The Sun. — London, England, 1866-08-21 00:00:00

THE CHANNEL SQUADRON. PORTLAND, Aug. 17. In half an hour after the arrival of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty in the Osborne, followed by the Enchantress, they went on board the Caledonia, walking all round her decks, accom panied by the Admiral (Yelverton), Capt. the Hon. F. Foley, and the principal officers of the ship, and expressed themselves much pleased with all they saw. From the Caledonia their Lordships proceeded to the Achilles (Capt. Vansittart), walked round her, mounted upon her topgallant forecastle, and heard wonderful accounts of her sailing qualities. They then went to the Pallas, and wondered how she con trived to float at all. From the Pallas they were proceeding towards the Lord Clyde, when some sud den thought flashed through the brains of some of them, producing the effect of altering the course of the barge, which was steered to the Liverpool. After the exchange of a few amiabilities with Capt. Sec combe their Lordships went on board the Lord Clyde, and from the Lord Clyde to the Hector. It was now 7 o'clock. They " did" the six ships in something less than two hours, and they returned on board the Osborne, where they entertained the captains at dinner. Next morning (Saturday, the 18th) they were astir betimes. They went to inspect the works crowning the height of Portland Bill—the Vern Forts, huge masses of fortification like those on Portsdown Hill. To save their Lordships the fatigue of climbing up the steeps an ordinary railway truck had been converted into a rude kind of char-a-banc, covered with an ensign, and so strong that it would have borne the whole Board and the two Secretaries if they had been all six-ton guns. They returned to breakfast, and at 10 o'clock all the ships had steam up, and were ready to start. It was rumoured that they were to disperse in the evening, the ships proceed ing to their respective ports. Exactly at 11 30 the squadron passed out by the end of the breakwater; the Osborne and Enchantress, just outside, waited for them. The entire Board of Admiralty stood upon the bridge and paddle-boxes of the Osborne. It was a proud moment for Sir John Pakington. The port line (consisting of the Achilles, Pallas, and Liverpool) led the way. The signal was made, " Keep close order," then " Form line of battle ;" soon after, " Form line abreast." The signals in dicated the number of cables' lengths which each ship should keep between her next neighbour and herself. The water was as smooth as a pond. The ironelads steered handily. All the steam tactics were safely if not admirably performed. At 135 the Admiral made the signal to " Exercise at general quarters," whereupon every ship assumed a fighting attitude. The next signal was, " Prepare to engage an enemy on the port side; whereupon the Liverpool immediately fired one of her star board guns, which the Lord Clyde felt bound to re turn by firing a port gun. It was fortunate neither was shotted. The signal to engage was made, and then all the ships fired blank cartridge as fast as they could, steaming rapidly round and round, pouring in broadside after broadside, shrouded in thick wreaths of smoke. The spectacle must have been a fine one, as seen from the Admiralty yachts and a small steam yacht which was with them. At 2 15 they formed line abreast on leading ship of columns, like racers ready to start. At 240 the order to " Chase enemy to westward" was given. All the six ships started at full speed, stoking up as fast as they could. The Achilles shot ahead of all, going 12 knots. The Lord Clyde at first seemed to gain on the Caledonia, but it was a close race be tween these ships and the llector, all three going 11 knots. The Pallas said she was going 10. She was ob served to throw up three distinct heavy waves as she was forced through the water. The Liverpool said she was going nine. The yachts slightly led the whole ; the race lasted an hour, and was well worth seeing. At 3.40 they formed order of sailing in two columns ; at 4 they made all plain sail, bracing sharp up on port tack. They then kept away and set studding sails; then shortened and furled all sail, shaping course for the Start Point. The Hector and Pallas parted company. The signal was made from the Osborne, " Admiralty are much gratified." Their lordships steamed towards Dartmouth. Ad miral made the signal, " I intend to go into port to morrow morning at 7 a.m.," and the Caledonia, Lord Clyde, Achilles, and Liverpool moored in Ply mouth Sound at 8 o'clock on Sunday morning. The Fatal Collision off the Suffolk Coast. -~ The terrible collision which took place early on Sunday morning off Aldborough, on the Suffolk coast, between the General Steam Navigation Com pany's steamer Bruiser, from Hull to London, and the Haswell screw collier, bound to the Tyne from the Thames, has not been attended, it is believed, with the very extensive sacrifice of life which was first reported. Unhappily, however, there has been a sad loss, and it is stated that many who perished were children and women. The collision took place about ten minutes to three o'clock in the morning. The Haswell had recently undergone some repairs in the Victoria Dock, and was going down light to the North to receive a cargo of coals. The Bruiser left Hull on Saturday for London, and had a full complement of passengers. Both vessels were pur suing the usual course some few miles off the land. On the part of the Haswell it is averred that she kept a port helm, and that the Bruiser must have suddenly altered her course to have brought her across the bow of the Haswell. The Bruiser was struck amidships on the starboard side. The shock is said to have been of a most terrific character, and for the time it was apprehended that both ships would go down. The Bruiser was cut down below the water line, and the sea rushed into her hold with considerable force. The cry was raised for the pas sengers and crew to save themselves by getting on board the Haswell. Capt. Martz, the master of the Bruiser, is reported to have been below at the time of the collision, having left the chief officer on deck. In about ten minutes the Bruiser went down in several fathoms of water, and as she disappeared several hands, apparently of children and females, were seen above the companion. Many of them were asleep in the berths when the collision took place, and in the confusion were unable to get on deck. Two of the stokers of the Bruiser were killed in their berths, and a sailor belonging to the sa me vessel was drowned. Amongst the passengers who came on board at Hull was a German woman an d two or three children, and it is thought that they have perished. A passenger also lost his wife. Con sidering the character of the accident and the short time that was allowed them to save themselves, it is somewhat providential that the loss of life was not greater. The number who perished is computed at about 20 or 25, but some of the passengers may have been picked up by passing ships. The Haswell, after remaining about the spot for some time, returned to London. She sustained a fearful rent on per port bow, the iron plates being driven in, but fortunately she was light, and the forward bulkhead held firm, as we stated yesterday. She arrived off the Victoria Docks on Sunday evening, when the passengers were landed. Mr. Joseph Fry, bookseller, Chelmsford, who was a passenger on board the Bruiser, gives the followi ng account of the catastrophe :—I had gone to bed i n the saloon part of the cabin about eleven o'clock on and the the sea previous evening, the weather being calm smooth. I went to sleep soon after, and rememberi nothing more until 1 was suddenly awoke in t about 3 o'clock. The noise which awoke me morning me wa s a strong loud crash, and when I looked out I stle cabin. floo r . I hurriedlyonly as as ked what was the matt er , b ut received reply that something had happened to and at once the ship. I then put some articles of dress n Every_ v hurried on deck, where I found the greater portion of the passengers i n a state of se mi - nudity thing was in the g reatest confusion. The captainy told the passengers to take to the riggin g , as the ship was sinking. A great number of people obeyed the order, but I was so unnerved by the sight which presented itself that I was unable to mount into the shrouds. The boats which were suspended to the davits amidships were both stove in, and there was only a small boat on the quarter-deck that could be launched. In the meantime the ship that had run into us was entangled in the rigging. Iler bowsprit extended right across our vessel, and all her crew , were in the bows. They lowered ropes to