The Sun. — London, England, 1866-03-15 00:00:00

Railway and other Companies. SAMBRE AND MEUSE. The half-yearly meeting of this company was held yesterday at the office, Moorgate-street ; Mr. G. 'heward in the chair. The report, an abstract of which has appeared in The Sun, was taken as read. The CHAIRMAN, in moving its adoption, said he had not as yet received any information as to whether the Government would accept or reject the proposi tion for leasing the Grand Central of Belgium, of which the Sambre and Meuse formed a part. He had been three times over to Belgium on this matter, and he believed if the late King had not died that the matter would have been settled, and that the new arrangement would have come into operation on the Ist of January last. The Minister of Public Works had agreed to the proposition, and it not remained for the Minister of Financ e to carry through, Which was to have been done prior to last week, but it still remained in the same position as before. One shareholder complained that the terms were not pub lished, but he might state that, whatever the net receipts were, the Sambre and Meuse would receive 22k per cent. of them, independently of what might arise to them from the working of the Holland por tion of the Antwerp and Rotterdam Railway and th e steamers. Everything was uncertain at present an d the more they endeavoured to p res s matters for - „ ar d the more the Ministers would hold back. Wh a tever was done in this matter it would require the assent of the shareholders. The proposition was in the hands of the Finance Minister to be presented to the Council of Ministers. Until this matter was concluded one way or the other the company would continue to receive the rent from the Great Central Company, and they would have 22i per cent. of the net produce beyond the rent. They would never get less than Bs. per share, and they might get a great deal more. The proposition was that the united com panies, as the Grand Central of Belgium, were to re ceive from the Government £181,330 for the first year, this amount was to go on increasing for seven years, when it would amount to £220,000 a year, and con tinue at that rate during the remainder of the con cession. The Dutch portion of the undertaking, including the steam boats, was estimated to pro duce £24,000 a year, in addition to the sum men tioned, so that, in the first year, under the new ,arrangement, the Sambre and Meuse Company • would receive £45,289 instead of £41,000, and in the year 1873 £55,260, which would yield them rather more than 4 per cent. per annum. Mr. HoTES did not care whether the Government took the lines or not, as he believed they would yield quite as much under the existing arrangement between the companies. He seconded the motion for the adoption of the report, which was carried unanimously. A dividend of 4s. per share for the past half-year was agreed to, payable on the 2d of April, and the proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks to the chairman and directors. STAFFORD AND UT TOXETER. The half-yearly meetingof this company was held at Stafford on Monday; Mr. W. Buxton in the chair. The report expressed the regret of the directors that circumstances, over which they had no control, had delayed the completion of the line. In conse quence of the sudden death abroad of Mr. Field's partner in the contract, and the necessity of making fresh arrangements with his representatives, the progress of the works had been seriously retarded. They were now being pushed forward with the ut most energy. Three engines were at work on the line, and the stations would be commenced imme diately. The directors had resolved to make a call of £2 per share. The report was adopted, and the directors were empowered to vest in Mr. Field the additional share and debenture capital, authorised to be raised by the act of last session, in considera tion of his undertaking to complete the line, erect permanent instead of temporary stations, and dis charge all the liabilities of the company. It was stated that the cost of the land had exceeded the original estimate by considerably more than double, and that the other expenses were also much heavier than had been anticipated. BEDDGELERT. The half-yearly general meeting of this company was held yesterday at the offices, Bank-buildings, Lothbury ; Mr. D. Williams in the chair. The CHAIRMAN stated that the report of the di rectors had not yet been issued, but he was glad to say that the works were satisfactorily progressing. The total length of the line was nine miles, six of which were completed. The works on the re mainder were being vigorously prosecuted, and the directors expected that the line would be soon opened for traffic. A bill was before Parliament to authorise amalgamation with the Cambrian Railway Company, and the directors hoped it would be suc cessfully carried through. Captain JOHNS said the suspension of the con tractor in February last had temporarily interrupted the progress of the works, but arrangements had been made by the directors under which they were speedily resumed, and the line was now in a fair way of completion. The retiring directors were re-elected, and a vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the proceed ings. RAILWAY BILLS. In the Referee's Court yesterday the following bills were heard :—Court A.—The Shrewsbury and Potteries Junction, to raise £150,000 by shares, and £50,000 by loan, to make two deviations of the total length of two miles 40 chains, and to alter levels for a distance of two miles 74 chains. The bill was passed. The Devon and Somerset (Devia tions) was to be reported. The Craven Junction Bill, to incorporate the company with a capital of £120,000 in shares, and £40,000 by loan, and to make a railway of six miles 60 chains in length, and the Heysham Pier (Railways) were adjourned. Court B.—The Wrexham, Mold, and Connah's Quay and Hoylake Bill was reported. The Buckley (Docks, &c.) case was adjourned.. The Midland (Additional Powers) Bill, to raise £130,000 by shares and to define and determine the particulars of the existing share powers of the company, amount ing to £24,442,818, and their debenture stockmort gage and bond debt of £7,064,519, and to confirm an agreement between them and the Great Western Company. This bill was passed. The Midland (Ashby and Nuneaton) Bill, and the Midland (Branches, &c.), to enable the company to make nine railways of about 27 miles in length, and two deviations, were heard and adjourned. In the Standing Orders Committee on Tuesday the standing orders of the following bills were dis pensed with upon complying with certain condi tions :—Bridport, Lyme, and South Coast, provided that d an ame n d e d c opy o f th e pl a n and sections be de posited ; the Anglesey Central, provided that the P for new works and for raising money for their conatrictin b (Railway), °be struck out ; the Ryde Station provided that all compulsory powers in respect of Certain. properties be struck out. In the cases of the Cork tt rb a o th ur and Curraghbinny Ex tension, the Dublin, mines, &c., and the Swan sea General Station and u tel the standing orders oug ht not to be dispensed with. In Elham Valley clauses Were group 2, the settledlngroup 6, a the Bristol and Exeter (E,,, Valle! Johnson,Rlwias) was taken. llfr. Venables , Q.C., Ai r . Q.C., appeared for the g.O and Mr. Cr/PPs) promote rs Mr. Rodwell, Q. C., Mr. Saunders, Q.O a n d Mr ' Bere, Q.C., appeared against them. The b ill Was proceeded with, and adjourned. The Exe Valley was also heard, and adjourned. In group 8, the Bridgenorth, Wolverhampton, and Staffordshire an d the Ellesmere and Glyn Valley Bills ere heard, and adjourned. -- ANGLO-lONIAN STEAL The _ordinary general meeting of this company was held yesterday at the offices, Leadenhall-street, Mr. Foord in the chair. The :report stated that the gross profit for the year 1865 amcunted to £6,969, against £5,055 in 1864, which arose partly from a reduction in the price of fuel, together with greater economy of con sumption, and from a reduction in the working ex- Penses. The directors congratulated the share holders on the state of the company, as being more favourable than its position last year. At that time the company owned £3,000 borrowed capital; that ....