The Sun. — London, England, 1865-01-12 00:00:00

AMERICA. We have received Eby the Peruvian the following official despatches relating to the failure of the Wilmington expedition : :,," Washington, Thursday, Dec. 29. " The Secretary of the Navy received this afternoon the following by special messenger : __ . "'North Atlantic Squadron, United States Flag Ship Malvern, at sea, off New Inlet, Monday, Dec. 16, 1864. " Sir,—l was in hopes that I should have been able to present to the nation Fort Fisher and the surrounding works as a Christmas offering, but I am sorry to say it has not been taken yet. I attacked it on the 24th inst., with the Ironsides Canonicus, Mahopac, Monadnock, Minnesota, Colorado, Mohican, Tuscarora, Wabash, Susquehanna, Brooklyn, Powhattan, Juinita, Seneca, Shenandoah, Pa tuxent, Ticonderoga, Mackinaw, Maumee, Yantic, Kansas, lasco, Quaker City, Monticello, Rhode Island, Sassacus, Chippewa, Osceola, Tacony, Pontoosuc, Santiago de Cuba, Fort Jackson and Vanderbilt, having areserveof small ves sels, consisting of the Aries, Howqua, Wilderness, Chero kee, A: D. Vance, Anemone, Eolus, Gettysburg, Alabama, Keystone State, Banshee, Emma Dillian, Sristram Shandy, Britannia., Governors Buckingham and Nansemond. Pre vious to making the attack, a torpedo, on a large scale, with an amount of powder on board supposed to be sufficient to explode the powder magazine of the fort, was prepared with great care, and placed under the command of Commander A. C. Bhind, who had associated with him on this perilous service Lieut. S. W. Preston, Second Assistant-Engineer A. T. Mullen, of the United States steamship Agawam, and Acting-Master's Mate Paul Bayard, and seven men. So much had beensaidand written about the terrible effects of gunpowder in an explosion that happened lately in Eng land that great results were expected from this novel mode of making war. Everything that ingenuity could devise was adopted to make the experiment a success. The vessel was brought round from Norfolk with great care and without accident, in tow of the United States steamer Sassacus, Lieutenant-Commander J. L. Davis, who directed his whole attention to the matter in hand ; and, though he experienced some bad weather, and lost one of his rudders, he took her safely into Beaufort, where he filled her up with powder and perfected all the machinery for blow ing her up. General Butler had arrived at the rendezvous before us, and I hastened matters all that I could, so that no unnecessary delay might be laid to my charge. On the 18th inst. I sailed from Beaufort with all the monitors, the new ironsides, and the small vessels, including the Louisiana, disguised as a blockade-runner, for the rendezvous, 20 miles east of New Inlet, North Carolina, and found all the larger vessels and transports assembled there, the wind blowing light from the north-east. On the 20th a heavy gale set in from the south-west, and not being able to make a port without scattering all the vessels,l determined to ride it out, which I did without accident of any kind except the loss of a few anchors, the monitors all behaving beautifully. Only two vessels went to sea in order to avoid the gale, and fared no better than those at anchor. The transports being short of water put into Beaufort,North Carolina and were not suitable for riding out at anchor such heavy weather. After the south wester the wind chopped around to the westward and gave us a beautiful spell of weather, which I could not afford to lose, and the transports with the troops not making their appearance, I determined to take advantage of it and attack Fort Fisher and its outworks. On the 23d I directed Com- mender Rhind to proceed and explode the vessel right under the walls of Fort Fisher, Mr. Bradford, of the Coast Survey, having gone in at night and ascertained that we could place a vessel of ift. draught right on the edge of the beach. Lieut. Pb. H. Laupon, commanding the Gettysburg, volunteered to go in the Wilderness, Acting-Master Henry Arsy in command, and tow the Louisiana into position. At 10 30 p.m. the powder vessel started towards the bar, and was towed by the Wilderness until the embrasures of Fort Fisher were plainly in sight. The Wilderness then cast off, and the Louisiana proceeded, under steam, until with in 200 yards of the beach and 500 from the fort. Com- mander Rhind anchored her securely there and coolly went to work to make all his arrangements to blow her up. This he was enabled to do, owing to a block ade-runner going in right ahead of him, the forts making the blockade runner signals, which they also did to the Louisiana. The gallant party, after coolly making all their arrangements for the explosion, left the vessel, the last thing they did being to set her on fire under the cabin, and then, taking to their boats, they made their escape off to the Wilderness, lying close.by. The Wilderness then put off shore with good speed, to avoid any ill effects that might happen from the explosion. At 1 45 on the morning of the 24th the explosion took place. The shock was not so severe as was expected ; it shook the vessels some, and broke one or two glasses, but nothing more. At daylight of the 14th the fleet got under way, and stood in in line of battle. At 11 30 a.m. signal was made to engage the forts, the Iron sides leading, and the Monadnock, Canonicus, and Maho pac following. The Ironsides took her position in the most beautiful and seamanlike manner, and opened a deliberate fire on the fort, which was firing at her with all its guns, which did not seem numerous in the north-east face, theirgh we counted what appeared to be 17 guns. But four or five of these were fired from that direction, and they were silenced as soon as the Ironsides opened her terrific battery. The Minnesota then took her position in handsome style, and her guns, after getting the range, were fired with rapidity, while the Mohican, Colorado, and the large vessels marked on the plan got to their stations, all firing to cover themselves while anchoring. By the time the last of the large vessels anehoiled, and got their batteries into ' play, but one or two guns of the enemy were fired, this feu d'enfer driving them all to the bomb-proofs. The small gunboats Kansas, Unadilla, Pequot, Seneca, Pontoosuc. Yantic, and Huron took position on the northward am eastward of the monitors, and enfilading the work. The Shenandoah, the Ticonderoga, the Mackinaw, the Ta cony, and the Vanderbilt, took effective positions as marked on the chart, and added their fire to that already begun. The Santiago de Cuba, Fort Jackson, Osceola, Chippewa, Sassacus, Rhode Island, Monticello, Quaker City, and la,sco dropped into position, according to order, and the battle became general. In 1 hour and 15 minutes after the first shot was fired not a shot came from the fort. Two ma gazines had been blown up by our shells, and the fort set on fire in several places ; and such a torrent of missiles were falling into and bursting over it that it was impossible for anything human to stand it. Finding that the batteries were silenced completely, I directed the ships to keep up a mode rate fire, in the hopes of attracting the attention of the trans ports and bringing them in. At sunset Gen. Butler came in in his flag,ship:with a-few transports, the rest not having arrived from Beaufort. Being too late to do anything more, I signalled to the fleet to retire for the night to a safe anchor age, which they did without being molested by the enemy. There were some mistakes made during the day when the vessels went in to take position. My plan of battle being based on accurate calculations, and made from infor mation to be relied on, was placed in the hands of each commander, and it seemed impossible to go astray if it was strictly followed. I required those vessels that had not fol lowed it closely to get under way and assume their proper positions, which was done promptly and without confusion. The vessels were placed somewhat nearer to the works, and were able to throw in their shell before falling into the water. One or two leading vessels having made the mis ta-Tra—anchoring too far off, caused those coming after them to commit a like error, but when they all got into place and commenced work in earnest, the power of shell (115 per minute) was irresistible. So quickly were the enemy's guns silenced that not an officer or man was in jured. I regret, however, to have to report some severe casualties by the bursting of six 100-pounder Parrot can non. One burst on board the Ticonderoga, killing six of the crew and wounding seven others ; another burst on board the Yankee, killing one officer and two men ; another on the Juinita, killing two officers and wounding and killing ten others; another on the Mackinaw, killing one officer, and wounding five men ; another on the Quaker