The Sun. — London, England, 1865-08-16 00:00:00

The Cattle Plague ESSEX. It was agreed at the meeting at Chelmsford, no ticed in 2he Sun of Monday, that a memorial should be prepared and sent to the Privy Council, asking to have inspectors sent down to the different markets in the county with power to destroy any animals exhibited for sale that might be infected, or to provide such other means as might be necessary to prevent contagion. The disease bas been no ticed at Easton, near Dunmow, Hazeleigh, Sandon, and other points. In most cases the introduction of the disease on a farm has been traced to pur chases made in a public market. SUFFOLK. Mr. Robert Bond, secretary to the Suffolk Agri cultural Association, has received a communication from Mr. W. L. Frewer, agent to Sir Edward Ker rison, M.P., proposing that the county of S u ff o lk should at once take measures to prevent the spread of the disease. Mr. Frewer also stated that a depu tation from the neighbourhood of Eye would wait upon Lord Henniker, M.P., to ask his Lordship's assistance in immediately calling a county meeting, for the purpose of organizing the proper means of action. Mr. Bond placed Mr. Frewer's letter before Sir Fitzroy Kelly, who resides within a mile of Ips wich, and who said he had given this important subject some little attention, and was thinking of taking steps for calling a meeting, but was only waiting to see what Government would do in the matter. Sir Fitzroy desired it to be known that it would afford him much pleasure to attend any meet ing that might be called and do all in his power to stay the evil. The disease has made its appearance in this county, and particularly in the northern district. It was brought to the extensive marsh lands in the neighbourhood of Beccles by some Dutch beasts, and several head of stock grazing on the corporation marshes have fallen victims to it. The corporation gave notice on Saturday that all neat stock was to be taken off the common till fur ther orders, and cows which had been grazing near stock which had been infected were to be milked on the marshes. A preliminary meeting of farmers was held on Friday, and arranged for a public meeting of the agriculturists of the Wangford Hundred, which was held at Beccles yesterday, and was very largely attended. The chair was taken by the Mayor of • L'-..ecles (Mr. S. W. Rise). The Rev. Sir CHARLES CLARKE moved : • " That an association of owners and occupiers •of land and others interested be formed in the hun dred of Wangford, for the purpose of adopting measures to check the progress of the prevalent and fatAl disease among cattle, and to assist in com pensating for losses from that cause." This was seconded by Mr. J. CHILDS, and carried unanimously. It was then resolved that all members of the association should contribute at least at the rate of 2d. in the pound on their assessment. A committee was then formed to carry out these objects. In the course of the discussion a general desire was ex pressed that a county association should be formed, and the agent of Sir Shafto Adair, of Flixton-hall, stated that Sir Shafto was willing to subscribe £3OO to a county fund. Should a county association be formed, this association would be amalgamated with it. Yesterday afternoon a similar meeting for the hundred of Blything was held at Italesworth, and an association formed. NORFOLK. The Mayor of Norwich has received the following communication :—" Whitehall, Aug. 12. Sir—l tun directed by Secretary Sir George Grey to ac knowledge the receipt of your letter of the Bth inst., urging the adoption of precautionary measures with a view to check the spread of the disease affecting cattle ; and I am to inform you that directions have been given to the Commissioners of Customs to en force the provisions of the Order in Council of July 28, 1856, made under the authority of the Act 11th and 12th Victoria, cap. 105, by which cattle arriving in a dikased state may be destroyed, and the other cattle in the same ship detained, in order to prevent their spreading the infection.—l am, sir, your obedient servant, 11. WADDINGTON. The Mayor of Norwich." The following regulations have been made by Mr. Moseley, manager of the goods, cattle,:&c., traffic of the Great Eastern Railway :—" All cattle-trucks, immediately cattle have been unloaded, must be thoroughly cleansed with a bass broom and scraper, the manure so removed being taken at once to the manure pit and there covered with lime. The truck floors, immediately the' dung is removed, must be thoroughly saturated with lime. The cattle-pens must be swept out as frequently as they are used, and on no account is dung to be allowed to accumu late in them. The pens to be thoroughly saturated with lime in the same manner as the trucks. For the foreign cattle through Harwich and Thames haven trucks will be set apart specially, and under no cir cumstances are they to be used for home cattle. Theywill all be distinguished with a distinctive mark on each side." S 0 MERS E T S lIIRE. At a meeting of the Bath and West of England Agricultural Society, held at Taunton under the presidency of the Earl of Portsmouth, the subject of the cattle plague was the prominent subject of dis- CUSBiOn. Col. ACLAND, M.P., drew attention to the import ance of taking some steps in reference to the visita tion known as the cattle plague, causing so much alarm in various parts of England. Mr. W. A. SANFORD,Nynehead-oourt,Wellington, said it was unnecessary for them at this stage of the proceedings to inquire whether the disease had origi nated in this kingdom or had been caused by the importation of foreign cattle. That question might fairly be left to the Government, who had power by an Order in Council to prevent further importations if it were found on investigation that the origin or progress of the disease was attributable to the in troduction of animals from abroad. What the Go vernment ought to do was to circulate the best information they could on a subject of such vital importance among the agriculturists in the district of their operations ; nor was there any time to lose, for the disease was no doubt spreading in different parts of the country ; and a speaker (Mr. Schonk) had asserted at a meeting recently held in London that it was in a remote parish in Somersetshire that the disease first originated. If this were true in point of fact, it was highly important that care should be taken to prevent the spread of the disease from the parish to which allusion had been made ; and he had accordingly written to Mr. Schonk ask ing him for the name of the parish, but had not as yet received a reply. In conclusion, he suggested that a handbill, containing information for stock owners, should be issued under the authority of the council, and that sub-committees should be formed from among the members of the society in the vari ous districts comprised within the area of the society's operations for the purpose of givin g prompt and extensive circulation to such information. Mr. D-iv, of Exeter, said that anything to be effectual must be done within a small area. Every thing depended on prompt action, and this was utterly incompatible with a large district and 'cum brous machinery. In Devonshire the danger was actually at their very doors, and one farmer, Mr. Snell, of Egg Buckland, had lost every head of his cattle by it. The proper way to cope with the evil would be .by prompt action in local areas, and he thought it highly desirable that a Mutual Protection Society should be established in every Poor Law ' Union in the counties comprised within the society's area of operations, for the very simple reason that the area of a Poor Law Union was quite large enough for the distribution of insurance risk, and quite as large as consistent with promptitude of action. At the Exeter meeting they utterly repudiated the idea of treating the matter in the form of a county move meat, and at one of the largest meetings ever got together in the Guildhall they had resolved to esta blish a Mutual Assurance Association confined to a district coincident with the area of St. Thomas's Union, believing that they would be the best means of dealing with the evil, and leaving the residents in other Unions to follow their example. hence it was that they had refused to allow several large stock owners in distant parts of the county