The Sun. — London, England, 1865-12-26 00:00:00

HONEY MARKET COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. TWELVE O'CLOCK. The Money Market, like every other place of business, is inactive, and few operations are in progress. Most of the large warehouses and offices are entirely closed, and the attendance at the places which are opened is exceedingly limited. The day presents the appearance of a national holiday. The tea trade is thus reviewed by Messrs. Taylor and Co. in their circular :—" The demand has been less active during the past fortnight, and owing to the close approach of holidays the trade have, as I :euch as possible, refrained from making any very lir portant additions to their stock ; importers have, however, continued to supply the market freely from the recent arrivals, and under some pressure to realise prices have suffered a considerable decline, both Kaisows and Monings, at ls. 9d. to 2s. 3d. Per lb., showing a fall of fully 3d. per lb. from the highest point attained in the early part of last month. Two o'CLocK. According to Reuter's telegram the French Three per Cent. Rentes were quoted at 68c. 27c. Flat. The English Stock Market has been exceedingly quiet, and at one time a slight downward movement Occurred. Since then, however, a recovery has taken place, and Consols are 871 1 for money, and 87+ a for the account. The New Threes and Re duced Annuities are 87+ ; Exchequer Bills, 6s. dis. ; Bank Stock, 246 ; India 5 per Cents., 1021 ; ditto Bonds, 19s. prem. Foreign Stocks have generally been dealt in at lower quotations. Turkish 5 per Cents. are 42.1 ; Mexican, 24 1 14 ; ditto New, 224 ; Greek, 15i 16 ; Spanish Passive, 27i ; ditto Certificates, 15i 4 ; and the Brazilian Scrip, 1f prem. Business in the Railway Share Market has been dull, and, with one or two exceptions, prices show a downward movement. Great Eastern, Great Western, and Lancashire and Yorkshire have each receded 55., Midland 10s., and South Eastern, £1 ; North Western, however, improved 10s., and North Eastern (Berwick), ss. The Foreign and Colonial undertakings main tain former rates. Bank and Miscellaneous Shares continue in very Moderate favour, and show little change of import ance as regards values. Alliance are dealt in at 294 ; Imperial Ottoman at 13; 14 ; Union of Lon don at 544 ; Joint-stock Discount at 8j- 9 ; and Overeud, Gurney, and Co. at 214 ; Charles Lafitte and Company shares are quoted 24 31 prem. ; and London Steam Towing Company, 1i 2 prem. BRITISH FUNDS-•CLOSING PRICES. GOVERNMENT FUNDS. 8 Der Cent. Consols Do. Account, Jan. 9 8 per Cent. Reduced B7* f 7 New 3 per Cent 874 4 7 New 24 per Cent. Jan. 1894 — Do. 5 per Cent. Jan. 1873 — annuities, 30 yrs, expire sth Jan., 1880 Do. for 30 yrs, expire sth April, 1885 — Do (Red Sea Telegraph), Aug., 1908 — Exchequer Bills, £l,OOO, 3 per Cent. 6 die Do. £5OO — dis Do £lOO and £200 Bank of England Stock, 5 per Cent Do Account INDIAN GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. Indian Stock, 104 per Cent., AprillB74 — Do Account Do. 5 per Cent. July, 1870 Do. 4 per Cent., Oct. 1888 Do. Certificates — Do. Enlaced Paper 4 per Cent — Do. 5 per Cent., Jan. 1872 Do. 54 per Cent., May 1879 — Do. 4 per Cent., Aug. 1866 Do. Bonds, £l,OOO — Do. under £1 000 FOREIGN FUNDS—CLOSING PRICES. Austrian Bonds, 5 per Cent, 1859 Brazilian 5 per Cent — Do. 44 per Cent., 1852-58-60 Do. 1863 - Do. 1865 Do. Scrip, £25 paid Buenos Ayres 6 per Cent — Do. Account Do 1 per Cent. (Deferred 3 per Cent ) Chilian 44 per Cent Do. 3 per Cent Colombian 6 per Cent. — Cuba, 6 per Cent. Danish 3 per Cent., 1825 Do. 4 per Cent., 1863 — Do. 5 per Cent., 1773-77, £25 paid — Danubian Principalities Do Account Equador New Consolidated, 1 per Cent Do., Provisional Land Warrant — Egyptian 7 per Cent — Do., Second Issue — Do £lOO Bonds 92j Do. 1864 92 Do £loo * Bonds Greek 5 per Cents., 1824-5, ex Coupons Do. Account Do. Coupons Do. Account ttuatemala 5 per Cent. Do £B6 paid Do. 1839 and 1850 — Italian 5 per Cent, 1865 Do. Account Do. Maremmana Railway 6B-1 Do Scrip, .£67i paid — Do 5 per Cent., 1864 — Mexican 3 per Cent Do. Account Do 1864 221 ])o 6 per Cent. Anglo-French 47 Do French Scrip, Ex. 25f 20c — Montevidean 6,per Cent., £3O paid Moorish Imperial 5 per Cent New Granada — Do 2 per Cent — Do Deferred Do Land Warrants (Hectares) Do. 6 per Cent, 1864 — Do Guaranteed, 4 per Cent Peruvian 44 per Cent Do. Account Do Scrip, £45 paid, paid in Bonds Do 3 per Cent. (Uribarren) — Do 4i per Cent., 1862 Portaguese 3 per Cent., 1853 Do 3 per Cent, 1856, '7, '9, '6O, '62, '3, Do. Account Russian 5 per Cent., 1822, £ St B9l Do 44 per Cent. 1850 Do 44 per Cent., 1860 Do 3 pet Cent. 1859 Do 5 per Cent. 1862 Do 5 per Cent. 1864 931 Sardinian 5 per Cent Do Account Spanish 3 per Cent Ditto account — Do New Deferred — Do Account Do Passive — Do Account — Stbanish Cert. of Coup not funded — Do Account l5l Swedish 4 per Cent. — Do. 44 per Cent. 1864 Turkish 6 per Cent. 1854 — Do Account — Do 6 per Cont. 1858 Do Account 7Ol Do £lOO Bonds — Do. 14 per Cent — Do 6 per Cent. 1862 Do Account 72k Do £lOO Bonds Do 6 per Cent., 1863 — Do 5 per Cent. 1865 — Do Scrip, £35 paid Do Account Do 41C0 Bands — per Cent. Guaranteed — v enezuela 3 per Cent. — Do Account Do 6 per Cent., 1862 Do. Account Dividends on the above payable in London. Austrian, spr Cent., Ex. 10 Florins Belgian, 44 per cent., En. 25f. butch 24 per Cent., En. 12 Guil 62 Do. 4 per Cent. Certificates — French Rentes 3 per Cent. — Italian 5 per Cent., 1861, En. 25f. — THREE O'CLOCK.. Consols for money Do. Account, Liverpool Cotton Market—This Lay. The market opened rather steady. bably about 5,000 bales. Sales pro ATTEMPTED SUICIDE OF A PRISONER. —On Sunday eN'ening Eli Sykes, who was sentenced last Tuesday at the Leeds gaol delivery to death for the murder of 4 annah Brook, his sweetheart, and Sarah Brook, her toother, at Batley, near Dewsbury, made a violent attempt to commit suicide in Leeds Gaol. The chaplain of the 1 3 5 30 0, after an interview with him, had left the door of his cell open. The prisoner took advantage of this, and 411d derdy rushed out in spite of the efforts of a turnkey to re strain him. He passed rapidly up the corridor, ascended t he Stairs to th e uppermost balcony, and threw himself headlong into the area below. As his legs are fractured 411 d his head and other parts of his person greatly injured , little hope is entertained of his recovery. This case bears , 111 . 0 similarity to that of Victor Townley, who took the 14° of the l a dy w h o h a d re j ec ted his suit, and, after sen t,,,ce of death had been commuted, killed himself in the '4ocle attempted by the culprit at Leeds. SHARE MARKETS,—This Day. ORDINARY SHARES AND STOCKS. Sharei Railways. p a id C_losincr Business paid,! I'riee." clone. and - Exeter ... Caledonian Cambrian Cork and Bandon -- Cornwall Dublin & Belfast Junc Dun„Perth, & A b.Junc. EL London, ..trip Certi. 