City, wounding, I believe, two or three ; another on the Susquehanna, killing and wounded seven. I think the b urs ting of the guns (six in all) much disconcerted the crews of the vessels where the accidents happened, and gave one and all a great disgust of the Parrott 100-pounders, and, as subsequent events proved, they were unfit for service, and calculated to kill more of our men than of those of the enemy. Some of the vessels were struck once or twice. The Mackinaw had her boiler perforated with a shell, and 10 or 12 persons were badly scalded. The Osceola was struck with a shell near the magazine, and was at one time I :,, aBl4 king condition ; but her efficient commander s t o pp ed the l eak, while the Mackinaw fought out the battle not withstanding the The Yantic was the only vess e l • damage she received. line to report damages. J. wlnch left flab Command er h wed unusual intelli Guest, at the last end of the line, s his fire. T w i ce / 17 1e ' in selecting the position and directing Battery, and he ssilen ee s r down the flagstaff on the Mound the Keystone State andgthe guns there in a very short time, Lieut. Commander j, ua pa kereity co-operating effectively. got his vessel, the Sassacusvi, with both rudders disabled, the „mint() close action, and assisted materially in silencing Cuba and Fort Jackson took such and the Santiago de get, towing o th er vessels not foiti"as " s as th ey cou ld the Brook throwing them out of place, and foams proper lines and The taking of a new position while ul it theirTulls well ' lyn and Colorado was a beautiful sight,erfire into place both ships delivered a tiro that WhelL th her weymt withstand. The Brooklyn well sustained under her present commander, Captain JamensdeAprrolducit, name the Colorad o gave ev id ence th a t her coin and dore H. K. Th a t c h er , we ll un d erstood the duties (7413- position. Th e S usque h anna h was most effective in her fire, and was fortunate enough to obtain the rig ht position, thou g h muc h bothered by a vessel near her that had not found her right place. The Mohicah went into battle gallantly, and fired rapidly and with effect, and when the Howhattan, Ticonderoga, and Shenandoah got into their positions they did good service. The Paw tuxet fell handsomely into line and did good service with the rest, and the Vanderbilt took position near the Minne sota, and threw in a splendid fire. The firing of the Moni tors was excellent, and when their shells struck great damage was done, and the little gunboats dint covered them kept up a fire sufficient to disconcert the enemy's aim. The rebels fired no more after the vessels all opened on them, except a few shots from the Mound and upper bat- teries, which the lasco and her consorts soon silenced. Our men were at work at the guns five hours, and glad to get a little rest. They came out of the action with ra h. r a con tempt for the rebel batteries, and anxious to ren wti e battle in the morning. On the 25th all the transport • I ad arrived, and General Butler sent General Weitz& see me an d arrange the programme for the day. It a, decided that we should attack the forts again, while the army landed and assaulted them, if possible, under our heavy fire. I sent 17 gunboats under the command of Captain 0. S. Glesson, to cover the troops, and assist with their boats in landing the soldiers. Finding the smaller vessels kept too far from the beach, which was quite bold, I sent in the Brooklyn, to set them an example, which that vessel did, relying, as every commander should, on the information I gave him in relation to the soundings. To this number was added all the small vessels that were covering the coast along. And finally I sent some eight or nine vessels that were acting under Commander Griest in endeavour ing to find a way across the bar. This gave 100 small boats to land the troops with : besides those, the army were already provided with about 20 more. At 7 a.m. on the 25th I made signals to get under way and form in line of battle, which was quickly done. The order to attack was given, and the Ironsides took position in her usual hand some style, the Monitors following close after her. All the vessels followed according to orders, and took position without a shot being fired at them, excepting a few shots fired at the last four vessels that got into line. The firing this day was slow, only sufficient to answer the enemy while the army landed, which they were doing five miles to the east of the fleet. I suppose about 3,000 men landed, when I was notified they were re-embarking. I could see our soldiers near the fort reconnoitering and sharpshooting, and was in hopes an assault was deemed practicable. -•• • • " General Weitzel, in person, was making observations about 600 yards off, and the troops were in and around the works. One gallant officer, whose name Ido not know, went on the parapet and brought away the rebel flag we had knocked down. A soldier went into the works and led out a horse, killing the orderly mounted on him, and taking his despatches from the body. Another soldier fired his musket into the bombproof among the rebels, and eight or ten others who had ventured near the forts were wounded by our shells. As the ammunition gave out the vessels retired from action, and the ironclads and the Minnesota, Colorado, and Susquehanna were ordered to open rapidly, which they did with such effect that it seemed to tear the works to pieces. We drew off at sunset, leaving the ironclads to fire through the night, expecting the troops would attack in the morning, when we would commence again. I received word from Gen. Weitzel informing me that it was impracticable to assault, and herewith enclose a letter from General Butler, assigning his reasons for withdrawing the troops. I also enclose my answer. In the bombardment of the 25th the men were en gaged firing slowly for seven hours. The rebels kept a couple of guns on the upper batteries firing on the vessels, hitting some of them several times without doing much damage. The Wabash and Powhattan, being within their range, the object seemed mainly to disable them, but a rapid fire soon closed them up. Everything was coolly and syste matically done throughout the day, and witnessed some beautiful practice. The army commenced landing about 2 o'clock, Captain Gleason, in the Santiago de Cuba, having shelled Flag Pond Battery to insure a safe landing, and then commenced to re-embark about five o'clock. The weather coming on thick and rainy, about a brigade was left on the beach during the night, covered by the gunboats. As our troops landed 65 rebel soldiers hoisted the white flag, and delivered themselves up, and were taken prisoners by the seamen landing the troops and conveyed to the Santiago de Cuba, and 218 more gave themselves up to the reconnoitering party, all being desirous to quit the war. 1 don't pretend to put my opinion in opposition to General Weitzel, who is a thorough soldier and an able en gineer, and whose business it is to know more of assaulting than I do ; but I can't help thinking that it was worth while to make the attempt after arriving so far. About 12 clock I sent in a detachment of double tenders, under com mand of Commander John Guest, to see if I could effect an entrance through the channel. The great number of wrecks on and about the bar has changed the whole formation, and where the original channel was we found a shallow bar. I sent Lieut. W. B. Cushins in to sound and buoy out the channel if he could find one, with orders to Commander Guest to drag for Torpedoes and be ready to run in by the buoys when ordered. One boat belonging to the Tacony was sunk by a shell, and a man had his legs cut off ; still they stuck to their work until ordered to withdraw for other duty. In conclusion, allow me to draw your atten tion to the conduct of Commander Rhind and Lieut. Pres ton. They engaged in the most perilous adventure that was, perhaps, ever undertaken, and though no material re sults have taken place from the effects of the explosion at we know of, still it was not their fault. As an incen- ive to others, I beg leave to recommend them for promo- Also.that of Lieut. R. 11. Lamson, who piloted them in and brought them off. No one in the squadron consi dered that their lives would be saved, and Captain Rhind and 'lieut. Preston had made an arrangement to sacrifice themselves in case the vessel was boarded, a thing likely to happen. I enclose herewith the report of Commander Rhind, with the names of the gallant fellows who vohinteered for the desperate service. Allow me to men tion, also, the name of Mr. Bradford, of the Coast Survey, who has also patiently performed every duty he has been called on to carry out. My thanks are due to Lieut.-Com mander R. R. Breese, fleet captain, for carrying about my orders to the fleet during the action, and for his general usefulness ; to Lieut.