---_ sum had been paid off, and the company. as not only only out of debt, but was ena bled to pa w y a further dividend for the half-year ending December last at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum, to place £2,000 to the depreciation fund, and to carry forward £ 397 to the credit of the new profit and loss account. The boats of the company were in the most perfect order and repair, the whole of the expenses incurred in placing them in efficient condition having been written off in profit and loss account. On the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr. G. J. Jackson, the report was adopted, and the dividend was agreed to. THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH COMPANY. Yesterday, at noon, a well attended meeting of merchants and others interested in Atlantic tele- graphy was held at Liverpool for the purpose of hearing explanations from Mr. Cyrus Field, Capt. Anderson, Mr. Canning, and Mr. Varley, as to the present position and prospects of the undertaking. Mr. Field was voted to the chair, and he explained the circumstances under which the enterprise had been handed over by the Atlantic Telegraph Com pany to the Anglo-American Telegraph Company, which is now subscribing £600,000 for the purpose of laying the new cable and completing the old one. He explained that this course was imperative to insure the carrying out of the project during the ensuing summer, in consequence of the decision of the Attorney-General that the Atlantic Tele graph Company had no power to issue twelve per cent. preference shares. The new company would be answerable for the successful laying of the cable, and would then have a claim to a certain amount on the profits of the undertaking. If any shareholder thought this unjust, he was of course welcome to take as many shares as he liked in the new company. Mr. Canning then gave a short account of the ex periences gained, and the improvements effected in the machinery. He had not the slightest fear but that in their next effort they would be quite suc cessful, not only in laying the new line, but in re covering and completing the one partially laid last summer. Captain Anderson said they were pre pared to anticipate even worse difficulties than any yet met, and no difficulty had been suggested which they were not fully prepared to meet and overcome. He had the fullest confidence in the Great Eastern. Mr. Varley, the electrician, entered more fully into the details of the project, and showed the advan tages which the new cable would possess over the old one, in having a greater breaking strain. He also showed that with improved apparatus the re covery of the old cable and its completion would be a work of very little difficulty, and of almost certain success. As to the earnings, he showed that the Persian Gulf cable earned nearly £lOO,OOO a year, and that with bad management and great delays ; with the Atlantic cable, and the improved instru ments for the transmission of messages, which were extremely sensitive and delicate, he believed it would be no exaggeration to say that at the pro posed rate of charges, it would be quite able to remit messages at a speed which would earn a mil lion pounds per annum. In the course of his re marks, he explained the manner in which the splic ings or joining of the cables are firmed. So deli cate, said he, were the tests employed that it was often found that the state of an operator's nerves or skin seriously affected the work ; and it had often happened that when a man had been living freely the previous day his work in splicing failed to pass the test, and was rejected. In answer to ques tions, Mr. Canning and Mr. Varley explained that the state of the cable at the bottom of the Atlan tic up to the point where it parted was as perfect now as the day it was laid. Mr. Varley also stated that the first cable laid was destroyed by the immense power required, owing to the imperfect instruments and probable defective insulation to re mit N$ ords at a rapid rate. As high a power as 5,000 cells to one battery had been then employed ; but with the last cable an order had been made that no greater power than 20 cells should be used, and it was quite possible to obtain with the improved in• struments a rate of five or six words a minute, with a power of only a single cell. A gentleman remarked that there appeared a letter signed by an engineer, and apparently a man of some note, but he could not recollect his name, who had declared that it was a mechanical impossibility to raise the sunken cable because of its weight. He wished to know if the company had thought it worth while to answer that letter. Mr. Field remarked that if the company were to answer all the letters addressed to them, they would soon have to employ the whole of their capital in the task. They had already given, that day, an answer. Capt. Anderson said he had not answered all the letters he had received, because he could not do so. One writer, a lady, proposed to raise the cable with a magnet. There were lots of people who wrote to say they would raise the cable, but they must have £lO,OOO for doing it ; £lO,OOO seemed a favourite sum with such people. Mr. Field said that one gentleman called upon him and proposed to sink a hollow tube to the bottom of the sea, and then go down in it and look for the cable. He plagued him considerably, until one morning he (Mr. Field) told him that he had decided that the thing could be done, and he (the inventor) should have the ap pointment to go down and look for it. He hadn't seen him since. Captain Anderson said it was only fair to admit that many of the letters contained very sensible suggestions. The proceedings then con cluded with a vote of thanks to the speakers. GARDENING. FLORA IN PARIS. Few things strike the Englishman, travelling in France for the first time, so forcibly as the absence of cottage gardens. One may journey for hours in almost any direction in France without seeing a single thatch or door covered with roses, honey suckles, or clematis, like those which line the road almost everywhere in Old England. In the towns, large and small, and even in many villages, it is almost the same. With few exceptions, the houses stand by coldly, closely to the edge of the footpath, without gardens, without even a foot of ground to call their own, without a fore-court or anything else to fence them, as it were, from the public way ; and if any object breaks the dull monotony of their hard stone walls, it is generally only a single climb ing plant, such as a glycine, a rose, or, more cpua monly than either, a vine. And yet, in spite of this apparent neglect of the most charming deco ration in the world, France is a land of flowers, and they flourish there with a luxuriance, and develope perfunies which are only to be found in our island in the most favoured spots. The environs of Paris are about as devoid of flower gardens as the country towns ; walk out of the capital by the Arc de Triomphe, by the barrier of Vincennes, by any road you please, and a cot tage standing in its own garden and glorying in its own flowers, is as rare as an oasis in the desert. The reason for this is generally obvious ; there are no houses and no cottages, or but few ; all the world lives in apartments in barrack-like buildings, which in the case of the poorer portion of the population resembles barracks less as regards cleanliness and wholesomeness than in anything else. But Paris itself is redolent of flowers. The flower markets are amongst the sights of the French capi tal ; by the side of the beautiful classic Madeleine, on the quays near the Palais de Justice, and by the old Morgue —now rebuilt on another site—on the Boulevards and elsewhere, Flora pours out her `stores once, twice, or thric e a wee k w ith l uxur i ous