100 100 10 all all 43 95 127 28 94 96 13 15 4a 5i 68 72 70 72 Do. Glasgow & S. Western Gnat Eastern, ()rd. stk. Do. E. Angl. st. No. 't Great North of Scotland Great Northern Do. A stock Do. B stock Do. New, is. at 25 p n Gt S. and W. of Ireland Gt. Weste, n -Original I) . S. Val. Bail gua. Do. South \Vales Do. W. Mid.—Oxford Do. Newpo. t L'o. Hereford Lancashire &Yorkshirr Landon and Black wall Lon., Brigh., & S Coast Lon., Chat., and Dover, Do. Metrop. rx. A 1 Lon. & North Western, Lon. & South Western Man., Shef., d; Lincoln Metropolitan.. Do. New 112 111 42 13 72 62 2 , 14 127 146 147 92 94 53 594 33 41) 33 37 10.1 , 05 122 }<3 0) 12 102 101 37 34 50 62 1251 S 2 6i 85) I6i 62 63 1374 31 tip, 1i 103 104 Do. Extension I Metropolitan District Do do. do. Do. and St. John' sW' d Midland Do. £9 Share _ 123) 121 11 11 1 93 95 Do, Birmin.. & Derby %I id Kent North British Do. Ed., Pth , & Dun Nth. Eastern—Berwick Do. G.N•E purchase Do. Leeds Do. York Do. Carlisle ..... L 7 59 7 29 11071 1111 71& 7 101 i 105 no. Stock. do Darling, D. do. 1860-61 North London Do. do. 1864 Do. do. 1865 North Staffordshire N. & S. W. Junction Scottish Central Scot. N. E Aber. stock Do. Scot, Mid. stock Shropshire Union South Devon South Eastern Staines, Wok., & Wok Taff Vale Do. C Vale or Neath Waterford & Kilkenny Waterloo & Whiteha 1 West Cornwall 36 37 10 11 p 126 128 2 2: pi 2 24P 74 76 11 12 148 15) 66 68 112 114 55 67 71 75 8 9 147 150 3 I p IC2 104 49 M BRITISH I" Atlantic & St.Lawrenoe Baroda, fi Cen. gu. 5 per cent... Do. shares Buffalo & Lake Huron Do. Preference Buff.,Brant, & Goderichi 6 p.c. , 872-3- t I Calcutta & S. E., Um !ape Town & Dock, gu Demerara, 7 p.c. per. p: East. Ben..tal, gu., 5 do East Indian, gu. 5 p.c. Do. J Eiteitsion Grand Trunk ot Canad Do. Equip. Mort, Bonds 1 charge 6 p.c Do. Ist Pref. Bonds Do. do. deferred Do. 2d Pr, t. Bonds Do. do. deterred Do. t , d Pref. stock Do. do. deferred Do. 4th Pret. stock Do. do. deterred Gt. India Pen. gua. sp.c o. Gus. 5 per cent Do. New gua. 5 p. c Gt. South of India gua. 5 per cent D . 41 per cent Do , 3reat W , 14. of Canada..l Do. New Do. 6 p. c. Bds. pay 1873 1 Do. 5) do. pay. 1877-8..1 Indian Branch, limited Madras, gua. 5 p.o Do. 4i do Do. 4i do Do. Fifth Extension Melb. Cor. 6 p. c. Buds. Mel. St Hudson's tray N. fil.C'da, 6pcletpf.bs Scinde .... g Do. Delhi Do. do . „ 1- 4 Do. Punfaub.... Do.lndus St. Flo, ISIONS. 59 61 10?, 103 id 1 p 6 6i 10 11 75 80 99 101 65 70 100 103 102 102 103 104 par 6P 32 33 88 90 6S 63 55 60 56 58 50 55 95 48 90 14 32 34 31 33 103 1(4 P 1014 102 16 17 4 30 3 15 83 47 1 4d 10le 1024 93 95 89 91 B 3 65 82 B 4 I 102 1011 102. 10, 102 COLONIAL GOVERNMENT SECU. British Columbia, 6 per cent., Deo. 31, 1872 .... Can.Gov.6 p.c.Ja.& July 1877-84 Do. 6 p. o. Feb. & Aug Do. 5 p. c. Mar. & Sept Do. 5 p. c. Jan. & July Do. 5 p. c. Inscribed sk Cape G.llope. 6 p.c. 1873 Do.Apl.&Oct 1890-1900 Do. do: 1880-9 Do. Jan.&July, 1890-91 Do. 5 per cent. 15 April and 15 Oct., 1800 Ceylon, Nov. 1868,6 p.c Do. 1878, do Mauritius, 6 p. c, 1873, Jan. and July Do. 1.78 Do. 188?, May 15, Nov. t , Do. 1895, Feb. & Auz Natal ov. o per cent N.8.G0v.6 p.c.Ja.&.l uly N. S.W. Gov. 5 p•c., 1866 Do. 5 p.c. 18,1 to 187 r. Do. 5 p.c. 1888 to 189: New Zealand, 6 p. cent Do. 5 per cent.... Nova Scotia Gov. 6 p. c.l sterling, 1875 Queensland Gov. 6 p. c. 8. Aus.Gov. 6 p,c 1868-9 Do. 1878 & upwards Vic,Gov. 6 p.c. Ja &July Do. do, is pril & Oct 190 100 100 1( 0 100 100 96 98 94 96 94 96 82 81 81 53 1( 1 1( 3 104 106 104 106 105 107 90 92 10) 1(2 1( 6 108 103 105 106 iOB 104 108 105 107 96 99 96 P 8 1 0 102 93 95 8) 91 103 105 84 85 10) 102 103 104 106 108 105 106 100 et { 20 'ioi 10 100 1 BRITISH Cam. ConsoL Gold, lim Chiverton Clifford Amalgamated Devon G. Cons. (Tavist Drakewalls East Bassett (Illogan) Bast Caradon East Cam Brea s;ast Grenville East Gunnielake . East Loved E. WI Russell (Tavistk Gam. & StAubyn(G wen. Great Laxey, limited Great South Tolgus Great Wheal Busy G. Wheal Vor (Heist 't Grenville Herod's Foot .... Hingston Downs Margaret (tiny Lelant Marke Valley 51wyndy Iron Ore, lim New Se ton North Roskear N.Wh'l Bassett (Illogan North Wheal Crotty Prosper Pr vidence Ilny L.lant S. Caradon (St. Cleer) Suuth Condurrow ~Wheal Fran. (Mogan stray Park . Tin Croft. Vigra and Clogan, lim West Bassett (Mogan W. Caradon (Lkskeard West Chiverton West Seton . Wheal Bassett 'Mogan Wheal Buller (Redruth Wheal Mary Ann (Men. Wheal Seton Wheal Trelawney (Lis. 96 106 24 23 575 595 1 18 20 86 94 5} 3_ 36 21.0 296 2.11.6 3, 2.14.0 &3.0 3.9.0 10.8.0 14 15 3 31 5 7 20 21 1i 2 3; 4 34 35 4 30 38 5} 51 7 4 4i 2i 164:1 40 50 15 17 6 1 1 all 0.14.6 14.9.6 1} 3.2.0 18.18.9 35.15.6 t , t 20 25 1(1 12 19 20 4 6 3 4 9 11 73 823 190 200 95 v 0 32i 3711 4 . 6 212 3 / 4 2224 ,8) PREFERENCE SHAREr- Great Northern, 5 per cent., rd. at 5 per cent. pin., 196 i Great Western Orig. 4i per cent pf., 91 PREFERENCE SNARES AND STOCKS. Great Eastern 4} per cent. pi., Ditto, 5 p.r cent., 95 London and S.-Western 4i per cent., 97} LINES LEASED AT FIXED RENTAL S Chester and Holyhead, 554 London and Chatham, 41 per p Cent., 88 London and 4lreenwich, Ditto, Preference. 110 Midland, Bradford Pref. Stock, 92 FOREIGN RAILWAYS. Great Luxembourg, 16} Ottoman (Smyrna to Aidin), 10i FOREIGN MINES. Frontino and Bolivia Gold. - 1im.,12i Scottish Australian, Um., I I BAN KN. Agra and 3listerman's, lira., 571 8 lira.. 291 Bank of London. 141 Consolidated Bank, lira., 101 Imperial Ottoman. 14 London and Brazilian aim.), 491 Scinde, Punjaub, and Delhi, lim., Union of Australia, 641 1 Union of London, 541 DOCKS. London and St. Katharine, 791 Ditto, Debenture Stock, 89 MISCELLANEOUS. Atlantio Telegraph, 8 per cent. gua., 31 21 City of London Real Property, dm., 4 Credit Fonder and Mobiher of England, 81 Crystal Palace, Pb Fore-street Warehouse, lim., 111 Gen. Credit and Finance of London. lien.. 61 1 Imperial Mercantile Credit Asso., lira.. 71 International Financial:society, Um., 6i Interational Land Credit, lim.. 64 Joint Stock Discount. lim., 9 81. London General Omnibus Company, lim., 31 Ottoman Financial Association. lim., ' 2i Overend, Gurney, and ira., !if Peninsula and Oriental Co..iteam, 74 Quebrada Land, &ail, and Mining, lira., 4/ Royal Mail Steam. 110} Mrs. Governor W. L. Marcy, and her son-in law, E. 11. Pendleton, and family, of Cincinnati, are spending the winter at Nice. SERIOUS ACCIDENT ON THE GREAT EASTERN RAILWAY.