bring the people on board, and by this means some were hauled up, while others managed to scramble on board by the bowsprit or any other means that they could command. In the meantime the captain gave orders that the only remaining boat should be lowered, and the women and children were ordered to be ready to get in. The sea was perfectly calm at the time, and there appeared no difficulty about getting all the passengers transferred from one vessel to the other. The boat was letdown, and all was ready, but some of the women in the dim twilight of the morning hesitated about being lowered down the side of the ship into such a small boat, and after endeavouring to persuade a young girl to go in after two sailors, who bad taken charge of the boat, and finding that she would not go in, I descended by a rope, and was the third person in the boat. I think there were nine or ten of us in when we pushed off. We reached the side of the other ship and got on board, but not to soon. The vessel that we had left had been gra dually settling down, although in the hurry which distracted every one except the captain, we could not see exactly what injury our own ship had re ceived, we discovered after we were safe that she was almost cut in two. She was now going rapidly, and half-naked figures of helpless women, with streaming hair and despairing looks, were seen clinging to the shrouds. Just then a schooner hove in sight, and seeing what had occurred she bore down upon us. She arrived in time to be of service, for she succeeded in taking off several of the unfor tunate persons who were left on the wreck. I was conveyed in the other steamer to London. I never shall forget the awfulness of the scene that presented itself on the occasion of the ship going down. As I have said, there were a great number of persons clinging to the shrouds, and their wailings for help were above the bustle and hurry which possessed every one. Orders were given for all sorts of things to be done, and everything was done to save life which it was possible to do under the circumstances. But above all this the shrieking of terrified women was heard, and half-frantic men rushed in every direction with the hope of rendering assistance to those who were yet on the wreck. The ship into which I had got had steamed astern, so as to clear herself from the sinking vessel ; but we had not gone further away than was absolutely necessary for safety. I have said that I got into the small boat and reached the other ship, but my time in relating it far exceeds the time in which the occur rences took place. Indeed, so rapidly did one matter succeed another that it is with difficulty I can recollect the order of events. One thing I do remember, however, and I am sure I shall never forget it, and that is the awful sight of the sinking ship taking with her some 20 human beings. All of a sudden the ship seemed to heel, and then plunging headforemost beneath the waves, a boiling surge succeeded, and for ever drowned the cries of the unfortunate creatures who had been unavoidably left on the wreck. I afterwards inquired of the captains of the two vessels how the accident occurred, but they replied they were unable to say. Both ships showed lights, and both bad men stationed on the look-out ; but no signal was given to the helmsman until the collision took place. A Great Yarmouth correspondent writes :—The collision took place about lin the morning. All the passengers were in bed at the time ; the usual watch was being kept ; the weather was very fine ; there was little or no wind, and the sea was calm. Between Aldborough and Southwold, near the Wirewell Bank of the coast of Suffolk, the collier dashed into the Bruiser, striking her right in the centre. The water rushed into the engine-room and put out the fires. A fearful scene ensued, the passengers run ning up on deck in their night clothes. The Bruiser sunk rapidly, but a ladder was placed from the one steamer to the other, and a number of the pas sengers succeeded in scrambling onboard thellaswell. Others, however, in attempting to do so were drowned, while others were sucked down. When the Bruiser foundered, providentially the schooner Perseverance, Capt. Gaffies, of London, came up and picked up three passengers, a man named Stout, a woman and her nephew, who were brought to Yar mouth and landed at the Sailors' Home. They were in their night clothes when rescued, and in a very exhausted state. Agricultural Prospects. The week opened with some very heavy rain early in the morning, and later it was wet, but cleared up in the afternoon ; wind very variable and night threatening. On Monday some heavy rain had fallen early ; the day probed fine ; wind N.N.E., thermometer 62 degrees, barometer 29.90 inches. Tuesday was wet till noon, when it held up, but the close, muggy atmosphere made it a very bad harvest day. Our advices on that day were, from the West Riding of Yorkshire —" The weather since last week has been cloudy, with temperature low, and showery more or less. The cutting of oats has commenced ; but the wheat and barley, being so much twisted and laid, only ripen slowly. A few of the lighter fields of wheat will be begun about the end of the week. Turnips and potatoes are much improved by the late rains, especially the former, which now look healthy and promise a crop." From the East Riding it was stated—" The weather has been again unsettled during the week, more or less rain having fallen daily. Harvest has partially commenced in this neighbourhood, so that a change for the better is much tolbe desired, suffi cient rain having already fallen to cause some anxiety for the crops on the ground." From Suffolk it was remarked—" The weather remains wet and unsettled, and but slight progress can at present be made with harvest work." From Norfolk our advices stated—" The weather having been very unsettled of late, the corn crops have been partially laid, and harvest prospects are not so favourable as they were a fortnight ago. Wheat ripens slowly. Barley is the best crop of the season. Beans are a splendid crop. Oats and peas are very good." From Leicestershire—" Harvest operations around here have been checked by the unfavourable weather. Both the wheat and barley crops are looking well. The reports of oats vary ; mangel-wurzel and turnips promise well. Wed nesday was a dry but cloudy day ; being breezy, harvest work would proceed. From the west coast of Scotland it was stated—" The weather continued unsettled until yesterday, since when it has improved." From Norfolk our advices were rather more cheering:—" The changeable and cold weather of late has much retarded harvest, although up to the present the growing crops have not re ceived any injury ; many fields have been cut and a few carted. Wheat and barley have stood the rain well, and but little is lodged. Our prospects are for a full crop of wheat and a large one of barley in this immediate district." From Nottinghamshire the same day it was observed this neighbour.. hood the crops have not matured much during the past week, the weather having been changeable, and there has been a good fa ll o f rain. Harvest pros pects are not so good as the y were a f ortnight ago ; but no positive damage has yet been done, and with genial sunshine a l ar ge breadth of grain would s oon be cut. Mangel wurzel and turni p s are lookin g ex ceedingly well." From Oxfordshire the advices stated :—" The weather has b een broken this week, and consequently only a limited progress has been threaten ing and dull, and rain having fallen from noon to made with the harvest." Thursday was 3 p.m. all work was suspended. Our advic es from Buckinghamshire state :—" I fear a g reat deal of wheat will be carted too quickly ; the farmers will get impatient. Little wheat has yet been intogot stack." From Suffolk it was observed :—" Since our last report the weather has continued very un settled, and we have had rain every day, including heavy storms of hail and thunder on Friday last. Harvest is, however, rapidly progressing, and a large portion of our wheat is cut, of which very little is carted. The reports are more encouraging, and unless injured by further exposure, the quality will be good. Barley has hitherto been improved by the rain, but the continued unsettled weather, with a higher temperature, has affected a small .quan tity already cut. Should it now clear up, the quality will be generally good." From the s “ a T m h e e e w ou e n a t t y, her nea at r p t r h e e se e n o t ast is , o n u o r t a d p v e i r e f trleymsaertkt settled, and it lends to protract harvest. The wheat crop is tid to cut up lighter than expected." Friday was a breezy and unfavourable day for harvest work. C'ur advices from Devonshire stated : " The prin iciyal part of the early sown wheat has been secured in this district—if not in extra fine condition, still saved, and Will be all right after being in stack for a :time. I think we have had less rain in this dis trict than most other parts of the kingdom." From Lincolnshire : " Harvest is general in this district, but the weather is by no means propitious. No carting of corn as yet. Barley is not likely to be so good in quality as was expected, and wheat is more or less mildewed generally." From the East Riding of Yorkshire our advices were : " The weather has been very unsettled during the week, interfering much with harvest operations, which had just commenced in this neighbourhood. The in jury done by the heavy rains has been somewhat mitigated by the cold winds which have generally followed." Saturday was the finest day experienced for a long time. Quite an autumnal morning gave hopes of a favourable change. Much field work would be accomplished, and a great amount of grain would be carted in all the early counties ; a fortnight of such weather would do wonders for the country, and give the farmers more spirits than they have latterly possessed, from the gloomy state of the weather.