The Sun. — London, England, 1865-05-17 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT HOUSE OF LORDS—LAST EVENING. The LOAD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at the usual hour. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were read a second time :—Rattrt.tams- y's Estate, Wynne's Estate, Weald of Kent Railway, G borough Water, West Cork Railway, and Farnham Gas. The following bills were read a third time and passed — Glasgow and South-Westernßailway (KilrnassockDirect), Gosport Gas ; London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway (St. Leonard's Line and Deviation), Rastrick Gas, Glasgow and South-Western Railway (City of Glasgow Union). SEWAGE UTILISATION BILL. Lord RAVENSWORTH, in moving the second reading of this bill, said that the object of the bill was of great im portance in a sanitary point of view, and he adverted to the reports presented to Parliament as confirmatory of that statement. The population of the metropolis was i ncrea sing at a given ratio, and it was a natural result that the sewage should also increase in a correspond ing degree. The reports presented in 1861 showed a fear ful state of the impurity of the water of the metropolis by the sewage discharged into it, which was stated to be at the present time affected by the sewage of no less than 800,000 persons. The impurity of the water was not confined to the metropolis, but extended to the great manufacturing cities and towns of the country ; and he cited the dictum of several scientific authorities who had analysed the Thames and other great rivers, from whose statement it appeared that several of those rivers would not sustain fish, and the sequitur was that they would not sustain human life. It could not be doubted that the subject had attained a magnitude that enforced it on the attention of Government, and called for some remedy. The bill which he had the honour to propose was not of a compulsory character, but merely pro posed to give to local authorities the power to adopt mea sures for the utilisation of sewage when such could be practically carried out. He referred to China and Japan to show the better system that prevailed in those countries In respect to this question of sewage. Lord REDESDALE said that he would not oppose the bill, but at the same time he considered that it should re ceive careful attention in regard to its different provisions before it received the sanction of Parliament. Earl LONGFORD thought the bill ought to be passed. After some further discussion the bill was read a second time. METROPOLITAN HOUSELESS POOR BILL. Earl DE GREY and RIPON moved that this bill should go through committee, and entered into some details to show the necessity for legislation on this subject. The Earl of CARNARVON believed that the act of last session had in many respects worked satisfactorily, but, on the other hand, he thought it was defective in some points. When the guardians had shown a liberal spirit it had been attended with good results, but in the many places where the guardians had exhibited a churlish and illiberal spirit, it had been almost a dead letter. There was even now the great inequality in the relief given to casual paupers in the different metropolitan unions. The meals given to them in some unions were far better, both in quantity and qua lity, than in others. There was the same inequality in the amount of labour exacted from the paupers. In some of the unions no regular casual wards had been fitted up ; and in numerous instances the ventilation was very defec tive. He also noticed that in some cases boards of guar dians had refused to give relief to persons belonging to other metropolitan parishes. That was utterly unjustifi able. The natural result of this inequality of treatment in different unions was that, while some of the casual wards were crowded, others were nearly empty. He did not oppose the present bill, but he trusted that the Poor-law Board would carefully watch its working, and take care that it was not rendered a nullity by the niggardliness of boards of guardians. The Earl of S HAFTESBURY bore testimony to the satisfactory working of the act of last session, and said he believed this measure, if efficiently administered, would be a real and permanent blessing to the poor. The bill then passed through committee. The Commons' amendments to the Lords' amendments to the Private Bills Costs Bill were considered and agreed to. The District Church Tithes Bill was read a third time and passed. OXFORD UNIVERSITY (VINERIAN FOUNDATION). The Earl of DERBY, in moving the second reading of this bill, explained that its object was to enable the Uni versity of Oxford to alter one of the statutes regulating the application of the funds of the Vinerian foundation. The principal purpose in view was to obtain a resident profes sor of law. The bill was read a second time. The report of amendments on the Married Women's Property (Ireland) Bill was brought up and agreed to. The Isle of Man (Disafforestation) Compensation Bill was read a third time and passed. MASTERS IN THE NAVY. The Earl of lIARDWICKE asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether it was the intention of the Government to abolish the class of masters in the Royal Navy. The Duke of SOMERSET said that it was the intention of the Admiralty eventually to abolish the rank of masters in the Royal Navy. The interests of the present masters, 700 or 800 in number, would have to be carefully consi dered ; and all that had at present been done was to stop the entry of that class of cadets front which the masters were taken. As soon as the scheme of the Admiralty was matured ho would lay it on the table, in order that their lordships might see clearly what was intended. The Earl of HARDWICKE expressed his :disapproval of the contemplated measure, contending that it was abso lutely requisite that there should be a separate class of men devoted, under the orders of the captain, to the navigation and pilotage of the ship. The Duke of SOMERSET remarked that there would be ample opportunity for fully discussing this subject when he laid on the table the Admiralty scheme for dealing with it. The subject then dropped. THE METALLIFEROUS MINES BILL. Lord KINNAIRD withdrew a notice of motion whi h he had given for the production of certain papers in regard to the condition of mines. Lord VIVIAN appealed to the noble lord to withdraw the Metalliferous Mines Bill. The whole mining interest was opposed to it, and it would be found both impracticable and injurious. Lord KINNAIRD could not withdraw a measure which had already received far more support than he anticipated, and which would, he believed, work very beneficially. The house adjourned at a quarter before seven o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS—LAST EVENING. The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were read a third time and passed : Crieff Junction and Scottish Central Railway Companies ; Dunblane, Doune, and Callander and Scottish Central Railway Companies; North and South Wiltshire Junction Railway ; Port Talbot Company ; Solway Junction Rail way; Southampton Gas; West Bromwich Improvement; and Wrexham, Mold, and Connah's Quay Railway (En tension). METROPOLITAN MARKET BILL. On the motion for the second reading of this bill, Mr. COX objected to it on the ground that it would convert several large buildings which it was proposed to make into model lodging houses to other purposes. After some conversation, in which Mr. Crawford, Alder man Sydney, and Mr Ayrton took part, The bill was read a second time. THE CHURCH OP ENGLAND. Mr. WHALLEY brought in a bill for the better regu lation of the services of the Church of England with re spect to auricular confession. MR. WILDE'S RESIGNATION. Mr. FERRAND gave notice that he should move for the appointment of a select committee to inquire into the resignation of Mr. Wilde, the appointment of Mr. Welch, and the intended appointment of Mr. R., Bothell to the Leeds Bankruptcy Court. ENFIELD RIFLES. . . —.