-Commander H. A. Adams, for promptness in supplying the fleet with ammunition; to Lieut. 34 W. Sanders, signal officer, whose whole time was occupied in making signals, and who performed his duty well ; and to my Aids, Lieutenant S. W. Terry and Lieutenant S: W. Preston, who afforded me valuable assistance. I have not yet received a list of the casual- ties, but believe they are very few from the enemy's guns. We had killed and wounded about forty-five per sons by the bursting of the Parrott guns. I must not omit to pay a tribute to the officers and crews of the monitors, who rode out the heavy gales on a open coast without mur muring or complaining of the want of comfort, which must have been very serious. They have shown a dedree of for titude and perseverance seldom witnessed. Equally brave in battle, they take the closest work with pleasure, and the effect of their shells is terrific. The following are the names of the commanders, and I hope I shall ever keep them un der my command :—C3mmanders E. G. Parrott, of the Monadnock, and E. R. Calhoun, of the Saugus ; Commanders George L. Belknap, of the Canonicus, and B. E. Potter, of the Mahopac. There are about 1,000 left on shore by the army, who have not got off yet on account of the surf on the beach. They will be got off in the morn- ing, and then the soldiers will be sent home. I enclose the general order for the attack.—l am, sir, very respectfully your obedient servant, " DAVID D. PORTER, Rear-Admiral. 44 Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy, Wash ington, D.C.' " GENERAL BUTLER TO ADMIRAL PORTER. " Headquarters Department of Virginia and North Carolina, Dec. 25, 1864. " Admiral—Upon landing the troops and making a tho rough reconnaissance of Fort Fisher, both General Weitzel and myself are fully of opinion that the place could not be carried by assault, as it was left substantially uninjured as a defensive work by the navy fire:: We found 17 guns, pro tected by traverses, two only of which were dismounted, bearing on the- breach and covering a strip of land, the only practicable route, not wide enough for 1,000 men in line of battle. Having captured Flag Pond Battery, the garrison of which, 65 men and two commissioned officers, were taken off by the navy, we also captured Half Moon Battery, and 7 officers and 208 men of the 3d North Carolina Junior Re serves, including its commander, from whom I learned that a portion of Hope's division, consisting of Kirkland's and Hapgood's brigades, had been sent from Richmond on Tuesday last, arriving at Wilmington on Friday night. Gen. Weitzel advanced his skirmishing line within 50 yards of the fort, while the garrison was kept in their bomb-proofs by ,the fire of the navy, and so closely, that three or four men of the picket line ventured upon the parapet, and through the sally-port of the works, capturing a horse, which they brought off, killing the orderly, who was the bearer of a despatch from the Chief of Artillery of General Whiting, to bring a light battery within the fort ; and also brought away from the parapet the flag of the fort. This was done while the shells of the navy were falling about the heads of the daring men who entered the work, and it was evident, as soon as the fire of the navy ceased because of the darkness, that the fort was fully manned again, and opened with grape and canister upon our picket line. Find ing that nothing but the operations of a regular siege, which did not come within my instructions, would reduce the fort and in view of the threatening aspect of the weather, the wind arising from the south-west rendering it impossible to make further landing through the surf, I caused the troops with their prisoners to re-embark, and I see nothing further n be t that can be done by t he land forces. I shall therefore sail for Hampto m n y ßo en ad g s i engineers and officersreport nasthe transport fleet Fort ca Fisher got to in order. me as substantially uninjured as a defensive work.—l have, &c., " BENJ. F. BunEn, Major-General Commanding " ' To Rear-Admiral Porter.' TITIEL States i 4 'A DMIR AL c Squadron, United 44 c North Atlantic off New Inlet, North 9 Malvern, flagship ~8, 1864. TO GENERAL B C a rolina, Dec. PORTER acknowledge the receipt of " ' Gen era l,—l b eg l e ave to ackn of which was your letter o f thi s d a t e , th e substance el last night. I have com municated t o me b y Genera l W e it z ordered th e largest vessels to proceed off Beaufort to fill up with a mmunition,, t o b e rea dy for another attack in case making other it is d ec id ed to proceed with this matter by yet, • arr angements. W e have not commenced firing rapidlyhead and could k eep any rebels inside from moving their until an a ssau l ting column was within 20 yardsof the work s. I wish some more of your gallant fellows had followed the officer who took the flag from the parapet and the brave fellow who brought the horse out from the fort. I think they would have found it an easier conquest than is sup posed. Ido not, however, pretend to place my opinion in opposition to General Weitzel, whom I kno w , to be an ac complished soldier and engineer, and whose opinion has great weight with me. " `D. D. PORTER, Rear-A.dmiral.'" THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 12, 1865, Naval and Military Intelligence. VALErrA, Jan. 6.—The only arrival of her Ma esty's ships is that of the Tyrian, 2, screw gunboat, Lieut.-Commanding P. J. Murray, on Tuesday last, from Tunis. She had been relieved by the Cockatrice, 2, screw gunboat, Lieut.-Commanding R. M. Gibson. She brings no news of importance. The Cossack, 20, screw corvette, Capt. W. R. Rol land, will leave in a day or two, after the arrival of the English mail, for Patras and the lonian Islands, I to relieve the Pelican, 17, screw corvette, Comman der W. C. Comber, which will return to Malta. The Cossack is expected back in about six weeks. The Meeanee, 60, screw line-of-battle ship, Captain G. Wodehouse, will also shortly leave for the Pi ncus of Athens, as likewise the Revenge, 73, screw line-of-battle ship (bearing the flag of Rear Admiral Yelverton, C. 8.), for Naples, on a cruise. Captain the Hon. F. A. Foley, of this ship, is absent on leave. Rear Admiral Kellett hoisted his flag on board the Hibernia on Friday last, when Vice- Admiral Austin shifted his to the Psyche, 2, Lieut.- Commanding Robert Sterne, which vessel will take the Vice-Admiral and family to Naples, en route to England. Vice-Admiral Austin gave a dinner on Thursday at the Admiralty-house, Vittoriosa, to introduce the officers of the naval establishments to the new Superintendent. It is expected that he will take his departure about the 11th or 12th inst. The 'Victoria, 102, screw line-of-battle ship (the new flagship of the Commander-in-Chief), Captain J. G. Goodenough, is refitting and having offices constructed on board to accommodate the Admiral's staff. The Fox, 2, screw storeship, Master-Com mander Moriarty, lately arrived from England, is alongside the Victualling-yard wharf discharging stores for the fleet. The Royal Oak, 35, screw iron clad, Capt. F. A. Campbell, is still in dock, having scuttles cut in her sides and undergoing other altera tions for the purpose of better ventilation. It is ex pected she will be out of the hands of the workmen by the middle of the present month. The small arm men of the squadron, under the command of Capt. G. G. Randolph, commanding her Majesty's ship Orlando, with two Commanders acting as Majors, and a Gunnery-Lieutenant as Adjutant, assembled yesterday on the Floriana parade-ground, and were put through several manoeuvres. Frede rick Moore, privtte Royal Marines Light Infantry, of her Majesty's ship Cossack, was tried on the 28th ult. by court-martial, held on board her Majesty's ship Hibernia, for striking Serg. John Green, of the same corps, when in the execution of his duty. Capt. F. A. Campbell, commanding the Royal Oak, presided, and Mr. F. J. Fegan, R.N., Judge Advo cate. The prisoner was found guilty and sentenced to receive' 48 lashes, to be imprisoned for two years with hard labour in one of her Majesty's gaols, and then be dismissed the service with disgrace. The cor poral punishment will probably be remitted, owing to the prisoner's weak health. The Resistance, 16, ironclad ; Magicienne, 16 ; Wanderer, 5 ; Lizard, 2 ; and the surveying vessels Hydra, 6, and Firefly, 5, are also in port. The other ships of the squad , ron are distributed as follows :—Liffey, 35, Chanti cleer, 17, and Assurance, 4, Greece ; Phoebe, 35, ' and Suprise, 4, Beyrout ; Caradoc, 2, despatch ves sel (having on board Sir Henry Bulwer), Levant ; Weser, 6, Danube ; Racer, 11, Tunis ; Gibraltar, 81, Gibraltar. The names of the Dryad screw steam frigate, of 3,207 tons, and 600-horse power of