The Sun. — London, England, 1865-12-15 00:00:00

iIONEY MARKET COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. TWELVE O'CLOCK. The commercial public still evince an anxiety to obtain all the accommodation they will require dur ing the next few days in case an upward movement should be made in the official minimiun. The de mand, however, is less active than it has been, but no alteration is perceptible in the quotations for the negotiation of the best bills. The gold withdrawn from the Bank of England yesterday afternoon represented £210,000, of which £lOO,OOO in sovereigns was for Alexandria. The return issued by the Bank of England shows a large decrease in the bullion and reserve of notes, and a considerable augmentation in the number of bills discounted. The following are the particulars : Active Circulation —C20,553,450 Decrease ... .201,740 ... 14,021,403 ... 448,214 3,221,496 Bullion Decrease Rest Increase Public Deposits ... Increase Other Deposits ... 28,944 ... 7,081,336 ... .461.693 ... 14,259,882 ... 1,612,882 Increase •.• ... Seven Day and Other Bills ... Decrease Government Securities ... .458,969 ... 12,160 ... 9,841,100 No alteration 21,615,630 ... 2,337,833 ... 7,334,240 Other Securities Increase Notes Unemployed Decrease '245,840 The application lists for the issue of £2,771,600 Atlantic and Great Western Railway Consolidated Sterling Mortgage Bonds were closed yesterday, and it has been ascertained that the subscriptions, which were very numerous, are for more than the total amount required. The Banking Almanac and Directory for 1866 has just made its appearance. The work is com piled by D. M. Evans, and published, as in former years, by Messrs. Groombridge and Sons, of Pater noster-row. It is most useful to the banking and financial community, furnishing, as it does, all the changes and variations connected with these estab lishments. The amalgamations and absorptions during the present year have been exceedingly numerous, and these have been recorded; whilst the new bank is clearly indicated in detail, the old or fused establishment is also referred to. The gene ral information, the banking and commercial retro spect, and the list of failed firms, will all be found available for reference. Two O'CLOCK. In the English Stock Market a rise of / per cent. took place, but sales subsequently predominating a decline ensued, and Consols are quoted 87 / for Inoney, and 871 for the account. The New Threes and Reduced Annuities are 861 7 ; Exche quer Bills, 3 dis. ; ditto £lOO and £2OO, 2 dis. ; Bank Stock, 248 ; 5 per Cent. India Stock, 102/ 4 ; ditto 5 per Cent. Enfaced Paper, 102 ; ditto 5/ per Cent., 108/. , Foreign Stocks are generally heavy. Turkish Consolides are 47/ 1 ; Mexican, 24/ i; the New Loan, 22/ i ; Greek, 15/ 16 ; Spanish Passive, 271 i. ; Certificates, 14/ 15/ ; Italian, 651 1 ; Confederate Loan, 7 8 ; and Brazilian Scrip, 11 I prem. Turkish 6 per Cents., 1858, 704 71/; ditto, 1862, 711 72 ; ditto 5 per Cent. paid up scrip, 1865, 42/ 431 ; Venezuela 6 per Cents., 1864, 37. Business in the Railway Share Market has been Very inactive, and most of the principal lines are a shade flatter. Metropolitan have declined ss. ; Lan cashire and Yorkshire, 10s. ; Great Western and North Western, each 15s. ; and Midland and South Eastern, each £l. The Foreign and Colonial lines remain without material alteration. Grand Trunk of Canada have declined 15 to 311. Bank and Miscellaneous Shares are dull. Alliance have declined to 281- 29 ; London and South African to 27 ; Hudson's Bay Company are steady atl6 ; Overend, Gurney, and Co., flat at 20,1 201 ; Commercial Con-pany of Africa shares are quoted 1 1 prem. ; British Convention Bonds of Mexico, 65 70 ; Colonial Company, 1 1 prem.; the Credit Ponder and Mobilier of England (old) shares 31 38 prem. ex all ; and the new issue, 31 31 prem. ; the St. Saviour's Wharf Company (Limited) 1 11 Prem. ; the London Steam Towing Company, 11 11 prem. ; Charles Laffitte and Co., 2 21 prem. BRITISH FENDS—ONE O'CLOCK. GOVERNMENT FUNDS. 8 Der Cent. Consols Do. Account, Jan. 9 B ,„.per Cent. Reduced B6l * 7 New 3 per Cent B6/ 7 New 2 per Cent. Jan. 1894 — , Do. 5 per Cent. Jan. 1873 — Annuities, 30 yrs, expire , sth Jan., 1880 Do. for 30 yrs, expire sth AprillBBs — Do (Red Sea Telegraph), Aug., 1908 — Exchequer Bills, £l,OOO, 3 per Cent. 3 dis Do. £5OO — r . Do £lOO and £200 Bank of England Stock, & per Cent Do Account INDIAN GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. Indian Stock, loi per Cent., AprillB74 Shut Do Account Do. 5 per Cent. July, 1870 Do. 4 per Cent., Oct. 1888 Do. Certificates — Do. Enfaced Paper 4 per Cent — Do. 5 per Cent., Jan. 1872 Do. 5/ per Cent., May 1879 lOBl Do. 4 per Cent., Aug. 1866 .— Do. Bonds, £l,OOO — Do. under £l,OOO FOREIGN FUNDS —ONE 0 CLOCK. Austrian Bonds, 5 per Cent, 1859 Brazilian 5 per Cent — Do. 41 per Cent., 1852-58-60 Do. 1863 Do. 1865 — Do. Scrip, £25 paid Buenos Ayres 6 per Cent Do 1 per Cent. (Deferred 3 per Cent.) chilian 4i per Cent Do. 3 per Cent — firYptian 7 per Cent 9 ,1- Do., Second Issue — Do £lOO Bonds — Do. , 1864 — , Do £lOO Bonds m reek 5 per Cents., 1824-5, ex Coupons 15/ Do. Account Do. Coupons , DO. Account m.exican 3 per Cent DO. Account Dn 1864 — 1)o 6 per Cent. Anglo-French Do French Scrip, Ex. 25f 20c — 81 , 0 ntevidean 6 per Cent., £3O paid New Imperial 5 per Cent "ew Granada ,Do 2 per Cent— "o Deferred jil ~ " 0 Land Warrants (Hectares) -; B ,Per Cent, 18 64 tr> " 0 Guaranteed, 4 per Cent eruvia n 4/ per Cent - P s o . Account "0 Scrip, £45 paid, paid in Bonds Do 3 per Cent. (Uribarren) p.,0 4i per Cent., 1862 Po rtuguese Account — u rtuguese 3 per Cent., 1853 DO, 3 per Cent., 1856, '7, '9, '6O, '62, '3, ' 0 • Account to, : `olssran 5 per Cent., 1822, £ St B9l 1) .„0 4/ per Cent. 1850 "J 3 4/ per Cent., 1860 .DO 3 per Cent. 1859 — L ° l , 5 per Cent. 1862 — 6 „' - ', O 5 per Cent. 1864 72 ...N . i li i a n 5 per Cent ti "J 0 Account Pa ni sh 3 per Cent Ditto account 44 1)0 New Deferred 1)0 Account ~,D0 Passi v e 371 27,i -1,- (3 " 0 Account Dsh Cert. of Coup not funded l4l Account l5 14i ti,,, , edish 4 - Cent. ii - :--- _ per Cent. iir i_ft per Cent. 1864 bo i:, 6 per Cent. 1854 D o Account .... IV 6 per Cent. 1858 . 7li 70} D 0 Account — D 0 £lOO Bonds Dos 4 per Cent — per Cent. 1862 ,o.A.ecount 7ll 2 ' - ',, 0 £lOO Bonds D ° 6 pe r Cent.,1863 43f 2i 1 5 per Cent. 1865 1 ,° 7 Scrip, f.,35 paid ,4-'0 Account v'uo £1(0 Bands — eti4ezuela 3 per Cent. — b ° Account Do. 6 per Cent., 1864 o. .A.ecount • . Dividends on the above payable in London. P "' I D., 5 per Cent, Ex. 10 Florins _4, D - t t i , 44 , 4 4per cent., Ex. 25f. D ° ll-- ' '2" e t Ex. 12 Guil 4 "." an " . • Pr,*, Per Cent. Certificates trAll l ' o Rentes 3 per Cent. • .414, X t ,1861, Ex. 25f. v, -• . pun t en.. 4-0 kcc TWO O'CLOCK. Consol s f or money 871 I Do. Account, se ill esties 'rived The ition -1 and ng of Royal [y un- ndon, of his The l'clock a were by waS .t, the feel desire n, the d all ,ndsor. en of Nis visited a Cla- ite, in- OIIOUT ; 1; and -camp, visit to mily at n with it, and er five [ alone n early way to on his e obse- de Ne- Hotel ; Earl of Fiffairs ; a Leg er from tilivall ; ter, and anent° ; DEATIi mniver- Lsion was • her Ma he morn- ,yal circle in of the ge• The )usly pre ervice, at Windsor, eath the .gus COn ,jesty and ,ed by the .cophap s rysa nthe .l o'clock. the royal r families, the hours ales will 2nied by e attended phinstone, o BrusselS L will also of the Ba the Hon. attend the o-day for Brownlovt lattertOnt ninces bis Lll be Per" falway g° lelps as the s kill, goo d ,anagemen Chatterto o d -goers, 831 .,, ight of 111" irgess, t E4 Lstrels, 1 1 ° /f St. Javaed o • and T ileis ; Le " trouP e are to ban e represents' in sketch 01 Le powe r °I an anc ient pproac t xr ious ogl e r pm u rbani t l nsure bill' )ased beef, c attle tbs b autboritie° same to wn rder 0 of )dies burn lisposed ived by t rset, has be of Ling ° i Pat? ? s ;e qua u n lit/ of a i s estiroP 04 5 h in the t t D ag he he Noe lae bea ch - I , o cl been wash wking elasusile; fish, ea d aD d to cos ie ' vo ry at dote. tea, a ppre i o s st o f ry tO I _ 3° lence t h at . flt i t y of ." carted 0 an the oP )od. been lob $ 1 nd Co ,_, 11 rates, ill; while rat l e o Vie t P il bo a al at - nd has ,er both pr ey e ed. SHARE MARKETS.