The Sun. — London, England, 1865-01-18 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence. The Vernon, 50, sailing frigate, the intention to convert which into a flagship, to be stationed at Woolwich, has been abandoned by the Admiralty, w as yesterday removed from Chatham Dockyard to her former moorings at Gillingham Reach, and at tached to the sailing reserve squadron in the Chat ham harbour. The fine paddlewheel steamer Terrible, 21, 1,850 tons, 800-horse power, which was driven ashore during the late gale, is ordered to be placed in one of the vacant docks at Chatham, should either of them be of sufficient capacity to receive her, in order that she may be surveyed, to ascertain the extent of injury she has sustained from her late stranding. The measurements of the larger of the two available docks were taken yesterday, but before the Terrible can be floated in some portion of her paddleboxes will have to be removed, in consequence of her great size. The iron frigate Valiant, 24, 4,063, 800-horse power, attached to the first-class steam reserve in the Medway, is ordered to be completed as soon as possible in her few remaining fittings in order to be sent round either to Portsmouth or Plymouth to be docked, and to have her bottom coated with the Gisborne mecurial anti-fouling composition. Since the Valiant has been in the Medway she , has had her rig altered, and it is now more in accordance with a vessel of her class. There are at present two docks vacant at Chatham, one of which is suffi ciently large to receive the Valiant without necessi tating the expense and loss of time which would be incurred in sending her round to Plymouth. The iron paddlewheel steamer Lizard, 3,150-horse power, Lieut.-Commander H. J. Challis, has been placed in dock at Sheerness, on her return from the coast of Scotland, where she was employed in the protection of the fisheries. She is undergoing a complete overhaul and repair. She is:ordered to be fitted with winches to her masts, to assist in hoist ing heavy weights, and she will at the same time be supplied with two whale boats, in lieu of gigs, as being better suited for the service for which she is required. She is to be completed and ready for service by the commencement of April next. The old paddlewheel sloop Hecate, 817 tons, was yesterday towed up to Charlton from Woolwich Dockyard to be broken up ; and the gunvessel Roe buck, 857 tons, likewise condemned yesterday, com menced stripping at the dockyard wharf for the same purpose. The iron-cased ram Prince Albert, 2,529 tons, built at Millwall, and now under completion in Woolwich Dockyard, yesterday commenced receiv ing the cupolas, three in number, built by the ship-, wrights at Woolwich. Her armour is nearly all on, and she is othepvise in a forward state. The flagship Fisgard, at Woolwich, recently con demned as unfit for further service, was yesterday inspected by Commodore Dunlop, C. 8., superin tendent of the yard, in pursuance of Admiralty in structions ordering their former decision to be can celled, and signifying their desire that means might be taken to patch up the defects, so as to prolong her service for yet another twelvemonth if possible. The portholes are therefore to be enlarged to a foot square, in order to give better ventilation to the men's mess deck, and to afford them the benefit of daylight during their meals. She is also to be sup plied with a new mizenmast if her timbers are found to be sufficiently strong. It is stated to be in con templation to erect naval barracks at Woolwich similar to those at Sheerness. The necessity for good naval accommodation at Woolwich is un doubtedly greater than at any other home station by reason of its vicinity to London, and the facility for the return of the men after having enjoyed their leisure ashore. The men too, the great majority of whom hake entered the Arvice as boys on the flag ship's books at Woolwich, carry with them a natural attachment for their first quarters, and report them selves at that station on their being again ready for duty. About 400 continuous service men are at present ber.hed there, 65 of whom are now ordered to join her Majesty's ship Landrail,- about to be commissioned. Rear-Admiral George St. Vincent King, Com mander-in-Chief of the Indies and Cape of Good Hope stations, has been appointed to succeed Rear- Admiral Sir Augustus L. Kuper, K.C.8., whose time of service has expired, as Commander-in-Chief in China. A number of men belonging to the Royal Marine Light Infantry yesterday received their discharge at Woolwich, by order of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, from various causes ; 23 were found disabled, according to medical testimony, from dis ease of the heart, some of whom had served only a few months ; three had been allowed to purchase their discharge, and one had completed his term of enlistment of twelve years. The whole of the men were granted compensation either as a bounty or as an annuity. In consequence of the breaking up of several of the depot battalions at certain of the Military sta tions at the close of the financial year, orders have been received at Chatham garrison for the depot companies of the following infntry regiments to proceed to the stations named :—The depots of the 43d Light Infantry and the 31st (King's Own Light Infantry) Regiment, to Winchester, to be attached to the 7th depot battalion ; the depots of the 31st Regiment, the 75th Regiment, and the 83d Regi ment, to Aldershott camp, to join their respective headquarters ; and the depot of the 91st Regiment (Argyllshire Highlanders), to Preston, to join the 11th depot battalion. The depot companies of the 31st, 75th, 83d, and 91st Regiments will take their departure from Chatham on the 31st inst., and the depot companies of the 43d and 51st Light Infan try Regiments on the 2d of February. The depot of the 6th (Enniskillen) Dragoons has received orders to proceed from the Cavalry Depot, Maid stone, to Canterbury, on Tuesday next, the 24th inst. It is understood that a portion of the depots at Pembroke will be transferred to Chatham on the breaking up of the depot battalion at that station. By the death of Gen. W. L. Walton, late of the Coldstream Guards, the colonelcy of the sth (Northumberland Fusiliers) Regiment becomes vacant. The deceased General entered the Cold stream Guards in 1806, and had seen considerable service. He was with the Coldstream Guards at the siege and capture of Copenhagen, and after wards with the same distinguished regiment in the Peninsula during the campaigns of 1809-10-11. .He subsequently served in Holland, Belgium, and France from 1813 to 1818, and he was present at the bombardment of Antwerp, the attack on Ber gen-op-Zoom, the battles of Quatre Bras and Waterloo, and the capture of Paris. The deceased General was 40 years in the Coldstream Guards, and commanded the regiment six years. His com missions bore date as follows :—Ensign, May 8, 1806 ; lieut. and capt., March 7, 1811 ; capt. and lieut.-col., February 20, 1823 ; col., January 10, 1837 ; major-geu., November 9, 1846 ; lieut.-g en ., June 30. 1854 ; general, February 13, 1863 ; col. of the sth Foot, February 20, 1856. Another of the Blakely Ordnance Company's heavy guns, weighing 16 tons, was yesterday trans- Portecl from the factory in Bear-lane, Southwark, to Woolwich A rsena l, to undergo the necess ar y Government proof, preparatory to being despatched to its destination. It was conveyed on one of Pickford's trucks by a double team of 16 horses, and after p roo f it will be shipped for St. Peters burg. A 9-i nc h gliweighing 9 tons, from the same factory, was proved a few days ago for the Swedish Government, with charges of 451 b. of powder and 4001 b. shot. Th e hammered cast steel, with asteellektui%B which is of al t s eo t ic e i ge . e I d j b a . e the and cast-iron tr unnions, now Ordnance gun -shed, wher e it was in Duke of Cam brid g e on his de p ar tmental visit on 'Monday. The following appointments have been made at the Admiralty : —C o mmander N. L. A. 'Maitland, t o the Landrail,— com missioned ; llarvey, to be Inspecting Commander to the Coast guard ; W. S. King, nominated to a naval cadet. ship ; G. W. Anderson, paymaster, to the Hast ings ; G. Prince, assist-paymaster, to the Trafal gar ; E. M. Russell, 'assist-paymaster, in charge to the Landrail ; R. Wright, assist.-clerk, to the Land r ail ; Lieut. E. St. J. Goforth, to command the Penguin ; Lieut. G. R. Hennege, to the Landrail ; James Cole, midshipman to the rank of Master ; W. F. S. Mann, p, to the Victoria ; George Mair, assist.-surg., to the La.ndrail ; W. H. Sissons, assist.