—A very serious accident occurred at the St Ives station on Saturday morning to an official named William Lambert, who was at the time engaged in un coupling the trucks of a goods train on one of the sidings. Lambert was in the act of passing under the buffers when he tripped and fell. His foot eaught against the metals, and the train being in motion the flat part of the wheel passed over his foot, crushing it into the earth. The poor fellow was taken to his home, where he was attended by Dr. Adams and Dr. Deane, who are endeavouring to save his foot from amputation. Lambert is a tall man, and his real duty was signalman at the station; be had nothing to do with the coupling of trucks. He is the father of a large family, and to make the case more distressing one of_his children is not expected to live through the day. OSSK 100 100 100 all 100 100 THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 26, 180 POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—This Day. MARLBOROUGH STREET. DISTURBING THE CONGREGATION IN A CHURCH.—SIN GULAR CASE.—James Barnard, a carpenter, who refused his address, was charged before Mr. Mansfield with being drunk, and behaving in a disorderly manner, in St. Mark's Church, North Audley-street. Mrs. Elizabeth Kingsley, the pew-opener at St. Mark's Church, North Audley-street, said—Yesterday afternoon about four o'clock the prittner came into the church and made a disturbance—disturbing the whole congregation. He threw himself down on his knees and howled worse than a dog. He then ran out of the church, and I, accom panied by the bell-ringer, pursued him and gave him into custody. The prisoner did not appear to be drunk. The prisoner—l did not run out of the church. It was the working of the Holy Spirit. Mr. Mansfield—The Holy Spirit ! you are charged with being drunk. The prisoner-011, it's all false. Police-constable Henry Brown, 74 C—At four yester day afternoon I saw the prisoner running in Davis-street, pursued by a crowd calling out "Stop him, stop him !" I stopped the prisoner, and he said " Let me go, it's all right. I've done nothing." The pow-opener then came up and gave the prisoner in charge for disturbing the congrega tion of St. Mark's Church. The prisoner was drunk, and under his coat I found a large iron sash weight attached to apiece of cord round his waist. The prisoner—That is for my protection. I was not drunk. It's false. I've as much right to go to church as any of you. The church is for the poor as woll as the rich. Mr. Mansfield—You are charged with being drunk and disorderly. The prisoner—lt's all false. Look at my hat; see how it's been knocked about. It's a scandalous thing. Mr. Mansfield remanded the prisoner that inquiries may be made respecting him. RACING FIXTURES FOR 1866. JANUARY. Manchester FEBR 1 ARY. Lincoln Nottingham Spring ESC H. Derby Spring . 1 Liverpool Spring Warwick Spring Doncaster Lewes Spring - C rox ton Park l6 Northampton 2O Windsor Spring Newcastle Spring 2B Ne wmarket Craven 2 Durham Catterick Bridge Abergavenny 5 Chelmsford Spring _ _ Thirsk lO Epsom Spring Newmarket Ist Spring l6 Chester Curragh :AY. Ascot Spring 1 Salisbury Bath 8 Harpenden lO York Spring JU. Epsom Summer l5 Uxbridge 2l Manchester Ascot Summer 29 Windsor Summer 5 Newton Hampton 7 Odiham Bibury l3 Stockbridge Chelmsford l9 Liverpool Beverley 2O Ipswich Hungerford Newcastle on-Tyne 26 Curragh 26 Worcester ELY. Carlisle Newmarket July Pontefract Abingdon Reading AUG Down Royal Corp lB Stamford l9 Winchester 24 Southampton 25 Huntingdon UST. Brighton 7 Brighton Club Lewes lO Egham l4 Wolverhampton l4 Stockton l5 Oxford l6 Hastings 2l SEPT] Warwick September 4 Curragh Leicester 6 Doncaster Canterbury lB York August 2l Plymouth Lichfield Devon and Exeter Tunbridge 2B Derby Summer 2B Weymouth 3O MBER. Richmond Monmouth Manchester Autumn 24 Newmarket Ist October 26 2 OCTOBER. Northampton 2 I Newmarket Houghton 22 Newmarket 2d October 8 Worcester Curragh NOVE MBER. Lincoln Liyorpool I Shrewsbury Leamington Hunt ll Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. Australia and New Zealand, via Southampton.....Deo. —. Ditto, via Marseilles lan. 12. Brazil and Cape Verde. by British packet Jan. 4. Ditto, by French packet Dec. 22. Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena... Dec. 22 China. Penang . , and Singapore, via Sou. hampton Dec. -. Ditto, via Marseilles Jan. 27 Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via Southampton . Dec. —. India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton.... Dec. Ditto, via Marseilles India (Bombay), via Southampton. Dec. 27. Ditto, via Marseilles Dec. 21. Mauritius, via Southampton Ditto, via Marseil:e 3 Jan. 5. Newfoundland / 111 I Jan. 17. Portugal . Jan 4. Ditto, by private ship to Lisbon... United States and British North America, by Bri tish packet .. ..Dec. 28 Ditto, by United States packet, via Southamp- ton .. Ditto, via Cork & • • • Ditto, by Canadian packet, via Londonderry.. Dec. I'2. West Coabt of Africa. Madeira, and Teneriffe Jan. 10. West Indies and Pacific (except Bahamas, Cuba, and Mexico Dec. 2). Cuba and Mexico Bahamas, via New 1 ork. Jan. 11. Bermuda, ditto MARKETS—This Day. METROPOLITAN CATTLE. For the time of year about an average supply of each kind of stock was on offer in our market to day, in fair average condition. As very few buyers were in attendance, sales generally progressed slowly, at about last week's quotations. The arrivals from Scotland amounted to 194 head. _ _ _ Per 81b to sink the offal. adsd a d s d Crse. & inf. beasts... 3 2 3 6 Pme crs-wool sheep 5 4 5 10 Second quality do ..3 8 4 2 Prime b'thdowa n 0.6 u 6 4 Prime large oxen —4 4 4 6 Large coarse calves. 3 8 4 2 Prime Scuts, &c.... 4 8 4 10 Prime small d0......4 4 4 8 Crse. and inf. sheep. 3 8 4 4 Large hogs .4 t 4 6 Second quality do ..4 6 5 2 Small porkers 4 8 5 0 Lamb....os Od to O. Od. Suckling calves, 193 to 2.5 ; and quarter-old store pigs, 305 t') 325 each. New Water Supply. Upwards of 100,000,000 of gallons is the daily supply of water to 3,000,000 of people in the metro polis. But it is chiefly river water, and impure to a considerable degree. Besides, it is not sufficient, and may become less ; and it is dear, and not likely to be supplied at a less charge so long as eight monopolist companies are favoured by Parliament with the power to do just as they think fit, without much regard to the ratepayers to whom the water is a necessary of life. At present the gross revenue of seven companies is £702,059 ; their working ex penses £275,547, and the " amount actually paid in dividends and interest on borrowed money, £404,585." The last item is far from agreeable to those who have obtained the abolition of all other great monopolies, and there is no good reason to offer why it should be continued. The metropolis wants more water for domestic use, for trade purposes, for fires, and flushing drains. But if a sufficiency were taken from the river there would be an end to the navigation, and the droughts make the supply, such as it is, still worse. The other sources of supply have long been exa mined, and fully debated; and there appears to be no soft water nearer than North Wales. To this supply an able hydraulic