engines, and the Harlequin screw corvette, of 950 tons, and 200- horse power of engines, both of which vessels have been standing in frame for some time past on Nos. 2 and 3 building slips of Portsmouth dockyard, have been removed from the Admiralty official Navy List for the present quarter, and work men are now engaged in taking down the frames of both vessels, which will now be con verted for use in the construction of other vessels. The only vessel now on the building slips of Ports mouth dock is the Helicon paddlewheel despatch vessel, and her launch is ordered to take place on the 31st inst. It is not inopportune at the begin ning of a new year to note that Portsmouth—the chief naval port of England—contains ships of war at this time having an aggregate of about 20,000 horse power of engines, and out of this large amount of reserved force but one small vessel, the Sparrow, hawk, 6 guns, 676 tons, and 200-horse power of engines, is officially reported as " ready for sea." This apparently alarming fact must, we presume, be looked upon as an unavoidable result attendant upon the transformation of the navy from wood to iron. The Royal paddle yacht Alberta, Staff-Commander Welch, arrived at Portsmouth yesterday from Cowes roads, to fill up stores, &c., for further service. The yacht had steam in two only (after ones) out of her four boilers, and under this condition, which is now her general rule in steaming, she maintains a very favourable rate of speed. The sailing frigate Indefatigable, 50, fitting for a training ship in the Mersey, was under orders to leave Plymouth yesterday afternoon for Liverpool, in charge of Commander Paul, and in tow of the paddlewheel steam vessel Medusa, Commander John IL Allard. The Lords of the Admiralty have coun termanded that order, and the Medusa has received 200 seamen from the ironcased ships, with ground tackle, hawsers, &c., for the purpose of proceeding to the coast of France, near Cherbourg, to help a large stranded merchant vessel, said to be called the Aurora. Her Majesty's screw steamer Cadmus, .21, 1,466 tons, 400-horse power (nominal), Capt. Alexander C. Gordon, having been fully equipped for sea, made her official trial of speed, at her deep sea draught of water, at the Maplin Sands, near Cha tham, yesterday, under superintendence of the offi cials connected with the Steam Reserve. The Cadmus was inspected the previous day by Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Talbot, K.C.8., Naval Commander-in- Chief at the Nore, who visited the various portions of the vessel, and mustered the crew at quarters. The officials to superintend the trial embarked from Chatham-dockyard in the paddle-wheel steamer Adder, Master-Commander W. J. Blakey. They included Capt. W. K. Hall, C. 8., commanding the Steam Reserve ; Mr. Baker, chief inspector of ma chinery at Chatham ; Mr. W. Rumble, inspector of machinery afloat ; and Mr. Hutchens, principal assistant-master shipwright, and his staff. The Cadmus with the whole of her stores, crew, &c., on board, had a draught of water of 17ft. 2in. forward and 19ft. 11in. aft, the bottom of her midship port sills being 10ft. lin. above the water. The quantity of coals on board was about 300 tons. The engines are by Messrs. Penn and Sons, and are fitted with the latest improvements. The weather yesterday was favourable for the trial, there being a force of wind of 2to 3, with scarcely any swell. On reach ing the Maplin Sands six runs were taken over the measured mile at full boiler power, with the follow ing results :—First run—time, 6min. 32 sec. ; speed in knots, 9.183 ; revolutions of screw per minute, 61; pressure of steam, 201 b. Second run—time, 4min. 50sec. ; speed, 12.413 knots ; revolutions, 61 ; pressure 211 b. Third run—time, 6min. 10sec. ; speed, 9.729 knots ; number of revolutions, 64, pressure, 211 b. Fourth run—time 4min. 58sec. ; speed, 12.080 knots ; number of revolutions, 61; ' pressure, 211 b. Fifth run—time, 6min. ; speed, 10.000 knots ; number of revolutions, 62 ; pressure 211 b. Last run—time, 5 min. ; speed, 10.000 knots revolutions, 62 ; pressure of steam 211 b. Giving an average speed of 10.978 knots, or rather a knot . per hour less than on the occasion •of the former trial of the Cadmus a few weeks since. . This falling off is to be accounted for from the circum stance of the mean draught of water of the Cadmus yesterday being 18ft. 7in., and on the occa . sion of the last trial 17ft. 6in., while in the early part of the trial the steam could be barely kept up to 211bs. Two runs were afterwards taken over the mile at the half-boiler power, when the mean speed realised was 9.105 knots, with a pressure of steam of 20 lbs., and 49 revolutions of the screw per minute. At the termination of the speed trial the ship was tested in making circles, when the complete circle at half-boiler power was made in 5 minutes and 9 seconds, the helm being put over to starboard at an angle of 25 deg., by six men in 2i turns. With the helm hard over to starboard the complete circle with full boiler power was made in 4 min. 28 sec. The half circle at full boiler power was made in 2 min. 11 seconds, with the rudder at 22 deg. From the order being given from the bridge to the engine- room the engines were stopped dead from full speed in 13 seconds, and started again in 5 seconds. The engines, which were in charge of Mr. Bird, the chief engineer, worked with remarkable steadiness, and and there was an absence of hot bearings and prim :ng. The actual work performed by the engines was 1,605 horse-power. The Cadmus is ventilated on Mr. Baker's principle, which has been applied so suc cessfully to the vessels of the ironclad squadron, the average temperature of the stoke-holes during the trials being 82 deg., and of the engine -room 65 deg. the temperature on deck was 47 deg. At the close of the trials the Cadmus anchored at the Nore and saluted the flag of Vice-Admiral Sir C. Talbot. The experiment of raising the screw, according to a plan submitted to the Admiralty by Mr. Baker, of Chat ham dockyard, was afterwards tried, when the screw propeller was detached, raised to the deck, lowered into its place again, and started afresh, the whole operation occupying three-quarters of an hour only from the order being piped, while under the old method of raising the propeller some three or four hours would be consumed. The Cadmus will leave the Nore, according to existing arrangements, this afternoon to join the North American squadron, calling in at Plymouth, where letters for the ship's company should be addressed. The Vernon, 50, has been placed under the float ing shears at Chatham dockyard, for the purpose of having her power masts placed on board, before being floated into dock. It seems probable that the repairs to be effected at Chatham will be ' tem porary, and that the frigate will be sent to Wool wich dockyard, when she will be fitted and equipped for her intended service. An Admiralty order has been received at Chatham directing the superannuation, on Saturday next, of several of the junior officials and workmen at that dockyard, the pensions, which are according to the new scale laid down by the Treasury, varying from 901. per annum downwards, according to the rank held by the parties, and the number of years they have been in the service. The appointment of Mr. R. Dawson, who has for some time been officiating as acting-assistant mas ter shipwright at Chatham dockyard, has been con firmed by the Admiralty. The following appointments have been made in Royal Naval Reserve :—To be Hon. Lieuts.