-surg., to the Britannia. ; and F. H. B. Small, master's-assist., to the Victory, as supernumerary. Protection to Inventors in Iniustrial Exhibitions DEPUTATION TO MR. MILNER GIBSON. Yesterday afternoon a deputation on this subject was received by the Right Hon. M. Gibson, President of the Board of Trade, at Whitehall. The request for an interview originally came from the committee of the West London, late Borough of Marlyebone Working Men's Industrial Exhi bition ; but, at their invitation, gentlemen officially connected with other similar exhibitions joined the deputation. Among those present were—Mr. R. M. Morrell, secretary to the West London Exhibition ; Mr. Murphy, South London Exhibition ; Mr. Rat ley, one of the hon. secretaries to the North London Exhibition ; Mr. G. J. Knight, East London Exhi- bition ; Mr. Christie, secretary to an exhibition to be opened at Birmingham in August ; the Rev. E. Wilmot, Mr. J. A. Nicholay, Mr. Peter Graham, &c. Mr. HARVEY LEWIS, M.P., who introduced the deputation, briefly stated its composition and ob jects, and expressed his sympathy in the latter. Mr. MORRELL said there had hitherto been no system of communication between different districts with respect to these industrial exhibitions, but he now found that in every district the same difficulty had been experienced as that the promoters of the West London Exhibition had to contend with. They were asked at the very outset whether they could afford protection to inventors who might exhibit, _ . but who were too poor to obtain a patent, and who by exhibiting without that security might find them selves robbed of the fruits of their ingenuity and labour. Of course they were desirous of affording such protection on the simple ground of justice, as well as expediency, for they soon found that unless such protection was given, the most valuable inven tions of working men would be entirely withheld. The subject had been so strongly brought before them at many meetings, that they felt compelled to move in the matter, and, as a result of their exer. tions, the Right Hon. Mr. Cowper, First Commis• sioner of Works, and Sir Roundell Palmer had both taken the subject :up. It was, indeed, by the re commendation :of the 'Attorney-General that they whited upon the right hon. gentleman in his official capacity to ask him to' introduce a short bill into Parliament for the purpose. The Attorney-General had stated his willingness to assist in the prepara tion of such a bill, and to take charge of it if it had the sanction of the Government. He urged upon the right honourable gentleman that there could be little difficulty in acceding to this_ e- quest. That protection had been accorded to the inventors who exhibited at the Great Exhibi tions of 1851 and 1862, and surely there could be no objection to do the same for the industrial exhibi tions that were now springing up all over the coun try. There were gentlemen present from the east, the north, and the south of London, as well as from the provinces, who would tell him that the general feeling was that the Government should bring for ward a short act of Parliament to give to the work ing classes, who exhibited their inventions at these industrial exhibitions, the same protection as they gave to the wealthy exhibitors at the two great ex hibitions he had named. He did not apprehend that on public grounds there would be any objection to such a measure, and he was sure that it would bring out hundreds of working class exhibitors who would otherwise withhold their inventions. (Cheers.) Mr. CHRISTIE (Birmingham) said that the pro moters of the exhibition to be opened there this sea son had felt the necessity of such a bill so strongly that before they knew anything of the views of the West London promoters they had taken steps to cause their own member to bring in a bill for the purpose. He had agreed to do so, but, of course, if the Government would introduce a general bill that would be unnecessary. He was quite sure that if such a protection was not secured the largest portion of the very ingenious and inventive working men of Birmingham would withhold their productions. Mr. AIURPTIY said when the movement originated in South London, this difficulty at the very outset met them full in the face. It had been so plainly stated that he need not repeat it. Neither did he wish to take upon himself the responsibility of suggesting the exact mode in which it might be overcome. One idea he had, which was, that some provision might be engrafted on the museum at South Kensington by which an officer attached to that institution might give information to working-class inventors whether their inventions were new or not. There was no doubt that many of them thought they had made new discoveries, when, in fact, others had been before them. But in any case there ought to be protection for poor exhibitors. It was one of the taunts of the Press that so few skilled mechanics were to be found exhibiting at these in dustrial exhibitions, He only got Mr. Morrell's letter that morning; but he was certain that if longer time had been given, a general demonstration of feeling by artizans and mechanics would have been made in support of the object of that deputa tion. At a meeting last Friday of exhibitors, numbering 600, who had contributed to the South London Industrial Exhibition, to be opened on the Ist of next month, this difficulty was generally felt, and the necessity for a remedy generally expressed. Mr. RATLEY, the North London Exhibition, and Mr. KNIGHT, of East London, begged to corroborate what had been previously stated as to the urgency of such a measure, and the beneficial effect it would have upon the exhibitions which were spreading everywhere, and, in fact, becoming one of the most remarkable and cheering movements of the age. Mr. NICHOLAY expressed his confident expecta tion that the Government would accede to the re quest of the deputation, and give the poorer class of inventors the same protection as they had given to wealthy inventors at the Great Exhibitions. Mr. M. GIBSON said that if he understood the deputation clearly their immediate object was to get some bill brought in which would prevent any work ing man exhibiting at these exhibitions being pre judiced by such exhibition, or deprived of the fruits of his toil and ingenuity. That he understood to be their immediate object, and it was a very simple one. But there was one point to consider. How would they define which of these exhibitions was to have the benefit of the protection they asked for ? In the case of the Exhibition of 1862, and the Act they referred to, the matter was very simple, because that Exhibition was under the control of a special commission, and could, therefore, be speci fically referred to. The difficulty in this case would be to find some title which was sufficiently general to cover the whole ground, and at the same time not to go beyond the real object aimed at. With respect to the cost of patents which prevented poor men from obtaining protection for their inventions, that was a much wider question. A Commission had inquired i n t o th e su bject; their report was, he believed, re a dy, though not yet presented, and no doubt the whole question would receive considera tion. But with respect to the first object of the deputation, he would be most happy to give the matter his best consideration, and, should the Go vernment sanction it, he had no doubt the Attor ney-General would give his best assistance, and take c harge of any bill that might b e i ntroduced. The Rev. EARDLEY WILMOT said he trusted that the Government in considering the subject would not confine their attention to existing exhibitions, or those now projected, but extend the bill so that it might include all similar exhibitions in future. Mr. M. GIBSON—That of course we shall do. Mr. PETER GRAHAM suggested that a certificate from the Board of Trade would be a sufficient war rant for putting the provision of a general act in operation. The deputation then thanked the right hon. gen tleman for his courteous recepti on, and withdrew. '' Oi n tment and Pills.— t i .VDV ERTISEMENT .]-11 0 1.1 oWay S A eviation and Cure.