion of the ship and her engines.dience to be regretted that the composition, a new one in t th is i‘4 e, o navY (Green's) which was placed on her bottom in a cost of 9001. for the purpo se o f b brev ir e e ia m t b e. r last at sion has not been entirely successful. Patches corm_ rust already exist, and water appeared to have e s 3 - ga thered in some places under the paint. The season of the year was unpropitious for dryino, th e 0 c ompo _ sition, especially on the bottom of a ship in dock, where ventilation is so much obstructed. The iron screw steam troopship Megmra, 6, at Devonport, is ordered to be put in commission. She will probably hoist the pennant to-day. The Dromedary, screw troopship, arrived at Spit head on Saturday from the coast of Africa, and sailed thence again yesterday afternoon for Woolwich. She piled from Ascension on December 13, 1864 ; from ; St. Helena on Dec. 24, and from Madeira on Jan. 4. It is un. - zto • • that,, e 9th depot battalion is to be succeed ,• one of the battalions •-- - :. .. . ~. of the 60th ititi6; t : <.J1.,5." - ., , The 16th t'atiArrs at*st t stationed at Col chester, Ipisi c : ( IN J will shortly embark 41( for India. The regiment will be succeeded at the stations named by the 17th Lancers. The rumour respecting the abolition of the Bth Depot Battalion at Pembroke Dock tu:ns out to be correct. This has rather surprised tie authorities there, for the battalion has alway 3 stood high as regards its character for efficiency, and the station has also been pronounced particularly healthy. After the disbandment of the battalion two companies of marines are the only troops spoken of as likely to occupy the hut encampment. The following appointments have been made at the Admiralty :—Capt. Montagu B. Dunn, to the Megtera, commissioned; Commander W. G. Belson, to the Meeanee; Lieut. W. H. Bond, to the Meeanee; Lieut. F. B. Herbert, to the Trafalgar; Lieut. H. C. Onslow, to the Canopus; W. H. Adlam, Master to the Megmra ; Sub-Lieut. Charles T. G. Hicks and Sub-Lieut. James H. F. Owen, to the Victoria ; Colebrooke S. Mandeville, midshipman to the Meea nee ; John E. F. King, Edward C. St. John, Richard W. 0. Voysey, W. S. Taylor, Henry V. Baker, Henry D. Barry, Robert Findlay, Arthur W. E. Prothero, Edward H. Gamble, John E. P. Walcot, Henry D. Mackenzie, Edward Chichester, and John Hicks, midshipmen, to the Victoria ; Grosvenor Stafford and Edward F. Boxer, midshipmen, to the Achilles ; Frederick G. M. Powell and John H. Orlebar, to the Hector ; Count F. C. Metaxa, mid shipman, to the Edgar ; Harry M. Lowe, midship man, to the Royal Oak ; Edward A. Holbech and Richard N. Gresley, midshipmen, to the Phoebe ; Arthur 11. Byng, midshipman, to the Liverpool ; Ferdinand Beauclerk, midshipman, to the Revenge ; John W. B. Reeve, midshipman, to the Gibraltar; George L. M. Leckie, naval cadet, to the Cossack ; Chas. P. Streeton, James R. Brodley, and Henry W. Savile, naval cadets, to the Liverpool; Harry F. J. Wyatt, naval cadet, to the Achilles ; Thomas R. J. Ross and Robert H. Stewart, naval cadets, to the Defence; Chas. W. Hicks, Edw. T. Jones, Harry P. Dawson, Charles W. G. Spring, Arthur H. Stone, Douglas E. B. Henderson, and Andrew Rogers, naval cadets, to the Victoria ; George M. Bennet, nominated to a naval cadetship ; Richard F. Whily, paymaster, to the Megmra ; Thomas H. Smith, second master, to the Megsera ; John Dunwoodie, surg., additional, to the Euryalus ; Frederick L. W. Wright and William Pattullo, assist.-surgs., addi tional, to the Euryalus ; Thomas Brisbane, assist.- surg., to the Megwra ; Maxwell Rodgers, assist.- surg., to the Gibraltar ; Alfred Brench, acting assist.-surg., to the Euryalus ; Charles W. Stuart, master's-assist., to the Victoria ; George D. G. Elmer, master's-assist., to the Royal Oak ; William S. N. Gow, master's-assist., to the Black Prince ; Reginald V. Carlyon, master's-assist., to the Achilles ; G. S. Scholes, engineer, in the Cumberland con firmed ; W. J. Sullock, of the Hawke, promoted to be first class assist-engineer ; Henry Scott, assist.- engineer to the Asia for the Octa.via ; Alfred Smith and Thomas M'Carthy, clerks to the Megwra ; and T. H. Page, clerk to the Canopus. The Salmon Fisheries of the West, An important and influential meeting of landed proprietors, conservators, and others interested in the salmon fisheries of the western counties was held at the Guildhall, at Exeter, on Friday after noon, under the presidency of the Right Worshipful the Mayor of that city (Mr. R. T. Head), The meeting was convened for the purpose of consider ing the provisions of the bill proposed to be intro duced in the ensuing session by the Government for the purpose of amending the Salmon Fisheries Act of 1861, and of giving increased powers to those appointed to aid in the restoration of the salmon rivers in thig kingdom. Mr. Ffennell, the Inspector of Salmon Fisheries, attended, for the purpose of explaining the chief provisions of the bill, and to hear any suggestions with reference to the modification or additions which might be proposed. The meetingwas numerously attended, and among those present were—Earl Fortescue, Sir 11. F. Davie, M.P., Mr. S. T. Kekewich, M.P., Mr. T. Michelmore (agent for the Duke of Somerset), Mr. J. H. Kennaway, Capt. Edwards, Capt. Whyte, R.N., Mr. Pinkett, Mr. W. F. Collier, Mr. T. M. Snow, J. M. Sillifant, Mr. R. Sanders, Messrs. J. and H. Michelmore, Mr. H. Drew (agent for the Hon. Mark Rolle), Mr. Bassett, &c. Mr. FFENNELL, at the request of the Mayor, brought before the meeting the chief provisions of the contemplated bill at some length. The presence of so large and influential a meeting was, he said, very gratifying to him, because it was an earnest of the anxiety and zeal todevelope the salmon fisheries of this county and to redeem them from the ruin into which they had fallen. It was not long since that improved legislation had been brought to bear in the matter. In 1860 a commission, on which he had the honour of serving, was issued, and emanat ing from the evidence then taken was the Salmon Fisheries Act of 1861. It was encouraging to find that, notwithstanding the shortcomings of that act, egreat deal of good had been done, and people were now sensibly aware that if the good work were pursued there was no doubt that large and important results to the country would inevitably follow. (Hear, hear.) In the Taw and Torridge Rivers in North Devon, for instance, more salmon had been taken in the past two seasons than had ever been known before. Six or seven a season had been about the average of fish caught in these rivers, but in the past season 401. worth had been taken, and it was not too much to expect that this quantity would soon be quadrupled. By the Act of 1861 there was no provision for obtaining funds wherewith to devise measures for the protection of fish. There were two fundamental th'ings necessary to revive the salmon fisheries—first the removal of obstructions to the ascent of the fist, up the rivers, and, secondly, to protect them when they were up. (Hear, hear.) In Ireland funds bad been raised by the imposition of a licence duty on all rods, nets, and engines employed in catching the salmon, and the rivers were placed under Boards of Conserva tors, by whom water bailiffs were appointed. These bailiffs had power to pass. "along the banks and to examine all nets, &c., and to prosecute all persons offendingagainst the pro vifiions of the Act. In Eng land, however, no such. powers existed, the Act of 1861 only giving power. to Courts of Quarter Ses sion to appoint consery ators, who were conservators only in name, for the Act vested no powers in them —and the protection of the salmon has consequently only been carried or tt by those who set themselves or were