The Sun. — London, England, 1866-01-19 00:00:00

-- ---"---"--0 USES.—Messrs. TOPLIS and ROBERTS \ down all attempts at free expression and liberal if JER_ have numerous furnished and exact unturteN•otrTNlNL: proceedings. A festival was announced as intended auourban, a id t_ ountry it.E.IDENCES t Par iculari forwarded for three stamps. du, Regent- to take place on the Janks of the Rhine, and P on stating' ! requiremen , si•ni I rental. Offices, 2. onuit-street the Nluseum. no untoward motives actuated those who planned aria street, South Kens i ng tsn, tsonli, (,.- it, but they merely sought to do honour to the "much-abused Prussian representatives." This, however, was quite enough to set the Govern ment in a rage, and forthwith the most extraor dinary steps were taken to put down the scheme, and insult, as far as possible, those who presumed to think of it. The particulars of these transactions are, of course, still fresh in the minds of our readers, but the President did right to call the attention of the Chambers to this lamentable event, which showed how far the authorities were from recognising their true position and the rights of 1 the community. Putting down, by "armed force," an innocuous attempt made on the part of the citizens of a free country to testify their respect for men who had faithfully served their interests, and done service to their fellow-countrymen, was indeed a strange and rare occurrence. Very emphatic was that passage in which Mr. GnABOW referred to the disputes arising out of the illegally arraigned organisation of the army, and also at the unwarrantable manner in which the financial affairs are conducted. Notwithstanding that in 1862 in the Royal decree a promise was made to the effect that legislation and administration "should be conducted upon Liberal principles, the political part of the legislation has been brought to an entire standstill." Such is a true picture of the state of affairs in Prussia at present, and earnest well-wishers to their country still look in vain for the appearance of any laws respecting Ministerial re sponsibility and other matters, without the settle ment of which the carrying on of the administra tion and legislation of the country in a satisfactory manner is impossible. If any remnant of respect for the good opinion of others yet lingered in the minds of the rulers of Prussia they would be ashamed to hear themselves spoken of, and their acts described, as they were done in this clear and comprehensive speech. " The Administration of the State is altogether devoid of Liberal principles; proof of which is afforded by the measures taken against Liberal newspapers, associations, and meet ings ; against Liberal officials and citizens." In point of fact, ever since he took office, Herr VON BISMARCK has carried on a crusade against free institutions, and all the established usages of con stitutional States. Success has so far attended his efforts, but so long as any public spirit survives in Prussia, his mean purposes and mischievous designs cannot fail to be recognised and denounced by the independent men who represent their country in the Legislature. More hard work remains for the Berlin statesman; and bold and unscrupulous as he is, even he must recognise the magnitude of his task, when he finds the President of the Chamber of Deputies declaring, in his inaugu ral address, that all authority not based upon the sworn public rights of the State is " wrong and immoral." If the KING and his zealous agent, in remodelling the Constitution, thought they had, by this time, pretty well crushed out all hope of liberty, or, at any rate, put down any expecta tion that might be entertained of preserv ing national rights, they will find themselves mistaken, when they dwell upon the manner in which the Session has commenced. There seems no reason to expect a speedy fulfilment of the hopes expressed by the President, at the conclusion of his speech, that Prussia may fulfil her German mission and develope a liberal cause, before she "is over taken by a turn perhaps favourable to freedom in the present constitutional crisis in Austria, and be fore it becomes altogether too late." The present epoch, with its significant occurrences in Prus sia, affords a very favourable chance to Austria, if she only knows how to take advantage of it. By giving up Venetia, and making satisfactory terms with Hungary by granting freedom and popu lar rights, she may step into the place which Prussia has forfeited through the misconduct of her rulers, and take the lead in the march of German politics. No one will be surprised, however, if this opportu nity be lost, as the two great German Powers appear to be quite infatuated when it comes to the point when a decision must be made between advancing the cause of freedom or following a course of abso lutism which is more consistent with old feudal times than with the present advanced times. S OUTII KENSINGTON, HYDE -PA R K, Queen's, and Rutland Gates, Queen's-te and Peters ham Terraces, Queen'tt-gate, Cornwall, and winces Gardens, Ely tston-place, Cromwell-rotd, Onslow and Thurloe Squares, Boltons. &c. 3lebsrs TOPLI 4 and ROBE KTS have RE -I DENC.ES to SELL an LET in these and surrounding localities. Offices, 2, Conduit-street, Regent-street, and South E x nsington, facing the Museum. LIFEBOAT SERVICES.--During the storms of the past year the National Lifeb sat Institution, by its Lifeboats and oilier means, contributed to the savin; of ;07 persons from different wrecks on our coasts. The Insti tution also expended £21,t4 in the same peris,d on its itte boat er tablishineiits, in addition to grants..;; £1,930 for re wards for saving life and exercising, the lifeboats. The Committee of the Institution etrncstly A i'PEAL to the public for ASSISTA NcE to enable them to meet the continued heavy demands en the Institution's 150 lifeboat stations. Contributions are received y ichArd Lewis the Londo and ~ at coun the try bankPrs ; and by the hecretarv,b It, t.sq nsti tutioH, 14, John-strtet, A-delphi, London. TLAN TIC AND GREAT WESTERN .111- RAILWAY. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that, in conformity with the terms on which the FIRST MORTGAGE BONDS of tho PENNSYLVANIA SECTION of this Railroad were issued, the following, viz.:- Eighty Bonds of $l,OOO each, numbered respectively 9, 20, 25, 63, 65, 66, 75, 76, 175, 249, 264, 290, 304, 306, 315, 325, 332, 348, 865, 367, 392, 409, 422, 425, 463, 473, 488, 489, 515, 532, 680, 735, 796, 880, 881, 911, 912, 981, 991, 1021, 1087, 1104, 1126, 1150, 1158, 1161, 1187, 1198, 1199, 1242, 1251, 1264, 1265, 1266, 1297, 1351, 1374, 1375, 1386, 1422, 1430, 1461, 1493, 1504, 1518, 1552, 1570, 1592, 1593, 1596, 1597, 1658, 1659, 1660, 1742, 1750, 1773, 1868, 1931, 1964 ; Twenty-four Bonds of $5OO each, numbered respect tively— 2011, 2041, 2053, 2055, 2067, 2074, 2079, 2096, 2116, 2170, 2220, 2269, 2273, 2326, 2336, 2367, 2385, 2390, 2449, 2453, 2469, 2524, 2558, 2583; Eighty Bonds of $lOO each, numbered respectively -2665, 2666, 2674, 2687, 2739, 2762, 2775, 2781, 2813, 2855, 2912, 2913, 2929, 2958, 2973, 2962, 2983, 2984, 2995, 2996, 3050, 3065, 3066, 3084, 3085, 3166, 3201, 3230, 3231, 3246, 3282, 3283, 3293, 3295, 3347, 3353, 3389, 3422, 3489, 3509, 3513, 3519, 3604, 3607, 3608, 3621, 3661, 3676, 3695, 3709, 3710, 3803, 3886, 3903, 3917, 3986, 4017, 4032, 4051, 4063, 4081, 4098, 4118,.4289, 4290, 4311, 4330, 4361, 4383, 4388, 4412, 4414, 4445, 4444, 4449, 4457, 4532, 4536, 4561, 4572, were this day drawn by the undersigned Public Notary. Notice is also Give; that such of the aforesaid Bonds as have been issued in London will be paid off at the rate of X 225 for every $lOOO Bond, £ll2 10s. for every $5OO, and £22 10s. for every $lOO Bond, on presentation at the Com pany's Offi c e, 5, Westminster-chambers, Victoria-street, Westminster, on or after 2d April next, in addition to the Coupon due on that day, after which all interest will cease. London, January 18, 