to become insurers in the Exeter District Association, but rather recommended them at once to form associa tions in their own immediate neighbourhoods. This course of action was the more essential because of the peculiar nature of the disease. He would not attempt to describe it ; that was unnecessary after what had appeared in the newspapers ; but he would not hesitate to say that when an animal was taken ill it should be killed at once. In the valley of the Nile, where the disease was allowed to take its course, full 80 per cent. of the cattle were swept away by it ; but in Austria, where they had combined in Mutual and Protection Associations, and distri buted the loss among a company, instead of casting it on individuals, and the effected animals were at once destroyed, the loss was limited to 2 per cent. If they established associations with too extended an area— such, for instance, as that of a county—they would need a staff of paid officers, a secretary, valuers, and so forth ; but if they confined their operations to narrower limits it would be easy to find gentlemen willing to act as honorary secretaries, and they would only need one inspector, who would take an area co-extensive to that of a Poor Law Union, and no larger. Such an area would probably be repre sented by at least 10,000 head of cattle, which would be quite sufficient for insurance purposes, and would in the event of a bad visitation make quite sufficient demands on the attention of any one inspector. In the Exeter Association they proposed that every stock-owner joining it should pay an entrance fee of Is. per head, stating the number of stock in his pos session, and that he should pay such other calls as might from time to time be made. The association would be managed by a committee, of which every insurer of 20 bullocks would be eligible as a member ; but it would also include persons of influence and intelligence, who, though not actually owners of stock themselves, might choose to show their interest in the objects of the association by subscribing as though they were. In the event of any animal being affected, the first step would be to call in an inspec tor, who would have power to order its immediate destruction ; and two practical men having assessed the value of any animal so destroyed, its owner would receive two-thirds or three-fourths of the amount, as might be agreed upon in the conditions of asso ciation. It must be obvious that in small areas the affair would be much more manageable than in more extensive districts. Mr. G. 11. ANDREWS, of Rimpton, Sherborne, Dor set, contended that without the intervention of Go vernment authority at the outports nothing effec tual could be done. An animal imported at Soutt ampton the other day had communicated the disease to all the other animals in a park where it was intro duced, and all the animals had since died. He did not believe it possible for the most scientific men - to say what animals had the disease latent in them or not. The only plan by which the Government could stop the disease would be by establishing at every port arrangements for the slaughter of animals and the inspection of the flesh afterwards. Sound carcasses would then be sold as in the London meat markets, without any serious interruption to trade, at a time when supplies were greatly needed. lie concluded by suggesting that Government should be memorialised in favour of some such plan as he had ventured to recommend. Mr. W. A. BRUCE, of Ashley, Chippenham, said that as he lived in the immediate proximity to Mr. Skrine, of Warleigh, the " parish in the remote part of Somerset," where it was suggested that the disease had originated, he had much pleasure in informing the council, as the result of a very carefully con ducted examination, that there was not the slightest similarity between the symptoms of the disease af fecting Mr. Skrine's cattle and ,those which were represented as constituting the peculiarities of the so-called cattle plague. Mr. Bruce then gave a, minute description of the symptoms of the disease affecting Mr. Skrine's cattle, which were pronounced by several competent authorities to indicate nothing more nor less than the ordinary foot and mouth disease. After a long discussion, in which Sir J. I'. B. Duckworth, Mr.R. N. Grenville, M.P., Mr. Acland, M.P., and others took part, a committee was ap pointed to collect and disseminate information on the subject of the disease, and with authority to communicate with the chairmen and clerks of the Boards of Guardians in the several Unions of the six western counties. A motion to memorialise the Government to adopt a lditional precautions at the outports, in accordance wi!h the suggestions of Air. Andrews at an earlier stage of the proceedings, was negatived by a casting vote of the chairman. The committee at once proceeded to business, and determined upon a form of letter to the chairmen and clerks of Boards of Guardians in the Poor-law Unions in the counties of Somerset, Devon, Corn wall, ,Dorset, Wilts, and Gloucester, which was settled and approved, recommending the formation of Mutual Protection Associations, and the follow ing form of handbill of suggestions to stock-owners was ordered to be printed and circulated in the rural districts:— "1. That no cattle which have been recently purchased be allowed to join the stock on the farm, but be kept sepa rate from them in a distant part of the farm for not less than 14 days. "2. that when an animal shows symptoms of being in fected it be immediately removed from the herd, kept within some saparate shed, and placed under the care of a veterinary surgeon. "3. Should the existence of the disease in such animal be confirmed, it is recommended that the animal be destroyed and buried; that tho shed be carefully whitewashed with fresh lime or any other disinfectant ; and that all the re maining fodder, bedding, and dung be bestroyed by fire." HUNTINGDONSHIRE. A deputation of Huntingdonshire farmers waited upon the St. Ives bench of magistrates on Monday respecting the introduction of diseased cattle into the market. Mr. Nix, of Somersham Fen, inquired of the Bench whether they had any power to appoint an inspector to prevent the admission. of diseased cattle into their market, which was a very large one. He and other farmers saw many diseased cattle in the market that morning mxed with healthy stock, and if that were allowed the disease must be carried upon the farms. It was becoming a serious calamity, and he was sure the Bench would render them all the assistance in their power. The Rev. G. JOHNSTON (chairman of the Bench) said there was no power that would authorise them to appoint an inspector. He thought that if a peti tinn were drawn up and sent to the proper quarter it would be well considered. Mr. A. SPERLING (a magistrate) said that an order had been issued by the Privy Council respecting the city and neighbourhood of London, and he had no doubt that if a petition were for warded to the Home-office it would be extended to St. Ives. It would be proper to have a number of signatures attached to the petition, as it .was a very important matter to close a market. The Rev. G. JOHNSTON said the magistrates would send the petition for the deputation with their strongest recommendations. That would be the proper course to pursue. The deputation thanked the Bench, and promised to wait upon them again on Monday next. In consequence oWf (3 th ß e a r E e S p T or E te il d appearance of the Russian plague among the cattle in an adjacent county, the Market Committee of the Worcester Corporation convenetoluld a_ _ s b special meeting to cons id er what measures it would be advi sa bl e to adopt to prevent cattle so aff ec t e d from being rought to discussio n , Worcester market. After sonic r esolved to issue printed notices cautioilin' it was B against bringing diseased cattle to Worcester, and pointing out the penalties for such act under the 11th and 12th Victoria, cap. 107. Mr. 11. Perrens, veterinary surgeon, was also appointed to inspect all cattle brought to Worcester market until further notice, and the police were directed to assist in the seizure of any cattle that may be pronounced by the inspector to be diseased. The county agricultural society as yet has made no stir, but it is expected that a special meeting will be called on the subject. CUMBERLAND. The