-- Mr. IL VIVIAN asked the Under Secretary of State for War if the committee on converting the Enfield rifles into breech-loaders had reported ; and if so, whether they had recommended any plan for the adoption of the Govern ment. And whether it was true that an order had been given, or was about to be given, for the conversion of 60,000 rifles on the Mount Storm principle. The Marquis of HARTINGTON said the report had been received, but it was not entirely favourable to any system of conversion submitted for consideration. A cer tain number of conversions would be made, but it was not true that 60 , 00 0Enfleld rifles had been converted to Mount Storm's principle. When the report was complete he would state its purport. SINGAPORE. Mr. MITCHELL asked the Secretary of State for India whether, in the event of the transfer of Singapore from his department to that of the Colonies, full provision wouldbe made for the continued employment of naval officers hold ing command under him in the Straits of Malacca. Sir C. WOOD said he did not quite understand the hon. member's question, but if he would repeat it on another opportunity, he would make inquiries, a n d g i ve him all the i n f or mation he could collect. CEYLON. Mr. B. COCHRANE asked the President of the P d o f Trade to lay o n the table a copy of all correspond::e which had passed since 1854 b e tween the Colonial Govern_ ment of Ceylon, the Board of Trade, and the Colonial office, respecting the lighthouse to be erected on the Basses Rocks, Ceylon; and of any reports referring to the same. Mr. M. GIBSON said the whole correspondence relative to the lighthouse which it was intended to erect was pre sented to the house in 1863. All he required would be found in the correspondence. Mr. B. COCHRANE said there were some reports not contained in that return. Mr : M. GIBSON sa id if t h e h on . m ember would state which was required it should be produced. WAR IN LAGOS. Lord STANLEY asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether there was official confirmation of the re port contained in yesterday's African intelligence, to the effect that a fresh war had broken out among the tribes near Lagos, and that British troops had taken part in that war ; and, if so, whether such interference had taken place by order, or with permission, of the British Govern ment ? Mr. OARDWELL said he had received official confir mation of the report:referred to, not, however, the breaking out of a new war, but the termination of the old one. It was true British troops had taken part in the action, but orders to that effect had not been sent out by the Govern ment. The British troops had acted with great bravery, and not a single life of any person in her Majesty's service had been lost. The Governor justified the steps he took on the ground of self-defence. Ho should have great pleasure in laying the paper on the table. THE BRITISH MUSEUM. Mr. IL SEYMOUR asked the Chancellor of the Ex chequer when he would bring on his scheme for the en largement of the British Museum ; and, if it would be before members began to separate, in anticipation of the general election. Mr. W. COWPER said he was not able to say when the estimates would be ready relative to the subject mentioned by the hon. gentleman, but no time would be lost in get ting them forward. Mr. SEYMOUR said he should like to know whether it was intended to separate the natural history collection and place it at Kensington ? (Hear, hear.) Mr. COWPER said the building for the natural history collection would be placed upon the ground purchased for that purpose at Kensington. (Hear, hear, and oh, oh.) Mr. GREGORY said the information required by his hon. friend and the house was, whether there would be an opportunity afforded the house to express its opinion upon the desirability of removing the natural history collection from the British Museum to Kensington. (Hear hear.) Mr. COWPER, in reply, said the ordinary course of taking the opinion of the house would be upon voting the estimates. He could not say when the plan would be de cided upon, so that he could not tell the exact time at which the estimates would be submitted to Parliament. Mr. A. SMITH asked when the bill, not the estimates, would be submitted to the house ? Mr. COWPER said the hon. gentleman had better give notice of his question. HELPS TO AUTHORS. Mr. J. R. YORKE asked the Secretary to the Treasury, with reference to a petition presented some time since by Dr. Leone Levi, whether any conclusion had yet been ar rived at by the Lords of the Treasury on the subject of granting a subsidy to a work published by him, entitled Annals of British Legislation." Sir F. PEEL said it was not intended to propose any grant to Parliament for the purpose of subsidising the work in question. THE PATENT LAWS. Mr. COX asked the Attorney-General whether it was his intention to bring in a bill this session to amend the laws relating to patents? The ATTORNEY-GENERAL did not think it would be possible to proceed with the bill this session. THE LEEDS APPOINTMENTS—MR. FERRAND'S QUESTIONS. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he hoped the house would allow him a few moments to make some further explanation relative to the questions that were put to him last night by the hon. gentleman opposite (Mr. Ferrand) with respect to the resignation of Mr. Wilde and the appointment of Mr. Welch. He had received a letter from Mr. Welch which ought to have come to hand yesterday. That gentleman stated that ho received the appointment to the Leeds District Court of Bankruptcy unconditionally— (hear, hear)—and that at the time he was not in a precarious state of health. With regard to Mr. Bethell, he stated that he did not in the month of February, or at any other time, attend at the Leeds District Court to make the statement that he had been appointed. The officials of the Court deniedall knowledge of the circumstance, and they all stated they had no personal knowledge of Mr. Bethell. (Hear, hear.) He had also read a letter from Mr. Bethel], which was substantially to the same effect. EAST INDIA CIVIL SERVICE. Mr. A. MILLS rose to call attention to the existing regu lations for the examination of candidates for the civil service in India; and moved an address for copy of all correspon dence on the subject between the India-office and the Civil Service Commissioners which had not yet been laid before Parliament. Mr. B. COCHRANE thought the system of examina tion was very faulty, and that next year a select committee ought to be appointed to consider the subject. Lord STANLEY offered several suggestions with a view to the improvement of the system of examination for the civil service of India. _ _ The discussion was continued by Mr. 11. Seymour, Mr. Smollett, Mr. Grant Duff, Mr. Hennessy, Mr. Kinnaird, Mr. Torrens, and Sir F. Heygate. Sir C. WOOD defended the system of examination pur sued, on the ground that it had been recommended by a commission, consisting of Lord Macaulay and several gen tlemen of great university distinction. The principle upon which the subjects for examination were elected was not that of giving a preference to any particular kind of educa tion or learning, but of affording students in any part of the British dominions the opportunity of presenting themselves for examination with a view to entering the civil service ; and the examination was so conducted as to test not the knowledge of the candidate on any particular subject, but his general intellectual attainments. It was not to be de nied that these examinations had an inevitable tendency to encourage cramming ; but that was not a peculiarity of the competitive system in the Indian civil service ; for " coach ing," which was analogous to it, was well known in all our public schools and universities. There was no objection to producing the papers asked for, namely, the report of the Civil Service Commissioners and the appendix thereto, both of which would be shortly laid upon the table of the house. After a few words from Mr. VessrrTAßT, the motion was withdrawn. THE BANKRUPTCY LAWS. Mr. MOPPATT rose to call attention to the report a the Select Committee on the Bankruptcy Act of 1861, any the existing state of the laws in regard to debtor and cre• ditor ; and to move, " That, in the opinion of this house, the report of the Select Committee on the Bankruptcy Act of 1861 deserves the prompt and serious consideration of her Majesty's Government." The hon. gentleman reviewed the changes which had taken place in reference to the law of bankruptcy during the last 40 years, and remarked that the Consolidation Act of 1849, instead of improving the then existing system, had rather tended to make matters worse. [An unsuccessful attempt was here made to count out the house.] The bankruptcy laws were at the present time in a highly unsatisfactory state ; and the act of 1861 had produced results which no man connected with the commerce of the country could possibly have anticipated. In the first place, it had merged the trading with the non trading community, and had led the whole mercantile world to avoid the Bankruptcy Court as much as possible in con sequence of the expense and delay in the course of proce dure. There was collected out of bankruptcy in the last year £677,000, and the cost of collection and official charges was £140,000, leaving but £520,000 for the creditors from the whole of the bankruptcies