profusion, and he must be poor, indeed, who cannot gl overflow , add en , i , odgi n rose s lng, however humble, with a gera nium, a ora pot of m i gn i one tt e . Th e h ouses of the rich with flowers ; no dinner table is complete wtu o ., tit its c or b e il, no d raw i ng room without its jardin The c onsumption fete of a n y ki n d w i t h out Th its bouquets. every class part a k es of lt The bouquets is prodigious, and bouquets which are to be seen at the opera, theatres, balls, r a n a t every , , e arrang e d assembly, of which th e f as h ionab l e ' fair are composed of th e c h o i cest flow frequently with true artisti c t aste ; and every renders the bouquets more brilli an t, more yearcostly, and, unfortunately, more gigantic. L a di es of cul tivated taste naturally choose their bouquets in har mony with their surroundings, not only in colour but in size ; but as it is especially the duty of the gentleman to provide his fair friends with flowers, THE SUIN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH 15, 1866. the style often runs into what we call loud, and our neighbours, in precisely the same spirit, designate as tapageux, or noisy. It was the highest ton not lon g since, and may be so still, to have bouquets sent specially from Nice, where Alphonse Karr, a - well-known novelist and satirical writer, has a ! garden, and who, upon the receipt of twenty francs dr so, will send you to Paris a bouquet of the most delicious violets de Parme as comfortably en sconced in its travelling case as a grandee in his own coupe. The grisette, with a pot of mignionette, or a rose on her work table, in the little chambrette, on the floor that is next to the sky, is a picture that Eugene Sue and other French novelists have made familiar to the world ; and an acquaintance with French society in general will soon explain to the foreigner how it is that the dealers find customers for the myriads of cut flowers and plants, which are to be seen at all seasons in pretty shops and overflowing markets in almost every quarter of the city. All the ladies of France, from the inhabitants of the Tuileries to the humblest cottager and domestic, expect bouquets of flowers from relatives, admirers, and friends, on their saints' or fete days, which take the place of birthdays with us unsaintly Pro testants, and he is an unwise or an impolitic man who neglects the gracious custom. It is true that amongst the wealthy and extravagant the bouquets, like the bonbons which are presented on New Year's day, often assume the form of diamonds, pearls, or other jewels, exquisite fans, caskets, china vases, or other elegant and often expensive articles de luxe, but the bouquet is still the rule, and is only ob served by the great mass of the people. Paris used to be famous for her• flower girls, and some of these nymphs of flora are quite historical personages ; no theatre, no place of public entertain ment, was complete without its flower girls, and when nature added personal to floral beauty, these young belles were almost as celebrated as the ac tresses, for whom many of the bouquets were pur chased. The idler who ate his ice, or sipped his orgeat at the cafe, constantly found a rose or a small bunch of violets by his glass, and saw a pair of youthful eyes looking for the few sons which were not often withheld ; but this custom ran into ex cess, and became a nuisance, and the cafe flower girl is now rarely to be seen, except upon holidays and fete days. A few specimens of the species only _ _ exist at present, and their rarity adds greatly to their renown. Isabelle, the flower girl of the Jockey Club, as she is called, is the queen of the present day ; no race or steeple-chase, no great popular entertainment, at which the upper ten thousand are to be found, is complete without Isabelle. Another priestess of Flora, named:Anna, was quite the rage last year at Ems and elsewhere ; but the flower girl, the true bouquetiere, is almost extinct. The municipal authorities of the city may almost be said to have dethroned the poor flower girls dur- ing the last few years ; the goddess of flowers rarely had such devoted servants as Baron Haussmann, the Prefect of the Seine, and the municipal coun- cillors of the capital of France. They present all the world with flowers, for the eye and nose, if not for the hand, and, what is better, they do not ex pect any direct contribution in return. Not only are the old Bois do Boulogne and metamorphosed Bois de Vincennes and Champs Elysees resplendent with flowers and flowering shrubs, amongst which masses of rhododendrons and magnolias,, brought from Holland for the ornamentation of the last named promenade, deserve special mention ; but several new public gardens and innumerable squares have been formed, remodelled, or planted anew in the English fashion. Amongst these the Parc Mon ceaux is the most charming. This place, which was once the private property of the Orleans family, and, for a short time during the Republic, the seat of the national workshops, was laid out with great taste four or five years ago, and has ever since been the pet garden of the city of Paris, and one of the prettiest public pleasure-grounds in Europe. There are several other gardens of considerable size in various parts of the town, besides the squares formed about the beautiful old Tower of St. Jacques, in the Rue de Rivoli, the Museum of Cluny, and other public buildings, around fountains, and at the intersections of many of the new streets and bou- levards. Over all these, Flora seems to have scattered the glittering and perfumed products of all quarters of the globe. The public gardens of Paris present such a mass of indigenous and exotic trees, shrubs, and flowers nearly all the year round as no other city can show. And all this does not exhaust the flowery resources of the prefect and council of the Seine, for whenever an entertainment takes place at the Hotel de - Ville, or in any other establishment under the control of the city authorities, the con soles, the fire-places, the stair-cases and halls, and almost every unoccupied corner, teem with cut flowers and flowering plants of the greatest beauty and in the utmost profusion. Where do all these floral luxuries come from ? from Algeria or from Cochin China? Does Baron llaussmann receive tribute in the form of flowering plants from Italy, Egypt, and Mexico ? Doubtless the original sources are to be found in many cases in the sultry regions of the tropics, amid primeval forests, and where the wild man chases the still wilder game, but the immediate source, the direct fountain of supply, is the garden in the city of Paris ! SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. DONCASTER SPRING MEETING-WEDNESDAY. Though a sharp frost set in during Tuesday night (causing the roads to be as hard as nails this morning), the weather on the second day of the meeting was much plea santer than on Tuesday, and the sun shining during the morning, no doubt tempted a larger attendance of local company, with whom the steeplechase events are always most popular. The sport commenced at 1.30 with the Betting-room Stakes which only brought out a small field, and though Sycee was easily beaten on Tuesday by Mon tagnard, the latter, now on 71b worse terms with Mr.: Mac kenzie's filly, had no chance with her, and the talent, who spotted Sycee, landed the opening event. The Chester field Handicap produced an excellent race between an out sider Nizttn3, and one of the leading favourites, Skylark, the latter of whom won easily at the finish. Two out of the three succeeding events were won by the favourites, and the steeplechase, though it failed to bring out a large field, was an interesting race, both in the betting and run ning, Pigeon, on whom a shade of odds was laid, finally being cleverly beaten. The Betting-room Stakes of 5 sovs each, with 50 added, for 2-yr-olds and upwards ; weight for age, with penal ties and allowances ; the second to save his stake. 5 furlongs 152 yards. 