cattle plague has made its appearance in Cumberland. The tenant of the Whin Close Estate, Abbey liolme, has lost the whole of his milch cows by the disease within the space of three or four days. EDINBURGH. On Wednesday last we were enabled to state a fact which had naturally been studiously concealed by those concerned—that the dreaded " rinderpest" had appeared, and in some cases proved fatal, in Edinburgh. Since then the disease has continued to spread, as in England and the north of Scotland ; and among the stock of various keepers of dairy cows in town it either has been or threatens to be come destructive. In the sheds of the cowkeeper, to whose case we on Wednesday referred—and in which, we believe, the disease first showed itself here—from six to ten animals have died, and seve ral others were yesterday reported ill of the " new" disease. In another case six cows had yesterday died, one of them an animal for which over £2O was but a short time since paid —at least two were dying, and others were affected, as yet less slightly. In both cases the introduction of the disease is at tributed to infection from foreign cattle. In the second case the owner of the stock bought from a cattle dealer in the city market two cows which had come into the country from 'Tolland ; one of which from the first did not, we believe, appear in perfect health, though no suspicion seems to have been en tertained of the nature of the ailment. The disease, however, declared itself in both the animals ; other cows in the sheds began to exhibit the same symp toms; and five of the latter and one of the foreign brought animals had up to yesterday died, while the other foreign cow was affected past hope of recovery. It is plain that we did not draw attention to this un pleasant but important subject a moment too soon or too strongly, and that the Chamber of Agricul ture will have to do something more than consider and suggest when it meets on Wednesday. THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 16, 1865. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. EGHAM RACES. The rain this morning did not seem to have damped the ardour of the pleasure-seekers who annually flock to Runnymede. The South-Western specials were as crowded as ever, and there was about the usual attend ance of the neighbouring families. The King John Stakes witnessed the debut of Mr. Fisher's heavily engaged Derby colt Magician, who has lately figured in the few quotations at the Corner. He is a handsome colt, with a look of his sire, the Dutchman, about him, but his mien was not of a character to warrant his being classed as a candidate for Epsom honours. Sydmonton, with only Dr. Syntax to oppose him, for the ridiculous exhibition made by Black Playman put him out of the race from the start, found no difficulty in put ting her Majesty's Guineas to Lord Portsmouth's account. The Warrior again proved himself indifferent to weight in the Welter Stakes, and the Runnymede was carried off by the favourite, General Hess, in a canter. The Betting Stand Plato of 100 sovs (handicap), for all Naval and Military Intelligence. VALLETTA, Aug. 11.—By the arrrival of her Majesty's ship Chanticleer, 17, Commander W. F. Fenwick, on Tuesday last, letters for the squadron under the command of Sir Robert Smart have been received to the 4th of August. The Victoria, 102 (flagship) ; the Gibraltar, 81; the Orlando, 46; and the Enterprise, 4, ironclad, are at Rosas, a fishing village, where there is a fine anchorage. The officers were making occasional expeditions to Figueras and the French frontier, and the ships were constantly overrun with country people. The ironclads Re sistance, 16, and Royal Oak, 35, had gone to Mar seilles to coal, and were to rejoin the squadron in Rosas• bay. They were then to go to Genoa. On the arrival of the rest of the squadron, which were to leave Rosas on the 7th, they would proceed to Spezzia, in consequence of the Italian regulation prohibiting the admission of more than three vessels of war at one time. The ironclads will then leave Spezzia for Castellamare, making way for the other ships, which, in their turn, will most likely visit Spezzia and the Bay of Naples, but no definitive plans have been decided upon. The Tyrian gun boat, with mails for the squadron from Malta, ar rived in Rosas-bay on the 31st ult., and had to be sent to Barcelona for pratique, on account of the quarantine regulations. Letters leaving England between the 11th and 18th of August for the Vic toria, Gibraltar, and Orlando should be sent to Genoa, and after that to Spezzia. Sub-Lieut. F. 11. Chapman has been appointed from the Gibraltar to the Enterprise, and Sub-Lieut. A. H. Bradshaw from the Enterprise to the Gibraltar, thus effecting an exchange. Assist.-Paymaster W. Phillips, of the Victoria, and Mr. 11. H. Askew, midshipman, of the Orlando, have been invalided and gone home, via Marseilles. Her Majesty's ship Pelican, 17, Commander P. Cator, left Malta harbour on the Bth inst. for a cruise. 'The Gipsy, cutter, having on board Baron C. S. D'Everton, K.C.M.G„ left on the 3d inst. on return to the lonian Islands. The Jupiter, cutter, left on the 9th for Corfu; passengers, Capt. Davis, Mr. Watson, Mr. Simpson, and Mr. Clare mont. The Hahbir Surur, Egyptian steam yacht, arrived on the 4th inst. from Glasgow, Cardiff, and Gibraltar. An Egyptian screw steamer, the Samanut, arrived on Friday- from Alexandria, Ben ghazi, and Tripoli, haling on board 1,200 Mahome dan pilgrims returning from Mecca, among whom, it was reported, two or three deaths were occurring daily, from the hardships and fatigue of the voyage. As a matter of precaution, she was not admitted into the port, but sent round to the Bay of Mama sciroceo, at the back of the island, where she re ceived such necessaries as she required. After land ing her numerous passengers at Tunis, she will pro ceed to the Red Sea by the Cape of Good Hope, as she is intended to run between Suez and Djeddah, for the AzziziaCompany, to which she belongs. The Austrian screw steam frigate Novara, 50, Capt. R. Barry, arrived on Friday from llavannah and Gib ' raltar, and left on Saturday for Trieste. The Italian mail steamers have, as I announced in my last letter, resumed running to Malta by order of the Italian Government, with whom they have a contract ; but we still have difficulties in our correspondence with Sicily, owing to the panic which has seized the Sicilians in regard to cholera. The Archimedes, which brought the last mail, was, on her return to Syracuse, warned off, and threatened to be Bred into if she attempted to communicate with the shore. She was consequently obliged to go on to Messina, which caused two days' delay in the receipt of our letters, she having returned here on Thursday instead of Tuesday. Ensign Auberton arrived by the Syria from Southampton, and Lieut. Johnstone, 100th Regiment, arrived bythe Palestine from Liver pool. The Mediterranean Telegraph Company in tend to lay very shortly a second cable to Sicily from Malta, which will afford this island, with the one al ready existing, a double line of communication with the Continent and England. Nubar Pasha, the Egyp tian Finance Minister, is expected here to-day en route to Paris. Vessels have arrived from Gibraltar with "touched" bills of health, owing to two cases of cholera having occurred there among the troops. The Massilia, which takes this letter, proceeds at once to Marseilles, without taking passengers or goods, or even replenishing fuel, in order to arrive in pratique in Marseilles, where five days' quaran tine has been established on arrivals from Malta. Capt. F. Scott, C. 8., hoisted his broad pendant on board the Victory, at Portsmouth, yesterday morn ing, and assumed the command during the absence of Admiral Sir M. Seymour, K.C.B. The Liverpool, screw frigate, Capt. R. Lambert, has returned to Spithead, being detached from the Channel squadron, in consequence of having been in collision when getting under way from Portland. The extent of the damage has not been ascertained, but a number of shipwrights went on board yesterday to commence work upon her, and if not of any great extent, it will be completed without her coming into the harbour. The ironclad frigate Bellerophon, 16, 1,000-horse power, will, according to existing orders, be -in docked in about a fortnight, when she