1866. W. GRAIN, Notary Public. It 0 YAL ENGLISH R DE O N PERA, COVENT- (Opera Company, Limited.) THIS EVENING (FRIDAY). Mr. Charles 'Deffelli's new opera, in one act, CIIRIsTMAS EVE. Madame F. Lancia, Madame E. Ihywood ; Mr. A. Cook, and Mr. D. Miranda. Conductor, Mr. Alfred Mellon. After which. at 8, the grand comic, syeztacular, and ope ratic Christmas Pantomime, entitled ALADDIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP; or, Harlequin and the Flying Palace. (See other advertisements). ROVAL STRAND THEATRE. tiole Lessee and Manag,erLss, Sirs. twanborough. THIS EVENING. at 7 (11th time), NELLIE'S TRIALS. Messrs. l'arbelle, Behold, Price: Aliase, Swanborough and Ranee. After which will be produced a new Opera IlurleEque, L'AFRIGAINE ; or, The Queen of ,he Cannibtl Islan , s. Messrs. Stoyle, James, Thorne; Mesdames Swanborough, Raynham, Johnstone, ..tc. To conclude with TURN HIM OUT. aIFIE LAST EDITION OF " TIIE SUN,' evataining the Latest SVOILTINti INTELLWEAC ilan be had Every Evening of G. R. GLifiNIE, News AGENT, No. 4, Connaught-terrace, Hyde-park. The Wise Men of the East appear to have found themselves involved in a very serious difficulty, and it will be a little amusement to the unbusiness-like folks who reside west of Temple Bar to see how they will extricate themselves from it. Our present generation of Councillors and sages of the City proper have manifested for some time past a deter mination to contradict the old belief that citizens of London were absolutely indifferent to anything beyond the list of market prices and the state of the funds. If they cannot exactly modernise the achievement of that CESAR who found Rome brick and left it marble, they will certainly be able to say that the City of the next generation will be very different from that of the last. What with the invasion of railway lines, the new streets, and the City share of the great embankment, there will certainly be a very great alteration in the aspect of that busy focus of London life. But, sad to relate, in the midst of the energetic improvements of the day, there is one of the most important undertakings which has come to a deadlock. Citizens are rich enough, and sufficiently accustomed to venerable abuses to be prepared for a good deal, but a differ ence of two hundred thousand pounds between the Parliamentary estimate and the contractors' tenders proved a little too much even for the equanimity of a Common Council Committee. This difference, it must be remembered, was not between half and three-quarters of a million, but between £53,000 and £249,700 ! Such is the startling fact which was yesterday announced at the meeting of the Common Council, when the report of the Improve ment Committee relative to the Holborn Valley Viaduct was read by the Town Clerk. The Com mittee reported that they had already acquired the principal part of the property on the south side of Holborn Valley, and that a good deal of the ground had been cleared. Of course it was then necessary to decide upon a tender for the actual construction of the viaduct, and the committee having applied to twelve of the first contractors of the day had re ceived six answers. The Parliamentary estimate, as we have said, was £53,000 ; but the horror and amazement of the Committee may be imagined when, on examining the tenders, they found the lowest to be for £239,507, the highest for some £lO,OOO more. There was evidently something very wrong somewhere, though whether the mistake was in the estimate or the tenders was not easilydiscover sitp them able. Th ey accord i ngly appointed a special committee t out of the difficulty, bnt the labour o o f get sy was about equally hopeful. We have all heard of the difficulty of c , making both ends meet," and probably most of us have experienced it on a large or small scale, but to effect a junction between £50,000 and a i) quarter sei f o . f accordingly, cc million or d ing might ly a s puzzle Mr. GLADSTON E h j the ease was desperate, and << 14s:clans were in vain," a special authority was consulted, and plans, estimates, papers, and tenders were aid in despair I; , efon Ur, Jo,sEill CUM, with entteatie4 that he IHE LATEST EDITION of " THE SUN " supplied, as soon as published every Evening, by W. ALEXANDE 11 (i.%te 811001(S), Newspaper Agent, 21, Old Cavendisti-4treet, Oxford-street. 1111 E LAST EDITION of " THE SUN " supplied as , 00n as Published, containing all the LATEST NEWS awl SPORTING INTELLIGE.NCE, by 11. w. IlAilltlS, Newspaper Agent, 4, Blacklriars-roact, London, S. rgiim LATEST EDITION of "THE SUN." .R J. II 1)1,1%.[ES begs to inform his friends, and the pubic generally, t'.7s_‘., he pclipphes the LATEST EDITI , )N of I'llE t , LIN " as soon as •published —No. 16, Hampstead road, N.W. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. DA Y. — Morning, 3h. 44m.--Afternoon, 411. Om To-Monnow.-Morninc,, 4h. 20m.—Afternoon, 4h. 40m 0 ~~~ ~'~~~~ Stm LONDON, FRIDAY, JAN. 19, 186 G. -------4%.--__- President G TUB 0 w has certainly made the most of his opportunity, and lost no time inlaying before the Chamber of Deputies the exact state of affairs, and the peculiar nature of the work which is before it. Whether anything definite comes of this session or not, it is at any rate satisfactory to find this pro test made, and something like a determined opposition inaugurated to the plans and purposes of the Ministry. Herr GRABOW'S speech is an honour to him— it is Worthy of better times, and a more prosperous con dition of politics than at present. Besides being ad vantageous to the Chambers, and of service to the nation to whom it was immediately. addressed, it may fairly be said that this discourse is of interest and importance to fo • reign countries, for it sets forth in an explicit manner the dangers and difficulties which beset the path of the Deputies. Very forcible is the comment made by Herr GRABOW upon the unfair and u nconstitutional manner in which matters were Conducted last year. The 44 gloomy picture" spread out was indeed a melancholy sight, and at the close of the session the prospects be dark yr, when "at a time and in aiplace where all contradiction Wit;; impossible," the Ilouse was ac cusedthe country by refusing of injuring to grant an d by rejecting bills. A striking supplies,instance of the injuries thus inflicted upon the right cause was ably set forth by the President, when h e reminded the house of the manner i n which the " reactionary press " took up the subject. In fact nothing more redounded to the discredit of the Government than the latitude which was extended to those calumniators who decried the character of the Diet, and denounced its mem bers in the most unwarrantable manner and after the most unscrupulous fashion. Abundant proofs were furnished of the arbitrary intentions of the authorities, and of the desperate Style in which they meant to rule things, and to put Commence at 7 o'clock. THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE.— Managers, Messrs. E. Falconer and F. B. Chatterton. TIM EVENING, the Farce of BUSBANDS, BEWARE. Mr. G. Belmore, Miss Hazlewood, &a. Atter which, the Pantomime, LITTLE KING PIPPIN; or, Harlequin Fortunatus and the Magic Purse and Wishing Cap. 3lessrs. U. Belmore, H. Lrayton, G. Weston. Master Percy ttobelli ; Misses Hazlewood, A. Thomson, E. Falconer, Pantomimists, 3llessr•. H. Boleno, C. Lauri, Corm:talc, baville, Miss Morgan, and Madame Boleno. Commence at 7. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET.- Sole Lessee and Mansvr, Mr. Buckstone. THIS EVENING, BROTHER SAM : Messrs. Sothern Buckstone, Compton; Mesdames Veil) , Moore, Snowden. &c. To be followed by ORPHEUS IN THE HAYMARKET Messrs. W. Farren, Fisher, Bartleman, Weathersby, ; Mesdames Keeley, Snowden, Moore, Lindley, Wuolgar, Iloward, Wright, Coleman, Lovell, Prevot, &c. To conclude with MY HUSBAND'S GHOST. Commence at Seven. ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE.- Under the sole Management of Mr. Fechter. THIS EVENING, THE ILLUSTRIOUS STRANGER Mr. B. Widdicomb. After vc Melt, THE MASTER OF RAVENSWOOD. Mr. Frchter ; Messrs. Jordan, Emery, Widdicomb, Vezin, J. H. Fitzpatric , ,, D. Evans ; Atesdames Ternan, Rsworthy, Lavenu, and C. Lectercq. Box Office open daily from Elcven till Five. NEW THEATRE-ROYAL ADELPHI. Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr, B. We EVENING, at Seven, a new farce called PIPKIN'S RUaTIC ItE I'LEAT. Messrs J. L. Toole audr.l3ediord, After 'which, at 8, RIP VAN WINKLE. Rip (his 118th appearanze), Mr..lefferson, supporle.l by Messrs. 11111ington, Y. Bedford, It Phillips, leelix Itos%rs, Ashley, kburne, c. J. Smith , Sim 111ffingtcr, &C. To conclude with LEHIND TIME. 3lessrs. J L. Toole, R. Eburue, C. J. Smith ; Miss A. seaman, &c. OY AL PRINCESS'S THEATRE. Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. Geo. Vining. THIS .EVENING, QUIET LODGINGS. After whi h, at a quarter to Eight, IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO MEND. haractcra by Messrs. Vining, T. Mel ville, T. Mead, D. Murray, b. Cathaern, F. ViHers, J. G. Shore, G. Murray, li. Melon, U. Seyt , .en, It. Cathcart; Miss L. Moore and Miss Katherine Lodgers. Cala( THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, JANUARY 19, 18C6. would discover what was the matter and prescribe the remedy. Mr. CUBITT, on examination, made a discovery which, it appears to the uninitiated, might have been made before—that " the works on which the estimates for Parliament were founded were dissimilar from those on which the estimates were made as put in for the contracts." Still he was obliged to take into consideration the shortness of the time allowed for the construction, and a good margin for risks to account for the discrepancy. Mr. Cuurr gave it as his opinion that a viaduct 75 feet wide could be executed for £llO,OOO, rea sonable time being allowed for its completion, and that if it were 80 feet wide the increased expense need only be about £6,000. He examined the plans of Mr. JONES, the City Architect, and Mr. HAYWOOD, the Surveyor of the Commissioners of Sewers, and gave his opinion in favour of the latter as being the simpler and less costly of the two. Mr. CUBITT advised that the committee should ob tain plans and specifications for the viaduct without recurring to transverse arches, and to apply for ten ders without pledging themselves to the lowest. Mr. HAYWOOD'S dignity, however, appears to have been affronted by this suggestion, and he declined to " prepare plans under the Consulting Engineer's advice." He asked, however, for permission to carry out the structural designs of the viaduct on his own sole account and responsibility, at a cost of £llO,OOO, or £130,000 less than the lowest of the tenders. At first sight this appears extremely moderate ; but the extraordinary part of the business is, that Mr. HAYWOOD was engaged by the Common Council Committee in the first stages of the Holborn Valley Improvement Works, and, according to Mr. Deputy FRY, "he greatly assisted in the preparation of the plan and in carry ing the bill through Parliament." How then is it that Mr. HAYWOOD'S tender is more than double the original computation? The City Architect's esti mate is for £lBO,OOO, or more than three times the Parliamentary estimate. Added to the other per plexities of the matter, Mr. HAYWOOD and Mr. JONES are not brethren in arms, though they are rivals in renown, and cannot work together, even to make up . a report. When asked to consult together they each came up with a separate report, and the battle in fact seems to be between these two, and although the original feeling was in favour of Mr. JONES, Mr. HAYWOOD'S supporters ,yesterday proyed victorious, and it was decided that the committee should arrange with, Mr. HAYWOOD for the construction of the viaduct. So far Holborn-hill has certainly proved the Hill Difficulty to the would-be improvers. If this; is to be the manner in which City improvements are to be carried on the prospects of the new street from Blackfriars to the Mansion House are not encourag ing. The citizens were bent upon carrying it out themselves, but, according to sample, we may expect to walk down it in the year 1900 ! We heartily ap prove of the prevailing desire that works of this kind should be carried out in a manner creditable to the City, and in keeping with the engineering capacities of the day. But, as yet, the efforts to accomplish the Holborn Valley Improvement quickly have rather over-reached themselves, and between Council, Committee, and Special Committee, with plan estimate, specification and contract, and tender, the much pitied cab and dray horses of the City are not the only ones that trip and stumble in achieving the ascent of Holborn-hill. CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS. FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) PARIS, Thursday Evening. General Prim is not caught yet, but, on the con tary, he has effected what it was said was impos sible—he and his followers have crossed the Guadiana, and have been able to reach Zalamea, a small village dear the frontiers of Portugal, at the foot of the mountains which separate Estremadura from Andalusia. The )lloniteur publishes a notice to intending French exhibitors at the Great Exhibition, in which it is stated that some portions of the Palace will be ready to receive products from and after the 15th June next. In the absence of any real information in regard to the insurrection in Spain, I may state that according to a letter from Madrid, the committee of the Senate appointed to report on the demand for bringing General Prim to trial on the charge of sedition has decided that it will first be requisite to have a conference with the Ministers upon the sub ject. Three opinions were prevalent amongst the committee. Some of the members of it propose that Prim should be summoned before a Council of War. Other members say it will be better to have him tried by the Senate, of which body he is a member also. General Pavia, on the other hand, demands that General Prim should be tried by a Council of War, but says there is no need of any permission from the Senate for this purpose, as the law is the same for all mili tary men, no matter what their rank or station. Reports are published of another trial for murder and robbery. It took place before the Court of Assize of the Alpes Maritimes. The accused is a farm labourer named Icard, 24 years of age. The crime is alleged to have been committed on the 21st of March last year, in the environs of Nioe. The prisoner on that day broke into the house of an old man and his wife, named Gastaud, during their ab ' Bence, and stole from a drawer one hundred and sixty francs in gold. Just as he was about to leave the house, however, he was met in the passage by the old lady on her return. The prisoner drew a dagger from his coat and stabbed her with it about the head until she died. Suspicion having fallen upon the prisoner, a search was made at his lodgings, where a coat and trousers, stained with blood, were found. When the police put some questions to the prisoner, he at once admitted that he was guilty, and, indeed, told them where he had hidden the weapon. Blood was found upon it. The prisoner's counsel argued that he was insane. The plea prevailed to a certain extent, for the jury found the prisoner guilty, but with " extenuating circumstances," and he was sentenced to hard labour for life. A duel has taken place between M. Henri Roche fort and Prince Achille Oarat. The seconds of M. Rochefort were M. Taxile Delord, a newspaper writer, and M. Plumbete, manager of the Theatre du Palais Royal. The seconds of the Prince were M. Jerome Napoleon Patterson and M. Antonio de Ezpelata. The challenge was given by the Prince in consequence of an article in the Figaro throwing ridicule upon some letters written by him, which were produced in a recent horse-case concerning Mdlle. Cova Pearl. The duel was with swords. A mutually vigorous attack took