—The most loathsome so res, foulest ap ulcers, and m os t h ope l ess b a d l egs , assum e a healthier y s p e arance after a very few applications o f Holloway's cle ansing and healing unguent. It promptly improves the sluggish aspect, a n d soon reduces the irritability of old anil ulcers, w hi ch have fruitlessly exhausted the surgeon's skill and patient's endurance. By attention to the directions round each pot the afflicted may easily and fearlessly guide their own ailments to a happy issue, and remove all further cause of trouble and anxiety. It is gratifying to watch the subsidence of inflammation and the gradual decrease of swelling which occur through the cooling and sedative properties of this inestimable ointment, aided by Holloway's -pills. Eight Years' Work by the Metropolitan Board. The eighth annual report of the Metropolitan Board of Works has just been issued, and it will be 'studied with interest, affording, as it does, full information with regard to the great works undertaken by this body. These works comprise the main drainage of the metropolis, the forma tion of embankments on the river, the purchase of land for parks, and the duties of the Board include the superinten dence of structures raised within the metropolitan (area, with reference to the line of frontage, height of building, width of thoroughfares, naming of streets, and such like matters, besides which the Board has to guard the public against the storage of petroleum in unsafe places, to pro tect " gardens" in the town, and to see that local Boards do not borrow money on the rates for other than legal pur poses, or beyond their means of paying. All these duties involve great labour, and what has been done is set forth at length. The first subject treated of in the report is that great work which brought the Board into existence — namely, THE MAIN DRAINAGE OF THE METROPOLIS. The main drainage system, as it is being carried out, is designed to meet the present and prospective requirements for drainage purposes, rainfall, and watersupply of the area comprised within the limits prescribed by the act of 1855, to provide for the covering in and diversion of the many open sewers, now exercising a baneful Linfluence over the localities in which they are situated—to afford deep and permanent outfalls for the low-lying places ; and to enable the local Boards to complete efficiently the drainage of ;heir districts. The plan comprehends the construction of about 82 miles of main sewers on the north and south side of the river, extending from west to east, the erection of engines, pumps, and apparatus for intercepting the exist ing sewers now draining directly into the Thames, and di verting their contents to Barking-creek, on the north side, and Co Crossness on the south, thus freeing the river within the metropolitan area from the effects of sewage and _ _ _ !mil waters. The scheme is based, as far as practicable, upon natural gravitation, upon the failure of which pump- ing power is resorted to. The works which have been completed are as follows : The Northern High Level Sewer, comprising more than eight miles of sewer, commencing at Gospel Oak-fields, and terminating at Old Ford, taking the drainage of Hackney, Homerton, Stoke Newington, Stamford-hill, Hornsey, Hol loway, Kentish-town, Hampstead, Highgate, and the sur rounding localities, the total area being 9 1 miles. The contract was for £152,430, and with extra works and com- pensations it has cost £203,816 7s. 9d. The Northern Outfall Sewer was a most extensive work; it consisted of 51 miles of double and treble sewer, extending from Old Ford to Barking-creek. The River Lea and six other streams had to be crossed by means of iron tubes sup- ported by iron girders, and the sewer passes under the Great Eastern Railway, and over the North Woolwich and the London and Tilbury Railways. The total cost of the work was about £643,000. The sewer receives about 14,000,000 gallons of sewage daily, and this quantity will be largely increased by about the end of the present month. Two minor works have also been completed on the north side—namely, the Acton branch of the Western Sewers, at a cost of £9;420 ; and the Ranelagh Overflow Sewer for £31,580. The works completed on the south side of the river are : The Southern Outfall Sewer, which comprises the con struction of nearly 71 miles of brick sewer, beginning at North Pole-lane, Greenwich, and ending in the Erith _ _ _ marshes, opposite Dagenham Reach. This sewer takes not only the Drainage of the High and Low Level Sewers of the south side, but that of Woolwich, Charlton, part of Green wich and the adjacent localities. The cost of the sewer was £310,648, and it intercepts and carries to Crossness 12,000,000 gallons of sewage, which formerly flowed into the river be tween Wandsworth and Woolwich. The Southern High Level Sewer, which drains an area of about 15 square miles, including Deptford, Brixton, Syden ham and Dulwich, has been completed at a cost of £215,299, and an extension of the Effra, in connexion with this, was completed for £19,374. The Bermondsey branch of the Southern Low Level Sewer, for draining Southwark, Newington, Bermondsey, and a part of Deptford, has been completed at a cost of about £99,000, in addition to which a sewer has been made under the Surrey Gas Works at a cost of £15,742, and an other under the London Gaslight works at a cost of £648 18s. ld. The works in course of construction are : The Northern Outfall Reservoirs, a work which has been described in The Sun. The works are llf miles below Lon don-bridge, and the compartments, four in number, are ca pable of holding 39,000,000 gals. of sewage, and are con structed to enable the sewage to be discharged at ebb tide at the bottom of the river. The amount of work executed at the last annual report was £63,000, and the present value of the work is £166,000. THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 18, 1865. The Northern Middle Level extends from near Kensal green Cemetery to Old Ford, and has been carried through the metropolis with but little impediment to the traffic. Originally a contract was let by public tender for £264,583, but, the contractor having failed, the work was again let for £329,800. At the last annual report work to the value of £258,000 had been executed, and up to the present time the work done amounts to £314,000. The Western Area Sewers, for the drainage of Hammer smith and Fulham, have progressed to the value of £62,000. The Northern Low Level Sewer, which will extend from Chelsea to Abbey-mills, West Ham, and will take the drain age of Brompton, Chelsea, Pimlico, part of the cities of Westminster and London, Radcliff, Shadwell, Limehouse, and Poplar, the total area of which is about 22 1-3 d square miles, is about commencing. The extra portion of the work has been let for £229,000. The Southern Outfall Reservoir at Crossness, comprising four compartments, constructed to hold 27,000,000 gallons of sewage, is favourably progressing, and work to the value of £228,000 has been executed. The work done, by the last report, was £125,000. The contract is for £300,000. A con- tract has been taken at £44,900 for the erection of the appa ratus necessary to raise the sewage, and work to the value of £11,225 had been done on this contract. On a similar contract to the extent of £22,300 for the Deptford pumping station, work to the value of £lB,OOO had been executed, and on a contract of £113,136 for the erection of buildings, work to the value of about £96,196 has been finished. The Southern Low Level Sewer runs from Putney-bridge to Deptford, and it will completely relieve the low tide locked districts from the floodings to which they have been long subjected, and it will effectually remedy certain dan gerous nuisances which have long been complained of in connexion with the uncovered portions of the Falcon-brook and the Heathwell and Effra Sewers. The contract price of the work is £234,000, and the work executed up to the present time amounts to £133,000. The Greenwich Sewers have been let on contract for £22,940, and are being proceeded with. The cost of sewer works executed during the year under the board amounts to £685,120, exclusive of the sums paid for land compensations and other contingencies. The result of these works is that nearly one-third of the entire sewage and refuse litters of the metropolis is now diverted from the metropolitan area, and carried to Barking and Crossness. With the exception of the Northern High Level Sewer, the completion of which will depend upon the progress of the Northern Thames Embankment, the whole of the main drainage works will, it is expected, be completed this year. Having regard to this, the state of the open sewers has en gaged attention, and it is estimated that a sum of £BOO,OOO will be required to repair and cover these in. It has been resolved to borrow the money for the execution of this ne cessary work, and throw the repayment over 30 years. The sewers in the worst condition will be at once, undertaken, and the whole will be completed within four years. TILE POLLUTION OF THE THAMES. On this subject the report states that the board, with the view of purifying the river within the limits of the metro polis, undertook works involving an expense of about £5,250,000, which, "it appeared to the Board, would be of little avail if the:towns of Kingston, Teddington,- Twicken ham, Richmond, Isleworth, Brentford, Chiswick, and other places, were permitted to pour the contents of the sewers into the stream within the tidal influence. . . . A large portion of the water supply of the metropolis is, under the provisions of the Water Act, 1852, taken from the river above Teddington-lock, and it appeared to the Board that the advantages which that act professed to give would be destroyed unless some means were taken to preserve the purity of the river above that point by compelling the authorities of the towns of