in the United Kingdom. If he compared that with the year 1843, when the commerce of the country bore no comparison to the present, the amount of bankruptcies was £1,067,000. That was not sur prising, if they analysed the account of last year, for of 7,324 bankruptcies, 6,600 were made on the bankrupts' own petition, withoul leave of the creditors, and 595 at the in stance of the creditors. Out of 6,600 only 5,324 paid any dividend, and out of the whole 7,324 only 80 were refused prompt discharge. Practically, in the case of every estate where there was a prospect of a dividend, any kind of com promise or assignment was agreed to rather than go to the Bankruptcy Court ; and the natural sequence of it was that every debtor knew he had an instrument at hand by which he could cheat his creditors. This was done in two ways, as inaugurated in the Act of 1861, by composition or assignment. The practice of allowing debtors to evade their creditors was telling upon the mercantile position of the country, as was shown by the fact that, whereas in 1843 there were 640 compositions only, there were in 1864 1,348, and in the last three months of that year there were no loss than 302 for less than ss. in the pound, some being as low as 6d. and 3d. The great mass of insolvencies might be said to be settled under assignment. Scarcely a week passed in which two or three firms extensively engaged in business did not suspend payment, placing their affairs in the hands of their solicitors or friendly accountants, who said to the creditors, " We will look into the books and tell you what you can get ;" and in this way the creditors were kept at bay. The friendly accountants, although some of thorn were of the highest respectability, took the books as they found them, and the consequence was that any mal versation or abstraction from the assets might pass undis turbed. A composition was announced, which the creditors ordinarily were content to take, but there was generally a serious difference between the money result and the state ment first made, and he had known several instances of estates which upon the first showing promised to pay 20s. in the pound, the debts of which might now be bought for 2s. or 3s. in the pound. In November of last year the debts put into composition were £3,938,000, and in Deceniber, £1,049,000, - or at the rate of £18,000,000 a year; and this was shown not to be result of a period of extreme pressure, but a normal state of things ; for the number of deeds registered in those two months was 900, with a stamp duty of £6,000, while the number for the six months ending the 11th April was 2,800, with a stamp duty of £15,614 ; and the stamp duty was only a partial test, as it only extended to .f.. 80,000. What, then, was the remedy? Scarcely anything had b een sugges t e d exc ept the iutroduc ti Bn o oro n thug o in fthe Scotch p rac ti ce . All th e a tt ac k s u pon Lord gham's bill were upon the question of patronage, b u t was said with respect to the benefit of the estate, and the same thing occurred in the case of the evidence . taken before the committee last session. The on presenthe real sys tem was essenti a ll y an d f undamentally principle was to l e t th e cre di tors manage their own T own affairs with the debtors, and for the State to interfere as little as possible. If the debtor were guilty of fraud, let him be tried by the ordinary tribunals of the country ; but the creditor should not have the power of punishing the debtor in any way. The committee proposed to abolish imprisonment for debt, to take away froni the creditor the power of coercing THE b/tiN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 11, 1865 the body of his debtor. It was also propoied that tho credi tors should have the freest access to the property of the debtor, which from the time of the insolvency should be vested in their own management. They proposed to abo lish the present system of bankruptcy, and in lion thereof that creditors should have the power of choosing their own officers and managing their own affairs themselves. But there was this difficulty, that it was practically impossible to get individual creditors to look after their own affairs and those of other creditors. It was proposed to abolish altogether as soon as practicable the whole system of bank ruptcy as it now existed, than which it was not possible to devise a worse system. The change suggested had the most careful consideration of the committee, and they were encouraged in the bold course they had taken by a com munication which had been made to them by the Lord Chancellor, the plan of whose bill, in fact, they had almost entirely adopted. The committee, however, did _ _ _ did not concur with the noble and learned lord with re spect to making the discharge of the debtor depend en tirely upon the acquiescence of the creditor. If the re commendations of the committee as now laid on the table, and which were the result of great care, deliberation, and thought, were passed into law, he believed they would produce the greatest possible benefit to the commerce of the country. (Hear, hear.) Mr. AYRTON seconded the motion, and said he thought it had been sufficiently shown that the present bankruptcy law had entirely failed ; but if that was the only result at which Parliament had arrived after devoting itself for nearly 300 years to the subject, he could not help, as a memberof the committee, feeling some distrust in the deci sion at which they had arrived, and so great was his own diffidence that he would have abandoned the question, only that he believed there was underlying the whole system of legislation some great radical errors, which it was the ob ject of the resolutions of the committee to remove. One evil of the present system was the relying on the impri- sonment of the debtor at the instance of the creditor as the best means of getting satisfaction for the debt. It was not a little remarkable that in this country, which set so great a value on liberty, there was so little respect for the liberty of debtors. Perhaps this neglect about the personal liberty of the debtor was a relic of an age of violence. Unfortu nately, the law as it now existed only took cognisance of that description of property which could be disposed of by the officer of the court, and hence full satisfaction for the judgment could not be obtained. Imprisonment for debt seemed to defeat the very object of the creditor, for if the debtor was possessed of no property, nothing was gained by putting him in prison. By imprisoning a debtor having any trade or profession, he was thereby deprived of the means of paying off any claims upon him. There was another evil connected with the system, namely, that of losing sight of the line of demarcation between civil and criminal proceedings—proceedings to obtain satisfac tion for a debt, and those resorted to for the purpose of punishment. The committee came to the conclusion that it was absolutely necessary to sweep away those underlying fallacies, and insist upon the total abolition of imprisonment for debt. When, however, a debtor sought to abscond it was neces sary to take precautionary measures, and the committee therefore resolved that the power of detaining an abscond ing debtor should be retained. The committee next re solved that the power of issuing a summons requiring a debtor to appear which had been restricted to debts above £5O, should be extended to all descriptions of claims which could be preferred. So that if the view of the committee were adopted, and imprisonment ceased, there would be the amplest opportunity given to the creditor to enforce his claim to the full extent of the property of the debtor. This would reduce bankruptcy in practice to the simple condi tion of a man being unable to meet the demands of his cre ditors, retaining only that portion of the previous law which declared that acts in anticipation of insolvency should itself constitute bankruptcy. It would then no longer be necessary to have courts of justice established all over the country for the mere purpose of making a man a bankrupt. The process would be reduced to a simple act of record or authentication of the status of the bankrupt by an officer. That function the committee thought could be performed by the county courts all over the country, and to meet the special case of the metropolis by the foundation of a new court. A consideration of the position of secured creditors, and of the fact that they exercised an influence over the bankrupt's estate, which generally led to the appointment of assignees favourable to their claims, in duced the committee to resolve that, after the adjudication of bankruptcy, the bankrupt should be left exactly as he