—]hark-lane Express. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 21, 1866. THE CHOLERA. MANSION HOUSE RELIEF COMMITTEE. Yesterday Messrs. Warre Brothers, of Fenchurch street, merchants, presented through Messrs. Lub bock, and Co., bankers, the munificent sum of £5OO to the Cholera Relief Fund now being raised at the Mansion-house. Last evening the fund had risen from £11,600 odd on Saturday to upwards of £13,000, the sum received yesterday and at the va rious bankers being upwards of £l,OOO. A: meeting of the working committee was held yesterday at the Mansion-house, the Lord Mayor presiding, and there being also present Sir Mor daunt Wells, Mr. Tite, M.P., Mr. Samuel Hoare, Mr. R. N. Fowler, Mr. W. J. Maxwell, the Rev. William Rogers, the Rev. F. G. Blomfield, Mr. R. B. Wade, Mr. Andrew Johnston, Dr. Andrew Clark, Physician to the London Hospital ; Mr. R. Wigram, Mr. H. W. Ripley, and Mr. Needham. A letter addressed to the Lord Mayor by Mrs. Gladstone, under date of the 17th inst., was read. The writer stated that having seen with great plea sure and interest the leading part he had been taking in the present emergency, and how heartily the public had supported him, she ventured to plead in behalf of the free orphanage to be permanently established. He must, she said, be well aware of the permanent cases where children had been de prived of both parents, and who, as far as could be ascertained, had no means of support from relatives or friends. These children belonged to very poor districts, and to throw them upon the parish would be to impose a burden upon those who could ill sustain it. In other instances of total neglect she need hardly dwell upon the future. She perceived, she said, that the Lord Mayor had received certain funds for the foundation of a home or orphanage, and she ventured to reiterate her opinion, already expressed in her letter to The A,ztiz, that it would be wise to concentrate these funds, with the view to the establishment of "one free orphanage." Upon these grounds she hoped she might solicit his advo cacy and interest. The communication of Mrs. Gladstone gave rise to a somewhat animated conversation in the com mittee, which was conducted with every mark of consideration and respect for the writer. Mr. Max well observed that he himself was a member of the managing committees of two orphan asylums —one at 11am, the other at Tottenham, and in both they could admit 100 more children if they had the means. There were many other similar institutions of which the same might be said, and which, he be lieved were languishing for want of funds. He agreed with the Times that to increase the existing asylums, with many of which it was a struggle to keep their heads above water, would be a great mis take, and if Mrs. Gladstone could see the propriety of giving the money she had been instrumental in collecting to the existing asylums, instead of adding another to the number, he believed room would be found in them for all the children who had been left homeless during the present visitation. He had a great deal to do with charities, and he thought a great mistake had been committed in increasing their number. Sir Mordaunt Wells thought the time had come when they ought fairly to look at the question of securing the orphans from want. The miserable condition of numbers of children thrown on the world by the death of parents had been amply disclosed to them during the last few days, but he did not think it came within the legitimate action of that committee to lend themselves to the erection of an orphan asylum, which might take three or four years in building. Immediate action in the interest of the poor sufferers was wanted on their part, and they ought rather to place themselves in communication with the existing asylums, and see what accommodation could be afforded for the unhappy children. Mr. Wigram, speaking of Pop lar, with which he is connected, and up to within the last few days as many as 150 children had been made orphans by the visitation, and probably the number was now over 200. The Rev. Mr. Blom field said he assumed the committee did not intend to subsidise existing institutions, but simply to contribute towards placing individual orphans in them. £lO,OOO spent in bricks and mortar, to say nothing of the cost of management of a new asylum, would maintain more than 100 orphans at the existing institutions, and recourse could be had to them without any delay. Mr. Tite said Mrs. Gladstone was too wise to think of spend ' ing £lO,OOO for such a purpose. The Rev. William Rogers, with all due sympathy with the orphans, apprehended the committee might seriously inter fere with parochial action in this matter. It was a false notion he said that pauper children were not brought up well. The district schools around Lon don were among the very best, and it was almost a fortune for a poor orphan child to get into any one of them. It was at least premature for the com mittee to entertain the question. It was true there was for the time a lull in the epidemic, but they could not say what turn it might yet take. On the last visitation the disease was most severe in Octo ber, and it became them, while ministering to the present necessities, to husband their funds. Eventually the committee passed a resolution to the effect that having had under consideration an application from Mrs. Gladstone to subscribe to an orphanage to be raised under her auspices, they re gretted that, while they could not but sympathise with her benevolent motives, they did not feel justified at this moment in making any contribution from the funds placed by the public at their dis posal. The Rev. F. G. BLOMFIELD adverted to a letter addressed to the editor of the Times by the Rev. G. H. M'Gill, incumbent of Christ Church, St. tGahreepoerLagl Lord r s td - o i n i‘t -in-the a l iw s e t h, benevolence ;which the nheavdol deprecatedenc e itnh charged individual sion-house Committee and the Bishop of London had ample funds at their disposal, with casting a " slur upon men who, relying solely on God's pro tection, are standing in the front ranks of the conflict and grappling day by day, and hour by hour, with the deadly foe." H e (M r. B lomfield) was q a ui y ; e such the Lord Mayor had never meant to cast n " slur" as had been imputed to him. On the con trary, the Lord Mayor and the rest of the committee heartily sympathised with individual clergymen and others in their self-denying labours in the emer gency ; but the error into which Mr. M‘Gill had fallen was in stating that the Lord Mayor objected to any individual appeals to the public benevolence being made before the Bishop of London's fund and that of the Mansion-house had been set on foot. What the Lord Mayor really said, and what he was correctly reported to have said, was in effect that he objected to such individual appeals being made now that ample funds had been raised at the Mansion-house and by the Bishop of London. Mr. M'Gill, therefore, had certainly made a very unfair use of the Lord Mayor's observations. He (Mr. Blomfield) regretted to see that Mr. John Young, jun., the treasurer of the Tower-hill District Cholera Fund, after receiv ing two separate grants from the Altmfdou-house Committee of £5O and £75, with an intimation that more money would be forthcoming if it should be wanted, had thought it necessary to make an indi vidual appeal to the public. In his letter to the editor of