The Sun. — London, England, 1865-12-21 00:00:00

Lord Stanley at Liverpool. Yesterday evening Mr. Philip H. Rathbone, President of the Chamber of Commerce, enter tained Lord Stanley, Mr. T. B. Horsf all, Mr. John Laird, M.P., Mr. S. R. Graves, M.P., Sir Charles Bright, M.P., the Mayor (Mr. Farnworth), and a number of gentlemen at a banquet held in the Law Association Rooms, Liverpool. After the usual toasts had been proposed, the health of the The CHAIRMAN, in proposing said—We are very Right Hon. Lord Stanley , M .P., fond of boasting of our advance in civilisation, and so far as having disposed of most of the questions which ever divided political parties I think with justice ; but there surely remain problems to be solved of hardly less importance—for instance, the question of railways. (Hear.) The means of communication are among the most important ele ments of the civilisation of a nation, and were so considered by the greatest political nation of old— the Romans. I suppose it is the first time in his tory that a country's means of communication have been almost completely in the hands of private mo nopolists, and if it be true that nearly 200, or not far from one-third, of the new House of Commons, are railway directors, it is difficult to see how any Government can carry a measure in the public in- terest to which the railway companies are, as a body, actively and unitedly opposed. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) Again, few of us, I should presume, could go into the courts and alleys that lie around the spot where we now stand, and see the mass of degradation, crime, and misery that settles there, without a very strong conviction that our civilisa tion is far from being altogether a success, and that the question of pauperism is one demanding the statesman's most earnest attention. But these are questions too delicate and difficult to be dealt with as party questions. (Hear, hear.) They cannot be formulated into those sharp and tell ing war cries which rouse popular enthusiasm, and moreover it would be a most serious evil for the country were suc h questions to fall into the hands of those generous but mischievous poli ticians who mistake feelings for thoughts, passions for principles, and too often credit to a warm heart hasty and superficial utterances which they ought rather to debit to a hot temper. (Applause.) Surely it is most important that these questions should be approached in the calm, philosophical temper of the late Sir Cornewall Lewis, than whom England has had few greater losses, and by statesmen who will investigate the phenomena of political or social science—call it which you will—with the same pa tient, searching, passionless, investigation with which the naturalist examines the laws of physical science, always recollecting that the laws of political eco nomy, for instance, are as much the laws of Provi- dente, and that inquiries into them are as little responsible for their existence—in short, that our statesmen are perfectly careless as to what end such investigations may lead, save only that the end is the truth. It is because we believe that my Lord Stanley, in common with a few of our statesmen on both sides of the Houses, has undertaken the study of politics as a science in this spirit, as well as its practice as an art, that I ask all here of all shades of politics—and I don't think there is an unrepre sented man—to do cordial respect to the manly, conscientious thoroughness with which my Lord Stanley grapples with any subject he undertakes. (Cheers.) Gentleinen, the heart has its uses, though thinking is not one of them. It is an excellent ser vant to the brain, though a bad master of it, and one not unimportant use is when Englishmen ex press their candid admiration of and hearty sympathy with those statesmen who show how profoundly they love their country by sparing no work in her service, no matter upon what side in politics they may be. (Loud cheers.) Gentlemen, in your name I beg to thank Lord Stanley for the honour he has done us in coming among us to-night, and I call upon you to drink his health with all the honours. The toast was received with enthusiasm. Lord STANLEY on rising was received with loud applause. After briefly acknowledging the kindness of this reception, and dwelling upon the political obligations of rank, he said,—But there is another reason, and not one of a personal nature, why I accept with pleasure the compliment you have paid me. When I look around this room, having been invited here as a neighbour and as one con nected with the landed interest of this county, when I see around me able and worthy representa tives of the greatest mercantile and manufacturing communities in the world, it seems that this meet ing is, so to speak, a type of that change which is .happily taking place, if, indeed, it has not been completely effected, throughout the country—the union, or fusion, as it were, into one body, with common interests, with common objects, and, in the main, common ideas, of the great mercantile -and manufacturing classes on the one hand, and the great territorial body on the other. (Cheers.) To see that union take place, not only in these dis tricts, but throughout the country, has always been my earnest desire, and when I look round upon the whole range of political and social questions which have risen and are likely to rise in our day, I can see as between these classes absolutely no serious cause of disagreement or disunion. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) Individuals, of course, will differ in opinion ; that is a matter of opinion and of tempe rament; but if we are to measure time, not by the lapse of years, but by the progress of ideas, we are essentially removed from the days when speakers Could get up at public meetings and talk about govecuraent by a half -feudalised aristoßracy, which looked down with contempt upon trade, which was always ready to drag the country into quarrels and multiply military armaments for the sake of their relatives and connexions. H any man were to hold that language now, one would be tempted to ask hiin if he had fallen from the moon, as it would be clear he understood but little of what was passing on this earth. (Cheers and laughter.) We are all alike interested in the maintenance of peace, in the enforcement of public economy, in the progress of industrial enterprise, in the lightening of taxa tion, and the war upon our great national enemy, pauperism. (Hear.) Material interests are not, I trust, with any of us of primary importance, but even as regards material interest you cannot enrich the landlord without giving a stimulus to manu facturers and commerce, and you certainly cannot enrich the trader and manufacturer without a considerable portion of his gain passing into the pockets of the owners of the soil. That is the econo mical view of the question from a social point of view. While I see on the one hand, from the High lands of Scotland to the coast of Devonshire and Cornwall, in every part of the country, among the improving and most useful, and often the most in fluential landowners, those whose fortunes have been more or less recently acquired in the great towns, so, on the other hand, I perceive among the landed classes a gradual but well-nigh complete disappear ance of that prejudice which undoubtedly existed 40 or 50 years ago against bringing up their children to industrial occupations. (Hear, hear.) I have a right, then, if this be so, to assert that co-operation, and even, so to call it, that fusion between those two great interests has taken place. And now allow me to proceed, with a very few remarks, to the duty which your chairman imposed upon me, that of pro posing one of the toasts of the evening. I shall ask you to drink " Prosperity to the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce." It is singular that, while English commerce well-nigh equals that of all Europe put together, England has cared less than almost any other country to promote these local associations for the discussion of mercantile matters. On the conti nent I need not tell you they are of considerable antiquity and importance. In France they date from the beginning of the 17th century, Marseilles }?axing taken the lead, and, with short interruptions during revolutionary