The Sun. — London, England, 1865-12-04 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 4, 1865. Birmingham Cattle, Poultry, and Dog Shows• Christmas comes as usual; but never before were the ministers to his pleasure less disposed to make merry over their oxen and fatlings, honoured with cups and prizes in the great spectacles of the season. Smitten with dismay at the sinking of thousands of animals in swift corruption before the pestilence, at the mournful precautionary slaughter in many a desolated foldyard, at vain measures of immunity from the touch of an inscrutable enemy travelling with horrible subtlety, it may be on the claw of a wild bird, the sucker of a tiny insect, or the fatal finger of the very guardian inspector of herds, our agriculturists congregate in fear and trembling; and only after solemn debate do they dare to hold even an exhibition of cattle sent from healthy yard and byre and destined to the posthumous glories of the butcher's holly-decked stall. The entries of horned stock for the Midland Show number 16 fewer than last year, while no less than 38 of the animals entered have failed to make their appearance in Bingley-hall ; and, as a wise precau tion, several pens of pigs have been denied admis sion on their arrival, because they had travelled in cattle trucks, and might therefore bring contagion. Indirectly, too, the plague has lowered the quality of this year's show ; not only because some superior beasts are detained at home, but because the usual course of animals winning prizes here, and then com peting on the following week at Islington, has been interrupted by a timid or pru dent regulation of the Smithfield Club. About half as many Herefords as there were last year present nothing like the general quality, though Mr. Aldworth's first prize steer is unusually good, with a rare deep frame and fine fore quarter, prime beef and a good coat, fairly beating Col. Lindsay's very good beast ; and Mr. Shirley's first and second very handsome prize steers, the first winning the extra prize as the best animal of the breed. The heifers are so poor a lot that the second prize is with held, Mr. Pitt's very nicely fed heifer taking, how ever a first prize. The pride of this part of the show is Mr. Baldwin's cow" Spangle the Second," which takes the first prize in her class, and the gold medal as the best female in all the cattle classes. Of mag nificent proportions with level back, rare meat covered ribs, a curly coat, and sweet head of the true Hereford type, this noted prize-taker stands unrivalled among the white-faces; and her portrait figured a month ortwo ago among the models in the Farmer's Magazine. Lord Bateman's second-prize cow has also great merit, splendid quality of flesh, and rumps better than those of the medal-winner. The shorthorns number only about two-thirds as many as last year. The heifers form an ordinary class, with one good animal of Mr Aldworth's taking a second prize, and Mr. Woodward's pretty heifer taking the first prize. The cows are by no means grand. Mr. Fletcher's first-prize cow has prime flesh, and a good barrel and breast end, but an arched back ; and Mr. Lynn's second-prize cow Curious Cometbeats her in every point of symmetry and beauty, though the judges did not like her qua lity of flesh and slight disfigurement with fat behind. Nothing very wonderful appears in the steer class ; even Mr. Allan Pollock's first-prize white steer being far from first-rate. We find the gem of the show in the older class. Here Mr. Rowland Wood's ox wins the first prize in his class, the extra prize as the best animal of the breed, a gold medal as the best male in all the cattle classes, the Earl of Aylesford's prize as the best shorthorn bred and fed by the ex hibitor, the Innkeepers' Plate and Mr. Ottley's silver medal as the best animal in the cattle classes, and the President's Cup as the best animal bred as well as fed by the exhibitor—a heap of honours of the pecuniary value of £129 Bs. The first prize at tho Northamptonshire show and the first prize and silver cup at Huntingdon were previously won by this shorthorn of the season. But grand in every point, excepting a slight defi ciency in rump ; of immense frame, with great depth, wonderful fore-quarter, expanding chine, and ribs outspringing with a capacity not often seen in the breed, giving a girth of 91t. Gin. ; heavily covered ribs, grand flank and rounds, handsome head, splendid touch, and pliant coat, of a beautiful roan colour, this noble ox is more than the short horn of the season ; it is, probably, the best that has been exhibited for several years, and it is a pity that he must not appear as champion next week at Islington. His pedigree unites Booth and Bate blood. Mr. Foijambe's second-prize ox is a worthy! competitor, a specially good shorthorn, a little plain however in front of the shoulder, but level, with rib and flank perfect, and grand underneath. lie is sold for 100 guineas to a Sheffield butcher. Only eight Devons are present, the best animals of the year probably being reserved for Islington. Mr. Wm. Smith's first-prize ox, which wins also the extra prize as the best of the breed, has rare quality ; Mr. Farthing's second-prize ox is large-framed and heavily-fleshed ; Mr. Frampton and Mr. Smith take the prizes in the steer class; Mr. Farthing gets the prize for heifers, and Mr. W. Taylor, Mr. Farthing, and Mr. Smith take honours with specially good cows Mr. Burbery and Mr. Faulkner show a couple of moderately good longhorns. In a small class of • polled Scots, the first prize and extra prize for the best Scots go to the Earl of Crawford and Balcarres' extremely good beast ; Mr. M'Combie's big ox being second. The West Highlanders are in considerable force, Mr. Gray's first-prize ox and Mr. Mowbray's second-prize ox being admirable specimens of the shaggy dun-coated breed. Not one really useful animal appears among the few Welsh. In a good class of other pure-bred and cross-bred cattle, the attraction is Mr. M'Combie's immense polled ox, girthing 9ft. Bin., and weighing perhaps 200 stone imperial. It is a shorthorn and Aberdeen cross, and wins first prize. The second prize goes to Mr. Allan Pollock's steer. Curiosi ties in the class are a little Brahmin marked " dangerous," and Brahmin and Welsh cross, show ing in the Oriental hump and Welsh brindled coat, both exhibited by Mr. Lloyd of Yardley. In the extra classes are a couple of huge, plain, heavy horned South Hams oxen, shown by Mr. Lythall, and a good Cow exhibited by Mr. Charles Speede. The judges were Messrs. J. E. Jones, Richard Strat ton, H. W. Keary, Owen W allis, Of sheep there are 14 entriesfewerand than A. Govan.last year. The Leicesters are scarce, but of excellent character. Mr. Boast's first-prize wethers win the second prize offered by the woollen drapers for the bestwethen in certain classes, and also Mr. Bro mley's prize for the best pen of long-woolled sheep. I‘lr. Herrick takes second prize in the class, and Mr. Foljambe's sheep were highly commended. The best in the long-wool wether class are Mr. Kearsey's Cotswolds. In the South Down classes Lord Walsingham has not been permitted to walk over the course as usual ; the first prize for shearing wethers (with the woollen • drapers' first prize) was won by Lord Radnor, the second and third prizes by Lord Walsingham ; the first prize for older wethers (with the extra prize for the best Down sheep) goes to Lord Radnor, the second prize to Lord Walsingham ; and in the ewe class the first goes to the Duke of Marlborough, the second to Mr. William Hemming, and two high c ommendations to Lord Walsingham. Consider able discussion will arise upon these awards. Lord Radnor's wethers have good backs,great length, very abundant wool (rather too cleverly trimmed), but darker faces and more transparent ears than a south-country b reeder approves. Lord Walsing ham's wethers have better legs of mutton, a consi derably larger girth, au absence of dark hair trd-pri ze be tween the ears, and truer Sussex -down character. young Probably, too, h is Lordship's hi we thers are better than his seem . d-prize