employed 'to watch the rivers with the view of getting half thre penalty in any case of conviction where they were the informants. The bill now printed therefor e proposed to create funds, &c., by similar provisions to the Act which had for many years worked. well in Ireland. And he considered it essentially necessary that there should be some means devised for raising funds, for, although large amounts !Dad in some cases been obtained for the protection of salmon in various rivers in England, long experience had shown him that sooner or later the vc;luntary principle failed, and even those who had 7 oeen most forward in raising subscriptions now dgsired that a compulsory measure should be adopted. In the first instance the magistrates at quarter sessions were to appoint a preliminary committee, by whom it would' be de ckled whether the county should be brought under the provisions of of the bill, the power of adoption or rejection: being proposed to be left in the hands of magistrates and p erson s interest ed the fisheries'in each oounty. When the Boa rd of m Conservators were a ppointed, in case of adopt-011, the fu nc ti ons of the o mg the avocation management of the rilier being vested in the Boards. A :lagistrates, committee ceased, th,e owners cA fisheries, and persons follow mg the board a 4 h river would seaboard on Gine- The district of each be fi xed by the Every engine po rtion of the fishermen were eligible for elec office, a certain _ _ eitherwither .side of the estuary being included. th le limits of this district would then contribute a e expey the BC rd cs3r , cli 'ng to its capacity of capture to one co ndedb common fun d rlxich wo u ld b e mana ged and were, however, many being restored, but wl rivers o f i Conservators. There n England capable of hichhadb een Bo neglected and abused that at the p resent time there were few, if any, engines to tax, and he feared the Exe was one of these. This create d a great difficult y, for it was hopeless to s think s of raising anything like sufficient THE Si3N, _LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, JANUARY 16, 1865. funds at present from a tax on nets, rods, &c. To meet the difficulty it had occurred to him that a rate might be levied on all landowners who possess a frontage of rivers. This proposal he knew would be strongly objected to by some ; but others were equally strong in its favour. If a clause were intro duced into the bill—for no provision was made for it 'at present—of course it would be quite optional whether it was adopted by any board or not—it might be considered advisable to do so for one river and not for another. It had been found to answer well on some rivers on the voluntary principle—the rate in aid being levied according to the value of that portion of the river which the landowner pos sessed. He trusted this rate proposition would re ceive their earnest consideration. In conclusion Mr. Ffennell advocated protection being given to trout as well as salmon. The spawning time of both fish corresponded ; and it was a great obstacle to carry ing out the Salmon Fishery Act to have persons fishing avowedly for trout, but really for salmon, during the salmon fence season. _ A long discussionfollowedthe hon. commissioner's address. Mr. T. MICHELMORE considered it would be a great injustice to do away with the present conser vators, as was proposed by the 13th clause of the bill, for the majority had done their best, under great difficulty, and had achieved very satisfactory results. By the 22d section water bailiffs were to have power to examine any dam, fishing weir, or engine, but he thought the clause would be inope rative unless power was also given him to examine all baskets. • Mr. FFENNELL considered this a good suggestion and in reply to further observations from Mr. Michelmore, he said the district where a licence was taken out for a rod would have the benefit of it, but the person licenced would, by the 24th section, have a right to fish in any river in the kingdom where he had obtained permission. Any rod would be consi dered a salmon rod that was used in catching salmon. Mr. MICHELMORE, adverting to the proposition for a rate in aid, said he knew there were many objections to it, but he was not opposed to such a rate. He thought, however, that as the increase of salmon was a question of national importance, the money required should be contributed by head quarters. Mr. FFENNELL said he should not have the teme rity to go to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to suggest that it should be paid by the State. Mr. MICHELMORE considered that grates should be put across the entrances of all artificial channels, and he hoped the amended act would deal with this and many other points, or it would be scarcely worth while to pass it. Mr. J. E. KINGDON suggested that the services of the coastguardsmen should be employed in examin ing boats, nets, &c., in the entrances of such rivers as the Exe ; and considered it essentially necessary that the act should deal with the question of sewage, and the deleterious matters from mines. gas works, paper mills, &c., being allowed to drain into the rivers. Mr. COLLIER moved a resolution expressing the concurrence of the meeting in the general provisions of the bill, which was seconded by Mr. KEKEWICH. After some observations by Earl FORTESCUE and others, the motion was carried; and the meeting separated. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. (Hear, hear.) Hayling had been a terra incognita. The great mass of the people residing in the metro polis were utterly ignorant of its existence, and he believed that if a cheap excursion train was to run from London to Hayling, it would become a favou rite resort. If that advertisement which they had all witnessed so constantly and steadily posted on some portion of every street—eight hours by the sea-side--were made to apply at some future day to Hayling, the island would not be a terra incognita, but it would become a place of great notoriety. (Hear, hear.) Although the line was a short one, he hoped it would prove a good one, and that it would benefit the district. (Cheers.) Sir Henry Leeke, Bart., M.P., their chairman, was absent through indisposition, to his own and their regret. Sir Henry's interest in the undertaking was undi minished, and his confidence in its success remained the same. The VICE-CHAIRMAN said that he believed that Hayling was the best bathing place in England ; 50,000 persons could bathe on that beach without inccnvenience. (Hear, hear.) Hayling was gene rally unknown, which fact he proved to them, but when known it would become one of the first watering-places in the south. He spoke of the delays. experienced by shipping bound to one of the London docks, and showed that they could dis charge their cargoes at Langston, reload, and almost return from another voyage, nearly as soon as they could discharge in London. That was the light in which they must view that undertaking. One of his ships, the Balmoral, would be there with a cargo of coal on Saturday or Monday. A great business could be done in the coal trade, and the nucleus of a coal company had been formed. He believed they would be able to supply Portsmouth with coal advantageously. Numerous complimentary toasts were proposed, and duly acknowledged, at the dinner, and the meeting terminated. Appalling Catastrophe at Edinburgh. threatened houses endeavoured to remove their household goods, and the whole of St. James's-place was filled with furniture hurriedly removed, and with people frightened out of their houses, and anxious for the care of their little property. Women and children might be seen without out door clothing in the cold evening, sitting as the household sentries on their own share of