The Sun. — London, England, 1865-03-22 00:00:00

THE ATR E-R OYA L, DRURY-LANE, Managers, Messrs. E. Falconer and F. B. Chatterton. THIS EVENING, a New Farce, GOING TO THE DOGS. After which. 6hakspere's Play of ROMEO AND JULIET. Messrs. Walter Montgomery. Walter Lacy, H. Marston, G; Belmore ; and Miss Helen Fatten. Concluding with the Opening of the Pantomime, HOP 0' MY THUMB AND HIS ELEVEN BROTHERS; or, the Ogre of the Seven-League Boots; terminating with the Grand Transformation Scene ; Miss Lydia Thompson, &a HEATRE-ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Lessee, Mr. Buckstone. THI3 EVENING, THREE WEEKS AFTER MAR RIAGE. Mr. Chippendale, Mr. W. Farren; Miss Nelly Moore, Miss Snowdon, &c. After which, a New Sensation, THE WOMAN IN MAUVE : blessrs. Sothern, Compton, Howe, Farren, Braid, White, Weathersby, Butler, &c. Mesdames Stuart, Lovell, Buckstone, And EASY SHAVING. Miss Louise Keeley, Miss F. Wright ; Mesas. Clark, Gordon, Rogers, &c. To commence at 7. NEW THEATRE-ROYAL, ADELPI3I. dole eronrietor and Manager, Mr. B. Webster. THIS EVENING the performance ells mmence with T H 141 STEEPLECHASE ; or, In the Pki Mesbrs. J. L. Toole, Paul Bedford ; Miss K. Kelly. After which, THE LOVE CHASE. Wildrake (his origi nal character), Mr. B. Webster. Messrs. Billington, Ashley, Stephenson. Widow Green ,Bth time), Mrs. dia Stirling; Con stance (Bth time), Miss Henrietta Simm s ; Ly (her eignth appearance), Miss Sophie Young. To conclude with THE AREA BELLE. Messrs. J. I. Toole, Paul Bedford, and Mrs. A. Mellon. Commence at 7. OYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. Under the Sole Management of Mr. Fechter. THIS EVENING, THE ROADSIDE INN. Robert Ma caire, Mr. Emery, Bertrand, Mr. H. Widdicomb ; Messrs. C. Horsman, Fitzpatrick, Moreland, Garden, Raymond, Collett; Miss E. Lavenu and Miss Elsworthy. To be followed by THE STRANGER. The Stranger, Mr. Ryder ; Mrs. Haller, Mdlle. Beatrice ; Messrs. Widdi comb, Horsman, Fitzpatrick, M'lntyre, Garden, Raymond ; Bliss M. fienrade, E. Lavenu, and Mrs. C. "foreman. Doors open at Hali-past Six. The Box-office open daily from Eleven till Five. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE. Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. Geo. Vining. THIS EVENING, a new Farce, by Mr. David Fisher, entitled HEART-STRINGS AND FIDDLE-STRINGS. After which, ABRAM NA POGUE : Messrs. Dion Ronci eault, J. Brougham, H. Vandenhofl. 1). Fisher, D. Murray; Mrs. Boucicauit and Miss M. Oliver. To conclude with AN AMPLE APOLOGY. ROYAL STRAND THEATRE _ Bole Lessee and Manageress, Mrs. Swanborongh. THIS EVENING, at 7, THE SILENT SYSTE H. Messrs. Belford and J. Thorne ; Misses Carson and Hughes. After which, the great Comic Drama, MILKY WHITE, Memo. Craven, Stoyle, Jamea ; Miss Swanborongh. _ To conclude with MAZEPPA. Messrs. Fenton, James Mesdames itaynham, Simpson, Johnstone, /U. THE LATEST EDITION of " THE SUN " supplied, as soon as published every Evening by W. ALEXANDER (late BROOKS), Newspaper Agent, 21, Old Cavendish-street, Oxford-street. THE LAST EDITION of " THE SUN " supplied as soon as Published. containing all the LA VEST NEWS and SPORTING INTELLIGENCE, by H. W. HARRIS, Nei% spaper Agent, 4, Blackiriars-road, London, S. "A SUN PORTRAIT." The Photographic Curiosity announced by us, some time since, as in active preparation, is at length, we are rejoiced to say, completed, and completed, we will add, most successfully. The difficult task of its production—by means of an entirely new application of the wonderful art of photography—has been - delayed until now solely by the unpropitious state of the weather, that is to say, by the unusually lengthened continuance of a murky and misty condition of the atmosphere. One bright day, however, has at length put an end to the difficulty—the result aimed at being now completely and triumphantly accomplished. An all but microscopic facsimile of the front page of The Sun newspaper of MONDAY, the 2d of January, 1865, has—in other words—been pro duced by this hitherto undreamt-of application of the photographic art. It is hereby announced in fact as ready for publication, on Monday, the 3d of April, upon which day a copy of this Miniature Photograph, entitled " A Sun Portrait," will be presented gratuitously to every purchaser of The Sun of that evening—the Photograph being accom. pulled by a Supplement reproducing the froni page of our Journal of Monday, the 2d of January. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. THIS DAY.—Morning, Bh. 50m.—Afternoon, 9h.' 36m. To-lionitow.-Morning, 10h. 18m.—Afternoon, 11h. 4m. 11 11 : 4 111' .Ikk PhilfiS* LONDON, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 1865. The House of Commons has passed an important resolution, which, whatever its ultimate effect upon our impracticable Chancellor of the Exchequer, serves to declare in unmistakable terms its opinion upon one of the most oppressive and ill-placed of our taxes. The duty on Fire Insurance is, as has been often said, a tax on prudence. Those who have a due regard for the protection of their pro perty have, in fact, to pay on behalf of those who take no thought for the morrow. All the arguments on the subject have been brought forward over and: over again. We have been told that of £80,000,000 of insurable • property in and around London only 80 per cent. is insured ; that a very large proportion of the mercantile property that is thus protected is insured in Hamburg owing to the absence of duty there, and conse quently so much money annually goes out of the country, which, by rights, should go into the coffers of English insurance offices. But, like many another grievance, the insurance duty has been borne so long, that our administrative authorities seemed to think it must be borne for ever, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer was virtually J u di & nant at any murmurs against a respectable old established imposition. Patience and perseverance, however, make their way at last, even in legislative reforms, and those who return constantly to the charge, in spite of all discouragement, at length have the satisfaction of seeing their efforts crowned with success. Such was the case of Mr. VILLIERS and the repeal of the Corn Laws ; such, we trust, may yet be the fate of Mr. BERKELEY with the ballot, and those who thus persevere in the face of ridicule, and with little prospect of victory, deserve the.thanirs of the community for fighting the battle of the public interests against desperate odds. The reform with which Mr. SHERIDAN'S name is asso ciated is, it is true, far less important than either the ballot or free trade, yet it must not be alto gether despised, since it affects a very large number of t he community, and indirectly causes serious loss and damage. The first question when we hear of n extensive fire is naturally whether the property was insured. If the building destroyed has been a mercantile establishment it is probable that we shall be answered in the affirmative, but