will imme diately make a trial of her engines and machinery, to ascertain their working. The whole of her ma chinery has now been fitted on board by Messrs. John Penn and Sons, contractors. The troops disembarked at Portsmouth dockyard from the hired transport Lady Melville yesterday morning, and were forwarded to the depots of their respective regiments. They were all time-expired men. Nine sergeants, 5 corporals, and 96 privates from various regiments serving in India; 9 soldiers' wives and 5 children ; also Capt. Warren, Royal Artillery (in command), Capt. Barwell (90th Regi ment) and lady, Lieut. Barber (97th Regiment), Dr. Johnson, R.N. (in medical change). Four deaths occurred during the voyage. The Lady Melville left Calcutta on the 19th of April, and called at St. Helena on the Ist of July. She still remains Spithead,a m t ,eaa,til:er eretnod lapirnoiiciegdetachments e waiting t o London,a f,oitr able change have arrived a t P em b roke Dock, of the and 6 t h 2 d Regiment e entire re giment is now quartered at the hut encampment, previously occupied by one of the depot battalions. Mrs. Lincoln (says the Chicago Republican) is living in perfect seclusion at the Hyde -park Hotel, on the shore of the lake, seven or eight miles from that city. Both her sons reside with her. Captain Robert Lincoln is study ing law in the office of Messrs. Scammon, M'Cagg, and Fuller, in Chicago, and goes there daily by the Illinois Central Railroad, to attend to his duties. ages. Entrance 2 sovs. Three-quarters of a mile. Mr. T. Hughes's Vigil, 6 yrs , 7st 31b (Priori 1 Mr. E. Brayley's Mongrel, h ...(M ay 3 yrs, 7 s t 51b ...ay 2 Lord A. G. Lennox's Vabalathus, 4 yrs, Bst 101 b (Buck 3 The following also ran : — Reindeer, Juliet, Confedera list, Thais, Discretion, and Hasketon Maid. Betting-2 to 1 agst Discretion, 4to 1 agst Reindeer, 6 to 1 agst Vigil, and 8 to 1 apt Mongrel and Th a i s . _ _ . Vigil jumped away with a slight load, followed by Rein deer, Discretion, Mongrel, and Vabalathus, Juliet lying in side, with Confederalist and Thais in the rear. At the dis tance the favourite was beaten, and Mongrel joining Vigil, the two raced home Mr. Hughes's horse winning cleverly by a neck; Vabalathus finishing two lengths behind the second, Hasketon Maid was fourth, Juliet fifth, and Dis cretion sixth. The two last were Confederalist and Thais. The Ankerwycke Stakes of 3 sous. each, with 50 added. For all ages. Selling allowances. Three quarters of a mile. Mr. A. Heathcoto's Balornock, 4 yrs, Bst 61b (421:) (Fordham) 1 Mr. B. Land's Lord of the Manor, aged, Bst 71b (.£2O J. Nightingalli 2 Mr. Hughes's Juneaton, 8 yrs, 7st 91b (ac) (Prior 3 The following also ran :—Physician, Odega, The Proc tor, Fair Lady, Oldbury; Mysterious Lady. Betting-6 to 4 (at first 4to 1) agst Juneaton, 7to 4 eget Balornock, 9 to 1 agst The Proctor, and 10 to 1 each agst Lord of the Manor and Odega. The running was made by Lord of the Manor, followed by Balornock next the rails and Juneaton, The Proctor in thA centre of the course heading the remainder. In this order they ran to the distance, whero Fordham took the favourite to tho front, and won very easily by a length. Three lengths between second and third ; The Proctor was fourth, and Physician fifth. The rest beaten off. Tho winner was bought in for 100 guineas. The King John Stakes, of 10 sous each, 5 ft, with 100 added, for 2-yr old colts, Bst 101 b, and fillies, Bst 71b. T.Y.C. 41 subs. Mr. F. Fisher's Magician, Bst 101 b (Hibberd) 1 Mr. Johnson's Katie (31b) Bst llb (Morris) 2 Mr. J. H. C. Wy n dh am ' s Ki ng Christian Bst 101 b (F. Adams) 3 The following also ran :—Exeter, Cesarewitch, Tor mentor, &Aim, Mother of Pearl, Pinchbeck, and Stag hound. Betting-2 to 1 agst Selim, 100 to 15 each agst Katie and King Christian, 7 to 1 agst Cesarewitch, and Bto 1 (at first 9 to 2) agst Magician. After one or two breaks away, in which Selim conspicu ously distinguished himself, the lot were despatched to a level start; Katie and Cesarewitch taking up the running, followed by Magician and King Christian, Selim lying next, and Pinchbeck in the rear. Before they had gone half a mile the favourite was beaten, and at the distance Magi cian came alongside of Katie, who, shaking off their horses, ran home together, the former winning by a head, with King Christian a bad third ; Selim was fourth, Cesarowitch fifth, Tormentor and Pinchbeck sixth and seventh. The Egham Stakes of 5 sous each, with 50 added, for all ages ; selling allowances. One mile. Mr. J. Kent, jun.'s, Castle Hill, 4 yrs, Est 101 b (carried Gst 121 b) (al)) (Covey 1 Mr. Mundy' s Gl en d us k , 4 yrs, 7 s t 61b (£lso)...(Hibberd 2 Mr. Betts us G ra ppl er, 3 yrs, E s t 91b (£200) (Foster 3 Sister Mary and Rapture also ran. Betting-11 to 8 agst Glendusk and 2to 1 agst Castle Hill. Grappler, in the centre of the course, Made play, followed by Rapture and Castle fill for the first half mile, when the latter took the lead, was never again headed, and won cleverly by half a length. A length between second and third. The winner was sold to Mr. J. Read for 100 guineas and Mr. Mundy claimed Grappler. Her Majesty's Plate of 100 guineas ; 3-yr-olds, Bst 51b ; 4- yr-ohl3, 9st 71b; 5-yr-olds, 6-yr-old; and aged, 9st 121 b, Two miles and a distance. Lord Portsmouth's Syclmonton, 3 yrs, Bst Mb (Fordham) 1 Mr. W. E. Jones's Dr. Syntax, 5 yrs, 9st 121 b (E. Sharp) 2 Mr. Ilotherington's Black Playinan, aged, 9st 12.1 b 0 Betting-100 to 12 on Sydmonton, who made all the running, and won easily by a length. Flack Playman pulled up half a mile from home. The Welter Stakes (handicap) of 10 sous eiteb, 3 ft, with 50 added. Gentlemen riders. Professionals Olb extra. One mile. Mi. W. Morris's The Warrior, 4 yrs, 12st 71b(Mr. Dixon) 1 Mr. Pyles's The Gunner, 5 yrs, lOst 41b...(Mr. Edwards) 2 Mr. T. Prico's Turcos, 5 yrs, lOst 61b (Mr. Hood) 3 Mr. Walker's Latitude, 3 yrs, 9st 141 b, inc 61b extra (Payne) 4 Betting-6 to 5 ngst Warrior, 3to 1 ngst Turco; 7to 2 egst The Gunner. The Gunner took up the running, followed by Latitude and Turcos, Warrior lying off to the distance, where the favourite came out, headed the leader, and won easily by a length ; a neck between The Gunner and Turcos. The Runnynaedo Stakes (handicap), of 10 sovs each, 3 ft, • - - - - - with 50 added ; for all ages. The second saved his stake. One mile. 24 subs, 9of whom paid forfeit. Mr. G. Angell's General Hess, aged, Bst 31b..(T.French 1 Mr. G. 11. Dyke's Dayrell, 3 yrs, Gst 51b (Mordan 2 Mr. Hodgman's Vixen, 3 yrs, 7st 121 b (Morris 3 Cadiz, Filbert, Outlaw, and Ascot also ran. • Betting-7 to 4on General Hess. and oto 2 agst Outlaw. The lead was taken by Filbert, followed by Vixen and General Hess, for the first three-quarters of a mile, when the favourite went to the fore, and won in a canter by three lengths ; a head b9tween second and third ; Outlaw and Ascot beaten off. RADCLIFFE RACES-TUESDAY. The Bolton Plate of 50 soy; for all ages. Ono mile. Mr. Barber's The Cutler, 6 yrs, 7st 61b (Ward) 1 Mr. T. Cliff's Alice Lee, 4 yrs, 7st 121 b (Maidment) 2 Mr. Redhead's My Mary, 6 yrs ; Bst 101 b (H Grimshaw) 3 Betting-6 to 5 agst My Mary, sto 4 agst Alice Leo, and 3 to 1 agst The Cutler. Won easily by two lengths ; half a length between second and third. The Craven Two-yr-old Handicap of 5 sous oach, with 40 added. About six furlongs. Mr. Handley's Retrousse, Bst 1113, inc 51b ei(H.Grimshaw) 1 Mr. D. George's Mrs. Wallet, 7st 121 b (Brittan) 2 Mr. C. Clayton's Pretty Queen, 7st 21b (Jamieson) 3 Mr. R. Walker's The IsTailor, 7st 111 b (Tomlinson) 4 Mr. J. Merone's Indulgence, 7st 61b (Carroll) 5 Betting-9 to 4on Retrousse, 6to 1 agst Mrs. Wallet, 7to 1 agst Pretty Queen. Won in a canter by a length ; five lengths between second and third ; the others beaten off. The Grey de Wilton Cup (Handicap) of 100 sows. Abou one mile and a half. Mr. T. Cliff's The Lizard, 3 yrs, sst 91b (S. Kenyon 1 Mr. E. Buckley's Success, 3 yrs, Est 121 b (Carroll 2 Mr. J. Merono's Terror, 3 yrs, sst 131 b ...(R. Challoner 3 Mr. Slater's Dubiety, 3 yrs, sst 131 b (H. Sharp 4 Lord Wilton's Attack filly, 3 yrs, Est 31b...