engineer, Mr. John F. Bateman, aided by a large experience of 30 years, now directs the attention of the public in a well prepared pamphlet on the subject; and he does so at a time when the existing companies are extend ing their works, and when the subject is likely to be considered on general and public grounds. We have also the good examples of Glasgow, Manches ter, and Liverpool to refer to as guides, and some thing like a metropolitan corporation—in the Me tropolitan Board of Works—possessed of general financial powers over the metropolitan rental for certain purposes. During 10 years, too, these have been usefully exercised. To such a corporation as this Mr. Bateman pro poses to entrust the whole water supply, in order to obtain within the next years 130 million gallons daily, and ultimately 220 millions, of pure soft water. The cost is to be about eight millions and a half, and for the larger supply about two or three millions more. The money would be obtained within the seven years, as the works advanced, by loans, probably under Government guarantee, at a limited rate of interest, or about £4 per cent. If so, the cost yearly for interest, working expenses, and payment of divi dend annuities to existing companies, would be about £914,000 ; and the income from water rates, at 10d. in the pound for domestic purposes, and 2d. in the pound as a public rate on the metropolitan rental of about 18 millions, and the sales of water for trading purposes, would be about £950,000. The districts selected are near Cardigan Bay at the sources of the River Severn, where three large mountains rise to the heights of 2,914, 2,979, and 2,500 feet. Two districts are marked out, each being upwards of 60,000 acres in extent, and the lowest discharge pipes from the reservoir would be 450 ft. above the level of Trinity high water mark. It is proposed to form three reservoirs or lakes, one five miles long, another four miles long, and a third nearly as large. These would contain 2,761,000,000 cubic feet of water, and another could be made to give 150 per cent. more water than is available to Glasgow from Loch Latrine, or 2,230,000,000 cubic feet. From these sources the aqueduct to the metropolis would be 183 miles in length, carried through the successive mountain ridges principally by tunnelling, in the same manner as the aqueduct from Loch Latrine to Glasgow, and by tunnel or aqueduct through the comparatively open country. At Stanmore the service reservoirs will be 250 feet above Trinity high water mark, and thus command most of the metropolis by gravitation. At present the water companies use steam power, equal to 10,790 horses, to pump water. They supply about 470,000 houses with 108,500,000 gallons daily, dis tributed through 3,000 miles of mains and branches. They possess a very small extent of subsiding re servoirs or filter beds. Their works have cost, prior to 1850, £4,738,878, and since 1852, for alteration of works, of £3,875,334. The scheme proposed is so simple and excellent-- Lndeed magnificent, as to lead us to hope that the ratepayers may be wise enough to have it at once adopted, and from " the flanks of the mountain ranges of Cadar Idris and Plynlinunon in North Wales" let us obtain our future water supply, soft and pure, from an abundant rainfall. Agricultural Prospects. All accounts agree in stating the finish of wheat sowing to have been satisfactorily accomplished during more than the recent run of fine dry weather, with the wind prevailing from the N.E., accompa nied by a very high barometer. The week opened fine and dry, but with occasionally a thick atmos phere ; wind N. Monday was a thick foggy day, very dense in the forenoon, wind N. to N.E., ther mometer 46 deg., and barometer 30.45 in. On Tues day the wind got round to the S.E., barometer down to 30.10 in., having fallen steadily most part of the day, with slight drizzling rain, and a change appeared at hand in the state of the weather. Our advices on that day from Lancashire stated :—" A continuance of fine dry weather has proved of great importance to the agricultura 1 interest in enabling a considerable further breadth of wheat land to be planted, and the fall-sowing of grain may be counted upon as almost completed, and the early-sown is generally reported as looking well on the ground." From the East Riding of Yorkshire it was remarked :—" Weather is now mild and open, and the young wheats are looking re markably well." From Northumberland, " The wea ther since our last report has been fine ; wind N. and N.W. To-day is frosty ; wind S.W." The advices from Scotland as regards the season have been fa vourable ; as from thence it was stated—" We have had a week of beautiful weather for the season of the year, with an unprecedentedly high barometer. Wheat sowing has been resumed under favourable circumstances." On Wednesday the wind was round to the S.W., and slight drizzling rain fell at times. During the remainder of the week the weather con tinued thick, and at times extremely foggy, with the wind mostly from S., and colder than in the earlier part of the week ; while rain appeared to threaten, but still it held up, and closed fine for the season. The wheat first put into the ground has made good progress, not having been checked by any frost, and our advices from Surrey relative thereto state—" The mildness of the weather of late has caused the early sown wheat to grow fast, and high above the ground, such as the farmers call winter proud, and a little check would now be bet - ter. Just inithis neighbourhood the cattle have been, with one or two exceptions, free from the plague ; but at no great distance it has raged very much. It is indeed a fearful visitation. The corn markets all round are without change. Good wheat commands a pretty ready sale, and the millers say the best of last year's crop makes good flour." There is no oc casion to depreciate this description, at any rate ; but it is better than at one time expected, and if the very damp qualities, arising from the heavy rains before the stacks were thatched, should be al lowed to remain until next March, the usual drying winds of that month will bring the corn round, and it may then command remunerating prices. On the whole agricultural prospects, as regards grain, are not now so bad, but those who are experiencing the cattle plague are suffering the most. Yet there is a superabundance of prime meat this Christmas for every class of the community, and, what is more, this is now obtainable at very moderate prices.