was before, without any change being made in the custody of his property, ho being responsible to his creditors for its safe custody ; and that only the unsecured creditors should be allowed to direct the administration of the estate. An HON. MEMBER here moved that the house be counted. As thirty-six members only were present, the house adjourned at a quarter-past eight o'clock. The Irish International Exhibition, DUBLIN, MAY 16. The British department of the International Ex. hibition, which has been set apart for the display oi our home manufactures, deserves our first attention when we come to examine the contents, as indica ye of the progress of the industrial and ornamental Turning to the right when we enter the arts. building, and proceeding towards the annex for the exhibition of carriages, we find the whole tran sept devoted to this department. Its contents are so diversified, and there is such an intermingling of heterogeneous articles in every variety, that any attempt at classification would be utterly vain, and would only weary the reader who wants but a gene ral view of the whole collection, pausing here and there to contemplate objects that are specially in teresting for their singular beauty, novelty, or utility. As this International Exhibition has been got up in Dublin, and has been enriched by an immense number of costly foreign contributions, it is right to observe that Dublin itself is not behind the most advanced countries in some branches of industrial arts, and that in several branches of man• ufacture requiring the highest order of cultivated taste and artistic skill the Irish exhibitors take the first rank, and need not be afraid to court compari son with those of England and France. Let us take, for example, the collection of lace and embroidery in the stand of Messrs. Forrest and Sons, in this city. They employ a large number of hands in the production of these delicate and costly fabrics, and the perfection to which they are brought is a proof of what can be done by Irish workers in the finest departments of skilled industry. The beauty of conception, the elaborate decoration, and the ex quisite finish of the robes and shawls of Irish point have excited general admiration. The embroidery in these specimens has never been surpassed for artistic beauty in any former exhibition. Mrs. Allen is also an exhibitor of lace, and her stand con tains charmingly graceful patterns. The Countess of Erne exhibits some fine specimens of Valenci ennes, made by the girls at Lisnaskea School, in the county of Fermanagh, and a cushion with lace bobbin, showing the process of manufacture. There is another fine collection of Irish point from the Industrial Depository in Grafton-street. The Commissioners of National Education show fine specimens of needlework from the Monahan Re formatory, St. Clare's Convent School, county Kerry, St. Vincent's Female Orphanage in Dublin, and the convent school at Middleton, county Cork. Among the most conspicuous of the Dublin exhi bitors are the Messrs. Pim, of South Great George street, and the Messrs. Fry and Co., Westmorland street. The Messrs. Pim, whese poplins are cele brated all over the world, began the manufacture of this beautiful fabric in 1847, when they had but four looms. Now they have 150 looms constantly at work, and they have mills for throwing silk at Stratford-on-Slaney, in the county of Wicklow. Their stand contains about 50 pieces of poplin, of every colour and pattern—watered poplins in pure white, delicate lilac, and rich mauve ; tartans of every colour and for every clan, and undecorated fabrics of all sorts. Next in the extent of their operations, as well as in enterprise and taste, are the Messrs. Fry and Co., who occupy a large space in the Exhibition. They have fitted up a drawing room in the Gothic style, with the ceiling framed in 25 panels, blue, cinnamon, and gold. The walls are decorated with fleur- de-lis and trefoils, powdered on a ground of pale rose colour etched with gold. The furniture consists of a gilt sofa and chairs of novel and quaint designs, covered in blue silk figured terry, manufactured by William Fry and Co. A splendid mirror, 14 feet high, fills the centre panel of one side, the framing of which is carved wood gilt ; the design embraces slender Gothic columns with bold and elaborately carved capitals, varying in design, and surmounted by tracery, spandrils, enriched mouldings, and cresting. On the opposite wall are curtain hangings of blue silk figured terry of a similar design to the mural decorations, but enriched with a broad satin and terry border of original and suitable design ; the cornice and supports being similar in effect to the glass frame, but different in details. The whole of the work has been designed by William Fry and Co., and executed by Irish artists and workmen, They have also a large case displaying the produce of their silk looms for curtain hangings and upholstery pur poses, nearly all of which has been made for the I find the following picture of it in Saunders' News lettcr this morning :- 64 The varying costumes on which the eye then rested presented a strange sight to us Irish dwelling in the far west—penitus Coto divisos orbe Britarinos. On the dais the royal pageant was brilliant in the extreme ; the dark blue riband of the noblest of the orders of chivalry appeared to much advantage on the uniform of the Prince of Wales. By his royal highness sat the Duke of Cambridge, contrasting with it the light blue riband of St. Patrick. Gorgeous was the full official attire of the Lord Lieutenant set off by the diamond star and badge of the national order; and most graceful and becoming the unique dress of Lady Wodehouse, who wore an embroidered cloak of our own emerald green, of the most exquisite workmanship and taste. On the right stood the Knights of St. Patrick in their gay blue ribbons and stars, and the prelates, who are officers of the order, in more sombre but not less picturesque garb. On the left were ranged the great officers of State, the Lord Mayor, the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Justice of Appeal, the Master of the Rolls, the three Chief Judges, the Chief Secretary, the Commander of the Forces, the Admiral Commanding-in-Chief, the Queen's Physicians, the Provost, and the Privy Councillors, all in their full robes or official dress. Beside the Lord-Lieutenant was Ulster King-of-Arms ',in all the magnificence of mediaeval heraldry, and behind the State chairs the Viceregal House hold and Staff, the Prince's suite (including Earl Spencer, General Knollys, &c.), and the officers of the Royal yacht formed a glittering background. Tho front circle below, where the peeresses of Ireland were placed, presented an unrivalled array of beauty and fashion. In the seats behind them, among corporate gowns and military coats, and naval uniforms, and knightly stars, and warlike clasps and medals might be seen Parsees from Bombay and visitors from China, Russia, and France, and from Sweden, Italy, and Germany—many in the dresses of their respective countries, and, as a grotesque but picturesque framing of the whole, in long lines were drawn up the 78th Highlanders. Dublin never before witnessed such a scene." SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. TIDIES.—Each new discussion of the principle of Competitive Examination for the• public service shows that there is less and less desire among any section of the public to overthrow the system that has been deliberately adopted by the country. The debate which took place yesterday in the House of Commons gave an opportunity for the reiteration of all the most plausible arguments against exami nation, and yet we are surprised at the moderation of its opponents. Attacks on the principle of choos ing public servants from the great body of the edu cated class by a free examination have almost ceased. We are no longer told that the system is Chinese, Prussian, pedantic, fitted only to turn out bookworms withOul strength or courage, :or suc cessful crammers with no other endowments than plodding industry and a fair share of memory. Even the most inveterate opponents of the system seem now to direct their criticisms rather to the details than the principle of the examinations, and to de mand that greater care shall be taken to attain the proper end of such trials—the encouragement of good men to present themselves, and the selection of the best men who do so present themselves. The Civil Service of India is the great battle-ground of the examination system. This service offers the largest prizes, and requires the highest order of men. The well-being of more than a hundred millions of human beings depends directly on the talents, temper,- and