periods, they have existed ever since. Those French Chambers of Commerce are niore under State control than we should think de sirable, but their functions are extensive, and their influence is considerable. (Hear.) I saw lately reports from those of Havre and Bordeaux, andl don'tknow which struck me as more remarkable —:-the variety of the subjects discussed, or the ability with which they were treated. In Belgium these institutions are nume rous and active. In the New IVorld they flourish. I have been able, through the kindness of a friend, to examine the last volume of. reports of the New York Chamber, which contain, among a mass of other matter, an elaborate, and, I don't doubt, to those practically interested, a very valuable sum n r ry of the industrial situation of the country. Th !y have been transplanted to Australia, and only th'.l other day I saw it mentioned in the newspapers that, in a guar rd now going on in one of the Australian colonies between different branches of the Legislature a me- morial of the local Chamber of Commerce was quoted as a document which ought to influence opinion. (Cheers.) Now, I think we must admit that they have in general thriven better on foreign than on English soil. Those of England date only from the beginning of this century, and of 48 or 49 now existing only few have occupied a really pro minent position. It is only justice to a community to which some of us in this town look as a rival to say that the Chamber of Commerce of Manchester is, of all, that which has been most active and which has exercised the greatest influence. Ours in Liver pool dates only from a period of 15 years back, and it is, perhaps, as yet too early to boast of its past history, but 1 think I am not mistaken 'in saying that it is the main object of our meeting here to call attention to the importanee of an institution of this kind in our town, and to express an earnest hope that it may be more actively and continuously sup ported than has hitherto been the case by those who take a leading part in our local affairs. (Ap plause.) Now, the question may be asked, what are the Chambers of Commerce intended to do ? My answer is, they serve as authoritative exponents of commercial opinion. It is not always easy either for the Board of Trade or for the House of Com- mons to pick out the best individual opinions on mercantile matters. It is the misfortune of men engaged in public life that we are apt to hear only those opinions which are most noisily ex- pressed, and which, I need not tell you, are not always either the most influential or the wisest. Their discussions, their debates, serve to form local opinion. If any measure is proposed hostile to the interests of commerce their protecting power may be valuable ; they can do many things which every bodyin trade wants done, butwhich it is not exactly any one's business to do in his individual capa city. I will take a single instance : a commission is now sitting to inquire into the railway system generally, of which your friend, Mr. Horsfall, and I are both members. Many complaints are made before us of the management of the railway com panies. It is not my business here to say whether those complaints are in every respect well founded or the reverse, but undoubtedly they are so numer- ous and so grave that they deserve a full investiga tion. Nov, in a matter of that kind individuals are not very willing to put themselves forward. The position of an accuser is an invidious one ; a man who takes it up makes enemies. There is a loss of time, and many men don't like to have it asked, when they bring forward a complaint, " Who is this person, and by what right does he speak as the re presentative of a trade ?" Now, the very best evi dence we have had on this question—evidence on one side, I mean—has been that which has been brought by individuals representing and delegated from the local chambers of commerce. I cite tha simply as one instance among many that what has been done in the case of railway management may be done also in the case of any other matter equally affecting the commercial or manufacturing interests. You are aware that many of the chambers of the smaller towns, and indeed some among the larger, have formed themselves into an association, and hold what may be called a little parliament of their own yearly in London. I think in that they have acted wisely. I think that it would be desirable that that association should be joined by all the chambers of commerce now existing, and it may in- deedbe a question whether an association so formed might not extend beyond the limits of this country, and invite at least expressions of opinion from the representatives of great commercial centres in other parts of the world. There is another question on which I have not now time to touch—l mean that proposition which has been often made to create tri bunals of commerce, special courts for the trial of commercial questions in connection with these cham bers. You are, of course, aware that such tribunals exist on the continent, and are said to work very well in France, at least they possess large powers, they are generally resorted to, and it is asserted the number of appeals from them is fewer than from the ordinary civil courts. I don't, however, wish to be understood as giving a positive expression of opinion upon that question ; it has never been fairly analysed either as far as I have seen in print or Parliamentary discussion. I know that there are great obstacles to the establishment of such tri bunals, and I believe it would be fair to put the matter in this way : that the preponderance of mer cantile opinion is in favour of their establishment, and the preponderance of legal opinion is against it. This much is certain, that Judges on the Bench have complained of the difficulty of settling trade disputes from the special knoAledge which they re quire, and that anything in the nature of a more extended or authoritative system of arbitration would by many persons engaged in business be con sidered a great boon. I repeat it, I don't go fur ther than that I feel this is a question ripe for con sideration, hardly ripe for action ; but I don't forget, and I hope you will remember, that it is one of those questions which were specially named at the foundation of the Liverpool Chamber of Com merce, 15 years ago, as questions which that body ought to consider, and with regard to which it ought, if possible, to take some action. The CHAIRMAN then proposed " The Members for the Borough." Mr. R. S. GRAVES, M.P., in reply, then said— Since I have had the honour of being elected one of your borough members my labours have been, com paratively speaking, so light that I feel I can lay but little claim to share in the compliment you have paid them. Happily, however, the period of Par liamentary inactivity is drawing rapidly to a close, and members of the new House of Commons will soon have an opportunity afforded them for enter ing on the more active discharge of their duties. Speaking for myself, I look forward with pleasure to sharing with my valued colleague the work which I know well must be inseparable from the faithful representation of such a community as ours. (Applause.) It is true, I have been a member of the Chamber of Commerce since its formation, but I am nevertheless indebted to the president for his official introduction this evening, and I can assure the council and the representa tives of the commercial associations of the town whom I see assembled here that it will afford me very sincere gratification to help in promoting their views whenever my services can be of the slightest use to them in their corporate or individual capacity. (Cheers)* It was but a few days since I .took up by accident a newspaper published in one of a r t e h v e i elleading of th e proceedings cities f itsit e Chamber Com merce, which summed up by an announcement that its mission was to " lubricate the wheels of crea tion." (Laughter and cheers.) We all know the deep interest which the president has taken in the affairs of the Chamber during his year of office, and how earnestly he has endeavoured to extend its usefulness ; but I venture to think that he never aimed at so universal a sphere of action as the term suggests. (Renewed laughter.) If, however, we substitute " commerce" for " creation," we shall have a most apt and happy illustration of the bene fits which such institutions confer on trade, in pre venting friction and removing obstructions ; and we must all appreciate the desire manifested by our Chamber in at all times seeking to remove impedi ments which fettered the free current of the com merce of our port. (Applause.) Union is strength, and I congratulate the president on the proof he has afforded us to-night of his desire to bring into closer harmony our commercial associations, and I venture to hope that this social meeting may be at tended with beneficial results in strengthening and consolidating the Chamber of Commerce. (Loud cheers.) Mr. Horsfall, M.P., and Mr. Laird, M.P. for Birkenhead, also responded. Mr. T. G. Livingstone proposed " The Town and Trade of Liverpool," which was acknowledged by the Mayor, and by Mr. Ralph Brocklebank. Sir CHARLES BRIGHT, M.P., then proposed "The Chambers of Commerce of the United Kingdom," THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 21, 1865. and after referring to the beneficial influence exerted by bodies representing the commercial interests of the country, by which the views of the mercantile community could be expressed with authority, he adverted to questions connected with telegraphic communication which were then under the conside ration of the Chambers. The recently opened tele graph to India had been the subject of special com plaints, and these were re-echoed by every mail from Calcutta and Bombay. The irregularities were, however, by no means incapable of remedy. The service was very well done between this country and the Turkish frontier, but thence by the Turkish tele graph through Asia Minor and Mesopotamia to the Persian Gulf it was execrable—(hear, hear)—and it was from point to point of this section that the principal delay and mangling of messages took place. From the head of the Gulf, through the submarine cable to Kurrachee, a distance of 1,330 English miles, the work was very well done by an efficient English staff, the messages averaging three hours in transmission, and the percentage of error being low. From Kurrachee to the different cities of India the telegraph, which was worked by the Indian Govern ment, was the worst in administration and appliances he had ever seen. Thelines were badly constructed and badly worked by an inefficient underpaid staff of half-castes, and it was no uncommon occurrence for a message to be several days passing from Kur rachee to Bombay, or between Calcutta and Bom bay and Madras. Nor was this all, for it had been found that the native community were frequently in possession of intelligence by telegraph when Euro peans in the same places could not obtain the mes sages sent by their correspondents from similar points. There was no reason why messages should not be regularly and correctly transmitted between this country and all parts of India within 12 hours, and there had, in fact, been many cases (for exam ple, the message from the Governor-General to Sir Charles Wood announcing the termination of the difficulty in Ichootan) in which messages had been transmitted in much lesstime. (Applause.) It would of course be utterly useless to attempt to proceed with the extension of the telegraph beyond the In dian wires to Australia and China until the system to and throughout India should be remodelled, or duplicate routes were established ; and he was very glad to find that mercantile associationswere taking action on the subject of telegraphic communication, which was almost unequalled as an adjunct to com merce if efficiently worked, but was otherwise an agent of confusion and mischief. (Cheers.) Mr. M. Ross, President of the Manchester Cham ber of Commerce, acknowledged the toast. Mr. M. KING proposed the " Kindred Associa tions of the Town," which include the Law Society and the commercial associations of Liverpool. These associations, he said, were so numerous and so varied in their character, that it would be impossible to point to any description of industry throughout the kingdom the prosperity of which is not affected directly or indirectly by that of one or other of the branches of commerce over which those associations respectively presided. Thuswhilethey were engaged primarily in guarding their own interests their la bours had the further happy result of conducing also to the common good of all. (Applause.) But besides this general claim to our good will, these as sociations had a peculiar claim to the graceful ac knowledgment of all connected with the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce for the readiness which they had always shown to co-operatewith the chamber in giving it their advice, and that exact knowledge which they alone possessed upon matters coming under their special cognizance. They had thus ena bled the representations of the Liverpool Chamber to headquarters to be made with a precision and a force which had secured for them the desired atten tion. To none, perhaps, were the Liverpool Cham ber more indebted in this respect than to the Law Society, whose technical information had been as valuable as it had been freely imparted. (Cheers.) Mr. A. T. SQUAREY responded to the toast. On the Variations of the Weather during the late Gales. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sir,—The variations of the readings of the baro meter at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, in the period from September 12 to November 30, making altogether 80 days, are shown in the diagram and table, a copy of which I beg to send you herewith. The general directions of the wind are also given on every day, as determined from the records of Oslcr's self-registering anemometer, and the number of miles of horizontal movement of the air, as self registered by the use of Robinson's anemometer. During the latter part of this period there have been successive heavy gales of wind upon our coasts, causing sad disasters at sea, and calling very fre quently into use the services of the lifeboats of the National Lifeboat Institution, and these, in most cases, have been attended with success in the saving of life ; but unhappily in some few instances, as must ever be the case, the gales have been so violent that life has been lost ; and the most noble efforts on the part of the lifeboat crews, after toiling in some instances through the midnight storms, have failed entirely, the boats being,unable to reach the distressed ships. A few particulars of the readings of the barometer during the period preceding these storms, and dur ing their continuance, cannot fail to be useful and interesting to the brave men who are ever ready to go off in those lifeboats, as well as to sailors and fishermen generally. The readings of the barometer from the Ist of September to the 6th day were high, and above the average. On the 7th day it decreased a little below the average ; on the Bth the lowest reading in the month took place, viz., 29.76 in. ; and from the 9th day it was constantly above the average to the end of the month, being mostly above 30 in., as shown in the diagram. The weather was exceedingly fine throughout the month. The highest reading in the month took place on the 23d. There was a little decrease in the readings at the beginning of October, but on the 3d day the reading again rose above 30 in., and began to decline on the sth, continuing to decrease till the 11th. Up to the 10th day the air had been mostly calm, and fog had been prevalent, but on this day the wind began to blow strongly from the -west and south-west. On the 11th the readings began to increase, and from the 12th the winds were light. A maximum barometer reading was reached on the evening of the sth day. During the 16th the barometer readings decreased rapidly, and the wind increased in strength. A minimum reading of 28.89 in. was reached by 9 p.m: on the 18th, with strong wind blowing. Unsettled weather 'clawed this, and the barometer readings oscillated up and down, as will be seen by reference to the diagram, and the wind was frequently very strong, reaching 201 b. on the square foot on the 25th day. From this time to the end of the month, the oscilla tions of, the barometer readings were very remark able ; a decrease of 4 of an inch was followed by an increase