the confused pile. . JOURNALS. a • . _ strength and resources of Mobile, and the magni tude of Gen. Grainger's expedition against it, are equally unknown. At Wilmington the Confede rates have baffled the first attack of Admiral Por ter's powerful armada, and it has been conclusively proved that earthworks may be so constructed as to be invulnerable under the heaviest fire. The con- SPIRIT OF OPENING OF THE HAYLING RAILWAYS Ou Thursday the eastern section of the Hayling Railways, extending from Havant Station on the London, Brighton, and South Coast Line, and also on the Portsmouth Direct (South-Western Rail way), to Langston Harbour, was opened under most favourable auspices. The establishment of this short but important line is looked upon as of con siderable importance to the south coast, the general impression being that the line will inaugurate a new commercial era in the district. Many of the directors arrived by rail (11.30) from Waterloo, and the train of the new line was brought up to the Havant Station, whence the Hay ling line commences. The engine, gaily decorated, was in charge of Mr. Fred. Furness, the contractor, and the directors, with numerous guests, took their seats in the carriages, and amidst loud cheering were carried down the newly-constructed line to the viaduct over the channel. Everything went well, and satisfaction was generally expressed. The line was commenced about 15 months since, and when completed will cost about 60,0001. It is expected that the railway will be finished this year. The se cond section will reach to Sinah Point over the channel. The embankment across the channel is in a very forward state, and when the line is finished no less than 1,000 acres of land will have been re claimed. The promoters of the scheme have the greatest confidence in its success. Mr. Furness has arranged to work the line, and a revenue will at once accrue, the directors having undertaken to convey building material by the first section to Havant, from whence it is to be taken to Worthing. Had not the line existed the material in question would have gone by sea. After the ceremony a dinner was served at the Bear Hotel, Havant ; Mr. Compton Reade occu pied the chair, in the absence of Sir H. Leeke, M.P:, and Mr. G. Gowland (Gowland and Walten) the vice chair. Among those present were Rev. C. Hardy, Messrs. C. Longcroft, Walton, J. Theo bald, F. Furness, C. Francis, A. Fabian, W. King, Thorn, Culliford, Naden, &c., and also Mr. W. H, Wilson, of Victoria-street, Westminster, secretary, and Messrs. Lomax, and Hay, engineers. The CHAIRMAN, referring to the establishment of the railways, said although the line would be a small one it would be most valuable as a commercial speculation, and one of the most useful in England. (Hear, hear.) He believed that the line would satisfy the most sanguine anticipations of the pro moters—and he was one of the most sanguine —and improve a district as yet undeveloped. (Hear, hear.) He need hardly tell those who were ac quainted with the objects of the undertaking that in consequence of the disposition evinced by the Government that the Royal harbour of Portsmouth should be devoted to the navy, accommodation for merchant vessels was to a great extent restricted. The facilities possessed by Portsmouth as a harbour would doubtless have long since been taken advan tage of by merchantmen had not the Crown secured it as a 'harbour for the fighting ships of this coun try. It was evident that a Royal harbour and a mercantile port were incompatible ; they did not seem to agree together at all—(hear, hear)—and no one harbour devoted to the Royal navy succeeded, strictly speaking, as a mercantile port. Great in convenience was experienced by parties desiring either to import or to export goods at Portsmouth, in consequence of the Government requiring that port for their men-of-war. But Langston harbour, not being a naval port, offered every advantage to merchant shipping that was desired and sought after, and by making Langston a mercantile port they would remove a great source of annoyance to the Government. He believed it was generally ad mitted that the port admiral had a great dislike to see colliers and other merchant vessels enter Ports mouth harbour, and great facilitieswere not afforded for them to discharge their cargo. Now at Langston they would afford such vessels every facility, and they would be almost entirely free from port dues. Vessels of 700 or 800 tons burden could enter there at all reasonable times of tide. He thought there were plenty of inducements to invite a great number of merchant ships to come to Lang ston harbour, into which they had opened that line of rail. (Hear, hear.) He was glad to say that the rest of the line was in a forward state, and that in a very few months they might hope to open the sec tion to Sinah Point. He believed from the facilities offered by the line, a great amount of tonnage w ould come over it, sufficient, he thought, to satisfy thei most sanguine anticipations. Then there was a nother point for consideration , which would be come appai 'ea t to any one who had. been at Hay ling, was the advantages it offered as a And a sea-side retreat. (H ear, hear. ) n a g te , rin an g d . th pia a c t e Pure fresh air, ch. scenery—a view of the Isle of Wight in fro l i • vm - ing t, of the shipping at Spithead, the back ground — and one with a beautiful view 31 1 13eaclaeg, if not the most ex of the most extensive Hear.) A tru e Londoner tensive, in England. would appreciate the ( perfect freedom of that pure air and the quietude of such a sea-side retreat. On Friday evening about four o'clock, as announced by telegraph on Saturday, a fire broke out in the Theatre Royal Edinburgh, at the head of Leith-walk, which within an incredibly short space of time destroyed the entire build ing, and, in the falling of the walls, destroyed the cloister and part of the main building of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, and caused the loss of six lives. The disaster has caused a deep gloom in the city of Edinburgh, deepened by the loss of the well-known and much respected Dean of Guild, who fell in the discharge of his public duty. The Theatre Royal, formerly the Queen's Theatre (until the same was transferred from the old Theatre Royal in Shakspere-square, removed some time ago to clear a site for the new General Post-office), was opened only nine years since. It occupied the site of the Adelphi Theatre, which was destroyed by fire in May, 1855. The box entrance was in the south-east corner of the building, fronting Leith walk, and the site was open on the north side to Little King street, where the pit and gallery entrance was ; and on the east side to Broughton-street, which the store-room and saloon-windows looked out upon. On the north side the theatre adjoined St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, the interval between the two edifices being filled up by a cloister or private chapel. On the west side, which was the higher part of the site, the gable gutted upon several high and densely-populated buildings in Little-King-street, or St. James's-place, consisting of four or five storeys, and in habited in flats. On the other side of Little King-street, which has a very steep slope down to the street, there was also a tall range of inhabited dwellings, running to six or seven storeys high. The fire originated, it would appear, in the top shifts of the scenery, which were so badly protected that, on several occasions, they had taken fire, although, in the previous instances, the men had been able to extinguish the flame promptly by cutting away the drapery. In the present case the gas-man, named Cassey, who had just been putting in the lights, at a subdued height, to be ready