21 subs. Mr. Mackenzie's Sycee, 2 yrs, 7st 41b (in 71b ex) (et'moron) 1 Mr. T. Farr's Opoponax, 2 yrs, 6st 111 b (car 7st 21b) (Hopkins 2 Count de Lagrange's Montaguard, 2 yrs, 7 st 71 b ( in 71b ex (Morris 3 _ _ . . .... . . . Festival and Scipio also ran. Betting-7 to 4 agst Sycee, ito 1 agst Festival, 4to 1 agst Montagnard, 100 to 15 agst Opoponax, and 8 to 1 agst Scipio. The Chesterfield Handicap a 100 soya, added to a sweep stakes of 5 sous each, 2 ft, for 3-yr-olds and upwards; ----- weight for age ; winners after the publication of the weights, extra. One mile. 23 subs. Mr. It. Jones's Skylark, 5 yrs, 7st 101 b (Carroll) 1 Mr. Goodlass's Nizam, 3 yrs, sst 81b (Edwards) 2 Mr. Hudson's Duty Free, 3 yrs, sst 121 b (Cameron) 3 -- - - The following also ran :—Miss Williams, Kingfisher, Inheritress, and Vigorous. Slieve Came was weighed for, but on going to the post he overpowered the boy, and clearing the rails, bolted across the moor, and was subsequently withdrawn. Betting-3 to 1 each agst Duty Free and Skylark, 6to 1 agst Kingfisher, 7 to 1 agst Vigorous, 8 to 1 agst Slieve Carne, and 10 to 1 agst Inheritress. The Hunters' Stakes of 3 sous each, with 50 added, for 4 yr-old hunters and upwards ; weight for age ; thorougl breds and winners extra. Two miles on the flat. subs. Mr. Calder's Marksman (hb), 5 yrs, 12st 71b (J. Osborne) 1 Mr. Ringrose's Lady Sykes (hb), 4 yrs, list 41b (Mr. C. Boynton) 2 Mr. Holiday's Owswick, 6 yrs, 12st 41b (J. Knott) 3 The following also ran :—Our Jim, Bubble, Phillis, Elsham, Rinderpest, Comus, and Elsinore. Betting-3 to 1 each agst Lady Sykes and Elsham, 7to 2 agst Marksman, and 100 to 15 agst Our Jim. The Scurry Stakes (handicap) of 3 sot's each, with 25 added, for horses of all ages ; winners after the publica tion of the weights 71b extra. 5 fur. 152 yds. 5 subs. Mr. C. Peck, jun.'s, Chessman, 3 yrs, 7st 91b ...(Carroll) 1 Mr. W. King's Star Cross, 3 yrs, 7st 21b (lleartfield) 2 Mr. R. Calder's The Comet, 5 yrs, Bst 101 b (Morris) 3 Berezina filly also ran. Betting -2 to 1 on Chessman, 5 to 1 agst The Comet, and 100 to 12 agst Star Cross. The felling Handicap Ilurdle Race of o eon each, .with 40 added : winners extra ; the winner to be sold for 50 sovs. About a mile and three-quarters, rover eight flights of hurdles. 8 subs. Mr. Saunders' Jacob, aged, 10st llb . (J. Knott 1 Ti Mr. R. Walker's mballah, 6 yrs, 91,1 t 101 b (Own er 2 Mr. R. Barker's Arbitration, aged, 9st 41b ...(Mr. Skeen 3 Veluti also ran. Betting-5 to 4on Jacob, sto 2 agt Veluti, and 4to 1 agst Umballah. _ _ The Great North of England Steeple chase of 10 soya each, sft, with 100 added ; winners extra ; the second to re ceive 25 soya out of the stakes. About three miles and a half. 27 subs. Mr. Hudson's Meanwood, aged, lOst 91b _gage) 1 Mr. G. Walker's Pigeon, aged, 11 st 13113:(Mr. J. Walker) 2 Mr. J. Foster's Foresight, 6 yrs, Vast (Waddington) 3 Betting-6 to son Pigeon. Mr. Hardy, of the City Grounds, will give a stake for horses in the borough of Bradford, in addition to the customary stakes. The Bradford pets are being exercised daily on the above grounds, and some good racing is ex pected. MELTON HUNT STEEPLECIIASES.—This meeting will come off at Burton, near Melton, on Saturday next, the day after Croxton Park races. SALAMANDER.—Mr. Studd, the owner of this horse, has won upwards of .£35,000 on the Grand National Steeplechase. The public, it is said, are not winners, as the fact of Salamander having been backed on Monday week at Tattersalls' to win the owner an immense stake was not only withheld from the London morning papers on the following day, but Salamander's name was entirely omitted from the list of quotations! If the' simple announcement that Mr. Studd had backed his own horse had been pub lished, several of the public who know him to be a capital judge would have followed suit, especially as they would feel satisfied of having a " live " run for their money. AQUATICS. THE UNIVERSITY CREWS. The opportunities of seeing the Oxford eight are now getting small by degrees and beautifully less, and the crowds who accompany it on the banks of the Isis increase in inverse ratio. Many Cambridge men have been able to avail themselves of the opportunity afforded by the athletic sports, and, from what we could learn, the sight was not very cheering to them. As one of the crew is in for a University examination, the Eight was late in starting on Monday, but, nevertheless, went over the long course. They were expected to start for Putney last (Tuesday) night; so that Londoners will soon have au opportunity of judging for themselves the capabilities of the crew. The Cambridge crew remain the same as given last week. On Monday, the row was made to Baitsbite and back, and yesterday (Tuesday) over the usual Putney course on the Cam. This day (Wednesday), the Cantabs will appear before the London public on the Putney water. We subjoin the names and weights ofthe crews : OXFORD. st lb 1. R. T. Raikes, Merton ll 1 2. F. Crowder, Brasenose ll 9 3. W. L. Freeman, Merton 4. F. Willan, Exeter 5. E. F. Henley, Oriel 6.. W. W. Wood, University l2 4 7. H. P. Sonhouse, Christ College 11 7 11. Brown, Trinity (stroke) C. R. Tottenham, C.C. (cox.) CAMBRIDGE. st lb 1. Mr. Still, Gahm 2. Mr. Selwyn, 3d Trinity ll 4 3. Mr. Bourke, Ist Trinity 4. Mr. Fortescue l2 8 5. Mr. Steavenson G. Mr. Kinglake 7. Mr. Watney, St. John's - ll 1 Mr. Griffiths, 3d Trinity (stroke) 11 12 M. Forbes, St. John's (cox) COURSING. ASHDOWN PARK MEETING. Stewards—Messrs. Borron, T. T. C. Lister, N. Saxton, Strachan, and H. Haywood. Field Stewards—Messrs. East, Trinder, and Shittler. Flag Steward, Mr. Ken nard. Honorary Secretary, Mr. D. Kennarth, jun. Judge, Mr. Warwick. Slipper, T. Raper. The Cuivzx CUP of £6 lOs each, with £lOO added ; win ner, .L 150; second, £6O ; third and fourth, £25 each ; four dogs, £lO ; those winning two courses, £6 lOs each ; expenses, £64. Mr. Haywood nd bk b Restless Belle, by Patrician—romp ing Girl, beat Mr. Shittler's bk w d Simon Pure, by Locus Staudi—Fly, and won. The UFFINGTON Cur, for puppies of 1864, at £5 each ; winner, £7O ; second, £25 ; third and fourth, £lO each ; those winning two courses, £5 each; expenses, £25. Mr. C. F. Allison nd (Mr. A. Allison's) w bd b Adelaide, by Monarch--Old Lady, and Mr. Blanshard's bk b Becca, by Skyscraper—Babs, divided (1). The AsupowN STAKES, for sixteen dogs, at £5 each ; winner, £45 ; second, £l5; third and fourth, £5 each ; expenses, £lO. Lord Binning's bk w d Bird in the Hand beat Lord Craven'e w bk d Catholic, and won. The LAMBOURNE STAKES, for sixteen dogs, at £5 each; winner, £45 ; second, .£1.5 ; third and fourth, £5 each ; expenses, £lO. Lord Binning's bk b Black Lead beat Lord Sefton's f d Saturn, and won. The RUBBING-HOUSE STAKES. 111. Mr. G. A. Thompson's r d Tinkling Tinman beat Mr. M organ's bk w d Medina, and won. The MADDLE FARM STAKES. Mr. Dean's r d Desperation beat Lord Craven's bk d Sir Roger de Coverley, and won. PEDESTRIANISM. HACKNEY WICK. W. MILLS AND J. COOPER.—These East-enders have now staked £2O a side for their five miles race, which takes place on Monday next, March 19. The final doposit of £5 a side is due on Friday next. AUSTIN AND BAILEY.—These men have made good another deposit of £2 a side for their half-mile race, making £22 a side down. The final deposit of £3 a side is due next week. The race takes place at these grounds, on Saturday, March 24, Austin receiving 30 yards' start. Mills and Golder have now deposited £l7 a side with the stakeholder for their race of four miles, which takes place on Monday, March 26. The next deposit of £4 a side is due on Friday next. GOOD FRIDAY AND EASTER SPORTS.