—This Day. ORDINARY SHARES AND STOCKS. Closing I Business Share Railways. Paid. p rice. done. Bilitiol and Exeter Caledonian Cambrian Cork and 8and0n...... Cornwall Dublin & Belfast June Dun„Perth, & A b.Junc &London, berip Certi 93 95 124 25 94 98 13 16 4i 51 E 8 72 71 73 Do. Glasgow & S. Western Great Eastern, Ord. stk. Do. E. Angl. st. No. •? Great North of Scotland, Great Northern t. A stock --d 113 115 42 13 7 6 '27 12S 147 148 Do. B stock Do. d ew. is. at 25 pri. GtS, and W. of Ireland Gt. Weste n Original I) . S. Val. Rail gua. Do. South Wales Do. W. Mid.— Oxford Do. Newpo t Do. Ile, eford Lana 'shire & Yorkshire Landon and Blaekwall Lon., Brigh., dr S Coast Lon., ( hat., and Dover 92 94 61 61i Metrop. e.x. A Lon. & North Western Lon. & South Western Man., Shef., & Lincoln Metropolitan. Do. New Do Extension Metropolitan District Do du. do. Do. and S,t. John sW'd Uid•and Do. £9 Share Do, Ltirmin & Derby ‘ild Kent . North British Do. Ed., Pth , & Dun. Nth. Eastern—Berwich Do. 14. N •E purcha,t Do. Leeds Do. York DG. Carlisle Do. stock. & Darling. Do. do. 'B6O-61 North London Do. do. 1864 Do. to. 1865 North Staffordshire N. & S. W. Junction Scottish Ctntral Scot. N. E ,Aber. stock o. Scot, Mid. stack Shropshire Union South Devon south E stern Staines, Wok., & Wok 'Taff Vale Do. C Vale of Neath Waterford Az Kilkenny Waterloo & Whiteha I West Cornwi.ll BRITISH P Atlantic & St. Lawrence ' Born., Baroda..k Cen.ln. gu. 5 per cent... Do. le shares Buffalo di Lake IluroU Do Preference Butll,Brant, do Goderich 6 p.c. 872-3- Calcutta & 8. E., lim _ape Town k Dock, gu i Demerara, 't p.c. per. ro East Ben.. al, gu. ; 5 do East I.dlau, gu. 5 p.c.l Do J Eitaision Grand Trunk of Canad a Do. Equip. Mort. Bonds 1 charge 6 p.c Do. Ist -la. Bonds Do do. deferred ... Do. 2d Ps% f. Bonds.. Do. do. deterred Do. Z'd Pref. stock.... Do. do. deferred .... Do. 4th Pret. stock Do. do. deterred Gt. II dia Pen. gua. sp.c o. G ua. 5 per cent Do. New gua. 6 p. c Gt. Sou, h of India gra. 5 per cent D . 4t per cent Do. Great W , a. of Canada Ds). New .. Do. 6 p. c. Bds. pay 1873 i.o. 5. do. Day. 187 7 -8 , Indian Branch, limited Madras, gua. 5 p.c Do. 4t do Do. 4i do Do. high Extensa°. Meth. Cor. 6 p. c. Bnds. Mel. & Hudson s Bay.. N. til.C'da, 6pc Istpi. bs. z"eiD de Do. Delhi Os l Do. do Do. Puniaub Do.lndus St. Flo 4° COLONIAL GO VER: British Columbia, 6 per' cent., Dec.3l, 1872.... Can.Gov.6 p.c.Ja.&July 1877-84 Do. 6 p. c. Feb. & Aug Do. 5 p. c. Mar. & Sept 110.5 p. c. Jan. & July Do. 5 p o. Inscribed sk Cape G. Hope, 6 p.c. 1873 00. Apl. &Oct 1890-1900 Do. do: 1880-9:, Do. Jan.&July, 1890-9' Do. 5 per cent. 15 April and 15 Oct., 1900 Ceylon, Nov. 1868, 6 p. l Do. 1878, do Mauritius, 6 p. c, 1873, Jan. and Jtily Do. 1.78 ')o. i 882, May .5, Nov. ' Do. 1895, Feb. & Aug Natal Gov. o per cent N.B. Gov. 6 p.c.Ja.ct.l uly N. S.W. Gov. 5 p•c., 1861 Do. 5 p.c. 18,1 to 187. Do. 5 p.c. 1888 to 189- ' New Zealand, 6 p. cent Do. 5 per cent.... Nova &Ala Gov. 6 p. c sterling, 1875 Queensland Gov. 6 p. c Aus.Gov. 6 p,o 1868-1 , Do. 1878 Az upwards 'ATio,Crov. 6 p.c. J a & July Do. do, ,pril4St Oct 6011 61 41 43 35 40 04 Oi 122 12!6 88 90 103 101 36 38 50 12 1251 126 90 97 61. fit 136 137 3 lip 1031 104 int 123 f la it .1 93 95 (8 69 7 29 110 111 70i 714, 103 104 36 S 7 10 1) p 126 )2S I 2 2 2 Ltp 53} 54} 11 12 148 15 66 68 112 114 55 67 76t 76} 8 . 9 148 150 3 p 101 104 49 51 751 41 6 iSIONS. b 9 61 103 103 id tp 6 6i 10 11 75 80 99 101 65 70 101 103 102 103 103 104 11 ) 30 31 88 90 6S 68 55 60 58 63 50 55 45 48 40 44 32 38 31 33 103 1(4 k P 1011 104 16i 17 4 Sid 3 15 8, 1 Aa 1014 1024 94 06 S 9 91 64 66 82 81 1 .16 102 101, 102; 101 102 FT SECUR: 96 98 94 26 94 96 82 8t 81 83 1(4 106 IG4 106 104 106 105 107 90 92 10 1(2 1(6 148 103 105 106 ,08 104 106 1 6 10 , 3 96 99 96 P 8 1 0 102 93 115 8) 91 103 105 84 85 10 1 102 103 104 106 108 105 100 BRITISH MINES. Cam. Consol. told, lim Chiverton Clifford Amalgamated Devon G. Cons. (Taviat Drake walls East Bassett (Illoganj East Caradon East Cara Brea mast Grenville East Gumnislake.. East Loved E. Wil Russell (Tavlstk Gam. & StA übyn(G wen. Great L ixey, limited Great South Tolgus Great Wheal Bully G. Wheal Vor (Heist Grenville Herod's Foot •••• Hingston vowns Margaret .Uny Lelant Marke Valley Xwyndy Iron Ore, lira New Sewn North Roskear N.Wlel Bassett (I llogau North Wheal Crofty Prosper llnited... . Pr vudence Uny Lwlant S. Caradon (St. Cleer) South Coudurrow S.Wheal Fran. t illogan Itray Park Tin Croft • • Vigra and Cl gan, lim.. West i , assett (Mogan . W. Caradon (L•skeard l West Chi verton West Seton Wheal Bassett 'Mogan, Wheal Buller (Redruth Wheal Mary Ann (Men Wheal Seton Wheal Ti elawney 2.1.0 29i 2.14.6 3/ 2. t 4.0 8.3.6 3.9.0 10.8. 8i £q 2.: 22,1 575 595 18 2 , / 84 94 5t 51 3 . 56 13 15 3 A 5 7 21 22 le 2 3i 4 34 36 4i 33 38 5 5t 5 7 31 24 14c1 40 50 15 17 I 1 1 1 10 38 40 420 440 ..-I$ 1 20 25 1" It 19 20 5 7 3 4 9 11 711 826 190 29u 95 1 0 25 27 4 8 2'5 225 +8) lQi rREFERENcE bj Great Western, 5 per cent., rd. pf., LAItEb. LOl FORM GN KAILWAYS. Paris, Lyons, and Mediterranean, 331 Hectic: and San Francisco (lim.), gua. 7 per cent., 121 frOktElliki MIN Ers. Cape Copper, lim., 13 BANKS. • Alliance, lien.. 29} 9 Australasia. 70i Bank of Egypt, 30 City, 109 Eng ish Joint Stock, lim., 10} English. Scotch, and Australian Chartered, 21 European Bank, Um., 12i Hindustan, China, and Japan, ilm., Ditto, issued at 2 pm., Ditto. new, 17 London B .nk of *I exico and S. America, lim., 14* London and Brazilian t Um.), 49 London Chartered Bank of Australia, 24 Loudon and South African, 171 London and South-Western, lim., 20* Oriental Banx Corporation. 50} Soinde, Punjaub, and Delhi. lim.. 5} Standard of British South Africa, Ditto, issued at 6 pm., 5 ELISCELLA.NEOI2IB. Credit Fonder and Mehllier of Eng'land. 8.1 Ditto, issued at a prem., of whioh £.2 is to pay, 811 Fore-street Warehouse, hin., 11* Gen. Credit and Finance of London, lim., 6 i Hudson's Bay, 161 Joint Stock Discount, lim., 9} National Discount' ompany, 171 Northern Assam Tea, lim., North British and Mercantile Insurance, 201 Itio,de Janeiro Gas, 201 Thames and Mersey;Marine) Insurance, lim., 8t Bank• of England Returns,.--Last Evening. An Account, pursuant to t] cap. 32, for the week ending ISSUE DEP he Act ith and Bth Victoria, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 1865. P AELTMENI. Aotes 18sued Government Debt .411.015,1t0 Other Securities .. 3,034..c0 Gold Coin & Bullion 13,237,890 Silver Bullion .... _ £27,887,C90' R 27,887,690 BAN KING D oprietors' Capi al 414.553.000 Rest Public Deposits (in cluding Exche quer, Savings' Banks, Commis missioners of Na tional Debt, and Dividend Ac- EPARTMENT. Government Seen ritiea (including Dead WeightAn- nutty) - s 9 841, ICo Other Securities 21,6t6,630 Notes Gold and Silver 703,713 Coin counts) 7,081,3.36 Other Deposits—, H,24,882 seven Day and other Bills £39,574,63 V 439,574,683 '. MILLER, Chief Cashier. Dec. 14, 1865. OSSE, 43 21 31 146; 7 6 1211 1251, i 5 71 101} 4 1041 51 ,ITIES THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENiNG, DECEMBER 15, 18b5. LAW INTEL LIGENCE —This Day. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, - - - -- - - - (Before Lord Chief Justice Erle and a Special Jury.) BRANSBY V. EAST LONDON BANK. been for the good conduct of a respectable licensed vic tualler, Mr. Wicker, worse results would have follovt ad. He sentenced the prisoner to two months' imprisonmeLt and hard labour in the House of Correction. The Fatal Collision in the Channel. ~~.-_~ The following is a more detailed account of the collision in the Channel than appeared in The Sun of yesterday : Mr. W. E. Baxter, M.P., on Reform Prospects. On Wednesday evening, Mr. W. E. Baxter, the representative in Parliament of the Montrose Dis trict of Burghs, was entertained at a public dinner by his constituents, in the White Hart Hall, Ar broath. In this case the plaintiffs, Messrs. Bransby, mer chants and upholsterers, carrying on business in the Old Kent-road, claimed compensation in damages for injury done to their credit by the defendants dishonouring a cheque. The defendants pleaded that at the time the cheque was presented for pay ment there were no funds of the plaintiffs available in the hands of the bank, or that such had not been paid in by the plaintiffs in reasonable time to enable them to meet the demand. Mr. Montagu Chambers, Q.C., Mr. Joyce,. and Mr. Channell were counsel for the plaintiffs ; and Mr. Karslake, Q.C., and Sir J. Honeyman for the defendants. Mr. Chambers stated the case, from which it appeared that the plaintiffs had been induced by the auditor of the bank to become customers, the manager's agency to pay his cheques. On the 24th March, 1865, the plaintiffs received a letter from the manager of the bank to the effect that plaintiffs' cheques would no longer' be paid unless they left after payment of the same a clear balance of £lOO collateral security, and enclosed a form to that effect, which was filled up by the plaintiffs. On the 13th May, 1865, the plaintiffs paid into the bank a cheque drawn on Sir Claude Scott's bank in Caven dish-square. According to the custom of the bank, a passbook was kept of the debit and credit account between the bank and the customers, and in the plaintiffs' book there was an entry crediting the plaintiffs with a balance of £235, they having pre vious to the paying in of the cheque £B5 in the bank. At this time the plaintiffs were indebted in a sum of about £lOO to a Mr. Lake, who held their cheque, which was overdue. He applied to them for payment, but consented for the present to accept a cheque for £l7 10s. on the defendants' bank. On presenting this cheque some excuse was made, and he was unable to obtain payment, upon which he sued the plaintiffs for the whole amount of their debt. Several witnesses were called as to the practice of banks-, and it was contended for the defence, in addition to the pleas placed on the record, that the plaintiffs could show no special damage. The plaintiffs were non-suited. COURT OF BANKRUPTCY. (Before Mr. Commissioner Holroyd.) IN RE THE REV. R. W. J. TOLLEMACHE. This bankrupt, who was described as a clerk in holy orders, of Leigh, Essex, came up again to-day for the order of discharge. His accounts have not yet been filed, and it appears that there is an old bankruptcy still in existence and undecided. His Honour decided that he could not interfere, and the case was again adjourned till February next. SHERIFFS' COURT. EQUITY IN THE SHERIFFS' COURT.-A SERIOUS QUESTION. A very serious question is likely to arise in reference to Chancery cases brought in the Sheriff& Court, inasmuch as an omission in the new act renders the rights of suitors somewhat difficult. In the County Courts there is a special clause which enables the parties dissatisfied with the decision of the judges to appeal to the Vice-Chancellors ; but in the course of the case tried recently and reported in this journal, Mr. Commissioner Kerr pointed out to the learned counsel engaged in the case that there was some doubt as to the right of appeal against a decision given by himself as judge of the Sheriffs' Court, and therefore the parties might if they pleased remove the case. This was declined, and the case proceeded, but the reporter has since re ferred to the act, and also to the books, one by Messrs. Gibbons and Harvey, and the other by Mr. Davis, and singularly enough they both agree that that there is no appeal from the Sheriffs' Court. The learned gentlemen who have written upon the sub ject express a decided opinion that while the words of the section apply to county courts positively, there is an omission of any mention of the Sheriffs' Court, and therefore there is no appeal. Mr. Commissioner Kerr has, in fact, settled this serious question, but no doubt it will come before one of the vice-chancel lors in due course, as it has created some surprise in the City. POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—This Day. MARLBOROUGH-STREET. A SAD CASE.—Wm. Hill, formerly the leader of the band at the Argyll Rooms, and engaged in the orchestra at the Surrey Theatre, was charged before Mr. Knox by Woddup, Mendicity Society's officer, with begging in Regent-street. The case was before Mr. Knox a few days ago, and the prisoner was remanded for the purpose of having the state of his mind inquired into. Mr. Knox now received a cer tificate, signed by the surgeon of the House of Detention, to the effect that the prisoner had shown no signs of in sanity. Mr. Knox said it was pitiable to see a man in such a state, and it appeared to him that the prisoner was really labouring under insanity, though the surgeon did not cer tify to it. An elderly female, the mother of the prisoner, stepped for., ard, and Mr. Knox asked her whether she would undertake to take her son with her and care for him. The mother said she could not do so. She thought he ought to be sent to an asylum. Mr. Knox observed that he could not send him to an asylum with the certificate produced before him. It seemed a harsh thing to send the prisoner to prison. Could he (the prisoner) not exercise sufficient control over himself to enable him to do something for himself ? The prisoner said he thought he could. (It was stated on the previous occasion that through the alleged infidelity of his wife the prisoner had fallen into his present wretched condition, getting his living by begging about the streets.) He could play the flute. Mr. Knox said the prisoner's family would not take him, and the doctor said he was not insane. The prisoner said he thought he could get employment, Mr. Knox said the officer of the society should go with the prisoner to a place he named and see if he could get employed. If the prisoner played him false, and was again brought before him for begging, he should know how to deal with him. The prisoner was then discharged, and left the court with the officer. WESTMINSTER. EXTENSIVE ROBBERY IN BROMPTON.