if it is a private residence it is more than likely that we shall learn that the loss has been total. In answer to the re monstrances sometimes made on their imprudence, such householders will tell you that they do not ob ject to paying a moderate rate to the insurance office ; but they object to paying to the Government, from which they will get no return, a stun larger by one-third than the amount of the insurance. A man insuring for £3OO has to pay nine shilli ngs duty for six shillings insurance, and it is not won derful, consequently, that so large a proportion of valuable property in and about London remains uninsured. M.r. SHEIUDAN, however, did not ad dress himself so much to the merits of the question as to its present position in the House. The reduc tion extorted with some difficulty from the Financial Is/blister last year only concerned stock in trade, thus leaving all other descriptions of insurable property still burdened with the tax at its old rate. Tired of bringing in bills on the subject, Mr. SHERIDAN decided to proceed this year by a resolution of the house, which in brief terms would serve, he said, as a reminder to the Government that the reduction of duty effected last year ought to be extended to all descriptions of insurable property. The Govern ment, he thought, had done wrong in proposing a reduction only on a special item, instead of carrying into full effect the manifest wishes of the house, and he thought if the resolution which he proposed were carried it would stand as a standing instruction to the Government, in case of the inability of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to carry it into effect this year, that the duty should at the earliest opportunity be considered and diminished. .` The diminution which was made in respect to stock in trade, and which it is now proposed to extend to all kinds of property, amounted to one- L half of the tax, bringing it down to eighteenpence per £lOO, instead of three shillings. To this end Mr. SHERIDAN addressed himself, but his ultimate object is to reduce the tax to an equal duty of one shilling on every sort of insurable property, and this point we hope he will very shortly reach. Mr. GLADSTONE tried his powers of argument, expostu lation, and ridicule in vain against the overwhelm ing evidence against him. His dignity was evidently hurt at the unwarrantable interference with his department, and he gave the house and the public to understand that it was his prerogative to impose and remit taxes, and that the rest of the world had nothing to do but to pay them. There were, he said, material objec tions to resolutions which picked out particular taxes for remission ; they were hostile to the prin ciple which gave the initiative to the Government, and contrary to that custom which demanded that the entire financial condition of the country should be placed annually before the House, " so that the House, with that financial condition before it, may make a selection as it thinks fit between the different interests:of the country claiming relief." This is a somewhat novel version of the Budget, and our present Chancellor, at least, does not take hints so willingly as to justify its accuracy. With regard to motions made prior to a Budget, says the right hon. gentleman, no good ever comes of them, and in strong terms he denounced the imprudence of acceding to such a measure. His eloquence so far impressed some hon. members that they appealed to Mr. SHERIDAN not to press his motion, but others more clear-sighted reminded the House that when they declared their opinion before the Budget it was premature ; after the Budget it was too late. Last year Mr. SHERIDAN had been advised to trust to the tender mercies of the Chan cellor of the Exchequer with a very unsatisfactory result, and therefore his friends strongly recom mended him to persevere with his motion. Mr. MALINS very truly said that the reduction of fire insurance duties was not a favourite measure with our Finance Minister, and therefore it cannot be trusted in his hands. A tax of 200 per cent. on prudence and forethought is, as Mr. MALINS justly observed, a tax for which no one can say a word. The opponents of the motion last night did not pre tend to defend its principle, but they argued against its reduction with a curious inconsistency. Happily the common sense of the House was too strong for administrative self-sufficiency or in difference to the public wishes. Possibly the coming election may have exercised a beneficial result on the division list. At any rate, after a brief debate, Mr. GLADSTONE'S virtuous indignation left him in a minority of 72, and Mr. SHERIDAN rejoicing over a triumph so decisive that it must certainly exercise a beneficial effect upon our financial policy. Those who regard the topic in a right spirit and with the moderation which such subjects require, will be satisfied with the result of the discussion on Mr. MoNsEu2s motion. It is true that we should discard the prejudices and absurd forms of less en lightened days and periods when less liberal opinions prevailed, and the hon. gentleman succeeded in making out his case in a very creditable manner. The hon. member showed the unsuitable nature of the restrictions imposed alike upon Protestants and Catholics when he alluded to the words which the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland had to use the other day, which were calculated to excite jealousy and inflame discord to a great degree. Confidence is the only sure way to meet with success in arranging such important matters as those of Parliamentary conduct and the combination of those who must act in concord if they are to effect any desirable object as the result of their joint labours. Nothing can be said inimical to the end desired if, by imposing vexatious restrictions, and insisting upon the maintenance of antiquated customs, we irritate and annoy a large portion of our fellow subjects, and thus pervert the purposes for which Emancipation Acts are passed, and hailed as the symbol of advanced intelligence and the triumph of civil and religious liberty. Mr. MONSELL declared he only asked the House " to have confidence in the Roman Catholic members, and to believe that they did not desire in any way to injure the institutions of the country, but were anxious to act in perfect harmony with the other members of the House." This is certainly fair and reasonable, and it is satisfactory that Sir G. GREY should have met the proposition of the hon. member in the right spirit, and consented to the introduction of the Bill. This is the only wise method of dealing with the matter, and reflects credit upon the decision of the Government. The same credit cannot be given to Mr. WHALLEY, who went out of his way to exhibit as much intolerance as he possibly could, and to give utterance to the most extreme opinions. He scorned the idea of " calm discussion," and declared that he would not discuss the question at all, but vote against