— Mark-lane Express. A NEW STEAMER FOR THE INMAN LINE. — Messrs. Tod and Macgregor, of Partick, have launched an iron screw for the Inman line of Liverpool, New York, and Philadelphia steamers. Tho vessel, which is named the City of Paris, is 373 feet in length 40 feet in breadth, and 27 feet in depth, while her burden is 2,800 tons, old measurement. The hull of the City of Paris is divided into eight water-tight compartments by bulkheads ; and each compartment will be fitted with a steam fire annihi lator, and a centrifugal pump capable of lifting more than 1,000 gallons of water per minute. A double set of steer ing gear has been provided. The City of Paris will be propelled by a pair of direct-acting horizontal trunk engines of 680 horse power nominal. Messrs. Tod and Macgregor are about to lay down the keel of another steamer for the Inman line, but of smaller dimensions than the City of Paris. Noble and Distinguished Men. (From Who's Who for 1866.) The oldest duke is the Duke of Northumberland, aged 87; the youngest, the Duke of Norfolk, aged 18. The oldest marquis, the Marquis of Westmeath, aged 80 ; the youngest the Marquis of Ely, ages 16. The oldest earl, the Earl of Onslow, aged 88 ; the youngest, the Earl of Charleville, aged 13. The oldest viscount, Viscount Gough, aged 86; the youngest, Viscount Downe, aged 21. The oldest baron, Lord Brougham, aged 87 ; the youngest Lord Rodney, aged 8. The oldest member of the Privy Council is Lord Brougham, aged 87 ; the youngest his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, aged 24. The oldest member of the House of Commons is Sir William Vernon, Bart., member for the county of Armagh, aged 83 ; the youngest the Earl of Tyrone, member for Waterford, aged 21. The oldest judge in England is the Right Hon. Stephen Lushington, aged 83 ; the youngest, Sir James P. Wilde, aged 49. The oldest judge in Ireland, the Right Hon. Thomas Lefroy, Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench, aged 89 ; the youngest, Justice Keogh, aged 48. The oldest Scotch lord of session, the Right Hon. Duncan 111• Neill, Lord Justice General, aged 72 ; the youngest, David Mure, Lord Mure, aged 54. The oldest archbishop, the Archbishop of Canterbury, aged 71; the youngest, Archbishop of York, aged 46. The oldest bishop, the Bishop of Exeter, aged 88 ; the youngest, the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol, aged 46. The oldest baronet, Sir Stephen L. Hammick, aged 88 ; the youngest, Sir Henry Hayes Lawrence, aged one year. The oldest civil and military knight is General Sir Arthur B. Clinton, aged 93 ; youngest, Sir Charles T. Bright, aged 33. The House of Peers at present consists of 1 prince, 2 royal dukes, 3 archbishopes, 25 dukes, 31 marquises, 158 earls, 30 viscounts, 28 bishops, and 158 barons—the total number of peers being 435. The Bishop of Bath and Wells sits also as Baron Auckland. The following clergymen have also seats in the House of Peers as lay peers:—The Rev. A. E. Hobart, Earl of Buckinghamshire ; the Rev. William George Howard, Earl of Carlisle; the Very Rev. William John Broderick, Viscount Midleton ; the Rev. Wm. Nevil, Earl of Abergavenny ; the Yen. Fredk. Twisleton-Wyke ham-Fiennes, D.C.L. Lord Saye and Sele ; the Rev. Henry W. Powlett, Lord Bayning ; the Rev. Alfred Nathaniel 11. Curzon, Lord Scarsdale ; and the Right Rev. Thomas Plunket, Lord Plunket. The heir-presumptive to the title of Lord Arundell and Wardour is his brother, the Rev. Everard Aloysius Gonzaga, a Jesuit priest. There are 115 peers of Scotland and Ireland, who are not peers of Par liament ; there are 217 members of the Privy Council ; and the archbishops, bishops, colonial bishops, bishops of the Episcopal Church of Scotland, and retired bishops, aumber 98. There are 849 baronets, 450 civil and mili- tarp knights, 107 noblemen and baronets who are Knights of the various Orders, 17 Knights of the Order of the Star of India, 717 Knights Companions of the Order of the Bath,4 field-marshals, 578 general officers in the army, 323 generals in her Majesty's Indian army, 313 admirals in the navy, 54 judges in the United Kingdom and Ireland, 159 Queen's Counsel and Serjeants-at-Law in England, and 92 in Ireland. There are 174 deaths recorded of those whose names appeared in Who's Who, and who died between the 30th November, 1864, and Ist December, 1865, with the dates of their birth and death. Head of stock on sale. Total supply. Foreign supply. Beasts 1,30) Beasts 370 Cows. lO Cows. ....... Sh e ep C a l ve s 3O Ca yes 3J Pi gs l5O Pigs — The total imports of foreign stock into London, last week, amounted to 11,703 head. In the corresponding week in 1864, wo received 5,40 G ; in 1863, 8,321; in 1862, 2,440 ; in 1861, 2,382 ; in 1860, 2,031; and in 1859, 1163 head. IMPORTS INTO LONDON LAST WEER. Beasts. Sheep. Lambs. Calves. Pigs Amsterdam Antwerp — ... 2893 ... ... 14 ... Boulogne; l2O ... 84 ... ... ... 439 Bremen Copenhagen — ... ... ... ••• Dordt. Calais.. — ••• 350 ... •.• ••• 139 Dunkirk l3 ... 234 ... ... ... 112 Gothenburg 166 ... 130 ... ... ... 156 Hamburg — ... 75 ... ... ••• Harlingen 359 ... 338 ... ... 1 ... Medemblik lO ... 1 495 ... ... ..• Ostend — ... 284 ... ... 18 ... Rotterdam ... 440 ... 5216 ... ... 449 ... 221 Tonning Stockholm Total 1326 8,872 483 —1022 NEWGATE AND LEADENHALL. The supplies of meat here to-day aro moderate ; gene rally speaking, the trade is inactive, as follows : Per 81b by the carcase. s d s 11 s d s d Inferior beef 3 0 3 6 Inferior mutton.... 3 4 3 lo Middling do. 3 6 3 10 Middling mutton.. 4 6 4 10 Primellarge do 4 0 4 2 Prime do 5 0 5 2 Prime small d0....4 4 4 6 Veal 3 10 4 8 Large pork 3 10 4 6 Small pork - - - 5 8 5 2 Lamb, Os 01 Id to Os Od. HAY The hay markets aro closed to-day. M. Emile Perrin, director of the French Opera, has sent to the Minister of the Interior a sum of £350, being the produce of a mass in music, executed a few days back at Saint Eustache by the singers of that establish ment in aid of the families of victims of the cholera. THE PARIS PRESS ON TIIE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE. —La Pat,-ie declares the Message to bo long-winded and obscure, and to abstain purposely from any political explanations. Le Siecle likewise considers that it sots forth the " Monroe " doctrine, which Le Siecle admires, as " included in the one most just and most legitimate principle of non-intervention." Le Journal des Debuts believes that the President's " interpre tation of this famous Monroe doctrine has nothing in it to effect any change in our good understanding with the United States ;" and the Constitutionnel says that reading the text at once does away with the ill effects produced by a perusal of the telegraphic version. " The passage referring to the relations with foreign Powers affirms none of those stringent and absolute doctrines attributed to it ;" and so France seems to have made up its mind to accept the speech as favourable to peace and good feeling. A new cotton press has been introduced, which may deserve the attention of shippers. It is called Ash croft's Patent Compound Press, and is alleged to reduce a bale of cotton of 600 lb. in about a minute to between 261 b. and 301 b. to the cubic foot, 43 21 1271 * 59 i i 1221 3 21 :0 123 i (3 189 8i gi 8/1 124 3j 1 Pi S 111} 11 723 1.,41 51! 