to the like amount ; and then in very un usually quick succession, another decrease and in crease to almost the same amounts, these very large and rapid changes extending over very considerable tracts of country and sea. The large numbers at the bottom of the table on those days will show how strongly the wind was blowing. From this time there is a general bold and conti nuous increase in the barometer curve to 301 in. on Nov. 12, with mostly north and north-east winds blowing, and sometimes strongly. From the 13th day set in decreasing readings, which with checks, as shown in the diagram, fell to 28.82iy. on the 22d day. At Liverpool Observatory, on this day, the ,ac l v i enh a s dis r t from h n r n u o w P m o : fr E t ed h s i i fs ci s tai t l : l i reading was as lo w as 28.31 i n., as rec orded by John disastrous o h edu e etstoa d s itt i lho r e e erd c m2 t i director h of day t h t e h e O r eb was v a a t o s r u y e your r e j o ou f r t n h a e l. effects of If we collate the numbers in the part of the chart with different readings of the barometer, we shall find that when the readings exceed 30in., the average daily horizontal movement of the air was about 130 miles per day ; about 30in., 160 ditto ; between 29.5 and 30in., 210 ditto ; below 29in., 320 ditto ; thus showing that whenever the baro meterh reading has been above the avera g e, the win d has been moderate, and that as t he barometer read ing decreases the motion of the wind increases, and is the greatest at the lowest readings. It is impossible for me to urge too strongly the necessity of care when continuous declining read ings are proceeding. The barometer may be al- most neglected by the sailor when its readings range above the average, but when they descend below the average it i 6 a warning which ought never to pass unheeded, and when the depression is sud den it is the sure and certain warning of the ap proach of storms. Such signs no sailor ought to neglect ; yet they are neglected, and, what is more sad still, too many barometers sold as marine barometers are totally unfit for such an important purpose. During the last few years I have seen many of these instruments, and I have found them imperfect in numerous ways. Some of these defects I may enumerate here : Firstly. The upper portion of the tube is too small. Secondly. The relation of the interior bore of the tube to that of the cistern is neglected, so that the rise of the mercury in the cistern, caused by a fall in the tube, is not allowed for on the scale. Thirdly. The lower portion of the tube is gene rally too much contracted in the bore. Fourthly. The cistern is too small to contain the mercury when the barometer reading is low. Fifthly. The careless cleaning out of the internal bore of the tubes, and imperfectly freeing them from damp. The most serious of these errors is the third. It is well known that the tubes of marine barometers ought to have their bores contracted so as to steady the motion of the mercury when the ship is in a heavy sea. This in some instances is so carelessly done that it has not the desired effect ; but in most cases it is carried to a great excess. For instance, in some instruments the mercury will take from from forty minutes to an hour to pass through the first inch after suspension, and many are so slug gish in their action as not to indicate any change in less than twenty minutes. This unnecessary contraction is very frequently the cause of entirely stopping the action of the baro meter, as the minutest particle of foreign matter, or even the oxidation of the mercury itself, which, as an impalpable powder forming on the surface of the mercury in the cistern, on moving the barometer is displaced, and this in its ascent to float on the top of the mercury chokes and closes the fine bore of the tube hermetically, rendering the instrument perfectly useless; and this is often not found out till the ship has left for sea. A barometer, therefore, acting well till disturbed, may be quite useless afterwards. The fourth-named error is also one of great gravity; and for this errorlow-priced manufacturers are far more to be censured for their culpability than for their ignorance or carelessness—the size of the cistern is reduced to enable them to save a quar ter of a pound of mercury. This great desire to cheapen instruments is most serious, as the indica tions of such instruments are absolutely deceiving, and at a time when the changes are of vital import ance. In many such barometers the mercury will not fall below, even if so low, as 29 inches, although a standard at such times may read 28.5 inches, or even less. Nor will such an instrument show any change till the mercury rises above 29 inches ; that is, the barometer says the mercury is stationary and steady at all times of the greatest phases of storms, and when every change should be instantly known by the sailor. It is therefore not to be wondered at that some master mariners hold the barometer in little esteem if supplied with instruments of this class. Mr. Pastorelli told me that he heard a captain say that he had the barometer removed, as it occupied some valuable space which was required for another pur pose, and on arriving in the port of Liverpool, that very instrument was found broken in an obscure nook of the ship. This is a sad illustration, and proves the absolute necessity of improvement in the make of these instruments. By using large cisterns, tubes of proper capacity, scales which are known as contracted scales, chemically clean tubes, pure mer cury, and properly contracted bores, instruments can be made which shall read within 0.01 or 0 02 inch at every part of their scales, when compared with a standard barometer, and they ought to, and can be, sold at a moderate price. The contraction of the tube in a marine barome ter ought to be carried only so far as to allow the utmost freedom of action of the mercury without pumping. When the ship is in a heavy sea, when first sus pended, the screw at the bottom of the tube being withdrawn, as far as possible, the mercury should fall in the tube through the first inch in 40 seconds to 60 seconds. It should fall through the second inch in less than two minutes, and should be. at its true reading within or about 15 minutes from the time of first suspension. Such an instrument, how ever quickly atmospheric changes may be taking place, will take up its true readings within Nil in. within one or two minutes, and this degree of accu racy is practically correct. On removing such an instrument before packing, it should be taken down without touching the screw at the bottom, and in clined with its cistern downwards, at an angle of 45 deg. to 60 deg. ; the tube will be filled in this posi tion in three or four minutes ; then hold the instru ment horizontally, and drive the screw at the bottom nearly, but not quite, home. With these precautions, the instrument will continue good for many years —in fact, till broken. During the last few months I have had frequent interviews with Mr. John Browning, of 111, Minories ; Mr. F. Pastorelli, of 208, Piccadilly ; and Mr. Zambra, of 1, Hatton garden, who have undertaken to make marine and upright barometers of this character for my exami nation ; and I have also undertaken to examine every one made by these maker; and to give a cer tificate with every instrument which complies with the above conditions. This will, I think, effectually meet the difficulty to which I have referred. I feel confident that if our seamen had been pro vided with truthful instruments during the fearful storms of Wednesday the 22d November last, and on the Friday following, the storms of those two days and nights would not have proved so disastrous as they did to life and property. In corroboration of my remarks, I may mention one or two cases. Some four or five years ago, her Majesty's steamer Porcupine was cruising off St. Kilda, in the Hebrides. Captain Otter, R.N., carefully observing the gradual fall of the mercury to the extent of 1/ in. between 8 a.m. on one day, and 3 26 a.m. on the following 'day, at once or dered his ship to be made as snug and tight as pos sible. The hurricane at the latter hour burst out with fearful violence, swept off the little island nearly the whole of the agricultural produce of the poor people, and •caused lamentable havoc amongst the shipping and fishing-boats that happened to be out in these seas at the time. But the Porcupine weathered out nobly the storm ; and in lieu of being in a thousand pieces, the good ship was engaged a few days afterwards in a mission of mercy in bring ing food to the poor islanders. I am sure that every assistance will be cheerfully rendered by the National Lifeboat Institution to save life—whether by lifeboats, ships' lifeboats, seamen's life-belts, fishing lifeboats ; or, lastly, but not least, in its great and good work, by helping the sailor on board ship to possess a truthful and cheap barometer—a scheme which is indeed only an extension to the sea of the coast barometer system of the Institution ; and thus prevent, as far as pos sible, by timely warnings on board ship, the neces sity of calling into use the last but most glorious assistance—the services of the lifeboat itself. Blackheath, Dec., 1865. JAMES GLAISIIER. ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.—At the last sitting M. Payen made some remarks on a recent communication re ceived from M. Personne, on the discolouring of iodide of starch by heat. The learned academician remarked that he himself had, since 1843, shown that at 64 dog. centigrade the blue colour still remains, if the iodide contain an excess of iodine, while at 66 deg. the iodide is completely dissolved in water and loses its blue colour, which, however, it regains fn cooling if the operation has been conducted in a close vessel. In the contrary case, the colour would lose in intensity, owing to the evaporation of the iodine. M.Payen therefore considers himself entitled to priority in this ques tion, though ho courteously recognises the importance of M. Personno's researches in the same field of inquiry. The Mi nister of Public Instruction sent a letter from Dr. Picker ing, of York, addressed to the Emperor, in which he states that in 1858 he sent to the Academy of Sciences a medicine which he considers to be a specific for cholera. He there fore considers himself entitled to the prize of sloo,ooof. left by M. Breant, and announces that he will• state the composition of his medicine as soon as he has received the sum in question. The Academy referred this letter to the committee for the Breant Legacy; but it is easy to foresee that the condition for receiving the prize beforehand will not be complied with, it being contrary to the rules of the Academy.— Galipani. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. OXFORD CIRCUIT.—STAFFORD, Dec. 20. (Before Mr. Justice Keating.) TRIAL FOR MURDER. Charles Christopher Robinson, 18, no occupa tion, was arraigned, charged with the wilful murder of Harriet Seagar, on the 26th August, 1865, at the borough of Wolverhampton. Dr. A. S. Hill and Mr. Brindley conducted the prosecution ; and Mr. Motteram and Mr. Young defended. Dr. Hill stated chat both the prisoner and the deceased were of the same age, and lived together in the house of Mr. Josiah Fisher, house-agent, Ablow-street, Wolverhampton, who for eight years had been the prisoner's guardian. The deceased lived in the same family, performing some of the duties of a domestic, but not occupying altogether a menial position, for she was the sister of the wife of Mr. Josiah Fisher's son, named Isaiah Fisher, Who kept a public-house in Sidney-street, which runs parallel with the back of Ablow-street. The communication between the houses of Mr. Josiah and Mr. Isaiah Fisher was almost constant, and was carried on by the garden which stretched be tween the two houses. At about three o'clock on the afternoon of the 26th August Mr. Josiah Fisher and his wife went out for a drive, leaving the pli soner and a companion, a young man named Wilson, in the garden, shooting at sparrows, with a small gun. Shortly after Mr. Josiah Fisher went out the prisoner said to Wilson, " Harriet is crying, but I don't know what for." A little boy named Alfred Fullwood, who was accustomed to play in the garden, would show that he did know why she was crying. Fullwood, before Mr. Josiah Fisher went out, saw the prisoner go up to the deceased and attempt to kiss her. She resisted, and he gave her a severe blow on the face, " as if," Fullwood said, "to knock her over." This disagreement between them was further to be shown by the evi dence of a young girl named Emma Silletoe, ser vant to Mr. Isaiah Fisher. She having lent her mas ter's knifeboard to the deceased, and now requiring it, went to the deceased, whom she found in the scullery attached to Mr. Josiah Fisher's house, and which had a window looking out into the garden. The deceased seemed to be crying, and Robinson, on the outside of the scullery, and near the door, in a sullen mood. He said that the board was not done with, and she must come again. When she went again, Seagar threw the board out of the scullery door, and Robinson kicked it into the garden. Pre sently, Silletoe, whilst in her master's house, heard the report of a gun and a scream from a boy that " Harriet was shot." On running into the garden, she saw the prisoner come down stairs carrying a razor in his hand, dripping with blood. He went into the scullery, and through the window she saw him go up to the looking glass that hung on the wall and three times cut his throat with the razor. An alarm was raised, neighbours came in, and Harriet Seagar was found dead lying on the floor of the scul lery, surrounded with blood and a wound in her throat that had severed all the main arteries, and that must have caused her death almost immediately upon its infliction. It was now 6 o'clock, and Mr. Josiah Fisher came home. Robinson had been taken intothe house, and his wounds were being dressed. In reply to Mr. Josiah Fisher, he first said, "It's your fault ;" then he said, " Kiss me ;" afterwards, " It is the drink." Be fore being taken into the house, and whilst with his throat cut, he had said, " I've killed her, I've killed her." To assist in dressing the prisoner's wounds a woman named Mary Ann Lewis was sent to the pri soner's bedroom to bring down a garment. There she saw the stains of a man's bloody hand upon the bed clothes, as if whilst the blood was upon his hand he had turned down the clothes. In the same room Lewis saw a gun that seemed to have been recently ex ploded, and some of the plaster off the ceiling on the floor, as if the charge from the gun had struck the ceiling. All these facts pointed to the sanity of the prisoner. He was paying his addresses to the deceased, and was known to be fond of her. Evidence in support of the above facts having been given, Mr. Motteram, in his speech for the defence, con tended that there was no motive whatever shown for the committal of the offence, and that the pri soner at the time the fatal deed was committed was under the influence of insanity, which in his case was hereditary. Evidence in support of the latter part of the learned gentleman's statement having been given, Dr. Hewson, the present chief o the County Lunatic Asylum at Stafford, was then examined for the prosecution. He deposed that he had twice exa mined the prisoner in the past fortnight, and could not find any traces of insanity. At 7 o'clock Mr. Justice Keating informed the ury that he should sum up at half-past 9 on the 'ollowing morning. NORTIIERN CIRCUIT—LIVERPOOL, Dec. 20. NISI PRIUS COURT. In the course of the day Mr. Baron Martin again spoke of the impracticability of holding a complete winter assize for the southern division of the county of Lancaster. He saicl that if the cause list were not gone through by Christmas day, he should cer tainly come down rnd finish it, if only for the pur pose of showing the impracticability of holding a complete assizes at this period of the year. It was impossible to hold a perfect and complete assize for the southern division of the county a fortnight be fore Christmas. In fact they had an assize for the Hundred of West Derby occupying two judges three weeks. Mr. Brett said he had always been of his lordship's opinion. He could not conceive what good the pre sent arrangement did to anybody. He did not be lieve there were four of the causes in the present list that could not perfectly well have waited till March. The matter then dropped, and his lordship proceeded to try common jury causes; and the