moral qualities of the young men who present themselves yearly to the examiners. The native rulers of eighty millions more have to learn the true principles of law and administration from the same band of all-powerful Europeans. No rea sonable reward will be grudged to a service which requires such men ; no pains will be spared to ob tain men worthy of it. Are the new school of Indian Civil Servants, then,worthy of their position ? Does examination produce fruits in accordance with the eulogies of its defenders, or is it shown by expe rience that practically an inferior class of men has been introduced into India since the establishment of the new system ? This is the question to be answered, and undoubtedly if it could be shown that the new Civil Servants were less fitted for their posts than their predecessors, and that this dege neracy arose from the examination system, there would be no alternative but to return to nomina tion. But certainly such a result of practical ex perience would be most astonishing, for it would contradict all that might be deduced from theo retical considerations and from the history of education in England. That a fair field and no favour should produce worse results than the sys tem by - which men put into the public service their relatives, their dependents, their friends, or their friends' friends, and by which these nominees were transferred to India after tuition admitted to be in• complete,would be something so monstrous that we have a right to demand the strongest proof before we can admit its truth. The proposition, in fact, is this —that the whole of the Three Kingdoms can not produce as many able public servants as the personal connexions of the old Directors, even though the persons who would have been nominees under the old system have an equal chance with the rest of the world in the examinations. As there is nothing to prevent the young men who would have been sent to Ilaileybury in the old times from com peting in tha present day, we must suppose that there is something in the nature of an examination in classics, mathematics, science, and modern lan guages which inevitably places narrow-minded, vulgar, low-born, puny, short-sighted persons, who cannot ride rishr shoot, above spirited, gentlemanly men of the world, who are just the people to admi nister justice in Eastern countries and extort the re spect of the natives. If it be not so, and there really exists this much superior class from which the old nominees came, why do not the young men who belong,to it offer themselves for examination, and keep their old position in the government of India ? Looking at the matter thus in the light of common sense, we may almost conclude a priori that the charges against the modern competitionists must be unfounded. They win their appointments by exactly the same means as fellowships are won at the Univer sities—by the display of acquired knowledge; and they may be expected to come from the same class as the most eminent of the clergy and of the bar, who have attained their position by their talents. As there is nothing to complain of in the manners of these pro fessions, or any reason to suppose that their mem bers would be superior in any way if they were the nominees of a certain number of men, so it is impos sible to believe that Indian Civil Servants who have obtained their position by force of their talents, and have shown themselves the best of all those who in the whole country have thought fit to offer them selves, can be so conspicuous by their general in feriority as some of the opponents of the new system declare. We believe the fact to be that they are no way inferior. Sir John Lawrence and several others among the most able and impartial of the administrators of India have expressed themselves highly satisfied with the order of men sent out ; and in the great changes which have been made in India —first by revolutions and then by the rapid pro gress of the country—their services have been ex tremely valuable. As to their inferiority in stature and bodily strength, it is, we believe, a mere un founded assertion. In the last report of the Civil Service Commissioners it was stated that the average height of the candidates selected in 1861 was five feet eight inches and a half, andthat of those selected in'lB62 was a quarter of an inch more. Indeedthe experience of the Universities is quite against the theory that a proficiency in knowledge is incompa tible with bodily strength ; the probability rather is that the energy required for success in Competitive Examination actually demands a fair amount of physical power. As to the parentage of the suc cessful candidates, it is ascertained out of 323 sent out since 1857 nearly one-third were the sons of clergymen ; 70 were the sons of officers, barristers, or medical men ; between 40 and 50 were sons of landed proprietors or other gentlemen with indepen dent means ; eight were sons of Indian Civilians ; 31 were sons of persons in the highest branches of trade; and 36 sons in the lower branches of trade. There is nothing in this that should make us believe that the good administration of India is endangered by the inferiority of the new'Civil Servants. The cause of the accusations against them may probably be found in that very esprit de corps which is said to distinguish the older servants. The new men are of a different connexion. They come out with no recommendation from Indian families, and have none of the traditions of India as it was con stituted before the mutiny. But their duties we believe to be excellently performed, and the native, who is said to be so acute in his perception of -their want of refinement, will probably be consoled if he finds that the talents and assiduity which makes them gain the first places in an examination at home enables them to do their duty by him and the country committed to their charge. As to the subjects of examination we must write with diffidence, as such various opi nions prevail, and such plausible arguments are ad vanced on either side. But we confess to a belief that the fault of all examinations hitherto has been that they encourage the candidate to pick up a rudimentary knowledge of a number of subjects, and that the tendency should be not only to con fine each candidate to a few subjects, but also to make success depend more on proficiency in those which form the staple of the best education of the country. It is true that candidates may come from all parts of the empire, and from schools of all sorts, and that it would be unfair to exclude physiology or chemistry, German or Sanscrit. But the vast majority of our best educated men, the fittest to administer India, have been taught classics and mathematics, and, as a general rule, these subjects will form the best tests of comparative mental power, both because they have been learnt so thoroughly English market. Two of the patterns have been designed and manufactured for the state apartments, Dublin Castle and Viceregal Lodge. The colours are rich and full in tone. Opposite is a similar case containing poplins of rich make and harmonious colour, the most remarkable being the Princess of Wales's monogram, woven in gold on a blue ground, made expressly for Lady Wodehouse, and worn by her at the last Drawing-room ; a sheeny poplin, the first ever made ; and various other patterns, includ ing one suggested by snow crystals, all worthy of notice. The double watered and clan tartan poplins are rich in colour and material. There is another kindred manufacture carried on by Messrs. Cordner and Grattan, who also find most of their customers in Great Britain and in foreign countries—namely, fringes for carriages and drawing room furniture in silk and gold, some of them new designs, very rich and graceful. The lace with which they decorated the two state carriages, built by Mr. Burney, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, cost 560 guineas. Their balance fringes are of a new cha racter, in magenta, with rich chintz drapery wreaths, and ornaments. The cases of jewellery are special attrations in this department. Messrs. Schriber and Sons have a collection of enormous value ; and on the opposite side is the case of Mr. Brunker, of Grafton-street, who, amid a great variety of exquisitely beautiful articles, exhibits a 'diamond bouquet, value £4,000, designed by Mr. Brunker himself. When taken asunder it is found to consist of a complete suite of bracelets, brooch, &c. There is also a headdress of native pearls worth over £5OO. The Fingal pin is also a curiosity. It is an exact copy of an antique found in a ruin at Swords, in fine gold, manufactured specially for the Exhibition, with a view of the building enamelled on the cover. A