for the illumi nation of the evening's performance, had succeeded in light ing the second row of top lights, and wits lighting the first when the drapery caught fire. The work had been done a little earlier in the evening than usual, it having been an nounced as the first juvenile night of the pantomime of " The Old Woman who Lived in the Shoe," which had already had a most successful three weeks' run. The flames spread so rapidly that Cassey was unable to get the border down in time, and he rushed along the " flies," or wooden stages upon which the men walk when regulating the scenery, and called to his assistance the head carpenter, Stewart, an as sistant named Glen, and Syme, the fireman. These men had been adjusting the scenes for the pantomime when the alarm was given, and they at once used every possible means, by cutting down the borders and hacking away the side scenes, to prevent the fire spreading in the " flies." Syme tried to adjust the hose, in order to put out the fire by means of the plentiful supply of water which is kept in tanks and pails in readiness for such an emergency. While thus engaged he was unfortunately overcome by the dense smoke, and the other men ran to rescue him. Meanwhile, the flames spread with almost incredible rapidity, and the scenes were in a few minutes in a sheet of flame ; the wooden "grooves" and stagings aloft quickly caught the flames, and the fire was speedily roaring to the roof fed by the draughts which open flames necessarily produce. So rapid was the conflagration that the few men in the house h a d barely time to escape, after they saw their attempts to extinguish the flames were hopeless. Stewart, the head carpenter, fell in one of the galleries, overcome a second time by the smoke ; but he was aided by his comrades, and they all got uninjured out of the building. Meanwhile some persons in the other part of the theatre had a narrow escape. A division wall separates the audience and stage department of the house from the staircases, property rooms, and saloons, and several women were in that part of the house, engaged, it is believed, in clean ing. Some of the men on making their escape from the stage department hurried round the building to the box door, and called to some passers by to break it open. This was immediately done, and the alarm was given to the women inside, who hurried out of the house. The property man, who was in this part of the building, either afraid or unable to get down the stairs, appeared on the upper bal cony, about 40ft. high, shouting for help to descend. Seeing no better chance of getting down, he ran in for a ladder, which, however, proved too short to reach the first bal cony; he went back for a second, but it also was too short. At length a large ladder was procured from the outside, and carried up to the first and from that to the second bal cony, from which the man descended to the first, and from there to the street. It was fully a quarter of an hour before he was rescued, and his position caused great alarm to the spectators,who now began to gather. At first energetic efforts were made to remove some of the properties from the thea tre, and some valuable things were thrown out of the win dows of the storeroom. There are four shops under the saloons of the theatre, two on either side of the box en trance, and some attempts were made to rescue the goods from them, but in a short time the progress of the fire com- Pe lled every one to desist. The shops were closed, and the shutters were also put up by the shopkeepers in the neigh bouring streets, while the gas was turned off at every pos sible point. Meanwhile the fire had been raging furiously inside, and at abort 10 minutes past 4 a dense cloud of smoke was seen to issue from the roof. From this hour it advanced with terrific rapidity. Within two or three minutes after the smoke was seen a fierce flame burst forth through the upper windows of the stage department. In a few minutes more the arched doorway to Little King-street, which admits the scenery, opened, and revealed the whole interior blazing like a volcano. In a short time afterwards the roof of the stage gave way, carrying in the ventilating turret with a great crash, and the flames, no longer confined, burst out from all the windows north and south, and through the breach in the roof, illuminating, as darkness closed in, the sides of the Calton-hill, and the tops of the buildings to a great distance. The startling gleam spread the alarm quicker than foot passengers could now carry it, and brought thousands of spectators to the spot. In the wide open area of Leith-walk there was room for a vast multitude, and by a quarter to five there were probably 12,000 people on the ground, who walked about in the dis tinctness of day—the whole area being lit by the flames, which now towered into the sky. An hour later there was a still larger assemblage. There was a light wind from the south-west, and as the flames tore the properties of the stage to pieces, the draught scattered the embers in fiery showers over Leith-wallt,York-place, and neighbourhood ; large pieces of bupning material being carried for hundreds of yards, threatening to spread the horrible devastation. While the houses opposite and above the theatre in Little King-street became ignited, the travelling embers descended several house chimneys and set them on fire. The spec tacle was at this moment appalling. From the Calton-hill, to which vast crowds of people at once hurried, the tre mendous sheets of white flame were to be seen shooting high into the air, their hot glow being distinctly percep tible even from the highest points. There was for a time the most vivid illumination of the different monuments and buildings on the hill, and also of the more distant heights of Arthur's-seat and Salisbury Crags. About this time the fire is reported to have been seen from Dunfermline, in Fifeshire, about 15 miles distant, and also from many nearer points. The alarm was first given to the police at St. James's-place station, near the theatre, and the sergeant on duty at once sent for all the engines of the town. It was a quarter to 5, however, when the first arrived, and half an hour more elapsed before the building could be reached by the hose, and, in the first place, the attention of the firemen had to be given to two houses which had caught fire in the imme diate neighbourhood. The high range of houses in Little King-street, opposite the theatre, and also those abutting it on the west side, necessarily received their first attention and, though no serious damage was done to them, the hose had to be played upon them for an hour and a half to pre vent their ignition. While the Are wag raging, the inhabitant's of all the About half-past 5 the vast body of flame had materially diminished, although inside the structure there was still the glow of a furnace " seven times heated." The efforts of the fire brigade were now beginning to tell, and help had ar rived from various quarters. The Dean of Guild had, it ap pears, sent a message to the Castle, to the officer on duty of the 74th, and immediately a body of three officers and 250 men, under Lieut. and Adjutant Currie, arrived on the ground at the double. Shortly after 5, Lieut. Nicholas, with a party of 50 men of the Royal Artillery, arrived from Leith Fort with a powerful engine, which did good service in the course of the evening. Soon afterwards Mr. Grant, super intendent of the Leith police, arrived with his fire brigade and two engines, one of which, however, could not be used for want of water. At half-past 6 Mr.Balbirnie, superintend ent of Leith Docks, also came up with from 30 to 40 men and the dockyard engine. It was fully expected by half-past 5 that the fire would be confined