criminal busi ness having been finished in the afternoon, Mr. Baron Pigott proceeded to take civil causes. MIDLAND CIRCUIT—LEEDS, Dec. 20. (Before Mr. Justice Shee.) ➢IURDER AT LEEDS. Patrick Welch, 33, labourer, was charged with the wilful murder of John Rouane, at Leeds, on the 29th October. The prosecution was conducted by Mr. Hannay and Mr. Bruce •, the prisoner was defended by Mr Blackburn and Mr. Gully. Mr. Hannay, in opening the case, stated that the deceased man, John Rouane, met with the wound which caused his death in the streets of Leeds on the night of Saturday, the 29th of last October, and he died on the following Monday. He was a young married man, 29 years of age. The prisoner was also a married man. A man named Doherty, who would give evidence in the case, and several other witnesses, lived in Lower Cross-street, in the Bank. On the night of the 28th October Rouane had, in company with Doherty, been at severalpublichouses, and in particular at one named the Shuttles, which was near to the place where he lived, up to, or al most up to, 12 o'clock. He (Mr. Hannay) laid no great stress on the fact that the deceased had been at other publichouses in the course of the evening, because though there might be contradictions and diszrepancies in the evidence, it was agreed on all hands that deceased was sober. As to the prisoner, he believed the evidence would show that he was to some, but not to a great, extent in liquor. After leaving the Shuttles, Doherty and Rouane proceed in the direction of Lower Cross-street, accompanied by their respective wives, who had come to the pub ' lichouse to fetch their husbands home. On reaching the street in which theylived the two men told their wives to go into their homes, whilst they remained in the street a little longer. It was unfortunate for the deceased man that he did so ; for in a very short time afterwards he received the wound which caused his death. The prisoner, who, they would remem ber, also lived in Lower' Cross-street, was going in the direction of his house as the deceased and Doherty were walking up the street. Some words were exchanged between Doherty and thedeceased ; the former, it was said, asked him if he had stones in his pocket, referring to some bygone affair, and no doubt tome conversation of a not very pleas ing character passed between them. No very seri ous quarrel, however, occurred. The prisoner walked up the street on the causeway, and stood at his own door ; the deceased was at that time stand ing in the street. The prisoner threw out a general challenge to fight any man in the street who chose, and the challenge was accepted by Rouane, who said he would fight him, and that he was never afraid of any man. Thereupon Welch crossed over to where Rouane stood. They immediately closed, got into a " cuddle," as one of the witnesses de scribed it, and in a moment Rouane was heard to exclaim, "I am stabbed," or "I am done." Welch walked away and was not seen again that night. The occurrence was altogether of a momentary character. The men had only one deadly embrace, the deceased was wounded, and the prisoner disap peared. The wounded man fell into the arms of a person named - Cowan, and was carried away from the spot. It was discovered that he had received a wound in the stomach, and that his bowels were protruding. Believing that he was about to die, he made a statement of the facts. He afterwards rallied somewhat, but inflammation of the peri toneum setting in, he died on the Monday morning. A search had been made for the prisoner. It was found that he had left the town ; the police were sent after him, and he was apprehended in Goole. The policeman charged him with being the man who stabbed Rouane in Lower Cross-street, and he at first said he had not been there ; but afterwards admitted that he had. After half an hour's absence • the jury found the prisoner guilty of murder, and sentence of death was passed. SPIRIT OF THE PITBLIC JOURNALS. TlMES.—Another of the Napoleonic ideas is likely to be developed and improved by the present Emperor of the French. It was the First Napoleon who, after reorganising the Hotel des Invalidea, founded branch establishments in the country, where the veteran might live on the produce of a small allotment, in a cottage of his own. lt is now . _ proposed to carry this principle further by a sub stitution of out-pensions for in-pensions, very similar to that which has lately been effected at Greenwich Hospital. This time we have taken the initiative in administrative reform, for it is impossible to doubt that the French scheme owes its Immediate . origin to the marked success of our own experiment. The main reasons which are said to have influenced the Imperial Government are precisely the same as those which induced the Admiralty to go beyond the more cautious recommendations of the Royal Commissioners. They, too, have discovered that most old soldiers and sailors, unless actually bed- ridden, prefer liberty and privacy in the bosom of their families and within their native communes to the monotonous society and dreary routine of an asylum. They, too, seem at last to have recognised the fact that " a moral improvement for the parties interested" may be combined with " a saving to the State" by encouraging able-bodied veterans to earn something for themselves towards their own live lihood. Accordingly, they contemplate a change of system no less radical than we have already adopted, whereby the great majority of pensioners will hereafter fixed allowances in lieu of board and lodging ; and the greater part of that historical building which now towers over the Seine with its noble dome will be converted to new purposes. The infirmary department will still be retained, and in time of war may, perhaps, again engross the whole available accommodation. For the present, however, it is stated that the vacant wards are to be occupied by the Polytechnic School and that of St. Cyr, to whom it would be a great advantage to have the Champ de Mars so close at hand. One of the motives assigned for this important deviation from the intentions of the Royal rounder of the Invalides is highly characteristic of French sentiment. We are gravely informed that, while the inmates find their life wearisome, " their forced idle ness, their jealousies, and mutual regrets impart to them a grumbling and discontented temper. Many recall to mind that they were present at the battles of the First Empire, and think that the Young Guard is in the enjoyment of privileges and medals not accorded to them, their seniors." All this we can easily understand ; indeed, we are so used to associate grumbling with pensioners that we can hardly imagine the latter in a state of placid con tentment. No doubt grumbling has been cultivated at Chelsea and Greenwich ever since those national hospitals have existed, but no one ever thought of attaching much importance to it. We take such things as matters of course, and the notion that any harm could be done to the service by a querulous ness incident to old age in a state of retirement has probably never been entertained at the Horse Guards or the Admiralty. In France it is quite otherwise. It is there a maxim of policy to keep all classes, and especially the army, in a good humour. If pen sioners grumble over their rations or tobacco-money, it is time to think of dispersing them, lest the spirit of discontent should spread to the ranks and grow into' disaffection. The revolution thus' effected, or about to be effected, in the administration of two institutions so ancient and so magnificent as Green wich Hospital and the Hotel des Invalides is an in structive sign of the times. 