—Wm. Davis and John Ramsden Houran. Theatrical Representations in Music Halls, THE CASE AGAINST THE ALHAMBRA. Mr. Tyrwhitt, according to arrangement, pro ceeded yesterday at the Marlborough-street Police court, to give his judgment in the case of Mr. 11. Wigan and other theatrical managers against Mr. Strange, of the Royal Alhambra Theatre, for an alleged violation of the Theatres Act, by represent ing " Ballets" on the stage. Mr. Poland, instructed by Mr. Lawrence of Fen church-street, was present for Mr. Strange ; Mr. Roberts appeared for the plaintiffs. Mr. Tyrwhitt said—l have considered the evi dence with the statutes and decided cases. The summons charges an offence against the Theatres Act, 6th and 7th of Victoria, cap. 68, section 2, in keeping the Alhambra, a place of public resort, for the public performance of " stage plays" without the licence of the Lord Chamberlain. And by section 23 the word " stage-play " includes, among other dramatic representations, " pantomime or other entertainment of the stage," all of them being illegal in the metropolis without the Lord Chamberlain's licence. Now, the Alhambra is ad mitted to be a place of public resort unlicensed by the Lord Chamberlain, but licensed for music and dancing by the county justices, under the 25th of George 11., cap. 36. The facts relied on to support the charge are shortly these :—At the Alhambra, a place of entertainment and refreshment, a stage is fitted up, with all the usual adjuncts of a regular theatre—viz., places for receiving various charges for admission, a tableau curtain, footlights, and orchestra, set and side scenes, with drops and flies. There are also boxes called balconies, for spectators, but what would be the pit in a theatre is here appro priated to tables for persons taking refreshments. The performance in question began with the descent of 40 to 60 women, draped in the theatrical costume of ballet dancers, from some high rock built up at the back of the stage. They came down by a wind ing path along what was said and not denied to be a real stream of water to the stage. Some had wands, and others palm branches, and others daggers. Some remained grouped on the rocks, but the greater part danced on the stage to the music of a full orchestra, performing the evolu tions of a ballet, stated to have been produced some time before in a pantomime at Drury-lane Theatre. But the serious business or incident re presented by action seems to have been the attack of some imaginary enemy who seemed to be put to death by some of the daggers on the floor. Mr. Donne, an experienced inspector of theatres, from the Lord Chamberlain's-office, described the action as being pantomime accompanied by dancing, and thought that a story, though a vague one, was acted ; that there was an engagement,-and some re sistance, then some expression of triumph, and in the end a reconciliation brought about by the chief dancer. The whole seems to have taken up from half to three-quarters of an hour. As it appeared only to comprise one act, the artistes who were ex amined styled it a ballet divertissement, agreeing, however, that this last could only be represented as such on a stage, with all theatrical accessories, and could in no case exist without a pantomime—viz., pantomimic action. In this last tenet Mr. Donne agreed. The artists also said that ballets were com posed, and that these compositions--viz., the direc tions for setting them on the stage, could be put in writing, so as to send a copy to the Lord Chamberlain, under sec. 12 of the Theatres Act, 6th of Victoria, as I apprehend the acknow ledged pantomime is or may be sent. It seems to be agreed on all hands that pantomime is the expression of feeling or incident by gestures with out words, and it is difficult to see how diversifying or mixing up pantomime with another sort of word less action—dancing—makes incident expressed without words less pantomime than if exhibited with out the dancing; and after much consideration of this slippery subject, I think that on these facts pan tomime was the core and gist of the performance, while the dancing was merely a graceful accessory or relief to it. Now, as to the law, I must take it that pantomime, as above described, existed in all time, or at all events in 10th of Geo. 11., and 25th of George 11., the years 1737 and 1751, though not mentioned in either of the Acts, 10th of George 11., cap. 28, or 25th of George 11., cap. 36. It is very possible that the only dancing contemplated by the Legislature in 25th of George 11., cap. 36, was danc ing by the visitors of the public places to which li cencesfor music and dancing were to be granted, and did not contemplate the exhibition of hired dancers there, much less that of pantomimic action by any one. However that may be, the Theatres Act, 6th of Vic toria, on which the summons proceeds, does include " pantomime" in the catalogue of those stage-plays which in London and Westminster are illegal with out the Lord Chamberlain's licence ; then this last enactment extends expressly the necessity for such licence to a performance which might, perhaps, have been before untouched by 10th of George 11. or 25th of George 11.., unless reached by the words " other entertainment of the stage," in 10th of George 11., cap. 28, sec. 2, or the words " other public entertainment of the like kind," in 25th of George IL, cap. 36, sec. 2—namely, those of a like kind with dancing and music only. This brings me to the. remaining question, whether, supposing this public dancing by hired artists had not been accom panied by palpable pantomime, it was an " enter tainment of the stage," for which, since the 6th Vic toria, if taking place in the metropolis, a Lord Chamberlain's licence was required ? And it seems to me that _dancing in this place of public resort by • hired dancers in theatrical dresses, on a stage fitted up with the music, lights, and scenery used fm per forming ballets at a theatre, cannot be less " an en tertainment of the stage" because such dancing in fancy dresses in a private house would not be such an entertainment. Let us observe the subjects com prised in the 10th of George 11., cap. 28, sec. 2. They are interlude, tragedy, comedy, opera, play, farce, :or other entertainment of the stage. Those n the 25th of George 11., cap. 36, sec. 2, are " pub lic dancing, music, or other public entertainment of the like kind." Those in the 6th of Victoria, cap. 68, sec. 2, the Theatres Act, are tragedy, comedy, farce, opera, burletta, interlude, melodrama, pan tomime, and other entertainment of the stage (the same words which occur in the 10th of George II.). Now, according to " Rex v. Handy" (6 " Term Re ports," 286), tumbling and fencing are not within these latter words in the 10th of George 11., and Lord Kenyon there reviewed his decision in " Gal lina v. Laborie" (5 " Term Reports," 242), in which he had enter alia declared public dancing to be an " entertainment of the stage" within the 10th of George 11. He said that if he had stated in " Gallini v. Laborie" that these words extended to every species of stage entertainments—e.g., tumbling or fencing he was mistaken. But in that close review of " Gallini v. Laborie" within so short a time after it occurred he does not recall his opinion. Whether Lord Kenyon in " Gallini v. Laborie" was consider ing public dancing taken simpliciter under 25 George 11., or public dancing on a stage at the Opera-home in a ballet, accompanied by theatrical adjuncts, and in so dealing spoke of it as an " entertainment of the stage." " Gallini v. Laborie" was canvassed in " De Begnis v. Armistead" (10 " Bingham's Re ports") without disapproval. I have minutely ex amined the above cases cited at the hearing because the argument that the words " entertainment of the stage," as following tragedy, &c., in the 6th of Vic toria, are said not to apply unless ejusdem generis with the preceding words, including pantomime, and the original case on the subject, " Archbishop of Canterbury's Case" (2 " Coke's Reports"), with " Sanderman and Breach" (7 " Barnewell and Cress well"), and " Exparte Hill, Carrington, and Paynes" were cited. Lord Kenyon's dictum shows that the general words " entertainment of the stage" in the 10th of George 11. were, in his opinion, ejusdem generis with interlude, tragedy, &c., there preceding them, and which words reappear under similar col- location in the 6th of Victoria. Lawyers have always held his opinion in great respect, and I en tirely concur with it. I also take it that the general purview of the Theatres Act, 6th of Victoria, was to impose stricter licensing requisites on dramatic exhibitions in places of public resort, and to confine public performances of a kind usually represented at theatres licensed as such in town and country. On the whole I hold the exhibition in question to have so far partaken of pantomime as to come within that in the Theatres Act, and also that if it had so partaken it was still, under all circumstances, an entertainment of the stage within that Act. I con vict the defendant in a mitigated penalty of 3/. Is., and with the less reluctance as he,has an opportunity of reversing my decision on appeal to the Quarter Sessions. Ido not think it is a case for costs. Sureties were tendered and taken for the purpose of the appeal. SPIRIT OF' THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. TlMES.