The Sun. — London, England, 1865-08-15 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence. • The Osborne, steam yacht, Commander D'Arcy, left Portsmouth yesterday morning for Cherbourg, with the Duke of Somerset, K.G. (First Lord), Ad miral the Hon. F. W. Grey, K.C.8., and Rear Admiral E. G. Fanshawe, Lords of the Admiralty ; Captain Hall, Secretary to the First Lord; the Earl de Grey and Ripon, Secretary for War ; and Sir R. Mayne, Chief Commissioner of Police. On leaving the harbour the Admiralty flag received the custo mary salute from the Admiral's flagship Victory. The Enchantress, Admiralty yacht, Staff Comman der Petley, with Lord Clarence Paget and Lady Paget, and Mr. Hugh C. E. Childers, and Mrs. Childers, followed the Osborne. The Fire Queen, steam yacht tender, Staff-Commander Paul, con veyed the Naval Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Sir M. Seymour, K.C.8., and Rear-Admiral Wellesley, Admiral Superintendent of Portsmouth dockyard ; the Sprightly, steam tender, Master Commander Allen, conveying the Admirals' boats and boats' crews. The Urgent, troop-ship, Capt. Henderson, also left the harbour about 11, having been especi ally appropriated for the use of naval and other officers. The Royal Sovereign, turret-ship, Capt. Herbert, left Spithead, yesterday morning, for Cher bourg. The Channel squadron left Portland Roads for Cherbourg on Sunday evening. The whole of the vessels of the Channel squadron, under the com mand of Sir S. C. Dacres, K.C.8., Rear Admiral, consisting of her Majesty's. ships Edgar, 71 (flag ship), Capt. G. T. Hornby ; Achilles, 20, ironclad, Capt. E. W. Vansittart ; Black Prince, 41, ironclad, Capt. Lord F. Kerr ; Defence, 16, ironclad, Capt. A. Phillimore ; Prince Consort, 35, ironclad, Capt. George 0. Willes, C.B. ; Hector, 24, ironclad, Capt. George W. Preedy, C.B. ; Research, 4, ironel4 Capt. Arthur Wilmshurst ; Liverpool, 39, screw wooden frigate, Capt. Rowley Lambert; Odavi c i, 39, screw wooden frigate, Capt. Charles F. Hiliyar ; Constance, 39, screw wooden frigate, Capt. Edward K. Barnard, Trinculo, gunboat, tender to the Edgar.; and Salamis, paddle, despatch vessel, Commander Francis G. Suttie, left Portland Roads at a quarter to seven o'clock. Anchors were hove short at six p.m., and at the time first stated all weighed anchors. The Defence was the first off ; she was followed in Indian file by the Achilles, Prince Consort, Hector, Black Prince, and Research, under steam. The Edgar (flagship) was followed by the wooden frigates Liverpool, Octavia, and Constance, all being under plain sail, the rear being brought up by the Trinculo and the Sala.mig, under steam. After founding the breakwater, the fleet were divided into two divisions, all of them being under plain sail ; the ironclads to leeward, and the rest of the fleet to windward. The departure of the fleet was witnessed by hundreds of people, the " Look-out" and the "Nothe" at Weymouth being lined with spectators. The wind was fresh from south-west. It is understood that the French fleet will arrive at Spithead on the 28th inst., and their stay will extend to the 2d of September, during which time the flag officers will be entertained on board the Os borne by the Duke of Somerset, as First Lord of the Admiralty. General invitations will be issued for a dinner at the Port Admiral's, and also on board the Duke of Wellington. A review of the troops will take place on Southsea-common, on the evening of which day the French officers will be the guests of Leiut.-Gen. Sir C. Buller, and a banquet on a grand scale to be followed by a ball from the Mayor, town council, and inhabitants of theborough generally will probably add to the ittstivities. Admiral Sir M. Seymour's flag on board the Vic tory was struck last evening at sunset. During the absence of Sir Michael and Rear-Admiral Wellesley the duties of the port will devolve upon Capt. Scott, C:B., Flag-Capt. of the Victory. An official investigation into the circumstances attending the fire on board the Arethusa has been instituted by order of the Admiralty, and a report fordwarded to their Lordships. The fire was first reported to Capt. Macdonald at about six o'clock p.m., as he was at his station on the bridges, and just as the frigate was coming to an anchor at the Little Nore, after returning from a lengthened trial trip for the purpose of testing her steaming capabilities, and only a few minutes before she saluted the flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir C. Talbot, K.C.B. During the day the.lower part of the fun mei vas found to be dangerously heated, and this circumstance occasioned gieat anxiety to Capt. Macdonald, who directed the boats to be removed as far as possible, and to prevent their igniting, of which grave fears were entertained, wet swobs were placed over them, and other precautionary measures adopted. An inspection of the hold in the imme diate vicinity of the boilers proves that the fire originated near the fore boilers, as was believed to be the case at the time, which is to be accounted for from the vessel having been nearly 12 hours' steam ing, the engines during that time being driven to their utmost capacity, while the furnaces were kept fed to as much as they could consume. From the heated state of the woodwork in that part of the vessel where the fire first broke out it was a miracle the flames did not gain the mastery. But for the energy of Capt. Macdonald and the officers and men under him one of the finest frigates of her Majesty's navy would have been completely destroyed. After the fire had been extinguished it was ascertained that the Arethusa had between four and five feet of water in her hold, which will give some idea of the quantity thrown on the flames. On account of the fire the Arethusa could not join the Channel squadron. The following are the prnicipal dimensions of the new ironcased frigate Hercules, of 1,100-horse power (nominal), which is about to be commenced at Chatham dockyard, from the designs of Mr. E. J. Reed, the Chief Constructor of the Navy : Length between perpendiculars, 305 ft. ; extreme breadth, 57ft. ; depth of hold, 20ft. Tin. ; burden in tons 4,813 14-94. Her sides are proposed to be con structed of a thickness greater than any vessel now afloat, in order to render her as nearly as possible invulnerable to the heaviest description of ordnance she may be called upon to face. For this purpose the Hercules will be plated with a thickness of no less than 114 in. of iron, in addition to 32in. of timber backing at the water-line, and in immediate contiguity to her gun battery. Her armour-plates will be composed of the best description of rolled iron, 9in. thick, in addition to which a double skin of iron-plating, composed of plates Ikin. in thick ness, will be worked behind the 10-inch teak back lig, to w hi ch the armour-plates will be bolted. .Behind th ese again will be 22in. of timber, and, finally, the o rdinary-inch inner plating, or skin of the frigate. Contrasting these with the correspond ing figures in the Minotaur, Warrior, and others of our ironclads, th e Hercules will db have thickness of double iron-plating mor e th an that either of the vessels named. It will surpas s as that o of the iron frigate Bellerophon, ne ar l y completed for considered at d Chatham dockyard, althou g h th e latter is co a marvel of strength. In the case o f the Warrior the iron armour-plates are only 4i t in. in thick ness, and in the Minotaur si-in., while along a portion of her broadside the Bellerophon c arr i es armour-plates of 6in. in thickness, with an inne r plating of liin. in thickness behind her 10-inch timber backing. Like the Bellerophon, the Her cules will be built on the cellular principle, with a double bottom, the Bellerophon being the first vessel in the British navy constructed on that In her construction steel will be used for her stronger plates, and inother partswhere experience has shown that it is advisable to employ that sub stance. The Hercules will be commenced in the second dock, in which the Lord Warden, wooden armour-plated frigate, is now being fitted for sea. Orders have been received at Chatham for tend ers to be received on the 29th inst. for the purchase of the screw gun-vessel Plover, 80 horse-power no minal, and 426 tons, now attached to the third di vision of the steam reserve, together with the whole of her spare gear. The Plover was built for the Government only a few years since by private con tract, and has recently been paid off after a length ened cruise on the West Coast of Africa. Mr. Reed's iron screw steam ram corvette Pallas, launched at Woolwich on the 14th of March last, and supplied by Messrs. Humphreys and Tennant with engines of 600 nominal horse-power, is now ordered to carry the following armament :—Four 300 and two 100 pounder - Armstrongs in the mid ship batteries, four 40-pounders on the upper deck, one in the captain's cabin and one abaft, and two pivot guns forward and aft on the weather deck. She is rapidly