place. M. Rochefort wounded the Prince in the breast, and the latter also gave a slight wound to M. Rochefort upon the hip. Upon this the seconds interfered, and thus the matter ended. It is stated that a broker in the Rue de la Made leine has made a discovery which will form an epoch in the history of the fine arts. This discovery is no less than this :—Among his dirty old pictures he has found a painting of the Virgin, the undoubted work of Corrcggio. Amateurs are of opinion that the painting embodies in a high degree the qualities of that great master. The Siecle to-day draws a curious contrast between the English Government and that of Spain. It says—" The most grave fact of the day is the placing in a state of siege the city and county of Dublin. That an oscillating and threatened Go vernment like that of Isabella 11. should adopt at the first alarm exceptional measures is not sur prising, but that the Cabinet of St. James's, in a constitutional country, should resolve to proclaim a state of Beige, gives reason to suppose that the situation of Ireland is alarming." The Monitour_of this evening states that in spite of the differences which at first prevailed among the committee the Senate gave, almost unanimously, authority to proceed against General Prim on the charge of sedition. The only other news of the day is that Madame Goupy, daughter of M. Baroche, Minister of Justice, died this morning after a short illness. The mild weather still continues. To-day it has been like May. In my garden, near Paris, the honeysuckle and rose trees are budding. The apricot trees look as if it were April. The Inventors' Institute. TIIE ATLANTIC CABLE FAILURE. On Thursday evening the council of this institution held an important meeting at 4, St. Martin's-place, Trafalgar square. C. IV. Siemens, Esq., C.E., F.R.S., presided. The occasion was marked by Captain J. H. Selwyn, R.N., reading an interesting paper on "Submarine Telegraphy." Captain SELWYN exhibited a model of his paying-out drum. It consists of a cylinder which on the large scale would be made of iron plate, like an iron ship, its dimen sions being something like 50 feet in diameter, and GO feet in length. On this hollow cylinder or drum the telegraph cable would be wound, and the dimensions would be such that the drum would float, when loaded with the cable, somewhat less than half immersed. The axis of the drum would be mounted in a framing towed by a steamer, and each end of the drum would be fitted with paddle floats capable of being reefed towards or from the axis. By this arrangement, on the drum being drawn forward by the steamer, the water acting on its floats would cause the drum to revolve, and thereby pay out by unwinding the cable from its revolving surface. By properly arranging the paddle floats, the speed of revolution, and thereby of paying -out, could be adjusted to that of the towing vessel. Captain Selwyn states that tke latest device of man to span the liquid barrier nature has set between the conti nents, as far, at least, as his intelligence is concerned, to pass his thoughts through or under with lightning speed that element over which his -body can only as yet pass comparatively slowly—this device, the submarine tele graphic wire, has as yet proved more difficult to esta blish with certainty of success, and the failures to do so have been more costly than in the case of any other en gineering problem that has as yet tasked the resources of this ago of invention and discovery. It is, however, fortu nately the case that the last thing an English engineer ever does is to confess himself beaten by nature. So long as there is money theta is hope—is his reading of the sea man's phrase " Never say die while there's a shot in the locker." But, also, the first thing the engineer does, or should do, is to study the causes of failure. Rather should he proclaim them aloud, though to have failed be to man reproaM, than seek to conceal incompetence under the plea of impossibilities. He regretted that the history of deep-sea telegraphy was almost entirely one of failure. The public wanted to hear the history of the " hitches" in the successhilly laid-out cables that only succeeded in ab sorbing shareholders' capital. The first idea of a submarine telegraph, Capt. Selwyn proceeded to state, seemed to have been simply an insulated copper wire. There were com bined the two essentials—a conductor of moderate size, and an insulator, whose function was simply to confine the electricity to that particular character. So far as these conditions were fulfilled, the communication was as per fectly provided for as in any subsequent structure by the most "eminent ewntractors." But, unfortunately, in cross ing the narrow seas where this first cable was laid sources of mechanical injury were inevitably present, for which no allowance had been made in the construction. It was not sufficient that the water should be kept out or the electricity be kept in, if these conditions could be secured only when nothing but water was in contact with the deli cate thread. He drew the conclusion that light strong cables are to be chosen in preference to tilt most elaborate admixture of iron wire and hemp. For mixing these longi tudinal fibres of flax must be used, crusted in with a sub stance which must not be, an insulator, although it should be waterproof or nearly so, but which, above all, should be as unpalatable as may be to the inhabitants of the ocean depths. Spirals, whether of iron or steel-wire or hemp, whether in the conductor or the exterior sheathing, are by all means to be avoided. They will prove to be nothing but a dead loss of time and a shameful waste of material. He next considered the constitution of the insulator. There is no reason to believe that the gum hitherto most in favour— gutta percha - has ever contributed by its failure to the want of success in deep sea telegraphic com munication which we all deplore. But neither its advo cates, nor those of India-rubber, can justly be surprised if advances in chemical science place us in possession of sub stances of bettor quality for our purpose at a more reason able price that we should prefer them, notwithstanding some of those vested interests which the progress of our age is so constantly over-riding. He saw not the smallest reason to doubt that the paraffin compound of Mr. Mackin tosh is such a substance, and ho could not but anticipate its extended employment both for subterranean and sub marine lines wherever its valuable qualities and low price became as well known to the world as they are to the few who have hitherto made it their business to inquire into po the un su d b d jct. The e e rivedf most romthe e p x a t ryrraaffiernd,inwahichpriotplearrtgyelo largely this con m t c a o ins - , is the extreme lowness of its inductive capacity, joined to very high insulating power. This, it is well known, affects directly the speed of the transmission of signals, though he was not disposed to attach so much weight to this speed as it is usual to do, believing that a proper code of signals may be made almost indefinitely to increase the rate at which ordinary messages can be sent. The model for this may be found in " Marryat's" or the "Navy Signal-book,' , in the use of either of which any one of ordinary capacity may speedily become an adept. He advocated the laying of all telegraph cables, light or heavy, from floating cylin ders, which are to carry (in some cases) the entire, or in others at least half, the cable, and to be towed by steamers. But there still remains a not unimportant part of the sub ject for consideration. Having made the best possible cable, and having chosen the best method of laying it out, what, he asked, more could be done to ensure its safe deposition and greatest durability ? That the route be carefully selected. He thought that any one who put copper cables and iron shore ends together in salt water would be sadly disappointed if he looked for even ordinary