the measure whenever it was proposed. He also informed the Government that they had failed in their duty in consenting to the bill being introduced, and assured them he should take every opportunity of telling them so. It is of no use to expect that the most moderate and necessary re forms can ever be proposed without exciting the ire of some and arousing the indignation of others ; but if the principles of religious liberty be persistently upheld, they must in the end triumph over every opponent. It is not acting in accordance with the sentiments which should actuate a Christian country to impose such forms and ob servances as militate against the feeling of confi dence and goodwill that should be allowed every scope for their display and exercise. So far, then, we may rest satisfied with this introduction of Mr. MONSELL'S measure ; and there is good reason to hope that the sense and discretion of the House will allow it to pass through the successive stages until it is consummated, and thus add another proof to the many now existing, that the laws of England do not rest upon arbitrary form, but appeal to right and reason, and seek their strength and supremacy by winning the confidence and gaining the sym pathy of those who observe them. The Marquis TOWNSHEND took up a point of some interest when he asked concerning the prac tice adopted in the workhouses of turning out the poor at early hours in the morning, which, in the present inclement season, is very unsuitable. It THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVE N i NG, MARCH 22, 1865. certainly seems as if the managers of these places went out of their way to render them as obnoxious possible to the unhappy creatures who are forced to resort there. As the Marquis truly observed, it is not to be wondered at that, under these circum stances, so large a proportion of the population should turn their attention to crime, and that our streets should be infested by beggars. Lord GRAN VILLE'S answer was as unsatisfactory as possible, for the noble lord went back to the old story of the necessity that existed for not increas ing the vagrant poor of the metropolis. It is not among the class who resort to workhouses that the regular vagrants are found, for these are too sharp to waste their time where they can get so little. The full severity of the rigorous measures of our Poor-law guardians presses upon the wretched classes who are too weak or de pressed to enter upon the crafty pursuit of vagrancy, and hence the utter want of feeling exhibited in the arrangements is the more to be deplored. Lord GRANVILLE said that he believed many of these poor people started in the morning of their own accord, but this is not likely to be the case in many instances. No doubt the Poor-law Board may not be aware of the fact of this early clearance system, but it is their duty to acquaint themselves with the particulars of the case, and to sift the conduct .of those officials who persist in dealing out such scant accommodation, and insufficient assistance to those whom the law has decreed shall receive it during cer tain months of the year. What with one excuse and another, it is really extremely difficult to come to a definite conclusion as to what is or is not done in Unions. The startling fact remains, however, that it is always the reiteration of wrongs that we hear "the sad rehearsal of the past," informing us that here the casual poor are turned out, and there the sick inmate neglected. Then follows the old ex cuses and the worn-out reasons, and the matter fades away from public recollection for a time. But this is not what it should be, and the sooner some alteration takes place the better for the reputation of all concerned. Lord HOUGHTON'S view of the matter is doubtless that of a large number, and therefore it is well to consider some of his state ments. In the first place, instead of its being a proof that the new workhouse wards are not re quired for the reception of the casual poor, be cause they are not fUll, it is rather an evidence that the poor are not rightly attended to, and, above all, received in such a churlish spirit that any other place is preferable, or even the streets are chosen rather than the receptacles provided by law. As for the Refuges being full, that is because those institutions are provided with more consideration, and their managers do not go out of their way to insult misery by a supercilious treatment. Lord HOUGHTON, and those who think like him, need not be afraid that wholesome arrangements are likely to prove so attractive as to draw people from the country to share its comforts. It will be very long, and a change must come over the spirit of the dream of poor-law officials, from the highest to the lowest, before there be any chance of such an inconvenient practice obtaining. The suggestion of the noble lord's concerning the propriety of having some one in the House of Lords who would represent the Poor-law Board, was a very wise one, and might be adopted with considerable advantage to those con cerned in the discussion of those important matters. Hootin ;s from the Owl. Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to confer the Order of the Garter on the Duke of Cleveland. We believe it is likely that her Majesty will confer the dignity of a peerage on the Lord Chief Justice. We can assure our readers that Parliament will be dissolved in July. THE GALE. DUNDALK, IRELAND, March 19.—About eight o'clock this morning, in a heavy gale from E.S.E., the schooner Delila, of Nantes, bound from Marans to Belfast, with a cargo of wheat, went ashore on Blackrock Strand. The lifeboat of the National Institution stationed here was at once manned and launched, and rescued the schooner's crew of seven men, who had taken to their own boat. WEXFORD, IRELAND, March 20.—The schooner Teaser, of Goole, bound from Dunkirk to Barrow, with flour, has gone ashore at Curracloe in a heavy gale of wind. The National Institution's lifeboat was launched, and took off one man from the schooner. The remainder of the crew and two women were unfortunately drowned before the arrival of the lifeboat. The vessel is likely to become a total wreck. THE FLAG OF THE DUCHIES.—A brief correspon dence has been presented to Parliament respecting the provisional recognition of the flag of the Duchies accorded to them by Austria and Prussia. Communications to Earl Russell on Feb. 21 by the Austrian and Prussian Ministers in England notify the concession of the flag to the Duchies, and requesting that it be recognised provisionally, and that the ships of the Duchies enjoy all the privileges they . had before their separation from Denmark , under the treaties of navigation with that kingdom. Earl Russell writes, March 8, to Lord Napier and Mr. Bonar, directing them to inti mate to the Austrian and Prussian Governments that her Majesty's Government are "prepared to recognise the flag provisionally, saving the rights of the State of Holstein and Schleswig and of the German Confederation, and only till the definitive constitution of the Duchies concerned." A FINE PORPOISE CAUGHT AT MARGATE.