approaching completion, and will be undocked on the 30th of November next. The ironclad Research, 4, Capt. Arthur Wilms• hurst, has arrived at P or tl an d f rom P ortsmouth. __. His Prussian Majesty's steam corvette Nymphe Delphine put into the Portland Roads on Saturday afternoon through stress of weather, being en route for Plymouth. She saluted the flag of Rear-Ad miral Sir Sidney Colpoys Dacres, which compliment was duly acknowledged by the Edgar. A strong southwest wind was blowing, with squally weather. The paddle despatch steam-vessel Salamis, Capt. Francis G. Suttie, arrived at Portland from Ports mouth on Sunday morning at 10 o'clock. The War Department storeship Lord Panmure, Mr. Moore, master, in charge,havingreturnedtoWoolwich from Portsmouth, yesterday commenced unshipping at the Arsenal wharf. Her cargo consists of shot and shell, with 40 Armstrong guns, brought back to the Royal Gun factories for alteration and re- Pair. The troops, already mentioned in the Sun, dis embarked from the troopship Himalaya, Captain Lethbridge, yesterday morning, at the jetty in Portsmouth dockyard, under the superintendence of Col. Shadwell, A.Q.M.G. The 63d Regiment proceeded to Aldershott by railway, via Farnbo rough, the time-expired men to their respective depots, and the invalids to the Royal Victoria Hos pital, Netley. _ _ . _ The Lady Melville, hired transport, arrived at Spithead yesterday from Calcutta, with time-ex pired men from various regiments serving in India. They will disembark this morning. She also brings a few private passengers. The Orontes, troop ship". Capt. 11. W. Hire, arrived at Portsmouth yesterday morning from Dublin. The following appointments were made on Satur day at the Admiralty :—Capt. Leveson E. H. Somerset to the Formidable, as additional, for ser vice in the Bristol ; Lieut. J. W. Brackenbury, to the Hector ; J. S. and C. Bower nominated to a naval cadetship ; J. G. Taylor, engineer, to the Mitomart ; H. A. Henri, B. Carr, and Andrew Hindmarsh, engineers, to the Duncan, for disposal; J. Bates, J. Davies, and W. G. Paige, for Ist class assist. engineers, to the Duncan, for disposal. The Murders near Holborn. The visit of the London detective police to Rams gate has set at rest all doubts as to the identity of the Stephen Forwood of that place with the Ernest Southey of Brighton, Ryde, Surbiton, Worcester, and Putney. Inspector Tanner, to whom the pri soner was well known as Southey previous to the dreadful crimes of last week, reports that while at the examination at Ramsgate on Saturday the pri soner referred to his applications in past times for pecuniary assistance, and remarked that the Go vernment, which would take no notice of him be fore, could now offer a large reward for him. When in London the murderer wore a beard and moustache, but he shaved them off about a fortnight before the commission of the crimes—a change in his personal appearance which he took care should be noticed in every place where he was known ; a fact which leads to the opinion that, whatever crimes he meditated, he desired in some way to baffle jus tice. The inquiries of the London detective police, act ing under Inspector Tanner, have shown that Mrs. White, the mother of the three children murdered in London, was in communication with the prisoner up to the latter end of June, when she was living in the neighbourhood of Putney. She had with her a little girl which she had borne since cohabit ing with Southey, and she has been known to de clare that her life withthe man had been so wretched that she was desirous of berg beyond his power. An opportunity occurred for her to go to Australia with a family in the capacity of nurse. She gladly took the offered situation, and, leaving her little girl in the care of a benevolent lady, who was wil ling to take charge of her, the woman sailed from England a few weeks ago. Forwood, it is under stood, was not aware for some time where his late paramour was, and he used every exertion to disco ver her, making repeatedinquiries for her in all parts of Putney, telling the many persons in that place who knew the pair of his loss, and always styling himself her husband. It is believed that his connection with this woman did not have that romantic commencement which he has described. There are reasons for supposing that he knew her before he left Ramsgate, and that he maintained a connection with her after her marriage, about 10 years since, to Mr. White, who, it will have been noticed, regarded the mur dered boys as his " reputed children" only, and not without cause. For several nights previous to committing the murders the prisoner slept in the stable of a publichonse in Putney, and he left there at three o'clock yesterday week, as he took the three boys from Mr. White's house to the coffee house where they were murdered. lie had no money when he left Putney, but he must have ob tained some, as he defrayed the expenses of lodging and living at the coffeehouse, bought a new revolver, paid his expenses to Broadstairs, and had 15s. when taken into custody. He had, however, means of obtaining money which must now and then have put him in possession of a few pounds ; for, besides his billiard-playing skill and betting, he was always writing begging letters to benevolent noblemen and gentlemen. Whatever doubts Mr. White had of the parentage of the murdered boys, it may be stated to his credit that he did allow those doubts to weigh with him as to his duty towards the children. He made every arrangement for the burial of the unhappy boys, and, after the opening of the coroner's inquiry on Friday they were placed in separate coffins, and in terred on Saturday morning in the cemetery near the Victoria-park. It is considered most probable that the prisoner will be removed by writ-of habeas corpus to take his trial in London for murder of the three children, as it is looked upon as most undesirable that a cause of so much importance should stand over for months, as it would if it should have to wait for the Maid stone assizes. THE MURDERER'S LETTER.—The following is the letter of Southey, as it appeared in the Daily 7 ele graph of Monday, April 11, 1864: " In almost boyish years I met with one who was poor and delicate, educated, and unprovided for. For these reasons I resolved to shield her from the world. I was at this time directed in my conduct by a strict conscience, re ligiously formed and scrupfilously exacting, with very im perfect perception of that compromise between good and evil which human conduct, after all, can only amount to. Upon an occasion I forgot my duty, and from that one circumstance dates all my misfortune and fearful blight of life. The standard for my conduct had been fixed too high, and my declension corresponded. My religious be lief now only created doubt and despair. With self-respect gone and renewed temptations, I diverged wider and wider from that pr ac ti ce o f r i g ht w hi c h un d er a ll I loved. I found no stand poi n t u p on w hi c h t o recover my l ost bal a a cons and at last of last sought in frivolous diversion to esca p e my - ru i is. The re without m . eainhs had dr nowprof ession, or a single person I knew, fallenc saket of e thatbtto m, and all this o Glasgow result of an ill-balanced tidoTmfe h was human life. I f e lt th at my and worthless, but for h evseurlyttli finallyinga n was, d billiards t h atl came found to na complete myself trusted, and (knowing me welli)relelstp t to . the in judgment of obligations of irremediably ruined m w o ho f still resolved loved, make some reparation to her, wh o was now the mother to my children. A first wrong is like the letting out of water Sternly resolved, I now sought suitable employment, day after day, but in vain. At last,without a penny in the world, I resolved to use for my redemption what had helped to my ruin—billiards. I reasoned that I could therein show to men of position and power that I was governed by principles and aims which were worthy of better establish ment. employ ment, and I then engaged to con duct a billiard In course of time I received much kindness and respect from gentlemen who discovered my character and false position, and I pressed forward for my object—hon ourable employment. My claims and credentials were ac knowledged, and some few, kinder than most, used some efforts in mybehalf. But in the end I found that men in busi ness are too much occupied in their own concerns to take up another's interests; that my previous connection with bil liards had been a mistake (although I had separated from it at this time); and that many who would risk their own lives to sago a drowning:wretch would leave unaided those who suff©r pain that makes life itself a burden, because the evidence of this equally fatal suffering ie not seen. I did not find a keenly discriminating man benevolent, and having power to regard the usages of society at proper worth, who, to save more than life, would exert himself in proportion. For five years I struggled on through