durability in the iron. He did not doubt the possibility of recovering a properly-made cable by grappling in any depth of an oozy bottom. On the contrary, he believed that the Atlantic cable was hooked, and could have been brought to the surface. But this operation, said Captain Selwyn in conclusion, becomes more simple and easy when, in stead of 2,000, we have only 200 fathoms to deal with, and he had no hesitation in saying that across the greater part of the Atlantic such shallow water may be even where it has not yet been found, and that when we are bold enough to abandon coasting voyages in telegraphy, we shall find our difficulties disappear as we face them—just as did those of the immortal Columbus when, despising the clamours of a self-satisfied clique, he sailed forth into the broad Atlantic, and was rewarded by the discovery of a new world. The first mistake in submarine tele graphy was the putting light deep sea cables to do shallow water work. The last has been to put heavy ropes to do the work for which, in the ocean depths, only light ones could possibly be fitly employed. That these errors might be avoided by being exposed, and that thus true progress might be made, was his earnest wish and sole motive in reading his paper. The gallant captain sat down amid much applause. The members were then invited to give their respective opinions. Mr. VARLET, jun., suggested that trials of short lengths of cable should be made, so as to ascertain the most ad vantageous construction. Mr. TAYLOR made some observations on Capt. Selwyn's floating drums. Mr. Joie Irma Y inquired whether the usual metallic protective coating eould not be suppressed altogether, giving all the strength to the conductor and insulator. He also asked whether there could be any practical objection to a cable but little heavier than water. Mr. JEFFRIES, F.R.S., observed upon the inefficiency of break apparatus used for the Atlantic cables, and suggested the employment of arrangements of greater delicacy. Mr. VARLEY, sen., expressed his approval of light cables made without metallic protecting wires. Professor M'GAULEY observed on the necessity of always providing for recovery of the cable in case of fracture, and suggested the employment of four satellite steamers, so that there should always be apair sustaining a rope transversely to the cable several miles behind the paying-out vessel. In cases of fracture, these steamers, by moving apart, would raise the cable, so that it could be recovered. Mr. JOHN 111wrosil strongly supported the construction of cables without metallic protection, and stated that many successful pieces of cable had been mado—small, smooth, and strengthened by flax or silk fibres. Mr. RoßEßTsrmade some remarks on the testing of cables, The CIIAMMAN gave a general summary of the discussion, and expressed his conviction that some sort of protecting material was necessary to submarine cables, though he could by no means approve of the ordinary iron sheathing. Iron sheathing would be always subject to magnetic influence, and might thus prejudice the - conduction. For tensible strength and protecting qualities he considered hemp one of the best materials, provided it was impregnated with some preservative substance. Votes of thanks to Capt. Selwyn for his excellent paper and to tho chairman closed tho proceedings. A contemporary says :—" The public will learn with satisfaction that the immediate apprehension of Mr. Layard's retirement from the Foreign-office has passed. Forcible as the motives must have been which induced him to tender his resignation, and at the same time to de cline the proffered distinction of a summons to the Privy Council, he has set aside his own wish in view of the aid which be can still render to the business of the country in the active session now approaching. Mr. Layard has thus added one more to the number of those statesmen whom we have already mentioned as waiving personal conside rations in the earnest desire to support Lord Russell's Government, and to promote the united action of the Li- Imal party." LA TEST INTELLIGENCE, (REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.) THE MILITARY REVOLT IN. SPAIN, MADRID, JAN. 18. Official despatches announce that the insurgents passed the night of the 17th at Berlanga. It was believed they would pass through Slerana to-day, in order to enter Portugal at Jerez de los Caballeros. The sergeants who attempted to get up a mutiny of the Alcala Regiment and release the convicts were shot here this morning. Tranquillity prevails at Madrid and throughout Spain. FRANCE. PARIS, JAN. 19. Professor Wurtz has been appointed doyen of the Paris Faculty of Medicine. The Moniteur of to-day :—" On the 17th inst. General Prim passed the night at Berlauga, on the frontier of Andalusia. It is not known if be will attempt to penetrate into Andalusia or cross over into Portugal." BOURSE, Jan. 18.—Two o'clock.--The market was buoyant, and closed at the following quota- tions:— 4i per Cents 9B 30 Do. end month 3 per Cents. 6B 75 Do. end month 6B 70 Credit Mobilier Do. end month Bank Shares 3665 Credit Foncier — Italian Loan 62 10 Do. end month 62 25 Roman — Ottoman Fives 4O 25 Mexican Loan — Do. Bonds — Russian - Austrian Spanish Threes .. _ Home Debt - Deferred Acct. - ... 850 -- - ... 1110 - „„ 856 25 ... 552 50 - -- ••• - - ... 412 50 - - ... 423 75 - ... 182 50 - - ... 220 - - - ... 156 25 RAILWAYS. Cash. Orleans Northern Lyons and Mediterranean Southern Western Eastern Sardinian . Austrian Lombard North of Spain Saragossa Ditto to Barcelona Roman AMERICA. (REUTER'S EXPRESS.) (Per City of Washington.) NEW YORK, Jan. 6 (Noon). Southern advises are very meagre. The fears lately so generally entertained at the South of a negro insurrection seem to have nearly subsided, and it is now believed that no formidable conspiracy of that character has existed. Of the numerous disturbances that occurred during the holi days none were believed to have resulted from other than local causes. At New Orleans a severe fight took place between some white stevedores and a party of some 600 negroes, the latter having attempted to drive the steve dores from their work. The police finally dispersed the mob, and arrested some 20 of the negroes, when quiet was restored. Arkansas advices show that great lawlessness prevails throughout that State, highway robberies being of com mon occurrence. The negroes were suffering greatly from sickness and destitution, notwithstanding the exertions of the Freedmen's Bureau, which was vigorously directed to their relkof. Quite an excitement was produced recently in a Mobile theatre by a Federal military commander ordering the orchestra to play " Yankee Doodle." The audience hissed the tune, while the soldiery applauded it. Quietness was finally restored, and the play went on. Governor Worth, the new Executive of North Carolina on the 30th ult. issued an address to the people of that State, congratulating them on the termination of the Provisional Government. He says that having been vanquished by the national armies they have submitted, as becomes a brave people, and he does not believe that one North Carolinian is unworthy of the confidence reposed in them by the President. Captain Raphael Semmes will soon be put upon trial' and probably convicted, though it is said that his subse quent pardon is certain. Governor Fairchild, of Wisconsin, in his inaugural ad dress, declares that, although the war has for ever decided the question of the right of secession, yet "not until Jef ferson Davis shall have been tried, convicted, and hung for treason, and the fact that treason is a crime which can not be committed with impunity fully demonstrated, will the American people be content." The Governor advo cates the payment of the national debt, and the granting of full political and civil rights to the negro. Governor Cony, of Maine, in his message, states that Maine furnished during the late war over 71,000 men, or more than a tenth