(Sherrington 5 Betting-7 to 2on Success, 6to 1 agst Terror, 10 to 1 agat any other. Won by three lengths ; four lengths be tyre= second and third ; the others beaten off. The Chesterfield Cup (Handicap) of 50 sovs in specie, added to a sweepstakes of 5 SOTS each, once round and a • distance (one mile 240 yards). Mr. Barber's Cutaway, 4 yrs, 7st 21b (Ward) 1 Mr. E. Buckley's Wynnstay, aged, Bst 61b (11. Grintshaw 2 Mr. J. Foy's Godmersham, 3 yrs, 6st 71b (Carroll 3 Mr. Delamere's Breffni, 3 yrs, Gst llb (inc. Mb extra) (R. Challoner) 4 Betting-2 to 1 agst Godmersham, sto 2 agst Wynn stay, 3to 1 each agst Cutaway and Breffni. Won by six lengths; same between second and third; Breffni beaten off. Tho Scurry Handicap of 2 nova each, with 25 added, About six furlongs. Mr. T. Cliff's Alice Lee, 4 yrs, Bst (Maidmenl 1 Mr. Turner's Desdemona, 4 yrs, 7st 71b......(T0m1in50n 2 Mr. Barber's The Cutler, 6 yrs, Bst 101 b (Ward 3 Mr. T. Cliff's Rose of Denmark, 4 yrs, 7st 91b (car. ist 131 b) (IL Grimshaw) 4 Mr. W. Phillips's Jolly Boy, aged, 6st (Kenyon) 5 Betting-2 to 1 each agst Alice Lee and The Cutler, 3to 1 agst Jolly Boy, 4to 1 agst Rose of Denmark. Won by two lengths ; half a length between second and third ; bad fourth. Royal Victoria Yacht Club Regatta. - RYDE, Tuesday, Aug. 15. Tuesday morning, like its predecessor, was ushered in by strong south-westerly wind and rain, which rendered the atmosphere the whole morning an impenetrable mass of obscurity. The match on the Regatta card was for the second Rydo Cup, given by the inhabitants of tho town, who intrusted the design to Mr. A. B, Barnad, of Pier-street, Ryde. It is a very handsome vase in frosted slyer surmounted by lotus leaves and flowers ; the cover corresponds, and is surmounted by a yachtsman leaning on an anchor There were very few persons on the pier to witness the match, which only occupied two-and-a-half hours. The match was open to all yachts over 20 tons belonging to any Royal Yacht Club. Once round the Victoria course. Time race. Half Ackers' scale. Thames measurement. The following yachts entered : Name. Class. Tons. Owner. Volante Meteor schooner... 194 ... Mr. T. Brassey. Marina Niobe Astarte Christabel cutter 51 Mr. A. C. Kennard. The Marina and Niobe did not take up their stations, and the Astarte, although at the station moorings, did not start. The Christabel could not get to her station before the starting gun was fired. At 11 a.m.the yachts were started over the eastern portion of the course with the strength of the east-running tide and S.W. wind. !Both vessels had two reefs down in their fore sails, with their topmasts housed. The Volante set a small working jib, the Meteor two, besides a reefed forestaysail. At starting the Meteor was a long distance to windward of the Volante, and the vessel could not be got round before thowind for five or six minutes; the Volante, on the other hand, was particularly alert in getting under way, and by the time the Meteor had canted was well towards the Sand's Head Buoy. From this point the yachts became totally obscured by the blinding mist-like rain, and of their progress to the Nab we knew nothing, beyond the fact that tho sea dis turbance towards the lightship must have enabled the Me teor, from her greater power, to come up slightly with the Volante ; but she never overcame the time lost at starting. They appeared in sight again at 12.20, the gale-like breeze having somewhat abated, the weather being still full of drizzling rain. They passed the Pier on their way to the West Buoy of the middle off Osborne at— H. M. S. H. M. s. Volante In ten minutes they were again lost to view, and no ob servations on the events of the match could bo made until they again appeared in sight at 1.20, with sheets eased off, running for the station, where they arrived, terminating the match at— 11. M. B. 11. M. s. Volante The Volante took the prize, having to receive 58 seconds time allowance from the Meteor. The annual ball took place at the Club-house last night, and was very numerously attended. The prizes given by Messrs. Broadwood and Morice will be sailed for round the Owers Lightship on Thursday, and on Friday the Commodore's Cup will be sailed for round the Isle of Wight. THE GREAT SAILING-BARGES' RACE. The first sailing-barge match suggested by Mr. Harry Dodd, the contractor, took place in 1863, and so well did it succeed that it was repeated in 1864. It was then under the management of the Prince of Wales Yacht Club, and was a great improvement on that of the preceding year, nearly 40 barges competing. This year, however, the management of the affair was intrusted to a committee composed of the following gentlemen, well known on the Corn Exchange, and members of the Thames and Medway General Craftowners' Association .—J. H. Downs (chair man), H. Dodd, J. Flower, W. H. Fuller, E. Shelbourne, W. Vokings, and T. W. Rogers (secretary). Besides the necessary expenses of a steamboat, &c., the committee were enabled to give away £llO in prizes. Tho first class of vessels competing consisted of topsail barges, maximum tonnage, 100 tons burden. For these were given —First prize, £lB cup to the owner, and £lO 10s. to the crow ; second prize, £l2 cup to the owner, and £5 ss. to the crew ; and third prize, £8 cup to the owner, and £3 3s. to the crew. No time was allowed for differ ence of tonnage. The following barges entered :—The Waterloo, 60 tons, Mr. Boakes ; the Perseverance, 100 tons, Mr. Bromley ; the British Queen, 75 tons, Messrs. Lee, Son, and Smith ; the S. Taylor, 90 tons, Mr. Wood, jun. ; the Surprise, 90 tons, Mr. West ; the Britannia, 100 tons, Messrs. Court and Co. ; the Esthor and Jessie, 80 tons, Mr. Collyer ; the Matilda and Amy, 90 tons, Mr. Willett ; the Robert, 80 tons, Mr. Sivers ; the Agnes, 100 tons, Mr. Parker ; the Arthur, 85 tons, Mr. Brand; the Henry, 100 tons, Mr. Hill ; the Harriet, 85 tons, Mr. Blake ; the, John and Sarah, 90 tons, Mr. Hall ; the Frances, 88 tons, Mr. Burley ; the Caroline, 90 tons, Mr. Howard ; the Now Fairy, 70 tons, Mr. Eltham ; the Swale, 100 tons, Mr. Jordan; the Jabez, 100 tons, Messrs. Ellis and Son; the Robert Stone, 85 tons, Mr. Stone ; the Sara and Eliza, 70 tons, Mr. Watts; the Henry and Clara, 85 tons, Messrs. Stone and Co. Thesecond class of vessels competing were stump-rigged barges, maximum tonnage 80 tons burden. For this were given :-Ist prize, £l5 cup to the owner, and £lO to the crew; 2d prize, £lO cup to the owner, and £5 to the crew; 3d prize, £7 cup to the owner, and £3 to the crew. No time was allowed for difference of tonnage. The following barges entered :—The Emma, 80 tons, Mr. Peters; the Henry, Messrs. Ellis and Son ; the Jesse, 75 tons, Mr. Jacob ; the City, 42 tons, Mr. Dodd ; the Volante, 50 tons, Mr. T. F. Woods ; the Maria, 75 tons. Mr. C. Wood ; the George, 70 tons, Mr. G. E. Wood; the Samuel, 75 tons, Messrs. Leo, Son, and Smith ; the Rose of England, 70 tons, Mr. Eltham; the Charles, 75 tons, Mr. C. Wood; the Elizabeth, 70 tons, Messrs. E. Downs and Co. ; the Blackfriars, 80 tons, Messrs Lee, Son, and Smith ; the Elizabeth, 80 tons, Messrs. Peters ; the Tyne, 70 tons, Gray's Chalk Quarries Com pany ; the Queen Charlotte, 77 tons, Mr. Depcke ; and the Joseph, 80 tons, Mr. Peters. The course in both classes was from Erith to the Noro lightship and back. The Sea Swallow (Capt. Read) was the committee boat ; the Elfin carried Mr. 11, Dodd and a large party. Mr. George Harrison, Commodore of the Prince of Wales Club, had consented to bo - umpire of the match, and he, as office: of the day, was received on board the Swallow at Erith. The signal to start was fired at 10 53. Tho Prances, Sarah, Eliza, Henry and Clara, and Arthur being far below the others, and all with their heads down, there was no fouling as they got away with a good breeze from south, and a little rain. The following woro tho times at which the vessels rounded the Nore:— 11. M. S. H. M. S. Agnes (topsail) 1 44 0 Natilda and Anny... 1 46 50 Surprise (topsail) 1 45 7 Henry (topsail)..... 