—Henry Swyer, a man about 26 years of age, decently dressed, was charged with being concerned with others not in custody with breaking and entering the house, No. 16, Walton-villas, Brompton, and stealing therefrom property to the amount of nearly £lOO. Ellen T. Brooks, cook to Mrs. Barrington, 16, Walton villas, said that on Tuesday evening last at 9 o'clock she left her mistress's house quite safe, and was absent about half an hour. When she returned she found that the kitchen window was open, and waited till a police-con stable came up. She told him the house must have been robbed, and they went over it together, and found that the place had been completely stripped of ladies and gentle men's wearing aprarel and jewellery. She knew nothing of the prisoner. Eliza Louisa Packer, housemaid to Mrs. Barrington, said Mr. Barrington did not live at 16, Walton-villas. On Tuesday evening at a quarter to six, she went to the theatre with her mistress, and when she returned at 11 o'clock she was informed of the robbery. She found that several petticoats worth from 8 to 10 guineas, several very costly moire antique dresses, dress and othercoats, trousers, and boots, belonging to Lord Seaford, three valuable rings, a brooch, two bracelets, and other valuable property had been stolen. Mr. William James Holden, inspector of the B division, explained to the magistrate that a man who had partly confessed to the robbery, and inculpated prisoner, had nearly cut his head off with a razor, and was now lying dead, awaiting an inquest, at Chelsea workhouse. Evidence was given of prisoner's apprehension when he made a desperate struggle, and two companions, who had some of the property in a cab, escaped. When searched a skeleton key was found, and another dropped from his person. Evidence was given to prove that the lock of one house in question could have been opened with one of the keys produced, it being a Bramah. _ _ _ - Prisoner denied all knowledge of the key, and was re manded for a week. THAMES. ATROCIOUS ASSAULT ON A POLICE CONSTABLE.—John Ford and John Wheeler, two powerful men, were brought before Mr. Page; charged with violently assaulting police constable Marks, No. 349 K. This morning, at half-past one o'clock, the prisoner Ford and another man were fighting in High-street, Poplar Both were stripped, and a number of low blackguards sur rounded them. The constable Marks interfered, and com pelled the combatants to desist. Ford immediately struck him and knocked him down. Ho got up and seized the prisoner, but was prevented taking him away by Wheeler, who made an attempt to take the constable's belt away. A severe conflict ensued, and the policeman was brutally maltreated. He used his truncheon and rattle on Ford's head, and inflicted severe wounds. His head was ban daged, and he had lost a good deal of blood. Mr. Wicker, the landlord of the Green Dragon, hastened to the police station near the parish church, procured assistance, and the prisoners, after a desperate resistance, were secured. Mr. Paget said he had observed, and he would repeat it now, that police-constables had difficult and dangerous duties to perform, and that when they performed their duties in a proper and moderate manner he would purish with severity any assault upon them. A brutal attack was made on the constable, and he was quite justified in using his truncheon and rattle as he had done. The natural consequence was a broken head If it had not A terrible catastrophe occurred in the Channel on Wednesday night. The Samphire, one of the fine fleet of mail steamers of the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway Company, on the arrival of the continental express train at Dover from London, embarked about 70 passengers and the mails, and at eleven o'clock at night steamed away for Calais. The sea was comparatively calm, but the atmo sphere was thick and heavy. When the steamer had performed four miles and a half of her passage, twelve minutes having elapsed from the time she left Dover, an American barque struck her violently on the port-bow, and cut her well nigh asunder. The barque turned out to be the Fanny Buck, cf Boston, bound from Rotterdam to Cardiff. She is of about 500 tons burden, and was in ballast. The violence of the collision was such that the total wreck of the steamer appeared inevitable, and a rush was made to the small boats, the barque not having stopped to save the lives on board the steamer ; and it was at this juncture that a most melancholy and fatal accident ensued. A Russian count, in his eager effort to get into a small boat, fell overboard. As he rose to the surface a life line was thrown to him for his rescue ; he grasped it, but through exhaustion, as he wore a large heavy cloak, he lost his hold and sank. On rising again Captain Bennett, the commander of the mail steamer jumped overboard, and secured a line round the body of the drowning count, but unhappily just as he was being raised into the boat the line slipped from his waist and the count sank to rise no more. When the shock of the collision was felt the passengers rushed from the cabins to the deck. The fore cabins immediately filled with water, but by the peculiar construction of the steamer the forepart can be rendered incommunic able with the compartment aft of the engines, otherwise the steamer would have immediately sunk. As it was, however , the vessel was able to keep afloat, though her bulkheads had filled and her bow was under water. On communication being made with the shore the Belgain mail boat, just arrived at Dover, for Ostend, was sent out, and it towed the Samphire to the mouth of Dover harbour by seven o'clock yesterday morning, the passengers having been landed in small boats. The cause of the collision will, of course, be a matter for official investigation. The steamer had her lights burning brilliantly, and those on board deny that the barque exhibited any lights ; on the other hand, two of the crew of the barque, who scram bled on board the steamer, and were lauded, and received at the Dover Sailors' Home, de clare that the barque had her proper lights up, and that they saw the steamer crossing her bows. From the effects produced upon, both vessels the violence of the collision must have been terrific. The steamer, which is ironplated, was stove in right down to the keel, every timber in her appearing to have been loosened. The barque, which was ob liged to enter Dover Harbour yesterday morning, is also much damaged. The iron plates of the steamer pierced to a depth of nearly a foot into the barque's solid timber at the bow ; her stem and cutwater were broken away, and she was stove in several places, both below and above water. But the worst part of the affair is that it was attended with other fatal consequences. On counting up the passengers two ladies were missed, and as the last that was seen of them was that they were seated in the fore cabin shortly before the collision, it was supposed that they must have been drowned in that compartment of the vessel. This could not, how ever, be ascertained until the tide went down and the water was ejected from the cabins. But in the meantime the mails were removed from the vessel, and preparations made for their despatch to their destination. As the water left the vessel two ladies were seen floating about in the fore cabin, and a gentleman sitting upon the bunk. The bodies were late yesterday arvernoon removed to the dead-house by the police. The ladies were identified, and the three bodies await a coroner's inquiry, which will be held to-day. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sin,—l beg to inform you, for the information of your readers, that the mail-packet Samphire, onher voyage last night from Dover to Calais with the mails, and about 70 passengers and their baggage, at about 11.30 p.m. came into collision with an Ame rican barque, and was struck in her fore compart ment, which immediately filled and disabled her from proceeding on her voyage. The Samphire being constructed with water-tight compartments the passengers and crew were all kept in safety in the after part of the vessel until the Belgian mail packet, La Belgique, came to her assistance, and conveyed passengers, crew, and baggage in safety to Dover. The Samphire has also been towed into Dover this morning, where she will be immediately overhauled with the view of ascertaining the damage she has sustained. As far as we can at present learn no blame is to be attached to the commander of the Samphire.