sheep in the same class. There is a grand show of Shropshires. In the class of pens of five wethers Mr. Beach's first-prize sheep won the Mayor's cup, and Mr. Henry Smith's obtained the novel distinction of being " very' , highly commended. Looking, -however, at the breadth of back, depth, and solidity of these latter • sheep, it is a question whether they should not have been placed before Mr. Beach's ; as it is, the judges finally determined by the aid of a weighing machine, the winning animals being a few p ounds heavier than their rivals. In the class of pens of three young Shropshire wethers, Lady Willoughby de Broke, Mr. Beach, and Mr. Hand got the prizes. In the older class, Mr. Henry Smith's superb wethers gain the first prize, with Mr. Newdegate's plate for the best Shropshires. These sheep took the first prize and a prize medal at Birmingham and at Islington last year. The second prize goes to Mr. Beilby Lawley. In the single wether class Messrs. Mapplebeck and Lowe's cup is won by Mr. Henry Smith. The high character of the winning Shropshire is testified by their thorough beating of Lord Wenlock's and some other almost invariably successful pens. In the cross-bred class Mr. John Overman wins first prize, and Mr. Stilgoe second prize. In the ewe classes the gems are Mr. Thomas B. Marshall's splendid Lincoln ewe, the Duke of Marlborough's Oxfordshire Down ewe, and Mr. Beilby Lawley's Shropshire ewe. The judges of sheep were Messrs. Henry Fookes, Edward Gough, and George Cureton. Of pigs there are 20 less entries than at last show; the pens of three fat pigs were hardly as well up as usual ; the cup is won by Mr. Steam. The judges recommend that in future all pigs painted with grease and lampblack shall be disqualified. In the other good classes of fat pigs Major-General Hood, Mr. Mangles, Mr. Crisp, Mr. Steam, and Mr. William Smith win the prizes. The breeding classes are magnificent, Mr. Joseph Smith's silver cup Berkshires being considered the most perfect ever seen. A magnificent pen of pigs shown by Mr. Allender has (like several otheis) been disqualified by Professor Gamgee, on the ground that the state of dentition proves the animals to be older than certified in the entry. The exhibitor protests that not only his character but also his exact system of managementforbid thepossibility of any discrepancy 1 of the sort; while, on the other hand, the professor does not admit that science has made another mis take, although the mouths of pigs at the particular age in question (between three and six months) are less to be depended on than at any other time. The judges of pigs were Messrs. John Moon and James B. Spearing. There is a remarkably fine show of roots. Messrs Sutton's six long mangolds weigh 21211 b. ; Mr. Stevens' six globe mangolds weigh 2441 b. ; Mr. Pol lok's six swedes weigh 100 lb. The kohl rabic are much finer than usual. The carrots form the most meritorious feature, and the potatoes the most infe rior item in the display, Mangolds and turnips are of marvellous size and quality, telling evidently of a fine season and of deep cultivation. The judges of roots and corn were Messrs. J. Matthews and E. Davenport. Bingley-hall cannot afford space for much agricul tural machinery, but Ransomes and Sims, Clayton and Shuttleworth, Olmies and Barford, Ashby and Jeffery, Hornsby, Boby, Turner, Maynard, Bentall, Mapplebeck and Lowe, and other of our first-class manufacturers have stands of the special tools or mechanism for which they are famous. In the mis cellaneous department Proctor and Ryland, Griffin and Morris, &c., show samples of manure, with specimens of produce raised by these handy ferti lizers ; and Sutton and Sons have an extensive stall in the end gallery, crowded with fine roots, seeds, and cereal specimens. We come now to the feathered division of the show, a department likely to attract greater atten tion from agriculturists, as well as to draw larger crowds than ever of admiring fanciers. Some inquisitive individual has made out that a man, woman, girl, boy, or baby in France cats on an average a hundred eggs in a year. Of these luxuries our neighbours consume 4,000,000,000 annually, and manage also to spare 300,000,000 for the " A nglais ;" that is, nearly a million eggs a day if we exclude Sundays. If each hen lay a hundred eggs, France must own 43,000,000 hens, worth, at least, £5,000,000 sterling ; but then the serving up of penile/ and volaille in all sorts of savoury and piquant dishes being a far weightier matter than the cracking of eggs into infinite and complex cookeries, the actual numbers of feathered stock in Francewill far exceed any such feeble estimate. Now, might not John Bull add poultry farming to the fashions imported from over the Channel? We do raise more fowls than we did, and, thanks to our ardent fanciers of big birds and rare sorts, our country markets show full-breasted couples weighing a fourth or a third heavier, of whiter and finer grained flesh, of earlier maturity, and more thrifty of food than the undersized, slowgrowing, leggy birds of perhaps a dozen years ago. But in the present state and pro spects of our meat supply we might be far more busi nesslike than we are in this branch of production. Large farmers have the greatest facilities for grazing and feeding poultry stock. By proper system they may cut down the costliness of labour and attention without glazing over stable-yards or transforming whole paddocks into wired poultry homes. The entries of poultry at the present show number 1,676, or one more than last year, and of pigeons 331, or 31 more than last year. As to their quality we can only give general indications, seeing that the poultry judges, Messrs. John Baily, R. Pulleine, G. J. Andrews, J. H. Smith, and James Hindson, did not end their laborious duties till late on Saturday evening, and the press being rigidly excluded until that time only a comparatively few minutes were available in which to review and criticize a couple of thousand cages of first-class birds. Admiral Hornby is again the great winner, with magnificent coloured Dorkings, with Lady Holmesdale and Mrs. Arkwright following suit. Mr. Lane is great with Spanish. Mr. Stretch, Mr. Nelson, and Captain Heaton are winners with Cochins. Mr. Statter and Mr. Pares take honours with Brahmas. Mr. Blink horn and Mrs. Hurt win with that singular and valuable breed the Crcve-Cceur. This fowl is well known to frequenters of exhibitions by its crest of feathers, with a duplicate horned comb in front, its black plumage and dark blue legs, and is recom mended as a prolific laying breed, good also for the table, the pullets said to outweigh the cockerels, and attaining great dimensions at a wonderfully early age. The hens do not sit. The Hamburgh classes are very fine. In silver Polish the chief prizes are carried off as usual by Mr. G. C. Adkins. The game classes are wonderful for equality of excellence, Mr. Scrimminger, Mr. Gamon, Mr. Billing, Sir H. G. Gore, &c., being chief winners. In the class of "any other distinct variety," the National Poultry Com pany wins with a pen of the La Fleche breed. The La Fleche resembles the Spanish fowl, in having jet black plumage, white faces, and lead coloured legs; the comb is a peculiarly fantastic ornament, two horns bending forward, with a third horn on the beak, said to liken the bird to a rhino ceros. They are the largest of French breeds, the weight attained by fat chickens being 8 to 10 lbs. ; the skin is particularly white and transparent, and the flesh of exquisite flavour. However, they can notboaiintome of very early maturity, they lay an abun dance of egg s , b u t are b a d s itt ers . Th e com p an y also shows breed, by w hi ch specimens of the celebrated Houdan it is a the French henwives make money ; full-bodied, short-legged fowl, five-clawed like a Dorki ng, its plumage a spangled black and white, the face bearded and whiskered in droll style, a topping of speckled feathers bending backward, with a curious comb before it of triple form ; the two outer spikes opening like a book ; showing a a the beak. ; " It straw berry or nut-shag, grows