—French agriculture is going through a phase which we are bound to regard with tenderness. Our case is that of the elder child, who having gone through the processes of teething, measles, and whooping-cough, sees with much pity, and a slight sense of superiority, her brothers and sisters under going these early trials. The particular disease of infancy under which France is now labouring is the resentment of the agriculturist of the abolition of the sliding scale, and the free introduction 'of foreign grain at a trifling fixed duty. The system is in a fever and the surface is flushed. So the Minister of Agriculture, Commerce, and Public Works has ad ministered a cooling draught in the shape of some very reasonable considerations. An official circular addressed to Prefects, and through them to the intelligence and candour of a million small pro prietors, is a novelty to British apprehension. We know of no such treatment, our practice of public meetings, societies, and a perfectly free press sup plying easier remedies. The ulterior considerations, too, are very different in the case now before us from anything in our own recent experience. Twenty years ago, in the prophetic language of Protection, the aristocracy, the Church, our high place among nations, and our eternal happiness, were all said to be involved in a peddling little tariff of corn duties for rising and falling prices, con structed by some crotchety officials. The enormous issues affiliated on so trifling a question reminded one of the fabled cherry-stone, which, as it was dropped in or out of a well, liberated or not a whole world of preternatural agency. In the pre sent case it is the Emperor in whom a large portion of France sees only a Power whose duty it .is to obtain a good price for their commodities and to get them out of their pecuniary troubles. The com plainants are not territorial potentates, but legions of very small people, to whom a few francs are a serious object. It is so indeed, for the small proprietors of France are generally deep in debt, and it is always a battle with them whether out of their small profits they can pay a high rate of interest to some one, ready at the first opportunity to take pos session of their land. Wifh the majority of such 1 men it is vain to argue ; but there is an increasing middle class in France,—it has influence, and it can be appealed to with effect. It is plain from the Minister's Circular that no laws whatever, at least no system of import duties, could have raised the price of wheat in France during the last year and a half. Wheat is abundant and therefore cheap. That is the beginning and the end of the affair to all those simple minds that have not been bewitched by the sophistries of Protection. The French har vest of 1863 was 23 per cent. above the average of the ten previous years, and, succeeding upon this, the harvest of 1864 was still 5 or 6 per cent. above the average. The result was that France became an exporting country. It is true that she continued to import a trifle too inconsiderable to be mentioned from Algiers and other countries—a third per cent., that is one-three-hundredth part of the whole con sumption of France. There always will be such ex ceptional currents, and the wonder is that France has not imported more from the Mediterranean for her arid but populous southern coasts. But she has ex ported three times as much as she has imported, and as the larger operation ever rules the less she comes under the laws of an exporting country. The prices of an exporting country, however, can only be the prices of the world at large, for wheat in this state of things will never command a higher price than that at which foreigners are ready to buy it. The corn is exported because it fetches more abroad than at home ; and any attempt to insulate the home trade can only end by shutting out a better purchaser than the domestic consumer. The Minister always refers to several previous years, especially the years 1850 and 1851, when wheat was considerably lower even under the sup posed protection of the sliding scale, and with harvests by no means so good as those of 1863 and 1864. There is now a natural and reasonable cause for cheapness—namely, abundance. There was no such cause in 1850 and 1851, and therefore a cause must be looked for ; and the Minister leaves us to infer—though he does not expressly say it—that the sliding scale itself had something to do with these excessively low prices. A bad market, with out even abundance, a little to sell and little to be got for it, is indeed an agricultural cala mity, and this was the calamity of the two former years alluded to. But nobody can or ought to complain if he finds the market over stocked, and himself helping to overstock it, while the purchasers do not multiply and their purses do not grow heavier. No Minister, no Legislature, no Emperor, no human power can mend that state bf things. Not, indeed, that it requires mending, for if prices are lower there is more to sell ; and it is a comfort to think that th e l a b ourer can obtain more bread to eat, that charity can do her work at less cost, and that ente r p r i se h as rece i ve d a fresh stimulus. It is also'to be considered that when bread is cheap, not only do the poor eat more bread, but myriads learn to eat it who did not know the taste before. It is only since the repeal of our own Corn Laws that bread has become the food of the Irish peasantry. But they who have once lived on bread will never descend to a lower food. It seems rather late in the day for a great nation to be learning these ho me ly l essons , b u t th e picture that is raised before the eyes itself accounts for the tardy progress . What we see i s a million of little proprietors in their blouses, collected round the knees of a village dame dignified by the title of Prefect, learning the A B C of commerce. In Eng land the class whom it is necessary to inform in these matters is much more silent, and the work is more easily done. The conversion of a landowner involved the conversion of his tenantry as surely as armies and tribes followed their chief in primitive times to the font of Christian baptism. As for our labourers, as they never knew anything about it, they had nothing to unlearn. But it must go hard with the national i ns t ruc t ors w h en th e y h ave t o di sa b use a million heads of time-honoured prejudices, fostered by the State itself and linked with all their p e tt y hopes and t ra ffickings. All that they know or will know about the matter is that they cannot get as much as they wish for their corn, and are told that Arabs, Italians, Greeks, Turks, and Russians are bidding against them. The Minister has to show that it would answer no purpose to shut them out of the French markets when Frenchmen themselves ar going abroad for a market. But why should not France keep the monopoly of its own market, at least, and then get as good a position in the foreign market as it can ? That is the question as it comes home to a million pigmy intelligences. The French must have an equivalent for their sacrifices, and some solid proof that they are a great nation. Can they not, then, manage the market so as to get the turn in their favour, and fare a little better than their tributaries, their foes, and their semi-barbaric competitors ? The Minister of Agriculture has to tell them that he cannot manage this. France is a great nation, but it is not the whole world. The Emperor is a great monarch, but he cannot govern the markets of Europe and compel all nations to eat more wheat than they can grow, and resort to France to supply the deficiency on her terms. We trust the Prefects, to whom the Minister first addresSes himself, will do their duty, as good teachers, to their respective classes in the several departments, and that we shall see a school of political economy on the largest known scale. If precept should fail, the Minister knows where to go for example. Our own agriculturists have now had 20 years' proof of that freedom which they once expected to ruin them. They find they can swim without corks, and swim the better for it. What is more, they are not driven to form factions on the hollow and discreditable basis of a class interest, and to bring dishonour on a thou sand sound principles and sacred causes by a base alloy of public good with private ends. POST.