—l am, sir, &c., LUKE SMITHETT, Kt., Marine Superintendent. Dover, Dec. 14. DOVER, FRIDAY. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) The water has been got out of the ill-fated mail steamer Samphire. The mail bags have been landed. PASSENGERS DROWNED. Monsr. Laignelet. Mons. Martin de Crocq. A foreign gentleman, name unknown. Miss Baines, of Galding, Kent ; and Miss Kening, in company of Miss Baines. Another Fire in Bermondsey. - - - This morning (Friday) the inhabitants of this densely populated parish were again alarmed by the outbreak of a fire in the extensive row of buildings belonging to Messrs. Armfield and Sons, leather manufacturers, Bermondsey-street. The discovery was made by a policeman, who gave the usual alarm. The fire-escape and hand and steam fire-engines were promptly in attendance ; and plenty of water having been obtained, the firemen went to work in an admirable manner, but the only thing that could be saved was the adjoining factories. The premises in which the fire broke out was partially destroyed. The origin of the fire is unknown. • The firm is un derstood to be fully insured. The police rendered essential aid to the firemen by keeping an immense crowd in order and out of danger. THE FENIAN- TRIALS. (BY TELEGRAPH.) TIURSD AY EVENING. The Judges went to Cork this morning by the ordinary mail train, preced€d by a pilot engine. Great crowds awaited their arrival in Cork, but all very good-humoured. _ 141 r. Justice Fitzgerald, in lelivering the charge to the grand jury, contradictA the report that he had attended a Privy Council meeting which ad vised these prosecutions, It was utterly devoid of foundation. It is said that a military force of 4,000 men will guard the city of Cork during the trials. The troops in all the Dublir barracks were under arms last night. The large establishment •f Messrs. O'Farrell, North King-street, Dublin, was burnt down this morning, when soap, candles ; oil, turpentine, and other property to the value of £35,000, were totally destroyed. The Bank of France returnshows a reduction of £160,000 in the bullion, and anincrease of £445,000 in the notes in circulation. The bills discounted have also been augmented £48),000, and the Trea sury balance £165,720. The current accounts have been decreased £260,000. Provost LU3IGAIR proposed the " Health of Mr. Baxter," adverting to the great estimation in which he was held, not only ;by his constituents, but by the country at large, as shown by the desire of Lord Palmerston's Government that he should take office to his zeal as a reformer, and to the independent position he had always maintained. The toast was very warmly received. Mr. BAXTER, who was received with loud and lon g-continued cheering, after expressing his thanks for the kindness he had always experienced at the hands of his constituents, and his grateful appre ciation of his long and pleasant associations with the Montrose district of burghs—referring to offers made him by Lord Palmerston and Earl Russell, and which he was not in a position to entertain, he said—To have been associated, even in an humble capacity, with men like the present Prime Minister and Mr. Gladstone, would have been a great honour —(hear, hear)—and while not in the least as poli tically ambitious as some people suppose, I am by no means insensible to it. But do not let us forget what the Chancellor of the Exchequer said in Glas gow so eloquently and so well, regarding men who had rendered important services to their country without office or reward. (Great applause.) Hap pily, the dead calm in politics seems about to be disturbed. In the grave of Lord Palmerston was buried the olive branch of peace. Now, that the American war has ended, and constitutional liberty has been vindicated in the Western hemisphere, many men whose minds were much engrossed with that struggle have more time to consider our - political position at home, and to ask themselves if nothing can be done to place on a wider basis the founda tion of British freedom and power. (Applause.) We have in our midst the most intelligent artisan class in the world--working mechanics, whose skill and industry do honour to the country—labouring men, who bring up their families creditably, read and understand their daily newspaper, and an audi ence composed of those whom every public speaker likes to address. Since the last great alteration in our constitution, they have made almost unprece dented strides in knowledge and independent intel ligent thought--(cheers)—and yet only a mere hand ful of them have votes. Now, gentlemen, I ask you is this fair, is it just, is it safe ? When the United 1 1 States of America, with all the evils of universal suf frage, have done what was beyond the power of any European monarchy—when our own colonies admit the working classes to vote, what possible reason can you give for keeping them beyond the pale of the constitution in this well-ordered, peaceful, law-ob serving country of ours ? (Loud cheers.) I rejoice to think that the time has gone by for blinking this question any longer. We shall have a Reform Bill —(hear, hear)—a bill, I believe, framed in a large spirit of generous confidence, and a bill by which Lord Russell's Ministry will stand or fall. (Loud cheers.) Every measure of this kind must neces sarily have faults ; but if its main object is to en franchise a considerable portion of the working classes, by reducing the present standard of a £lO house-rent, it shall have my earnest and active sup port. (Applause.) My own opinion is, that the qualification should be on the value of the dwelling house alone, as affording, on the whole, the fairest test which practically can be obtained of the occu pier's fitness to vote ; and, therefore, I would gladly welcome a proposal to fix the rent of the dwelling very low if other premises were altogether excluded. I do not see why one man should have a vote be cause attached to his house are stables or drinking rooms, while another man with an equally good, or even better, house has no vote, because he does not drive a cart or sell spirits. (Applause.) But if the Government do not see their way to such an alte ration as this, but propose a simple reduction from £lO to £5 or £6, I think we can help them to beat the Tories, even though the latter should be aided by your Lowes and Horsmans, and other politicians of that unbelieving school. (Applause.) Our hope ful sign may already be observed. The Times has sounded the note of opposition, and the Times lately has always been on the losing side. The other important point which will fall to be considered in the new measure is there-distribution of seats. You know the difficulties and dangers incidental to any attempt at disfranchisement—and, if not supported vigorously by the public outside, the Government may possibly be upset by the votes of Liberal mem bers for little insignficant English boroughs, whose inhabitants might be removed to America or Aus tralia by the Great Eastern in half a dozen trips. (Laughter and cheers.) It is monstrous to think of the power possessed by these petty villages. You will find that the number of members returned to Parliament by the following large