Hampton, Chertsey, Staines, Eton, Windsor, Maidenhead, Marlow, Henley, Reading, Abingdon, Oxford, and other places," to stop draining into it. In the hope that some steps might be taken, the chair man, at the request of the Board, addressed a letter to Vis count Palmerston urging that the subject might be brought before Parliament. The letter was referred by his lord ship to the select committee then sitting to inquire into the plans for dealing with metropolitan sewage. THE THAMES EMBANKMENT AND THE NEW CITY. STREET. The.works authorised by the Act of 1862 consist of a solid embankment commencing at the Middlesex end of Westminster-bridge and terminating at the eastern boundary of the Inner Temple, to be continued from that point by a viaduct to the western side of Blackfriars-bridge. Upon the embankment a roadway 100 ft. wide will be formed, and on the viaduct one of 70 feet, and the scheme " embraces" the formation of several new streets. Two contracts have been entered into for the first portions of the work. One of these for the embankment from Westminster to Waterloo-bridge, comprising the formation of a river wall, faced with granite, and a roadway about 3,740 feet in length, in connexion with which a portion of the Low Level Sewer and a subway will be constructed, as well as new steamboat piers and landing places. This contract is for the sum of £520,000, and up to the date of the last monthly report the work done and ma terials on the contract were to the value of 4'78,000, of which £24,000 is for work. The second contract is for the forma -1 tion of about 1,970 feet of the granite-faced river wall and roadway, to extend from the east side of Waterloo-bridge to the eastern end of the Inner Temple-gardens. It includes the continuation of the Low Level Sewer and the subway, and the construction of a commodious pier bl place of the Temple-pier. The contract for this is £229,000, and the value of the material on the ground, the work done, and plant at the date of the last monthly report was about .£70,000, of which the sum of £51,000 represents the work done. The new street to the Mansion-house will commence at the termination at Blackfriars-bridge, and will be about 3,450 ft. in length, with an average width of 70ft. The esti mated total cost of , this improvement will be £624,060, of which sum £573,060 will be the net cost of the lands and properties required, and £51,000 the cost of forming the road or subway, cellars, and approaches. Properties to the value of £56,561 10s. have been dealt with. The cost of this work and of the Thames Embanlonent is to be defrayed out of the coal and wine duties ; and up to March last the sum of £140,775135. 7d. had been paid to the Board's account by the Lords Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury. THE SOUTHERN THAMES EMBANKMENT. The report states that very shortly the Board will be in a position to invite tenders for this work, which is to form an embankment on the Surrey side from Westminster bridge to Glmhouse-alley,Vauxhall. The total costs of lands and works is estimated at £588,640, and the funds to defray this cost will be derived from the coal and wine duties. NEW STREETS. The Board has effected three great metropolitan improv ments in the formation of new streets in old localities — namely, King-street, Covent-garden (hereafter to be called Garrick-street), at a cost of £121,118 58. 2d. ; Southwark street, at a cost of £555,992 2s. ; and Burdett-road (so named after Miss Burdett Coutts, who has been a great benefactress to the neighbourhood), formed at a cost of £17,273 19s. 7d. On each of these lands have been let and properties have been erected, and in the course of a short time it is expected the whole of the sites will be built upon. THE FORMATION OF PARRS. The land for the Finsbury Park has been obtained on the north side of the Seven Sisters'-road, Upper Holloway, and is about 120 acres in extent, and the money for its purchase has been borrowed on an agreement to extend the payment over a period of 30 years. The price for the land is about £3BO per acre. Steps have also been taken to carry out the Act obtained last session (the Southwark Park Act), for the formation of a park for the south-eastern districts. The survey, with a view to the purchase of lands, has been made of a site near Paradise-row, Rotherhithe, and the necessary notices have been served upon the owners. THE FIRE BRIGADE. It is expected that a bill will be brought into Parlia ment for the placing of the Fire Brigade and the Fire Escape Brigade under the Metropolitan Board as a muni cipal institution, to be maintained by the ratepayers, the fire offices to contribute a portion of the expense. The Board is willing to undertake the responsibility on the understanding that the Government shall contribute pro portionately to the amount of property protected. The report then relates all that has taken place on the vexed question of utilisation of sewage, a subject well known to those interested in it, from the publicity which has been given to all sides of the question, and which will be further discussed during the next Parliament, when Messrs. Napier and Hope's Bill for a concession of the sewage will be considered by the Legislature. City Sewers Commission. Yesterday the Commissioners of Sewers met at Guild hall for the despatch of public business. Deputy De Jersey presided, and among those present were Deputy Read, Deputy Owden, Deputy Elliott, Deputy Farrar, Deputy Jones, Deputy Cork ; Messrs. George Walter, F. Cox, Waterlow, Israel, Chaplin, Cole, Dadswell, Robson, &c. Among a number of applications laid before the Court was one from Mr. J. C. Stacey, Superintendent of the City of London Cemetery, asking for an increase of his present salary. The application was referred to the General Purposes Committee for inquiry and report. One of the contractors under the commission was sum moned for not removing the dust from a house within his district, and fined £3 for the neglect. The Clerk (Mr. Daw) laid before the Court a letter from the clerk to the guardians of the West London Union, en closing a copy of a communication they had received from Dr. Read, one of their district medical officers, upon the subject of the report addressed to the commissioners, and forwarded by them to the guardians, respecting certain cases of typhus and other fever cases reported upon by Dr. Read. The letter furnished to the guardians the particufars of four cases of typhus fever, one of common fever, and two of febricula, which he had attended. Commenting upon the statement contained in Dr. Letheby's report, "that these returns are likely to occasion unnecessary alarm in the pub lic mind," Dr. Read observed that he was not aware that returns of that kind were made public, as they did not ap pear in the usual quarterly report of the sanatory condition of the City. He did not observe any mention whatever of information collected from any of the books of the various medical officers of the city of London, whom he believed to be 12 in number. That being so, he was at a loss to know in what way the returns were likely to occasion unneces sary alarm to the public mind, except through the publicity given to them by Dr. Letheby himself, as in the present unusual instance. _ _ Dr. LETHEBY, upon being appealed to, reiterated the statements made in his report last week, and added that in the cases referred to by the medical officer of the union as typhus and other fever cases, that not one of the persons named had been laid up in bed, and that there was one case of cold with slight feverish symptoms. The motion then dropped. A report was brought up from the Improvement Com mittee, in which they stated that they had arranged with the Corporation of London for the carrying out of a public improvement at the corner of Bishopsgate-street and Camo mile-street for the sum of £5OO, an arrangement which they submitted to the Commissioners for adoption. The Court confirmed the recommendation of the com mittee. SEIZURE OF UNWHOLESOME FISH. The usual return of: fish seized by the meters of the Fishmongers' Company during the past three months were laid before the Court. In October the number seized was—. 