bitter life unspeak able, and all that penury, loneliness, self-reproach, and persecution (from those who could not understand me) could inflict, I suffered, and many and many have been the times that I have asked myself shall I still keep on ? What I ;have suffered has made me, who was a common man, uncommon, and has taught me to live, not for life itself, but for its aims. But this is stern teaching. I re- solved again and again; but still no one helped me with that much-needed little lift. I gained respect; the first gentlemen in Glasgow would shake hands with me ; but still I was left to have the credit all to myself, of my re demption, if it was to be accomplished at all. I was re ceiving some little help from my friends at this time, and came to England. Knowing that rich men play at billiards, as at rifle shooting or other sports, for stakes, which, if fairly won, at least reflect no dishonour, and believing that the end justified the means, I entered into competitions of this nature, pitting my small means and skill against the advantages of my opponents with varying success and failure. " At Kentfield's Subscription Rooms, Brighton, where I was known, I met the Hon. Dudley Ward. He was play ing with a solicitor whom he knew, and with whom he had often contended before. I made a wager with him of ss. upon the game, and he lost to me in all £122. Ho then contested with me, and altogether raised my claim to £1,172. I should have previously stated that at the com mencement of the games he proposed an agreement that all losses should be paid before leaving the room, to which I acceded. Upon being applied to a fortnight after the occurrence, he sent a letter to say that he could not pay then, but would as soon as he was able. Two months afterwards, beingbpressed for payment, and not being able, he repudiated the debt. I then offered to allow the matter to be arbitrated by two noblemen, to which he did not even deign a reply. I went home the night that I had won this contest thanking God that at last I had gained the power to carry out the purpose of my life—that I should be able to employ means less uncongenial to my tastes and percep tions—that my life would no longer be a lie—that in living out my better nature I might still be of use to the world as well as myself. The disappointment came upon me with all the force and effects which circumstances gave to it—it broke me utterly down. "A few weeks before the last-mentioned circumstanced I met one evening a lady whose extremely agitated manner showed to me that she was suffering great mental distress. I learned from her that she kept a young ladies' school— that she was endeavouring to bring up thereby four young children of her own—that she had 2s. 6d. in her possession, was in debt, and had already sinned to get them bread as a mother should not—that she had left her home, intending never to return, feeling that farther life would only end in great sin and disgrace —was going to the pier to escape ex istence. I saved her, as I should expect my sister to be saved by any honourable man finding her in such position. A banker, at the recommendation of the minister of her church and others, helped me to try and establish her in her home. I canvassed to get her pupils, sold her draw ings, helped her from my small bank to the best of my ability, and saved her from the grasp of a man who sought to make her his prey. Hei health failed, her home was broken up, and I got her received into an hospital. Had I got my money in proper time, this, with much more, might have been saved. I would have lent her an amount to carry on with, for she had fair prospects if this had been afforded. She shared my disappointment, gave me sym pathy and affection, and in the end I found that I could not forsake her without sinning over again the sin of my early years. " I calmly weighed all the serious difficulties of my posi- tion, and obeyed the dictates of conscience in yielding to her entreaty to share my destiny, which, God knows, could be small boon. But the decision was not completed until the Earl of Dudley refused to pay his brother's debt. I had already striven with all my power, and suffered all I could bear. The disappointment which had incapacitated me for further effort had also disclosed to me that I could not live on through more such life as I had without becoming a bad man, which lam not, and will not be. I will rather die. I entered then into union with this lady, with the under standing that our lives were at issue upon the settlement of my claims, and trusting, should we fail during life, tho fuller representation of the facts afterwards might obtain for those whose interests we sought the right before re fused. This may read strange and unwise, but most men, had they passed through what is here very faintly shadowed, had either been in the grave, a prison, or a madhouse. It is not external circumstance which measures human con sciousness of pain, but individual sensitiveness thereto. I tremble more at life than death, knowing in which I have most to gain. But Ido my duty as far as lam able, and ask that help which I think it my duty to ask. " I must believe that one of the highest responsibilities of title is, that their possessors should hand them down to posterity unsullied by reproach. The heir apparent to the title of Earl Dudley has by conduct most dishonourable (that to which the world applies the severest epithets) brought upon me the greatest trouble, which now doubt less brings me to within a few days of the close of my life. Will the order of society to which he belongs permit the wrong 1 I felt it my duty to place these grave facts before the present Earl of Dudley, under the assurance of several noblemen that, considering all the circumstances, his lord ship would be more than justified in preventing all this evil. I waited upon his lordship, who, upon informing him that it was to me a matter of life or death, became violent, and disclaimed the family responsibility urged. I was not acting solely for myself, and T pleaded, and was then driven from the house by his lordship as if I had been a dog. " Then, for the first time in my life, I felt painful but bitter malignity, and wished for death, lest I became a bad man. I have suffered many bitter wrongs not spoken here, the inevitable lot of those who are down in the world. But it is not for me to cast the first stone. Upon the ad vice and at the recommendation of a noble lady in Lon don, my more than wife also waited upon his lordship. His manner, at first too amiable, upon being assured that he was only waited upon for business, and that by the wife of Mr. Southey, suddenly changed to the opposite extreme. He only permitted a partial explanation, and then refused, sneeringly, the request urged with the bitter tears of a mother. " Hoping from the intercession of a magistrate of Wor cester, who had placed before his lordship his views of the circumstance, that he might now be willing to hear and believe her statement, Mrs. Southey wont again to Witley Court, alone and unadvised,and was shown into the library. She now knew what she had not long fully known, that the purpose of my life had been, and still was, to make what reparation I could to my children and another already mentioned. She had known that I had one paramount object from the first, but not its nature, and now shared my ardent wish for success, inspired also by love for her children. These united motives, and our desperate position, gave courage for this unpleasant duty, and nerved a delicate woman for one more last effort. She asked to see the Earl of Dudley, and was refused. Feeling faint and very unwell, she then asked to speak with the housekeeper. The earl then entered the room, and, without allowing time for speech, seized her by the wrist, using his strength with spiteful violence, and twisting her off her feet, dragged her from the room into the hall, and then with great force pushed her from the door. One arm was so much injured by his lordship's violent wrench that a druggist upon whom she called for advice declined treating it, and referred her to a medical Man. It is now five days since, and it is utterly useless. Were I not seeking, above all things, to fulfil claims which even this outrage does not permit me to forget, I should act very differently in the matter. "As it is, before asking a decision of justice thereon, I feel bound to afford another opportunity for staying a tor rent of evil, of which the reader of this can but partially see the magnitude. He must stand in my position, and see with my view to be able to judge of my motives for this action ; or let him be guided by what I have shown of my life for this judgment. I act, believing I have but a few days left in which to finish my work, and am employing my last resources, that 1 may not leave unfinished the one object of my life. "I now submit my position to the world, in the belief that any man in desperate extremity is justified in calling upon his fellowmen