—XIOO will be given away in various prizes, viz., on Good Friday, a 300 yards handicap—first prize, £5 ; second, £1 ; third, 10s. ; en trance, ls. ; acceptance, ls. Also, a one mile handicap first prize, £10; second, £2 ; third, £1; entrance, ls. ; acceptance, ls. On Easter Monday, a 440 yards handicap, pole-leaping, and wrestling in Cornwall and Devonshire style each day, for 20 money prizes. Entries to be made with W. Price or Mr. Prior. Marriage with a Deceased Wife's Sister. The following is the copy of a bill brought into the House of Commons by Mr. Chambers, Mr. T. Haukey, and Mr. Morley, to render legal marriage with a deceased wife's sister :- 4 , Whereas it is expedient to amend the law as to marriage with a deceased wife's Sister : Be it there fore enacted by the Queen's most excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords spiritual and temporal, and Commons, in this pre sent Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows :- 4 , 1. No marriage between a man and his de ceased's wife's sister which has been celebrated since the passing of the sth and 6th of William IV., chap. 54, at any place whatever within the realm or with out, or which shall hereafter he celebrated in the office of any registrar under the provisions of the acts relating to marriages in England and Ireland, shall be deemed to have been nor shall be void or voidable by reason only of the affinity of the parties thereto, or by reason of any statute, or of any cano nical or other objection or impediment, founded only on such affinity, to the validity of any such marriage or to the celebration thereof, or to the validity of any licence or certificate under which the same may have been celebrated. "2. Provided always, that nothing herein con tained shall render valid any marriage with the sis ter of a deceased wife where either of the parties has afterwards, during the life of the other, and before the passing of this act, lawfully intermarried with any other person. "3. Provided also, that this act, so far as it re lates to any marriage with the sister of a deceased wife contracted before the passing of this act, shall not invalidate or affect any right to any dignity or title of honour, or any estate, right, title, or interest, legal or equitable, in or to any lands, hereditaments, chattels, or effects, vested in any person before the passing of this act, or any contingent estate or in terest, legal or equitable, in any lands, heredita merits, chattels real, chattels or effects, created by or derived from any settlement, grant, conveyance to uses, release, appointment, or other instrument bonafide executed before the passing of this act, or by or from any devise or will which shall have be come operative by the death of the devisor or .tes tator before the passing of this act. , 4 4. No marriage between a man and his de ceased wife's sister contracted in Scotland after the passing of this act shall be void by reason only of the affinity of the parties thereto, or by reason of any statute, or of any objection or impediment, founded only on such affinity, to the validity of such marriage or to the contracting thereof. "5. Clause 4 only of this act shall extend to Scotland," WARWICK SPRING RACES -WEDNESDAY. A remarkably pleasant change in the weather induced a larger attendance of non-racing visitors than on the open ing day, added to which the card had an additional attrac- tion in the Great Warwickshire Handicap, the principal race of the meeting, which proved such a floorer for the backers, most of whom stood the two favourites to the last. The Walton Handicap of 5 soya each, 2ft, with 25 added ; for all ages; winners extra. Five furlongs. 10 subs. Marquis of Hastings' Pantaloon, 4 yrs, Bst 51b (J. Grimshal 1 Lord Westmoreland's Salisbury, 3 yrs, Est 111 b (K en y on 2 Mr. Maund's Maid of Usk, 3 yrs, 7 st 21b (llibberd 3 f by Promised Land—Grenada, and King of Owls also ran. Betting-7 to 4on Pantaloon, 100 to 30 agst Salisbury, 100 to 8 "bar two." The Two-year-old Stakes of 5 sous each, with 50 added ; colts, Bst 101 b ; fillies, Bst 71b ; winners extra. About three furlongs. 31 subs. Mr. Padwick's Misfortune, Bst 111 b (including 41b extra (J. Goater 1 Mr. R. Ten Broeck's Goodfellow, Bst 1 Olb (Payn 2 Mr. W. Welsby's Lady Rosehill, B st 71b The following also ran :—Allesley, Anatomist, The Rescue, Lute (sister to Bugler), Princess Myra, Lady Craven, Phoebus, Aggra.vator, Moonbeam, and Confes sional. J. Grimshaw weighed for the Marquis of Hastings's Prodigal, Bst 101 b, and the number was hoisted, but after taking a canter he returned to the inclosure and refused to ride him. Betting-7 to 4 agst Princess Thyra, 3to 1 agst Misfor- ,une, 8 to 1 agst Lady Rosehill, 100 to 6 agst Lute, and 20 to 1 each agst Goodfellow, Allesley, and Moonbeam. After a delay at the post of half an hour, occasioned by the rest lessness of the youngsters and the anxiety of the jockeys to get well off, a capital start was effected, but in a few strides Goodfellow singled himself out and took a slight lead of Princess Thyra on his left, Misfortune, Moonbeam, Lady Rosehill, and The Rescue lying in a cluster in - the centre of the course. Half way up the straight Misfortune closed with Goodfellow, and the pair running head and head quitted the others at every stride. A hundred yards from home Misfortune got ter head in front, and, running gamely to the end, won cleverly by a neck ; three length separated the second and third. Lute was fourth, Rescue fifth, Bright Phoebus next, and Moonbeam seventh. Allesley and Confessional were last, paling up on the post. The Great Warwickshire Hanlieap of 20 sews each, 10 ft, and only sif declared, withloo added. Winners extra. One mile and a half. 35 Su* 16 of whom pay 5 sovs each. Mr. E. Brayley's Pelios, 5 yrs,6st 91b (Murray) 1 Mr. Wadlow's Jezebel, a yrs, fat (in. 71b ex.) (Amis) 2 Lord Stamford's Cambuscan, I yrs, Oat (Martin) 3 The following also ran : —irchimedes, Welbeck, Nu, Merry Hart, Convent, and Alia & Betting-100 to 30 each agsl Convent and Jezebel, 100 to 15 agst Merry Hart, 8 to 1 agst Welbeck, 10 to 1 agst Cambuscan, 12 to 1 agst Polio; 50 to 1 agst Nu. The Debdalo Stakes of 5 sots each, with 25 added, 12st each. Penalties and allowaices. Two miles. 5 subs. Mr. T. V. Morgan's The Plow, 6 yrs, 13st (Inc. 141 b ex) (Mr. Edwards) 1 Sir C. Bushout's Fat Jack, 6 3rs, 12st 51b (inc. 51b ex) (W. Walters) 2 Mr. Welfitts Harrington, list !lb (Mr. W. Sevin) 3 Arcus als► ran. Betting-7 to 4en the Plow, 3to 1 agst Harrington, 6 to 1 agst Fat Jack. The Welter Handicap of 10 sovseach, h ft. Winners extra. Gentlemen riders. Professiozals 61b extra. One mile. 6 subs. Mr. Saxon's Flying Horse, 4yrs 10st4lb (Mr. W. Bevill) 1 Mr. Bilham's Balornock, 5 yrs, :Ist (Capt. Berkeley) 2 Betting-6 to 4on Flying Hase. A Hurdle Race of 5 sovs each, 2ft, with 25 added for 3-yr olds and upwards ; winners ;,xtra; selling allowances. One mile and a half, over fow flights of hurdles. 4 subs. Mr. G. Reynolds's Corsica, 5 yrs(.£3o), list 81b (A. French) 1 Mr. Richards's Carnbroe, 4 yrs. (0), lOst121b(T.11olmes) 2 Mr. Wadlow's Pot Pourri, aged (134 12st 31b(Tomlinson) 3 Rochester al;o ran. Betting-6 to 4on Corsica, 313 1 agst Pot Pourri, 10 to 1 " bar two." The Union Runt Cup of YI sovs, added to a sweepstakes of 3 sovs each, for 4-yr-olds and upwards; professionals, 51b extra. Two miles. 