The Sun. — London, England, 1865-04-14 00:00:00

THEATRE -ROYAL, DRURY-LANE, Managers. Messrs. E. Falconer and F. B. Chatterton. EASTER MONDAY Tom Taylor's Play of T HE FOOL'S REVENGE. Mr. Phelps ; Messrs. H. Sinclair, A. Rayner, E. Phelps, G. F. Neville. Miss Atkinson, and airs. Hermann Vezin. After which. on a scale of gre At splendour, Milton's Mask of COMUS : Messrs. Walter Lacy. M itbye Cooper, Bend Drayton, Miss Poole, Miss Augusta Thomson, and Mrs. H. Vezin. T HEA TR E-R OYA L, HAYMARKET. Lessee. Mr. Buckstone. On EASTER MONDAY, April 17, Mr. So:hem in the New Sensation, T O HE WMAN IN MAUVE. Mr. Buc kstone as M. Mary Anne Beetles. After which, by desire, LORD D'UNDREARY MARRIED AND DONE FOR Dandreary, Mr. Sothern. And EASY SHAVING. Miss Louise Keeley, Miss F. Wright ; Sies.rs. Clark, Gordon, Rogers, &o. To commence at 7. NEW THEATRE-ROYAL, ADELPHI.- 6ale 1-rupri-tor and Managor...)l.7. IS. +t stmt. r. To-morrow, TIIE LOVE CHASE. Wildrake (his origi nal character), Mr. 13. Webster. Messrs. Billin,gton, Ashley, Stephenson. Widow Green ,20th tine), Mrs. Stirling; Con stance (20ta time), Miss Henrietta Simms; Lydia (her 201 n appearance), Miss Sophie Young. After watch, sth time, a new Extravaganza, entitled PAN; or, The Loves of Echo and Narcissus. Messrs. J. L. Toole, Paul Bedford, J. Smith, H. Isomer, Miss Woolgar, Miss K. Kelly, Miss Lillian Bruce, and Miss A. Seam To conclude with THE STEEPLECHASE; or, In the Pigskin. Messrs. J. L. Tools, Paul Bedford ; Miss K. Kelly. Commence at 7. OYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. Under the Sole Management of Mr. Pechter. On EASTER MONDAY. April 17, SIMPSON AND CO. Messrs. barn. Emery, C. Horsman, Collett; Mesdames Els worthy, Benrade, E. Boyce, and Mrs. C. Horsman. After which, at halt-past Eight, THE MOUNTEBANK. Belphegor (the M amtebank), Mr. Pechter; Paul (his army, Master Fechter ; supported by Messrs. Widdicomb, Ryder, S. Emery, Fitzpatrick, E. Garden, C. Horsman, Baymond, Moreland; Misd C. Leclercq, Mdlle. Beatrice, and Mrs. C. Itorsman. Doors open at Half-past Six. The Box-office open daily from ii;levzn till Five. THE LATEST EDITION of " THE SUN " supplied, as soon as published every Evening by W. ALEXANDER (late BROOKS), Newspaper Agent, 21, Old Cavendish-street, Oxford-street. THE LAST EDITION of " THE SUN " supplied as soon as Published. containing all the LA rEsT NEWS and SPORTING INTELLIGb.:NC, by EL W. HARRIS, lie •A spaper Agent, 4, Blacktriars-road, London, S. tiflHE LAST EDITION OF " THE SUN," Containing the Latest SPOU'llii(ir IN TELL.HIE.N., Om be had Every Evening of G. It. GLItNIE, NEws AGENT, No. 4, Connaught-terrace, Hyde-park. A PHOTOGRAPHIC CURIOSITY. • With a copy of he atm PRICE 4D. ; STAMPED, SD. ; is presented GRATIS (with a Supplement) A MINIATURE PHOTOGRAPHED FAC SIMILE of the FRONT PAGE of THE SUN of MONDAY, the 2d January, 186, ~ V' For the convenience of Subscribers wishing to preserve the Photograph, a suitable frame is pro vided, and may be had at The Sun Office, price is. The Photograph, ON CARD, 6d. ; or mounted in frame, ls. 6d. HIGH WATER AT LONDON:BRIDGE. Tins DAT.—Morning, 3h. 58m.—Afternoon, 4h. 12m. To-31onzow.-Morning, 4h. 39m.—Afternoon, 4h. 47m. tifjg - 44444 LONDON, FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 1865. M. DROUYN DE LHUYS has done himself honour in doing honour to Mr. COBDEN, and many will be interested to peruse his letter to the Prince DE LA TOUR D'AUVERGNE. It is pervaded by a true ap preciation of the worth of the departed, and ex presses the approval in a more genial manner than foreigners often do when commenting upon any of our nation. M. DROUYN DE LHUYS observes to the Ambassador at our Court that while the English Senate paid a just tribute of respect to Mr. CO.BDEN'S memory, the Legislstive Body of France were not behind them in this respect ; and one of the speakers delivered a speech full of regrets for the loss that had been sustained, and also of eulogy on the merits of the deceased statesman. The purport of this letter is to desire the Ambas sador to communicate " officially" with the Ministers of the QUEEN, and to intimate to them " the mourn ful sympathy," and the truly national regret I which have been excited by the untimely death of so illustrious an individual. Such a course cannot but conduce to the satisfaction of all concerned, and it is undeniable proof of the advanced state to which the entente cordiale between the two countries has progressed. True, COBDEN was, as M. DROUYN DE LHUYS emphatically entitles him, an " interna tional man," but not the less do we believe this earnest expression of good will, and this flattering testimony in the mouth of one whom all acknow ledge to have been a true servant of his country. It is gratifying to notice that the French Minister perfectly understands the pecularities of the English character, and as truly depicts certain results as if he were a citizen of this country— which he addresses indirectly in his despatch. 'Thus we find that he says Mr. COBDEN was " one of the rarest examples of the solid qualities inherent in the English character." This is strictly true, as is the observation further on, that there are some mental qualities that only belong to those who have learnt to struggle with embarrassments in the course of their careers. In the severe but strengthening school, as the Frenchman truly styles it, the mind of RICHARD COBDEN was trained to its after pitch of triumph, and he thus acquired a power and influence among his own set that gradually extended itself to the country generally. It may be said of this letter that had Mr. COBDEN seen or heard of it he must have been delighted ; and it is surely an appropriate sentiment to the departure of one who toiled on strenuously to en able the two leading nations of the world to live on terms of amity, and to promote the interchange of commerce between them. M. DROUYN DE LHUYS has shown an appreciation of the English character which is surprising to observe, and which speaks strongly of the benefits which have accrued from increased intercourse. It is a change of days to peruse such a document as this, and to reflect that it has been written by a French man. The true instincts of our race, the signifi cant tokens of our character individually and na tionally, are all set forth in due order, and proper attention is directed to them in this testimony of the French Minister to the worth of the late disciple of Free Trade and inter national communications. Mr. COBDEN did a great deal to initiate the French into the style and man ners of our commercial men. Perhaps it may be said that they had had less experience of them than of any other class among us, and in his own person he was a shining example of English integrity and industry, besides holding out a proof of how the self-made man can rise among us by the power of his perseverance. The sincerity of M. DROUYN DE LIMY'S testimony is proved by his admitting frankly that Mr. COBDEN entertained views that were not practicable. This is no flattery, put forth by a complimentary writer, but rather a fair summary by one who is qualified to judge of the chief characteristics of one who, in his day, was instrumental in changing the tactics of French policy, and has left us a precious legacy of his foresight and cosmopolitan interest to the future generations of