of her total population, of which num ber 8,446 perished on the field of battle and in hospitals. The State expenditure during the war was about 14 mil lion dollars. The Governor suggests that the privilege of the elective franchise should be extended throughout the country to all, irrespeCtive of colour, but that an educa tional qualification should be required. Governor Andrew, of Massachusetts, in his valedictory, address says the admission of the Southern States should depend on the following conditions : —A guarantee of equal civil rights to coloured persons; also the right to vote ; the abrogation of the ordinance of secession ; the repudiation of the rebel war debt; and the ratification of the Anti slavery Amendment. General Palmer, Federal military commander in Ken• tucky, recently addressed about four thousand freedmen at Louisville, congratulating them on the abolition of slavery throughout the country, and prophesying for them a happy future and an early recognition of all their civil and political rights by the people of the South. General Palmer paid a warm tribute to the kindness generally shown by Kentuckians towards their late slaves. The State Republican Convention of New Hampshire recently adopted a resolution, endorsing President John son's, and pledging him support in his efforts to restore harmony and mutual trust between the different sections of the Union. Another resolution adopted denounced the establishment of M aximilian's empire in Mexico as " a standing insult to our power, and a menace to Republican institutions in . America." Mr. Secretary M'Culloch's statement for the month of December, 1865, shows tho total amount of the National debt, less the cash in the Treasury, to be two thousand seven hundred and sixteen millions of dollars. Both Houses of Congress re-assembled yesterday. In the Senate, Mr. Sumner, of Massachusetts, presented a pe tition from negroes of Alabama and Mississippi, asking the privilege of voting. Mr. Sumner also presented a petition from negroes of Colorado, protesting against the recogni tion of that State on account of radical injustice alleged to be done to the coloured race by the provisions of its newly adopted constitution. Mr. Chanler, of Michigan, presented a protest of citizens of his State against a renewal of the Canadian Reciprocity Treaty. Mr. Sumner presented a petition from citizens of Boston claiming indemnity from the British Government for da mages sustained by the depredations of the Alabama. A proposed constitutional amendment, prohibiting the payment by public monies of any claims for emancipated slaves, was referred to the Judiciary Committee. - In the House of Representatives, a bill proposing that American vessels that took foreign registers during the war shall be prevented from renewing American charters was refused. Mr. Spalding, of Ohio, spoke at•length upon the Presi sident's Message. He announced his belief in the sincerity and wisdom of the President, but thought his removal of the provisional governors without the consent of Congress rather an undue assumjtion of power. There has just been issued from the Public Printing Bureau the Message of the President heretofore trans mitted to the Senate in response to a resolution asking for information ou the subject of a decree of the so-called Emperor of Mexico of 3d Oct. last. A copy of this decree has already been published, and Mr. Romero, the Mexican Minister, in calling the attention of Secretary Seward to it and other papers in October last says—ln the usurper's proclamation of the 2d inst. the Duke supposes, contrary to the fact, that the Constitutional President of the Mexican Republic had abandoned the national territory, and from this false hypothesis he concludes that the de fenders of independence, whom he calls " bandits," in obedience to orders received from the French, have no leader. It is nothing new for the usurper to call these patriots who sustain the cause of Mexico " bandits," nor is it new to him to treat them as such, with a severity that would be called excessive if applied to criminals of the lowest order. He showed the same determination in his proclamation of the 3tl of November last. Now, Maximilian wishes to regulate this established system of assassination, by a decree issued on the 3d inst., creating the most informal military tribunals, extending their jurisdiction to every person in the country armed without license from his so-called Government, regardless of the numbers and character of the party he belongs to In this decree, exclusively tyrannical, he condemns to death every armed man who is not a French soldier or a traitor, and even those who will proffer information which may aid the defenders of their country, and sanctions se vere penalties for the mere act of concealing a patriot or circulating alarming news; and it has been carried out by his French directors, who have been, by the system of court martial, sending to the scaffold the captive patriots called guerrillas, and even military officers of the National Army who could not be called so. This extraordinary se verity is in open contravention to the studied mild pro mises made in the first proclamation on landing at Vera Cruz, dated May 23, 1864, &c., &c. lar.Romero, LI another letter to Secretary Seward, dated Nov. 20, says :---This barbarous and bloody decree, the most cruel ever yet seen, has already begun to be exe cuted. It is now my painful duty to inform you that on the 13th of October last the Generals Ortega and Salazar, and Colonels Diaz, Paracho, Villa, Gomez, Perez, Milecua, and Villanos, five lieut.-colonels, eight commandants, and a number of subordinate officers, were surprised and taken prisoners by the French forces in the town of Santa Anna, Amatian, State of Michoacan, as appears from the official despatch sent to the usurper, of which I inclose a copy in French. Those generals and colonels belonged to the re gular army of the Republic, were officers of education and profession, and have fought for the independence of their country from the time the French first landed in Mexico. These distinguished Mexicans were executed in accord ance with the abovenamed bloody decree of the usurper of Mexico. I have information, of the truth of which there unhappily is no doubt, that the two generals and four colonels were barbarously sacrificed, in flagrant violation of the laws of war and every principle of justice. It further appears from the documents that, on October 28, Charge d'Affaires Corwin informed Mr. Seward that it had been reported at the City of Mexico for the three preceding days, and generally believed, that on the 21st of that month Generals Ortega and Salazar, and the four colonels, were shot at Uruquan, but that no official report of the execution had been published. Mr. Corwin also refers to the first article of the decree, show ing that all those belonging to the armies fighting for the Republican Government will be shot if taken prisoners by the Imperial troops. Mr. Seward, on the 3d of November, addressed a letter to our Minister at Paris, saying :—" I am directed by the President to request you to ask the serious attention of the French Government to the military proceedings in Mexico, by which native Mexicans taken captives while adhering in war to their own Republican Government, are denied rights which the law of nations invariably accords to pri soners of war; and on 28th of the same month Mr. Seward addressed another letter to Mr. Bigelow, saying : " With reference to my despatch of the 3d inst. it is now my painful duty to acquaint you that information has been received from the Minister of the Republican Government of Mexico accredited to this Government, to the effect that the sanguinary policy referred to in the above-named despatch has actually been inaugurated by the execution of several distinguished officers of the Liberal forces, who bad been surprised'•and captured by the Impeiialists in the town of Santa