above bove between them a d e t ac hed spike, like a is a magnificent sort for the table and for egg-layin g too, fattened chickens weighing 71 b. or 81b., but th e hens are poor !Webers. The game bantams made wonderful classes, a n d some most superb gold-laced Sebrights are shown. The ducks are astonishing this year, Mrs. Seamons' Aylesburys weighing 301 b. the three birds, that is, 31b. over the heaviest of last year—a result never before attained. - Mr. Statter's Rovers weigh 261 b. Mrs. Seamons wins the first prize for a white goose and gander weighing 581 b., and Mr. F. K. Fowler takes first prize for a white goose and gander of 1865 weighing 361 b. Mr. Fergusson Blair's grey goose and gander weigh 561 b. ; Mr. Fo 'vier's, 521 b. ; Mr. F. Blair's prize turkey cock and hen weigh 471 b. ; Mr. Wright's two turkeys of 1865 weigh 401 b. Mr. Harrison Weir and Mr. F. J. Cottle, the pigeon judges, declare the show to be of unparalleled ex cellence in almost every class ; the heaviest pair of runts weighs within an ounce of 51b., the greatest weight yet known. The show of do g s is larger and better than ever, numbering about 1,000 specimens, now established in the new Curzon-hall—a very spacious and hand- some structure, erected at a cost of £B,OOO, upon ground which cost £B,OOO more. But for variety of taste in the choice of liobbies, and division of labour in the culture of fancy things, a visitor might be equally au fait among the cattle, the birds, the produce, the machines, or the dogs. Mankind, however, having divided themselves into groups giving their lives to specialities, you need a handbook at every new show you enter, whereby otherwise imperceptible excellencies may reveal themselves it may be in roses or melons, in silk worms or white mice. You admire the intermin able ranks of handsome, lively bits of intelligence and faithfulness ; the graceful, sturdy, alert, pom pous, or comic creatures that growl, whine, and bark their own in Curzon-hall; but you don't under stand a dog, and are perhaps unaware that one side of your newspaper might be filled with the points of perfection and demerit in the numerous breeds and their subdivided strains. Look then at the picturesque, warm your heart with the affection of these playful pets, feel physically powerful in the company of those noble hounds. Perhaps some compassionate critic may lead you round by the elbow and discourse technically of minute differences in build, carriage, and colour of the animalsbefore you, till you wonder whether canine study is not an encyclopaedic science. For instance, here is Class 1. The simple-minded answer to the catechism-question, " What is the chief end of man '?" " His head, Sir !" does apply to a pointer ; for this shell of the brain is the seat of that marvellous smelling faculty that forms his main qualification. His jaw is not narrow like that of a hog, his long soft ears hang close to his cheeks, and his throat is devoid of a hairy dewlap. Strength for work demands a broad muscular loin and limbs with strong bone ; a speed requires a well-set shoulder ; his round, cat-like feet have natural shoe soles of horny pad, and his " stern," that warning index to the sportsman, is long and sharpened to a point. That you may readily espy him in a leafy crop his coat shines white, with lemon or liver-coloured patches adorning it. You learn that the breeding of these dogs is a difficult art, the great aim being to combine the graceful elastic frame of the smaller strains with a more stalwart size for working among tall growing green crops and busy heather. The judges value the symmetry and constitution of the dog, but of his stanchness, courage, action, and sen sitive nose they can tell little without shooting over him. You should like a setter's head lighter than a pointer's, though -without a snipe nose ; his ears round-ended, not pointed like a vine-leaf ; his body marked more by depth than breadth ; his feet stand ing straight ; and you are to notice the arching of the toes with the tufts of hair between. The stern curves upward, with a depending silky " feather," thinning off at the tip ; but the fine coat must not curl, though beautifully fringing the profile of the body. If you are well up in your Field, you will under stand the great point of colour in the Irish setter— the coat being deep blood-red and rich chesnut or mahogany, not golden yellow, fallow, nor fawn, so unmixed with black that when tested in a strong light there must be no black waves or shadows, much less a black fringe to the ears or the profile of the frame. Aud you will doubly admire the setter of true Gordon blood when you know that he is ac cording to rule in being raven black, with a blue or plum bloom on the bright lights, in having his "tan' , a rich red or burnt sienna colour, with brilliant red on cheeks, lips, throat, and feet, a spot of tan over each eye, an allowable " white 'shirt frill," and a stern like a sting—the greatest trouble to breeders being the long " teapot tail" with a curl at the end. His virtues consist in going longer without water than other setters, and displaying more variety of attitude " on the point." The pointers and setters in the present show sur pass in numbers and merit the display of former years. The foxhounds make a very fine show, in cluding some of the most famous sires from the best kennels. The greyhounds are inferior ; the retrievers excellent ; the spaniels remarkably meritorious. There is a splendid show of bulls and bull-terriers, of Newfoundlands, St. Bernards, and toy-terriers. A peculiar feature this year is the provision of classes for dogs of small size and for puppies of every breed. The show is altogether by far the best we have ever seen. The Cattle Plague. BRADFORD. The cattle disease is seriously on the increase in this district, especially in the magisterial division of East Morley. Mr. Collins, one of the inspectors of the division, reports that during the past week he has examined no fewer than 26 new cases of cattle disease, and that in 17 of these cases the cows had died. The owners of the beasts resided in Allerton, Thornton, Rodley, and Baildon. Mr. Carter, in spector of one-half of the division, also reports that dnring the past week the disease has appeared for the first time on seven different farms in Wyke and Hortishead, causing the death or slaughter of no fewer than 12 cows. In the Keighley district Messrs. Emmott and Holmes, the inspectors, report that at Wilsdon one stirk has died during the week, and that two cows and another stirk are so ill that they are not likely to recover. by the destruction of all herds where the disease broke out, to prevent the spread of the distemper ? If they relied on Government stamping it out, they would have to wait till every beast they had was de stroyed and buried. If, then, they had no hope of relief from the Government, it only remained for the whole county to view this as a county question. He believed the only chance left was to raise subscrip tions in the county, so that they might tell every owner of stock that if the moment the inspector found the disease in his herd he would destroy every one the public would compensate him. If the pub lic would not make up their minds to this, the far mers must make up their minds to be ruined to a man. Sir Robert afterwards submitted a series of resolutions giving effect to his suggestions by open ing parochial subscription lists to a fund to compen sate farmers for the destruction of their herds when the rinderpest breaks out among them. Mr. FAwcErr, of Scaleby Castle, expressed regret that the Order in Council giving arbitrary powers to inspectors to destroy cattle had been revoked. Mr. JoHN IRVINE, of Carlisle, opposed the pro posal of Sir R. Brisco as one calculated to encou rage speculation to buy cattle in infected districts, and thus make matters worse. Some of those who had suffered in this locality deserved the sympathy of the whole country ; the disease came upon them by accident. To that extent the resolutions would apply very judiciously ; butto say that relief should be given to all persons indiscriminately