731 I 3 3 1021 102 f 1031 3 35i I 5 1 35 41 51 ITIES. 1'51141 The American War Report• The Secretary emphasises the beginning of his report by contrasting the expenditures of the Department in the last year of the war and the first of peace—the former being $516,240,13170, the latter, by estimate, $33,814,46183. On the Ist of May, 1865, there were a million of men in the army; to-day there are less than 200,000, and by May next it is expected the number will not exceed 50,000. The progress and success of the war which made this vast reduction possible are detailed at consi derable length. Immediately after its close orders were issued to stop drafting and recruiting, reduce purchases of arms, &c., muster out supernumerary officers, and unfetter trade and commerce. From the Veteran Reserve Corps nearly all the enlisted men have been mustered out at their own desire. Recruiting for the regular regiments continues. Lest it be thought that the proposed standing army of 50,000 (which will be capa ble of increase to 82,600 without additional organisa tion) be too small for possible emergencies, the Secre tary reminds us that either against a renewal of the insurrection or in case of foreign war it will be possible to call out on the instant an immense number of veteran troops ; that the Government has in its arsenals more than a million of small arms, more artillery than it can conveniently take care of, three years' supply of ammunition, and an abundant stock of clothing and quartermaster's stores. The present military organisation embraces nineteen departments. _ _ The operations of the different bureaus are detailed at considerable length. Eight volumes of reports of battles, with maps and indexes, are in press. The Adjutant-Gene ral describes the rapidity and precision with which the mustering-out of the troops proceeded. Regiments be gan leaving the army of the Potomac, numbering 162,851 officers and men, May 29, and in six weeks the whole were gone. The average per month for the whole army was 296,412. The Provost-Marshal-General in cludes in the statistics the enormous number of 2,759,019 men as the aggregate of quotas called for. The number constructively put into service was 2,656,553, and the defi ciency of 102,496 would have been speedily made up but for the close of the war. The total disbursements of the Paymaster-General since the beginning of the war were $1,029,239,000, of which during tho year ending June 30, 1865, $300,738,635 95 were paid to volunteers. Losses and defalcations were $541,000; expenses of disbursement $6,429,600, being less than three-fourths of one per cent. The Surgeon-General reports that during the last year there were 204 general hospitals, with a capacity of 136,894 beds; and in general hospitals alone 1,057,423 cases of sick and wounded have been treated during the war, the rate of mortality being 8 per cent. The extraordinary services of the Quartermaster- General's Bureau are duly recounted, among which not the least remarkable was the transfer of Hooker's command in 1863, numbering 23,000 men, with artillery, trains, animals, and baggage, from the Rapidan to Stevenson, a distance of 1,192 miles in seven days. The Quartermaster depots supplied to the army during the war 23,000,000 bushels of corn, 78,000,000 bushels of oats, 1,500,000 tons of hay, 550,000 cords of wood, and 1,600,000 tons of coal. During the last fiscal year alone 141,632 cavalry horses were purchased. The retrenchments in the Department since the close of the war have been numerous and thorough. The Com missary-General of Prisoners reports 98,802 prisoners in custody from Jan. 1 to Oct. 20, beside which 174,223 surrendered and were released on parole. The whole number of colored troops enlisted during the war was 178,975. Their losses from all causes except muster out were 68,178. After existing orders for dis charge are executed, the number remaining in service will be 85,024.—New York Tribune. TRIAL OF POACHERS FOR MURDER.—The trial of D. Booth, W. Sykes, A. Savage, J. Teale, J. Bent cliffe, and H. Bone, on the charge of murdering William Lilley, gamekeeper on the Silverwood estate at Ravenfield, was commenced on Thursday at the Leeds Assizes before Mr. Justice Shee, and did not close till Saturday. The alleged murder occurred in this way :—The deceased and three other watchers went out to protect game in Silver wood, and about ten o'clock at night seven men were seen in the wood setting snares. The watchers rushed upon them, and Lilley, who was foremost, was struck down by a blow from a stick, and then belaboured on the head and body. He was fearfully injured, and died the day follow ing. Sykes, Teals, and Bone were identified by the watchers, but the chief evidence against them was that of Robert Woodhouse, an approver. The jury found Teale, Sykes, Bone, and Bentcliffe guilty of manslaughter, and Booth and Savage not guilty. Teale and Sykes were sen tenced to penal servitude. Booth and Savage wore re tained in custody, it having been intimated by the counsel for the prosecution that a charge of night poaching would be brought against them. THE BRITISH MUSEUM.—A refreshment room has just been opened at the British Museum for the con venience of the general public visiting that establishment, in addition to those recently set apart for the officials and the readers. The purveyor, Mr. R. H. Muffit, has been appointed by the trustees, upon the express condition that he should supply light refreshments of every description, and of the best quality, at a moderate cost. Visitors from a distance have long felt the want of this accommodation, which formerly was only to be obtained outside the walls of the museum. This addition to the comfort of visitors has been procured for them by the principal librarian, Mr. Panizzi. The entrance to the public refreshment room is from the Greek and Roman galleries. THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.- -A man who served his time to a tailor, and subsequently followed the business profitably for many years, now rules in one of the most potent nations on earth, so potent that all Europe waited with anxiety the arrival of his Message, transmitted on the 4th inst., to the United States Congress. Fabled Oriental romance pales before this significant fact, a fact which must tell hereafter on the policy of the world. The message itself is a proper sequence to the American rebellion. The arms of the Federals were triumphant. The Message is a message of peace and mercy. There is no exultation about it; the story ren dered boasting unnecessary. The anticipations of France and England have been falsified. The Union, as the British Government and the governing clasees in this country anticipated, has not gone to pieces. Instead of being made weak by formidable resistance and great danger, it has been made stronger. The people rose equal to the occasion, and now they are a military people. Without ignoring the proud pursuits of trade, manufac ture, and agriculture—without measuring their strength with great military nations, the experiments forced on them have enabled them to estimate the relative capacity between themselves and European Governments.