for aid, that private misfortune should not be allowed to become public calamity. And to those many friends who have confirmed me in believing that I was doing what was right, I address a last request for their influence. It is currently reported that his lordship, in matters of like nature in years gone by, has in preference to his own judgment yielded to the voice of his compeers. And if I am not now acting upon an erroneous conviction, I trust, pleading as I am for the innocent, and not for my own sake, that my appeal may not be in vain. That this statement is written in all sincerity and truth is best evi denced by the manner in which I seek, under all the pain of a voluntary confession of my own weaknesses, to make atonement for them. I seek to show to the thinking and unthinking alike in warning an illustration how one error, small in itself, may bring such a train of baneful conse quences as will write in fearful lines the mournful requiem of all earthly joy. Life presents too many instances in which trouble has accumulated until it has become insup portable to render it needful for me to say more than that those circumstances bring a crisis from which there can be no beyond. " I am well aware that few men, feeling themselves in such a position, have had the power to do as I am now doing; but my life has been too rugged and my position is too critical for me at this moment to pay uncalled-for regard to conventional usages. " Whatever may have been my errors, I seek rather to be guided by the true spirit of what is right than the imper fect letter thereof, as represented by social laws. For me the love of life is gone, and I have the courage, which suffering gives, to do this my duty to society, by striving all in my power to avoid a calamity, and to ask in return that society will do its duty to me. Had the Earl of Dud ley at first calmly heard and scrutinised my statement, he would surely have acted as nobly as became his high sta tion ; and I declare again, as it has already been made known to his lordship, that had he have enabled me to ful fil my wiphoo, oven as the whole strong bent of my nature is given for that object, so it would have turned into one of such feeling of unbounded gratitude as the highest are honoured in receiving from the very lowest. Could I have served him at the sacrifice of my life, it would have been given without question. Has it come that hearts, bought with kindness, once regarded as the best ornaments of a throne, are now of such little worth? lam informed that his lordship has saved his brother's honour before, and, if not, must plead that the consequences shown beforehand of this unfortunate occurrence would justify an exception oto ever so wise a rule. " This statement is roughly and hastily drawn out; ab sence of detail is caused by want of time; and if the tone of expression is not equal to the grave circumstances sought to be represented, it is not for want of truth in the facts, but of descriptive power in the writer. I submit the truth to the world with painful reluctance. Penance does not atone for wrong, and I seek the power to make repara tion; money represents that power. I urge the sacred plea of mercy. "Mercy for those who are innocent. Shall it be urged in vain ? "ERNEST W. SOUTHEY. "10, Castle-street, Worcester, March 16, 1864." ANOTHER LETlTat.[Specially addressed to Sir E. B. Lytton.] I feel it my ditty to bring before the public a matter deeply affecting its general interests, in which the force of a mass of circumstances (including bitter wrongs, suffer ings, starvation, misery, and despair) have brought about the greatest danger of the ascrifice of the lives of ten per sons in the fearful occurrences stated below. The shooting of a nobleman, as an act of natural justice, a justification of the deed being thus founded. That the wrongs which he has inflicted are murder, only inflicted indirectly, and skilfully avoiding the penalties of the law, and such crime as all men acknowledge to be really greater crime— than the act of taking life itself. That as the law provides no remedy for these wrongs, no punishment for this crime, the case reverts back to the fundamental law of nature— the law of self-preservation. The injured one being left to himself by the state has to do the best he can for him self, as well as to vindicate and uphold justice. These views being supported by arguments quoted from Scrip ture, John Stuart Mill, the late Poet Laureate, Southey, Bishop Burnet, Mariano, Mazzini, Buchanan, and many other learned men, as well as by the sense of justice and common sense of the many millioned to whom the facts of this case have been made known. The other occurrences are the poisoning as an act of mercy by a mother of her family of young children and of herself, in order to save them such sufferings as her own, which have at least crushed out of her mind the very love of life, making her willing to escape her misery in that fearful way, seeing no other remedy possible. And lastly, the husband of the fore-named, whose greater fortitude and power of endur ance has been the means up to this time of averting and preventing the occurrences of which I have already spoken. He, stripped by suffering of much of ordinary belief, searching out into deeper truth for a stay and sup port, perplexed and distressed beyond measure by the dark and subtle problems of ethics, metaphysics, and re ligion, without guide and instructor, and Wanting food for sometimes as long as two days at a time ; he also is at last so utterly broken down and exhausted by intense anxiety, over exertion, privation, and bitter disappoint ments, that he has openly acknowleged that, looking to the terrible nature of the sufferings endured by his wife and family, the certainty of even worse sufferings in the future, the hopelessness of life both for them and himself, and the danger of their all sinking down to become a curse to themselves and to the world, and viewing the fruitless ness of all his utmost efforts to bring about a remedy, that giving these and all the other many facts of the case the deepest, most careful, and most anxious consideration, he has been. driven by them (and one other to be yet named) to the conscientious conviction and one absolute belief that it would be an act of virtue to save his family from further suffering and evil by mercifully putting an end to their lives; that the accident of the absence from him of some of the eight children and persons whose wellbeing is so entirely, so hopelessly bound up in the matter, has alone been the means which prevented him from carrying that conviction into execu tion, and that he should then have submitted himself to suf fer the penalties of our present iniquitously imperfect law of justice. The additional consideration referred to, as supplying a justification of the deed is this—a conviction that itwould prove themeans of saving thousands of others from like sufferings from death, and from that even worse form of death—moral death.. That the facts of the case would reveal such a striking and convincing exposition of some of the defects which are still allowed with criminal neglect to underlie our social system generally, our social justice in particular, that it would so clearly show their fearful results as to awaken the public mind to a strong and abiding consciousness of their magnitude and iniquity; that the case would supply such a tracing up to its original and truo cause, that man of misery, vice, and crime which disgraces England, which defies the remedies, and thwarts the best efforts of her public men, which threatens the moral health of the whole nation, without being under stood, that the case would supply such a convincing and full explanation of this most grave social question as would greatly help to elucidate the truth and bring into operation more effectual and needed remedies. And that thus the act of putting an end to these hopeless sufferings and lives together would but be mercifully applying a last desperate remedy, when all hope of other remedy had failed (as in the case of Virginius), would.but be of inevitable evils ac cepting the least, would, in saving thousands, be certainly bringing great good out of evil, and prove a real service to the cause of humanity, civilisation, and truth, these views being supported by arguments from "Paley" and others, who justify, in certain emergencies, such exception to or dinary rule of conduct, recognising utility as the founda tion of virtue itself. It will appear to others, as myself, that tho State should supply in such a case the proper help. It does not. I have tried, tried fully in every way, from the highest to the lowest authorities in the land, the Church, justice, and police ; but I have tried in vain ; the State makes no proper provision to meet and remedy the case. The whole matter is one made up of strange, con tradictory, and seeming incongruities, and unless fully ex plained, could not be understood. Among the rest of the anomalies