France. Such a tribute cannot but be grateful to the friends and admirers of the departed ; such a trophy of success is another proof of the zeal and ability which animated his labours, and shed so bright and enduring a lustre on his career. Of course, a communication of this kind could not conclude without particular stress being laid on the great work which has id entified Mr. COBDEN'S name among French recor as, and connected him with the indissoluble interests of the land. Hence, in the final paragraph we find an apt allusion is made to the Treaty of Commerce, which, as here described, " will have for effect not only the development of the material interests between England and France, but also aid powerfully in strengthening their friendly relations." The good understanding already prevailing to so great an extent between the two countries cannot but be more strongly cemented by such cordial expressions of goodwill and such earnest indications of sym pathy, as those which already pervade this letter and animate the tone of its writer. In this deliber ate resolve of the Government of the EMPEROR to pay a last tribute of respect to the memory of the late RICHARD COBDEN, and to offer through their ambassador at our Court the sentiments so worthily expressed in this document, we may recognise an epoch in the annals of diplomacy. The truly great may claim kindred with all climes, they belong to humanity, but more espe cially in the case of such men as Mr. COBDEN does it seem right and fitting that a peculiar recognition should take place, for they have striven with might and main to do away with national prejudices, re move old jealousies, and induce the civilised nations of the world to act in unison. Among the many offerings to the memory of the late Mr. COBDEN, there is none more appropriate than this, none more genially expressed and gracefully given, and it de rives an additional value from its significance. It was meet that one who did so much for France should receive honourable mention at her hands when be passed into the shadows of that night where no man can work. It might naturally be supposed by the " intelli gent foreigner," who takes so much interest in our affairs, if he inquired into the method in which our naval and military prize-money is distributed, that the system was originally intended to disgust and irritate, to harass and disappoint the members of both services. SOLOMON has told us long since that " hope deferred maketh the heart sick," and we have most of us become convinced of the fact by painful experience. Suspense and disappointment are two of the most wearing and disheartening feelings which affect the human mind ; why, therefore, they should be selected as the special rewards of those who have prominently distinguished themselves in the service of the country is not very clearly apparent. Yet the complaints about the withholding of prize money indicate a very old and long-stand ing grievance, and one, too, which no amount of remcinstrance or indignation appears in the slightest degree to affect. If ever there was a cam paign in which generals, officers, and men earned their respective honours, hardly and heroically, it was in the suppression of the Indian mutiny, and certainly what little came to them in the way of reward was very dearly purchased. England would hardly have begrudged to those gallant sons who fought her battles so well and so wisely, without re gard to personal health or comfort, treble the amount which, by the law of military nations, be longed of right to them. Yet it is nearly seven years since many of the most important captures were made, nearly seven years since the pacifica tion of India was triumphantly accomplished, and yet the prize -money remains undistributed, to " shame the eyes and grieve the hearts" of those who have all these weary months been looking for it in vain. To the officers it may be no more perhaps than a temporary annoyance, but to many of the rank and file, invalided perhaps in conse quence of that trying service, or having indeed been forced to abandon their profession altogether, the hardship is a very great one. They need all the money they can lay claim to to lighten the burden of years and infirmities, or to assist their families. They may indeed have been induced to incur ex penses, and to reckon on the receipt of the money which has been so long withheld from them. The correspondent of a contemporary states that seven years ago the Central India field force under Sir HUGH ROSE captured Jhansi after a siege of three weeks, during which the besiegers, rather than the besieged, suffered great hardships. After taking Jhansi, the force marched on, recovering Calpee and Gwalior, although it was then in the heat of the year. The official despatches, in de scribing the state of the weather, mention that at Koonah the thermometer stood at 115, and at Calpee at 118 in the shade ; while during the march to Gwalior it burst in an officer's tent at 130 deg. It seems that notwithstanding the ex treme heat the cavalry were often on the saddle from one o'clock in the morning till four or five in the afternoon, so that these were no carpet soldiers, but gallant men, who shrunk from no toil, exer tion, or exposure, in the performance of their duty. It is certainly disgraceful, that after seven years the large amount:of prize money to which they can lay claim remains undistributed. Whether it is withheld with the pious hope that the claimants may decrease in number by the inevitable action of years upon the weakened frames of those who have thus toiled under an almost tropical sun it is hard to say. If such is the benevolent design of the authorities, argument and appeal are alike useless, since their object will most likely have been attained. If they further wish to disgust men with the Indian service they will be equally successful. By a series of adminis trative blunders our Anglo-Indian forces have been estranged and irritated ever since the Mutiny, and the very inauguration of the directly Imperial Government was signalised by a mean and short sighted piece of economy which cost us a good many tried and trained veterans. But the prize -money is a thing which every one can at once appreciate, and the loss of it was certainly not a condition of their accepting or resigning the QUEEN'S service. Sir CHARLES WOOD had better look to his laurels, for when Parliament re-opens, he will in time, we trust, have a good long catechism to reply to in re gard to his sins of omission and commission respect ing the Indian army. The right hon. baronet may not be especially to blame inthis particular instance, but the system is so greatly in fault that some one must be to blame. The very same thing is carried on in the navy to an equal extent, and it is no un common thing to hear of five, six, or eight years elapsing before the prize-money is paid. Officers in expensive regiments, or captains of ships who have nothing - to look to but their pay, and who may be quartered in expensive situations, look year by year for this inaccessible prize-money to relieve them from all their difficulties, but look in vain until it suits the humour of the War-office or the Admiralty t o d o l e it ou t . It i s difficult to perceive what possible excuse can be found for such long delays in paying money whose value has already reached the authorities ; but so long as seven years elapse between th e capture of a prize and the dis tribution o f the prize -money to the claimants have a grumble, and the public to censure the neglect. PROFITABLE INDUSTRY IN WINCHESTER GAOL.