the Times Mr. Young had been a little disingenu ous, too, in stating in the body of it that he had re ceived £5O from the Mansion-house Committee, whereas he bad in truth received £125. It was true, in the list of subscriptions Mr. Young had appended to his letter the two grants by the Mansion-house Committee were included, but if it was right to state either of the Mansion-house grants in the body of his letter he should have stated both, and not one merely, leaving the reader to conclude that he had received only £5O, he having in point of fact received £125. The whole committee signified that they en dorsed Mr. Blomfield's remarks. In the course of the sitting, lasting over two hours, they made seve ral grants to local committees commensurate with the apparent need in each case. Dr. An drew Clark, Physician to the London Hospital, stated incidentally that 11 fresh cases of cholera had been received into the institution that morning, within the previous 14 hours, and that five of them were as virulent as any that had been previously treated there. He took occasion also to mention a kindly act on the part of Mr. Andrew Johnston, a member of the House of Committee of the Hos pital, who had that morning, he said, distributed bunches of ripe grapes among the poor convalescent patients in the cholera wards, and had given each a bouquet of flowers. The ship-to-ship visitation, mentioned in our pages last week as having been instituted by the committee of the Seamen's Hospital Society, is working well. Each medical visitor carries in his boat a white flag, with the letters " S. H." inscribed thereon, and calls at from 60 to 100 vessels every day. Four boats are detailed for this duty, starting every morning from the Dreadnought with a supply of medicines and disinfectants, and so keep up a tolerably thorough supervision of the river between London-bridge and Woolwich, including also the City and Regent's Canals. Mr. Harry Leach, the society's medical officer, reports that, though the number of entries for cholera on board the Belleisle has maintained during the past week an average of two per day, the class of cases brought are, on the whole, much more amenable to treatment, applica tions for admission having been, during the last few ,days, generally made at an early stage of the disease. It is fairly probable that this visi tation on the Thames may account for so salu tary a change. More than 50 vessels, outward bound, have received preventive medicines from the Dreadnought, the masters of barges and other small craft now finding it a matter of interest, as well as humanity, to take that very simple precau tion before proceeding down the river. The Belle isle has, up to thi s t i me, rece i ve d 46 patie n t s , o f which 20 have recovere d, 16 have died, and 11 are still under treatment. The following is the return of deaths from cholera and diarrhoea registered on Saturday, Aug. 18 : Cholera. Diarrhoea. West districts 2 ••• ••• 3 North districts ~. 2 ••• ••• 4 Central districts—. 1 ••• ••• 3 East districts 38 ••• ••• 7 South districts 8 ••• ••• 6 Total 51 ... ... 23 Peat for Fuel. The New York Weekly Tribune gives upwards of 10 columns to the history, locality, formation, and character of peat, the result of a special mission sent by the Tribune into Massachusetts to ascertain " Facts upon peat." To esti mate the importance of the subject the reader should be a resident on the Western prairies, whore wood is naturally scarce, or else whore, as in all Eastern States, it has boon wickedly wasted, until fuel is one of the costliest items of house-keeping. Whore wood was got rid of as a nuisance fifty years ago, it is now valued at $6 to $l2 a cord. Even in Delaware County, Now York, the centre of the lumber region, wood was selling at $2.50 a cord, stove length, that is 16 to 20 inches. It is of the utmost impor tance to distinguish peat deposits from the swamps of no value for fuel. Fire is essential, in fact a necessity for comfort and luxury, and also the greatest agent for trans muting crude materials into a condition serviceable to man. In all the older States the supply of fuel is insuffi cient; in all of those the supply of peat is inexhaustible. To utilise it, all that is necessary is to learn what peat is, where deposited, how to obtain it, and holy to prepare it for use. The peat of temperate climates comes from the growth of mosses of the genus sphagnum., which have the peculiar faculty of continually.growing at the top, while laying at the roots by which basins have been filled to the depth of 20 or 30 foot, into which a hole had been dug 10 foot deep, the peat growing stronger and better. In some peat beds so long a time has elapsed since the formation ceased that tho substance has nearly lost its fibrous character, and has the appearance of black mud. Such is often the best, and is good solid fuel without any preparation. It is equal in value to some fibrous peat after it has been con densed. In Ireland, valuable timber is dug from peat bogs where it has been buried for ages. In that country peat is also found climbing sides of hills. Such slopes are always wet, and the peat-like sponge has the power of retaining water, but its spongy nature is the greatest obstacle in converting it into fuel. Peat deposits may be examined by digging or ploughing with an instrument made on purpose. The most valuable kind will appear like a smooth plastic black mud. Tests will show this mud to bo pure carbon when freed from water. Dr. Macculloch says the odour of burning peat is caused by an essential oil, and in Ireland it is traditional that the odour is a preventive to consumption. One of the dis tinguishing marks of a good peat bog is that the water never stagnates. It may be coloured dark brown, but yet pure enough for all culinary purposes. Forty cubic feet from the bog is estimated at one ton ; IGO cubic feet aro required to make a ton of dry fuel. The value of peat in iron work has been for years thoroughly tested by an establishment in Worcester, Massachusetts, which manufacture a largo portion of piano wire, and other wire of first quality used in Ame rica. 1,500 to 2,000 tons of dry peat are there consumed every year, being cut, cured, and charred in the ordinary manner without condensing. Their great popularity is due in part, at least, to the quality of their fuel. It con tains no sulphur, and on that account stands unrivalled in all manufactures. ‘ s ' ne C sc h ha a a r hr c ic o go a ha l h m me a a at d id e ne g f f rrpoo power, eh c r o a, n r d d e suitedwn s o o o d td pea o t d d i lt s i hn eg m r e o ff ruoor furnaces e d a e pc n oe s ss e : t s h es a where the very finest grade of iron is made, as well as in all works of steel, for softening or welding which it is especially valuable. "Peat is used in France, Germany, and Bohemia, in producing those beautiful iron-castings which we have all seen and admired for their exquisite fineness and strength. The Bohemian peat is so pure that by drying it under cover one year, it answers quite as well without charring as with ; and wo believe that this will be found to be true of all condensed pure peat in this country. "As iron made by peat fuel is tougher than any other it would be of the highest value as a war material. Peat iron guns, if burst, would not fly about in fragments, kill ing friends instead of foes, nor would iron armour break and splinter by concussion." American peat must be condensed, as a general rule, to be utilised. Tho process adopted at the manufacturing works at East Lexington is as follows: " Tho peat is dug in ditches through the marsh, which is pretty wet, so much so that only a small portion of the peat can bo dug—a mill dam hindering drainage. A light railway is laid along the edge of the ditch, and thence to the foot of an inclined plane the cars are pushed by manual labour. Up the piano, to an elevation of about 25 feet, they aro drawn by a wire rope and power of steam. At the top of the plane the cars are dumped into the hopper of an iron mill, which breaks up the crude peat into small fragments, combing out any sticks, roots, or sods that cannot be reduced to a homogeneous mass, which are carried through a spout outside the building. This waste material, when dry, is burned under the boiler of the steam engine. The plastic peat from the grinding mill is again elevated to a tank 35 or 40 feet high, where it is rendered still more homogeneous and plastic by agi tation in water, and is then forced by hydrostatic pressure, after losing a portion of its water, through gases at the bottom of the tank, falling upon a revolving bolt, whore it is cut by hand knives into suitable sized pieces, which aro placed