pretty contrivance in this case is a little alarm clock, which, while rousing the sleeper at the moment he marked, lights a match for his accommodation. Aubert and Linton, watchmakers and goldsmiths, of Regent-street, London, occupy a position near the end of the Eastern Court. They exhibit a suite of coral ornaments for a lady, which, taking into ac count both the material of which they are composed and their workmanship, are quite unequalled by anything else of the sort in the Exhibition. The material is pink coral, of the rarest kind and of the greatest beauty, which are extracted in small por tions from masses of ordinary coral derived from the coral beds at Naples. British manufactures make a brilliant display of silks. Hardy and Co., of Nottingham, exhibit their celebrated trimmings, their imitations of blonde, and a variety of silk, fancy, and patent nets. Jacoby and Co., of the same town, send cotton laces, patent Valenciennes, and black silk Maltese; and Notting ham has another representative in Messrs. Dunni cliff and Smith, whose fancy nets and imitations of Valenciennes could not be surpassed. Manchester is represented by Mr. J. Standring with an assort ment of braid, fringes, and crinoline; and Glasgow by Mr. Green, of Buchanan - street, who has a curious specimen of embroidery upon velvet with fish scales, several different kinds of braiding upon merino, and a great number of handsome smoking caps in the brighest colours. There are 12 exhi bitors of tapestry and carpets in this section. The Messrs. Brunton and Lewis, of Kidderminster, who won the prize medal in 1851, and the jurors' medal in 1862, occupy the foremost place. Next appears Mr. J. A. Barton, of the same place. Templeton and Co., Lapworth Brothers, Dagn all and Til bury and Taylor, all of London, and several other English houses exhibit a great variety of carpeting. Of articles of clothing the exhibitors are numerous, vying with one another in the taste and brilliancy of their displays. Conspicuous among these are Messrs. Switzer and Ferguson, Richard Allen, merchant tailors ; Messrs. Wright and Stanly, of Dublin, and Messrs. Hunter and Barr, of Glasgow, hatters ; Mr. Peter Tait, of Limerick, military uniforms, &c. There are 19 cases illustrating the flax and hemp manufacture, displaying all the processes by which the flax plant is converted into the finest fabrics, from the coarse canvas to the silk-like lawn. Among the exhibitors in this department are Messrs. Dunbar, Dickson, and Co., Charley and Co., Richardson and 0 wden, Jaffe Brothers, Johnston and Carlyle, all of Belfast ; Messrs. Finlayson and Bousfield, of Glasgow. Ireland excels in the linen trade, but she also makes a respectable figure in the woollen manufac ture. The progress of this manufacture in Ireland has latterly attracted much attention, and become an object of great public interest. Accordingly, the process willibe illustrated in the Exhibition. The hitherto comparatively unsatisfactory state of this branch of industry has been mainly owing to the absence of the improved machinery which has worked so great a revolution in the trade of England and Scotland. The woollen machinery in the Exhi bition has been made by Mr. John Tatham, of Rochdale, and the enterprising firm of Messrs. F. and R. Scott and Co., of Island-bridge Mills, Dublin, will exhibit on it the entire process of manufacture, from taking up the wool until it is converted into cloth—the carding, spinning, and weaving going forward continuously and simultaneously. Hitherto there has been great difficulty in introducing self-acting " mules and billys" for the woollen manufacture, owing to the heavy, complicated gearing rendering them unfit for the class of yarn required to be spun at the present day. But this difficulty has been overcome by Mr. Tatham's recent improvements, which are simple and effective, being easily regu lated and adapted to any class of work. Mr. Tatham is the inventor as well as the patentee of the most important impro vem ents in these useful machines. There is a large and rich display of woollen fabrics in the Exhibition, ma ny of them productio n s of the best looms in the West of England and Scotland, presenting in perfection the texture, colour, pat tern, and finish which only can be produced by thoroughly cultivated artistic taste, and the best machinery. These models the Irish manufacttiters will study to advantage. Not the least interesting portion of the British department is the display of mineral products by the different mining companies of Ireland, repre senting the various processes through which, the ore passes in preparation for the market. The General Mining Company of Ireland and the Commerce Mining Company show a variety - of specimens of gold, silver, lead, copper, sulphur, coal, &c. The Mining Company of Ireland show a case of fine silver weighing upwards of 4 cwt. 2 qrs. Among the most attractive things in the Exhi bition are the pottery from Stamford and those ex hibited by the Hill Pottery Company. There is only one pottery in Ireland. It was established about three years ago at Belleek, county Fer managh, where a variety of small fancy articles are made by boys and girls, who show great aptitude for that sort of work. There are extremely beau tiful articles in glass from the Copeland Glassworks, the Worcester Glassworks, and those of Powell and Sons, whose jewelled glass in all sorts of graceful forms makes charming ornaments. Mr. Young's stand of chemical works from Bathgate, Scotland, exhibiting paraffin lamps, is greatly admired. Colman's coloured starch is a curious invention, and is:likely to be as useful as it is curious ; for a lady who does not like to be noticed wearing the same dress more than once or twice has only to get it washed, and she can starch it into any colour she pleases, so as to produce all the effect of a new article. The chimney-pieces, stove-fronts, and other articles made of Magnus's enamelled slate have been greatly admired, some of them representing the finest ornamental stones. Though so very much cheaper than marble some of them are made to look nearly as fine, and may be used for baths, baptis tries, altar tablets, pedestals, and ornamental slabs for 100 tables. This manufacture commends itself to the public by the fact that ituses materials found in our own country, and gives a large amount of employment to our own people. No Irish Exhibi tion would be complete without a representation of what is unfortunately still. Ireland's chief manufac ture. Hence we have a case full of choice specimens of Kinahan's LL., and in close competition another case equally tempting of Bagot's U.B. Two or three other " rectifiers" also exhibit. Each sums up the merits of his whisky with the assurance that " ther e I is not a headache in a hogshead of it." The people of Dublin have not yet ceased talking of the grand scene at the opening of the Exhibition. that the students have really a command over them, and because they almost defy the art of the crammer to fix them mechanically in the learner's brain. The advantage also of enabling university trained men to compete successfully is obvious. It was said by Sir C. Wood that as a fact success is won by these and one or two other studies. If so, that is a satis factory result, for India can only gain the full ad vantages of the competitive system when the highest class of men who might be tempted by an Eastern career are enabled to enter the service. HERALD.—The Chancellor of the Exchequer is under no very great obligations to his friends. If ever a casse was placed upon a feeble footing, if ever a foundation was laid in sand, it is the defence set up by Mr. 