cities, having in the aggregate 294,029 electors, is 51, viz. :—Tower Hamlets, Lambeth, Marylebone, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Birmingham, Bristol, Finsbury, Shef field, Westminster, London, Wolverhampton, Bir kenhead, Bradford, Brighton, Coventry, Hudders field, Hull, Leicester, Norwich, Nottingham, Sal ford, Portsmouth, and Southampton —while an equal number of members is returned by the fol lowing wretched places, having only 9,393 electors, viz., Andover, Arundel, Caine, Cockermouth, Dart mouth, Devizes,Evesham, Harwich, Honiton, Hunt ingdon, Knaresborough, Leominster, Ludlow, Lymington, Marlborough, Great Marlow, Ripon, Tewkesbury, Totness, Wells, Wilton, Bodmin, Buckingham, Dorchester, Eye, Tavistock, Farn worth, and Chippenham. I have never been able to see why they should not be grouped together as our smaller towns are in Scotland. (Cheers.) The system has many advantages to counterbalance the only disadvantage urged against it--viz., the addi tional expense for agents in each borough in case of an election ; but whatever proposal be made things cannot be allowed to remain as they are, and • for my part I should be glad to see some self-acting plan adopted for depriving these places of their members, when their population fell below a certain proportion to the population of the whole country. (Hear, hear.) You are aware that in the United States the electo ral districts are altered after each decennial census of the people, thus enabling representation to keep co-extensive with population and taxation. Some approximation to that plan would save us the con stant bitterness and worry of those contests which must take place periodically for a century or two, if no radical alteration be made in our present arrange ments. In any scheme for the redistribution of the seats I hope that her Majesty's Ministers, as the re cognised leaders of the Liberal party, will not for get the deep debt of obligation which that party owes to Scotland. (Cheers.) It is the overwhelming ma jority in favour of progress in this portion of the island, and that alone, which all these long years has kept the Tories out of office; and considering that only two of our large cities have a couple of members each, while not one of our counties has more than a single representative --considering, too, that wehave no rotten burghs and no bribery, and moreover that Scotland has made a remarkable progressive increase in wealth and influence since the Act of Union, and even since the passing of the Reform Bill, a Reform Government would act both ungratefully and un justly if our claims to additional representation were ignored. (Cheers) When Lord Palmerston's Minis try proposed, two or three years ago, to give a mem ber to the metropolitan suburb of Kensington, the Scotch representatives in a body, considering that their country had a prior claim, joined the Opposition in opposing the measure, and the consequence was its decisive defeat. We north of the Tweed have ever given a large majority to the side of reform, and now at the hands of the most veteran reformer of the country—the First Lord of her Majesty's Trea sury —we claim our reward. (Cheers.) But while clear that Scotland ought to have more members, Lam not quite so sure that the Angus burghs ought to be di vided. It has been suggestedthat Montrose, Brechin, and Bervie should have a member for themselves, and that Arbroath and Forfar should return a separate representative. I admit the force of the reasoning, and the cogency of the figures in support of it, but the effect of this disruption would be to place me on the horns of a very unpleasant dilemma—very (Laughter and applause.) To bring about these changes may require more than one session, perhaps another dissolution ; but I have not the slightest doubt of the result ; for truth is great and will pre vail, and when the case has been fairly argued in sincerity I believemuch of the latent hostility which now exists will disappear. Moreover, I should not be surprised to see moderate, well-informed, and patriotic Conservatives like Mr. Walpole and Mr. Adderley supporting the Government. There are not a few gentlemen sitting on the Conservative side of the house who are better Liberals than some old Whigs. (Hear, hear.) Speaking of old Whigs, it is their former blundering, their bad handling of the party in past years, which has caused the greatest practical difficulty which Earl Russell had at this moment to encounter—viz., that of obtaining de bating talent in high offices in the House of Com mons. The Whigs seldom would advance a man unless he had some kind of relationship to one or other of their own magnates; the consequence is that they thus have no men in foremost places fitted to cope with formidable adversaries. The little family party is now, fortunately for the best inter ests of the country, nearly broken up ; but it is possible that another consequence of their past pur blind generalship may be the breaking up of Lord Russell's Ministry. Happily, gentlemen, the progress of Liberal principles does not depend on the fate of a Ministry—(applause)—the management of a party, the issue of a debate, or the accidents of the hour. Their eventual triumph both in Church and State is as certain as the rise of to-morrow's sun. (Renewed applause.) Her Majesty's Opposition is a compact,well-organised body, and not without its uses ; but it can no more prevent us by and bye en franchising the working classes, repealing church rates, disendowing the Irish Church, and opening the English Universities, with all their honours, to all subjects of the Queen, irrespective of religious belief, than it can put back the wheels of time. We have beaten the party of obstruction point by point in every battle hitherto, and I have the fullest con fidence that in these questions—perhaps on some others, of which more next day we meet—we shall beat them all the same. (Great applause.) And now, gentlemen, I thank you once more, and be assured that come what may—weal or woe—in what ever circumstances it may please God to place me, even in those dark hours which sooner or later fall to the lot of every man, it will always be to me a source of happiness and of gratitude to think of my connexion with you. (Loud applause.) Opening of the Hungarian Diet—Speech of the Emperor. PESTH, Dec. 14. The Hungarian Diet was opened to-day by the Emperor in person. His Majesty said a contradiction existed between the statement of some Austrian statesmen, who asserted that Hungary had forfeited all her ancient constitutional rights by the insurrection of 1848-49, and the claim of the Hungarian political parties to have all constitutional reform vigorously carried out on the basis of historical rights, This contradiction could only be reconciled by the Pragmatic Sanction, which both parties had taken as their point of de parture. The Emperor recognised the necessity of the autonomy of Hungary, so far as it does not affect the unity of the empire and the position of Austria as a great European Power. His Majesty wished to re-establish the integrity of the Hungarian Crown, and in order to effect this steps had been taken that Transylvania and Croatia should be represented in the Diet at Pesth. The first task before the Diet was to take into consideration those questions which concern all the provinces. The Emperor wished the Diet to keep in view as their principal aim the unity of the empire, and the position of Austria as a great Power. The second object of the Diet must be the revision of the laws of 1848, which were to be mo dified, since they were incompatible not only with the unity of the empire, but with the rights of the Sovereign. These principal questions having been solved, the Diet must then discuss the Inaugural Diploma (the programme of the coronation), after which the coronation of the Emperor of Austria as King of Hungary would take place. He hoped that the confidence between the nation and the King would be increased, and that the great work of decentralising Austria and Hungary would give satisfaction to all the nationalities composing the empire. His Majesty's speech was frequently interrupted by cheers. Naval and Military intelligence. -~- VALETTA, Dec. 9.