upon shelves under a drying shod, or upon a porous brick floor in the sun, or else upon the grass sod, where they will dry enough to pile in 48 hours of good weather. Sometimes, when the peat is of a compact quality, and pretty free of fibre, it is taken directly from the mill and spread on the ground to dry, and afterwards cut up in blocks. This process is more e xpeditious, as the peat in the tanks requires some time to digest, and part with about forty per cent, of its water before it attains the proper consistency to flow out in a dough state, stiff enough to cut into blocks which can be handled. "These works have been in operation, experimentally, some threo years, and, like all experimental works, have undoubtedly cos t a goo d deal of money that others, profit ing by their experience, may save. We are told that this plan embraces live different patents, and wo suppose the patentees consider the whole perfect. They certainly make good f ue l ; a l mos t as dense as mineral coal, and quiterrhe co as u g d oo en d so4 for making steam. Indeed we never saw a bettor fire than it ma k es ; and possibly it makes power cheap enough to d o a ll th e e l eva ting of the heavy material to such a grea t h e i g h t to ma k e th e manufacture profitabl e . peat, when dry, sells readily at $8 a ton at the works, or $lO a ton in Boston." Mr. Betteley, whose patents the mill works gave tho cost of digging, preparing, and getting the peat ready for market. The writer next describes the works of tho Boston Peat Company. In a small work, untitled "Facts about Feat" is an excellent cut, illustrating the exterior of the machine, the engine-room, and mode of operation, almost as clearly as it could be seen by a visitor. " In the upper part of the box an iron grate occupies the whole space, with openings between the bars, perhaps an inch wide. About an inch above this grate a knife at tached to the shaft continually revolving cuts the peat into such small pieces that by the rubbing motion of the flat blade they are crowded through the grate. These pieces fall successively upon other grates, growing finer and finer, and arranged upon alternate sides of the box so as to give a spiral motion to the passing mass, which undergoes a rub bing or grinding operation until it is reduced to the con sistency of plasterer's mortar, and that, too, by the same process of first breaking the lumps, rubbing, and thoroughly mixing ; and all the roots and fibrous matter of the peat bears a close analogy to the hair in mortar. However light, porous, or fibrous tho peat may be, it is reduced to a perfectly homogeneous mass, and the fibre has nearly all disappeared. Any peat from a well-drained mass is in ex actly the right condition as to moisture for working in this manner. If very wet, it would be necessary to let it lie a day or two after digging from the bog, to evaporate a portion of the moisture, as it sticks to the mill and moulds when extremely wet. If tho peat can be drained so as to retain no more than about 60 per cent. of moisture it will be found to be in the best possible condition for this process of manufacture, and the product of hard, dry fuel will be 40 per cent., by weight, of the crude material brought from the bog. " There is beneath this grinding and mining mill a long platform and endless chain-carrier, operated by a shaft and belt independent in some measure of the main driv ing-wheel. " Upon one side of the mill, moulds—something like those for brick—are placed upon the carrier, and aro car ried under a hopper, which receives the mortar from the mill, and aro there filled and pass out on the other side about as fast as one man can take them off and place them upon a barrow. Each block of moulds contains six bricks, 8x4x21 inches. Thero is attached to the mill a box con taining dry powdered peat, which is sifted down upon the empty moulds as they are passing under the hopper, so that the plastic mortar does not adhere." No attempt is made to squeeze out the water, therefore no pressure is exerted in any stage of condensation. Dry condensed peat does not occupy more than one-fourth the space it did in the bog. The only injury by rain to peat manufacture is to retard the work in drying and stacking ; after one day's exposure to the sun it resists the rain as though coated with tallow. Although these machines have so lately been brought into working order, thorn are thirty of them in operation in the States of Maine, Massa chusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Virginia, Wisconsin, Illinois, and ono has been shipped to New foundland, and contracts are made, or negotiating, for up wards of a hundred more, widely scattered over the whole country. Four have just been ordered by one company at Rockville, Connecticut. A recent trial of peat in running a locomotive between Hartford and Springfield has de monstrated to Connecticut people the value of their nume rous and extensive deposits. The Tribune strongly advises its readers to see these machines and judge their worth for themselves, and not upon the recommendation of others. It is estimated that the cost of setting up an establish ment for producing 25 tons of peat a day will bo about $5,000. When several machines are run in the same esta blishment numerous simple contrivances can be used to reduce the expenses. At Lexington the peat sells readily at $8 a ton ; in competition with coal, about $lO 25c. ; but oven at $3 the peat would show a profit where labour is cheap. An engineer to keep the machinery in good work ng order can bo had at $5O to SGO a month. Sunshine and wind aro the best drying agents, and they cost nothing. Peat condensed by machinery is worth 25 per cent. more than the crude dried in the ordinary way. In some of the Western States fuel is so expensive that ears of Indian corn are burnt to cook another portion of the same grain for food. There peat exists, but the people are ignorant that the " black mud" will burn. It also affords a pure and wholesome fire even where burned—as in Ireland—in a room without a flue. Peat must not be closed under cover till thoroughly dry, as it is liable to mould and be injured, as wood would be by being wet in a close pile. When stored damp it has generated heat enough to produce spontaneous combustion—some cases have occurred on board ship. The great trouble in all hand-working of peat is to got rid of the water that remains shut up in the interior of the blocks after the exterior is dry. For domestic use peat is superior to all other fuel, except that the fire must be replenished oftener than with coal, less so than with wood. It is of the greatest advantage for a locomotive from its intense heat, and it throws off no cinders. Another great benefit anticipated from its extensive use is that it will save from further destruction the timbered land of the older States as well as the prairie regions of the West, which add so much to the beauty, health, and wealth of every country when duly proportioned with the lands under cul tivation. Peat is found in all moist level districts in North ern regions, such as in the prairies of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and frequently in all the valleys of moun tainous regions, as in the States of New York, Now Jersey, and New England. There is scarcely a line of rail that does not cross peat beds enough to furnish the locomotives that ply on thorn. The ease with which peat can be ob tained being almost as wide-spread as wood, and as easily converted into fuel by the poor and unskilled labourer, makes it a national blessing. Among the general localities whore peat is found wo may mention several de posits in Nova Scotia, some of which appear to be passing into bituminous coal. In Canada, also, we are told a peat bog exists covering 1,100 acres, which, if the country were entirely stripped of its forests, would supply it with more fuel than it could ever consume. On Anticosti the deposit is simply immense. This island alone could supply the whole fleet of ocean steamers. One continuous bog ex tends 80 miles, with an average width of two miles and a depth of from 3to 10 feet. This is all solid peat, of excel lent quality, easily drained and worked. On the summit of Mansfield Mountain, 4,348 feet above tide, there aro beds of peat and sphagnous moss, rapidly increasing the fuel for future ages. Ono paragraph, at this portion of the notice in the Tribune, is so amusing that wo transcribe it : " The greatest interest has been excited in peat, mainly through the researches and energy of T. H. Leavitt, now of tho firm of Leavitt and Hunnewell, No. 49, Congress-street, Boston, to whom we would refer all inquirers for any further