who had been the means of spreading the disease, through a greedy desire to buy cattle much below their value —(cheers)—would be very improper. Other speakers having expressed views unfavour able to the scheme, the resolutions proposed were abandoned. Sir R. BRISCOE said he was sorry that the feeling of the meeting was adverse to his proposal. If the landed interest of that county choseto have its stock devastated, he must suffer as well as the rest, and they might now go quietly home and have their stock devastated. The meeting then broke up. jury to this country to weaken, for the sake of the few millions of dollars involved in the claims of our citizens, the prospective value of the precedents thus set by the British Government. They beg you to remember that, judging of the future by the past, the time cannot bo far distant when the British Government will be a belligerent, and that whether against Russia, France, or Brazil, or against its Indian subjects, the heroic Sepoys, or its oppressed Irish provinces, its next war, when we are at peace, will give us the same opportunity in principle, and a hundred times greater in degree, which her merchants, mechanics and shipbuilders have had to profit by our misfortunes. 'While her commerce equals ours in tonnage, the value of her merchandise afloat is always infinitely greater than ours, many of our ships being usually loaded by the help of British capital. Where she built one Alabama or blockade runner we can build a hundred, provided her precedents are allowed to remain. While she has by destruction and alarm driven about one-tenth of our commerce from the ocean, we can at the next opportunity, following in her footsteps, utterly drive the British merchant flag from the ocean, except when conveyed by a steam frigate. They have made the most of their opportunity ; their machine shops and ship-yards have enjoyed a prosperity never before equalled. Their shipowners and merchants have fat tened upon our distresses. They can well afford to pay out of their profits the petty losses which are claimed, and still have millions of wealth wrung from us remaining. Our harvest will soon come, but wo shall better their instruction a hundredfold, until not a vestige of British merchant navigation will remain upon the ocean in rivalry with ours. We pray you, therefore, to retain the vantage she has given us by making no further demands in compensation for our claims, but rather to use your influence with our own Government to obtain payment from them for the losses thus incurred by our own citizens, and to retain in full force the precedent set by Great Britain, as infinitely more valuable than those claims. Gen. M'Dowell, in command at California has issued, under instructions from the War Department, an order instructing his subordinate officers to take the necessary measures to preserve the neutrality of the United States with respect to the parties engaged in the existing war in Mexico, and to suffer no armed parties to pass the frontier from the United States, or suffer any arms or muni tions of war to bo sent over the frontier to either belli gerent. This is not to prevent individuals from passing with arms for their personal protection. Diana of Poitiers in the Glory of her Youth. The following animated description of an inter view between Francis the First and the lovely Diana of Poitiers we extract from the last instal ment of Mr. Ainsworth's new historical romance of " The Constable de Bourbon," in the December number of Bentley's Miscellany:-- At this moment a side-door was opened, and a young dame, richly attired, and of surpassing beauty, entered the chamber. On seeing the king, she would have instantly retreated, but he commanded her to stay. " Do not let my presence alarm you, fair lady," he said. " And do not suppose you interrupt me, for I have finished my conference with the Lord Constable." The young dame, who seemed much embarrassed, made a profound obeisance, but did not advance. As we have said, she was exquisitely beautiful. Her features might have been modelled by Praxiteles, and her figure was tall and admirably proportioned. She was attired in green velvet, embroidered with flowers of damask, gold, and pearls, with the sleeves puffed and quilted, and her head-dress, which was becomingly fashioned, was ornamented with pearls and ether precious stones. " I am trying to recal your features, fair lady," said the king, approaching her, and regarding her with undisguised admiration, " but I do not think I can have seen you before. Such a lovely face as yours—such lustrous eyes—and such a formmust have made a lasting impression upon me. Yet you must have been at court." " No, sire, my father, the Comte de Saint _ alher, never took me to court," she replied. " How ?" exclaimed Francois, surprised. " Are you the charming Diane de Poitiers, who, by be stowing your hand upon the Comte de Maulevrier , have made him the most enviable of mortals ?" " It is my misfortune, sire, to be the wife of the Comte de Maulevrier," she replied. " Your misfortune ! ha !" exclaimed the king. " Are you aware that your husband is here?" " Here, sire !" exclaimed Diane, uneasily. " Nay, be not alarmed," replied Francois, smiling. " He has not come for the purpose of taking you back to the Château de Breze. He brought me some important intelligence from Normandy." " "Tis Maulevrier, then, who has revealed the plot," mentally ejaculated Bourbon. " I should not return with him, if he desired it," said Diane. " Your Majesty must understand that the Comte and I have quarrelled." " Quarrelled! ah !" exclaimed Francois. " And so you took refuge, from the husband you hate with ; the Duke de Bourbon—eh?" _ _ " I do not hate my husband, sire, though he has compelled me to leave him. I came to the Chateau de Moulins with my father." " And you expected to find your father with the Constable, when you entered so suddenly just now, eh ?" remarked the king, dryly. " I did, sire. I came to inform them of your arrival at the chateau—little expecting to find your Majesty here. I trust I may infer from your gra cious and kindly aspect that the Constable is re stored to favour ?" "He is fully restored," replied the king. " You will be pleased, I am sure, to learn that I have just promised him the command of half my Italian army." " You have done well, sire," she rejoined. "With Bourbon in joint command with your majesty, vic tory will be assured. You will accompany the king ?" she added to the Constable, with evident anxiety. " I hope to do so," he replied. "At all events, I will follow as soon as my strength will permit me." _ . "Nay, I must have you with me," said the king. " Right, sire—do not leave him behind," she whispered. " I know the way to enforce obedience on the Constable's part," said the king. " I shall take you with me to Lyons, fair Diane. He will follow quickly then." " Sire !" exclaimed Bourbon, with ill-concealed vexation, " the countess is here with her father !" " What of that ? I shall not ask his consent," replied the king. " The only person who has any right to object is Maulevrier, and he is not likely to interfere. The Comtesse de Chateaubriand and a large party of court dames are in my train," he added to Diane. " You shall accompany them." He then continued in a low voice : " I cannot doubt the great influence you possess over Bourbon. What you say to him he will obey. Charge him, therefore, to join me a week hence at Lyons." And he moved towards the other side of the chamber, as if to examine the portrait of the beau tiful Clara de Gonzaga. Diane instantly took advantage of the opportu nity, and, approaching Bourbon, said, in a low voice " - You have accepted the king's offer? You will break with the Emperor and Henry VIII., will you not?" " It is too late," replied the constable, in the same tone. " I have signed the compact." " But consider that the king has promised to share the command of the army with you ?" she urged. " Promises made by princes under such circum stances are rarely kept," replied Bourbon. " I can never be really restored to the king's favour." " You wrong him," she