—There have been no movements in the fleet except the departure of her Majesty's despatch vessel Psyche since any last. Rear-Admiral Yelverton, C. 8., inspected the Racer, 11, screw corvette, Commander L. Brine, on the sth inst., and expressed himself much pleased with the order and discipline of the ship. The Turkish screw transport Kars, with a detachment of troops for Tripoli, arrived on the 2d inst. from Constantinople. The telegraph steamer Hawk left on the sth inst. with passengers and merchandise for Tunis. Her Majesty's ships in port are as follow : The Victoria, 102 (bearing the flag of the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Robert Smart, K.C.8., K.H.) ; the Hibernia, receiving-ship (beering the flag of Rear-Admiral H. Kellett, C. 8.); the Caledonia, 31, iron clad (bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral H. R. Yelverton, C. 8.); the Royal Oak, 35, ironclad; the Gibraltar, 81; the Resistance, 16, iron ship ; the Enterprise, 4, iron sloop ; the Pelican, 17 ; the Racer, 11; the Assurance, 4 ; the Surprise, 4 (arrived this morning from Corfu) ; the Wizard, 2 (about to be recommissioned); the Tyrian, 1 ; and the Caradoc, 2, despatch vessel. Foreign—ltalian ironclad frigates Castelfidardo, 26, and the San Martino, 26. The Italian Consul, Chevalier Slythe, paid a visit to Rear-Admiral Yelverton on board the Caledonia on the sth inst. Mr. T. Andrews, engineer and general super intendent of the Mediterranean Extension Telegraph Com pany, who accompanied on behalf of this company the telegraph expedition for the repair of the Corfu-Otranto cable, undertaken by the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Coy., returned from Corfu in her Majesty's ship Gibraltar, having remained in Corfu for the purpose of finally testing the cable, which now works admirably. The Sardo-Siculo Submarine Cable, which had stopped working, has also been successfully repaired, and tele grams for the islands of Sardinia and Corsica are now telegraphed to their destination as heretofore. It is re ported that Major Clarke, director of the Admiralty works, will shortly arrive in this island, accompanied by several contractors, to receive tenders for the construction of the naval dock in the French Creek, which, it is said, will cost £200,000. Although this island has for some time past enjoyed excellent health, arrivals from Malta are still sub ject at Messina to 21 days' quarantine. The other ports of Sicily are less unreasonable, but they will not yet admit us to free pratique, and continue to enforce on arrivals hence a quarantine of seven days. In Messina, I regret to say, an epidemic of scarlatina has manifested itself, chiefly among children. It is fatal after an illness of only two days. Arrivals here from Smyrna, Alex andria, Naples, and Marseilles, are still put in quar antine. From Marseilles, however, ships are furnished with clean bills of health. A smart shock of an earth fqnuga koef thelva s a f h e n h s e t .r,e sauffife o w l n m t l i y n u s t t e r s o n a g f t e t r o 4 a r i o n us t h e e p e m r s o o r n n s from their sleep. It is generally described as having been more like a violent concussion of the air, accom panied by a loud noise, than a heaving of the earth. For tunately, it was of very brief duration, and no ill effects have been experienced, except that arising from fright to nervous people, and the knocking down of a little white wash and plaster. Several slight shocks are said to have been felt during the last six weeks, and it is affirmed that the great shock was preceded by smaller ones during the night. In answer to inquiries by telegraph I learn that nothing was felt of it in Sicily and Italy, in the volcanic regions of Etna and Vesuvius, which volcanoes have of late shown greater uneasiness than usual. The Civil Service examinations at Woolwich dockyard were yesterday concluded. There were 78 candidates in the shipwright department for promotions, and 10 student engineers. They were examined by Mr. Geo. Turner and Mr. J. Trickett in presence of the Civil Service Commis sioner. The report will be forwarded to the Admiralty. The candidates for promotion were, writers, draughtsmen, foremen, inspectors, leading men, inspectors of joiners, attendant converters, inspectors of caulkers, &c. The num ber of questions proposed to the candidates varied from 18 to 24. Adjutant Everitt, depot Royal Horse Artillery at Maid atone, yesterday proceeded to Warley to select 50 men from the 3d division of the depot, for transfer to the corps of the Royal Horse Artillery, to fill up vacancies at headquarters, Woolwich. The Captain's Good Service Pension, vacant by the pro motion of Capt. Harvey to the rank of Rear-Admiral, has been conferred upon Capt. James N. Strange. The following gentlemen have been nominated Naval Cadets :—Edward F. Tyacke and J. B. Bonett. France entered with heart and soul into the in ternational free trade policy, of which Richard. Cobden was the leader, and of which he became England's arbitrator. France has had no reason to regret the change for the better—which took place the moment the formidable barriers of re striction to international commerce were thrown down—and every day's experience since has shown the wisdom of that measure, more especially as regards the interests of France, deriving as that nation did so large a share of its advantages. One most important clog, how ever, was perhaps inadvertently, or from necessity, as the case may be, left on the chariot wheels of progress, and which it is high time for international interests should be done away with at once and for ever—namely, the exorbitant postal rates between the two countries. Why should this high rate o postage be continued between France and England, the distance from one capital to the other occupying only eleven hours ? We can send our letters to Jersey, Guernsey, Dublin, and Scotland, with ad. vantage to the revenue for one penny, and yet to Paris we must pay the exorbitant fee of 4d. pe r loz.; we feel sure that in the interests of inter.. national commerce, and in these days of free trade convictions, it is only necessary to call the attention of the French executive to this matter—as also to the fact of the wonderful influence of a cheap postage in the development of the home trade of England—to convince them that to allow this ab surd restriction to fetter the development of the industrial resources of the nation is a great mistake. Let it then be swept away as an incubus on the commercial energies of the two great powers of Europe.—The Stationer and Fancy Trades' Register. much, in fact, in the position of the unfortunate Captain Macheath in the " Beggar's' Opera— How happy could I be with either, Were t'other dear charmer away. Free Trade in Letters. Liverpool uotaou itiarEtb —.Luis ray. Market steady, but quiet. Sales probably 7,600 bales. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE—This day. LONDON, Dec. 15.