is this—That not only does our present incon gruously imperfect social jnst l ice (I quote Sir E. B. Lytton's adjective and opinion) make no Provision to remedy the case, but the law is • itself ac tually exhibited as having, by its injustice, been one of the main causes of bringing about all this evil. Goldsmith said years ago, "We made more laws to make more crimi nals." Judge Wilde said from the bench a few days since, " The law worked a great injustice." And at present we have the two Lord Chief Justices themselves disagreeing as to what on a certain subj'ect is law. The law is positively a criminal in the case I bring before the public, and it there fore would be anomaly indeed to accept its arbitration if it afforded one (which it does not). It would be simply mak ing of the criminal a judge to try its own suffering victim. In this dilemma I appeal to the people. I have exhausted all private measures. Sir E. B. Lytton, writing on the sub ject of our social justice and its iniquity, says, " I direct myself to the conscience that reigns superior to all law in men's hearts and souls, and few who have had anything to do with law will bo willing to contend that, but for that higher law of conscience, our present degree of social order could long be maintained or retained merely by our social justice alone." As a last appeal, I hero also direct myself to this highest tribunal, and request an immediate investi gation of the facts of this case by a few of those men who seek to serve thepeople by studying and promoting the in terests of truth and justice. I know that although I openly declare these . serious facts, it is exceedingly doubtful whether they will be realised and acted upon with the re quired energy. I know that it is only when some such ap palling occurrences have already happened (such as these circumstances threaten), that the defects in our system which cause them, and the need of a remedy are acknow ledged and provided ; still, I fulfil my duty, and make the trial whether it is possible, in this instance, tosave the sac rifice of human life, seeing that so many have been brought into danger, and among the rest, that of a nobleman. This short account of the matter would, in any other form, have on most minds the effect of conveying a false impression, and then practically be a lie, while in the manner adopted, the real truth is conveyed and asserted, so as to be misun derstood by no one. Less than the whole truth (or an epi tome) is often as much a lie or more than the whole truth would be. Since writing the first part of this letter events in connection with the matter have already happened, which leave the' case (to my judgment) so extremely critical that any one most trifling additional weight of cir cumstance, or any momentary an d realised impulse added, to the already overstrained state of mind p roduced,will bo sufficient to bring about the saddest and worst of the oc currences of which I have spoken, and make that help which I ask too late. John Stuart Mill says, " The opera tions of the will are caused that they may be predicted by persons' adequate knowledge." I am acting here under such a conviction, and deduce from the action laid down that when one person has that brought upon him which no mind could successfully resist or bear up under, which on its overpowering force must coerce and control the will, and possibly direct it to actions greatly inimical to general interests (as may be the case in this instance), I conclude, when this is the case, that it must be the duty and interest of the people to instantly see that such a case has proper attention. For the duty of fellow help rests imperatively on all men, as self help and individual responsibility on each one of us. On the axiom 1 have quoted rests the funda mental social principle of the mutual dependence of man, the sacredness of human life, and the high duty of fellow help to keep it sacred, and on these sacred principles I base this most earnest appeal. Shall it be made in vain ? I have specially addressed this letter to Sir E. B. Lytton, for this reason—he is acknowledged to possess a widely-ex panded judgment on the question which would arise in the proposed inquiry, both to the power of circumstances and the psychology of the mind. If Sir E. B. Lytton will, with two or three others, meet and hear the case, the hus band of whom I have spoken has pledged himself to make a full statement of the whole facts to them, to be taken down in writing. The facts are uncommon, complicated intricate, and would demand the speciality, acumen, and power of such a, mind to form true judgment thereon. I feel if this is done at ones it may prove the means of saving the public mind from a violent and painful convulsion, such as recently seen in the States of America. It might save a fearful ,precedent too likely to be fol ' lowed. It might save from being brought before the minds of the uneducated that which they would be most unlikely to form correct judgment upon, but which would be very likely to mislead them to disturbance of public order, by creating dis respect and contempt for our justice and social institutions. It might effect all the good sought to be effected by these suffering and much wronged persons. Save their lives. Save all the evil, and the good be accomplished without sacrifice. It might save its being said of the people of England that they had practically denied the sacredness of human life, and in the year 1865 repeated Cain's heinous impiety, "Am I my brother's keeper ?" Why is it that we, as a nation, continue to cry, " Oh, how shocking ! Who would have thought it ?" when human life has been al ready lost through criminal neglect, only to renew our la mentation when the same thing occurs again. What is everybody's business (everybody's duty) is shamefully often attended to by nobody. Among the other attributes which mark man's relation to the Supreme, he possesses a measure of Divine prescience. It is, then, to those to whom this talent has been specially entrusted, to the wise up holders of right and truth, that I once more address my self, and wish the whole force of every earnest feeling of my nature. I request them not to let it be seen in the coming future that I sought to do a great public good, and that they would not help me. The case has now gone be yond relief by pecuniary assistance ; such assistance is, therefore, not asked, and will not be received by me ; but any person taking a higher interest in the matter will re ceive every attention by addressing as below. Putney, July 12, 1865. ANALYTICUS. The following, which is from Bell's Life in London, ex plains itself in reference to the murderer : AN APPEAL TO THE SPORTING WORLD.—WO have re ceived a long letter, signed "Fair Play," for which we have not space, accompanied by letters from certain noblemen, which bear out the truth of the matters contained in it, appealing for support and assistance to the sporting pub lic. The writer gives us his name and address, and offers to produce evidence of the truth of his statements to any one who will take up his case. We make the following ex tract from his letter:—" Two years ago I won at billiards £1,172 of a nobleman, under special agreement, proposed beforehand by himself, that whichever lost must pay the same day. When hehad lost ho asked to be allowed to send a check the day following. But ho did not fulfil this promise, and nothing was heard from him for a fortnight. He then wrote from the Continent that ho could not pay, thus lite rally confessing, after having bound me to this agreement to pay at once, that he had actually made bets to this amount without the money to pay if ho lost. He wrote now promising to pay as soon as he could. A month after wards, on being pressed for payment, he said, if the matter was made at all unpleasant to him, it was only a debt of honour, an, ho then should not trouble himself about it ; but if it *fee left a few months ho would pay. Two months afterwards, being again asked for a settlement, he wrote to say that he would not pay at all. I then requested that the case should be submitted for arbitration, naming a high member of the Jockey Club who had kindly con sented to act on my part as one arbitrator, if he would name another. But to this request he did not oven reply. I accepted grave responsibilities on the faith of my having won this money, and the non-payment of it, with the after consequences thereof, have utterly ruined me and brought me to beggary, hemming me in with such a complication of unusual, desperate, and fearful circumstances, as would seem almost incredible. There are facts in this matter more serious than those I have stated, and I am well as sured, if the whole truth were fully known among the noblemen and patrons who lend their influence to enforce honesty and uphold the honour and morale of English sports, that they would regard them as claiming strongly their serious consideration. My debtor has now returned to England. I have again requested him to submit the matter to the arbitration formerly proposed. But again I do not even receive a reply to my letters, and I have exhausted every measure in my power. The nobles of England have over shown themselves firm and zealous in upholding the honour of their order in such cases, often supplying our want of a proper tribunal by some mode of private or combined action, so bringing about a fair and proper settlement. I therefore now appeal to them. I offer the fullest information, and court the keenest scrutiny, fully and firmly confident that their in vestigation will prove that they are justified in. giving me the support I ask." The writer concludes with an appeal for pecuniary assistance, to be forwarded through us. This we cannot permit, as it is contrary to our rules; but we shall be happy to give his address to any gentleman willing to investigate his case, or to assist in arbitration, should wo be called on so to do. EARLY PREPARATIONS FOR THE MURDERS.