13 brills, 69 cod, :500 dabs, 11 dories, 500 garnets, 1,020 haddocks, 2,675 herrings, 1 ling, 340 lobsters, 5,236 plaice, 1 sa l m on, 4 skate, 48,226 smelts, 104 soles, 290 thornbacks, and 456 gallons of shrimps. The 20 turbot, 600 whitings—total, 59,612. Also 33 kits and 50 November was as f o llows-8 brills, 30 6,330 hadd oc k s , 1 h a k e , 1,000 n t e o ou n i s b o i e, f 6r p os i oe e z k l the e bd d s sa i n2 l o m oN o go n va , r n e ts, h err i n gs, 2 ling, 5,444 plaice, 13 skate, 1,100 smelts, 143 soles, 91 thornbacks, 9 turbot, 17,050 whiting—total, 33,021. Also 118 cases of preserved fish, 35 bushels sprats, 12 bushels of whelks, 116 gallons of shrimps, and 1 kit of pickled salmon. The returns for December show a seizure of 2 brills, I,4oo;dabs, 300 garnets, 1,160 haddocks, 598 plaice, 500 smelts, 120 soles, 6 turbot, and 4,300 whiting, making a total of 8,394 ; also 6 bushels of sprats, and 12 gallons of shrimps. Mr. HAYWOOD, the engineer to the Commission, brought up a report of paving work 9 required to be carried out in the ensuing year, and which he estimated would cost be tween £9,000 and £lO,OOO. Among other thoroughfares, he says that Newgate-street, Old-bailey from Fleet-lane to Skinner-street, and Hart-street require repaving with new stone ; that several important thoroughfares will have to be relaid, and that Gracechurch-street and Cornhill require repaving with wood. Towards the cost of the latter, how ever, he suggested that the ordinary course of calling upon the inhabitants of the localities for a contribution in conse qoence of the extra cost of wood pavement should be fol lowed. The report was referred to the committee for considora tion. SANATORY CONDITION OF TIM CITY. Dr. LETKEBY, the medical officer of health, reported as follows on the sanatory condition of the city of London : " To the Honourable the Commissioners of Sewers for the City of London. " Gentlemen, —The inspectors' returns which are before you relate to 267 houses that have been inspected during the week, and I submit a list of 34 places for sanitary improve ment. I have also to report that, in accordance with the provisions of the Bakehouse Regulation Act, all the bake houses in the City (109 in number) have been inspected duringthe week, and I submit a list of 41 which require periodical cleansing and lime-whiting. " The markets and slaughter-houses have been duly in spected, and the officers have condemned 1,9981b5. of meat as unfit for human food. It consists of 11 sheep, 4 pigs, 19 quarters of beef, and 8 joints of meat. Most of it was in a diseased condition, and 3671b5. were from animals that had died from natural causes. " The mortality returns for the week (55) is greatly below the average (65)for the corresponding week for the last nine years. Twelve of the deaths were among children of less than five years of age, and 22 among persons of 60 and up wards. The chief causes of death were as follows :—Phthisis 5, pneumonia 3, bronchitis 12, mesenteric disease 2, con tinued fever 3, small-pox 1, croup 2, and whooping-cough 1; making altogether 7 deaths from tubercular diseases, 4 from inflammatory affections of the lungs, and only 7 from diseases of a zymotic character. " The number of births registered in the week was 43, namely, 30 boys and 13 girls.—l remain, gentlemen, your obedient servant, (Signed) "HENRY LETHEBY." THE GAS SUPPLY TO TILE CITY. Dr. LETHEBY reported that the illuminating power of the gas supply to the city during the week had, except in one instance of the Chartered gas, been less than the require ments of the act of Parliament, and the proportion of sul phur in the gas had, except in the case of the Great Central gas, been less than the quantity sanctioned by Parliament. In the case of the Great Central gas the quantity had ranged from 21 grains to nearly 23 grains per 100 cubic feet. The Commissioners after transacting some further busi ness, adjourned. A JOURNEY FROM LONDON TO PERSEPOLIS ; including Wanderings in Daghestan, Georgia, Armenia, Kurdistan, Mesopotamia, and Persia. By J. Ussher, Esq., F.R.G.S. Royal Bvo., with numerous beau tifully coloured illustrations.—A more interesting book of travels than the one now before us has not been published for some time. The countries which were visited, and the interesting records and monuments of past time, and the evidences of progress and decay of various eastern races, which alternate throughout the volume, attract towards it in an unusual degree the interest of the reader. The style in which the journey is described is exceedingly pleasant. The volume is illustrated by many well-executed coloured plates.—Observer. The Murder near Portsmouth, At an adjourned inquest held at Portsmouth on Monday before the deputy-coroner, Mr. W. Swainson, James Piper Piper was found guilty of the wilful murder of his wife, Emma Sophia Piper, at Fratton, on the 9th .inst., and was committed on the coroner's warrant to Winchester Gaol for trial at the ensuing assizes for the county of Hants. Yesterday the prisoner was brought up before the Ports- mouth bench of magistrates for examination. The prosecution was conducted by Mr. T. Cousins, and the prisoner was defended by Mr. T. 11. Field. Mr. Cousins, in opening the case, said the prisoner was 34 years of age, had been apprenticed as a locomotive en gine-driver on the South Western Railway, had been sub sequently employed on the Stokes Bay Railway, but lat terly had been out of employ. He had married the de- ceased about 12 months since, and had since then resided at Gosport. Mr. Cousins then recapitulated at considerable length the evidence intended to be adduced in support of the prosecution, and called the following witnesses : John George Hayward, ropemaker in her Majesty's dock- yard—On the 9th inst., at 5 p.m., in going through Coburg- street, Fratton, heard the shriek of a woman, and in the adjoining street saw three women and one man, the man striking at one of the women with his fists. Deceased was the woman being struck at. Could not recognise the man who was striking the deceased. Mary Ann Oakley, wife of Charles Oakley, a retailer of beer, residing in Fratton-road----Knew the deceased woman and-the prisoner at the bar, the husband of the deceased, for some years. On the 9th instant the deceased and her mother, Mrs. Lillywhite, came to witness's house at about 4in the afternoon. They remained until about 25 minutes to 5. They had a small glass of beer between them, and a wineglass of elder wine each. Went with deceased and her mother to the Red House, where a quartern of gin was had between the three. Left the Red House after a stay of about five minutes, and witness went towards her own resi dence. Deceased and her mother went in an opposite direc tion. Witness immediately afterwards met the prisoner, and said to him "Jem, my dear, your brother and Emma have gone down the path." Witness ran back after the de ceased and her mother, and overtook them, the prisoner fol lowing close behind. The prisoner, on coming up to his wife and her mother, said to the deceased, "Where have you been ?" She replied "At Mrs. Oakley's." Prisoner then said, " Where else have you been ?" to which deceased replied, "Nowhere." The prisoner exclaimed, "It's a lie," and struck her a violent blow on the face. Witness said to the prisoner; " Stop a minute, Jem, and I'll tell you the truth," to which he replied, "I look to her for the truth, and not to you, Mrs. Oakley," and struck the deceased a second violent blow in the face and made her nose bleed. Deceased struck at the prisoner, when the latter knocked her down by a blow on the upper part of her person, and then lifted her head by the hair and struck it on the curb- stone more than once. Deceased called out " Police !" Mr. Milligan then came up and pulled the prisoner away from the deceased, and another witness, a Mr. Parmiter, came up and knocked the prisoner down, telling him he ought to be ashamed of himself for so ill-using a woman. Deceased's face at that time was covered with dirt and blood, and her hair dishevelled. Witness told the deceased to go to her (witness's) house, and wash her face and clean herself be fore going home. Deceased, her mother, and the prisoner walked away towards witness's house, and witness fol lowed at some distance behind, after arranging her dress, -which had become disordered in the scuffle. Went home, and, finding the prisoner and the two women not there, went out again. Seeing a crowd round the door of the chymist's shop nearly opposite, she went over there. Saw there the deceased sitting on the floor and leaning her back against the counter. Her cheeks were very pale, and her lips blue. Mr Long, surgeon, arrived about 10 minutes after_ wards. Deceased's father and witness then carried the de ceased into the back room behind the shop, and there wit ness with Mr. Long partly undressed the deceased, and dis covered a wound in her back about three-quarters of an inch in length. Thera was blood on the wound, and blood on deceased's underclothes. (Clothes produced.) Those are the clothes worn at the time by the deceased. Deceased's wound was dressed by Mr. Long, and she was then taken home by her father and mother and witness's husband in a cab. Next day she saw the deceased lying dead at her father's house in Surrey-street. Cross-examined by Mr. Field—l said yesterday that he struck her and she struck at him. I can't say whether she did strike him or not. When I met the prisoner I caught him in my arms and said, "Jem, my dear," &c. Was as sober then as now. Once lived at Gosport. Would swear that the deceased was not, to her knowledge, a girl of loose