— The last report of the visiting justices of Hampshire states that the receipts in cash for industrial labour during the first quarter of the present year amount tot against £47 in the corresponding quarter of last year, the receipts for the last three quarters having togather amounted to £717 apinst £B4 for the three corresponding quarters of the preiriM year. TEE SUN, LOADON, FEIDAY EVENING, APRIL 14, 1865. LATEST INTELLIGENCE . I The Schleswig-Holstein Question and the Diet. FRANCE. A Council of Ministers was held yesterday at the Tuileries, the Emperor presiding. General Yusuf has arrived at Marseilles, from Algiers, by the last steamer, to take possession of his new command. The Journal de Nice announces the departure of Baron de Budberg, Russian ambassador, for Paris. He was expected to be absent a few days only. The Messager du Midi publishes intelligence from Toulon, stating that the Emperor is certainly to arrive in that town on the 25th, and leave the day after for Algiers. A rumour prevailed yesterday in the Salle des Conferences at the Legislative Corps that the dis cussion on the Address would certainly terminate to-day, even if an evening sitting was found neces sary for the purpose. BOURSE, April 13.—The market is dull. Threes, for the Account, are now at 67f. 90c. Italian Loan, 66f. 15c. Mobilier have been done at 820 f. In Railway Shard there is little doing, and prices re main about the same. The market closed as fol lows : 41 per Cents 96 Do. end month ""•.- 3 per Cents. 67 65 Do. end month 67 90 Credit Mobilier 825 Do. end month Bank Shares 3560 Credit Foncier 1285 Roman' 74 25 Italian Loan 65 95 Do. end month 66 10 Ditto Threes 4l New Mexican Russian — Austrian Spanish Threes 461. Home Debt • — Deferred - MAYS. Cash. Acct. Orleans Northern lO6l 25 ... 1066 25 Lyons and Mediterranean-- 978 75 ... 978 75 Southern 614 25 ... 618. 50 Western 527 50 ... 530 Eastern 525 ... 530 Sardinian Austrian Lombard 555 ... 556 25 North of Spain 3o2' 50 ... 303 75 Saragossa 390 ... 390 Ditto to Barcelona — ... BANK OF FRANCE. PARIS, APRIL 6. The following is the return of the Bank of France for the week ending to-day, together with the cor responding figures of the previous account : DEBTOR. April 13. April 6. fr. c. fr. c. Capital of the Bank.... 182,500,000 182,500,000 Profits in addition to capital (Art. 8, Law, June 9, 1857) 7,042,904 27 7,042,671 6: Reserve of the Bank ______ • _ and its branches 22,105,750 14 22,105,750 14 Reserve in landed pro perty 4,000,000 4,000,000 Notes in circulation Banknotes to order and receipts payable at sight 6,236,498 76 6,951,784 46 Treasury account cur rent creditor Current accounts, Paris 106,107,185 29 138,726,379 38 Do. branch banks Dividends payable 1,094,967 75 1,291,402 75 Discounts and sundry interests .Rediscounted the last six months 2,789,444 05 2,789,444 05 Sundries Total FRANKFORT-ON-THE-MAINE, April 12. At the recent sitting of the Diet, when the motion brought in by Bavaria, Saxony, and Hesse for im mediate recognition of the Duke of Augustenburg was brought to the vote, the following declaration was made by the Bavarian representative : "With reference to the motion made in common with the Saxon and Grand-Ducal Hessian Govern ments, the King's Government advocates its adoption as a resolution by the Diet. In reply to the objections raised on many sides immediately after its introduc tion at the former sitting, the King's Government first refers to the resolution passed by the Diet upon the Bth of June last year, when, with the ex ception of a single vote, the same declaration was generally approved which the representative of the German Diet, in union with the representatives of Prussia and Austria, made at the sittinglof the Lon don Conference of May 28, last year. That declara tion demanded the complete separation of the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein from the king dom of Denmark, together with their union' into one State under the sovereignty of the hereditary Prince of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augus tenburg, who can not only show the best right in the opinion of Germany to the succession in the above-named Duchies, and whose recognition by the Diet is therefore secured, but who also has for him the unquestionable assent of she great majority of the population of those countries.' The present motion is in thorough accord with the resolution of the Federal Diet, and it can therefore not be main tained that it involves a precipitate decision upon the position towards the succession question to be assumed by the Diet. The motion on the contrary only brings about the realization of the position which the Federal Diet has already taken up on the 2nd of June last year. It cannot possibly be as sumed that the declaration then made was not based upon the rightful conviction of the Government, although the reasons of its utterance were not ex pressed in the Federal Assembly. It this respect the King's Government still retains the same conviction as formerly, referring for its grounds to the vote given in committee by the King's representative at the Diet in January last year, committing them now to protocol for further support of its vote to-day. As re gards the claims of the other German Princes, those with respect to Holstein, submitted to the Diet by the Grand Duke of Oldenburg, are no other than those of the collective House of Gottorp, and therefore—apart from the fact that the cession of these claims upon the part of the elder Gottorp line has hitherto been main tained but notproved, and not even maintained by the younger Gottorp branch—cannot in any Case be more opposed to the motion submitted to the Diet than to the resolution of June 2d last year. All actual and legal circumstances by which the claims of the House of Gottorp are to be judged were exactly the same and just as thoroughly known prior to the 2d June last year as now, and if they could not at that time deter the Governments of Austria and Prussia or the Federal Diet from declaring the hereditary Prince of Augustenburg the best entitled, and from characterising his recognition as secured, they can also present no obstacle now to a similar decision ; less still can this take place through claims hitherto not even raised at all before the Federal Diet. Added to these considerations comes the very weighty fact that neither by the acceptation of the present motion, nor by the fulfilment of the confi dent expectation therein expressed, would the right ful proof of the claims of the other, Federal Princes be excluded ; for upon the contrary, as has been already expressed in the preamble to the motion, the recognition of the hereditary Prince of Augus tenburg would first render possible the appointment of an Austragal procedure, and thereby a judicial settlement of the disputed question be established, such as under present circumstances is wanting. Far removed, therefore, from refusing room to the understanding earnestly desired by the King's Go vernment, in its conviction the acceptance of the present motion affords the safest if not the only way to an