—Th follow ing report appears in The Sun of the 15th of December last of an application which was made to the sitting magistrate at Marlborough-street police court the day before : " A well-dressed man applied to Mr. Tyrwhitt for advice. He said that he had made the acquaintance, somo time ago, of a lady of great attainments, but of no property. • She had so far sacrificed herself to her children as to reduce herself to indigence. He had made a vow to see her through her difficulties, but being, as far as pecuniary matters were concerned, somewhat similarly circumstanced, he had suggested that they should unite their fates, and make a joint effort to raiso themselves into that position in society they were entitled to occupy. He found, however , that lie could not marry the lady, as she had a husband from whom she was separated, and they could not got a regular divorce for want of funds. They had come to the determination to form a union which should be binding on each other. At the same time they stipulated that if they failed to raise themselves into a higher position, they would commit suicide. The drugs were purchased, and they continued together, but, failing in their object, they reconsidered their determination, and had now resolved to separate and not to commit suicide. He now begged to hand over to the magistrate the bottle containing the poison, as a proof that all rash resolves had been given up. " Hero the applicant offered to the magistrate something wrapped in paper. "Mr. Tyrwhitt—What, is this poison ? I don't see that lam required to receive it. Take it to the police. " The applicant continued. He said that that was the first part of the case. The second part was of greater im portance. Ile was desirous of assistance in raising him self again to that position ho once filled, and which ho felt ho ought to occupy. "Mr. Tyrwhitt—what has a magistrate to do with such a matter ? "Applicant—lf a gentleman of your large experience, in concert with the Earl of Shaftesbury and Sir Edward Lytton Bulwer—men who have studied life and who are skilled in its mysteries—will join with the all-powerful press in this work, I cannot for a moment doubt that they will at once decide on the value to be placed on my moral and intellectual attributes. " Mr. Tyrwhitt said ho had no time to devote to such affairs. As he had no control over the press, he must refer the applicant to its conductors." This is about the time, it is supposed, that Southey and the woman White separated, and since then, as before, he has been constantly in the habit of writing begging letters. THE SE li LONDON, TUESDAY EV_ENIIN G, A IJCIUST 15, 1865. SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS " glorious uncertainties" of the law have seldom been more signally illustrated than in a case which occupied, or rather which evaded occupy ing, the Central Criminal Court yesterday. It is the case of the charge preferred by Lord Shaftesbury against his late steward, and the discussion yester day arose upon an application on the part of the de fendant for a postponement of the trial until the next session. The charge, it will be remembered, is one of embezzlement. The defendant is accused of having appropriated to his own use not less than £B,OOO of Lord Shaftesbury's money which passed through his hands in the capacity of steward. One would have supposed that nothing could be more simple than the issues presented by such a case. The defendant has unquestionably received this money, and has been responsible for its disburse ment. Where, it might have been supposed, could be the difficulty of producing the vouchers and re ceipts which would account for it? A gentleman, one would have thought, can at any time by a little scrutiny satisfy himself as to his own actual expen diture; and the question whether or not his steward was defrauding him, not of hundreds, but of thou sands of pounds, must appear at first sight a very plain matter of fact. A glance at the proceedings in the Central Criminal Court yesterday will show that the reality is very different from this imagina tion. A short sketch of the history of the case will explain to our readers the position in which the two pasties now stand. We of course mention simply the counter proceedings of the two parties, without presuming to anticipate in any way what may be the issue of the trial. The defendant was steward of Lord Shaftesbury's estates in Dorsetshire and elsewhere from 1851 to 1863. During that time he represents that a sum of £500,000 passed through his hands, besides £50,000 in connection with drain ing operations, and his accounts had been annually submitted during the whole of this time to Lord Shaftesbury's auditor. In July, 1863, he left Lord Shaftesbury's service, and was required, of course, to deliver up all accounts, receipts, and payments not previously delivered. Accordingly, on Sept. 4th in the same year, 1863, he delivered his estate ac counts up to the time of his leaving his post, but on Jan. 26, 1864, he delivered a further account, which he called a supplemental account, containing dis bursements to the amo un t o f £23 , 000 , an d repre senting that this was his complete account. These accounts were submitted to Lord Shaftesbury's au ditor, and on April 19, 1864, this gentleman informed Mr. Waters, the defe n d an t, th a t " h e h a d di sc overed falsifications" in them, and in answer to this, upon the 28th of May following, the defendant delivered additional supplementary accounts. In July, 1864, Lord Shaftesbury placed the matter in the hands of his solicitors, and they recommended "iim to institute a criminal prosecution. Upon being informed of this Mr. Waters immediately made a counter move by • filing a bill in Chancery, claiming a balance due to him from Lord Shaftesbury, and this suit is still pro ceeding ; Lord Shaftesbury having, after the lapse of seven months, filed his answer, Mr. Waters hav ing then amended his bill, and Lord Shaftesbury having answered again. Meanwhile Lord Shaftes bury's solicitors having—not, as they allege, with out having been compelled to issue a search warrant --obtained from Mr. Waters the books and papers relating to the estate, which on leaving he had car ried away with him and had kept in his possession for a year, placed them in the hands of a public accountant, and set the law systematically in mo tion. The result was that the defendant was, on the 29th of last March, taken before the magis trates at Sherborne, in Dorsetshire, and, after three • successive examinations, was committed for trial at the ensuing Dorsetshire Assizes upon an indictment of 12 charges. An application, however, was made and was granted to transfer the case from the Dor , setshire Assizes to London, on the ground that, in consequence of Lord Shaftesbury's influence in . Dorsetshire, the defendant could not expect a fair trial in that county. The case accordingly came on • yesterday for trial at the sessions of the Central Criminal Court, and it is at this point that the sin gular features upon which we are commenting came , into prominence. The defendant applied for the trial to be postponed on the ground of his not having had time to prepare his defence, and the grounds of his application will be found detailed with great ex plicitness in his own and his attorney's affidavits. It seems that no sooner is the case put into the hands of the lawyers, with a view to a definite trial, than all the accounts are submitted afresh to a pub lic accountant, who has had nothing to do with the case before. This course was taken by Lord Slraftes bury's solicitors before they finally advised the arrest of the prisoner. Lord Shaftesbury's auditor, as we have seen, had examined the accounts, and had re ported that there were defalcations, but the books had all to be submitted to a new accountant, and eight or nine months were consumed before legal proceedings could be taken. In the same way is the defendant committed for trial at the end of May, and the first step of his solicitor, in