information, particularly request ing readers not to address the Tribune for more particulars about peat. We have given all that any live Yankee will need to set his wits to work, to inquire whether the long neglected and perhaps despised swamp is not the most valuable portion of his farm. Such has already boon the result of thought and inquiry upon this subject in a groat many places in Massachusetts." A few years ago Professor L. W. Johnson, of Yale College, published a valuable pamphlet on Connecticut peat, more with a view to its merits for manure than for fuel. Some of it is naturally as solid as the condensed fuel. A description follows of the quantity and quality of this substance to be found in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, &c.; but with all peat we aro told that it must first be ground in a mill mixed into a mortar, even if necessary to add more waver, and it will then dry much faster for this manipula tion. In Orange county and in the adjoining portion of New Jersey there is an immense tract known as the " drowned lands," which is believed to be one of the largest peat bogs in America, except that in Anticosti. In Indiana one bog extends sixty miles, with an average breadth of throe miles ; in some places known to be 40 feet deep, average depth 10 to 15 feet. Chicago itself is sur rounded with peat bogs ; all that is wanted is the enter prise to convert it into fuel. We are satisfied if it fulfils all the following advantages, every railroad will endeavour to have its own peat bog and fuel manufactory, not only in America, but in all other parts of the world. " For railroads, we say confidently peat is the fuel. It is easily handled ; a tender can carry enough for two hundred miles ; it is easily kindled • it requires no wood for ki n dling ; it burns freely an d steadily to the last, leaving no residuum; emits no sparks to burn wood land and fences; nor does it drop coal to burn bridges ; it never annoys passengers with smoke, smell, or cinders ; and as the grate bars are always clean, the engineer will never say to the conductor, "I can't make steam." We speak from knowledge when we say that there is no better fuel known to generate steam than condensed peat. It would answer au admirable purpose for dummy engines' upon city railroads ; and nothing would be bettor than peat for the fuel of fire engines. It could be saturated with petro leum to make it more instantly inflammable for the first fire. It is a great advantage in all small engines to have a fuel that makes no clinkers, such as aro produced by anthracite coal, and which clog and spoil the grate-bars." The Rartford Times says the actual cost of preparing peat fuel is $1.50 per ton, and coal costs $7 to $8 a ton. Upon a trial trip the engine burned 1,4001b5. of peat-52 miles, and made "express time," without an effort to force speed; the last six miles were made without any addition to the fuel. Gas companies will bo compelled to use peat, because it not only gives a bettor gas for light, but it is far loss offensive in odour, and much cheaper. • That it is also actually equal, if not really superior, to the best charcoal itself for smelting iron ore, and for pud dling iron, has been demonstrated with equal certainty. The iron thus produced is tougher, finer, more malleable, freer from flaws, than any other. By this use of peat, iron from English mines of admitted inferiority to the famous Old Hill mine in Salisbury, Connecticut, and the equally celebrated Swedish charcoal iron, has been pro duced of a quality equal to either." " When the peat is converted into charcoal, a metro of it weighs 6601 b., showing a greater density than charcoal of wood ; and from some specimens of charcoal of con densed peat, which we saw at Boston, we are satisfied th tt the comparison would be still greater in favour of the peat, and produce a still more marked result in its use. Indeed the charcoal of condensed peat is the best we over saw, and we predict it will take a place in various manufac tures whore the most expensive wood coal is now used. It has been proved by gold workers to be the very fuel they need." All that had boon wanted in peat was density, and this has been supplied by Yankoo ingenuity, without increasing the cost of tho fuel ; the heat produced by condonsed peat is intense. At Utica, New York, 612 foot of good illumi nating gas was obtained from 1601bs. of peat. One cubic foot of crude peat, fair quality, weighs about solb. Ono cubic foot, same material, condensed, wet, weighs about 7olb. This last will ordinarily be reduced by drying to about lB to 251 b. One block, as it comes moist from the moulds, measures 8x4x21 (80 cubic inches), and weighs about " The machine turns out easily 25,000 of these blocks per day, and with small additional power can as easily turn out 50,000 blocks per day." After a general ream; of the general importance of the subject, and the claims it has on public attention the New York Tribune thus concludes its voluminous article : " And now a word more to our ieaders. Perhaps you may think we have exhausted the subject of peat. You are much Nistaken. Long as this article is, it has only furnished you a text for thought. We beg of you not to neglect the application. Think, talk, act upon this great subject—the subject of making fuel cheaper and the poor more comfortable. If the writer lives long enough to enjoy some of the genial fires that peat may produce in your homes, he may write more about it as the fuel of the million. The subject is far from being exhausted." We also commend the subject to the attention of our readers—especially at a moment when much interest has been excited on account of the continually exhausting drain upon our coalfields. If it be proved, as this article asserts, that the peat prepared on the American principle is not only equal to but better adapted than coal for the supply of our locomotives, what a subject for in vestigation is opened before us, and one meriting the most careful and impartial inquiry.—Anglo-Americnn Times. The Great Yarmouth Election Commission. GREAT YARMOUTH, Aug. 20. Tho Commissioners for inquiring into corrupt electoral practices in this borough sat again this morning at the Town-hall. Mr. J. H. Wolton was the first witness. He said—l am a hop merchant, and reside at Peckham-ryo. I lent Mr. Nightingale a sum in July, 1865. Ho applied for the loan at my house at Peckham-rye ; it was not on a Sunday. Mr. Nightingale asked me whether it was convenient for me to lend him £3,000. I said, " Yes ;" and I afterwards wrote a check on Barclay's for the amount. The check was cashed in gold. Mr. Nightingale, whom I had known for 20 years, gave me his bill a. security. The bill was drawn on him. It was paid at maturity. Mr. Nightingale took the money in a cab and went away. I did not know what the money was wanted for. After I had given Mr. Night ingale the money he said, " I may want this for election eering purposes." I have lent Mr. Nightingale money once before. I think the first loan was in 1859. That loan was made upon special security—Groat Western Railway scrip, I think. The first loan was paid in gold and handed to him. I have an idea now of what the first loan was wanted for. I have not been in Yarmouth since 1860. I have only a business acquaintance with the town, and it was through my business as a hop merchant that I know Mr. Nightingale and Sir E. Lacon. I have never discussed with Sir E. Lacon the loans which I made to Mr. Nightin gale. I don't know that Sir E. Lacon was acquainted with him. Tho bill of 1865 was paid at Glyn's, I believe• Glyn's are the correspondents of Lacon and Co. lam not a nolitician, and I have voted on both sides. I don't know which I admire most, Mr. Gladstone or Lord Derby. It was friendship for Mr. Nightingale which induced me to lend him the money, and I would lend him a much greater sum. Tho interest was about the Bank rate. Sir E. H. K. Lacon, M.P., examined.