agreement among all those elements, without whose co-operation a satisfactory legal solution is not possible." The Prussian representative prefaced his vote CREDITOR. April 13. April 6. Cash in hand and in fr. c. fr. c Branch banks Commercial bills over due Commercial bills dis- 726,755 29 3,195,539 94 counted, not yet due 251,867,452 08 250,619,532 26 Do. branch banks 270,932,779 269,779,046 Advances on deposit of _ _ bullion 20,514,696 35 19,160,596 35 Do. branch banks 3,506,995 3,370,195 Do. on French Public Securities 14,415,200 14,802,700 Do. by branch banks 8,890,000 8,931,200 Do. on railway shares and debentures D. branch banks 17,921,650 17,930,350 Do. on Credit Fancier Bonds Do. branches Do. to the State (Con vention, June 10, 1857) 60,000,000 60,000,000 Government Stock re serve 12,980,750 14 12,980,750 14 Do. disposable Rentes Immobalis4es (Law, June 2, 1857) 100,000,000 100,000,000 Hotel and furniture of the Bank and landed property branches 8,471,320 8,471,280 Expenses of manage ment 1,045,572, 21 1,031,897 86 Sundries Total 1,279,175,042 42 1,299,098,846 51 (Signed) The'Senator Governor of the Bank of France, ROULAND. 7he Russians in Lithuania. (REUTER'S EXPRESS.) POSEN, April 9. The Journal of Posen publishes the following intelligence from Lithuania : " The inquisition organised by Mouravieff con tinues to desolate our unhappy province. Courts martial are exercising their functions without inter mis.sion : their sentences are pitiless, and are always executed in the place where the victims are arrested. It is reported that young Prince Narvoich is con demned to be shot. Compromised in the recent events, that nobleman had taken refuge abroad, but, unfortunately relying upon the promise made by Mouravieff, of a free pardon to all who would at once give themselves up to the Russian authorities, he returned to his home. Immediately on his ar rival he was thrown into prison, and, now, after a year's incarceration, it is said he is to be executed. No member of the Polish nobility is safe ; not even those who took no part in the late insurrection. The most trifling report causes them to be imme diately imprisoned and consigned to the inquisitorial commission. All those who are accused are sub jected to heavy contributions, even if declared in nocent. The Catholic clergy suffers the most un heard of persecution : everything that can be de vised by the imagination of Mouravieff and his satellities to injure the unfortunate members of that church is put in action. All the Catholic convents at Wilna, Mohylew, and Minsk have been abolished ; and the members of the different orders are confounded together pro- I visionally, until the period of their definite expul sion. In the towns of Kretynga and Kalwarya monks of the Dominican, Bernardine, and Car melite orders are to be found all huddled together, and all the religeux are conducted from place to place under the escort of gendarmes. Even the clergy of the parish are not more fortunate in their treatment, as the position of the parish curds de pends completely on the arbitration of the com mandants of the gendarmeries and the chiefs of the rural police. Indeed they have been compelled to renounce preaching, for if any expression of the preacher should happen to be misinterpreted by the gendarme; he is at once seized and sent out of the country, as harbouring hostile intentions towards the Russian Government and authorities. As an example we may cite the case of a cure of the town of Worovia, who was lately denounced by the gendarmes for having said that the end of the world would be preceded by wars, pestilence, and other tribulations : he was thereupon arrested and imprisoned. This circumstance caused Mouravieff to issue a decree, prohibiting Catholic ministers from preaching sermons unless first examined by bishops. Bishop Wolontchewski will shortly be deposed by a bishop in partibus named Beresnie witch, who is to come from St. Petersburg. " The myrmidons ,of Mouravieff hesitate at no enormity in order to compel the Catholic population to embrace the doctrines of the Greek Church. " The Catholic female peasants are either coaxed or coerced into adopting these doctrines, and upon doing so they obtain a dowry and are married to Russian soldiers." LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. — Tuesday—Statistical, at 8 ; Anthropolo gical, at 8, "Missionary Successes and Negro Converts," Mr. Burnard Owen. Wednesday—Meteorological, at 7 ; Society of Arts, at 8 ; Microscopical, at 8. Thursday-- Zoological, at 4 ; Numismatic, at 7 ; Linnean, at 8 ; Chemi cal, at 8. Friday—Philological, at 8, " Keltic Numerals," Mr. Nash.—Atheimm. MR. BRINLEY RICHARDS, according to The Orchestra, has declined the honour of knighthood, offered to iim (may we not suppose ?) as composer of the national Mgt " Qocl bleu the Prince of WaleN !" with the following remarks : " The point of view from which the King's Go vernment considers it its duty to regard the present motion has already been stated in the declaration I had the honour to make at the sitting of the 27th ult. In connexion therewith and for further ex planation of the considerations by which the King's Government is actuated, I am now commissioned to state the following as the ground or my definitive vote to-day. "By accepting the motion now introduced the majority of the Diet would contradict its former resolutions of 17th and 24th July, the Ist September, and 3d November of last year, as it would prejudice its position with regard to the legal questions refer red to the committee by not waiting for its report. The King's Government would participate in such prejudgment were it to co-operate in the expression of an expectation which it cannot but regard as un founded, because the supposed rights of the heredi tary Prince of Augustenburgare not only as yet un proved, butinthe opinion of the King's Government are for the greater part incapable of proof. " Further, an exchange has hitherto not even taken place between individual Federal governments of their legal views, and of the grounds which each may be able specially to bring forward. Such a first and indispensable basis of understanding would have to be prepared by a report of the committee, and with this conviction the King's Government has voted for reference of the presentmotion also to the Holstein committee. It still adheres now to that vote, but rejects the motion itself. " As reference is made in the preamble to the pre sent motion to the statement of the King's Govern ment at the London conference, the representative believes himself obliged in this respect to observe that the King's Government was able at the Con ference to propose the institution of the hereditary Prince of Augustenburg as a solution of the warlike complication suitable to the circumstances then exist ing, as a means for the peaceful agreement of the European Powers, without thereby acknowledging an undoubted and exclusive legal claim of the heredi tary Prince to the succession. But this proposition, irrespective of its definite rejection by the Confer ence, has lost all further importance by the legal and actual position of affairs having since become greatly different. The King's Government was at that time able to make the proposal without injury to any other claims than those of the House of Brandenburg and those of King Christian, with