to the theatre, although it had now extended into the separate east section of the structure facing Broughton-street. The flames, evidently stimulated by a great draught, broke fiercely through all the windows to Broughton-street, and raged for some time with great fury at the point. But it was from the state of the walls that further danger was most appre hended. A - part of the south wall had been torn down in the fall of the roof, and the boxes and galleries having given way in a series of loud crashes, the side walls, which were 40 to 50 feet high, stood unprotected and showing a great inclination outwards. The north wall particularly, over hanging the cloister of the Catholic chapel, was seen to be in a very threatening condition, and on this side already a sad and fatal occurrence had taken place. A little after five one of the chimney stacks of the theatre fell outwards, and smashed in the cupola and a large part of the roof of the cloister chapel. A good many people were in this part of the chapel at the time, as it afforded a point for operat ing on the north side of the burning building. In the fall of the chimney two men were struck down. An old man named John Clark, who had for 18 years been in the fire brigade, though not now belonging to it, was killed on the spot, being thrown on his face against the wall. The other was a young man of 26, named Thomas Henry Leek, clerk in a painter's establishment. The latter was thrown down with a great stone on his back, with his head and arms partially clear of the rubbish, but unable to move. He called loudly and piteously for help, which could only be rendered by others at the greatest peril, for the north wall threatened every moment to give way. Several men cou rageously endeavoured to get him out. One of the most active in the benevolent and heroic labour was Mr. George Lorimer, Dean of Guild. Being himself apractical builder he felt confident in his own calculations for his safety. He was repeatedly called to come away, but his reply to one was that he knew the theatre walls well, and that they would not give way ; and to another, who urged him still more ear nestly, that he would rescue the man at the peril of his life. Mr. Lorimer and his companions hid been repeatedly warned of their danger, but the former refused to leave the work while he felt it possible to rescue a fellow creature, and several other men stuck by him and continued the effort to rescue Leeke. The fire-master, Mr. Mitchell, who had been observing the increased deflection of the wall, con jured Mr. Lorimer to yield, and even tried to drag him away. Bishop Strain, who had been at the spot all the evening, helping in the work, saw the wall beginning to yield, and ran through the large chapel to the cloister door to give the alarm. Mr. Chessar, Mr. Mitchell, and others 4 who were also within the limits of danger at the moment also called out that the wall was falling, and, running within the unbroken part of the roof of the cloister, escaped. In a second or two the greater half of the north wall fell with a terrific crash. Mr. Lorimer and three others were iu the act of escaping when they were overwhelmed in the ruins. Had Mr. Lorimer got a few feet further down the cloister, or had he taken to the door at which Bishop Strain stood, he would doubtless have escaped. It was impossible to tell at the time how many were killed, and the fire master and others had reason to be grateful for their deli verance, for had they not sprung forward at the moment they would have shared the same fate. At first it was be lieved that seven or eight persons had been killed by the second fall, for the falling wall left a pile of rubbish about eight feet high over the bodies. It was not till 10 o'clock next morning that the site of the cloister was finally cleared, and the number of persons killed ascertained to be six, in cluding the two first struck down. It is thought that Leeke had been dead before the second fall took place. The north wall in falling also broke through a large por tion of the roof of the church, besides destroying some of the parapets and, pinnacles. All the evening the church had been the scene of great activity to rescue the property, con sisting of the altar-piece, a " Descent from the Cross," by Vandyck—lately insured for 3,0001., and more recently for 1,5001., but really regarded as invaluable—several copies from Vandyck, and the offerings and relics preserved there. The pictures were taken out in safety, but the altar rail and some of the interior carved work was destroyed in the falling in of the roof. The picture by Vandyck referred to is said to have had a somewhat remarkable history. was sent, a number of years ago, from the Continent, and the vessel containing it was wrecked on her homeward voyage. The painting was recovered from the wreck, but the address being lost it was sent to the office of her Majesty's Customs. An offer of several thousand pounds is said to have . been made for it by George IV., but the proper ownership of the picture having been established, it was sent on, as it was first intended, to St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church at Edinburgh. This is the second occasion on which it has been hastily removed from the church, the last time being in May, 1853, when the Adelphi Theatre was burnt to the ground, on the same site. The Theatre Royal, or Queen's Theatre, was opened in December, 1855. It was built from a design of Mr. Bryce, Edinburgh, and had 1,700 seats, having three tiers of boxes and galleries. The front lines of the different tiers formed a semicircle with an ogee curve outwards, while the stage boxes within the Corinthian-columns of the proscenium curved inwards. The stage was from a design by Messrs. Grieve, Telbein, and Co., and might be opened upfrom the footlights to the wall to the depth of 58ft. The breadth of the proscenium was 38ft., and as the height from the stage to the roof was 54ft., scenery could be drawn up wards out of view of the house, or below into the area of 22ft. below the stage. There were 10 dressing-rooms, be sides green-room, property-room, store-room, workshops, &c., and ladies' cloak-room in connection with the audience department. The theatre has for the last few years been in the han of Mr. and Mrs. Wyndham. A few months ago it as reopened, after thorough cleansing and repainting, and the crystal gaselier of the. old Theatre Royal, the gift of his Majesty George IV., was put into it. This Royal gift was destroyed in the conflagration. We understand that the loss is for the most part covered by insurance, both on the part of proprietors and manager, but one office at least had declined the insurance some time ago on account of the want of protection of the top-shifts against fire. All the box seats had been taken for Friday evening, and about 1001. left in a non-fireproof safe, is said to be lost. The treasurer, however, had at the outbreak of the fire succeeded in recovering 3001. from one of the fireproof safes, It is believed that the loss to the manager will be several thousand pounds. The late Mr. Lorimer was an architect and builder, and was justly esteemed for his sound practical talents and high personal character. In November last he was appointed to the office of Dean of Guild, or by ancient courtesy Lord Dean of Guild, with a seat in the Town Council, in which he had previously served for three years as a Common Coun cillor. He had filled the annual office of Master of the Merchant Company of Edinburgh, and had served the public a good many years as a member of the City Road Trust. In his official capacity he was convener of the Fire-engine Committee, and was always sent for on the occasion of fire breaking out. A cab had been sent for him to