—On Friday as Robert Holness and William Jenkins, mariners of that town, were standing on the pier, watch ing a ship at sea, they perceived a fine porpoise struggling amidst the breakers at the back of the pier. Holness im mediately ran off the pier into the water and caught it by the tail, but the fish, being a powerful one, nearly dragged him out to sea, and had it not been for Jenkins coming to his assistance, he must have left go his hold. The por poise was ultimately secured and placed in a box, and a telegram despatched to the authorities at the Zoological Gardens, Regent's-park, and the next day they sent down a man to fetch it away, in the hope that they might be able to keep it alive, rewarding Holness and Jenkins with a for their trouble. This is the only fish of that description in the society's possession. THE COLDSTREAM MURDER CASE.—It is now de finitely fixed that the trial of Alexander Thomson, china merchant and fishing-tackle maker, Coldstream, for the murder of his wife, is to take place at the Jedburgh Circuit, which will be held on 2d May next. The pri soner, who is well connected, is to have his defence con ducted by able counsel already retained for the purpose. It is understood that the defence to be put in for him will be a plea of insanity. The prisoner has since the murder been confined in Greenlaw Gaol. For a short time after his committal he was watched night and day, as he had intimated an intention of committing suicide. The watch ing, however, was shortly after dispensed with, and no thing particular in the prisoner's behaviour has been no ticed.—Edinburgh Courant. OCEAN CITRRENTS.—A number of empty bottles have been thrown into the sea on the west coast of Africa, and have been picked up on the Irish coast. One from near the Canaries was found at Nova Scotia ; and three or four have floated from Davis Straits to the north-west coast of Ireland ; and one from the South Atlantic to Jersey. One has been found after 16 years, another after 14, and a third after 10 years. One was thrown into the Caribbean sea, and after five days was picked up 210 miles distant. A bottle was thrown in at Behring's Straits, and 200 days afterwards was found on the Honduras coast, having travelled 3,500 miles. A WEDDING TRIP.—A Troy alderman got mar ried the other day, and had rather a thrilling time on his wedding tour. He was two days in getting to Buffalo, on account of the snow ; was in the American Hotel, in that city, when it burned down ; and on his way to Chicago was thrown over an embankment 20 feet high, by a railroad accident, badly bruising him and his new wife. The couple are now in Chicago, recovering from their injuries and getting courage to try the return trip.—Neza York Sun. DEATH OF THE HON. AND REV. JOHN SANDI LANDs.—Wes have to announce the demise of the Hon. and Rev. John Sandilands, M.A., who expired on Saturday last at Edinburgh. The deceased gentleman was the second son of James, tenth Lord Torphichen, and was born Nov. 11, 181&; he married, July 24, 1845, Ellen, second surviv ing daughter of the late Mr. James Hope, by whom he has a youthful family. The rev. gentleman, who was rector of Coston, Lincolnshire, was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. LITERATURE. Charles Dickens's New Serial Story. Our Mutual Friend. By Charles Dickens. No. XI. Chapman -and Hall. This opening instalment of the second volume of " Our Mutual Friend" is in many ways remarkable. It is remarkable for its variety—at once in scene, in incident, and in character. The localities into which we are here successively introduced are as diversified, for example, as—Fledgeby's chambers at the Albany—the interior of Miss Abbey Potter son's Fellowship Porters—the Foggy streets and the Foggy river —and, to crown all, the homely habitat of Rumpty Willer and his intolerable wife (the lady with the gloves and the face-ache) on the day commemorative of their nuptials ! " Lodgers in Queer . Street" include, amongst the throng of them, a very conspicuous representative indeed, selected from 1, from A 1 we had almost said, in that very questionable locality ; an arch-representative, recognisable as such, in the person of Alfred Lammle of the • evil eye and the gingerous whiskers. Between that said Lammle —and Riah, the gentle-hearted old Jew—and the flinty-hearted young (soi disant) Christian, to wit, Fledgeby, the unfledged, as he may surely be called, in consideration of his no-whiskers-at-all, or at any rate to speak of—between these three, as they con verse together, or in pairs, there is a maze of by play, of cross-purposes, of equivoque, of what not—so life-like, so real, so touched with the ineffable touch of genius to the vivid semblance of truth, that they read far more like actual than like what they are of course, purely imagi nary conversations. Lammle's " little game" in regard to Miss Podsnap, it may be observed, en passant, is, by this time, completely blown, and there fore dropped. He, himself, meanwhile, is fairly meshed in the trammels of Pubsey and Co.—little dreaming, the purblind wight, that the said Pubsey and Co. are no other than Fledgeby the fatuous, as repre sented by the benign but seemingly ruthless Riah. In the subsequent chapter, we accompany the latter, as he wends his way, hand in hand with the Doll's Dressmaker, through the city to the river side hostelry kept by Miss Abbey, to wit, the wedge-shaped Fellowship Porters. Thither the drenched, drowned body of Rogue Riderhood—run down by a steamer in the fog, but fished up sometime afterwards from the depths of the Thames, —is borne in, as a ghastly, dripping burden, upon a stretcher, to be subjected to the wise process now in vogue, with a view to the restoration of life among those, to all appearance, drowned past all recovery! Chapter Three relates, with extraordinary vividness, the application of this benign system to the insensible body of Rogue Riderhood. Al together, a very wonderful description it is— as real, as true, as pathetic, as ludicrous as anything Mr. Dickens has penned for years. The breathless continuance--for a long while quite ineffectually—of the manipulation of the dead body, as it appears to be, rivets the reader's attention in an enthralling way. The neighbouring doctor, who has been called in, upon this emergency, has as his assistants in this manipulation certain waterside folks, hight respectively Bob Glamour, William Williams, and Jonathan, " family name of the latter, if any, unknown to mankind !" Their tender, even tearful care for the drowned man, when his recovery is matter of profound uncer tainty—their grasping each other's hand fraternally, the doctor's hand inclusively, when the patient has at length struggled back to life—it is impossible to read, of as the incident is here related, without a sense of exquisitely humanising emotion. Then, however—with the