whom Prussia was then at war. Since then, however, a new claimant has appeared in the person of the Grand Duke of Oldenburg, whose claims have a full right to the examination of his Federal allies. Since that time, further, after continuation of the war against Denmark, that peace has been concluded which transferred the rights of King Christian to Prussia and Austria. "The King's Government would therefore no longer be no w i n a pos i t i on t o repea t the proposal which it then considered itself justified in making, in the interest of the only claimant who had at that time publicly come forward to restore the peace of Europe. Its only intention with regard to the Duchies was to terminate a position. dangerous to the general peace, similarly to European conven tions effected at other periods with regard to Bel gium and Greece. But in no case could a title of right, which did not previously exist, be created by this effort at political agreement." After adoption of the motion had been voted, the Prussian representative delivered the following declaration : " The representative must not abstain, in reply to some of the statements preceding the vote, from reserving the protest and answer he considers neces- sary. He especially feels it his duty expressly to reject the insinuation of the Saxon representative, that the Prussian Cabinet, by requiring an equal examination, of all claims to the succession, thereby admitted the right of the Diet to ultimate decision upon the point. " On the other hand, the representative, referring to the declaration of the Austrian Government, can only confirm - what was therein said as to the actual progress of the negotiations between -the Cabinets of Prnmsia, and Austria, and in the came of his Government exrresses its readiness to con tinue them until arrival at an agreeMent. It is to be expected that the Austrian Government will ex pressly declare its intention of maintaining the in dispensableness of examining the legal question, and of, at the same time, demanding similar attention for the claims of Prussia as for all others. The King's Government also agrees with the Austrian declatation in stating that it is determined to uphold its rights to co-possession and the use of their title until a solution corresponding to their own convic tions and the interests of the Germanic Diet is ob tained. " Under these circumstances, and with regard to the view of the legal aspect of the question put for ward in to-day's sitting, the representative believes he ,may already express the certainty that no pro spect exists of the expectation expressed in the motion being fulfilled." Meeting of Middlesex Magistrates• A general meeting of the magistrates of the county of Middlesex was held yesterday, at the Sessions-house, Clerkenwell-green, Mr. Henry Pownall in the chair. COUNTY AND LUNATIC ASYLUM RATES. It was agreed that an ordinary county-rate of one-half penny in the pound, and a rate of one farthing in the pound, under the Lunatic Asylums Act, 16th and 17th Viet., cap. 97, be made on the rental of the county of £11,178,000. HOUSE OF CORRECTION, COLDBATH-FIELDS. The report of the visiting justices of this prison was pre sented, from which it appeared that there were that day in custody 1,905 prisoners, consisting of 1,131 felons, 595 mis demeants, 176 vagrants, and 3 military offenders. There are also 55 persons in Birmingham and Warwick gaol; making a total of 1,960. Negotiations were pending with the counties of Huntingdon, Lincoln, and York, for the re ception of other prisoners, and there was a probability that some additional accommodation might be obtained in other quarters, that owing to the comparatively crowded state of the prisons generally throughout the country much greater difficulty has been found than on the last occasion, in ob taining the room required. Inquiries had been made by the visiting justices whenever they had hoard from the Government inspector that there was a chance of finding vacant cells; but it would be seen that up to the present time the visiting justices had succeeded in concluding agreements for the reception of 107 prisoners only, and of these 55 had already been removed. HOUSE OF CORRECTION, WESTMINSTER. The report from this prison stated that the number of pri soners in custody that day was 632,which was a diminution of 55 since the last report. The report contained no subject of public importance. It was received and adopted. HOUSE OF DETENTION, CLERKENWELL. The report of the visiting justices of this prison was pre sented, which stated that there were that day 230 prisoners in custody. The report alluded to the insufficiency of the prison for the accommodation in separate cells of all the male prisoners committed for trial. During the past year the excess in number of prisoners over cell accommodation had occurred on ten occasions, averaging 18 days at each period, making a total of 180 days in the year. The de parture from the system of separate confinement was highly subversive of discipline, and conduced to the evasion of justice by the opportunities afforded to prisoners of holding communication with one another, sending out messages, changing clothes, &c., while it caused greatly increased trouble and responsibility to the officers in their supervision of the prisoners and the visits of friends and legal advisers, and it was also most prejudicial to the prisoners themselves in a sanatory point of view. The surgeon had strongly urged upon the visiting justices the great risk to health which was incurred by the shutting up of three prisoners in a cell 11 feet by 9, and 8 feet high, containing a water closet, and having but a small aperture for ventilation; and the visiting justices also felt that the moral effect of so doing was very injurious. Under those circumstances they recommended that au addition of a story be made to each of the three male wings, affording 62 new cells, at an esti mated cost of £4,500, or with warming, ventilation, and other fittings, &c., say £5,000. The visiting justices be lieved that such an extension would be sufficient for the frequent exigencies which arise, and they now report in pursuance of the provision in such case, that the prison was insufficient, inconvenient, and otherwise inadequate to give effect to the rules and regulations prescribed, and it was necessary to enlarge the same. The report was received and adopted. THE HOME SECRETARY AND COLDBATH-FIELDS PRISON. At the last meeting of the magistrates a letter was received from Sir George Grey, Secretary for the Home Department, enclosing a report from Mr. Perry, Inspector of Prisons for the Southern District, in which he made serious complaints of the overcrowding of Coldbath-fields prison, as being cal culated to make the criminals in that prison permanently, bad, from their association in such large numbers, and sug gesting that two prisons should be provided, he deeming it undesirable that so large a number of prisoners should be collected together in one building. These documents were referred to a special committee, and to-day they presented the following report : " It is hardly necessary to remind the Court that a plan for the extension of the prison was submitted to tho Court in 1857, and embraced the very buildings the erection of which is now urged. The visiting justices were now of opinion