14 subs. Mr. R. Tuckey ns The Prior, 4 yrs,lost 51b(Mr. W. Bevill) 1 Mr. Evans's Brampton, 5 yrs, 11m 101 b (Owner) 2 Mr. Dimmock's Ely, 6 yrs, 12st 41) (Mr. T. Parker) 3 The following also ran :—Vousden, Colons, Diligence, Leopold, Maid of Lorn, and Comberton. Betting—Even on The Prior, sto 1 each agst Vousden and Comberton, 7 to 1 agst Ely, and 10 to 1 agst " any other." NORTHAMPTON AND PYTCHLEY HUNT. Acceptances for the Sulby Handicap of 10 sovs each, with 50 added if three horses start. One mile and a quarter. Age st lb Merry Hart Echo Scheldt Idler Double Stout Weights for Earl Spencer's Plat e . The New Spencer Plate Course, straight, 52 subs. Age st lb Queen of Trumps a 9 9 Paris Gemma I, 8 11 Donnybrook 6 8 11 Troublesome a 8 7 Attach 6 Thalassius 4 8 3 Peon Lady Valentine King Charming Audax Mr. Pitt 3 8 0 Belle of the Ball Crytheia Reindeer Bradamante Skirmish King _Hal - 3 7 9 Arbutus 5 7 9 Goldylocks oSdeau Agatha Bigots Ethelred Shrapnell Cedric Age st lb Polka 3 7 0 Log Sugar Slender 3 6 8 Belzoni 3 6 4 Age st lb The Beadle Salliet Zisea Molly Carew ...... Qui Vive Vespasian 3 7 3 Golniersham Je?abel Oz‘ ne 3 7 1 Dolphin 6 7 0 Blauk Duchess 4 6 12 Prgfessor Anderson 3 6 12 Arabia Witli t tim Pitt 3 6 9 Paio t ea 3 6 9 Caistic Isis 3 6 7 Novice Havannah 3 6 4 I I Sylph 3 6 4 Hawthorn 3 6 4 Heb e Mrs, Day Gardevisure 4 paid Furze Ghat 'Lady Audley 3 paid TO TILE ED/TOR. Slll,—One of your contemporaries, notorious for its in dustry in finding faults, real and imaginary, has at length turned its attention to the subject of racing telegrams and expresses. You aro well aware of the immense difficulty attending this business, but it has always been my endea vour to be as accurate as possible. Unfortunately, owners of horses and trainers constantly endeavour to mislead my agents, who, with all their vigilance, cannot identify every horse in the kingdom. Thus, one of my represen tatives was wilfully misinformed as to Jezabel's arrival at Liverpool, and Wandering Minstrel was returned in error. This is most vexatious, but such things will occasionally occur. I may say that Accident was not reported as " ar rived" by myself or my agents, but by the Electric Tele graph Company. I am in that instance perfectly free. Every precaution that can be taken for the protection of the public has been adopted in the conduct of this impor tant branch of intelli gence supp li e d by, sir, yours, &c., W IL LIAM WRIGHT. Racing Express a n d Telegram Agency, 16, York-street, Covent-garden, W.C., March 12. Lord 'Westmoreland paid a flying visit to Findon on Saturday last. Robson, the chestnut two year old colt by Drumour out of Actress, by Slane, has been turned out of training. It is reported that lon, in William Goater's stable, has injured himself through getting his fore leg entangled in the manger. Mr. O'Hara has sent three horses to be trained privately at Littleton ; and their number will bo shortly augmented- Mr. M'George has been appointed starter at Worcester, vacant by the resignation of Mr. Marshall. Captain Barlow has disposed. of Elmsdale, 5 yrs, by Annandale out of the Nugget, to Mr. Dangar, and he has been shipped for Australia. We understand that Mail Train, the Northamptonshire Stakes "pot," has changed bands, and now belongs to one of " the upper ten." Herefordshire Hunt Steeplechase will bo run on Thurs day, at Huntington, near Hereford, and there is, we be lieve, every prospect of a capital day's sport. Burley (Leeds) hurdle and flat races will take place in the Cardigan Arms ground, Kirkstall-road, on Easter Mon day and Tuesday, April 2 and 3. An important and extensive sale of blood stock will take place, without reserve, by Mr. Foster, at Doncaster, on Wednesday, comprising horses in training, brood mares, and yearlings, the property of Mr. Gunner, and also seve ral hunters belonging to Sir W. R. C. Cooke, Mr. T. IL Barton and others. J. Hannigan, son of the late Marquis of Waterford's steeplechase jockey of the same name, having got too heavy to be of use in racing stables, has left Lord St. Vincent's service, and will be Kiad of an engagement as hunting groom to any nobleman or gentleman, either at home or abroad. Quarry C+ap (Bradford) F..o.ees will take place on Easter Monday and Tuesday, t 1 ,4 40 2d and 3d of April. 5211i0 year SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. -- 4. - -- TimES:—lt is a singular coincidence in the history of our Colonial Empire that while Victoria, in the seventeenth year of its independent existence, is undergoing a legislative crisis indicative of the highest vitality, Jamaica is resigning into the hands of the Home Government a Constitution some two cen turies old. Seldom has any political measure, never has any measure affecting any of our colonies, been received with such unanimous approval in both Houses of Parliament as the Jamaica Government Bill. The debate on the second reading in the House of Lords on Tuesday night elicited no dif ference of opinion. Lord Russell, who has himself held the seals of the Colonial Office, was followed by two ex-Colonial Ministers, both of whom sup ported the bill in terms of unqualified satisfaction. They all agreed that Jamaica distrers may b 2 traced in groat part, and Lord Taunton was disposed to ascribe it almost entirely, to the action of the Colonial Legislature. It must be confessed that, whether we look to the character and conduct of this Assembly or to the example of other West Indian Colonies under conditions precisely similar, this conclusion is almost inevitable. We are met at the outset with the fact that out of some 450,000 inhabitants, including less than 14,000 w hit es , on ly 1,797 possessed the franchise, and only 1,481 voted at the date of the last election. This is startling enough, but if we had the means of distinguishing the white from the black and coloured returns we should probably arrive at an infinitely more signi ficant result. A House of Assembly thus elected could not be otherwise than exclusive, but in Jamaica its exclusiveness was aggravated by a tradi tional spirit of faction. The power of originating money votes, without the sanction of the Crown, formerly vested in this House, was, indeed, abo lished in 1854, and transferred to the Governor with the Executive Committee. Up to that time, however, it did possess and grossly abused that power, and since that time it has employed its right of appropriation in the same unscrupulous manner. According to Lord Grey, " the whole administra tion of the affairs of the island was distinguished by corruption and jobbery, and by a total absence of judgment in adapting measures to the existing state of society." According to Lord Russell, the House of Assembly very much increased the debt of the island, allowed a small minority to keep up an incessant agitation, obstructed all useful legislation, and succeeded in defeating the experiment of eman cipation. These are hard sayings, but they are borne out, not only by the unprecedented act of political suicide committed by the very Assembly thus impunged, but also by a comparison of Jamaica with the neighbouring colonies. If we refer to the " Colonial Office List" we find Jamaica described as " the largeit and formerly the most valuable of the British West Indies." Its area is more than equal to the area of all the rest (excluding British Guiana) put together, while its population is rather less in proportion. In fertility it certainly ranks among the first, and its exports used to be far in excess of any other island. Yet, unless the process of decay be arrested, it will soon be distanced by Barbadoes, which is scarcely one-fortieth part of its size, and contains but a third of its population. Taking as a test of prosperity the production of sugar, Lord Russell shows that, while it has largely increased since the abolition of slavery in Barbadoes, Trinidad, and Antigua, it has dwindled in Jamaica from 1,356,000 cwt. to 471,000 cwt. Now, it so happens that Barbadoes and Trinidad present a marked contrast to each other in respect of the supply of black labour. In Barbadoes there is a dense black population which has been compelled to work in order to subsist at all. Trinidad, with an acreage nearly ten times as great, has a population of little more than half, and of this population a consider able proportion consists of imported coolies. Still, both have managed to flourish in spite of Emancipa tion and Free Trade, and Trinidad comes very near Barbadoes in the value of its exports and imports. Lord Grey ascribes the success of Trinidad almost entirely to sound policy. " Trinidad, in 1846, was in a most distressed condition: Its finances were embarrassed, and it was with the greatest difficulty that the Government could continue its existence. But, by adopting sound principles of legislation, by eschewing jobbery and corruption, Trinidad is at this moment in an extremely prosperous condition, and that, too, in spite of the fact that large sums of money have been expended in public works and other directions." Coupling such instances as this with the discovery of a sufficient cause for the decline of Jamaica in the notorious vices of its Legislature, it