return of consciousness to the recently deceased, as the wretched creature has seemed to be—comes the inevitable reaction in regard to the momentary sympathy the doctor and his rough assistant have been evidencing to wards the vagabond. As he grows warm, we are told, so do they in proportion grow cool towards him —" as his lineaments soften with life, their faces and their hearts harden to him"—the " low, bad, unimpressible" nature of the rascal emerging to view as his drowned senses indicate their reawakening. Out of the disgust, however, with which we needs must regard the surly rogue on his resumption of his old brutalities of manner, there peeps forth under the hands of the great humourist penning this description—a touch or two the most ex quisitely ridiculous. Riderhood, for example, mut tering, as he repels the kindly recommendations of the doctor, that he " Don't want no Poll-Parroting" —drawing the borrowed shirt on over his head " ex actly as if he had just had a fight" --stopping twice or thrice, while he is dressing, to examine his arms and hands, as if to see what punishment he has received in the encounter—under the impres sion that his nose is bleeding, several times draw ing the back of his hand across it and looking for the result in a distinctly pugilistic manner—asking after his fur cap, and when told of its being lost in the river, growling out, " Warn't there no honest man to pick it up ? 0' course there was though, and to cut off with it arterwards. You are a rare lot, all on you !"—and so, with a lurch on his unsteady legs and a savage " Hold still, can't you ?" to his daughter, upon whom he is heavily leaning at the moment, " What ! You must be a stag gering next, must you ?" taking his depar ture " out of the ring in which he has had that little turn-up with Death." In every minute touch, we repeat, a wonderful description I A description, now and then, almost in the self-same breath, intensely affecting and exq u i s it e l y r i d i culous. As a relief to this more sombre ch a pt er, we have, as the last in this exceptionally good instalment o f " Our Mutual Friend," a most exhilaratingly droll ac count of " A Happy Return of the Day" among the 'Milers. The Day referred to being the anniversary of the nuptials of Pa and Ma, otherwise R. W. and the gloved lady with the toothache. Lavvy's indignant avowal under her breath to Bella, " I do not believe there ever was any human creature who could keep so bolt upright as Ma, or put such an amount of aggravation into one back r—gives the key, as one may say, to the whole fun of the Wilfer household. Lavvy having, to our fancy, just the best of it all through—as evidenced in her very mode of laying the cloth for the festive dinner, "performing that office in a startling series of whisks and bumps ; laying the tablecloth itself as if she were raising the wind, putting down the glasses and salt cellars as if she were knocking at the door, and clashing the knives and forks in a skirmishing manner, sugges tive of hand-to-hand conflict 1" Out of the Con fidences between Pa and Bella, at the close of this chapter, there are glimmering hints of the sequel —very pointed, hints, some of them, we are pretty sure of that—yet hints, every one of them, to this present moment, utterly inscrutable to us! Espe cially the one in which Bella declares quite posi tively (what we don't believe, nevertheless, for one single instant) that Noddy Boffin is being "spoilt by prosperity." The illustrations are, this month, we regret to observe, as bad again as ever—just worse to our thinking than no illustrations at all. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE—This day- LONDON, March 22.—Wind this day at noon—North- Easterly; blowing a strong breeze and fine weather, but very cold. PLYMOUTH, March 21.—Wind N.E.—Arrived Higinia, from Cuba. Sailed—Her Majesty's ship Niger, for the West Indies. HOLYHEAD, March 20.—wind fiiiE.—Arrived—Earl of Mar, from Manilla. PENZANCE, March 21.—Wind S.E--Arrived—Adven ture, from Demerara for London. FALMOUTH, March 21.—Wind S.E.—Sailed—Monte zuma, for Philadelphia; the Three Sisters, for St. John's, Newfoundland. CLYDE, March 21.—Wind W.N.W.—Arrived—Glen withy, from Iquique. Sailed—William Connal, steamer, for Bordeaux. SHIELDS, March 21.—Wind S.E.—Sailed—Caucasus, for Colombo. COWES, March 21.—Wind N.E.—Sailed—Ernestine, for St. Jago de Cuba. PILL, March 20.—Wind S.E.—Arrived—Armigo, from Tarragona. CARICA.RVON, March 21.—Wind S.E.--Arrived—Hudders field, from Iquique for the Clyde. The quotation ot gold at Paris is about 2 per mille pm., and the short exchange on London is 25.221 per 41 sterling. On comparing these rates with the English Mint prioe of £3 17s. lOid. per ounce for standard gold, it appears that gold Is at about the same price in London and Paris. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. (REUTER'S TELEGRAM. ) AMERICA. ARRIVAL OF THE MORAVIAN. (Via Greencastle.) NEW YORK, MARCH 11 (Morning). Refugees from Newbern report that Sherman oc cupied Fayetteville last week, and was within 40 miles of Raleigh. The Confederates were deserting by companies and going home. The people were not heeding the Governor's call, and in many cases were welcoming Sherman. A panic prevailed among the negroes since the announcement that they were to be conscripted into the Confederate army. The Conservative slave owners were arming their slaves. The result of the conscription was that numbers of slaves were flocking to Sherman's army with the assistance of their masters, promising to return to work for wages as soon as safe. The Federals from N ewbern have arrived near Kinston. The Confederates are reported to have abandoned the country between Newbern and Goldsboro', evacuating Kinston on the 3d. Beauregard is reported to be at Raleigh. Golds boro' is being fortified. The Confederates are said to have fallen back from their position on the Wilmington and Golds boro' railroad, 15 miles north-east of Wilmington. The Governor of North -Carolina has announced that for a few months Lee's army must rely for subsistence upon Virginia and North Carolina alone. President Lincoln has offered a pardon to all deserters returning to their posts within 60 days. The New York Times says President Lincoln does not propose at present to make any -diplomatic appointment to France. It is reported that the Government will imme diately ship the cotton captured at Savannah, to England. NEW YORK, MARCH 11, 10p.m. The following are the heads of the news brought by the Moravian : The reports have been reiterated of Sherman having occupied Fayetteville. General Sheridan's victory is confirmed. Early was not captured. Mr. M'Culloch, the Secretary of the Treasury, has announced that he will make an effort to resume early specie payments. The Canadian Parliament has adopted the Confe deration scheme. Mr. Scarlett, the British Envoy to Mexico, has arrived at the capital of that country, and delivered an autograph letter from her Majesty Queen