character. Could give no other answer. Did not know that the prisoner was averse to the deceased visiting her (witness's) house unless accompanied by him. When the prisoner asked his wife where she had been, she said she didn't know. Could not say whether deceased and her mother were sober or not, having to attend to the business of her own house. When the man Parmiter Docked the prisoner down it no doubt roused the latter's passion. Joseph Parmiter, a joiner, living at Fratton, examined— On Monday, the 9th inst., at about 5 p.m., was in Pratton road, and saw a man striking a woman with his fist. That man was the prisoner at the bar. A woman, whom he since knew as Mrs. Lillywhite, asked witness to give the man a good thrashing, as he was killing the woman. Prisoner struck the woman again then on the head with his fist, knocked her down, and struck her several times afterwards when she was on the ground. Witness said to prisoner, "You scoundrel, you ought to be ashamed of -yourself to ill-use a woman in that way," when he replied, " I'll serve you the same." Witness then struck the prisoner and knocked him down. After the prisoner got up from the ground he said to witness, " - You know nothing at all about this." Deceased then rushed• at the prisoner in a threat ening way, and they closed together. Could not say what blows were struck. Witness then walked away. The prisoner was sober. Cross-examined—The women, Mrs. Lillywhito and the deceased, were either under the influence of drink or great excitement. The deceased rushed at the prisoner after he had been knocked down by witness, and would not let him alone. She pulled him about, and both appeared to be in a great passion. By the Court—Thought the prisoner would have gone away quietly after witness had knocked, him down if the woman had let him alone. John Henry Milligan, examined, gave evidence confirma tory of that of the previous witnesses relative to the quarrel in Fratton-road. Could not recognise the prisoner as the man who struck deceased. Cross-examined—Saw the man and the deceased striking at each other. The man seemed greatly excited. Heard the deceased say, " I'll give it to you," and heard the man use the same words in reply. John George. Hayward, recalled, deposed further to the facts of the quarrel in Fratton-road, as spoken to by the previous `witnesses. Could not identify the features of the man now that struck deceased, owing to its being in the dusk of the evening, and the man's back being generally turned towards witness. Knew nothing of what took place afterwards. George Lush examined—ls a fish hawker, living in Fratton. On the 9th inst., between 5 and 6 o'clock in the evening, met the deceased and her mother in the Fratton road, with the prisoner close behind them, about four feet distant. Heard the deceased, Mrs. Piper, say to the prisoner, her husband, "You shall have it for this." The prisoner then came behind her and struck her a blow on the back with his right hand. They were about four feet apart when the deceased spoke to the prisoner, and the blow was struck immediately afterwards. The prisoner, immediately after striking the blow, shut a knife that he had in his right hand, using both hands in shutting it. When the deceased was struck she fell into her mother's arms, and said "Oh !" The prisoner walked away fast, and then com menced running towards Fratton-bridge. The deceased was then taken to the chemist's shop. About half-an-hour afterwards witness went to 27, Surrey-street, Landport, and the same young woman that was struck by the prisoner in Fratton-road was then lying there dead. Cross-examined—Met the prisoner, the deceased, and her mother, and as he met them the deceased turned round and used the words spoken of to the prisoner, who then stepped up to her and struck her. Saw the glare of the knife when the prisoner was shutting it up. Henry Fermi', a costermonger, residing in Lower Church path, Fratton, examined, deposed to being with the last witness on the evening of the 9th inst., and corroborated his statements as to the words used by the deceased to the prisoner, and the blow immediately following from the latter. Saw no knife ; but the prisoner, after striking the blow, shut up something which appeared like a knife. The deceased, when she said to the prisoner "You shall have it for this," stopped, and spoke in an angry tone. The de ceased's mother stopped at the same time, but did not say anything to the deceased or the prisoner then. George Ring, a boy, apprentice to his father, a painter at Fratton, on Monday, the 9th, about a quarter past 5 in the evening, saw, in Fratton-street, the deceased and her mother together. They walked round from Fratton-street to Frat ton-road. The prisoner was walking in the same direction, but behind the deceased and her mother, not close enough to speak together. Afterwards the prisoner got closer to them. Witness was walking close behind Mr. Piper, the prisoner. Heard the deceased say, " You shall have it for this." The prisoner then took hold of the deceased by the left arm with his left arm, and struck her on the back with his right hand. The prisoner was following the women with both hands in his pockets. Some other corroborative evidence was given, after which the Court adjourned until 10 o'clock this (Wednesday) Imorning. A letter from Lemberg, published by the Czas, states that more than 80 persons have been arrested at Lublin on suspicion of having been concerned in aiding the flight of Porada, formerly a resident on the estate of Count Zi moyski, and a commander of the Polish scythemen, who had escaped from prison in company with two of his fel low captives. SALT.—The exports of salt from the United Kingdom decreased last year, having amounted in the 10 months ending Nov. 30 to 555,164 tons, against 583,198 tons in 1863, and 629,569 tons in 1862 (corresponding period). The exports increased to Russia and the United States, but declined to British India, British America, and other points. The value of the salt exported to Nov. 13 last year was 263,0421., against 269,3751. in 1863, and 802,8391. in 1862 (corresponding period). SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. TIMES.—The sequel to the capture and mysteri- ous destruction of the Florida is contained in a cor- respondence which we publish in another column. This correspondence includes a letter from Mr. Seward to Mr. Webb, the representative of the United States at Rio Janeiro, the formal demand of reparation by the Brazilian Minister at Washington, and Mr. Seward's final reply. There is no better test of honourable sentiment, whether in indivi duals or in nations, than themaking of an apology, and we therefore look with some curiosity to see how the adroit Foreign Secretary of the United States disavows an act which even he cannot justify. The despatch to Mr. Webb, dated November 11, just after the exploit of the Waehusett became known at Washington, can have given the Brazi lian Government little reason to expect a handsome reparation. Instead of simply requesting full par ticulars and promising ample redress, in case an aggression should prove to have been made on neu tral rights, Mr. Seward begins with a censure of the policy, " different as it was from that of all other American States," adopted by the Empire of Brazil towards the Confederate States. He reminds the Brazilians that they had persisted, in spite of re- monstrance, in furnishing ... " shelter and a haven to pirates who were engaged in depredating upon the peaceful commerce of the United States,"—in other words, that, like the great European Powers, they had recognised the Alabama and her consorts as Confederate cruisers. Such injurious conduct was sure sooner or later to " affect the harmonious rela tons heretofore existingbetween the two countries." Accordingly, the violent seizure of the Florida by the Wachusett within Brazilian waters, in defiance of law, and the vain attempt of the Brazilian Admiral to prevent it, are described as a " collision," such as might naturally result from this original wrong. Mr. Seward, indeed, reserves his opinion on the legality of that proceeding, and intimates that he is " not indisposed to examine the subject upon its merits carefully," but only on condition that " a becoming and friendly spirit" shall be exhibited by the aggrieved party. What communications may have followed on the receipt of this despatch we have no means of knowing, but on the 21st of December a note was presented by M. Barboza, Chargé d'Affaires of Brazil at Washington. It bears date the 12th of the same month, but we learn from a passage in Mr. Seward's response that, " owing to an understanding," which may or may not imply a concerted modification of its contents, the official delivery of it was postponed. In its pre- sent form it is rather a pompous document charac terising the outrage at Bahia as " an act of the most transcendent