'Both were founded to wards the end of the .17th century, when alms houses of the monastic type represented the highest practical ideal of charity. In those days the most enlightened and pious of benefactors seldom looked beyond the present relief of success, and no method of relief was so obvious as to collect all the objects of it under a single roof. There are still cases in which this is the most economical and efficient way of ministeringto want and suffering. The workhouse and the hospital for disease and accident have still a proper sphere of their own, and it is possible that some colleges more nearly resembling Chelsea and Greenwich may fill a useful place in our complicated social system. But experience warns thet such in stances are the exception, and not the rule. Grown up men and women cannot be subjected to regula tions and discipline like children. Moral and reli gious superintendence is apt to become little more than nominal, and, after all, is but an imperfect substitute for active duties. There are few people so utterly homeless and friendless as to have no domesticities, and at the same time so helpless as to be incapable of work. For these few it is well that decent refuges should be provided, but for others it is far better to remain at large, and to depend, in part, on their own exertions. The pleasure which a stranger experiences in visiting such an establish ment as the Hotel des Invalides is chiefly of a sen timental nature. He is told that it was projected by Henry 111., that its prototype, the Maison Royale, was erected by Henry IV., that it assumed its pre sent grand proportions at the bidding of Louis XIV., that it witnessed the first scenes of the Revolution, and that it has since participated in the glories of the Empire. He sees there flags and guns taken in battle from almost every European nation ; he admires the tombs of celebrated French generals; he is conducted from the high altar of St. Louis to the splendid mausoleum of the Great Napoleon, and comes away with a vague impression that so imposing a monu ment of French grandeur must needs be an enviable retreat for shattered veterans of the French army, especially as they are or were tended in sickness by Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul. He perhaps forgets that none of these sentimental associations can be enjoyed in an equal degree by the veterans who have long since been satiated with them, and that, after all, sentimental gratification goes but a very little way to make every-day life happy or virtuous. It was not only the enormous jobbery and misma nagement disclosed by the Royal Commission that brought about the transmutation of Greenwich Hospital, but a conviction that greater comfort in their declining years could be secured at a smaller cost to the disabled seamen of our navy, if they would cease to reside there. Our neighbours keep their counsel too well to let us know whether ana logous abuses had impaired the utility of the Hotel des Invalides. We may be sure, however, that no French Minister of War would venture to meddle with so popular a foundation without consulting the wishes, as well as the interests, of the French army. POST.—By intelligence just received from the Cape we learn that the war between the Boers and the Basutos still continued, and was likely to be prolonged indefinitely owing to the confirmed cowar dice of both belligerents. We further learn, how ever, that the Basutos either contemplated or had actually perpetrated a second raid on British terri tory. This was to be expected from the fact that in the early period of the war a portion of the fol lowers of Moshesh were allowed to invade Natal and carry off a large portion of booty with impunity. The High Commissioner made a demand for re paration, but it does not appear that the Basuto chief has yet seen proper to comply with his re quest. It is to be feared that the war in the ad joining countries will yet produce serious conse quences in regard to Natal. The fact of the marau ders having been allowed to get off with their booty, and escape punishment, is likely to have a bad effect on the native tribes in the colony. It is even pos sible that the Jamaica tragedy may be re-enacted in Natal. The greatly preponderating population consists of Kaffirs, who are not aborigines, but refugees from the surrounding territories. They are estimated at 200,000, but their numbers are constantly being recruited from the Zulu country. The white population, according to the census of 1864, was 15,486. In view of the immense dis proportion between the number of the whites and blacks in the colony, and the possibility of a revolt of the latter, it is manifestly of importance that the Governor should be vested with discretionary powers. At present, however, as we pointed out upwards of two months ago, the High Com missioner, the Governor of the Cape, who resides 1,000 miles away from Natal, possesses supreme power in regard to all dealings between the colony and the native tribes of the interior. When Natal was first constituted a colony such an appointment was perhaps necessary ; but it is obvious that in the altered state of questions since the office of High Commissioner was made some changes ought to be carried out. In fact there can be no reason why the Governor of Natal should not be allowed to act at the present time on his own responsibility. The Legislative Council of the colony have recently petitioned the Queen to grant the Government more freedom of action in their own affairs, and ex plaining the inconvenience of their having to refer matters to the High Commissioner. Recent events in Natal, it seems to us, sufficiently indicate the policy of complying with so reasonable a request. A band of marauding Basutos, it is well known, bent perhaps rather upon plunder than excited by any hostile feeling against the people of the colony, burst like a torrent through, we believe, the one solitary pass in the Drakensberg Mountains, which form almost everywhere a gigantic barrier on the north-western frontier, and for a time held undis puted sway over one of the most populous and flourishing counties in Natal. The Dutch farmers, by whom this section of the country is almost ex clusively settled, -were completely at the mercy of the savages ; cattle and sheep in large numbers were carried off, and in some instances great atro cities were committed upon the peaceable inhabi tants. The raiders were enabled to get away with their booty without molestation, retiring beyond the mountains, and leaving the whole district in a state of perturbation, in expectation of further incursions. The people of Natal, however, were not slow in con- sp. certing measures to obviate such a deplorable state of things. A formidable force, consisting of the greater part of the regular troops stationed in the colony, with a battery of artillery, and a very consi derable number of volunteers, was soon assembled at Ladysmity, the nearest town to the frontier pass, h nd the greatest enthusiasm appears to have prevailed amongst the whole body. At great loss and incon venience to themselves the volunteers in every town and county turned out and eagerly pressed towards the point of danger, anxious not only to prevent any future incursions of the barbarians, but to inflict upon them such a lesson as would effectu ally deter them from a second time attempting to violate the sanctity of a British province. Every thing was prepared for an advance, and there can be no doubt that the Natal forces would, if move" forward at the proper time, have overtaken the Basutos, and recovered a large portion of their plunder. Unhappily, however, a delay of some days occurred, and the object of the intended expedition was defeated. This most unsatisfactory state of things was entirely owing to the anomalous posi tion of the Government, whose powers were limited with regard to all relations with the native tribes of the interior. Without the sanction 01 the High Commissioner they were prohibited fr om acting with that degree of promptitude and vigour: so essential in dealing with half-civilised peopl e and long before an answer could be received from that officer, the offending Basutos had got safely off with their booty. It would appear, however, that to a considerable extent the Natal authorities are liable to censure for having shortly before the raid took place disbanded a mounted police force, whose duty it was to watch the frontier line, and also permitted the detachments of troops to be withdrawn from the outposts—facts of which, no doubt, the Basutos were apprised before they attempted to cross the Drakensberg Moun tains with felonious intentions. It is true, the mounted police force consisted only of thirty men, a number quite inadequate, as may well be con ceived, for the protection or careful watching of an expansive border of 150 miles in extent. The pre sence of so insignificant a body of police was no doubt calculated