—Liver pool Post. Chappuis'; registered whist-marker, for long or short, is now ready. Fancy card, ls. the pair ; leather, 3s. 6d.; fancy wood, ss. 6d. Wholesale and retail of P. E. Chappuis, the registree, 69, Fleet-street, and of all wholesale and retail booksellers, stationers, and fancy dealers. N.B.—lt is pronounced the best marker out. The Calamity at Gethin Colliery. On Saturday most of the sufferers were buried. Nineteen funeral processions followed each other through the streets to the Cefn Cemetery, a great crowd attending. The contrast to the formality of English funerals was strikingly shown. Behind the coffin followed the nearest mourner, widow, or child, and the long link succeeding was arranged according to the degree of relationship existing. Thus behind some followed widow, children, brothers, sisters, and cousins, and all looked mourners in reality. The tottering widow was in some cases borne between two friends, and at the grave grief, loud and passionate, had its vent, un affected by the crowd of lookers-on. But for restraining hands many would have fallen on the wet, cold earth, and clasped that which hid a near and dear one from the sight. It was in truth a sad and a sorry scene, and as we looked into the deserted houses after the funeral the sorrow ful feelings were deepened and increased. There in the little whitewashed cottage, with its lowered blinds and sanded floor, had hung a few short days ago the holly and the laurel, and a stalwart man had sat by the hearth, a child on his knee, chatting with the good wife as she busied herself about the house. The holly is gone ; where hung the holly cypress should hang; the gleeful man, full of life and humour, is brushed away, and the smiling wife is a heart broken widow and a pauper. Thirteen widows, 27 fatherless children, and 39 dependent friends form the immediate results of this tragedy, but the long shadow seems to lengthen as we examine more closely. According to custom, when one of; the sufferers in these catastrophes had been a resident in another county a separate inquest is held on his body. In the present case two of the sufferers, named Price and Thomas, lived at the village of Cefn, a few miles from Merthyr, and in the district of another coroner. On Friday an inquest was held there, at which important and interesting depositions were made by one who escaped. The witness is named Selah Thomas. He is a collier, working in Gethin all the week, with the exception of Saturday, when he puts aside the mandril and takes to the razor and profession of a barber. He is a young man, sharp and intelligent, and the substance of his evidence is as follows : On Wednesday morning, the day of the explosion, he descended the pit with many others, and saw Daniel Price Thomas, one of the killed, in the lamp-room, as they were getting their lamps ready. He worked in the same vein as Thomas, but farther away. Thomas remarked to them that his old stall, a disused one called No. 11, was full of gas, so was his brother Tom's. The gas was so abundant that it came out of the stall to the part ings, a place where there is a considerable thorough fare. They discussed this subject for a time, the witness remarking that there was enough gas in the stallto blow the pit up, to which deceased assented. They however, went into work, hardy, rash, and reckless, as usual, and witness never saw Thomas alive again. In about an hour he felt a ringing noise in his ears. He started up, and a companion shouted out " The damp is off," meaning there had been an explosion. He rushed away, and met a man who ran, too, in the same direction ; but suddenly the man stopped, and retracing his steps into the gloom of death they had left, said, " I must go for the boy" (a lad who worked with him), and he went back and fell among the list of the dead in his calm, quiet heroism. The next thing he saw was an upturned tram, and a lad underneath—the horse, too, was down. By this time the place was full of coal dust and suffocating. Another minute and he came amongst a terrified group ; a horse had broken away wildly from its shafts, and was plunging violently. Near it stood many door boys, little fellows from 12 to 14, some without a light, and all ignorant of the way, and terrified by the danger. These were saved, and witness, too, by great exertion, reached the bot tom of the pit and escaped. The last sight that met his eye was a man blown literally into the sump, the lower end of the shaft ; stones, too, were whirled up the shaft, and there the noise was so loud as to be heard at the Cyfarthfa Railway. It will be seen by this man's evidence that a great quantity of gas was in the pit, and that the fireman, or man to whose duty it had fallen, had neglected to take serious pre cautions. By closing a door for half an hour, said witness, enough gas could be collected to be exceed ingly dangerous. Thus, so far as evidence yet goes, Gethin coal measures are so gaseous that an hour's neglect by an official and a momentary rashness of a collier will at any time conduce to one of these appalling tragedies. The inquest will be held before G. Overton, Esq., at Merthyr, on the 3d of January, Mr. Wales, the Government inspector, is understood to report fa vourably of the condition of the colliery, and for tunately he is in a position to give material evidence, having reached the pit a few hours after the occur , rence. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE—This day. LONDON, Dec. 26.—Wind this day at noon—South- Westerly; moderate breeze, and fine weather, but rather cloudy. _ _ PLYMOUTH, Dec. 25.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Celta scrcw steamer, from New York, and proceeded for London. FALMOUTH, Dec. 25.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Georgina, from Buenos Ayres ; Charlotte, from Rio Grande ; Eglan tine, from Sulina. CLYDE, Dec. 25.—Wind S.W.—Put back—Britannia, for Africa, leaky. HULL, Dec. - 25.—Wind W.S.W.—Arrived—Detroit, !rom Callao CARDIFF, Dec. 23.—Wind S.S.W.—Sailed—Samite, for Bilboa. LivEnrooL, Dec. 25.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Vigil, from Singapore; Henry, from Rio Grande; Alicia Bland, from Calcutta. SWANSEA, Dec. 23.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Bose of England, from Caldera. Mrr..roltD, Dec. 25.—Wind S.W.—Arrived.—Amity, from Newport. PORTSMOUTH, Dec. 23.