June, is to call in a fresh accountant, and submit all the accounts to his independent examination. It is necessary, we are told, that this gentleman should complete his investigation, and make a report to the attorneys instructing him, before a brief for counsel can be drawn up, so as to provide Mr. Waters with legal defence. The accountant to whom this task has been deputed deposes that ever since the 24th of June last he has devoted himself almost exclusively to these accounts, and that although he has been " largely assisted" by the defendant and his clerk, and by his own partner and a clerk in his employ, he finds that a month more will be absolutely necessary to enable him to complete his investigation. The description indeed which he gives of his accounts is sufficiently alarming. They consist, we are told, of " estate accounts," " private accounts," " domestic accounts," " drainage accounts," " supplemental," and " other" accounts ; the whole sum of £500,000 being broken into innumerable driblets through these perplexing channels. The defendant is charged with owing a sum to Lord Shaftesbury upon the balance, and every item, therefore, has to be " checked and traced" in bankers' pass-books, checks, and other documents. The defendant in the same way represents that " the accounts are so voluminous, and extend over so many years, that he has been unable, even with the assistance of four persons, to get ready his de fence ;" and the attorney similarly declares that " the accounts are of the most voluminous and com plicated character possible." Of course, the answer is that if the accounts are " of the most voluminous and complicated character possible" the defendant made them so ; that he must know them a great deal better than the prosecution, and that if they have been able to prepare their charges and to instruci. counsel in time, the defendant mi g ht h ave d one t h e same. In a civil case, indeed, the Recorder said he should not have granted such an applid a ti on. I t i s, however, a criminal case. Mr. Waters represents that his property and his character are at stake ; he is certainly not ready to defend himself, and a fair trial, therefore, would be at present impossible. Mr. Coleridge, moreover, who practises on the Western Circuit, where the venue was originally laid, is now away from London attending the assizes. The re quest of the defendant's counsel for a month's delay was consequently granted. This delay, however, to accommodate one side involved additional delay to accommodate the other. Mr. Gifford, Lord Shaftesbury's counsel, represented that September would be a very awkward time to collect the witnesses, and requested a further delay until October, and to this request Mr. Lewis the de fendant's coun se l, acce d e d i n t h e most obliging man ner. The application was granted, and Mr. Gifford then represented that October would be a very in convenient month for the counsel to be present, and requested the further delay of another month. To this request also Mr. Lewis made no objection, and the trial accordingly is postponed until November. Such is the interminable vista of difficulties in which the management of a great estate may 'become in volved. There are here no less than four sets of attorneys and three sets of accountants, " assisted" by clerks and other persons unknown in investigat ing the accounts of about ten years; while a Chan cery suit draws its slow length along, and a crimi nal trial shifts its venue from place to place, and is postponed from month to month, all to determine the simple question whether Lord Shaftesbury's money has been diverted from Lord Shaftesbury's service. Mr. Waters represents himself as surrounded by a sort of hydra-headed monster of accounts and figures. He no sooner cuts off one than another starts up, and he is engaged in a perpetual struggle to keep these ever-growing figures within his grasp. It requires " himself and four other persons" to manage them. Whatever may be the result of the trial, we pity Lord Shaftesbury, around whom this web is spun, rather than Mr. Waters, and we can not resist the belief that if the cobwebs had been more vigorously brushed away from time to time they would not now present such a formidable tangle. It is surely possible to manage £40,000 a year without requiring the assistance of this army of accountants and lawyers - whenever the affairs of the estate have to be examined ? We are afraid that even if Lord Shaftesbury be really defrauded to the extent he represents, he will only have tripled his injury by the time he has shaken himself free from this legal entanglement. The moral of the story, whatever be its result, is equally clear. Pos sessors of large estates would save themselves and their heirs infinite trouble, if not infinite loss, by putting themselves to the inconvenience of looking carefully into their affairs from time to time. Waste and confusion, if not jobbery, are sure to establish themselves, if they be not constantly driven away by the vigilant eye of an active master ; and we may add that men ought not to expose those whom they employ to the dangerous temptation of having large sums of money constantly passing through their hands without the check of being required to give a minute account of their management. HERALD.—The telegraph announces that the Sovereigns of Austria and Prussia will meet at Ischil to-day. The negotiations between the two Courts have resulted, therefore, in an agreement, and the war for the liberation of the " northern brethren" is not to be followed by a war between the whole band of brothers to determine what shall be done with the rescued ones. Germany has been spared this scandal, this suicide, of which, however, she never was in any great danger. As we have frequently said since the question entered upon this last phase, the big words were meant only on one side. Prussia was determined to secure the advan tages she claimed, and had made up her mind to fight for them, if need were. Austria and the minor states were very anxious to baulk Prussia, and they were ready to do anything to defeat her except fight. There they stopped ; they could ac company Prussia along the whole gamut up to that point ; and as they could go no further, Prussia, as we observed, was sure to win. So it has been. The Austrian Government has held out very bravely, has vindicated the rights of Austria as joint possessor of the Duchies, and insisted upon the rights of the German Confederation, until the Prussian Government has said in the plainest pos sible language :—" We will be content with nothing less than the conditions we set forth last FebruFebruary; and until you will agree t o th em th e con dominium shall continue ; but it shall not continue after the fashion of the last few months. We will not tolerate the Prince of Augustenburg in the Duchies ; we will not allow the Schleswig-Holstein bureau cracy, composed of his rt obedience to the orders of thpeaeoi7sidaonms' to refuse ini,andact as if they represented some . other, and t that the legitimate authority ; we will not perm. them to use their position to intrigue for the Prince of Augustenburg and stir up h hat t r fe e rr d rsme ca a en n ,nd d ano ill id -w_ ttih i l l ee l against Prussia. We insist , . f theref e ore, , the first expulsion n on o f th s e u e c x h pu o l f si7 h n is o Schleswig-Holstein officials as set themselves against the state of things which the Treaty of Vienna has legally established. We will not permit the news papers to write what we, deeming ourselves the l eg iti m ate Sovereigns, regard as sedition, nor public meetings to b , , - ; held for the promotion of what we regard as rebellion." This ultimatum agreed upon by a strange mockery of fortune at a city of Bavaria, the state most zealous for the Augustenburg pre tender and most bitterly oppo se d to the Prussian pre t ens ions and, dispatched by th e King of Prussia from Gastein, a little bathing place in the territory of the Emperor of Austria —compelled the Austrian Government to come to a decision. At first it met the ultimatum with a refusal, but a refusal accom panied with an offer of concessions which Prussia deemed perfectly inadequate, and no w a t last, eon- scions that to go to war with Prussia would be to rush on her own destruction—convinced that she would not have the slightest effectual aid from the minor states whose battle she would be fighting— Austria has given way, and perhaps made a hand some profit from her pliancy. There is no tinge of that hatred of Austria which pervades the Prussian people in the Prussian Court, and King William and his Ministers, if they can only get what they want, would have no objection to help Austria to get something for herself. It is very possible that no definite arrangement has been come to between the two Governments as to the disposition of the Duchies, but as a sufficiently good understanding has been arrived at to enable the two monarchs, who have been for the greater part of the