Victoria recognising the Emperor Maximilian. Richmond papers of the 9th inst. report the news from the Carolinas highly encouraging, though still suppressed. They intimate that Sherman is retreating. NEW YORK, MARCH 11 (Evening). The Washington Republican of yesterday says General Thomas has telegraphed to the Govern ment that scouts had arrived with information of Sherman having intercepted and crushed Cheat ham's corps, which was moving from Alabama to reinforce Hardee. Hardee was not up in time, and did not give battle. Johnstone is supposed to have attacked Sherman in front, but is said to have been defeated. The locality of the battle is not given. It is reported to be probably in the north of South Carolina. Scouts arrived at Wilmington announce Sher man's occupation of Cheran. Up to that time nothing but skirmishing had occurred. Sherman's advance into South Carolina was a certainty. It is rumoured at Washington that General Scho field has had an engagement in North Carolina. Grant is reported to have discovered coloured troops confronting his pickets, showing that the Confederates had adopted the policy of arming the slaves. The Confederate Senate has passed the Negro Enlistment Bill, and it is supposed the House will ratify It. COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. NEW YORK, MARCH 11, Evening. Money easy. Gold, 191 f. Ex change on Lon don, 2038 ; do. Paris ; 2.77 f. Stocks slightly firmer ; New York Central, 105 ; Illinois, 115 ; Erie, 64 ; 5.20 United States Bonds, 111 k. Cotton very dull. Middling Upland, 73c. Flour, wheat, and corn, dull. Provisions slightly firmer. Coffee dull. Sugar quiet. Molasses dull. Petro leum heavy. Crude, 40c. Refined, 65c. - NEW YORK, MARCH 12, 1 a.m. The Federal Senate has adjourned without trans acting any important business. The only diplomatic appointment sent in is that of John P. Hall, as Minister to Spain. The accounts from Sherman continue conflicting. Reports from Charleston to the 7th announces Sherman's arrival at Charlotteville. Beauregard was hovering round his front. Rumours through Southern sources state that Sherman had deserted Cheran, retiring towards Charleston. Other accounts represent the fight at Cheran as a cavalry engagement—Hampton de feating Kilpatrick. General Potter has advanced from Charleston to the Sanled River without opposition:' The fortifications of Augusta are being strength ened. The Southern journals now express more confi dence of Sherman's failure, and say his retreat would not surprise them. General Terry is thirteen miles from Wilmington, on the north-west branch of the Cape Fear River, confronted by Hoke. Charleston is quiet and business reviving. The arrival of detachments at Winchester with prisoners confirm Sheridan's success. Details received state that Custer's division at tacked and defeated Early's forces near Waynes boro, capturing 87 officers, Early's staff, 1,100 men, and 7 cannon, 100 waggons, and also a train of artillery stores prepared for transportation. General Sheridan occupied Waynesboro. Custer was last reported within 10 miles of Charlotteville. Rosser attacked a detachment returning from Winchester, but was repulsed. Prisoners report that a heavy Federal force was advancing from East Tennessee towards Lynch burg. Unconfirmed rumours report the capture of Lynchburg. General Grant is reported to be awaiting fine weather for another attack on the eolith side rail road. Lee is strongly fortifying his position on the Roanoke River, to secure the possible retreat of Johnstone to Roanoke. The Danville Register says that Lee intends never to surrender Richmond until it is impossible to hold it. A meeting has been held at Danville for subscrip tions to support Lee's army. The Governor of North Carolina has strongly ap pealed for provisions for Lee's army. General Early has left New Orleans for Mobile. Mr. M'Culloch, the new Secretary of the Trea sury, upon assuming office made a speech, stating that his chief aim was to provide an early moans to I discharging the claims upon the Treasury, and gradually restoring a specie basis, the departure from which was a temporary necessity, damaging and demoralizing to the people and expensive to the Governments. The Secretary of the Interior has resigned, and has been succeeded by Senator Horton. The papers continue to stigmatize Andrew Johnston's condut on the day of his inauguration. Some recommended him to resign. President Lincoln has been officially informed of England's approval of the recent Canadian legisla tion regarding Southern refugees. Mr. Seward has rescinded the Canadian passport order. It has also been agreed not to increase the naval force on the Lakes. The draft commences in New York on the 15th of March. The steamer Ruby has been captured. The British ship Margaret Kerr has been totally wrecked at Key West. The crew were saved. The Richmond Enquirer says that a plan existed to force President Davis to resign in favour of Hunter. It hopes the plan has miscarried. " Lee, it says, with the consent of the army and people, will grasp the sceptre, if wrenched from Davis. The Congress is-a failure, and the power should be intrusted to Davis and Lee alone." The Belgian has arrived out. MEXICO. NEW YORK, MARCH 11. Advices from Mexico state that General Mejia, in accordance with instructions from the Emperor Maximilian, ordered the American Consul at Mata moras to close the Consulate on the 9th, and sent him passports on the 10th. It is believed that the non-recognition of the Empire was the cause of this proceeding. Mr. Scarlett had had an audience of the Empe ror Maximilian, at which he presented an autograph letter of her Majesty Queen Victoria. The Em peror tendered Mr. Scarlett a cordial reception, and said he should be always happy to see the strengthening of good relations between the two countries. The Queen's letter, dated 9th November, desires to give the Emperor Maximilian immediate proof of her sincere friendship and lively wishes tp maintain the most friendly relations with Mexico. Her Majesty accredits Mr. Scarlett Envoy Extra ordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Mexican Court. In a letter to the Enipress, Queen Victoria ex presses her unchangeable consideration and affec tion. Her Majesty addressed the Vmperor as my brother, and the Empress as my sister and dear cousin. The victories of the French 4 Oajaca and Tacat lan have been confirmed. General Porfirio Diaz had arrived at the city of Mexico as a prisoner. It is reported that the French have suffered two reverses. The particulars are unknown. A large number of American emigrants have arrived at Vera Cruz. CANADA. ADOPTION OF THE CONFEDERATION SCHEME. QUEBEC, MARCH 11. The Canadian Parliament has adopted the Con federation scheme by 91 against 33 votes. FRANCE. BOURSE, March 21.