is certainly difficult to avoid the inference that its present depression is artificial, and the presumption that it is curable. We must be on our guard, how ever, against pushing this last presumption. too far. " Cessante causd cessat et effectus" is not a maxim of politics, and evils which grow up in the course of a generation may take a century to eradicate. The same peculiarity in the social condition of Jamaica which has brought about the failure of representa tive institutions must seriously retard its prosperity under any form of Government. This peculiarity is the want of a resident proprietary body—a body almost essential to the idea of a true colony. India is a dependency of the British Crown, but it is not, properly.speaking, a colony, because there is but a very small class of Englishmen, and that not the governing class, who have made it their home. In this sense Jamaica, at least since the epoch of eman cipation' has scarcely been mo r e a co l on y than India. Estates are chiefly managed through agents and overseers sent from this country, and many of the planters who reside on their own lands are " only anxious," as Lord Grey says, " to make their for tunes and return home as speedily as possible." Such a state of things is obviously fatal to self government, for the legislative power must needs fall into the hands of a few individuals who may have time to spare or may care to make a trade of political life. But it is also highly detrimental to agriculture and every other element of national wel fare. We know by sad experience the effects of absenteeism in Ireland, and absenteeism must be far more ruinous where the peasantry is composed of negroes but lately emancipated. Such a popu lation specially requires the influence of a superior class resident among them, and it is too much to expect that they will prove capable of initiating the means of their own improvement. Education, in the largest sense, will be the first and most impor tant task of the new Government. The' next will be the settlement of the " land question," as it is beginning to be called, and the disposal of the 2,500,000 acres now out of cultivation. The negroes have already acquired property by degrees, and Lord Grey expresses the opinion that even if the Legislature had not immolated itself, political ascen dency must soon have passed from the white to the black race. If it were at all probable that the num bers of the former could be materially reinforced by emigration, or that West India proprietors would ever reside personally on their estates, we might naturally deplore this prospect. As it is, we must be prepared to entertain it as the least hopeless solu tion of an almost desperate problem. As free la bourers the Jamaica negroes have rapidly deterio rated, and few will dispute Lord Grey's opinion that they are wholly unfit for political power. It remains to be seen whether the " magic of pro- Pertv " under a paternal Administration, can turn them into honest and industrious citizens. DAILY NEWS. —lt is not without reason that Mr. Gregory Iproposes to-morrow to inquire whether the House of Commons will have an - opportunity of expressing an opinion on the propriety of the seve rance of the national collections in the British Museum, and the transportation of some of them to South Kensington, before an estimate for that pur pose is moved. The superior attractions of South Kensington have been seen in past sessions to draw with irresistible force the expenditure of public money in that quarter, sometimes in the shape of Treasury' grants, sometimes by disbursements from the surpluses of the Commissioners of Works, some times by votes in the estimates, sometimes by bill. But it has also happened before now that attempts have been made to oust the House of Commons of lits power of veto, by the assertion that Government has already committed itsolf, and that the faith of the public has been inferentially pledged. And, at any rate, the rejection of an estimate has become too rare and exceptional an event to make its pro posal a fair or fitting opportunity for taking the opinion of the house on matter of principle. We may, however, assume that on this occasion the-bill which Government has announced will be submitted before any vote is asked for the purpose of carrying out its-provisions. We should feel certain that this course would be adopted did we not remember that a like bill was rejected by a decisive majority in 1862, and yet that in every year since that date some step has been taken, either by the purchase of land, or by the procuring of plans, to induce the house to nullify its own determination, and to allow pro ceedings to be taken which might afterwards be represented as forbidding it to renew its protest. It will, however, need reasons new as well as strong to carry Parliament in 1866 to the reversal of its policy so emphatically expressed in 1862. If we are to have the case presented again on merely the same grounds which were then rejected, a different conclusion can hardly be expected or desired. The necessity for doing something is in deed stronger now. The collections have grown, though the house room has not been enlarged. Some of them are now, as then, of necessity kept invisible, because there is no place where they can be shown ; and none are exhibited in the way they ought to be. But this undeniable fact is no argument on either side. All admit that we must build; the question is, where shall we build? In 1862 the Exhibition Commissioners offered the bribe of land at South Kensington at a price Of only £lO,OOO per acre. This land was actually bought by the nation in 1863. We all remember under what Government, yet with a positive pledge that the purpose to which it should hereafter be devoted should be open to future consideration. Doubtless, if not used it can be sold again, and the price will go so far to the purchase of • land elsewhere. So, practically, the question is now as it was befo r e, between land at Kensington and land in Bloomsbury. The latter costs £50,000 per acre, and as five acres are re quired, there would be a charge of £250,000, or a difference of £200,000 in favour of Kensington. The friends of Kensington further allege that a building there need not be of costly Greek archi tecture, but of cheap Brompton style —resembling, we presume, those commodious brick mews which were erected for the Exhibition picture galleries, or the " boilers," which first made South Kensing ton art famous in the world. By this modifica tion another hundred thousand is *put down to - the credit of Kensington. Against it, however, there is to be set the cost of a duplicate library of reference, and the cost of new cases and fittings. On the whole,, it is certainly a liberal allowance in favour of Kensington, if we say that it offers us an economy on the first construction of £250,000. But the building on either side is esti mated to cost above £600,000. And the annual service of the museum costs close upon £lOO,OO O at present. So the question comes to be whether, when we must spend such sums, the advantage of a saving of £250,000 once f or all are sufficient to outweigh the disadvantages which we should per manently experience from dividing the collections, and sending the scientific portion to a suburb ; for no other advantage save the monetary economy that may be alleged in favour of such a course. The scientific collections are not suffering from either smoke - or gas, as pictures are sometimes said to do. Nobody has ever alleged that they will be either better seen or more conveniently reached at South Kensington than at Bloomsbury. It is solely a pecuniary inducement that is held out for the bait. But ere we accept a proposal of economy, it is ne cessary to consider efficiency. These national col lections are kept up at great expense to be seen and to be useful. It is admitted they will not be better seen, nor prove more useful at Kensington than in the heart of London, but will they be as well ? Will it be as easy for the nation which pays for