his house, but he had not arrived, and had gone to the scene of the fire on hearing of it on his way home. He was one of the first of the authorities to arrive on the spot. The melancholy tidings of his death were conveyed to the family through the Rev. Mr. Cumming, in whose parish church at New ington the deceased gentleman was an elder. He left a widow and four children, one or two of whom have grownup. His eldest son was expected home from London on Saturday morning for a few holidays, and would get the sorrowful tidings on his arrival. Mr. Lorimer, whose life is said to be largely insured, was in his 54th year. At a meeting of the magistrates on Saturdit it was unanimously resolved to ask leave for the magistfates and Council to attend the funeral in their official capacity, and the Guildry intend to make the same request. All night the firemen continued to play upon the still burning ruins of the theatre, and a body of labourers were engaged in digging out the ruins of the cloister to extricate the dead bodies. On Saturday morning, between 1 and two o'clock, the west gable of the theatre fell in. Fortu nately warning had been given to all the men engaged in the work of excavation, and also to the firemen, and as the tall gable gave way the men rushed for safety into the vestry and residence of the priests. All who were in the neighbourhoodwere astounded at the dreadful crash, which caused the walls of the surrounding buildings to tremble. The body of Mr. Lorimer was got out about 4 o'clock, along with that of a labourer named M'Vie. They both appeared to have been struck down in running. The last body taken out was that of Mr. Taylor, a mason or builder, formerly employed in the service of the town. The following is a list of the persons killed—Mr. George Lorimer, Dean of Guild, aged 54—Mr. John Taylor, builder, St. James's-square, aged about 50—Mr. Thomas Henry Leeke, Union-place, clerk to Mr. Tod, painter, Dundas street, aged 26—John Clark, mason, Middle Arthur-place, aged 67, and who had served 18 years in the Fire Brigade; Bernard M'Vie, labourer, Lawnmarket, aged 36—George Sweeney, gentleman's servant, 15, Leopold-place, aged V, At the meeting of the magistrates on Saturday it was resolved to defray the funeral expenses of those who had suffered, should the relatives see fit to accept the offer ; and also to administer temporary relief to the families of the deceased who might require it, till more permanent provision could be made. The Procurator-Fiscal was in structed Co take out warrant for removal of dangerous walls, and adopt any other necessary measures for the public safety. The city clerk was desired to write letters of thanks to the military authorities for the service rendered and also to the authorities of Leith, who gave so neigh bourly help on the occasiou.. THE " SPECTATOR" ON THE LAST INDIAN GRIEVANCE.—The Anglo-Saxon toils and fights and rules and settles in all continents, amidst all races, and under every condition except one. No body of English-speaking men has ever remained or now remains under the rule of a Government not admi nistered by Anglo-Saxons. English or American emigrants never select a country not so ruled, or if by chance they find themselves so situated, they either upset the previously existing rule, as in Texas,. or leave, as happened in Java and the Philippines. If our countrymen will remember that fact, and re collect that it has been true for three hundred years, and is now true in an age oLemigration, they will be able to understand the root of that singular hostility which breaks out every now and then be tween English settlers in India and the official class —a hostility which has just re-appeared in a form which which, looked at from this country alone, seems almost grotesque. Mr. Maine, one of the most successful men we ever sent out to Bengal, perhaps the only one except James Wilson, who ever heartily conciliated both classes without deferring to either, has just brought into the Indian Legislature a bill for abolishing grand juries within the Presi dency towns, and nothing, one would think, could be simpler or more innocent. A grand jury in Calcutta is just what a grand jury is in London, with the single difference that Hindoos and Mahom medans sit upon it indiscriminately with English men. There, as here, it is filled with men of busi ness, who swear audibly at the unnecessary in terruption. Its power there, as here, is to decide whether there is any prima facie case for sending an accused person to trial, and there, as here, it simply stands between the magistrate and the tri bunal which tries the case. It is, therefore, there, as here, in theory a totally useless and rather worrying body, and the Anglo-Indian settlers, who have no respect for tradition and rather despise an institution for being old, would see it abolished with even less reluctance than London merchants. But they have a dread which is not felt in Eng land, which is the root of their whole policy as a separate party, and which induces them from time to time to uphold institutions which they themselves admit to be either unfair or absurd. They believe that the Government in many of its "reforms" has in view a distinct end,—the subjec tion of all races before local tribunals, which may be filled by native magistrates, Hindoos and Ma hommedans, animated by strong, and presumably , hostile, race and religious feeling. These magis trates they believe, will not absolutely refuse jus tice,—Government could prevent that,—but they will make all preliminary examinations painful by insult, and they will commit persons for trial merely in order to expose them to the annoyance of being tried,—a practice against which the grand jury is a sufficient and a permanent shield. They therefore resist its abolition, and although they have no legal control over Government, no right of representa tion, and no adequate voice in the Council, they are still powerful enough to make Government hesi tate, and at least anxious to soothe away their hos tility. They can, for example, if provoked, apply with great ease and completeness the pressure which the Venetians apply to the Austrian garrison, esta blishing a thorough system of non-intercourse, and they have always the sympathy of a class much stronger than themselves—the officers and Euro pean men of the army. Owing to the ancient and permanent dislike existing between the soldiery and the Civil Service, a dislike kept up by excessive in equalities of pay, promotion ' and precedence, the army has always sympathised with the settlers even upon points which do not directly affect its own in terests. So strongly is this the case that in the great fight of 1852 against the Act levelling all dis tinctions—the Black Act, as it was called—the Europeans declared repeatedly that if they were not to be tried by the Queen's Courts, they should prefer trial by courts-martial to trial before the local " Company's" tribunals. The Government has no wish to spread discontent among all merchants, planters, banisters, railway employes, officers, and European men all at once, and when they hap pen to be united, which occurs only upon this single question, it usually pauses to reconsider. It may pause now, as the reform is very unimportant, or if it does not, it will be because the Europeans are not really united upon a side point in itself so trifling. THE " LONDON REVIEW" ON THE BANK OF FRANCE AND THE RATE OF INTEREST.