1 47 30 Francis (topsail) 146 8 llobt. Stone(tpsail) 147 40 Several others followed in close order, the time of the first four stump barges being as under : H. M. S. H. M. 8. Maria 1 57 10 Volante 2 2 20 Charles . - Tho time of the others was not taken. The wind had now strengthened considerably, and as the topsail barges rounded in the squalls they struck their topsails ; the Agnes carried away her back stay falls, the Henry's topmast came down with a run as she jibed at the Nor° with her topsail up; the Swale rounded minus her bowsprit, and other casualties occurred too various to mention. Tho Persever ance rounded much the best of the lot, and considerably improved her position, and the Surprise, which had rounded badly, fell off considerably. Tho wind had gone more to W., and the barges reached to the Mucking Light. The British Queen, and Sara and Eliza created considerable excitement bycoming to the buoy together, and so rounding; the Queen being the nearest to the lightship, made the cleanest turn, and soon left her consort astern. Various were the changes in position as they reached up to the Hope, and then made two boards. The Swale passed the Robert Stone and S. Taylor. The barges were timed as follow at the finish : Topsails. u. M. S. Stumps. M. M. s. Winner, Agnes 2d, Surprise 5 24 45 2d, Charles 3d, Matilda and Amy 5 28 30 3d, Elizabeth 6 11 45 The prizes were then presented by Mr. Harrison with the usual compliments. The first six barges will contend on Tuesday, tho 29th. inst., over the same course, for two prizes, value £25 each, ono presented by Mr. Dodd and tho other by tho fund The winner of each will be entitled to rank as tho cl - bargo of 1865. FISHING AND SPIRITUALISM.--Messrs. Sothern and Addison, the celebrated mediums, who have laboured so successfully in disabusing the publio respect ing the Devonport impositions, &c., have been exercising their talents in regard to the denizens of the deep in a most startling manner—no less than 5 cwt. being taken by them with three lines in the short space of six hours and a half. How can the Spiritualists account for this?— &arboraugh Mercury. A YEAR IN CHANCERY.—The number of people who get into Chancery in a year is considerable, and the business done in Chancery in a year swells up to a large amount. The clerks of records and writs report that last year there were 2,280 suits instituted by bill or information, and administration and other originating summonses bring the number to 2,969, which is almost precisely the average of the preceding five years. The Lord Chancellor's secre tary reports 1,539 attendable petitions, and the secretary at the Rolls 539 petitions set down for hearing, under rail way and other Acts, and not being petitions in causes. The courts heard in the course of the year 2,066 causes in some stage or other, and though the number is above the average, more were waiting for hearing at the end of the year than at the beginning. 3,905 orders were made upon the hearing of petitions or special motions; 12,356 orders wore drawn up in the registrar's offices ; 367 cases were referred to the conveyancing counsel of the court and at chambers ; 416 titles and other matters were directed to be investigated by the conveyancing counsel. Some idea of the business done at " chambers" may be formed from an item in the returns, showing that 43,842 appointments by summons, adjournment, or otherwise, were disposed of in the year ; 494 sales of estates were made under orders of the Court. The Lord Chancellor sat in court GO days, the Lords Justices 148, the Master of the Rolls 154, the three Vice-Chancellors 166, 167, and 169 days respectively, making a total of 864 days, being 32 more than in the pre ceding year. The money and securities brought into court reached the large amount of nearly £21,000,000, ex ceeding by nearly £1,500,000 the amount taken out of court. 7,210 bills of costs wore taxed, amounting together to £756,139. Tho eagles gather to the carcase, and 428 new solicitors were admitted in the year; they were charged 375. each on the occasion. With the exception of the first item in this paragraph, all the numbers are above the average of the preceding five years, some of them greatly above it. IADVERT ISEMENT.I-11olloway's Pills.—Enfeebled Exis tence.—This medicine embraces every attribute required in a general and domestic remedy ; it overturns the foun dations of disease laid by indigestible food and impure air. In obstructions or congestions of the liver, lungs, bowels, or any other organ, these pills are especially serviceable and eminently successful. T hey should be kept in every family, as they are a medicine without a fault for young persons and those of feeble constitutions. They never cause pain or irritate the most sensitive nerves or most tender bowels. Holloway' s pill s are th e best known puii fiers of the blood, and the best promoters of absorption and secretion, which remove all poisonous and obnoxious par ticles from both solids and fluids. SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIO JOURNALS TIMES.—The embarrassments of the Mexican question, though not unexpected, are beginning to assume unwelcome prominence, and the dilemma, it must be confessed, is compl e t e enough to disturb the most prudent of Governments. The Americans have now brought their civil war to a close, and if they are burdened with an enormous debt, they have scarcely yet felt its pressure, and are contemplating their prospects with characteristic confidence and unabated energies. They have powerful armies still on foot, conducted by able and successful generals ' • their navy is still formidable, an d a ll th e means of campaigning exist in readiness and abun dance. Under these circumstances they are left to consider a kind of national challenge, given at a time when they were unable to attend to it, but still dis played openly before them and the world. The Emperor of the French, in organising and effecting the conquest of Mexico, set the famous Monroe Do ctrine at defiance. He did what the Americans had declared no European Power should ever be per mitted to do. He established a monarchical Govern ment under the protectorate of France upon the American continent, and he holds his ground with as much success and as hopeful a prospect as such an enterprise admitted. Mexico is actually an empire ruled by a European Sovereign, supported by European bayonets. The Americans must either let all this pass, or they must resent it at the cost of war, and the perplexities of the alternative may be inferred from the contradictory reports which have recently reached us. In one part of our in telligence yesterday it was stated that the Ameri cans would almost certainly fight ; 'in another, and that happily the latest, it is authoritatively an nounced that the army on which this fighting would have devolved is to be immediately disbanded. We should hail such a decision with unalloyed satisfac tion, but it is probable nevertheless that the question is rather suspended than resolved. The Ameri cans cannot fail to draw encouragement from the notorious difficulties of the case itself. They know full well that France has got a bad bargain, and that Frenchmen are perfectly alive to the fact. France would not only have to fight the United States at a great disadvantage, but she would be fighting for a prize held in no kind of esteem. For once, war and conquest have proved unpopular in France, and there is scarcely a party or class in the State which does not regard the Mexican expedition with strong dislike. Nor is the Emperor himself at all insensible to the charges and risks of the enterprise. It has cost him much as it stands, and has returned very little ; add an American war to the account, and the result would be alarming. Naturally, therefore, the Americans imagine that a time must come when a decided word quietly spoken by their Government would induce the Emperor to take a step, which, after all, would be taken in his own interest and to the certain satisfaction of his subjects. Of such ex pectations a temporising policy is the natural result. At present any decisive action would only end in war, for the Emperor has said as 'much, and war the Americans are not disposed to provoke. So they reserve the question, in hopes that time and events may bring about a more acceptable solution. This is prudent policy—mere prudent even than It appears, for not only may it be reasonably doubted whether a time is even in prospect at which it would be for the advantage of the Americans to relieve the French of their conquest, but it is questionable whether Mexico would be worth their having even without the war which it would cost. Their intestine con flict is over, but as yet there has been no political reconciliation. The South has abandoned its hopes of national independence and its attempts at mili tary rivalry, but it has resumed with singular bold ness its political antagonism. The restoration of the Union proceeds with a greater fidelity to the origi nal than anybody had anticipated. The recon structed South will, to all appearance, be precisely the South of former days—just as hostile to the North, just as unsympathetic and discordant as before. The annexation of Mexico would simply be the addition of so much weight to the Southern element in the Union—of so much power to the Southern party in politics. It must be understood, too, that inter vention necessarily means annexation and nothing else. If the Americans were to dislodge the French from Mexico, they must step into the vacancy created. Upon that point there is no question. None know better than the Americans theniselves that the Mexicans are incapable of self-government, and that what was projected by an alliance of European Powers, accepted by all as a necess ity, and finally accomplished by France, was a proceed ing absolutely inevitable at some time or other. It is sheer absurdity to think of " Mexico for the Mexicans," or to imagine any practicable party of natives or patriots. The Republic of Mexico had become a hopeless and insufferable nuisance. 