said. "He is the soul of loyalty and honour." " He loyal !" echoed Bourbon. " He is perfidious as his mother. I will not trust him." " a hat is your determination ?" " My fixed determination," he rejoined. " Then we shall never meet again —never, Char les," she said. Bourbon made no reply, and his head sank upon his breast. At this moment the king turned round. " Have you prevailed upon him, fair Diane?" he asked. " Yes, yes, he will come, sire," she answered hastily. " You will?" she added to Bourbon, with an entreating look that ought to have been irresist- ible. " You have said it," he rejoined. " That is well, observed the king. could not resist her persuasion."l Just then the door opened, and Jean de l'Hopital entered the room. "I crave your majesty's pardon for this interrup tion," he said, " but I am compelled to attend to my illustrious patient. It is necessary that his highness should take the draught prepared for him." " I applaud your zeal, sir," replied Francois, " and I enjoin you to use all your art to restore the prince your master to health as quickly as may be. Think you he will be able to set out for Lyons in three days ?" "I will not answer for it, sire," replied Jean de l'Hopital, cosulting Bourbon by a look. " In a week, then?" demanded the king. " Perchance in a week, sire," replied the physi cian. "But he must travel slowly, for even then he will be very feeble." " Come hither, sir," said the king, taking Jean de l'Hopital aside. " Answer me truly, as you value your life. What ails the Constable ?" " His highness is labouring uncla a severe quoti- " I knew you CUMBERLAND. On Friday Mr. Bell, the Carlisle Districtlnspector, was called to see some cattle at Campfield, near Bowness-on-Solway. He found them afflicted with the disease. Out of a herd of 31 grazing on a large common one had already died of the disease, and many of the others were sinking rapidly. The owner, Mr. John Lawson, a " statesman," had pur chased them in Scotland, at Downe Tryst ; and the low price he paid for them—only about £2 a head —gives rise to the suspicion that they were part of an infected herd. The outbreak at Campfield has caused much uneasiness in the district ; as the cattle among which the disease has appeared were driven through a part of Cumberland where large herds of stock are put out to graze on public marshes on the shores of the Solway Firth. Mr. Lawson consented to destroy the whole herd at once. A meeting of farmers and stockholders was held at Carlisle on Saturday afternoon to consider the best means to be adopted in the county at the pre sent juncture. Sir Robert Brisco, of Crofton-hall, took the chair. The CHAIRMAN said the cattle plague was now ' established in the county. It began, unfortunately, on one of his own farms through want of judgment on the part of the farmer who.had purchased some • strange cattle without knowing satisfactorily that they were free from the disease ; and although every cow on the farm had been slaughtered the infection had unfortunately spread to the adjoining farms. In that locality the disease was confined to the district around Orton, and it had also broken out near Bowness. Was there any means of stop ping it from going much further ? It was of no use complaining that the medical profession could not cure the disease. He maintained that it was requisite for them to induce owners of stock, when they saw there was some disease, to adopt measures to have every beast put down, for he believed that was the only chance of safety. (Cheers.) Let them take another view. That curative sys tem which was adopted at present, so far as mat ters had gone in that county, he believed had no effect whatever. Every beast was dying, and he was supposeewshe entherewholesalele iskept no winter not aware of any preservative whatever ; and while we were tryi ng t o cure we were s p rea di ng th e dis a amonghetlies foddereh ae disease e d s nursed, o left f r t the h e d e whuyp district.tthien herdsmßa u y t , must go out into the open air, and there is an end to all isolation from that moment. There was iso lation at present if the cattle kept werein the farm ' steads.; but the moment they were compelled, by the advance of the season, to turn their stock into fields, there would be nothing but a hedge between them and destruction. They knew by experience that the infection would travel at least 400 yards, and if that were the case what herd could they ex pect to be saved from the disease ; and then what would become of their insurance companies ? As a large landowner, he was making up his books to pass two or three years of ruin , ' • and what did that mean ? In meant the ruin of tenantry throughout the county. At present the disease was confined to two little spots in the county. Was it possible ISLE OF ELY. At Doddington Mr. W. Saunders has lost one bullock, while he has two beasts infected. Mr. G. Infield has lost 38 out of 40. Mr. J. Grant has two dead, while several are infected. In the Chatteris district the disease is considered to be on the in crease. Mr. Skeels at Hundreds lost 13 beasts ; Mr. Chamberlain, 1 ; Mr. W. Ruston 2 ; Mr. Brand, 1; Mr. J. Triplow, 1 ; Mr. Jones, of Mount Pleasant, 2 ; Mr. Nix, of Langwood Fen, and other farmers, are slaughtering their fat beasts and sending them to the metropolitan market. MIDDLESEX. The statement that appeared on the 28th ult. that a Mr. Tring, of Bedfont, Middlesex, had lost 11 out of 14 cows, is, we are informed, unfounded. No person of that name resides in the parish, nor has a eingle case of the cattle disease occurred there. NORFOLK. At the weekly meeting of the Norfolk Cattle Plague Association at Norwich, on Saturday, Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., in the chair, the committee ex pressed the opinion that it was expedient to reopen markets. The claims for compensation allowed dur ing the past week, after deducting salvage, &c., amounted to £1,163, the largest sum ever paid in one week since the formation of the association in August. Further claims are now pending to the amount of £2,000. The balance at the bankers at the close of November was £9,099, but the chairman intimated on Saturday that a further rate wouldsoon be necessary. The magistrates of the Shropham and Guiltcross Hundreds have issued an order suspend ing the entire movement of cattle into and from that district until February 1, 1866. The committee of the association has voted £5O to assist in the further prosecution of the homoeopathic treatment of the disease, which may be said to be at present stalking through the county unchecked. AMERICA. - -41.• QUEENSTOWN, DEC. 2. The Inman steamer Etna, from New York on the 18th ult., arrived here at 11.15 a.m. to-day with 219 passengers and $94,499 in specie. She landed 66 passengers and proceeded at 11.25 a.m. The South Carolina Legislature has adopted the constitutional amendment abolishing slavery, thus securing the adhesion of the necessary number of States to make the amendment form part of the Federal Constitution. Letters from Nashville to papers in Central Georgia express surprise at the fact that there is a general movement among the negroes in Kentucky toward the Northern States. These correspondents state that thou sands have already found employment among the thrifty farmers of the Middle States and New England. The people want to stop the hegira, but — don't know how to do it. _ _ —A gentleman, writing from North Alabama, draws the following picture of affairs : —" Our negro population is in a fix, and a pretty considerable one that is, the men, for the most part, roaming about in the exercise of their new-found liberty, doing but little, and that little bad. They have no supplies, and how they are to live until green corn and blackberry time next year God only knows. Thousands unquestionably will and must die of starvation. Their old masters' cribs and smoke-houses are either empty or closed against them." There is some uneasiness in Richmond about alleged preparations for an insurrection nicking by the 25,000 or 30,000 negroes huddled in tents on the York River Peninsula, between the towns