gravity," which, "in the special cir cumstances which preceded and attended it, has no parrallel in the annals of modern maritime war." The account which it gives of the material facts differs very little from that which reached us more than two months ago, but it specifically charges the United States' Consul at Bahia withabreachof his plighted honor, and the commander of the W achusett with a treacherous violation of the assurance that he would desist from hostilities against the Florida and return to his anchorage. It acknowledges the prompt disclaimer of Mr. Webb, on the part of the United States, and expresses the utmost confidence both in the adherence of that Government to its traditional principles and in the exalted wisdom of Mr. Seward. The reply of that Minister is in his most effective style. He makes the amende honourable with an air of magnificent superiority, which shows him to be a master in the art of apologising. M. Barboza is in formed that he had not counted too far on the mag nanimity of the Federal Government. " Jealousy of foreign intervention in every form, and absolute non-intervention in the domestic affairs of foreign nations, are cardinal principles in the policy of the United States"—a policy which, we presume, must be dated from a period subsequent to the premature recognition of Hungary. The President " will suspend Captain Collins, and direct him to appear before a court-martial. The Consul at Bahia (Mr. Wilson) admits that he advised and incited the captain, and was active in the proceedings. He will, therefore, be dismissed. The flag of Brazil will receive from the United States' navy the honour customary in the intercourse of friendly maritime Powers." Nor is this all. Although the crew of the Florida, having been engaged in " piracy," are " enemies of the human race," yet, inasmuch as they came illegally within the custody of the United States, they will be set at liberty, subject, however, to " the hazard of recapture when beyond the juris diction of this Government." As for the ship itself, it went down by a most untoward mishap at Hamp ton Roads. This occurrence was " owing to a leak which could not be seasonably stopped," and there were those who fancied that the leak was " caused, or at at least increased, by a collision with a war transport." Such a representation " seemed to affect the army and the navy." A double inquiry, naval and military, was at once ordered, but one branch of it was not complete when the despatch was written, so that it may be taken for granted that the event was " an unforeseen accident," en tailing no responsibility. Such is the degree of penance to which Mr. Seward is prepared to sub mit, but under protests and with reservations which are anything but penitential in their tone. His Government refuse to believe that any deception was practised either by the Consul or by the Cap tain, for those officers deny it, and that is, of course, enough. They disallow the assumption " that the insurgents of this country are a lawful naval belli gerent," and consider the recognition of them in that character to be "an act of intervention" in derogation of international law, and an injustice to the United States. They repudiate the allegation that the Florida belonged to the insurgents at all ; on the contrary, she was, in their view, a mere pirate belonging to no nation, and not to be har boured lawfully by any. These positions they con sider to be "no longer open to argument," and they expressly advertise the Brazilian Government that any concession " rests exclusively upon the ground that the capture of the Florida was an unauthorised, unlawful, and indefensible exer cise of the naval force of the United States, within a foreign country, in defiance of its established and duly recognised Government." It is not for subordinate officers to choose their own time and place for asserting national rights and avenging national injuries. For this excess of zeal they will be punished, but Mr. Seward manages to hint that the chase of the Wachusett, being an act of war, might be held, but for the generosity of the United States, to have purged the prior offence of Capt. Collins. Here, then, is the end of this little affair, for we can hardly doubt that Brazil will declare herself satisfied, with as good a grace as she can muster. It is due to the American public to record that Mr. Seward's disavowal and condem nation of the capture was anticipated by the most enlightened part of the New York press, and the fallacy of designating the Florida as a pirate, only because she had burnt her prizes at sea, was exposed with great force and fairness. Nor are we disposed to bear too hard upon Mr. Seward for qualifying his apology with a lecture on the enormity of receiving her in neutral ports. All governments, but especi ally republican governments, should be judged by their acts rather than by their words. The former represent their deliberate foreign policy, the latter have often no other object than to gratify some Party at home. We need not take offence at any thing which Mr. Cassius Clay may say or Gene Dix may order, or even at Mr. Seward's invectives against Lord Wharncliffe and his colleagues, so long as the Federal Government will listen to reason in each case of dispute, and is supported in so doing by a majority of the people. At the same time we cannot think it consistent with national dignity that such effusions as Mr. Webb's letter to the Brazilian Government should be allowed to pass without re primand. If an English representative, whether he were an ambassador or a consul, were to volunteer, in a public despatch to the Minister of some other Power, his regret that a gross insult had not been offered to the United States, he would infallibly be recalled, and that on the very principle laid down by Mr. Seward, that officious escapades on the part of subordinate agents cannot be tolerated by a Go vernment which respects itself. This, however, is entirely a question for their own superiors, and if Mr. Seward does not feel the character of American diplomacy compromised by ebullitions of this kind, it is not for us to complain of them. POST.—The most interesting feature in the finan cial statement recently issued by M. Fould was un questionably the strongly-marked indication which it furnished of a peaceful policy on the part of the French Government. The expenditure for the army and navy, taken collectively, will be reduced during the current year to the extent of nearly one million and three-quarters sterling, and the standard of the effective strength of the military forces of the empire will be lowered. From an article, evidently bearing an official stamp, which appeared in the Constitu tionnel a day or two since, it would seem that the standing effective force of the French army in time of peace is hericeforth to be fixed at 400,000 men, inclusive of the forces serving abroad. Although to our eyes this figure appears enormous, it would bear compariion advantageously with what was considered within the past few years the requisite strength of the French army on a peace footing. In the year 1860, for example, the effective force was 485,000 men, in the following year it was reduced to 467,000, in 1862 a trifling reduction had been made, and in 1863 the effective force, not including the reserve, was stated to be 436,000. In the budget of the Minister of War for the year 1864 the total strength was stated to be 404,000, but this was increased by some 10;000 men, owing to the circumstances of some of the battalions employed abroad being placed on a war footing. Now, however, the round sum of 400,000 is to be accepted as a fixed standard, and will not in future be either increased or dor: nished. As figures of this kind, however, furnish no idea except by comparison, we can only de ter : mine the precise meaning of a peace establishni ell of 400,000 fighting men by considering its relarelative proportion to the empire for whose defence it I s maintained and to the military establishments of those States with which that Empire rag possibly come into collision - . In order, there' fore, to determine whether the French Govern' meut can fairly claim to be considered as acting with wisdom . and moderation in fixing t h e e a effective strength of their military forces at ti above-mentioned standard, we must take into .c ' count the comparative strength of the stanchnb armies maintained by the principal Eiiropea l : • Powers. With the exception of Russia, whose p ear , establishment has been roughly but most i nc orrect estimated at 1,000,000 of soldiers, the strength ° the Fr6nch artily exceeds that of any other Power' Next in the list stands Austria, the number of trooPs maintained by her on peace footing being 270,000' The standing army of Prussia is estimated. S' 210,000 men, and the collective armies of the ra m° German States at the same number, The armY ° the kingdom of Italy