Anna, Amatian, namely, Generals Ortega and Salazar, and Colonels Diaz, Poracho, Villa, Gomez, Perez, Milecua, and Villanos, five lieutenant colonels, eight commanders, and a number of subordinate officers. It devolves upon me to instruct you again to call the serious attention of the Imperial Government to the subject, and to inform M. Drouyn de L'Huys that these reports have been received with the utmost concern by the United States. If, upon investigation, they should prove, as there is there is too strong ground for believing that they are well founded, we cannot suffer ourselves to doubt, that so far as the Government of France is concerned, it can never countenance proceedings which are so repugnant to the sentiments of modern civilisation and the instincts of humanity. Mr. Bigelow, under date of Paris, Nov. 30, 1865, writes to Mr. Seward as follows : Sir,—He (M. Drouyn de L'Huys) here referred to the representation I had made in regard to the shooting of the Mexican prisoners taken in war, and, also, to the case of Madame De Yturbide. " Why," he said, "do you not go to President Juarez? We are not the Government of Mexico, and you do us too much honour to treat us as such. We had to go to Mexico with an army to secure certain important interests, but we are not responsible for Maxi milian or his Government. He is as accountable to yon, as any other Government, if he violates its right, and you have the same remedies these that we had." Mr. Seward, under date of Dec. 10, informs Mr. Romero that the latter's despatch and its accompaniments, for which he tenders his thanks, have received the considera tion to which they were justly entitled by this Govern ment. COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. Money abundant. Gold, 143. Exchange on London, 155-; on Paris 3 62k. Stocks dull—New York Central, 96 ; Illinois, 131 i ; Erie, 961; Five-twenty Bonds, 1041. Cotton firm, but active—middling upland, 520. Flour dull. Wheat quiet. Corn slightly firmer. Provisions a limited demand. Coffee quiet. Sugar firm, but active. Molasses held firmly. Petroleum, a limited demand—crude, 37ic. ; refined, 59c. to 61c. NEW ORLEANS, Jan. s.—Cotton dull—middling upland, 50c. Sales of the week, 15,000 bales. Stock, 181,000 bales. ARRIVAL OF THE SAXON. SOUTHAMPTON, Jan. 19. The Saxon, just arrived here, spoke the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company's ship Rhone, for Lisbon, Brazils, on the 13th inst., 50 miles south-west of Vigo. She had suffered much in a heavy gale, and lost all her boats on the port side, and appeared to be going slow. ARRIVAL OF THE PERUVIAN. . (Via Greencastle.) NEW YORK, Jan. 6 (Evening). The City of Lopdon arrived at ',tains to-day short of coal. Money abundant; gold. 142. Exchange on London, 1541; Paris, 365. Stocks dull ; New York Centrals, 95i ; Illinois, 130 ; Erie, 94f. Five-twenty Bonds, 1041. Petro leum, crude, 38 ; refined, 59. SOUTHAMPTON, Thursday. The North German Lloyd's steamship New York sailed to-day for New York, with the usual mails, 72 cabin pas sengers, and a large cargo, including French jewellery to the value of £5,500. FRIDAY. The Hamburg and American Company's steamship Saxonia, from New York on the 6th inst., has arrived, with 50 bags of mails, 89 passengers for this port, Ham burg, and Havre, $116,309 in specie for England, $212,724 for France, and $BOO for Hamburg. News anticipated. BANK OF FRANCE. PARIS, JAN. 18. The following is the return of the Bank of France for the week ending to-day, together with the cor responding figures of the previous account : Jan. 11. DEBTOR. Jan. 18. Capital of the Bank.. _ Profits in addition to capital (Art. 8, Law, June 9, 1857) 7,044,776 02 7,044,776 02 Reserve of the Bank and its branches 22,105,750 14 22,105,750 14 Reserve in landed pro perty. 4,000,000 4,000,000 Notes in circulation ... 970,736,975 954,402,575 Banknotes to order and receipts payable at sight 7,758,618 43 7,809,951 76 Treasury account cur- 182,500,000 ---- 182,500,000 -J: rent Creditor Current accounts, Paris 136,033,195 79 159447,607 13 Do. branch banks Dividends payable 4,469,584 75 6,518,613 75 Discounts and sundry interests Rediscounted the last six months 2,074,992 92 2,074,992 92 surplus of receipts not 0 diiitributed Sundries 12,827,220 38 16,109,519 36 Total CREDITOR. Jan. 18. Jan. 11. Cash in hand and in fr. c. fr. Branch banks Commercial bills over due Commercial bills dis counted, not yet due 880,746,508 06 384,304,116 68 Do. branch banks 362,227,137 357,501,753 Advances on deposit of bullion Do. branch banks Do. on French Public Securities Do. by branch banks Do. on railway shares 2,904,403 73 1,506,788 52 7,216,700 - 7,479,300 - 8,619,000 - 8,106,000 - 12,658,400 - 12,738,400 - 7;443;000 - 7;608;200 - 31,037,900 - 81,262,000 - 20,877,080 - 20,905,280 - and debentures . 1). branch banks.... Do. on Credit Fonoier Bonds Do. branches Do. to the State (Con vention, June 10, 1857) 60,000,000 Government Stock re- 648,700 - 658,400 - 466,700 - 477,550 - 60,000,000 - 12,980,750 14 12,980,750 14 36,449,737 91 36,449,737 91 serve Do. disposable Rentes Immobalisees (Law, June 9, 1857) 109,000,000 100,000,000 Hotel and furniture of the Bank and landed property branches Expenses of manage ment 33,164 95 25,669 40 Sundries 8,382,613 - 8,379,013 - Total 1,449,311,634 42 1,456,031,261 60 Certified by the Senator-Governor of the Bank of France. (Signed) RouLAND. SUICIDE OF ADMIRAL PAREJA.—The Patric says: —" The death a Admiral Pareja is to-day offici ally confirmed. The sad event occurred on board his flag ship the steam frigate the Ville de Madrid. An exaggerated sentiment of military honour led this brave and worthy officer to destroy himself. It is stated that upon learning that the Chilian corvette Esmeralda had captured the Spanish schooner Cavadonga, he was seized •with a de spondency which nothing could remove. In vain the offi cers of his staff pointed out to him that the loss was insig nificant —that the Spanish vessel carried only two guns while the Chilian corvette had 18, that, moreover, the Ca vadongn, had been surprised—nothing could calm him. He believed himself to bo dishonoured and ruined. Admiral Pareja was in the prime of life. He was brave, intelligent, well-informed, and when two years ago as Minister of Marine he ascended the tribune he astonished the Chamber with his brilliant and lofty eloquence." E v--- . its e r ott Juth Cfruri r. HER MAJESTY. OSBORNE, Thursday. Her Majesty, accompanied by their Royal High nesses Princess Helena, Princess Beatrice, and his Serene Highness Prince Christian of Schleswig- Holstein, drove out yesterday afternoon in a car riage and four. Princess Leiningen and Princess Hermann of Hohenlohe dined with her Majesty in the evening. The Dowager Duchess of Athole has succeeded Lady Churchill as lady in waiting. THE PRINCESS OF LEININGEN.