—MM. Fould and Behic, the Ministers of Finance and Commerce respectively, have recommended the Emperor to in stitute an inquiry into the causes of the high rate of interest which has of late ruled in France and other countries. The inquiry is to embrace " the whole of the principles and general facts which influence the monetary circulation in France ;" and the Ministers who recommended the inquiry appear to do so on the ground that " truth will emerge from the shock of opinions and doctrines ;" and that " from the discussions it will excite, the country will derive much useful information." The inquiry is entrusted to the Superior Council of Commerce, Agriculture, and Industi y, and is to be conducted under the presidency of the Ministry of State. The tribunal before which the subject is to be discussed is no doubt eminently qualified to receive and judge the evidence which will be tendered to it, tend which will of course embrace the practical views of the most accomplished financiers, and the crotchets of the most visionary theorists. The evidence will be looked for on this side of the Channel with great interest, not only on account of the importance of the question in debate, but because the English sys tem of paper currency cannot but be inquired into, discussed, and some judgment passed upon it. The appointment of this committee, or commission as we should call it, and of the Minister of State as i president, are, h ow ever, no doubt indicative of some f oregon e conclusion. The preamble to the report sets forth petitions numerously signed by the lead ing commercial men and manufacturers of Paris and Lyons, and these are backed by the petition of the Council of the Bank of France praying for the in quiry. Two things, as we think, may be inferred from these facts—the first, that the French Govern ment are disposed to take up the question with the view to some modification of the existing system ; and the second, that the inquiry is not 'entered upon with any view of diminishing the power and position of the Bank, but rather, if possible, of making use of its agency in furtherance of the object of dimi nishing the rate of interest. Some severe theorists will deride the idea of legislation on the rate of in terest, which they will rightly maintain to be depen dent on the law of supply and demand. But the supply, if not the demand for currency—for that which passes in payment of debt—is already subject to legislative trammels, and if these be modified, whether in the way of removing artificial barriers to credit, or of , increasing them, it is the Legislature which must act. When a Government either issues or authorises the issue of bank notes and makes them a legal tender, it must take measures to see that the obligation or expressed promise is fulfilled. Our own Government has measured the credit of the Bank of England, and has declared it to be limited by the sum of fourteen millions, and that this four teen millions shall be represented by promises to pay on demand sums not less than five pounds. If a man owes a less sum he must, to make a legal ten der for its payment, have recourse to the precious metals. The immense influence exercised by the English money market on the Continental one, makes it certain that our Bank Charter Act and its effects must be examined and reviewed by the French Commission, and we may thus obtain evidence and scientific opinions which may even exercise more in fluence than the Parliamentary inquiry which some of the magnates of the Press have lately deprecated, although it is certain that our own highly artificial system is accompanied by greater fluctuations in the rate of interest, and more frequently returning and ruinous panics, than are observed under the French systeni It may very well be that our system is sounder, and that the fluctuations and panics which are observable are due to other causes, and are even in some measure favourab l y modified by the Bank Charter Act; but we confess that we are glad to see the great probability, that if we do not think, it worth while to inquire into the causes of such phe, nomena our methodical and scientific neighbours on the other side of the Channel are about to do. THE " SATURDAY REVIEW" ON THE ACTUAL STATE OF THINGS IN AMERICA.—If it were certain that Hood's army had crossed the Tennessee river in safety, the latest accounts from America might, on the whole, be regarded as not unfavourable to the Confederates. As the capture of Savannah became inevitable from the time at which' Sherman opened communications with the fleet, the retreat of the garrison with its stores and field artillery must be considered a successful operation. The cotton which was left uninjured was probably the property of foreign owners, but the Federal Government will doubtless retain the valuable booty, with little re spect to a title which it may be difficult to establish. As the port of Savannah has long been closed by the Federal occupation of Fort Pulaski, the cotton must have been left in the town for security, and not for immediate exportation. Although the Confede rates and their friends affect indifference to the loss of Savannah, the arrival of Sherman at a place where he . can rest in perfect safety, with the absolute choice of his future movements, involves a great additional danger to the South. No Western Federal army has before reached the Atlantic coast, and there is no large Confederate force in the wide region which inter venes between Savannah and Richmond. On the side of Tennessee, the rumoured evacuation of Chat tanooga has neither been contradicted nor con firmed ; and, unless the garrison retired before the defeat of Hood, there seems to be no adequate mo tive for abandoning an important position, The irovers y which has arisen between the land and sea ' commanders is at once perplexing and amusing. Admiral Porter, having easily silenced the enemy's guns by driving the gunners into their bomb proof coverings, not unnaturally supposed that the troops which had landed might assault the works almost without resistance ; and, with a laudable confidence in the accuracy of his fire, he undertook to keep the garrison quiet until the assaulting column was within 20 yards of the place. , It is no imputation on the gallantry of the Federal , soldiers to object that it would have been a trial to their nerves to come within 20 yards of a line of 1 , shells which were falling at the rate of 115 to the • minute. The garrison, moreover, were probably within 20 yards of their guns, and they would have received the advancing enemy with grape shot before they could enter the works. The attempt was not, in fact, made, and on the whole it seems that the generals who would have been responsible for the success of the assault were better able to judge of its expediency than the admiral, who, with his fleet, was removed from all danger except from his own artillery. Admiral Porter seems to be a testy officer, as he reprimanded several of his own officers as roughly as he censures his colleague in command. There is something like humour in his implied estimate of the qualifications of a civilian general. General Butler informs the Admiral that he and General Weitzel agreed in considering the assault impracticable. Admiral Porter politely re-' plies :—" I think it might have been done ; but speak with deference, as I have a high opinion of General -Weitzel as a soldier and engineer." If the attack on Fort Fisher is repeated, batteries w ill pro bably have been erected on the spit of land where General Weitzel landed ; but for the present, the. expedition has failed, and the Federal Government has wasted several millions of money. The reported loss of 1,500 men is inconsistent with the rest of th i account, for, according to the official reports, the' troops were scarcely under fire, and those who ha d. been left on shore during the night were re-embarkedl on the following morning. The fleet lost 40 or 5 0 : men by the explosion of the wonderfulParrott guns/ which, according to the Northern journals, were destined to sink the whole English navy in