that these works should be put in hand as soon as possible, and they recommend that the prison be enlarged by the erection of the two wings, at an estimated cost of £40,000. These buildings, if authorised by the Court, will provide 396 additional cells, and which will enable the visit ing justices to dispense with the use of dormitories referred to in the inspector's report, and to which he strongly ob jects. Without entering into the question of the justice of the strictures made by the inspector on this subject further than to say that the extent of the mischief of the present system is, they think, somewhat exaggerated by him, they concur in the opinion that the prison at Cold bath-fields ought to be so constructed as to admit of every prisoner having a separate sleeping cell. They have, there fore, instructed the architect to prepare plans to provide accommodation in separate sleeping cells for 2,000 pri soners altogether. The number has been adopted by the visiting justices, as well because it accorded with their own views of the capabilities of the site, as because it had received to some extent the sanction of the Court by a re solution of the 16th of July, 1857. The architect has been directed in preparing his plans to consider to what extent the old felon prison and other buildings, erected previous to the recently-built wings (which will form part of any future design), are applicable to the purpose in view, in order to avoid imposing upon the ratepayers of the county any un necessary outlay ; but he has been requested at the same time not to lose sight of the important object of constructing the whole of the buildings of the prison, as ultimately de termined upon, in one comprehensive and, as far as possible, systematic arrangement. When the plans shall have been considered the visiting justices will again report to the Court and enter further into the subject of the prison inspector's report, stating their views upon the course to be adopted in case the county should be under the necessity of providing for a greater number of prisoners than 2,000. Meanwhile they trust that the report nowlraade ; will be found sufficient for present purposes." Mr. TURNER, Chairman of the Committe of Coldbath fields, said that the necessity for enlarging Coldbath-fields prison was so obvious that only a very few observations would be required from him in support of the motion with which he should conclude. The subject of enlarging the prison had been contemplated so far back as 1857, and since then two now wings had been erected, and they now pro posed to carry out the whole of the original plan, which was by the erection of two other wings, which would give them the accommodation of 396 additional. cells. There would then still remain the question for consideration of sleeping accommodation for the whole of the inmates of the prison, but that must remain for future discussion. To enable, however, the works to be at first commenced he should first move, "That the standing order of the Court requiring notice of motion for the grant of money be suspended, so far as regards the grant of any money which may be requisite for any works or buildings at the House of Correction, Cold bath-fields, wbich the committee of visiting justices of that prison may recommend to the court in the report." The motion was seconded and unanimously agreed to. Mr. TURNER then moved—" That the plans for the en largement of Coldbath-fields prison, by the erection of two additional wings, be forwarded to the Secretary of State for his sanction thereto." Colonel ELSEY seconded the motion, which was put and agreed to; Mr. TUILNER then moved—" That a sum of £40,000 be granted from the funds of the county for the erection of the two wings shown in the plan, and that the committee be authorised to superintend the erection of the same." Mr. H. HARWOOD HARWOOD seconded the motion. After a few words from Mr. Kemshead, the motion was put and agreed to. Mr. TURNER then moved—" That the sum of £3,500 be granted by the court, and that the Visiting Justices of the House of Correction at Coldbath-fields be authorised to ex pend that sum in sinking a well and providing the necessary pumps, cisterns, and gear for providing a supply of water for the use of the prison." The motion was put and agreed to. THE COMMITTAL OF PERSONS FOR NON-PAYMENT OF FINES. Mr. TURNER said ho saw by the newspapers that Earl Granville, in answer to a question put to him in the House of Lords in reference to the refusal of the prison authorities to receive persons committed for the non-payment of fines, had thrown the entire blame upon the Middlesex magis trates, whereas the authorities of the City prisons were equally involved in the question at issue, which had yet to be deter mined by the Court of Queen's Bench. He said the City authorities were very tenderly alluded to, whereas upon the Middlesex magistrates all the blame was thrown. ' Mr. N. LAURIE said the present state of things was a great scandal, and the subject then dropped. The other business of no public importance was disposed of, and the Court adjourned. Topographical Department. The report of Colonel Sir H. James for 1864 has been issued. It states in detail the progress of the ordnance survey and of the publications on the several scales. It is stated that sketch surveys of the War Department of the Surrey and Kent hills about London have been in progress for some years under the superintendence of Lieut.-Col. Jervois. A de tachment from the survey force, consisting of a lieu tenant, a sergeant, two corporals, and 11 sappers, was sent out to Canada last April, where it has since been employed in surveying sites for works at Que bec. An accurate contoured survey of Jerusalem and its neighbourhood being considered necessary for the purpose of carrying out certain projected works for improving the sanitary state of the city, and also for the proper discussion of many interesting ques tions connected with its ancient topography, the Dean of Westminster, on the part of the Bishop of London and other philanthropic persons, applied to the Secretary of State for War for a party of non commissioned officers and Sappers from the Ord nance Survey to be allowed to make the required survey, stating at the same time that he was pre pared to pay the cost of the survey. Lord de Grey having consented to this arrangement, *Capt. Wil son, R.E., with three non-commissioned officers and two sappers, was sent out in Oct. last for the pur pose of making the required survey, and it was ex pected to be finished in March. It is gratifying to learn that the party has received every assistance from the Pasha and all the Turkish authorities, and that the whole community, composed as it is of so many religious sects, are impressed wtth the impor tance of having such a survey made, and give every facility for the execution of the work. The party would remain out for a short time further for the sake of levelling from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea, and from Jerusalem to Jaffa on their way home. It has long been a question of great scientific inte rest to know the exact amount of the depression of the level of the Dead Sea below that of the Mediter ranean, and it is also important that the levels and contours of the Jerusalem survey should be con nected with the levels of the