last three weeks within forty or fifty miles of each other to meet as friends, it may safely be assumed that Aus tria has conceded the main points insisted upon by Prussia. A definite agreement has, no doubt, been come to as to the government of the D uchies by the two Powers, and an arrangement made to prevent such scandalous conflicts between the two commissioners as this which has - arisen from the recent high handed proceedings of Herr Von Zedlitz against two Prussian subjects. Further, if Austria has not consented to the ignominious expulsion of the Prince of Augustenburg, she will have assented t o measures which will make it impossible for him to remain in the Duchies, and she will have agreed to the Prussian proposal for putting in force the exist ing laws of the Duchies with reference to the press and public meetings. As a matter of course, all the Duchies enacted during the Danish rule remain in force until they are amended or repealed by some competent authority. At present there is no autho rity competent for the work of legislation, unless we assume that the condomini have a right to legislate without reference to the wishes of the people of the Duchies—an assumption which would answer the purpose of Prussia very well, but against which the Augustenburg partisans would protest very vehe mently. And all thelaws of the Duchies have been kept in force except just those which Prussia wishes to apply. The laws relative to the press, political assemblies and societies, have been completely dis regarded during the la s t 18 months. In Holstein these laws, at least so far as the press is concerned, are mild enough. The Holstein newspapers used to write treason enough every day under the Danish rule to have insured their immediate suppression in every state of that dear fatherland to which they were constantly appealing to rescue them from slavery. Public meetings and political societies were more hardly dealt with. In Schleswig the laws were in both respects much severer than in the neighbour ing duchy. If these laws are put in force—and Prussia insists that she and her partner Austria stand in precisely the same position as the King of Denmark, of whose rights they are cessionaires, did —that incitement to hostility against them, or one of them, and advocacy of the cause of any pretender, amount to just the same thing as the attacks upon the sovereignty of the King of Denmark provided for in these laws—a stop will very soon be put to the Augustenburg agitation. If there is anything real in the loyalty to the Prince it will of course survive although denied expression ; if it is facti tious, the product of clever intrigues, it will soon die out—not, however, that it really matters much whether the Holsteiners wish to have their Frederic VIII. or not. The determination does not depend upon them ; it rests almost entirely with Prussia •, and at present the odds are ten to one that she will never be called upon to pay him obedience. The assertion that Austria has abandoned the Prince and expressed her readiness to support the candi dature of the Grand Duke of Oldenburg is probably premature ; but in the end she will in all probability bring herself to support hhn or to consent to the annexation by Prussia. The Prince of Augusten burg has managed to give great offence to the Prussian Government, and to earn, moreover, the ill-will of the Prussian people. He at least will not be, we may be pretty confident, a gainer by the war which his perfidy had so much to do in provoking, and no attachment of the people of the Duchies to him—no desire to be formed into a state absolutely independent—will be able to resist a few months more of the provisorium. The surrender of Austria now will satisfy the people of the Duchies that they can place no reliance upon her, that for weal or for woe their fortunes are bound with those of Prussia, and as, although a very obstinate and opinionated race, they have a good bit of shrewdness in their composition, they will very soon cease to kick against the pricks, and make the best terms they can with the Prussian Government. But the real importance of this surrender of Austria does not consist in its influence upon the fortunes of the Elbe Duchies—it means the triumph of Prussia in Germany. The long fight is practically over, the great prize is won by Prussia. Austria may still be a great European power, but she has practically abandoned her pretensions to lead Germany. COUNTRY MARKETS COLCHESTER —Ara. 12. A large quantity of wheat has been carried, the bulk of which will he unfit to thrash before next spring. To day a thin attendance and very littlo wheat offering, which sold at an advance of 2s to 3s. per qr. Beans and peas without change. Wheat, white 508 538 Beam., Mazagan......338 388 red 43s 46s Middle and small_3ss 408 Barley 203 34s Peas, white. 35s 38s Oats 20s 258 grey ...38s 38s NORTHAMPTON—Ara. 12. -- --- Not many oats ; beans not plentiful, and prices had an upward tendency. In some places wheat has done well and will prove a full yield, whilst on the light lands the ears are thin and small and the yield deficient. Barley is an excellent crop. New white wheat, 43s to 45s ; new red, 40s to 43s ; old white, 43s to 45s ; old red, 40s to 43s per 36 stone. Barley for malting, —s to —s per qr. ; grinding, 25s to 28s per 30 stone. Oats, old, 25s to 26s ; new, 18s to 24s per 24 stone. Beans, old, 36s to 40s ; new, 35s to 38s per 38 stone. Peas, 33s to 38s per 36 stone. CHELMSFORD—Aua. 11. There were only a few samples of new wheat brought to market to-day, and in various conditions, 44s for new rod, and Us for new white were given for the best samples ; old wheat may be quoted from at is to 2s per qr. dearer. All other things about the same. Wheat, old white....46s 528 Peas, Partridge 378 398 new 46s 628 White ...3(8 318 old red 408 45e BAling 388 42s new. 103 418 Dun.... ..... 3le 358 Barley.. 258 328 dit'o, new....-8 —8 Chevalier 263 33s Beans, Tick, 01d......31s 37s Grind ng , Os ss new. ...—s 8 Malt 6lB 678 Harrow 1 icks.3.sB Chevalier 64s 68i Oats ••• 2os 26s —s new....--s -4 Mazagan ... 344 37s GRANTHAM—Aua. 12. With a limited supply of wheat, trade was fi rm a t a r i se of 2s to 3s per qr. All ki n d s of grain except oats are fa vourably spoken of. Pastures look very fresh. Old white wheat, 44s to 48s; old red, 39s to 445; new white, 44s to 488 ; new red, 398 to 44s per 36 stone. Bar ley for malting, 29s to 33s per qr. ; grinding, 27s to 30s per 30 stone. Oats, old, 27s to 318 ; new, 22s to 24s per 24 stone. Beans, old, 39s to 41s ; now, 36s to 38s per 38 stone. Peas, 34s to 36s per 36 stone. ABERDEEN—AUG. 11. Not much doing, and business generally stiff. White wheat 36s Od to 40s 01- 621 b 'll bushel. Red wheat 34 s Od to 36s Od Potato oats 20s•Od to 20s 6d Common oats t ,4 'um „... 19s Od to 20s Odr ti bushel. Bere 21s Od to 22s Odl . 531 b i l bushel. Barley 21s Od t o 22 s Gd Oatmeal 15s 6d to 16s Gd 11 boll of 140th. Flour, fate 31s 6d to 33s Od 3 sack of 280th. KIRKCALDY—AuG. 12. Largo supplies of wheat ; small of oats and barley. Wheat 18 up. Oats and barley no change. Wheat. Barley. Oats. First...... 878 Od I 29s 6d 24s Oct econd.... 34s Od 29,i 6.1 25s Oct Third . 468 Oct Oct I —8 Od COAL MARKET. Price per ton at the close of the market. s. d. _ __ Byass's Bebside West Hartley l7 0 East Hartlepool Tees Eden Main South Hetton Hetton 2O 0 s. d Keno() .................. 19 0 Hastings Hartley...... 16 9 Russell's Hetton ......... 18 9 Pensher Primrose ... 18 6 Braddyell's Iletton.... 19 0 Wylam .................. 16 0 Ships at market, 57; sold, 24. Births. AMBERLEY. — Ort the 12th inst., at Alderley Park, Vis countess Amberley, of a son. CORBEL—On the 11th inst., at Acton Reynald, Shropshire, Lady Corbet, of a daughter. HEREFORD.—On the 11th inst., at Tredegar Park, the Viscountess Heref or d , of a son and heir. MoNsoN.—On the 13th inst., at 49, Cadogan-place, the Hon. Mrs. Debonnaire Monson, of a daughter. Marriages. CURTI S — BARKBR.—On the 10th inst., at Hadley Church, Barnet, Edwin Curtis, jun., Esq., of Bayswater, to Ellen, only daughter of Mr. Isaac Barker, Eastwood, Essex. HE ADLAND —KELLY.—On the 10th inst., at Chessington Church, Frederick William Headland, M.D., F.R.C.P., to Fanny, second daughter of Frederick Kelly, Esq., of 32, Bodford-square, and Chessington Lodge, Surrey. Deaths. AusTEN.—on the 10th inst., at Portsdown Lodge, Hants, Sir Francis Wm. Austen, G.C.8., Admiral of the Fleet, aged 90. HOOKER.—On the 12th inst., at Kew, Sir William Jackson Hooker, K.H., F.L.S., D.C.L., Oxon, Correspond ing Member of the Institute of France, Director of the Royal Gardens, aged 80. HUGGENS.—On the 11th inst., at Sittingbourne, Kent, John Huggens, Esq., the Founder of Huggens' College, North fleet, Kent , aged 90. London : Printed and Published by WILLIAM ANDREWS. of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at Tux Sun Office, No 1114 Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the CeentY G hilddleee/fr—Tilesday, Anglia 16,1866, A