rather to cause than allay irrita tion ; yet, in the peculiar circumstances of th e colony, we should have thought that the authorities would have shown more prudence in aug menting so useful a force than in doing away with it alto gether. The reason assigned for the withdrawal of the troops from the outposts was an objection. raised by the medical officers, in whose opinion it would have been unsafe for troops just arrived from China, and in a sickly state, " to be exposed to the dilapidated barracks at these places." It is yell questionable, however, whether it was politic to withdraw the troops before, as was intended, other accommodation could be made for them in a more central position, equally available as rallying points for the inhabitants in time of dangei, as well as reliable outposts. On these points it seems very evident that a blunder was committed by the colo nial authorities. The abandonment of the outposts offered to a certain extent an inducement to the lawless tribes beyond the limits of the colony to undertake marauding expeditions across the fron tier ; and the disbanding of the mounted police force, who might have been extremely useful as • videttes notwithstanding their limited number, W° must look upon as a serious mistake. But thee° short-comings on the part of the colonial authori ties, and for the unfortunate results of Which they are alone responsible, are in reality of small conse quence as compared with the serious inconvenien ce and positive injury the country is liable to suffer . from the circumstance of the supreme ruling power residing 1,000 miles away from the colony , and only to be heard from after a lapse of several days. This is a state of things that manifestly ciuw for the prompt interference of the Imperial autho rities ; and we cannot but agree with the people of Natal, in view of the present advanced state of the colopy and its more intimate relations with thein terior tribes, that no valid reason can be adduced for the perpetuation of the office of High Commis sioner, an officer who resides 1,000 miles' distant from the colony, yet without whose especial sanction i the Government of Natal are prohibited, even ill extraordinary instances, from dealing with the native tribes in the adjoining country. COUNTRY MARKETS GAINS BOROUGH—TUESDAY. Our Corn Exchange to-day was well supplied with grain. The best lots of wheat fetched the rates of last week, but inferior were neglected—white, 51s to 54s ; red, 49s to 50s per qr. The barley trade ruled heavy, and coarse samples ruled slightly in buyers favour. Other de scriptions of grain as before. HIILL.-TUESDAY. At our market to=day there was a fair show of English wheat, but few buyers, and the business done was at barely last week's prices. Barley and oats were fully as dear. In beans and peas there is very little doing. In the linseed market very little was done, crushers being un willing to increase their stock just on the close of the year. English old white wheat, 49s to 54s ; old red, 44s to 491. Barley, English, 34s to 38s. Oats, Russian, 24 s to Ob. Beans, new English, 43s to 445. Peas, English blue, 40s to 41s Od ; grinding, 40s to 41s Od per 36 stone. S ALISBURY.—T UESDAY. Afto-day's market there was a much better attendan ce than a week ago. Wheat was an increased supply, but out of condition, and moved off slowly at about previous prices. The demand for barley was very restricted. 'There was a large offer, the turn being in favour of buy ers. Oats neglected. Beans ruled firm. The following are the quotations :—Wheat realised from 36s to 528 • barley, 35s to t :418; oats, 22s to 32s ; beans, 405 to 51s ; and peas, 428 to 50s per qr. Tares, from Gs to 7 0 , 3d per bushel ; Best bread, 1 3 d ; household ditto, 12 " per 81b loaf. Flour, 34s to 408 per sack. MARKET HARBOROUGEL-T UESDAY. Not much wheat on offer '_ and with a tolerable demand; fine qualities ruled firm at top prices. Old white wheat, 54s to 57s ; new red. 46s to 49s per So stone. Barley, fine, 36s ; other kinds, 27s to 31s per q r ' Oats, new, 22s to 245; old, 26s to 30s per qr. Beans, old, 49s to 525; new, 42s to 45s per qr. LYNN—TUESDAY. Our market to-day was moderately supplied with whe at ' which sold at last week's quotations. A fair show of bar ley, fine sorts fully maintained their value. Oats were small supply and in healthy inquiry at top prices. Bee llP came slowly to hand, and sold at quite last week's prices. New wheat, 46s to 49s ; new red, 42s to 45s ; old white, 51s to 53s ; old red, 46s to 49s per 36 stone. Barley fe r malting, 34s to 36s ; secondary, 26s to 325. Oats, nev 4 18s to 24s per 24 stone. Beans, small, 42 s to 44 s ; large? 40s to 42s per 28 stone. COAL MARKET. Price per ton at the close of the market. s. d. s. ( 1 ' Holywell Main l9 0 Tunstall Carway and Duffryn Tanfield Moor Butes 16 0 - Malting 24 0 West Hartley N.Staffordshire 17 6 Ships at market, 50 ; sold, 17. DASTARDLY OUTRAGE ON A WOMAN.—At a PC ° called Ponte de l'Archetto, not far from Milan, a youn s woman, engaged to be married, was seized upon in til e fields near home by two men, who cut off her luxurianb hair with a pair of shears, after which they departed, al ing, "Now go and marry the man you have chosen." 0 ° act is supposed to have been inspired by jealousy. lADVERTISEMENT.j—HoIIoway's Pills.—Dark and cheer less indeed is the present season, when the weekly death; are far above the average. Tho cause is probably diffusel through the dense damp fogs which have been so prev alen of late. These pills purify the blood, which has been C °l ! -- terminated by foul gases, and give tone to the nervous sere tern, whereby typhus, typhoid, gastric, and bilious fev°l.- are warded off. Holloway's pills are also the best knovai promoters of digestion, the surest regulators of the fiverlti and the most valued and effective of all aperients. W be d the health is impaired with loss of appetite, vigour, el' sleep, this medicine will be found a certain restoratiVel and will rarely fail to effect a complete cure. Births. LLOYD.—On the 19th inst., at Frenchay, Glouc,estershire, the wife of F. T. Lloyd, Esq., Royal Artillery, of a sh e' MARsnAm.—On the 19th inst., at The Mote, Maidst one, th Lady Constance Marsham, of a son. O'NEILL—On the 19th inst., at 10, Chepstow Vils, 13 „g n s i water, the wife of W. O'Neill, Esq., Mly. Store Stat - a son. A vg. PEARCE.—On the 18th inst., at Trenchfield, Ormskirk, Henry Pearce, of a daughter. Marriages. CorroN—GoßpoN.—On the 19th inst., at St. da- - Church, Dover, Henry H. Powell, eldest son to glds, P. Cotton, of Quex Park, Thanet, Kent, Esq., to ga;,b l )3. Christina, third daughter of the late Lieut.-Col. 11,,p. r- Gordon, of the Bombay Cavalry, and Dee Bank, 11 ' deen. oa f HODGKINSON—TROMPSON.—On the 20th inst., at S t. .a- of Church, Clapham-park, Francis 0. Hodgkinson, Bs e ll. e t 8, Hanover Villas, Ladbroke-square, to Miss glateargof Thompson, of Park-hill, Clapham-park, and Leghorn. Deaths. -‹ ANSTRUTHER.—On the 15th inst., at Airth Castle, •, Sarah, LadyAnstruther, widow of Sir Alex. Austrothei of Thirdpart, Fife. FROWD.—On the 16th. inst., at Bath, the ROV. j°"" Frowd, GLENIE.—On the 18th inst., of rapid consumption, .3"3e131re, Augusta, the beloved wife of G. R. Glenie, books e ll Connaught-terrace, Hyde-park, aged 30. 1", 0 1 LEE.—On the 12th inst., at Beverley, Miss Elizabet h aged 90. RICHARDSON.—On the 15th inst., at 9, Shaftesbull -erese t i Pimlio, Marion, widow of the late Major David l' es e Richardson, Bengal Army, aged 64. dtlir e, SQUIRE .—On the 16th inst., at Royston, John C . - - aged 75. nOW 6 ' London : Printed and Published by WIL LLAU AN 02, of No. 112, Strand, Painter, at Tll2 SUN in 0 tlllheO 0 8 . of Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy . A' ' Bliddlegoar.—Thtirsday, December 21,1865. Lo at r; V A The tre li' Prize M Iti t Sold t. the Age /beer filnah llu 14, KU A. v. Frt‘ehol fee, or three ye thsootin Inade rct 15 years envoi°, R blished puce, I AT Inte irnit4 The day, tt !TITO - 13 Westm previut amain 5, W, AT In cc Bonds lebued i per c at he Throg Notar3 preei,e The ab ye Lnnd tiond, 1 00 dh Wes•.n and that d On , preset °Mc Jo ' f i , and o,bie 11 , to m, to $ e IT I ton. 28. 6d 6d nlen t a,, . SP Pi:od 1.• r e .„ o —248 n Cad; at 3 8 ata torsi Post 11 R''th s_ toe }lO 1 1 'AI Sze AL, --__