of Hampton and Williamsburgh. These negroes have been notified that on January 1 the lands they now occupy will be turned over to their former owners, and if the reports are true the dis satisfaction caused by a knowledge of this fact has been increased by the presence among them of free negroes from the North, who incite also a spirit of insurrection and revenge. The Richmond Times insists upon legislation that shall compel the negro to perform his contracts where his master has not failed to execute his part of the bargain. It says :—"From the Rio Grande to the Susquehanna, from the planters of Texas, and from the farmers of Mary land, there is not the slightest difference of opinion as to 'freedmen' treating their contracts as nullities. No treat ment, however kind, no rational indulgence, however liberal, make the slightest impression upon these most inconsistent and fickle human beings. They have no moral principle where a contract is concerned, and their instability " exceedeth that of water and sand." _ . The Macon (Ga.) Journal of the 2nd inst. is in dignant at the thought of repudiating the rebel war debt. It says :—" This so-called Confederate war debt is but little more than double the actual and necessary expendi- tures for carrying on the civil government of the State ; and the whole debt now owing by Georgia, reduced to a specie standard, will not exceed three or four millions of dollars. That the good name of a great State should be bartered for this paltry sum and an unenviable notoriety, is too preposterous to be entertained for one moment by any man having one particle of State pride." A Washington despatch says:—" It is a singular fact that so great is the demand for school books in the South that the Northern publishers are compelled to send a large amount of their press-work to this city to be done. In all, over twenty-five presses hero are engaged in print ing these books. The prices charged for press-work in Washington are 20 per cent. more than in Northern cities. One retail dealer in school-books here sold $15,000 worth last month to Southern booksellers. Three-fourths of all that go South are sold to the negroes." Mr. Worth has been elected Governor of North Carolina by a majority of from 5,000 to 10,000 over Mr. Holden. It is officially reported that the mortality among the negroes during the war against the South averaged from 30 to 50 per cent. This excessive mortality continues in many parts of the South. The States of Wisconsin and Minnesota have voted against negro suffrage. The new Legislature of the State of lowa is poli tically divided as follows: Senate, Republican 43 ; Oppo sition 5. House, Republican, 83 ; Opposition 15. Repub lican majority on joint ballot 106—large enough for all practicable purposes. The Ohio and Mississippi Railroad have coin- menced a suit against the Indianapolis and Cincinnati Railroad for damages, amounting to over one million five hundred thousand dollars, for breaking tho contract existing between the two roads, whereby the latter used the track of the former from Cincinnati to Lawrance- burgh The following petition has been sent to Secre tary Seward by the merchants of Boston : To the Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State. The undersigned—merchants, mechanics, and other citizens,—haying read the diplomatic correspondence re cently published, beg leave respectfully to protest against further action by our Government in their demands upon the British Government for compensation for the depre dations committed upon our commerce by the Alabama and other British cruisers. They respectfully represent that it would be a great in- . than ague, caught at Montbrison," replied the phy- occasion to notice, in October, a marked decrease in sician. " The fever has proved of singular obsti- some of the Southdown country fairs, and it looks nacy, and will not yield to ordinary remedies. We as if the drain which we then suspected to exist had are under great apprehensions," he added, lowering been going on until the sources of supply are appre his voice, " that it may be followed by some mortal ciably affected. Of course it may argued that the ailment, as consumption, or the black jaundice. unprecedentedly high price which superior mutton His state is exceedingly critical, and demands the has been fetching for months past ought to have utmost care. Were he to take cold, I would not protected the commodity from exhaustion ; and, answer for his life." had the butchers charged for mutton in proportion " Hark ye, sir," said the king. I know you can as they have done for beef, the figures reached will speedily cure him, if you will. Within a week I no doubt have been so alarming that consumption expect to see him at Lyons." must have been checked. The butchers, however, " I cannot perform impossibilities, sire," replied as they made probably 50 per cent. profit on beef, the physician ; " but if it be in the power of medi- veal, and pork, were moderately content with about cal skill to further your majesty's desires, you shall 30 on mutton ; and by thus distributing the behold him at the time appointed." pressure upon consumption over the whole area Apparently satisfied, Francois then turned to- covered by these various kinds of supply, they wards the Constable, and said : relieved the mutton-chop of some pressure which " Adieu., cousin. I commend you to the care of it ought proportionately to have borne. The butcher, your physician. But as I shall naturally be anxious in fact, did xot charge the consumer " home" for to hear how you progress, I will leave behind me mutton, and thus the effect of the gradual rise in the the Seigneur Perot de Warthy, who will send me wholesale price was artificially staved off from the daily tidings of you." retail customers. The consequence is that mutton " That is needless, sire," said Bourbon, im- goes on rising, while sheep-masters are probably patiently. "Since you are pleased to express so holding their flocks in hand, in the confident much anxiety about me, I w ill despatch frequent prospect of such Christmas prices as no open market messengers to you with the report of my phy- has ever seen. This game of theirs is, of course, sicians." liable to be spoilt by a run of calm weather fl ooding " I prefer leaving Warthy," rejoined the king. the market with Dutch and German sheep, and for " I can depend on him. Once more adieu, cousin. the home consumer's sake we hope it may be so. We shall meet again at Lyons." Agriculturists may have made little on their beef, And, offering his hand to Diane, he led her out and in some quarters, we well know, deplorable, and of the room. perhaps irreparable, losses have fallen w ith an un exampled degree of inequality on individuals, owing to the cattle plague. But as regards their sheep they have had, and still are enjoying, a capital time of it. The " tide in the affairs of men" and beasts , has been running hard and fast in the sheep-master 0 favour, and if any appeal to public charity be set on foot for the benefit of the losers on horned stock, we recommend that the "hat" be " passed round," first to the butchers and next to the owners of sheep. SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. THE 64 EXAMINER" ON THE CATTLE DISEASE.