—The market is weak and undecided. The subscription opened for the Tunisian Loan has not been favourably received. Threes, for the Account, are now at 67f. 17c. The Italian Loan 64f. 60c. Credit Mobilier have been done at 863 f. 75c. Railway Shares are inactive, without any upward tendency in prices. The mar ket closed somewhat firmer. The following are the last quotations :- 4} per Cents 95 20 Do. end month — 3 per Cents. 67 20 Do. end month 67 20 Credit Mobilier Do. end month Bank Shares 3500 Cr ;lit Fonder 1290 Roman 74 50 RAIL' Italian Loan 64 55 Do. end month 64 60 Ditto Threes — New Mexican Russian 9O Austrian Spanish Threes Home Debt Deferred MAYS. Cash. Acct. Orleans Northern lO2O ... Lyons and Mediterranean 968 75 ... 970 Southern 582 50 ... 582 50 Western 542 50 ... 545 Eastern Sardinian 305 ... Austrian Lombard 550 ... 548 75 North of Spain 3Ol 25 ... 301 25 Saragossa► Ditto to Barcelona l7O ... STATE OF TRADE. MANCHESTER, March 21.—We have had a quiet market to-day for yarns, and to make sales lower prices would have to be taken. The large stock of cotton is attracting a good deal of attention among spinnners, who appear to think it the safer policy to buy only what they require for immediate require ments, expecting prices still further to decline. In the same spirit buyers of yarn, and especially such of them as are shippers, are disposed to hold aloof, and have done exceedingly little business. All the improvement obtained last week has entirely disap peared, and the prices of yarn, as of cotton, are drooping. In home-trade yarns we have had a very flat market ; previous quotations have gene rally been asked by spinners, but spinners in most instances are willing to make a slight concession to induce business. In cloth there has been a gradual decline of prices since the middle of last week, and there is an evident disposition among merchants to keep aloof and favour this depression as much as possible. Sales have only been effected at declining rates from day to day. To-day manufacturers seem to, follow a good deal in the track of the Liverpool Cotton-market, and there has been a further de crease in prices. The market closes, after an ex ceedingly limited business, with prices somewhat below last Tuesday's rates, and with great irregu larity prevailing for all classes of goods. LEEDS, 21st.—There is no perceptible improve ment in the woollen trade here, and the markets in both cloth-halls this morning have been devoid of animation. The attendance of buyers was small, and many of thosepresentappeared rather as lookers on than actual purchasers. The selections made were miscellaneous, and included about the same propor tions of ordinary broadcloths as of light goods for spring and summer. The chief cause of the present dul ness is generally admitted to be protracted winterly weather, but something is also due to the continu ance of the internecine war of America, and the un certainty as to what may at any moment be the change in the cotton-market consequent upon some event in that great conflict. Any considerable fall in the price of cotton would be felt in the woollen trade, for in many kinds of woollen goods there is a large admixture of cotton. Though the woollen is quiet and manufacturers are rather contracting their productive powers prices keep very steady, and the remark applies to both goods and wool. The flax trade is not so active as we lately had to report it, but it is not less so than it was a week ago. Prices of the raw material and those of threads and yarn are nominally unchanged. ROCHDALE, 20th.—Business is still dull. Some few and rather good shipping orders have, however, come to hand. In that department, however, there is still a considerable deficiency, as compared with what is the usual standard of demand from abroad at the close of the first quarter of the year. To day's market was scarcely attended. Notwithstand ing that things are flat, prices remain firm ; and the same may be said with regard to Yorkshire goods of all descriptions, for which there is no better in quiry than as last reported. Wool is very dear in consequence of the quotations at the current wool sales, and manufacturers buy none, except when compelled for the purpose of completing in orders hand. tart "' T 2-1 ". HER MAJESTY. WINDSOR CASTLE, March 21. His Royal Highness Prince Alfred returned to the Castle last evening from London. Lady Charlotte Locker and the Hon. Sir Fred. Bruce arrived at the Castle, and had the honour of dining with the Queen and the Royal family yesterday. Sir Frederick Bruce kissed hands and took leave, on his appointment as her Majesty's Minister to Washington. Professor Hoffman had the honour of giving the first of a series of lectures on chemistry before her Majesty and their Royal Highnesses Prince Alfred, Princess Helena, Princess Louise, and Prince Leopold. The Queen drove out this morning in a carriage and four, attended by Lady Augusta Stanley and the Hon. Florence Seymour. Her Royal Highness Princess Louise also took a carriage drive. The Earl of Lucan had an audience to-day, and kissed hands on receiving from her Majesty the Gold Stick as Colonel of the Ist Life Guards. -- , 81.--- The Prince of Wales was present in the House of Lords last night. The Princess of Wales took a carriage drive yes" terday. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge will give a grand dinner party on Monday next, at her re sidence at St. James's Palace, to celebrate the birthday of the Duke of Cambridge. _ The Duchess of Somerset and Lady Gwendoline St. Maur returned to the First Lord's official residence at the Admiralty yesterday, from Bulstrode Park, Bucks. The Marquis and Marchioness of Abercorn and Lady Georgiana Hamilton are not expected to return home from the Continent till the week after Easter. The Marquis of Bowmont has left the Clarendon Hotel for Floors. The Marquis and Marchioness of Drogheda are shortly expected to arrive in town from Ireland for the season. The Earl and Countess Grey are expected home from their tour in Italy about the 20th of the ensuing month. The Earl Granville had a dinner party on Mon' day evening at his residence in Bruton-street. The Earl and Countess Spencer returned to town yesterday, after a few days' stay at Althorp Hall, North" amptonshire. The noble earl and countess will enter' thin a large party at Althorp during the race meeting 6t Northampton. The Earl and Countess of Bessborough received a select party at dinner yesterday evening, at their hous e in Charles-street, Berkeley-square. The Earl and Countess of Minto have left Far rance's Hotel for their town residence in Eaton-square. A Ball at Washington. On the night of the 6th instant, the Loyal League ga lr° a grand ball at Washington, in honour of President Lil; coin. The company appears to have been a ra ther niLl e " one. The New York Herald says :—" At half-past ten th e presidential party was announced, and as they entered he bands bands struck up 'Hail to the Chi e f,' ana th e compan y forme d in lines, leading to the presidential platform. When they were seated dancing was resumed. Immediately an imnie ll6° crowd of curious people gathered in front of