them to examine them four miles away from their present locality ? To say so is to say that the na tion is better represented by Kensington than by London, that its heart beats at Kensington rather than in London, that the centre to which all its functions converge is at Kensington rather than in the midst of its metropolis. It is of course impos sible that the collections shall be in every point of the metropolis, and those who do not live at the precise point where they are situated must necessarily spend some time, more or less; in reaching them. But it is at least safe to assert that a larger population is grouped round Blooms bury than round Kensington, and that with all our facilities for locomotion there is, on the ave rage of London, a saving of an hour and a half ; in going to and com i ng f rom th e p resen t i n stead' of the intended site. Even when all our pro jected railways are finished, there will still, with waiting and stoppages, be a difference of half an hour each way, or of an hour on the whole. But an hour a day is, in innumerable cases, the limit of time available to scientific pursuit. Men who de vote themselves solely to study may live where they can study most conveniently. 'But the men who desire to study are an infinite majority over those who have unlimited time for study, and to those whose life is spent in other avocations the loss of a day. Yet no class is more deserving of our consi deration and help, for it is such a class that forms the real diffusers and utilisers of knowledge ; and, indeed, it is almost wholly out of such a class that the ranks of science are recruited. It is for their sake, for the sake of the real students, with scanty time, and often no affluent means, whose business or poverty compels them to live in every different quarter of London, but in far greater numbers in the 'busy centre and east than in the leisured west, that we ask the retention of the means of study in a central situation. For the sake of such as these we do not think the House of Commons or the nation should grudge the extra £250,000 in a single vote which forms the sole obstacle to the mainte nance of the whole collections in the place we have been accustomed to see them, and which is admitted by all to be the place where the convenience of the students of books demands that the library shall be kept. We cannot trace the subtle distinction neces sary to prove that what is best for the habits of the bookworm is not best for the purposes of the students in other departments of knowledge. COUNTRY MARKETS. HULL.-T UESDA_Y. Since our last the corn-market has been quiet both for English and foreign, and prices have undergone but little alteration. At our market to-day there was a fair show of English wheat, which met with a slow sale, at a reduction of about is per qr. English old white wheat, 48s to Ms; old red, 42s to 475. Barley, English, 37s to 425. Oats, Russian, 24s to 255. Beans, new English, 43s to 445. Peas, English blue, 403 to 41s Od ; grinding, 40s to 41s Od per 36 stone. SALISEURY.-TUESDAY. At to-day's market the attendance was large. An in creased supply of wheat was offered, and late rates pre vailed. Barley moved off slowly, previous quotations being in all cases maintained. The following are the quotations :—Wheat realised from 3Bs to 52s •, barley, 35s to 44s ; oats, 22s to 32s ; beans, 5 to 52s ; and peas, 42s to 54s per qr. TareS, from Gs to 78 6d per bushel ; Best bread, 13d ; household ditto, 1 211 ' per 81b loaf. Flour, 34s to 38s per sack. MONMOUTHSHIRE-TUESDAY. At the various markets the attendance of farmer° , millers, and dealers continued good, and there was a toler able supply of wheat. Home-grown sold well, at full:, prices, and there was a slight improvement in the dennn' for secondary sorts and foreign. Barley moved off brisklY' and prices both for grinding and malting were maintain °d. • The inquiries for beans were rather limited, and the sup' ply fell short of last week's; no alteration in prices. T ile oat trade ruled dull. The following are the average quotations:—Wheat, re d ! 5s 6d to 5s 9d per bushel ; inferior ditto, 5s 3d to ss. ' Via' white, 5s 9d to 6s ; malting barley, 32s to 36s per qr • g rin ing ditto, 24s to 295; beans, 44s ; white oats, 24s 6cl to 20; black ditto, 23s 6d to 245. LYNN—TUESDAY. The weather during the past week has been cold an, unsettled, with strong north-east winds. At to -dos' ' market the attendance was moderate, and there was but small show of wheat ; the trade ruled steady, at last Tali day's prices. The supply of malting barley was that and prices were again in favour of sellers; grinding sot is per qr dearer. Beans and oats firm. New wheat, 46s to 48 s ; new red, 42 s to 44s ; old Whi,t(3l 51s to 52s •, old red, 46s to 48s per 36 stone. Barley ' 0 " malting, 37s to 40s ; secondary, 33s to 355. Oats, ne liV 2 24s to 26s per 2 4 stone. Beans, small, 43s to 46s ; l ar g e ' 34s to 40s per 28 stone. NEWCAS T LE—TUESDAY. At our market to-day there was a good supply of vi'llf ° from the growers, but a small coasting and moderate foreie. arrivals. A dull business was experienced, and lo w er prices had to be submitt e d to. Malting barley had a fit sale, at full prices. Grinding was from 6d to is dew'ef: Malt was firm. Beans and peas were unchanged. Oa' moved off at fully previous terms. COAL MARKET. Price per ton at the close of the market. s cl. . 0 , Cowpen Hartley Ellison Steam 15 0 Walls End Haswell... 19 0 Holywell Main l5 6 Nails End Hetton ... 19 __ 6 Wylam l5 6 Hetton Ly0n5.........- lu 6 Cym Garnant Stone 22 6 Tunstall ............... 11 15 0 Shaw's Hartley lB 6 Caradoc ... . .............. 9 N.Staffordshire 17 0 Hartlepool 1 ............. I °, 9 Walls End Gosforth 15 6 Kelloe .................° 16 9 Harton Wharneliffe l6 0 Ships at market, 79 ; sold, C • Births. FOUNTAINE —On the 13th inst., the wife of Mr. B. F °ll / 11 0, table, of Brixton, and Beaufort-buildi ngs , Strand, o son. GARDINER—On the 14th inst., at 9, Taviton-street, Gordo' square, the wife of C. B. Gardiner, Esq., of a son. r HERRING—On the 13th inst., at Buckland House, 511 e the wife of J. B. Herring, Esq., of a daughter. rao NICUoLL—On the 12th inst., at Uske, the wife of A.--u f a Nicholl, Esq., late Captain in the Royal Dragoon?, $o son. Marriages. rib " rob , BAYNE —SrAlixEs—On the 13th inst., at St. Mary's Woodbridge, R. R. Bayne, eldest son of R. Bayne'' late of Lancaster, to Eleanor, youngest daughter of the I. Sparkes, Esq., of Woodbridge, Suffolk. Ttri''r ' tat RI-LODES—WARD-011 the 14th inst., at St. John' s, Wm. Willoughby, second son of John Rhodes, of ton, Esq., to Augustus Ann Jane, only child of Cl". " of Brixton, Esq. _ Deaths. E. BATES—On the 12th inst., at Long Ditton, the F.s .r • Bas, ged 52. CURZteON— aged 52. CußzoN—On the 11th inst., at 24, Arlington-street, 1)11.11 Julia, wife of the Hon. R. Curzon, aged 44. EDWARDS On the 12th inst., at Fitzroy Mansion, 411 Upper Charlotte-street, Fitzroy-square Capt. Georg?, Edwards, late Quartermaster of H.M.'e 'Bsth Begin:lei' aged 82. Hlcks—On the 12th inst., the Rev. Wm. Hicks, rector °f Coberley and Whittington , Gloucestershire, aged 9 2 . I, Wfi tr xoollßY—Ort the 9th inst., Agnes Norris se t , fourth surviving daughter of Sir J. P. Willoughby', -P 3 ' of Baldon House, Oxfordshire. Woo DH EAD—On the 1 1 th inst., at 8 , Belvedere-terrace, Brighton, Joseph WO O O , d la h t e e a 2 d 4 , 24th Regiment, YOUNG—On the 12th inst., at Trematon Castle Cornwall' Lieut.-Col. H. YOUR , Oi IJA Wb' London : Printed and Published by WIL MA I/ AN - 02. of No. 112, Strand, Punter, at Tnz Sure' °Woo , Oi Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy. in the Cow' ' Middlesex,—Thursday, March 16, 1E66. L U I it Ik V etttr --__ ~z~ Tht9 Prize A It i „gold Lle Az °•+TJ reeh c three t 25 Year eLvelo c Tri r N,ew tors of Lor g , el etY Eltnt y ~_~, Obse: trin al M l ' n[NF air of the in loid ca PRA kLi 1)P, Cu . quir e ex eori a nd bi te 1,1 Dr/ lie„ in e'en eeeit ti lescr beet All th e 1( ")-4tai Vin, %l ee ' „ !lip.: floc hh a e arl Nos