—The claim so ostentatiously advanced by Prussia to be the supreme arbiter of the powers and jurisdiction of the Germanic Diet, as might have been expected, has been formally disallowed. The despatch of Count Bismarck to the Prussian Minis ter at Munich has provoked a reply from the Bava rian Government whieh easily and conclusively dis poses of the pretensions of Prussia to criticise the action and control the policy of the minor States. Considered simply as an effort of diplomatic skill, the despatch of the Bavarian Minister of Foreign Affairs cannot fail to excite admiration, and in the minds of many in this country may possibly give rise to a feeling of regret that all Foreign-office correspondence does not bear the same evidence of good temper, urbanity, polished sarcasm, and argu mentative skill as are to be found in this despatch. As no one could have been more conscious than Count Bismarck that the step which he thought proper to dictate, in dictating to a minor State the policy it should pursue, was equally unprecedented, and, viewed according to the constitution of the Confederation, arbitrary and unjustifiable, it be comes of the less importance to discuss the grounds on which such pretensions were founded and have now been disallowed. Count Bismarck did not ex pect to convince Bavaria by his note of the 13th of December : he simply intended to terrify her ; and if a highwayman stops a traveller, and, placing a pistol to his head, demands his purse, it can profit the latter but very little to reason with his assailant on the obvious illegality of the act which he is com mitting. For reasons which are tolerably intellig ible Prussia has determined, if possible, on consti tuting herself the irresponsible chief of the German Confederation ; she is desirous, in fact, of,, being able to say, "La Confederation c'est mm." Dur ing the past year both the foreign and the domestic policy of her Government have been singularly suc cessful, and for the first time for half a century her armies are enabled to boast of victories in the field. She is a great military Power, and is desirous of becoming a naval one. Her conquests during the past few months have given her the means of realising what until now has only been a shadowy dream, .and the prospect of a powerful Prussian fleet in the harbour of Kiel can no longer be considered either distant or indistinct. Parvenus proverbially give themselves greater airs than those whom they seek to imitate ; it therefore happens, in the natural order of things, that the former Duchy of Branden burg should now assume the dictatorship of United Germany. In his despatch to the Bavarian Govern ment Count Bismarck, it will be recollected, cen sured the conduct of the minority who in the Fede ral Diet opposed the joint motion of Austria and Prussia for terminating the Federal execution in the Duchies and removing the Federal troops, and pointed out the dangers which threatened the exist ence of the Confederation if any similar attempts were made by the minor Powers to thwart the wishes of the greater. Count Bismarck did not say this in as many words ; but, by assuming the right of determining what matters were and what were not within the jurisdiction of the Diet, and by declaring that the minority pressed on the Diet a course of action which it was incompetent to adopt the same conclusion was equally reached. The right of the Prussian Government to criticise the votes given in the Diet by another State of the Confederation is summarily denied by M. von der Pfortden, the Bavarian Minister, and the principal portion of his despatch is devoted to what may be regarded as the warnings given by Prussia to Bavaria and the minor States in respect to their future conduct. To inquire into the justice of the criticism would be to admit the existence of the right to criticise, and, in the face of this objection, the Bavarian Minister writes :—" The idea that subsequent dis cussion might lead to a certainly desirable agree ment of opinions can have no weight, and the less so as experience shows that retrospective polemics hardly ever bring about an understanding." The most important portion of the Prussian de spatch was, however, that in which a general prin ciple was sought to be established from what had taken place in the Diet on the occasion of the divi sion on the Austro-Prussian motion, and in which advice was tendered in respect to the sole means by which the existence of the Confederation could be prolonged. Into this field of argument the Bavarian Minister is willing to follow Count Bismarck, and without difficulty points out the incongruity of one member of a federation taking upon himself to de termine the limits of the jurisdiction of the whole. Nor does M. von der Pfordten hesitate, whilst admit ting the extreme jeopardy in which the continued existence of the Confederation stood when by a bare majority the Great Powers obtained the sanction of the Diet to the exclusive occupation of the Duchies, to declare that the danger was solely owing to the intention of the Prussian Government " to take the law into its own hands." If the Prussian Minister was under the impression that Bavaria, as a weak State, would be content to submit to the dictates of Prussia, the despatch of M. von der Pfortden must have dis abused him of his error. Rightly estimating the drift of Count Bismarck's note, lie says it " leaves no doubt as to the determination of the Prussian Go vernment, in face of every wrongly-pas s ed resolu tion of the Diet, to make full use of the liberty of action for the preservation of its rights accruing to it from a violation of treaties ;" and then continues, " we are therefore almost forced to believe that the real object of Herr von Bismarck's despatch is to deter the King's Government from every further vote in the Federal Assembly to which the Prussian Government does not acknowledge its right. Should this be so, we must equally leave no doubt to the Prussian Govern men t th a t it is our firm determina tion, as hitherto, so also in future, to base our votes solely upon our own convictions, and only to permit the fundamental laws and resolutions of the Federal Assembly to decide upon its competence, and . not the will of an individual Government." Politi cians who claim to be far-sighted professto consider the days of the Germanic Confederation as already numbered, and that the time is not far distant when some pretext will be seized by Prussia for declaring the Bund dissolved. Con sidered by itself, this would . probably be no great evil, for persons of an inquiring mind have long been puzzled -to discover what good purpose the Germanic Confederation ever served. The attempt made some time ago by Austria to reform its con stitution failed, and it is not probable that a similar experiment will be repeated. But the mere dissolu tion of the league is not the only event which is be lieved to be impending. Whatever doubts may have existed a twelvemonth since about the true policy of Prussia, they have now been dispelled. That she ever intends to quit the Duchies no one professes to believe, and only the most simple-minded will think her desire for the acquisition of her neighbours' pro perty is now satisfied. The success which has at tended her recent attempt at spoliation will induce her to proceed in the same path, and the immediate contiguity to her territory of some petty and de fenceless States may prove a temptation too strong to be overcome. Coming events cast their shadows before, and as Prussia could scarcely have expected that the pretensions set forth in the despatch to the Bavarian Government would be admitted, it may be that she is paving the way to the dissolution of the Confederation, and its separation into its compo nent atoms. If such be in truth her policy, we can only say that we feel no commiseration for those who are intended to be th e v i c ti ms. S trong i n th e i r unity the minor States hallooed on the Great Powers to despoil Denmark ; the time may not be now far distant when, divided and defenceless, they may be called on, under almost similar circum stances, to protect themselves. [ADVERTISEMENT.] —Holloway's Pills.—Worn-out suf ferers may hope for relief from these purifying and strength ening pills after physic and physicians have failed to effect a cure. In all disorders of the stomach, irregularities of the bowels, derangement of the liver, diseases of the kidneys, these pills will be found especially useful in reinstituting order and restoring health. Holloway's pills clear away obstructions, remove poisonous particles from the blood, secretions, and system generally, give purity and regula rity to the circulation, tone and power to the stomach, energy and vividness to the brain. Holloway's pills can be confidently recommended as restoratives of constitutions shattered and broken by excessive mental labour, intem perance, inordinate indulgence, and other hardships, which make the young man old. The Saffron-hill Murder. Yesterday having been appointed far the re - exam ination of the Italian picture-frame maker, Seraphin Pelizzioni, who stands charged with the wilful murder of Michael Harrington, at the Golden Anchor public-house, Saffron' hill, on the 27th ult., and further, with attempting to rant' der Alfred Rebbeck, the potman at the Golden Anchor public-house, and Charles Banister, at the same time and place, the Clerkenwell Police-court and its approaches were densely crowded by Italians and others, who appeared to take great interest in the progress of the case. Mr. 10 101, who had heard the evidence on the first occasion, attended to hear the case. Mr. T. Wakeling appeared for the prosecution ; Lewis, sen., defended the .prisoner; and Inspector Potter, of the G division, watched the case on behalf of the Conr mi.sioners of Police. Mr. G. Guerini, professor of the Italian language, Gilbert-street, Grosvenor-square, attended to interpret the evidence, at the request of the court. Mr. Lewis said that as Mr. Knox was not present at the last examination he would again state that he was in structed by a number of Italian gentlemen who had taken an interest in the case, and he should call witnesses to sheiv that the prisoner was not the man who had committed the murder. Having alluded to the statements he had made last week, he said he would just call the attention of the magistrate to the fact that although the prisoner was taken from almost off the man that was murdered, yet no kali° was found on the prisoner, and none, so far as he knew, ill the house. The witnesses having been heard, Mr. Knox said there were two reasons why he shall send the prisoner for trial on the charge of murder. 