the platform' and tried to stare the presidential party out of countenant' This crowd was constantly reinforced, u n til it w as almos t impossible to get past the middle of the r o om . The President occupied his chair but a moment, gallantly relinquishing it to Mrs. Senator Harris, and falling back against the wall with the rest of the gentlemen on the platform. He was dressed rn evening costume, but with a black necktie, and looked boyishly delighted at the charming scene before hire. 3111 ; Lincoln remained seated in queenly state. She was dresse d in white satin, richly embroidered, and wore a point lan e shawl. Her necklace and earrings were of diaraonds• g er hair was arranged with a fall of curls and with silver °rya" ments and white artificial flowers. Her rounded arms an d dimpled shoulders were displayed, and her face bore an el pression which assured all observers that she was the Wif e of the President. There were numerous outrageOus ens" tumes to be seen. The faded wall flowers' were in ve i l: strong force. There was one lady who wore the dress of her grandmother, an old fashioned brocade with big knots of yellow ribbon, without any crinoline ; a nu rcv ber of ladies in plain black silks, others in muslin de laines ; one with a brown merino dress, with a black cloth cloak and black hat ; one with a faded calico, evi: dently from Tennessee ; another with a carriage cloak. At least a dozen ladi es wore b onne t s mor e or less inappropriate to the festive scene. Several gentlemen elbowed their war through the crowd with stove pipe hats in hand, and wear ing their winter overcoats, as though they expected snowstorm in the Arctic regions. There were gentlemen., with all manner of scarfs, bright and fancy colours , as well, as dingy black, displaying glittering pins of all manner of devices. And Johnson's plebeians outnumbered the aristo crats at least twenty to one. They threw shoddy and petro leum completely into the shade. The dancing of thee? people was marvellous. The men threw their legs ail:(111c; like the spokes of a wheel; the women hopped, skipped, an jumped about in a manner which would have made a Frencb dancing master commit suicide. They introduced the fi g ures of a quadrille into the lancers, and a breakdown into ~„ quadrille. They appeared to think that every other da l; was a waltz, and acted accordingly. The gall*, t wit , schottische, and varsovienne, the Danish and the ro ue were all Greek to them. They understood nothing but plain waltz and a plain quadrille, and appeared to thit l e : that they were exhibiting the greatest science whe n tI V,, were kicking up the most dust. Those of the plebeians .1"; did not dance gathered around the doors of the suPPl e rooms, and remained there from nine o'clock un til time that the supper-room was opened. This g ives a pretty accurate idea of their calibre. The President alle Mrs. Lincoln did not dance, nor did the grave , s4c o r e t, taries trip the light fantastic.' There was a co al ' however. Vice Admiral Farragut, Major General B Congressman Arnold, and an attache: of . °l lOOO the legations, danced the lancers together. t he Buchanan, daughter of Commodore Buchanan, °f Boston Navy Yard, and Miss Wilson, of Chicago, Wer- 0 3 4 this set. An admiring crowd surrounded the par t Y',, o f they danced with a grace and spirit unequalled hro-d, others of the large company. As A n dy J o hnson P ass vice gentleman remarked to a Radical senator that the ro , President, in his inaugural speech, had disgraced lai ls P tie it and the country. "Well," said the senator, "W e d• regret it, for he has no chance now for the Presiuet,iios He has killed himself off." Another gentleman add ed da y, "Andy Johnson was not inebriated on inauguration to but had rehearsed. his speech to a lot of Tenn eee ' e lge the night before." It was generally noticed thatwero President did not recognise Andy Johnson, n or , .„ the they seen together. In spite of the reports hers contrary, not one negro was a guest at the ball. I sTi f w ere of them were on hand as waiters, however, an f the on view in the outside halls. The retiring-roonan °,OOO. presidential party were exclusively attended by n eer just This was the only concession to the African race. .wa° before 12 o'clock the President was notified that suPY" order ready. The presidential party then retired in the sall'egiga. as they entered, and a rush was made to folio's' ou t Policemen kept back the crowd and the party got safe / by la of the ballroom, and were ushered in the supper-rnei'lto th e private entrance. Then the doors were thrown °Pe ll la dieS guests, who dashed in pell-mell in dreadful confilsi °l p je tia being crushed against the walls, or dragged half fa through the crush. Men tried to tear down the teniP , ol d doorway. The table was cleared almost in a innr eeP ot biog after the first 10 minutes the waiters could bri n g II br ing' except for a fee. In an hour there was nothing left toof t he The President's party feasted at the upper end t. hall, and, having finished, attempted to paser, and Andy Johnson's plebeians were savage with hu n g p art would not make way for anybody. The Presiders cases of were thus forced to enter an alcove between t , lA e . c . al oof models, climb up stairs, and emerge upon a sor t ° o l o ° . doh above the heads of the crowd, where they could i t: 1°11°11f upon the struggle for viands. Nobody cared . pa rtl them now. The President and others of in e voc ol o spoke in severe terms of the disorder. Mr s ' tden l ' said it was ' a scramble." Well,' said the rj;:s is V/ o ^ 4 it appears like a very systematic scramble. ,er o a st b e his only little joke during the evening. ter grow serious, and wanted to g o home• ae oth eh crowded along the narrow balcony, descendea„. may'stairs, di t a te th stairs, and passed out quietly, without be in g noti c o n , “ her aiS; Johnson's plebeians paid no more attenti on to the tinguished people after supper time th an they one heml e ; presidential party. Most of the aristocrats hanS_ ti. Ban g and only the commoners remained in force. stood solitary for a quarter of an hour. The V ice an d _ his smiles gone, roamed about discontentedlY2o% 00 * stole away. The ball did not close, it fizzled u . _ lo were, poor piece of fireworks. After two o'clock the pee to V re, s tia still eating off plates which had been u sed be l drinking from each other's cups." .d to bfir iteotd.f 14,000 THE EMPEROR OF THE FRENCH is said t wher in .w - ;c sent a magnificent chalice in gold to the pr iest V isajo o y church of Hoboken, near New York, lived as a private gentleman during his star a, ,, 00 N OW"; A Canadian journal states, on infornat_ e vi nin ,be rio r ° 3 : it has reason to believe is correct, that U s , hi t as te n s uo p e_ r f e C i a n n e a e d t t e ns be w g h in e n h in a g ve ef en th li e st w ed ar 35,000 were French Canadians, no less aan whom have died on the battlefield. in ie 4th3,000110n. f , I vhi !,.101 krd D ( Pa/1