two seas ; and the Royal Society and the Royal Geographical Society having each voted £lOO to make up the estimated cost, Lord de Grey consented to the arrange ment. At home the numerous applications which have been made to the Government for the plans of towns and Poor-law unions to be made, with offers to pay a portion of the cost of the survey, prove the extent to which the public now appreciate the cadastral survey, the reasons given for making the applications being the desire to possess authoritative accurate plans upon which to base the local valuations and the designs for local improvements. As remarkable examples of the un certainty which exists as to the extent of highland or moorland properties, it may be mentioned that property was bought for a nobleman in Northum berland, the area of which was found from the Ordnance Survey to be 10,000 acres less than it was stated to be and actually bought for ; and in Perth shire a baronet finds that he has been letting a farm estimated to be about 30,000 acres, which turns out to be more than 40,000. In Westmoreland the Irish reapers have gone to the agents for the sale of the plans and ascertained the acreage of the fields they have engaged to reap, and they have thus obtained justice without an appeal to law. The publication of the fac-sinzile of Domesday Book having given so much satisfaction, Sir H. James suggested the pub lication of the fac-similes of a series of the most in teresting of our national manuscripts,. which, in addition to the interest of the subject-matter of the documents, should illustrate the change in our lan guage and in our writing at the several periods of our history. This proposition having received the sanction of the Government, and the concurrence of the Master of the Rolls, a series of the most in teresting charters, grants, and letters from eminent or remarkable persons has been selected out of those in the Public Record Office, with a few (in cluding the most perfect original copy of 3lagna Charta extant) from other sources for publication by the photo-zincographic process. The first docu ment in the series is the charter of William the Con queror to the city of London, in Anglo-Saxon, and the last the despatch of the Duke of Marlborough re porting the victory of Blenheim. These documents are arranged chronologically, one Or more of each reign being given, and each page will have the trans lation, where necessary, opposite to it. The docu ments are extremely interesting in themselves, and they will serve to show the changes in the character of the writing and in the language of the time of the Conquest. This series will be published in four parts. It is under consideration to publish also a series of documents selected from those in the Re gister-office in Edinburgh, and a series from those preserved in theßecord-office in Dublin. It may not be generally known that the Topographical Depart ment now issues yearly, after the Army Estimates have passed, a work showing the strength, compo sition, and organisation of the British forces. It is sold through the Stationery-office at Is. 6d. Maps to illustrate the military operations in New Zealand have -been made. Maps illustrating the progress of the war in Virginia have been prepared and issued to military authorities and others. Archaeological Association. The usual fortnightly meeting of the members of this association was held on Wednesday evening— Mr. Syer Curving in the chair. Numerous objects of interest were exhibited by Mr. earning from his own collection, and which he had obtained from other sources, and among which were the following: —A Roman tile, found in the wall of Berkeley Church, Gloucestershire, stamped with the letters DECL. VI., indicating that the tile was made by the 10th cohort of the sixth legion ; part of a Roman water course, stamped ivith the letter C E A, from the Picts wall ; a fetter lock, found at Winchester, and a key found in the cathedral of that city ; the statuette of a minstrel of the 16th century, carved in alabaster; crutch handles of walking sticks of coral and amber, from Lord Bostock's collection ; a stick handle of impressed horn, of the time of Charles 11., and another made from vine twig, in the form of a grotesque head with glass eyes, of the time of George I. Malacca canes, it is said, were the favourite walking sticks of the period, and the handles had originally been attached to such cases. Some discus sion took place on the objects exhibited, in which Mr. T. Wright, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Gordon Hills, the chairman, and other members joined. With respect to the finding of Roman tiles in the walls of Berke ley Church, it was observed that it was a common practice of the architects in medieval times to use bricks from the walls of Roman buildings, or other materials that were convenient, and that in several of our cathedrals Roman tiles are found. The abbey of St. Albans was particularly named as an instance of the free use of Roman tiles in its structure. A brick from one of the porcelain towers of Nan kin was exhibited by Mr. Power. The brick re sembled a tile bent at right angles, and one surface was covered with white glaze ; the object of mak ing the brick in such a shape having evidently been to save the use of the more costly porcelain, by merely using it as a casing, the inte rior having been filled with coarser material. It was mentioned by Mr. Cuming that all the porcelain towns of China were built in the 16th century. A short paper, contributed by Mr. Pettigrew, was read by Mr. GORDON HILLS, giving an account of some ornamental devices found in Bradford Church, Wiltshire, of the dates of the 11th and 12th cen turies. Drawings of the objects were exhibited, some of which represented interlaced patterns, re specting the origin of which a discussion took place. Similar designs, it was said, are to be found in many parts of Galway, from which circumstance and from the general character - of some of the buildings in that part of Ireland, one of the speakers inferred there had been an early settlement of the Spaniards there. Houses are to be seen with open courts surrounded by arcades quite in the Spanish style. Mr. T. Wright, however, expressed the opinion that there are no genuine traces in Ireland of the Spaniards having settled in that country. Mr. ROBERTS read a paper which had been sent to be read at the recent congress of the association at Ipswich, giving an index of MSS. relating to the antiquities of Suffolk. Another paper of no gene ral interest was read, and the meeting adjourned to the 26th inet. 01111 v—"s HER lIAJESTY. WINDSOR CASTLE, April 13. The Queen, with her Royal Highness Princess Louise, went out driving yesterday afternoon, at tended by Lady Churchill, and walked and drove in the grounds this morning. Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice also went out driving. Her Royal Highness Princess Helena rode in the Home Park. Their Royal Highnesses Prince Alfred and Prin cess Helena went to London last evening, attended by Lady Caroline Barrington, Lieutenant-Colonel Du Plat, and Dr. Bernhardt, and honoured the per formance of the Sacred Harmonic Society, Exeter Hall, with their presence, and returned to Windsor shortly before 12 o'clock. Foreign Courts, ST. PETERSBURG, April 6. The Emperor will leave St. Petersburg about the end of April, and will meet the Empress at Baden at the commencement of May. His Majesty will not remain absent from St. Petersburg for any lengthened period, as his presence. in the capital is more than ever necessary for the solution of various important questions which are now pending. In the absence of the Sovereign a sort of regency will be formed for the conduct of affairs, and will be presided over by the Grand Duke Constantine. A telegram from Nice announces that the health of the Empress and her children are now satisfactory. The Hereditary Grand Duke is now.recovering fronl the rheumatic affection from which he had suffered. BERLIN, April 11. The Queen of Prussia and the Crown Prince, who have visited Weimar to be present at the con firmation of her Majesty's niece, the Princess Maria, have now returned to Berlin. The first stone of the national monument to per petuate the memory of the campaign against Den mark last year will be laid by the King on Tuesday, the 18th inst. The Koningsplatze in front of the Brandenburg Gate has been selected for the site. His Majesty has issued the subjoined Cabinet order on the subject :—" In pursuance of my order of Dec. 18, 1864, by which I decided that monu ments should be erected at Berlin, Duppel, and Alsen, as a token of the thanks which I and the country owe to all those who crowned Prussia's arms with new laurels in the glorious campaign of the past year, I hereby order that the first stones of these national monuments shall be laid at Berlin on April 18, at Duppel on April 21, and on the Island of Alsen on April 22 of the present year. I charge the Ministry of State with the publication of this order.—WlLLum.—Berlin. April 8, 1865." THE COURT.—Her Majesty, accompanied by the junior members of the royal family, and attended by the ladies and gentlemen of the Court, is expected to leave Windsor Castle on or about Thursday, the 20th inst., and proceed to Osborne, where the Queen will reside for a for weeks. It is not anticipated that the King of the Belgians will accompany her Majesty. The Duke and Duchess of Manchester have left town for Kimbolton Castle, Hunts. The noble duke and duchess are expected to pay several visits before they re turn to town for the season the week after next. The Marquis of Bute has left the St. George's Hotel. Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston have left Cambridge House for Brocket Hall, Herts. Lady de Lisle and Dudley has left the St. George's Hotel. We understand that the marriage of Lady Gwendolena Anson, sister of the Earl of Lichfield, an d Mr. O'Shee, is to take place on the 19th inst. Count Wimpffen has left the Austrian Embassy for Germany, on leave of absence for two months. • The Right Hon. Sir. George Grey, Bart., M.P., has gone to Falloden, his seat in Northumberland, . for the Easter recess. The Dispute in the Iron Trade. BIRMINGHAM, Thursday. At the quarterly meeting of the ironmasters of ' the South Staffordshire district, held in the Town ' hall here to-day, there was a good attendance of • masters, but little business transacted, there being hardly any demand for either pigs or finished iron. The difficulty which has arisen at Wolverhampton does not seem to be any nearer a settlement than it was some days ago. M. Samuel Griffiths's inter ference has not been productive of a very happy re sult. The ironmasters do not look upon him as a man who, from his antecedents and character, ought to be recognised by them as a mediator in any dif ferences that arise between them and their men. At the meeting to-day his interference was the sub ject of much indignant remark. People may do hint injustice, but they say that he courts popularity and other advantages. At all events, the masters will not meet him, and the dispute in the iron trade is not likely to be settled by his efforts. The meeting, which was arranged to have taken place between the masters and men at Wolverhampton on Wednes day, was prevented by Mr. Griffiths's anxiety to make himself spokesman of the puddlers on the occasion. The deputation appointed by the men to meet the masters was stowed away in some place by him until he could arrange to introduce them ; and before he could make his arrangements the hour appointed for the interview had long passed ; the masters became weary of waiting, and at length separated, and that chance of making some advance towards a peaceful settlement of the dispute was lost. The men were much disappointed, and at a meeting held by them the same evening they resolved to seek another interview with the masters. Accordingly circulars were sent out by them to the different firms. Those circulars were considered at the iron masters' meeting here to-day, and it was agreed that the men should be met at Wolverhampton on Saturday. Let us hope that self-seekers and popu larity hunters may not interfere to prevent any good that may result from this interview. The question to be decided is one entirely for the masters and the men themselves. If they want acc go-be tween" they can invite some one to assume that po sition—but an interloper, obnoxioui to one party or the other, can do nothing but mischief. The atten tion of the ironmasters is now turned very eagerly to puddling by machinery. An ironwork in South Wales, according to statements made at the meet ing to-day, is being prepared for a trial of this im portant experiment. In these days of wonderful mechanical ingenuity and inventive genius and skill, it is almost a certainty that any machinery of which an urgent need is felt will be perfected sooner or later; and there can be no doubt that the principal ironmasters, both in South Staffordshire and in other parts of the country,would at the present mo ment gladly try any experiment that gave a fair promise of relieving them from the embarrassment of strikes. What probability there is of machinery being found within a brief period to do the work of the puddler is a question which cannot yet be an swered. What the reply of inventors may be to it finally is a matter which very nearly concerns the ironmasters and ironworkers of the kingdom, and its influence will, of course, not be confined to them. There is another contingency which has an impor tant bearing upon the present dispute •in the iron trade. Wages abroad are very far below what they are in England. Hitherto this has told against the ironmasters of this coon' try by enabling foreign producers to uu" dersell them. During the late lock-out iron was cheaper in Paris than in South Staffordshire, and large quantities were sent from France and Belgium into this country at prices as low as the South Staffordshire masters could have sold had their works been going. But now the comparative cheapness of labour abroad threatens to favour the masters of England in their struggle with the iron workers. At the meeting to-day it was rumoured that 500 Russian puddlers had offered to come over to this country at the current rate of wages here. This rumour was given me on good authority in the shape of a positive statement that the ironmaster o of North Staffordshire had received an offer of 500 foreign puddlers at 25 per cent. less wages than now paid in this district, and that on this basis ne gotiations are pending. Beyond this there is no' king to be reported of the meeting. P 1 t Re Pu ROI An Brt Pai str life the Wai