11° Lewis had called a number of witnesses to show that a Mai l named Gregordo had committed this crime. That 11 0 1 according to their statement, ran out into the street and admitted that he had done it, that he went to anoth er public-house where he gave the knife to a man,whothre l it away, and that that man had been out of the way ov er since. Now he had to weigh their evidence against the el' dente of the witnesses for the prosecution, and they di s ' tinctly slated that they saw the prisoner strike the / 10 Harrington. Mrs. King also swore that the prisoner was fi le man that knocked her down. It was rather mysterious the absence of the knife, but according to the testimony there were other Italians in the house, and the knife might hs`r ° been passed to them. The deceased spoke to the prisoners and one of the witnesses swore that he saw the blow give ° by the prisoner, and therefore he struck the prisoner 0n the head, and that would account for the wound the pri" soner had received. The evidence for the prosecution fat outweighed the evidence for the defence, and if for lie other reason than that he should send the prisoner to the Central Criminal Court for trial on the charge of wilful murder. He would direct Inspector Potter to put on the back of the bill the names of all the parties who were the room, as they might be of use to the prisoner. The prisoner, who treated the matter with the great indifference, was then removed, but he will be brought ul again on Wednesday next, when the charge of attemPtet murder of Rebbeck andßichardson will be gone into. Mr. J. D. Hill, the resident medical officer of the For Free Hospital, Gray's-inn-road, was in attendance, al l( stated that Rebbeck was going on favourably. COUNTRY MARKETS HULL-TUESDAY. At our market to-day there was a fair supply of Engl wheat, and at the close sellers gave way is per qr.; foreign nothing was doing, holders asking fully is per 4 , more than buyers were willing to give. Beans and P. e ,, steady, and oats held firm, without alteration in pri- During the week linseed has ruled steady ; transactio n have been limited, at rather weakened values. NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE.-TUESDAY. There has been a fair supply of grain at this mar 11 ) 8 , 0 c) Alnwick, Hexham, and other north country towns. 3 the attendance has been moderate and at this market th e was no difference in the prices from Saturday's ro i l Northumberland wheat sold from 32s to 445, Norfolk 8 6 11 0 i Suffolk, 395 to 458; Dantsic, 39s to 46s ; oats, 21s to barley, 26s to 31s ; beans, 36s to 40s ; rye, 27s to 368; 0 *"" 51s to 628 per qr. ; flour , 26s to 28s per sack. LYNN.-TUESDAY. The weather has become milder, with strong gales, wind from the south and north-west. At to-day's nag', the wheat trade was firm at last week's quotations, N g only a moderate show. Good malting barley was in ,: supply, and prices were is per qr. dearer; grinding 6 1. 11° ties as last week. Beans and oats fully as dear. New wheat, 43s to 458 ; new red, 38s to 39s ; old WI 41s to 42s ; old red, 38s to 39s per 36 stone. Barley malting, 32s to 345; secondary, 30s ; ordinary, 26s to per qr. Oats, 29s to 22s per 24 stone. Beans, large) to 34s ; small, 34s to 36s per 38 stone. MARKET HARBOROUGH.-T UESDAY. New white wheat, 40s to 44s ; new red, 37s to 41s per, stone. Barley, fine, 33s ; other kinds, 26s to 27s per, Oats, late prices were maintained. Beans and peas W also at late rates. MELTON MOWBRAY.—TUESDAY. White wheat, 41s to 45s ; red, 38s to 41s per 36 sty Barley for malting, 30s to 33s per qr ; feed, 26s to 29$ 30 stone. The supply of other articles was limited, a fair business done, the rates Unchanged. COAL MART Price per ton at the s. d. :ET, JAN. 11. close of the market. Byass's Bebside West Hartley l7 6 Lambert's W. Hartley 17 3 North Felton Gas l5 6 Tanfield Moor Butes 15 0 Ships at market Walker Primrose 15 West Hartley ll South Kelloo Heugh Hall 2l Walls End Hetton , t, 96 ; sold, 28. Foreign Mail Packet List. Australia and New Zealand, via Southampton Jan. it Ditto, via Marseilles Jan. Brazil and Cape Verde, by British pac et Feb. Ditto, by British packet Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena Feb. Ulna, Penang . , and Singapore, via Southampton. Jan . Ditto, via Marseilles Ja n 13 Falkland Islands Gibraltar, v ia Southampton India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton.... Jan' " q Ditto, via Marseilles India ( Bombay ), via Southampton. Jan . i ' n ' Ditto, via Marseilles Mauritius, via Southampton - It. 5 , , Ditto, via Marseil e + Feb . , N ew f oun dl an d Jan. I ' S. l .. Feb • Portug 1 ... II Ditto, by private ship to Lisbon... . United Mates and British North America, by Bri tish packet Jall , America, by British packet DOW, by United States packet, via Bouthamp- ion Ditto, via Cork 3 ' Ditto, by Canadian packet, via Londonderry..., T 1 an . ,), West Coast of Africa, Madeira, and Tcneriff e Jan. ' West Indieti and Pacific (except Bahamas, Cuba, ,3, and Mexico ' - Jan. ' 1 4 1 , Bahamas, via New York. Jan. -q1 . Bermuda, ditto Cuba and Mexico Jan. BREAKFAST BEVERAGE.—HOITICOOpathie practitio l9 ; and the medical profession generally, recommend 0 ,7 r as being the mos t h ea lthf u l of all be verages . Wh en the trine of homoeopathy was first introduced into this 00 0 there were to be obt fined no preparations of cocoa either et tractive to the taste or acceptable to the stomach ; th!...Pmf was either supplied ia the crude state, or so unskllT o - 0, manufactured as to obtain little notice. J. Epps, of Loa d Homeopathic Chemist, was induced in the year 1839 to 7 1 $ his attention to this subject, and at len g th succeeded, A di the assistance of elaborate machinery, in being the P- el l to produce an article pure in its composition, and so rei lil se l by the perfect trituration it receives in the process it e), 1 0 , through, as to be most acceptable to the delicate store7d For general use Epps's Cocoa is distinguished as an inT e ik rating, grateful breakfast beverage, possessing a most 0 00 dons aroma. Dr. Ilassall, in his work, "Food n 0 , 4, Adulterations," says —"Cocoa contains a great variety of vo portant nutritive principles—every ingredieat necesseri to s the growth and sustenance of the body." A ga in : "el nutritive, cocoa stands very much hi g h er th an e ither $ or tea." Directions—Two teaspoonfuls of the powder 1 7;0 breakfast cup, filled up with b o ili ng wa t er or m ilk. see, of in tin-lined ilb., $ lb., an d 11b. l a b e ll e d p ac k e t s , and 01. all grocers, confectioners, and chemists.— [Accrr.] _ London : Prilted and Published by WILLIAM AN —,, f , of No. 11?, Strand, Printer, at T HE S UN Ofßee, ' - or Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the Co n° Middlesex.—Thursday, January 12, 1865. Births. 000' Ems.—On the 10th inst., at 27 , Belgrave-square, the Mrs. Arthur Ellis, of a daughter. MosEß.—On the 11th inst., at 44, Bedford-square, DP" J. Moser, of a son. TOWNSEND.—On the 9th inst., at Glen Tighe, Skibb° —, ', the wife of Commander S. P. Townsend, Royal Ir of a son. Marriages. MAESDEN—WILLOUGHBY.-011 the 10th inst., at Stephen's, Westbourne-park, Henry J. Marsden, ~vic e late of Bombay, to Constance, third d aug ht er of •LU'l General Willoughby, C. 8., Kensi ng t on - gar d e ns-sq t° West. PURCELL—ROWAN.—On the 10th inst., atWalcot Of,' Bath, Lily, youngest dau g ht er o f Vice-Admiral ('` t % . ,- i ith Purcell, Camden-c rescen t, B a th, t o D evo n s her J. li ct. Esq., C.E., Dundalk, Ireland. Deaths. de'lo l ANGELO.—On the 10th inst at 8, Berkeley-square, P..- Charles Angelo, Esq., aged 59. BOWMAN.—On the 10th inst.; suddenly, David Bo Esq., 5, Belize-road, Hampstead. -r 0101 BUCKNALL.—On the 10th inst., at Dulwich, John , Bucknall, eldest son of the late Henry Bucknall, Dulwich, and 22, Crutchedfriars, aged 89. id re ° Dn.L.—On the Bth inst., atßrighton, Lieut.-Colonel •IP -4 Dill, R.E., aged 50. FENTON.—On the 10th inst., at his house, in Doctors'''. mons, Perrot Fenton, Esq., aged 44. ptic et PAICE.—On the 10th inst., at R o th er hith e , M r . John - - aged 78. WILLIAMS.—On the 11th inst., at 108, Hatton-gtu‘A - John Robert Williams, aged 55.