'The Americans expected in good time to abate it them selves, but the impatience of the world became too strong for them, and while they were otherwise occupied the work was undertaken by France. H they were now to relieve France of the duty, it would be for the sake merely of a speculative principle, and at the cost of troubles, even apart from war, more serious than those now weighing on the French. France at any rate suffers no political or adminis trative embarrassment from her Mexican enterprise. It is a costly and unremunerative investment, but that is all. In American hands it might prove a national calamity. So long as Mexico is reorganised upon the model of civilised States, it signifies little to whose hands the work is committed. From a European point of view the difference between French and American agency in the matter is not important, but as the enterprise was a most ungrateful one, and by no means easy, we should certainly regret to see it impeded in the present stage of its progress. The Emperor of the French has now achieved con siderable success in substituting the responsibilities of a regular Government for the hopeless anarchy and rampant brigandage into which Mexican life had been resolved. Nor is it doubted that this success will be gradually completed. Throughout the United States it is confessed that unless the Government of Washington interferes, an effective and permanent Government will be consolidated in Mexico under the sceptre of Maximilian, and this obvious prospect is alleged as an argument for immediate intervention. We should be sorry to see such advantages destroyed. The duty is not a duty which the Americans need covet. It is not much relished by those who perform it, and nothing but a principle as abstract as the Monroe Doctrine itself would induce them to defend by arms their title to the burden. It would be a hard thing to fight for a loss, and yet that would be the condition of a war for Mexico. Such a case haddbetter be left as it stands. To the Americans even the mineral wealth of Mexico would be so much superfluity. They possess already in their unexplored and uninhabited. territories such mines of riches as almost surpass calculation. Mexico could add nothing to all this, but it could take a great deal away. It promises little good to any body, but Maximilian, by the aid of his friends, is making the best of the bargain, and has got the worst of it over. If the Americans were now to undo what has been done, and recommence the work themselves, they would probably h e th e fi rst to acknowledge thatl the Monroe Doctrine had been maintained at a cost out of all proportion to its essential value. HERALD.—How to lay the Atlantic telegraph cable, and how to stop the cattle plague, are two knotty problems 'which occupy a considerable share of public attention at the present time. As usual, under the pressure of exciting circumstances, there is abundance of advice ; but the practical value of the several prescriptions does not readily appear. In regard to the cattle plague, everybody feels that something ought to be done, for to lose our chops, steaks, and prime joints is a contingency not to be endured. In justice to the farmers and graziers it must be admitted that they have shown a very commendable alacrity in organising themselves on a system of defence and mutual assistance. The land-owning interest also displays a disposi tion to come forward and aid the tenant farmers in their struggles against the devouring murrain. The times are getting rather hard for John Bull. The sturdy Briton looks up at the weeping skies and longs for a dry day to carry his corn. While thinking about his loaf he is reminded of his beef. A potato blight is bad enough, but an infectious typhoid fever among the ox tribe is even worse. There is something the matter with the milk jug, and there is a story of some inhuman ex perimentalist who tested the character of the lacteal supply by dosing a kitten with milk until the un happy little a n i ma l di e d as e ffectually as if ithad been poisoned. It is an essential feature of the cattle plague that it directly tends to increase the expense of house-keeping. Our advertising columns lately contained an announcement that sundry cow keepers and dairyrn H enha s d te h a e d, held and unanimouslyameeting atthe Britannia Tavern, Hampstead, resolved " that in consequence of the great loss of stock from disease and the high price of provisions" the price of milk should be advanced to sd. per quart. Dear milk doubtless means dear butter and dear cheese ; but the London dairymen appear to think that as provisions in general have gone up in price milk ought not to be an exception. B u tt er i s already outrageously dear, and as for milk, the annual deficiency of the rainfall, the disappearance of parishes pumps, and the peril which besets the metropolitan water supply owing to the neglected . state of the Thames above Staines, may suggest the possibility that even milk-and -water will become a luxury for the rich rather than an article of diet for the poor. It is not within our province to calculate how much water goes to the composition of a pail of milk ; it is enough for us to know that the milk of commerce—as the chemists would say—is hence forth to be sd. per quart. The resolution fails to specify anything about " further notice," so we presume that the days of fourpenny milk are for ever gone. England without beef is a picture of desolation which we dare not contemplate. Philo sophers already speculate on the consequences of the physique and morale of the nation to be apprehended from a deficiency of animal food. A rise in the price of beef, also, has an influence on all the ele ments of our national dietary. It is equivalent, in fact, to a further depreciation in the value of gold. If all our cattle were of home growth this would be of less consequence, for while our currency declined in value our stock would rise. But we are import ing eattle to an extent which tells us that what we pay for meat goes very largely into the pocket of the foreigner. As a great meat-eating people we are drawing our dinners from all Europe, and not merely from our own pastures. We have at length gone as far as Russia, and from that empire we are said to have brought the taint which now threatens our herds with sickness and death. It is difficult, however, to trace the actual connection between the disease which exists in Russia and that which is now beginning to afflict our own country. No cattle suffering from the steppe mur rain have been detected among the importations received on our own shores, and where the disease distinctly shows itself among our cowsheds and pas tures it seems to have a preference for the English stock. So far as rigid proof is concerned the foreign salesmen have rather the best of the argument. Nor is it easy to conceive that the malady can continue latent in the foreign cattle during the whole period of their transit from Russia to England, only to be manifested after the animals are fairly mingled with the English stock. There is an unquestionable mystery in the propagation of this ruinous disease, and the positive language of Professor Gamgee does not make the matter any