— The cattle plague continues to grow, just as it might be expected to do, by extending over a greater area. In the first four months since its outbreak its inten- sity was confined to London and the counties in its neighbourhood. It embraced in all no more than 39 counties out of the 84 of England, Wales, and Scotland, leaving 45 counties, or more than half of those of great Britain, unaffected. The disease, as might well have been looked for, has now reached many of these last, and hence the increase in the number of the cattle affected. In the first four months the number was about 14,000, and the deaths from the disease and from the pole-axe, during that time ruthlessly resorted to on the recommendation of the cow-doctors, 12,000, or 85 out of every 100 attacked. The whole number attacked from the first outbreak up to the present time rises, by adding only an additional month, to 27,000, and the deaths to 21,000, or nearly 80 in 100 ; so that there is no great difference in the rate of mortality. As to the loss sustained through the disease in proportion to the whole stock of horned cattle, it appears, from a correspondence between the Royal Commissioners and the Board of Trade, that the number of the cattle in the island is a matter of mere computation, and that no tolerable estimate of it has ever been. made. It has been usually taken at 7,000,000, but we ere given to understand that 8,000,000 would be much nearer the mark. If we suppose, then, that the mortality goes on for the rest of the year at the same rate that it has done for the last five months, the total mortality would be, in round numbers, under 36,000, or between four and five in 1,000 ; no very great loss in a nation al sense, and which will certainly be counterbalanced by the num ber of foreign cattle imported beyond those of last year. Let it be remembered that it is not foreign horned cattle alone that furnish fresh meat to this country, but sheep and swine as well. Of all these, then, we find by the returns of the board of Trade just published that the number imported in the ten months of 1864 was 595,380 ; while in the corre sponding period of the present year they amounted to 954,390, showing an additional supply of 379,010, —surely sufficient to balance the loss in cows and oxen. As to remedies for the cure or arrest of the disease, all have failed, and the disease defies Gamgees and Royal Commissioners, the pole axe of the one as well as the embargo of the other, no one being able to say which of the two nostrums is the more foolish, but all allowing that both are surpassingly mischievous. Nature left to herself, or nearly so, seems to be a more suc cessful practitioner than either man or cow doctors. A. very instructive letter from Sir Edward Cole brooke, the member for Lanarkshire, appeared a few days ago in the Times. Sir Edward's stock on his estate in Surrey consisted of a mixed herd of Ayrshire and Alderneys of all ages and sizes, thirty four in number. When the disease broke out in it, he treated the disease in the cow-doctor fashion with stimulants, and all so treated died. He then re solved to trust to nature, giving the animals at tacked nothing but mashes of oat and barleymeal, and under this gentler system they all lived, so that out of his herd he lost but nine, or at the rate of no more than 27 in the 100. It seems clear that the baronet and nature are preferable to Gamgee and the pole-axe, by at least some 58 per cent. The Royal Commissioners, we are happy to find, no longer insist, as they seem at one time to have done, that the cow-pest has been communicated to the sheep. Beginning with sheep, there is no know ing to what extent the abominable murrain might extend, for some newspapers had it that it had reached to pigs and poultry, while others insisted that our very cats were in danger of extinction from it. We observe that the just-mentioned Royal Commissioners have been again sitting ; but as we observe the absence of three of those who consti tuted the majority that framed the first Report, we may presume that their incubation this time will hatch some remedy less monstrous 'than that which was the result of their first sittings, and which ex cited an astonishment highly prejudicial to their judgment. The Royal Commissioners are per plexed with difficulties about making payment for the infected cattle slaughtered by command of the inspectors expressly appointed by the Government. We can see no cause for perplexity. The animals might have recovered, and in a good many cases certainly would have done so but for the inspector's poleaxe and the veterinarian physic. iTheywere killed for a public purpose—the hope of treading out, or at least of arresting the plague. The owners of cattle so destroyed are surely as much entitled to remuneration as the proprietors of lands or houses taken for any public purpose. When cattle were destroyed for the same purpose a cen tury ago, the owners were certainly remunerated, and it is to be hoped that we are not less just than our great grandsires. For every bull, cow, or ox the sum then paid was £2, and for every calf 10s. The carcase has since greatly increased in size, and the cost of meat has been at least doubled. Remu neration must therefore be in proportion. " SATURDAY REVIEW" ON OUR BUTCHERS' BILLS. —ln stating that the butchers have, in many places at least, given way, we state a fact patent on the housekeeper's weekly bill. The prospect of their concession was so clear to those who studied the weekly cattle-market returns of carcase prices, that it was anybody's prophecy that give way they must. The fact, however, is more comforting by its ac complishment than any confidence of predictive asseveration could have made it before it came to pass. The butchers have had a highly remunerative time of it, and are probably investing largely by this time in Austrian, Turkish, Spanish, and other " fancy" stocks. A recent correspondent of the Times, writing from an agricultural point of view, sought to fasten upon them a profit of 52 per cent. As regards beef only, that may be true, and on beef only the calculation to which we refer professed to be based. But, on a review of the prices of all kinds of flesh meat, we endeavoured to show some time ago, and we incline to the same opinion still, that the profit has been from 30 to 50 per cent. The fall which has prevailed during thelast fortnight amounts to a reduction of Id. to lid. per lb. ,Meat for which a shilling was lately asked may now be had for 11d. or 10id., being a difference of from 8 to 12k per cent. in favour of the purchaser, and against the butcher. We confess, however, that, so far as pre sent facts show the way to an inference as regards the future, we have little confidence in these figures holding. The influence of the approachof Christmas is always supposed to be in favour of a rise. The quotations of mutton, moreover, in the Metropolitan Cattle Market, which had in the first two weeks of the month of Novemberreceded to an average of ss. per stone, with a top price of 6s. 4d., have in the last two weeks advanced to ss. ld. and s s. 2d., with a top price of 6s. 6d. and even 6s. Bd. Beef, on the con trary, had been during the second fortnight of the month, Id. a stone cheaper than during the first; and the fall in veal and pork was even more marked d urin g the same period than in beef, their top prices ha v in g descended respectively from ss. 10d. and ss. 4d to an even ss. for each. It will be observed, moreover, that the very large supplies which we have been deriving from abroad during the earlier part of this autumn have been falling short towards the end of it. This was particularly noticeable in last Monday's market. Considerably less than half the beasts there offered, instead of the large proportion to which we had lately become accustomed, were foreigners, and hardly more than half of the sheep. The extremely violent weather of the last fortnight, rendering navigation perilous and difficult, and thereby largely increasing the risks of bringing foreign cattle to the English market, is the probable account of this ; and we may accordingly expect the same cause to operate, during several months to come, in rendering the supply precarious. These facts, however, are not alone adequate to account for the rise being in mutton rather than in beef ; since the transport of sheep by ship is attended, owing to the lighter bulk of each animal, with less risk of damage arising from ordinary causes than that of oxen. We have no doubt, then, that the ultimate ground of the rise in the metropolitan quotations of mutton is to be sought in the shortness of the supply from our own agricultural districts. We had COUNTRY MARKETS __.