inset down as close on 2 00,0 Y ore men, whilst that of Great Britain in the past Y e3 , o fell short of 150,000. Nothing, however, is 111° I iv deceptive than the figures furnished, more espee'g'4 by Continental States with reference to their pe, 3 '„f establishments, because the real military strength", a State depends not on the number of troops 3c t tually enrolled, but on the facilities which e xist . fo to bringing additional forces in case of necessity 111 ., the field. Thus, for instance, the French al ln • 7 ' though on a peace footing of 400,000 men, e 3 " „; within a very brief space of time, be raised to he , tween 700,000 and 750,000, by requiring the s.er, vices of men who, though not considered as for m e portion of the establishment, are perfectly con the sant with military duties. In like manner t.", armies of Austria and Prussia can with ease bel creased to double or treble their nominal strelV; and placed on a war footing, should circumstal le t demand such a step. The standing army of Gr e3 o Britain, on the other hand, is fixed with precisioaqf the yearly estimates, and that army, in time of "s 1 '„: can . only be increased by the slow, and what to 1 . `,, reigners appears the unsatisfactory process of 1 1 mating civilians. . If, then, a comparison be dra; between France, Austria, and Prussia, it will found that although the peace establishment of first exceeds that of the other two, the differenc e je the strength of the armies they are respectively ab le. to bring into the field is by no means considerab4 The armies of Austria and Prussia, when on footing, are each somewhat in excess of 600,,P.c; men, and probably in both countries, but cert a in Prussia, where every man is compelled, at soil time or other, to bear arms, and where the " L 3 34 weher," or militia, includes upwards of 400 , v4 men, the facilities for adding to the strength a regular army are greater than in Trance. Con i 0 dered 'relatively to the number of the populat3oo the three countries, the Prussian army, even 0 1 1 r , peace establishment, must be considered as prni tionately greater than those of the other two. . 0 Prussia it is estimated than one man in eighty - n l o i of the population is a soldier ; in Austria, one ° 0 „ hundred and thirty ; and in France, one in iihJ ° three. We may observe that, with the exceptiond Portugal, in which but one in two hundred 3 twenty-four is a soldier, the proportion of the O i l ; to the population is smaller in Great Britain t elsewhere. Out of a population of about twee nine millions we supply an army of 148,000 itle n do about one soldier in one hundred and ninety - "ty In Spain, the proportion which exists between army and population is nearly the same as tlia vji is Great Britain. Measured relatively by the stan d ` , of military strength which exist in Austria 4 ' Prussia, that which is now fixed on by Fran c lo probably not excessive. If either of these Po - 8 0 can in an emergency bring an army of 600,0 00 n a l io. , into the field, France may be justified in maim' to ing such an establishment as would enable liefio defend her frontier with a force exceeding e g , of either of her adversaries by 100,00 0 _PA' But the comparison of the existing standing 11 1,, of the great military Powers of Europe, tho l t t il may show what their relative proportions 0, 1 to be, furnishes no criterion of the actual Sii e r ) which they might collectively be reduced. f ‘ , 11 00 1 ) may want a peace establishment of 4° ' soldiers, because Austria and Prussia maintain blishments almost as great ; but we are s l ' ert 4 liberty to ask why, if these vast armies onlY S t to counterbalance each other, they might 1 1 °, 0 1 three be proportionately reduced ? Is it nec c iii for the safety of those Powers? or, is it co n to the interests of Europe, that France, or Al°elo or Prussia should be in a position, at three 111° '' o f 0 notice, to marshal close on three-quarters es of million of trained soldiers either for the purpo,, s aggression or of defence? We cannot tilln.,, r ; t o9 and believing, as we do, that these vast o'oo establishments exist for no other purpose than t tbe of negativing each other's effects, we believe tn a 'tlicc true policy, not only of France, but of the ', io n' Powers, would consist in effecting large real-160 in those establishments. The question 1 15tt4 '- c ., suggests itself—Who shall begin ? It is not. lle dir sary that any Power should take the lead l o ok arming, the movement might easily be made t tl l ° taneous. It is, however, but just to say t l ' s ide; French Government have recently made Ci d ,' 0 10' rable reductions in theirmilitary establishmen t, de' before proceeding further, they have a righ t .„,ol l , B mand, that to some extent at least, their T O O should be followed. The changes made , bY; - 0 1Y and Prussia during the past year have c-f not been by way of reduction. COUNTRY MARKETS LEEDS—TUESDAY. vv . There is a fair show of grain this week. ", e fo dot moderate amount of business passing in wheatj without any material change in value from Tuesdat (10 Fine barley quite as well sold, while other sorts arc w ` i / dispose of. No change in oats and beans. 0 3. • The average prices for the week ending Jan. 16 W A e gii 4 Wheat, 40s 8-1-cl per qr. ; barley, 31s 84d ; an 21s 3-11 d. L IVERP OL —T UESDAY. f At this day's market there was a fair attendance fiod town and country trade ' however, only a small was done. Wheat met with a slow retail sale at F i r P I rates, or 2d per 1001 b under those of this day mr,e,,T: flour there was no change in value, but it was (- :r t - ioa move. Oats and oatmeal remained withou t altlato rate,:e value. • Barley, beans, and peas sold in retail 5t Indian corn was neglected, and best Danube C ° °f 3c t to been bought at 26s 6d per 4801 b, being a decli ne per qr on the week. MELTON MOWBRAY.—TvEsnAI• ~g 0 1111; A tolerable supply of wheat, but the condition 1 - 1 -4 o ttP t —White wheat, 41s to 45s ; red, 38s to 42s per 285 e t { Barley for malting, 31s to 33s per qr ; feed, 25s t? 30 stone. The supply of other articles was linnO ' a fair business done, the rates unchanged. MONMOUTHSHIRE—MONDAY. I , 1 0'5 111 The stormy and wet weather of the last few &LYS, 0 P A ' been very favourable for agricultural operations to l , l o cr f , very little progress has been made in preparing,',.# l2e o ground since the commencement of last v e- o oti go t The reduction in the Bank rate of discount has ic y) yet, had any visible effect on the market. The inqu bil barley and oats remains without alteration. W U& t, J The following are the average quotations : 2s to 5s 8d per bushel ; barley, 3s 4d to 3s 9d ; oats, 0 to 2s 7d. SHEFFIELD—TUESDAY. A 0 r At to-day's market the show of wheat was fai l ' , t 0 demand was dull at about late rates. There was u ° alteration in barley. 0 Red wheat, per load of 3 imp. bushels....lss Od "" ,„ Js es 6 of White do do ....178 Od 3 69 0 New red do do _,, 15s Od 1 70 0 New white do do ....16s 6d 10 0 . t Beans do do ....158 td :/20 4 Peas, per qr.. Grinding barley, per qr 30s Od 3 , 11 0 i i s Malting barley, do 32s Od ~El Oats, do 2lB Od /, Flour....is 5d to is 9d per 141 n. London : Priuted and P u bli s hed by WILLIAM - "to - 1) of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at THE SUN Offic, e ' at til Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the Widdlesex.—Wedneaday, January 18,1865. Births. iid el BRUEN.—On the 14th inst., at Oak-park, Carlow, 4110 of Henry Bruen, Esq., M.P., of a daughter. 3ti ol I LEIGH.—On the 15th inst., at 15, Wyndham-place, 44 ston-square, the wife of Roger Leigh, Esq., of a ' 4, ter. O' PAYNE.—On the 15th inst., at Brompton, the wife 0 Payne, Esq., of a son. mo ie TICH.BORNE.—On the 1 4 th inst., at Salisbury, Iv Lady Tichborne, prematurely, of a daughter, 6t " ipe ~,) Marriages. eV ' KIRRY—SMITH.—On the 11th inst., at TrinitY f Cf,e B rom pton, Thomas Charles Ki r by, Esq., M. 1 ) ,, ° el,')l naught-terrace, Hyde-park, to Henrietta SoPL"' - 'O9 surviving daughter of the late Edward Peploe - ~.i. Esq., B.C.S. rett; METCALFE—DANNEELS.—On the 14th inst., at St• to P Regent-square, Mr. F. Metcalfe, of Teddington , Jane Danniels, of Rye. Deaths. vo h o , BoDDY.—On the 15th inet., at 20, Manor-place, A" t, r Thomas Boddy, Esq., aged 64. rcier BOYES.—On the 15th inst., at 8, Kensington-go' Is race, John Boyce, Esq., aged 64. jo 4 CUNARD.—On the 16th inst., at Liverpool, the IRO' ll „' i Cunard, aged 66. + P' HILL—On the 13th inst., at Buckland-cresce nt ' A , James Hill, Esq., aged 80. r P 7" KRUGER.—On the 14th inst., Henry Jas. Xi ll g " e of Slough, Bucks. rl''' t LITTLEWOOD.—On the 16th inst., at 3, Claphanl - r 3 1,11 race, Geo. Littlewood, Esq., aged 64. nilo l l MARTIN.—On the 16th inst., at Birnam, near - , N. 8., suddenly, Lawrence Martin, Esq., artist* 001 i' MILLER.—On the 14th inst., at Collier's W o od, 3 Boyd Miller, Esq., aged , 88. --- ,41/t