clearer, however satisfac tory it may be to his own mind to disdain all argu ment with those who may dispute his dictum. The ascertained facts are these—that the murrain which has killed so large a proportion of the London dairy cows corresponds in its symptoms and fatality with the well-known murrain of the Russian and Hun garian steppes. This disease is not indigenous to our clime, and although presentin England from 1745 to 1757, was then traced to the importation of some Dutch calves, and by rigorous measu r es w as at length extirpated. From that time to this we appear to have been free from it. How then does it come among us at the present time, after so long an interval ? Bearing in mind that the disease is essentially foreign in its character it is reasonable to conclude that it comes to us from abroad. But how does it come to us if we cannot trace the disease in the animals which are landed at our ports ? May it be that cattle not themselves diseased are yet able to transmit the infection ? For instance, it is said in regard to our own English stock that sheep which do not themselves imbibe the disease are yet able to communicate from one herd of cows to another. If a cattle-truck may carry infection, much more may cattle and sheep. Is it not, also, a generally received principle that a contagious disease will often rage with peculiar violence in a new area? Where a disease has raged before it seems to have less power for further mischief. Hence our home stock may take the virus when the more seasoned foreigners are able to resist it. We do not pretend to speak with certainty as to the actual mode in which the murrain propagates itself. Neither do we think that even the most -learned professors of the veterinary art are as yet so fami liar with this curious bovine disease as to be entitled to decide authoritatively concerning it. Professor Symonds, indeed, has spoken with some reservation on the subject. He declares the disease to belong specially to Russia, Austria, and the Danubian pro vinces. Westward of this region the complaint is never known, except as conveyed thither by cattle already diseased, or possessing the complaint in the stage of incubation. Sanitary regulations almost forbid the idea of the former method, and the incu bation theory alone remains to account for the occa sional appearance of the disease beyond its proper line, unless the theory of transmission by i n f ec ti on be adopted. We are surprised that Professor Sy monds did not refer more distinctly to this latter hypothesis, for, after acknowledging that th e pre cise mode by which the disease propagated itself was " a knotty point," he went on to say that sheep transferred from an unhealthy to a healthy herd would convey the contagion as surely as the diseased cows themselves—a fact which . fully harmonises with all that is said as to the danger of infected sheds, trucks, and roadways. Our columns tell from 'lay to day the lamentable spread of this dis ease, and although extensive districts are yet un affected by it, the scourge is making itself felt from the coast of Devonshire to the heart of Scotland. Fresh orders in council make their appearance, and England and Wales are placed under a sort of epizootic interdict. Great meetings of the agricul tural interest are being held in our county and market towns, large subscriptions are being raised to provide compensation for slaughtered and buried beasts, veterinary inspectors are being appointed wherever the disease shows itself, measures of iso lation and extermination are both propounded and acted upon, and the principal remaining question is in reference to the importation of foreign stock. On this latter point a correspondent in our columns to day offers some special suggestions, while in another communication will be found some professional ad vice as to the treatment of diseased cattle. If the murrain be not in the nature of an epidemic, sweep ing through the atmosphere, and striking, like the lightning flash, unawares, it may be hoped that the rigorous precautions which are now being adopted will prove sufficient for the purpose. No doubt there will be great loss, even at the best ; but it is one thing to let the disease run riot through the country, and another to keep it within the nar rowest bounds which prudence and energy can command. COUNTRY MARKETS BRIS TOL—TUESDAY. At our market to-day there was an unusually large at tendance and a good business done in best qualities—old foreign wheats at 3s. per qr. above last Tuesday's prices. Grinding barley Gd. dearer. Maize firm, mixed American, 30s. to 31s. per 4801 b. LIVERPOOL-T UESDAY. At to-day's market there was a good attendance of town dealers and of millers from the country. The weather con tinuing wet there was an active inquiry for wheat, but the checked ma d f osrale consumption,s,and eve have he only re porthigh a improve mentprices of the week being 6 d. to Bd. per rental ; th ere was,mod ear asked t k e e d d e however, a good deal done on speculation. The market was very firm at the close. Flour met a very ready sale, and we raise our quotations 2s. 6d. to 3s. per sack and ls. 6d. per barrel. Oats were rather dearer, but the sale was slow. Oatmeal unchanged. Beans ls. dearer. Indian corn was in moderate request, at an advatice of 9d. to ls. per qr. Galatz brought from 325. 6d. to 335., and mixed American, 318.6 d. to 325. per 4801 b. LEEDS—TUESDAT. We have moderate arrivals of grain to this day's market. The weather during the past week has been very unsettled, and impeded harvest operations, and we have to report a fair trade in wheat, at 2s. to Be. per qr. advance upon last Tuesday. Barley, oats, and beans aro each the turn dearer. The average prices for the week ending Aug. 14 were Wheat, 43s nil per qr. ; barley, 29s 101 d ; and oats, —s Od. NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME—Mospay. There was a fair supply of wheat at our market to-day, samples being in varied condition. The .demand was firm at fully 2s. per qr. over late currencies. White sorts 465. to 535.; red, 43s to 48s. per 38 stone. The show of barley was small, and late rates were maintained. Oats in demand and sold at a small advance on late rates. Beans held firmly, and prices the turn higher. MARKET HARBOROUGH.—TvEsnA, New white wheat, 43s lto 48s ; new red, 39s to 43s per 30 stone. Barley, fine, 35s ; other kinds, 28s to 30s per qr. Oats, new, 22s to 24s ; old, 25s to 28s per qr. Beans, old, 40s to 425; new, 34s to 38s per qr. MONMOUTHSHIRE-MONDAY. The attendaonce at the local markets of the county hag not been large of either buyers or sellers during the last few days, and only a s mall business was tra nsacte d . In ; andthi hass :_ materially w c h h e e a c t l:e 5: the wheat trade the unfavourable weather f or h arvest i ng has had the effect of sendin gprices up 2d. to 3d. per b us h e l , ' barley, 3 8 2d to Be 8d ; oats, 25 and in some instancesarerbu4;de average quotations t ii r dd a T n tt ooh s aes2esst followingi 8 0 7 n d s . . p per shetlh Births DI om.—On the 13th inst., at 16, Headland's Park, Ply mouth, the wife of Captain Dirom, R.E., of a daugh ter. 1 1 0MFRAY.—On the 14th inst., at Woodlands, Monmouth shire, tho wife of L. Augustus B.omfray, Esq., of a daughter. DAVIS—KING.—On the 12t Marriages h inst., at St. George's, Hanover square, Harry Louis Davis, C.E., of Mount-street, Gros venor-square, to Blanche Louisa Percy, second daughter of William M. King, Esq., G.P.0., 5, Eulstrode-street, Cavendish-squa.re, W. ARTLEY-SALTER.-011 tho 15th inst., at the parish church of St.Marylebone, Joseph Hartley, L.L.M., bar rister-at-law, of the Inner Temple, to Lucy Adnam, only child of the late Georgo L. Salter. Deaths. BOYCOTT.—On the 13th inst., the Rev. Arthur W. Boycott, perpetual curate of Aldeby, Norfolk, aged 35. GRIPPER.—On the 12th inst., at 16, St. Leonard's-terrace, Maida-hill west, Thomas B. Gripper, of the Admiralty, Somerset House, Esq., eldest son of the late J. J. Gripper, of Hertford, Esq., aged 29. lIELLIVIANN.—On the 12th inst., suddenly, at Club Cham bers' Regent-street, Christi= Hellmann, Esq., formerly of Lisaa, aged 67. London : Printed and Published by %I'LL LIAM ANDREW a • of No. 112, Strand, hinter, at I'm: Surf Office, No la. Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in ttl Coitnty Or biiddleees.• , --Wednesday, August 16, 1866. I