~ i NORWICH-SATURDAY. There was'a fair supply of old wheat at this market to day, but a very limited one of new ; for all dry and good qualities prices advanced about is per qr. Barley was again large, and trade ruled in buyer's favour for malting qualities, and in some instances 6d to is per qr. lower ; other sorts dull. White wheat (weighing 631 b to 641 b), 50s to 54s ; red ditto (weighing 631 b to 651 b 50s to 52s ; best malting barley (weighing 551 b to 56Th), 30s to 33s ; runs ditto (weighing 541 b to 551 b), 28s to 30s ; distilling ditto (weigh mg 521 b to 531 b), 24s to 26s ; oats, 24s to 26s ; beans, 37s to 39s ; peas (maple), 36s to 88s per qr; flour, 33s to — 3 Od per sack. YORK-SATU RDAY. ----- The supply of wheat was by no means large, and the condition of the grain varied. The inquiry ruled health)", at a slight rise in prices. Barley fair supply, and prices rather over late rates. Oats at fully late rates. Beane steady at an advance of 6d per qr. New white wheat, 50s to 545; new red, 46s to 498 per 36 stone. Barley, for malting, 33s to 368 per qr ; grindings 30s to 32s per 30 stone. Oats, new, 26s to 28s per 24 stone. Beans, 40s to 42s per 40 stone. Malt, 625; rye, 30s per qr. Flour, 36s to 38s per sack of 2801 b. NOTTINGHAM—SATURDAY. There was a tolerably good supply of wheat to-day. The demand was firm at an advance of is per qr. The best sorts of barley a shade dearer, inferior is per qr. lower. Oats in small supply, and rates very firm. Beans scanty, and rather higher rates realised. Old white wheat, 54s to 595; old red, 49s to 535; new' white, 50s to 56s ; new red, 48s to 50s per 36 stone. Bar ley, old malting, 30s to 38s per qr; old grinding, 26s to 28s ; new, ---s to —s per 30 stone. Oats, old, 27s to 30s ; new, 20s to 25s ; old foreign, 22s to 27 s per stone. Be ans, old, 48s to 52s ; new, 40s to 43s per,3B stone. Super flour, 37s to 39s ; fine, 34s to 36s per 20 stone. LEICES TER-SATURDAY. We had a moderate show of wheat, and the attendance of farmers and factors fair. Sales made to a tolerable ex tent, and rather higher prices paid. The show of barley middling, and trade rather improved. Oats scanty, and demand healthy at extreme rates. Beans met a ready sale at is per qr. advance. Old white wheat, 52s to 56s ; old red, 48s to 53s ; noir white, 48s to 53s ; new red, 45s to 48s per 36 stone. Bar ley, malting, 34s to 39e per qr. ; grinding, 28s to 30s per 3 0 stone. Oats, old, 28s to 32s ; now, 20s to 25s per 24 stone. Beans, old, 46s to 51s ; new, 42s to 46s per 38 stone. DUBLIN.-FRIDAY. Thare was a moderate supply of home grain, which ob tained firm prices. Demand fair for wheat and oats , foreign wheat in better inquiry at full rates. Indian corn firm. Flour with colour in moderate demand. Oatmeal dull, with lower• prices. Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. Australia and New Zealand, via Southampton Dec. lg. Ditto, via Marseilles Dec. 13. Brazil and Cape Verdes. by British paoset Dee 4. Ditto, by French packet .. Dec. 22. Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and :Et. Helena.... Dec. '22 China, Penang, and Singapore. via Sou hampton..D.e. 2. Ditto, via Marseilles Dec. 13 Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via Southampton India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton.... Dec. 2 Ditto, via Marseilles India (Bombay), via Southampton. Di.c. 12. Ditto, via Alarseilles .. Dec._6 Mauritius, via Southampton Ditto, via Marseil.e 3. . Dec. 6. Newfoundland .„ , Dec. 6 Portugal Ditto, by private ship to Lisbon.. ... United States and British North America, by Bri tish packet Ditto, by United States packet, via Southamp- ton Ditto, via Cork Ditto, by Canadian packet, via Londonderry.. Dec. 8. West Coast of Africa. Madeira, and Tenerife Dec. 11. West Indies and Pacific (except Bahamas, Cuba, and Mexico Cuba and Mexico Dec. 29. Bahamas, via New York. Dec. 14. Bermuda, ditto Deo. 20. JEFFERSON DAVIS ON FENIANISIL—A COrrespOn' dent of the New York Herald says of Mr. Davis that " be Wks of ordinary topics with his usual vivacity and keen' ness of utterance. For instance, he has given his vie of the Fenian movement in three words. ' Would you like to have my opinion on Fenianism ?' (suddenly starting up from a reverie of several minutBs) he asked an officer. Very much, sir,' the officer replied. ' You shall have it in three words,' spoke out Davis, his eyes spark ling at what he evidently deemed the terse sprightliness of his observation and solemn sageness of his verdict It's a bubble ;' and three times he repeated the renfarZ as if to give it more cogency and impressiveness." ADVERTISZMENTd -Avoid medicines: they always aggra' vate chronic complaints, but Du Barry's Delicipus Healtl.- Restoring Revalenta Arabica Food, which yields three tiote o the nourishment of the best meat, saves fifty times its cost in other remedies, and invariably restores perfect digestion. strong nerves, sound lungs, healthy liver, pure blood. re: freshing sleep, functional regularity, and energy to the mosD disordered or enfeebled. We extract a few out of 60, 000 Cures :—Cure No. 58,216, of the Marchioness de Brehall , of seven years' liver complaint, wasting away, debilitl , nervousness, with a nervous pa l pitation all over , bad diges tion, constant sleeplessness, and the most intolerable nervou s agitation.—Cure No. 1,771. Lord Stuart de Decies. Lord Lieutenant of Waterford. of many years' dyspepsia.—S e ' 49,832. "Fifty years' indescribable agony from dyspepsia" nervousness, asthma, cough, constipation, flatulenoi , spasms, sickness, and vomiting.—Maria Jolly."—Cure 46,270. Mr. James Roberts, of Frimley, Surrey, of thirty years' diseased lungs, spitting of blood, liver derange" ment, and partial deafness.—Cure No. 47,121. Miss Elizabe th Jacobs, of extreme nervousness, indigestion, gatherings, lovf spirits, and nervous fancies.—Cure No. 54,b16. The Rev. JO' T. Campbell, Fakenham, Norfolk, "of indigestion and torP t ; dity of the liver. which had re sisted all medical treatment.' In tins, 1 lb., 2s. 9d. ; 21b., 4s. 6d. ; 51b., its. ; 121 b., 225. ; 24 111 ' 40s.—Barry Du Barry and Co., No. 77. Regent-street, Londou also Phillips, tea dealers, 8, King William-street ; at 61, Gracechurch-street ; 4, Cheapside ; 49, Bishopega t !' street Within ; 63, 150, and 298, Oxford-street ; 330, Strand ; 54, Upper Baker-street ; 103, Tottenham-court-road ; 96 ' Upper-street, Islington, N. ; Harvey, ; Close Brothers, 65, High-street ; and Stubbs, Queen's-terrace , S t ' John's.wcod, London; and all respectable grocers and 0 11°. mists.—Beware of spurious imitations. Births. DESBOROUGU.— On the 80th ult., at Hampton Court, wife of Lieut Colonel Desborough, Royal Artillerh ° .- a son. fo JENNEII.—On the 2d inst., at 8 , Harley - street , the I'M Dr. ;sumer, of a son. E. Ithtex.—On the Ist inst., at Tho Elms, Pinner, 311 1 . March, of a daughter. Marriages. CHRISTIE-RENNECK—KING.-011 the 2d inst° , at Brig John Sebastian Christie - Renneck, Esq., o f Grausri""ni place, Blackheath, Kent, to Sarah, youngest d au g btec Thomas King, Esq., solicitor, Brighton. FRANKENBURG—DAVIS.—On the 29th ult.. at 76, 11 8 . 14°1 00 street, Cavendish-square, Julius Frankenburg, of Br green, Kensington, and Skinner - street, to Phoebe, tb. daughter of the late Alexander Davis, of 33, Strand. Deaths. FISHER.—On the 22th ult., at Liverpool , Charles DeSit° Fisher, Esq., aged 63. S G ROOMB RIDGE.-011 the Ist inst., at Brunswick villa,ti Norwood, Richard Coleman Henry Groombridgel fisher, of Paternoster-row, aged 50. HILEY.—On the Ist inst., at Woodhouse, neared* borough, the Rev. John Simeon Riley, M.A., age PniscE.—On the 30th ult., ut Heathfield, GreenheYs, chester John Prince, Es dla q., formerly of the East DI Hous:London, aged 72. SCOTT. e — On the 30th ult, at his father's house, littelffieli Mr. Walter Scott, of the Stock Exc han g e, aged 39' '-"----"-----n-------------- it.lf S. London : Printed and Publishdy WIL LIAM ANIM— if of No. 112, Strand, Piinter, e a t Tfli; SUN O ffice, 1°;.: of Strand, in the Precinct of the Ssvoy, in the Colin*, Mittclicom—Monday, December 4, 1585. - the - i Pres• • Sine have or a moral tram .--__ 14, ~ Fro, fee, thre disc Mad 15y, eliv( Mor lia v Seel The ] S. Lou .l 1] LiM Lim Corr T and . T. Lo - n - stre( M Lon Totf of N y' are Tho that Ti Cree: Lith e datio Ti rat© Ch an of ti StOci ra w veni ; i dea; be f o Meld cozy b i Th 46; toh