'Gladstone's friends to carry his re election for Oxford University - . What is the burden of all that Dr. Pusey and Sir J. Coleridge have adduced ? It merely amounts to this—personal con fidence. But that confidence is simply credulity. It dare not appeal to past acts or future probabilities in Mr. Gladstone's career. It resolutely evades both. It looks away from both. It is satisfied with a blind, unreasoning, fatuous, implicit belief in an object whose antecedents and future it dare not scrutinise. Such a confidence very much resembles the idolatry of wilful ignorance. It is beyond the reach of argu ment, or persuasion, or sense. It is, in fact, a re versal alike of the decrees of experience and of reason. It is to reason backwards. Because Mr. Gladstone has erred and strayed times without num ber, and in degree beyond precedent, therefore his friends profess to wonder that rational beings take exception to his principles and his code of morals, and they plume themselves all the more on their own passive obedience and profound acquiescence. But this is not the rule in any other department of life. Show them a culprit who has been a dozen times committed : would the defenders of Mr. Gladstone adduce that as a reason for trusting him again ? The most singular matter, however, in this personal advocacy of Mr. Gladstone is its utter irrelevance. What have personal feelings to do in the discharge of a public trust? The question is this—has Mr. Gladstone fulfilled the part of a representative of the University of Oxford, or has he not ? Do his views and proceedings command the approbation on public grounds of the majority of that constituency? Why, Dr. Pusey himself in 1854, if we are not mistaken, poured out a volley of the heaviest reproaches that were ever launched against Mr. Gladstone, in con nection with the Oxford University Reform Bill. And Sir J. Coleridge himself, in the active part he has taken in Church defence, has not only passed the severest sentence of reprobation upon Mr. Gladstone, but has deprived his own appeal of any credit it might otherwise have deserved. Upon this point of personal claims, or supposed claims, we are right glad to note the widest contrast between the addresses of the committees of the rival candi dates for the University of Oxford. Mr. Glad stone's friends, ashanied to refer to plain matters of fact, deal largely and exclusively in general and personal allusions. Their idol, forsooth, has repre sented the University for eighteen years, with great advantage to its interests. Whence those great advantages ? From the University Reform Bill of 1854, or from his advocacy of Dissenters in 1864 on Mr. Dodson's bill ? From his support of Sir M. Peto's bill to throw open churchyards and churches to all sects, or from his denunciation of the Irish Church ? But " his high, pure, and independent character, his eminent talents, and splendid public services, have added distinction to the seat, and entitle him to a continuance of the support which the constituency has habitually given to a worthy representative once elected." But the question is, is Mr. Gladstone a worthy representative ? Let his committee establish that fact first of all. Then we shall allow that, if his character be as described, if his talents be so eminent, and his public ser vices so splendid, he is all the more entitled to keep his scat. If, however, as we maintain, Mr. .Gladstone neither is, nor ever was, a worthy representative ; if, as we believe, from his first election , to this time, he has won his seat and re tained it by most unworthy means; if, in short, ,for eighteen long years he has literally sold the University, and so far the Church also, to their worst foes, then we require his " high, pure, and independent character " to be attested by some better authority than his own committee before we assent to such high-flown flourishes ; then we say that his talents, if they be so eminent, render him all the more dangerous ; and we should also like to have his hypothetical splendid public services weighed in the same scale with his truly splendid delinquencies and deficiencies. Contrast, now, with the appeal for Mr. Glad stone, that issued by Mr. Gathorne Hardy's com mittee. The latter deals simply with the most ob vious facts—facts which may be verified by every individual. And as if to put Sir J. Coleridge's statements to the blush, those facts relate wholly and exclusively to public events. Not one word of purely personal eulogy and private predilections is to be found in the whole of the address of Mr. Hardy's committee. From beginning to end it dis cusses such matters only as properly enter into the question of the candidate's fitness for the post to which he aspires. In other words, whilst Mr. Glad stone's committee is reduced to the necessity of rais ing a false issue, and of a palpable suppression of the truth, Mr. Hardy appeals for support to the only proper tests for a University candidate. So far from personal feeling dictating the opposition to Mr. Glad stone, it is the sole basis of his own appeal, and yet the only topic of which no trace can be found in the address of Mr. Hardy's committee. The truth is, however, that each party stands on his own merits ; but their positions are, one legitimate and the other illegitimate, one reasonable and the other unreason able, one bold, honest, and manly, the other cowardly, dishonest, and puerile. To paraphrase Mr. Gladstone's appeal we have only to consider the complexion of his supporters, that they represent every destructive faction at Oxford, that Tractarians jostle with Puritans, - with broad Church, and no Church, and any Church, and Iconoclasts of every hue ; that aspiring pedagogues in particular swell the motley list ; that more will vote for the Chan cellor of the Exchequer than for Mr. Gladstone ; and that, as the chief of apostates, he will be sup ported by every renegade in the University. Now, to such a group as that, what more satisfactory than a false issue such as is raised in Mr. Gladstone's ad dress ? On the other hand, who are they who will feel constrained to support Mr. G. Hardy ? None save those who dare to face the truth and contend for it ; none save those who, taking a deep interest in the real issue at stake—the issue as between the Established Church and religious equality, or rather between monarchy and demo cracy—Will first of all raise that issue clearly, and then take a decided course in support of the former. To us, indeed, the great mystery is this—why should Mr. Gladstone's committee be so ill-advised as to start the question of purity and independence of character As to the former quality, we deny that Mr. Gladstone has a shadow of a chance for re election, except in so far as his eighteen years' con nection has debauched the public morals of the University. During that long connection how many University electors has he beguiled? How many of his present supporters would have voted for him in 1847 had Mr. - Gladstone been what he is now, or could his future have been known? We venture: to say that he would not have reckoned 500 sup porters in all. The difference, then, between that number and those who now support him is not so unfair a gauge of the corrupt influence exercised by him upon the University during his eighteen years of tergiversation. Yet we arecommanded to regard Mr. Gladstone as a model spectacle of independence of character and ingenuous boldness. After eigh teen years of careful, calculating, deliberate apos tasy, each step apparently measured by the needs of the hour, we are required to behold a miracle of sturdy independence and chivalrous courage. And now, when such an example has produced kindred results so lamentable, Mr. Gladstone's perverts have the complacency to turn round and feign an un bounded indignation and a pious horror that honest men wish to recover their rights and pull down a usurpation of imposture. However, the day of requital is at hand. We will not believe that the University of Oxford is the one constituency in this free country upon which the renegade can count as upon a safe and permanent retreat, and which he can abuse to his bent until his full career be run. Meanwhile they who contemplate such a course pay but a sinister compliment to a clerical con stituency. COMPENSATION CLAIMS. —At the Lord Mayor's Court on Monday, in the case of " Joseph v. the Metropolitan Railway," a claim was made for £9,000, and the jury gave £2,734. The claimant was a manufacturing silversmith in Aldersgato-stroet, near Barbican, and sold off his stock after notice to treat, and by auction sustained a loss of £l,lOO. Property had so much increased in value that £lOO a year was asked for a " miserable" fish shop. Mr. Sergeant Parry and Mr. Joyce were for the claimant, and Mr. Lloyd (Mr. Budge with him) for the company. At the Sheriff's Court, Red Lion-square. on Saturday, in a compensation case, " Combe and Delafield v. the Metropo litan Railway," the jury, for some property in Farringdon road, partly consisting of a public-house (George the Fourth), awarded £4,750. ',ADVERTISEMENT.] - Holloway's Ointment. Painless Cures.