—Iier Serene High ness the Princess of Leiningen'was yesterday after noon delivered of a son and heir, at Osborne, Isle of 'Wight. The gratifying news was shortly afterwards received by the Prince of Leiningen (captain of her Majesty's yacht), at present in town. We are informed that the princess and infant are both doing favourably. The Prince of Leiningen intends to leave St. James's Palace by the early train this morning for Southampton, on his way to Osborne. The Marquis and Marchioness of Lansdowne have been entertaining a large circle of friends at Bowood , Wilts. On Tuesday night a ball was given to the tenantry and others, at Bowood, to celebrate the coming of age of the Earl of Kerry. The distinguished guests staying at the house participated in the festivities for a few hours. Earl and Countess Russell and family returned to town yesterday, from Pembroke Lodge, for the season. The Earl and Countess of Hopetoun have ar rived at Long's Hotel. Lord Dalmeny, grandson of the Earl of Rose bery, and son of the Duchess of Cleveland, left town YO terday to join Christchurch, Oxford. Lady Stanley of Alderley and the Hon. Miss Stanley have arrived at the family residence in Dovor street, for the season. The Right Hon. Sir Charles Wood, M.P., and Lady Mary Wood and Miss Wood have arrived at their residence in BeJgrave-equare, for the season. National Choral S ociety. On Wednesday this Society performed Men delssohn's great oratorio " Elijah ;" and, a s this was announced to be the last time this season the unrivalled composition could be given, the audience was larger and more enthusiastic than usually 13 the case. The soloists on this occasion were no t those who usually take part in Mr. Martin's glorious concerts, and therefore an air of new' ness was imparted to the performance. Th e principal soprano was Mdlle. Ida Gillies ; and iv e have the greatest pleasure of congratulating her en the very favourable impression her efforts produced. Her singing was marked with fervour, taste, and great expression, the higher notes in her register came out with the greatest brilliancy, and at the termination of the oratorio Mdlle. Gillies was se t down as one of the vocal favourites of the Hall; Madame Elwood Andrea was the contralto, and again we have the pleasing duty of awarding praise. Mdme. Andrea sang the music allotted to the partwith the most reverential correctness, and such 3 circumstance never fails to draw forth the greatest applause from the critical audience that invariably fills the hall on the performance of an oratorio* Miss Lucy Franklein sang her portion of the music with faultless accuracy, and again fully justified the high opinion it has been our duty to pronounce on this talented young lady's musical ability. Mr. Leigh Wilson advances further forward every evening he appears, and although " Elijah" does not give th e greatest scope for the tenor, there was enough for Mr. Wilson to elicit unbounded applause. His delivery of the solo, "Then shall the righteous, fairly enraptured the audience. Mr. Thomas , who had been announced for the importan t bass part of " Elijah," was, unfortunately' unable to appear, and Mr. Winn at th e last moment undertook the part for him. Il e acquitted himself under the circumstances with the greatest ability, and well deserved the applause hi° efforts called forth. The chorus and orchestra wer e all that could be desired, and the whole performanc e did the utmost credit to the talented founder of th e society, - Mr. G. W. Martin. Society of Arts. At the ordinary meeting of this society yesterday fey!: ing —Mr. Webster in the chair—a paper on " Automat° Telegraphy" was read by Mr. A. Bain. In the early daiS of electric telegraphy, before any practical application of i t had been made, Mr. Bain was known as the inventor an d patentee of several kinds of instruments by which messag e ! might be transmitted by e l ec t r i c i ty, b ut the instrum ent specially known as his is an automatic application of the telegraph invented in America by Professor Morse. In the Morse instrum en t, w hi c h has been more generally use d than any other, the signals are made by dots and lines en a long strip of paper. The dots and lines are groupe d together in different positions, so that each group may dicate a letter of the alphabet, as many as f our co mbine' dots and lines being required to form some of the lettere' In transmitting a message the operator, with a very 5i 04 ,,,, ° instrument called a key, rapidly ma k es and b rea k s the electric current, by which means continuous marks ar e made by the action of an electro-magnet on a moving strip of paper at the receiving station ; those marks being 100 or short according to the time that the finger of the tree ° mating clerk . presses down the key. In this manna, bi great practice, groups of marks signifying letters can he transmitted with the rapidity o f 25 wor d s a m i nute, or quiel°l , than a rapid penman can write. In Mr. Bain's automat' system the groups of dots and lines are punched on a strip of thick paper, which is run rapidly over a metal whee" the electric connection being made by a metal style: which presses on th e p er f ora t e d message, and the cur reo' is transmitted each time the style comes in contact with the wheel through the punched holes. He also a pplie s electro-chemical agency for makin g th e marks i nstea d , an electro magnet, a blue line or dot being printed o n t he paper each time metallic contact is made. In this mann er _ f very great rapidity of trans m i ss i on i s attainable ; and Alt; Bain stated that 20,000 words an hour can be thus 50 0 from London to the furthest part of England. The °pol y tion of punching, however, occupies more time than t he transmission by the key, but the advantages are that, whe n once prepared, the same message may be sent without fur" ther trouble through any number of instruments, and curacy may be ensured. In. Mr. Bain's paper yesterds 4 evening he expl a i ne d i n d eta i l some recent improverneu° he had made in this mode of transmission, especially a P 18 1: for receiving the same message at branch stations, w he : t required, by cau s i ng th e e l ectr i c current to make a slitlf detour from th e ma i n li ne, an d return to it again. Ile did not, however, mention that the plan had been practice . '" tried, and it may be doubted whether, at a distance fO l c i t the voltaic battery, the wire could be sufficiently charg e with electricity to enabl e it t o ma k e such a detour ava ilable for telegraphic purposes. It may be observed that t he Electric Telegraph Co m p any , soon a ft er t h e i r esta blisbraell purchased this invention f rom M r . B a i n f or a l arge sue'sue' °f money ; but they have brought it into use only in e xcer o tional cases. It has been stat e d, i n d ee d, th a t M r. Bail:0° indebted to an accident for the la rge sum h e obtained f ° ' i. the invention, for that when exhibiting it to the directore of the company one of the fans of the instrument broke r ' and the cylinder with th e c h em i ca ll y prepared PaP!, whirled round with gre a t ve l oc it y ; b u t even at th a t o 'l the signals were perceptible, and it was supposed that th• speed of transmission with such an instrument would 141 almost unlimited. Mr. RONALDS expressed disappointment that Mr. had not exhibited some instruments to illustrate his 03 , arrangement, and mentioned sev e r a l i m p rovemen ts th e o had been made in telegraphic i ns t rumen t s by w hi c h a 11 a of transmission nearly equal to that of Mr. Bain's is attain s without the necessity of preparing the message by punclif i l He alluded particularly to an a u t ogra phi c i ns t rume nt at to a recent improvement of P ro f essor Wh eatstone 's,i which as many as 120 words in a minute may b e tratl fr mitted. • Capt. SELwm adverted to the qu es ti on o f th e maul te " nance of electrical communication by a bettor system 03 .; that of supporting the wires on p o l es , w hi c h h a d Nvi till the last week proved so great a failure. He said the telt); graph companies had been driven to adopt the prese li , plan by the defects of insulation in underground wi re ; caused by the decay of the gutta perch a -with w hich t hey were covered; but a new insulating material had been fr cently invented which would overcome that difficul t ; That substance, he stated, is paraffin mix e d with g tit . , percha and vulcanised. It had been proved to be an cellont insulator, to be almost indestructible by o rditlu r i o chemical agents, and more capable of bearing beat th gutta percha. gr . Mr. WEBSTER adverted to the great services while"' Bain had rendered to electric telegraphy at its conarcu l/ E : ment, and proposed the th an k s o f th e soc i ety t o him' - his paper. The meeting then adjourned. THE LIFEBOAT FATALITY AT GORLESTOIC- who to yesterday no further b o di es h a d b een recovere d. weather has completely moderated off the east C° l4i ii 0 Telegraphic communication with the metropolis 'A s been re-established. 00, -sots f v o , iic i llsi 'l.a2 D, 13„ I D o Dc Col o] etth 1)4 Da D o Dail 'qua t tn) Do no