—Wind this day at noon—North. Westerly; moderate breeze, and fine weather, but rather cloudy. FALMOUTH, Dec. 14.—Wind S.E.—Arrived—Conrad, from Rio de Grande. PORTSMOUTH, Dec. 14.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Her Majesty's ship Gladiator, from Plymouth ; San Francisco, from Pisagua for Cowes. BRISTOL, Dec. 14.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Ocean Pearl, from Miramichi. BOLYILEAD, Dec. 14.—Wind N.E.—Sailed.—Laurettat, for Buenos Ayres. SUNDERLAND, Dec. 14.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Colo pexo, from San Francisco. CLYDE, Dec. 11.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Ann Mary, from Demerara. BELFAST, Dec. 14.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Feronia, from Quebec. Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. Australia and New Zealand, via Southampton Dec. 19. Ditto, via Marseilles Dec. 13. Brazil and Cape Verds, by British pauet Jan. 4. Ditto, by French packet Dec. 22. Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena... Dcc. 22. China, Penang, and Singapore, via Soul hampton Dec. 19. Ditto, via Marseilles Dec. 13. Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via Southampton • . India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton.... Dec. 19 Ditto, via Marseilles India (Bombay), via Southampton. Dec. 27. Ditto, via Marseilles .. Dec. 21. Mauritius, via Southampton Ditto, via Marseil.e 3 Jan. 5. Newfoundland , Dec. 20. Jan 1. Portugal Ditto, by private ship to Lisbon... United States and British North America, by Bri- tish packet . ...Dec. 20 _ _ Ditto, by United States packet, via Southamp- ton . Ditto, via Cork Ditto, by Canadian packet, via Londonderry.. Dec. 22. West Coast of Africa. Madeira, and Teneriffe Jan. 10. West Indies and Pacific (except Baba:Las, Cuba, and Mexico Dec. J 4. Cuba and Mexico • Dec. 20. Bahamas, via New ) ork. Jan. 11. Bermuda, ditto Dee. :Lc), The mail from Guayaquil has brought a remit tance of £1,168 11s. 11d. on account of the divi dends on the debt of Ecuador. An extraordinary general meeting of the pro prietors of the Guardian Fire and Life Assurance was held this afternoon, for the purpose of con sidering a bill to be introduced into Parliament to enable a reduction to be made in the amount of the paid-up subscription capital, and to alter certain provisions of the deed of settlement. THE SMITHFIELD CLUB CATTLE SHOW.—Yester day was the closing day of the Cattle Show. Not only has the exhibition itself proved of more than average quality, but the statement about the cattle plague invested it with a more than ordinary degree of interest and there have been more persons to visit the show during the last three days than in the four shilling days of any previous year, whilst even the aristocratic or five shilling afternoon of Monday was attended by more than double the usual num ber. It is believed that few short of 130,000 persons have paid for admission, and no accident whatever has occurred. At the half-yearly meeting to-day of the share holders of the Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway Company the report stated that the accounts showed that the total receipts up to that period on stock, shares, and debentures were £5,397,406 10s., of which the sum of £253,449 10s. (less £6OO bonds repaid) was received in the last half-year. The total amount of audited expen diture in England and India to the same period (in cluding stores, materials, &c.) was £5,077,010 3s. sd. The expenditure brought to account during the last half-year amounted to .£533,251. 4s. ld., and was incurred princi pally in works, bridges, and viaducts, permanent way stations, and the rolling stock. In addition this there had been a further outlay in India to the same period amounting to £414,980 Os. 6d., which was awaiting the audit of the Bombay Government. A STAG AT SEA.—The captain of the smack Gainsborough Lass reports that going out to sea on Wednes day, the 29th ult., they picked up a fine stag, in the White Booth Roads, in the Humber. Though nearly exhausted when taken on board, and consequently very quiet, he soon came round, and, after being refreshed with carrots, cab bages, &c., he took it into his head to knock everybody down who went near him, and bade fair to take charge of the ship. They managed, however, to keep him till next morning, when, meeting a smack bound to Hull, they trans shipped him, glad to get rid of such a passenger. The cap tain, when he arrived at Hull, handed him over to Mr. S. Fern, who, after securing his legs, put him into his cart, and, rightly guessing to whom he belonged, drove him to Burton Constable, where he is now browsing in the park, none the worse for his trip to sea. It appears that Sir Clifford Constable's staghounds met on the 29th at Hedon, and the stag, being pressed, took the Humber, and was picked up as described. --- DEATHS BY - LIGHTNING IN FRANCE.—The Gazette des Hopitaus states that there wee 87 persons struck dead by lightning in France during the year 1864, of whom 61 were men and 26 women. The number of deaths in France from a similar cause in 1863 was 103. From. 1835 to 1864 the number of deaths from lightning in the 86 ancient departments of France amounted to 2,311. By adding 120 deaths, at the rate of four a year, for the three now departments, we find that there were 2,431 deaths from lightning within 30 years in France as it is at pre sent constituted. It has been further ascertained that the number of persons wounded by lightning in Franco during the same period was four times the number cf killed. DEATH OF MR. W. A. JAMES.— The Liberal party have lost a clever tactician by the death of Mr. W. Albert James, of Parliament-street. He died yesterday at his private residence in the Highgate-road. He succeeded Mr. Humphreys, the present coroner for Middlesex, as the Liberal registration agent ; Mr. Humphreys having sue-. resolvedo f On th e w Sedonuetsh ceeded the well - known M r. Co pp ock. THREATEN ED STRIKE OF SOUTH Y ORKSHIRE COL. LIERS. Another s Yorkshire Collieries trike eenikbeatseveral upon. day the men employed at Edmond's Main, Sw aithe Main, Parley Main, and Wombell Main • • pits, gave notice of their determination to leave at the expiration of the time re quired by the rules. This step has been taken under the direction of the Council of the Miners' Association, the re stricted system of labour, for some time pursued, having failed to induce the masters to give the advance of ten per cent. demanded in wages. It is expected that the masters will retaliate by a general lock-out. The colliers of South Yorkshire were placed in a similar position last year, and before the struggle ended it was estimated that they had lost £70,000 in wages. MILDPUNISH3iENT FOR TRAMPS.—In consequence of the increasing practice agiongst tramps who obtain shelter at the workhouse of the Oxford Incorporation, in common with the other provincial towns and the metro. polls, the board of guardians, at their meeting yesterday, resolved upon memorialising the Poor-law Board, with the view of vesting the magistrates, by an alteration in the act, with additional powers to remedy the evil, it being the unanimously expressed opinion of the board that nothing short of capital punishment would put an end to a practice which entails a large expense upon the loca authorities. d at hin- ► ar cl by oily, [ re sty's iern- the stify rince ment the jotel donel on a 100 Bt{ 20 106 10 WO 100 3) 100 all 100 100 100 16.13.4 luO 100 100 all 100 100 100 { 10. , 2 100 100 'MELs 190 100 100 10 100 100 136 j I 122 k 1 1 3i 321 3} 1031 1671 I 105}