half -a dozen rounds. It is, perhaps, not surprising that the national imagination should have been attracte d by things so big and so noisy. On the other hand, the Monitors raised their character by weathering a heavy sea and gale in safety. New York journalist a ' perhaps already see them with prophetic eyes cross - ' ing the Atlantic and anchoring off the Tower, if not ooposite Windsor Castle. Although the immediate, danger of a, profligate attack on Canada has pass e ' away, it is highly necessary that the English Gover ment and nation should indicate their purpose 0f resenting the smallest aggression. At no former i period has the language and bearing of the Unit e ", States been so insolent and menacing. Gener a, ' Dix's order has only been so far modified that of6‘ cers commanding on the frontiers are directed to report to General Dix himself for orders before they invade Canadian territory. Mr. Seward's letter t° Mr. Adams was a wanton and deliberate affront I° this country, as well as a useless insult to those will were immediately concerned with the Liverrl bazaar. Mr. Watson Webb remains in the pe s which he has disgraced ; and Mr. Seward hinasei" in his niggardly offer of satisfaction to Brazil, take 6 occasion to repeat the offensive assertion that tl ie ; recognition ,of the Confederates as belligerents WI a breach of the law of nations. It is evident tila' o recent successes have' inflamed American arrogan.. to a pitch of frenzy. The paper at New York whi ch represents the foreign policy of the Government O.' cept the exertions of the Canadian authorities l it o the matter of-the Vermont prisoners as the obvi oll result of General Dix's insolent threat. England at the same time, offered impunity, though ll ° , forgiveness, on condition of " forbid dil l " her subjects to violate the blockade." To O at lengths have the professed champions of nellt r , rights arrived infour years of belligerent experin ,,, It would be idle to notice the ignorant utteran ces American malignity if it were certain they Wel / end in words. No amount of verbal abuse--scare e yd even of official rudeness and ill-breeding—We ' i disturb the equanimity of England ; but there constant danger that extravagant language may le; to the perpetration of some intolerable outrag,,, When even those American writers who profess deration and calmness openly renounce all reP O , for international law, it is probable that some c, ° „ e • mander on land or at sea may translate their u" 0 trines. into act. The continuance of Mr. Nira t6- t o Webb's mission at Rio Janeiro is an i nv itation io ess A every Federal functionary to be equally reckl his conduct. A war with the United States W 0 be an unmixed evil ; but, if it is forced upon -50 land, it is better that it should come while there is t o opportunity of striking a decisive blow by opening re , Southern ports. There would be no risk of a ruP tli to if American conceit could be so far dispelled as io g convey to the popular understanding the mean o , of the conflict which is every day gratuitously Pte ,P 0 yoked. Hitherto the people of the United have been able to comprehend that the oblign A id• of countries to one another are both mortally al legally defined by the international code. TO , 7 6 , 1 + arguments their teachers and organs reply that t-,d wish for no - quarrel, but that, if they are molest by hostile cruisers, they will follow them into neuv, e , ports, and that, for similar reasons of conven!ll - they will not hesitate to enter neutral territory' COUNTRY MARKETS ----- GRANTHAM.—SATURDAY. ll Old white wheat, 42s to 445; old red, 38s to 400; forr/e white, 42s to 45s ; new red, 37s to 39s per 36 stone. ~,m- v a t ley for malting, 30s to 34s per qr. ; grinding, 25s to 3,P;gi 30 stone. Oats, old, 25s to 27s ; new, 22s to 24s Me stone. Beans, old, 41$ to 43s ; new, 36s to 38s per 38 e' Peas, 34s to 36s per 36 stone. LEIOESTER--SATIIRDAY. Old white wheat, 40s to 458 ; old red, 39s to 425; 13 white, 40s to 44s ; new red, 38s to 40s per 36 stone. r ley, malting, 31s to 34s per qr. ; grinding, 20s to Vs P e " stone. Oats, old, 26s to 28s ; new, 20 s to 2 4s per 24 0 Beans, old, 39s to 435; new, 36s to 38s per 38 stone. YORK-SATUTPAY The weather being very wet and uncomfortable , t i ? was only a moderate attendance of the trade. Of loll; there was not much offering, and business was oral s . 9 0 at rather lower prices. The average price is £1 per qr. s . t )e : --S pd New white wheat, 40s t o 45 s ; new re d, 36 8 to ,„ 36 stone. Barley, f or ma lti ng , 28 s t o 30 s per qr ; gr'" t oe 26s to 27s per 30 stone. Oats, new, 20s to 22s per 24 Beans, 40s to —s per 38 stone. NOT T INGHAM—SATURDAY. 11 At this corn e xc h a nge to-day there w as a f a ir snr,,P O A ' wheat from th e gr owers, the show co ns i s ti ng o f wiP - Der, red descriptions. Although the weather has of late ioe very changeable it has not been unfavourable for the l plant. The trade to-day was dull, and holders We' ., liged to submit to a reduction. Old white wheat, 43s to 46s ; old red, 39s to 410; fo r a ' white, 41s to 45s ; new red, 37s to 41s per 36 stone. 4'6 ley, new malting, 28s to 34s per qr ; old grinding, 27s ; new, 25s to 27s per 30 stone. Oats, old, 250 Tyor naw, 22s to 25s old foreign, 24s to 26s per stone. old, 40s to 43s ; new, 37s to 39s per 38 stone. NORWICH—SATURDAY' Oll There was only a moderate supply at this market, 0 4 of good dry wheats ; the condition of many sampl e {e ke le ke affected by the wet and stormy weather for the P* 7- 1 3 ;i 1 days, and the trade was dull at last week's rates. ' , supply of barley was fair, and prices were about main 0 for the best malting descriptions ; other sorts met s ging sale. Little passing in other articles. DUBLIN.—FRIDAY. n t 114 , The attendance was limited. The supply of wile - , moderate, but did not meet with much inquiry. 0' 4 in large supply, and met with a good demand for Sh i P' . lo4, prime parcels were bought up for seed. Barley, botliric,3 ing and malting, scarce. There was no alteration in!" except for the lower quality of wheat, which is so WV in condition as to command higher prices. Currencies :—Whte wheat, 23s Od to 25s Od ; re V 21s Od to 22s 6d ; grinding barley, 12s 6d to 13s 9c 1 ; 1 , ing do., 14s to 15s 6d; white oats, 11s to 12s; bl 10s 6d to lls 3d. Births. e' AusTrN.—On the 13th inst., at H ar i ng ark, Dor Mrs. W. H. Austin, of a son. fot -ger 1 1 SEYMOUIL—On the 13th inst., at Barwick House, ai d the wife of, Rear-Admiral G. H. Seymour, of ter. Marriages. ;9PP Burattmir—MAellvoir.—On the 12th inst., at the t,t ct it Chapel, Spanish-pla ce , Phily s Mill Bunbury, 7th Dragoon Guards, son of Hugh Mill Bunblw,, of West-hill, Wandsworth, to Georgina, third Itif f `p of the late P e t er M ac E voy, E sq., o f Wi m bl e don, fili iS4 CROFT—MAR Sll.—On the 10th inst., at Weyhill, v ,q, Hants, Herbert G. D. C ro ft, E sq ., on ly son of Su'„ e o o f Denman Croft, Bart, to Georgina Eliza Lucy, t ' o i daughter of Matthew Henry Marsh, Esq., M.F.I - ridge House, Hants. Deaths. BROUGHAM.—On the 12th inst., at Bright °ll ' A e Brougham and Vaux, aged 78. A. ll iv CRocxronn.—On the 13th inst., a t 10, P a rk-road' ~f, PE' stock-hill, John Crockford, E sq ., age d 41. 1 P 4 1 . ILCHESTRIL—On the 10th inst., at Melbury Mott William Thomas Horner F ox Strangways, I°ll 4n ...4,' of Ilchester, aged 70. )033'' KENT.—On the 13th inst., at Shortheath, Kidd° t oo Arthur Kent, Esq., a 29. LENNOX.—On the 12th ged inst., very suddenly, at - gc li01)11 the Lady Geo rge L ennox , aged 61. London : Priated and Published by WILLIA3I 0 1) ,O 0‘ of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at THE SUN Ofn ee d o oli ti Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the Middlegea.-7119LatY, January 16,1565,