-1 am one of the members for this borough, in which I have a brewery and a bank. .1 have contested the borough four times since 1852. I have been opposed by gentlemen supposed to be of largo fortune. In 1852, 1859, and 1865, I was returned ; in 1857 I was not returned. There were petitions after each election. In 1857 I unseated the Libor - al members ; in 1859 and 1865 I was seated. In 1865 the committee of the House of Commons reported the existence of corrupt practices. I cannot remember whether they made a similar report in 1859. In 1865 my share of the expenses sent in to the returning officer was £446. It was understood that I should share the expenses with Mr. Goodson. Besides the £446 thus expended I don't know of anything further having been spent on my behalf. I have been in Scotland, and have only seen a reportof the first day's proceedings in the Times. If LMr. Nightingale has stated that he spent £4,000 on my behalf, he made the outlaywithout my know lodge or authority. Mr. Nightingale is on terms of inti macy with me and a partner. I have no reason to suppose from what has since transpired that bribery took place at the election of 1859. I am not personally aware of any bribery having been committed. I understand that Mr. Nightingale has stated that ho spent £l,OOO in bribery in 1859. lam not aware that Mr. Nightingale has been re paid that £l,OOO. I have paid Mr. Corry his bill for ser vices rendered with reference to the petition of 1859, an action for defamation, and proceedings in the Court of Queen's Bench. The amount of his bill was £2,300. I de stroyed the bill; 1 was so disgusted with the animus shciwn against me. The bill was paid in four instalments of £l3l 10s., £368 10s., £5OO, and £1,500. I never asked Mr. Cory the expense of the petition. I was perfectly satisfied he would do what was right. It was never intimated to me that I had better not look at the bill. I was not aware that a farthing had been spent in bribery, and, therefore, I bad no occasion to look at the bill. For the last three elections there has been bribery. I believe the election of 1852 was pure. The election of 1857 was pure except as regards Messrs. M'Cullagh and Watkin. I know bribery was practised on the other side at the last election. It was two or three days before the election that I made the discovery ; I found some who had promised me their votes had become a little "shaky." (Laughter.) I never had so good a canvas as on the last election, and I polled within 30 of my promises. I was not in Yarmouth on the Sunday before the election. I certainly was not at Mr. Aldred's meeting. I don't know when Mr. Goodson made up his mind to stand what sum ho put down as his share of the expenses. I think £BOO about the legal expenses of an election in Yarmouth, and a gentleman ought to be returned for that amount provided ho resides in Yarmouth. I told Mr. Goodson his share of the legal expenses would be about £ooo. Mr. Goodson never asked me what the illegal ex penses would be; not of me, certainly. Ho never made such an inquiry in my presence. I don't know whether Mr. Goodson has tho reputation of being a man of wealth. He was chairman at the time of the Groat Eastern Railway Company. He generally attended me in my canvass. No voter ever hinted to me that he must be paid for his vote. It was understood that Mr. Goodson should share the ex penses of the petition. It was not understood that Mr. Goodson was to share any legal expenses. I did not con sider that any illegal expenses would be necessary, tho can vass having been so good. During the canvass I was in communication with the leading Conservative gentlemen of the town. I attended meetings at the Star, the Feathers (at Gorleston), the Duke's Head, and the Crown and Anchor. I met Mr. Preston frequently. I was not aware any illegal expenses were being incurred. I don't consider myself indebted to Mr. Nightingale for the sum he ex pended on my behalf. I have had no application for pay ment from him. The Chief Commissioner—l won't ask you whether you consider yourself morally and legally indebted. Witness—l cannot remember a bill drawn by Mr. Night ingale for £l,OOO in 1859, payable at Glyn's. I never knew about a £3,000 bill in 1865. I was not aware of the trans action. I have been connected with the town all my life, and my father before me. I have heard about very expensive breakfasts to the freemen. I was abroad a great deal, and did not take much interest in the borough until 1840. Mr. Rumbold stood:with me in 1852, although our opinions did not quite coincide. I understood that ho was in the habit of putting by £l,OOO a year for the borough, which ho represented from 1818 to 1857. Mr. Sandars sat with Mr. Rumbold from 1848 to 1852 ; they were of opposite politics. I don't know of any illegal expenditure having been made in 1852. I canvassed with Mr. Sandars in 1848; I did not then contemplate becoming a candidate. I had reason to anticipate being returned in 1857 from my canvass. I believe I should have been returned in 1857 but for the bribery committed by Mr. Watkin. I retired in 1857 because I could get no one to stand with me, and because, when a person petitions, as I did, ho becomes un popular. In 1859, having got Sir Henry Stracey, to stand with me, 1 stood again. I had no communication with Sir Henry Stracoy as to the expenses. In 1859 I believed that I should be returned without illegal expenditure. I know Mr. Cooper ; he is a printer and bookseller; I know him as a very zealots partisan. I never heard of him as the recognised illegal Conservative agent. (Laughter.) Never conversed with Mr. Cooper upon illegal expendi ture or with Mr. Nightingale. I was aware that Mr. Cooper was very active in connection with the registra tion. I was rather surprised by Mr. Cooper's evidence in the Times. I had not the slightest idea where the money he spent came from. (Laughter.) I don't think it is very likely that the money came from the Carlton Club, they are not so liberal as all that. My friends were very much annoyed at my defeat in 1857. I don't know that they then resolved I never should be defeated again. Mr. Wat kin must have got in in 1857 by bribery. I don't think the Liberals would have had much chance without bribery. My position and expenditure in the town must have a cer tain legitimate influence. It costs me about £7O a year for the races, regatta, &c. Mr. Cooper never canvassed for me, or came to the committee-room, although I know him to be a very active partisan. It did not strike mo as being remarkable. I know that he attended chiefly to the registration. I did not surmise that he had any in direct way of promoting my interests. Some of the "shaky" voters had voted for me previously. Some of those who had been " shaky " did not towards the close promise for me. I struck the " shaky " voters off my promises. I first heard of Mr. Nightingale having advanced £l,OOO and £3,000 last night. I was rather astonished at the sum. I was not altogether astonished that he should have advanced some money. It would have been better, perhaps, if it had been a smaller sum. On the evening of the election my belief was that nothing had been spent ; I had heard of nothing. I continued in the same belief up to the petition. Because there was bribery proved in 1859 I did not think it followed that my party would bribe in 1865. I prosecuted a man named Fayermau for perjury after the election of 1859 in consequence of statements which he made respecting me ; he was not convicted. Mr. Duncombo was suggested to stand with me in 1857. I don't think I had personal conversation with Mr. Duncombo as to the expense. He came down with Mr. Spofforth ; he came down about mid-day, and went back to Yorkshire in the evening. No other gentleman was introduced. I wrote then to Mr. Mellor and Mr. Young to inform them that I should not contest the borough. I gave no reason for this course. We told Mr. Buncombe that we did not want a mere temporary man, and he said he was going to stand at the next election for the North Riding of Yorkshire. It was the common talk of the town that Mr. Watkin brought down oyster barrels filled with sovereigns in 1857. I have heard in conversation that Messrs. Young and Mellor paid something to Messrs. Watkin and that re member whether I heard this before I made up my m in d not to stand; probably afterwards. I have heard that the election of 1857 cost Messrs. Watkin and M'Cullagh a large sum. Mr. Mellor was Mr. Watkin's brother-in-law. I never hoard that there was any connection between Mr. M`Cul lagh and Mr. Young. I never returned ray personal ex penses to the returning officer. Living at home, they were almost nothing. The whole would be under £2O. Mr C. Corry, recalled, said—l have destroyed the draught of the bill which I sent in to Sir E. Lacon in 1860 and 1861. Mr. Nightingale applied to mo personally as to the £l,OO O which ho had advanced. I understood that the cost of the petition was £2,600, but Sir H. Stracey paid half. It vvan done partly in London. I never keep election papers. I cannot say how the £l,OOO was included in the bill. I should have put it in a shape in which Sir E. Lacon would have detected it. It was a very uncommon transaction with me. Mr. Nightingale told me what ho had expended the money for. Sir E. Lacon never objected to the large ness of my bill. His partner was authorised to advance money to me. I should say positively I did not put the £l,OOO in