—Sores, wounds, ulcerations, and other diseases affecting the skin, are amendable by this cooling and heal ing unguent. It has called forth thel oudest praise from persons who had suffered for years from bad legs, abs and chronic ulcers after every hope of cure had long passed away. None but those who have experienced the sooth ing effect of this ointment can form an idea of the comfort it bestows by restraining inflammation and allaying pain. Whenever this ointment has been once used it has estab lished its own worth, and has again been eagerly sought for as the easiest and safest remedy for all ulcerous com plaints. In neuralgia, rheumatism, and gout, the same application, properly used, gives wonderful relief. The Stranding of the Sydenham OFFICIAL REPORT. To the Secretary to Government, Marine Depart- meat, dated Jan. 9, 1865. Sir,—lt is with regret that I have to report, for the information of Government, the stranding of the ship Sydenham, under British colours, on the S.W. Prong, three-quarters of a mile S.W. / from the lighthouse, on the evening of the 7th inst. This vessel quitted Kurrachee on the 4th for Bombay, and was first seen from the lighthouse at 5 p.m. 7th inst., bearing W.N.W. about 12 miles, standing in for the land, the wind being fair at N.W. at 5 45. The vessel was observed to keep away to the south ward—that is, more off the land—until she bore from lighthouse W .S.W., when she hauled suddenly upright in for the lighthouse. The necessary sig nals were immediately made from the lighthouse by burning blue lights and firing guns (nine guns were fired). The first gun was fired at 6.55 p.m. The ship, however, still stood on, and shortly after 7 p.m. grounded on the prong as above stated. Im mediately on the signal being made from the light house of a ship being in sight to the northward, the pilot proceeded out from the pilot bunder at Colaba, standing in the usual way to round the edge of the prong so as to meet the vessel. Boarded at 7.30 p.m. in the position before described. Sounded the well-19 inches, which soon increased to five feet. I received the report of the vessel being on shore from the officer in charge of the lighthouse at 7.40 p.m., and immediately proceeded on, accompanied by Mr. Cooke, second-assistant master-attendant. Reached the vessel shortly after 9 p.m. Found her lying over on the starboard side, five feet water in the hold, all her sails clewed up, but not furled. The ship bumping so heavily the captain was afraid to send the men aloft. The vessel grounded as near as possible at top of the S.S.W. side, rapidly filling. No chance of getting her off. Leaving Mr. Cooke in charge, I returned to the shore. Mr. Pryce, first assistant, and Mr. Walke, pilot, also proceeded out in one of the small tugs. Finding the vessel im movably fixed, the former proceeded with a note from the master of the vessel to her Majesty's ship Princess Royal for assistance, which was readily granted. No chance of getting the vessel off ; the men of the Princess Royal are dismantling her, with the view of saving as much of the property as pos sible, as I fear on the approaching spring tides, should it blow fresh from the northward, the vessel will become,a total wreck. I again went out to the vessel at,2 p.m: of Bth, so as to see what state she was in. It being low water, found her lying on her starboard bilge, a rock nearly dry between main and mizen chains, and many detached rocks out of water in close proximity. The men of the Princess Royal were proceeding rapidly with the dismantling. The sails were sent on shore in one of the pilot boats. Lighters are being sent off by the agents, Messrs. Stevens, Roberts, and Co., so that I amin hopes that all the stores, masts, yards, &c., will be saved. Mr. Cooke's services being no longer required on board he returned with me to the shore at 4 p.m. on the Bth.—l have, &c., W. C. BARKER, Retired Captain Indian Navy, Master Atten dant and Conservator of the Port. Office of the Master Attendant and Conservator of the Port of Bombay, Jan 9, 1865. P.S.—The Sydenham is a British registered ves sel. Her Master, Mr. D. J. Harding, holds a cer tificate of competency as master foreign-going shin No. 100, granted by Board of Examiners, Bombay , having passed the required examination on June 29t 1864, countersigned by secretary to Government, Marine Department. W. C. BARKER. COUNTRY MARKETS BRISTOL—T UESDAY. At our market to-day we had a good attendance, although our millers wanted wheat they fought shy, because holders asked is per qr. advance. A fair business, however, was doing. Barley quiet. Oats Gd per qr. lower. Beans, Peasl and maize firm, but little inquired for. LIVERPOOL—T UESDAY. At this day's market there was a small attendance of the town and country trade, but the business done was r ather limited. Wheat met with a moderate consumptive demand at Friday's rates, or rather over those curren t on this day week. Flour, no change. Oats and oatmeal the turn lower. Barley, beaus, and peas wero without change in value or demand. The stocks of Indian corn are getting narrow*, and an advance of 3d per qr., 29s 6d being made for fine Danube. SHEFFIELD—TUESDAY. The show of wheat by sample was a full average, and 1 , good business was done at last week',. prices. Beans and oats at late rates. Barley and other grain sold, more slowly' , but no change in price took place. A reduction of is per stone was made in the secondary qualities of flour. Red wheat, per load of 3 imp. bushels....lss 6d to 06 1 White do do l6s 64 lbs 6 ,1 New red do do l5B Od 10 6/ New white do do l6s 6d 188 6d, Beans do do lss u 1 d ' 8 6 " Peas, per qr. . 4OB od 4 04 Grinding ba , ley, per qr 30s Od 3288 d od Malting barley, co 3 2 s Od 32 e Oats, do 23s Oct 27s Od F10ur....1s 5d to is id per 141 b. LEEDS—TUESDAY. We have fair arrivals of grain this week. The whea t trade is firm to-day, and fully last week's rates are ne t ; tamed on all good qualities. Barley without chai*e• up' and beans quite as well sold. The average prices for the week ending May 15 wero:—** Wheat, 42s 7-id per qr.; barley, 32s lid; and 001 25s 6d. MELTON MOWBRAY.—TUESDAY. White wheat, 40s to 44s ; red, 37s to 40s per 36 stole; Barley for malting, 32s to —s per qr ; feed, 25s to 308 P: ir 30 stone. Oats. 18s to 255. Beans, old, 41s to 445; A ° 36s to 43s per qr. Foreign Mail Packet List. Australia and New Zealand, via Southampton .May 19 ' Ditto, via Marseilles May 13 * Brazil and Cape Verde. by British packet Jane 6 ' Ditto, by French packet . may °' 5. Cape of Good Hope, Ascension , and S t. Helena May - 2 China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton MaY 19 ° Ditto, via Marseilles Mal 13 Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via Southampton . May 11 19. India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton May Ditto, via Marseilles • .-• •• • • MO I ,! ' India (Bombay), via Southampton. May 2 " Ditto, via Marseilles .. . ...m a y 26. Mauritius, via Southampton Ditto, via Marseil e 4 June 5. Newfoundland May 24 ' ••••Jane 5 ' Portugal Ditto, by private ship to Lisbon... ...... United States and British North America, by Bri tish packet ... ' may 18 Ditto. by United States packet, via Southamp ton Ditto, via C,:rk Ditto, by Canadian packet, via Londonderry.. M a y i , 9 ," West Coast of Africa, Madeira, and Teneriffe . May I''' West Indies and Pacific (except Bahamas, Cuba, and Mexico MaY 15' At Chilworth, near Broadlands, the seat of 141; Palmerston, about three acres of land has been parttBl.l,l cleared of furze and trees, and there has sprung up there t , crop of lilies of the valley and violets which complete covers the ground. Birt s. -r ;Aut.' BIDDULPIL—On the 13th inst., at Bath, the wif e of -PA-- Colonel Robert Biddulpb, R.A., of a son. FORBES.—On the 14th inst., at Brighton, the Lady Fore' of a son. if of GALLEY.—On the 13th inst., at Woolwich, the w e ir Lieutenant-Colonel T. Lionel Gallwey, R.E of a &fig ter. 'UM VERNON.—On the 15th inst:, Gloucester-p l ace , the --` Harriet Vernon, of a daughter. Marriages. baS , LANE—VINNICOMBE.—On tho 11th inst , at St. Barn - o f South Kennington, William James. Lane, ts c l,"Day` 5, Studley Villas, Clapham - road, to Mis s Annie i"-t-taer Vinnicombe, fourth daughter of tho late John r" Vinnicombe, Esq., of London. MoIt.L2LL —LANE.—On the 16th inst., at Thames, tho Right Roy. Thomas Baker Morrell, cob Lord Bishop (coadjutor) of Edinburgh, to FA l ldge° Maria, eldest daughter of Charles Lane , Esq., 0' - more, Oxfordshire. BROTHERTON.—On the 17t e h a i t n il st S .: at Versailles , Miss glen Brotherton. . 0 ra BRADY.—On the 15th inst., at Southwark , Mr. ''''. °' Braby, aged 52. „ job COLE.—On the 14th inst., at Marazio n, corny ' s'', - Griffith Cole, Esq., aged 60. e nt'o' CARSWELL.—On the 15th inst., at his residence, Deg park, Robert Carswell, Esq., aged 49. NORMAN.—On the 15th inst at St. John' nOlO 4 Ewart Norman, Esq., agod ' 6s. wood, -- • SYc le/y. RICHARDS 0 . n the 15th inst., at 2, Clifton Villas, ham-park, John Richards, Esq., aged 66 • nani' )l t.. s- Tony.- -On the 13th inst., at Trinity, Edinburgh' Todd, Esq., of the General Post-oftice, London. 80 0 ' London : Printed and Published by VT I L LIAM A.ND.f,, l it, of No. 112, Strand, Painter, at THE SUN 0 1110 . le Of I Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the Conn I Middlesex.—Wednesday, May 17, 1865.