the bill in one sum. Mr. Nightingale applied to mo for the money in 1861 or 1862. No remark was mad e to me as to the hirgoness of the balance paid to me. From Sir E. Lacon's demeanour to me I thought he was a nnoyed at the largeness of the bill. Sir Edmund is not very fond of paying theso things. (Laughter.) I paid Mr. Night ingale in cash, not by check. I did not communicate the payment to anybody. I cannot justify the distribution of the £l,OOO over the bill, except as an election matter. I consider candidates severally liable for such matters, I can not remember whether anything was said about Sir • Stracey paying half the £l,OOO. I and Mr. Nightingale came to the conclusion that Sir Edmund was liable for the whole. I think if Sir E. Lacon had known the £l,O OO had been spent for electioneering purposes he would har e refused to pay it. I believe Mr. Nightingale would bar e lost it. He is a rich man and might not have thought much about it. I never heard Sir E. Lace; in addressing the electors, allude to bribery either on his own side or the other. I looked upon Sir E. Lacon as liable for the £l,OOO. If Sir E. Lacon had knowingly paid the £ l , OOO he would have been liable to misdemeanour under the Act of Parliament. I have presented no bill to Sit Lacon since. I was not surprised at Sir E. Lacon's examining the items. Ho had never examined bills Pre viously. Mr. Nightingale told me he had spent the £l,OOO, and I suggested means of recovering it. The examination of the witness was still proceeding when our report was despatched. COUNTRY MARKETS. - -411. - CHELMSFORD—AuG. 17. t With a good supply the market for wheat was abo ut tho same as last week. Several samples of new wheat were on offer, and white was sold at 56s per qr.; red, 5 2 S* Spring corn of all descriptions remained without alters' tion. Wheat, old white.... 468 578 Peas, Partridge ...... 40S 4,..s 2 4 •• • new .4ls 56s White 320 ' old red. 418 52s Boiling .. ..... . - 4 O 4O new. 40s 51s Dun.. Barley.... 2ss 33s ditto, new.... -8 04 Chevalier --s —s Beans, Tick, 01d......400 42, Grinding 25s 308 new.. — 3B ° 451 Malt 58s 60s Harrow ricks 42s Chevalier 608 62t new ....4 00 . Vs 26s Mazagan.e .....4308: LI GRANTHAM—AUG. 18. Old white wheat, 53s to 58s; old red, 50s to 53s ; white, 52s to 565; new red, 47s to 52s per 36 stone. J °6 ' t ley for malting, 36s to 42s per qr. ; grinding, 30s to 3311, 30 stone. Oats, old, 30s to 32s ; new, 25s to 30s per stone. Beans, old, 48s to 51s; new, 44s to 46s per 38 stouv* Peas, 36s to 40s per 36 stone. COLCHES TER--AuG. 18. To-day wheat was in tolerable supply, and met a Tnod„ 4 .° - rate demand at previous ratos. Not much doing in boa" peas, and oats at late prices. .Q 4 46 Wheat, white 5 , s 56s Beans, Hazagan....... , A 6 4 8 6 red. 44s tas Middle and 5n1a11..44s • 42S Barley 348 43s Peas, white. 380 2 , 0 Oats grey ...360 4 .NOTTINGIIAM—AnG. 18. There was a less supply of wheat at our corn market he day, and the demand was dull at rather less money. supply of barley was limited, and the demand was a to ll, grinding sorts commanding fully late prices. Oats 0 131 .`,0 and rates pretty well supported. Beans dull, and pv— not much changed. Old white wheat, 55s to GOs ; old red, 54s to 568 LllBO4 white, 568 to 62s ; new red, Ms to 56s per 36 stone. u B i a, old, 34s to 355; new, 25s to 34s per 24 stone. Beans , ° 43 51s to 53s ; now, 48s to ols per 38s stone. Fine flour, to 41s per sack. . 17. t l The attendance at market ABERDEEN—AuG to-day was small, and lit e business doing. Prices remain unaltered. 46s Octto 48s 0ct) .621b v b u s White wheat oh l• Red wheat 45s Od to 48s Od Potato oats 2 2 7 4 5 s O s t to o 2 2 4 75 s 6 6 d d 1 " lb /31)11611°1' Common oats Bore 30s Od to 31s Od t. """' „„,, ~ w ool , Barley • 32s Od to 32s 6d) ' Oatmeal Flour, fine 19s Gd to 20s Od ift boll of 0 1 ' 38s Od to 39s Od Vsack of 280' KIRKCALDY—Auo. 18. b old' Good supply of wheat, small of oats, and no Prices unchanged. ____ Barley. Oats. —8 Od I 29s 6d —sod 318 Od —8 Od —5 Od Wheat. 146 6d second.... 15s 6d Tuird . 17s Od COAL MARKET. Price por ton at the close of the market. J. s. (1. s. 0 South Iletton Iletton Lyons Walls End Hetton ... 20 6 Original Hartlepool , _ _ East Hartlepool Eden Main Caradoe l9 9 Pittington ............... g 0 Trimdon Grange lB 6 Cassop ........... 9 6 Hough Hall l9 6 Braddyell's Hatton.... 19 Ships at market, 82—sold, 76. Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. Australia and New Zealand, via Southampton A u ef • is. Ditto, via Marseilles solo. 3. Brazil and Cape Verde, by British packet. ..... .. • • SeP t- 2. Ditto, by French packet .. Aug' 2 y . Cape of Good hope, Ascension, and St. Helena....suP t ' o, China, Penang. and Singapore, via Southampton. .Aug ..2/. Ditto, via Marseilles Aug' Falkland Islands l9. Gibraltar, via Southampton Aug' - . „ a . 19' India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton.......' / Ditto, via Marseilles - ' Ang• 21. India (Bombay), via Southampton. Aug' 1. Ditto, via Marseilles . .... 9, Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton Aug' ' 2(. Ditto, via Marseilles Aug' 0 Mauritius, via Southampton SO!' is, ' Ditto, via Marseilles Ser qg ' Newfoundland Aug' - s, Portugal .. •••••SePt" Ditto, by private ship to Lisbon United States and British North America, by Bri- 29. tiah packet ..« • 000000000 • • Aug. Ditto, by United States packet, via Southamp ton Ditto, via Cork Ditto, by Canadian packet, via Londonderry West Coast of Africa, Madeira, and Teneriire .. • • S e P t- West Indies and Pacific (except Bahamas and Honduras) Au.' 5, Cuba and Mexico _ A.ug• Bermuda, via Halifax .... . ........ .Auk 0, Bahamas, via New York. Aug. 0 0 14 EDITORIAL DuEL:—A duel with swords 09 place a few days since at St. Mandd, near Paris, Hof the M. Virmaitre, of the Liberec', and M. Blondes% 0 0 Nouvelles. After a short engagement M. Yin:o l ° l od slightly wounded in the arm, when the seconds ipt B l and declared honour to be satisfied. A reconcilis P°- , tween the combatants was effected on the ground. D v/ 4 [ADVERTISEMENTd—HoIIoway's Ointment and ', l e e; Thousands of persons who have wrought wonderful oe? by means of these remedies have extolled then' s o but have not given them one word of 13T se o f " than they richly merited. An attentive pronto l h o "directions" accompanying Holloway's medicalin it r e enable any invalid to overcome his trouble, whe t lis visible outwardly or concealed inwardly. Sores , 1 ( . (1., oases, inflammations, erysipelus, chest complain t B' o r PA as many disorders of the head, heart, stomacb, 1 1° 110 ;fsi p net's, and bowels, may be radically'removed by Il i ° s fog preparations. They have proved the greatest 13 038 o ireri t ; suffering humanity, because they can be obtain i e te - pa where, are moderate in cost, safe in action, strengthen, not to weaken, the system. Births. O f ABINGER—On the 18th inst., at 48, Chester - K u— ' are dAbinger, of a daughter. GRAVES—On the 17th inst., at W aver t ree GrangVa Li llt pool, the wife of S. B. Graves, Esq., M.P., o f a 143- / stillborn. ~./gll 5. LANGDON—On the 19th inst., at Tho Limos, Cl' °hll6lll' i t. Langdon, of a daughter. , ,4 0 011 '" REYNOLDS—On the 20th inst., at Tho Priory, -" a- '4l Brompton, Mrs. Fred. Reynolds, of a daughter. Marriages. vii , BENNETT—MANVELL—On the 18th inst., at the el l: church, Croydon, Wm. Bennett, of Amherst-im: 10V noy-downs, to Emma, youngest (blighter of A'S r • 110 09 ' of Bow-churchyard,' Cheapside ' and Staple,' . o '6 South Norwood-park. ' ~ Geo ,n , i A+ SEYMOUR—BOTFIELD —On the 18th inst , at P" 4 7,-, 10 3 P ol a Hanover-square, Alfred Seymour, Esq.,.M;F"„ - d sev-13 widow of the ate B. Botfield, Esq., Al.''' -11 daughter of Sir Baldwin Leighton, Bart. Deaths. - log AO ALLEN—On the 14th inst. at at Chandos House, n ( 4 l 0. Joseph Allen, Esq., late Of Norton Folg ate, agnoe ~,gIP4 BENNET —On the 17th inst., P. Bonnet, Esq.: ° 1 - hit' Suffolk, aged 71. -n o 1)1$'" CLIFFORD—On the 12th inst., at Sha rdlovf, —-r James Clifford, Esq., aged 80. 1 , 0 01 1eite GEALE—On the 16th inst., at 9 , Lansdown-Pia- ' ham, Captain Geale, R.N., aged 71. T ttl ° /11 MASTER— On the 18th inst., at Tomartin, Hoar .- George Master, Esq., of 22, D u k e - s treet. a s, $ 541 NoxEs—On the 19th inst., at Brighton, John S 1 70. ~, formerly of Mecklenburgh-square , London, e' a eg 5' vot.- YOUNG—On the 20th inst., at Buntingford, ffert,,Bl. H. Young, late of H.M.'s 31st Regiment, ag .- i, I g°' Af AND - 1 1.4 s e London: Printed and Published by Vali LIA— plo. 0 of No. 112, Strand, Punter. at THE S UN Cactio°°e Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, iu ie filiddleses.,—Tuesday, August 21, 180. /S k i 84, the e