—Wind W.S.W.—Arrived— Theresa, from Madras. TORBAY, Dec. 25.—WindW.—Arrived — Blanche, from Zante . for Antwerp. SUNDERLAND, Dec. 25.—Wind S.W.—Sailed—Stafford, for Bombay. SOUTHAMPTON, Dec. 24.—Arrived—Raubine, steamer, from the West Indies. Sailed—Natal, steamer, for the Cape of Good Hope. LBY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. I GRAVESEND, Tuesday Morning. Arrived, Dec. 26—John Morslam and Reconnaisance, from Guernsey ; Mary, from Ibrail ; Adolphe May, from Nantes ; Melona, from Guernsey; Gem, from Rouen ; Ocean queen, from Boulogne. DEAL, Saturday Morning. Passed, Dec. 2G —Cella, screw steamer, from New York for London. PENNY-A-LINE WORD-TAINTING. The same journal has an artist taking "pen-and-pencil notes." These notes are broken up, according to the proper model, to give effect. As a little problem, the reader may set him self to devise how he would describe the scene " Around the court !" Thus, in Capel-street the tide of the city's human ocean seems to set with constant flow, and through these narrow approaches to the court, that of Littleßritain street, and that by which Green-street is reached from North King-street, it is choked and impeded with its den sity. It is with difficulty the crowd of sullen men is threaded, &c. The next scene is "In the Court—How empty that gallery, those side seats, that passage on either side." The sketcher notices the wife of the prisoner. " Her husband is in the dock to-day! God keep you strong. 0 warm-hearted daughter of Innisfail ; for yours after all is a sore strait and dire travail this winter morn ing, and love stronger than death must be quivering your heart-strings as he plays them with painful touch to me lodies that make the eyes run over, and the throat full to choking. I will not look at you any more, but wish you well," &c. " Silence in the Court" is illustrated thus : " The harsh voice of the crier recalls me to the scene around."—Dickens's " All the Year Round." A RAILWAY COMPANY SOLD UP.—The announce ment is made that the furniture, fittings, telegraph instruments, &c., at all the stations belonging to the Hull and Hornsea Railway Company are about to be sold by auction, to satisfy the demands of certain creditors, and the company is now beyond the control either of the chair man or of the directors. It is further added that the com pany (whether they were in a position to do otherwise is not stated) positively refused to discharge the claims, and, consequently, the property must be sold. The sale is announced for Thursday, commencing at Sutton, and pro ceeding to the several stations, until the whole claim (said. to be from £2,000 to £3,000) be satisfied.—Eattern Morn ing News. • THIRD EDITION. SUN OFFICE, 7 o'CLocK. LONDON GAZETTE—This Evening. WHITEHALL, Dnc. 23. The Queen has been pleased to direct letters patent to be passed under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, granting unto the Right Hon. Granville George, Earl Granville,.K.G., the office of Con stable of her Majesty's Castle of Dover, and also the office of Warden end Keeper of her Majesty's Cinque Ports, and the office of Admiralty within the said Cinque Ports, in the room of Henry John, Viscount Palmerston, deceased. DOWNING-STREET, DEC. 23, The QueetlTaSl;;;; pleased to appoint Colonel William George llamley to be a Member of the Council of the Ber mudas or Somers' Islands. ADMIRALTY, DEC. 22. Royal Marine Line Infantry—First Lieutenant James Smail to be Captain, vice Henry, deceased ; Second Lieut. Fredk Jas. Ludgater 'to be First Lieutenant, vice Smail. To be Second Lieutenants—Henry Christopher Ricketts Macpherson, Alexander Allen, George Hobart, William Powell Rumley, Barry St. Leger Denny, linratio Horace Morgan, Arthur Dompille Corbot, Henry Richard Carter, John Frederick Luxmoore, Edward Aylmer Montagu Liardet, Henry Olive, John Newton Emra, and Boyd Cuf len P. Hamilton. _ DEC. 23. The following promotions have this day t a k en p l ace : Mr. Charles Blackadore to be Chief Boatswain in her Ma jesty's Fleet; Mr. John Hutchins to be Chief Carpenter in her Majesty's Fleet. COURSE OF EXCHANGE—This Evening , Amsterdam Short. 11 174 Ditto 3 Months. 12 14 Rotterdam 11 18} 12 2 12 2 25 55 25 55 13 9i 25 1..1 Antwerp Brussels Hamburg Paris 25 47i 25 47i 13 9f Short 25 10 Ditto 3 Months. 25 , 10 Marseilles Frankfort on the Maine 1201 Vienna Trieste -:— 10_80 25 45. 25 45 121 10 82i 10 85 30-1 6 28i 47 48 25 65 25 65 . Petersburgh Berlin 30 6 28 Madrid .: Cadiz Leghorn Milan Genoa Naples Palermo Messina 47i 25 60 25 60 25 60 25 60 25 60 25 60 25 65 25 65' 25 65 25 65 Military Pastimes at Malta. (From the lltalta Times, Dec. 14.) Yesterday morning Lieutenant and Adjutant Hammersley and Lieutenant Swinny, of the Ist battalion 22d Regiment, were brought before the magistrate, Dr. Vella, for assaulting, striking, and causing bodily injuries to several police-officers, in the night between the 7th and Bth inst., at half-past 1 o'clock, at Senglea, after having sent for the said constables under false pretences. Several witnesses, policemen and civilians, were produced, from whose evidence it appeared that a Maltese porter, who was passing the officers' quarters, was requested by the above two gentlemen to fetch them six policemen, without saying for what purpose they were required, offering him at the same time a dollar for his trouble, and keeping his cap as a pledge. On four constables appearing at the corner of the mess-house, they found Lieut. Swinny waiting for them, attired in his trousers and shirt, who in quired of them why six policemen had not come. He then whistled, and Lieutenant Hammersley came out, dressed in the same light attire. Lieutenant Swinny asked his companion if he was ready, and received an affirmative reply. Both officers then assumed a threatening attitude and clenched their fists. The constables, now perceiving what was intended, avoided a contest, two moving off in one direction and two in another. The two who took the direction towards Isola-gate were pursued, and one of them was overtaken and knocked down by Lieut. Swinny. The other continued his way to the station at Cospicua to obtain assistance. Of the other two, one returned to assist the constable who had been struck, but was prevented from giving him assistance by Lieutenant Hammersley. The fourth policeman went to the Marina of Senglea for fresh constables. In the meantime, the two policemen, who remained on the spot, were knocked down several times by the two officers and severely bruised. All this occurred in the vicinity of the barrack-gate at Isola, where there is a sentry posted, but who took no notice of the he oonstaMes for the guard. A rein forcemb... 11" V q .yi n g arrived, Lieutenant Swinny was h. en,,• after some. atance, to the Marina of Senglea ponce statront'PA.deutenant Hammersley was also seized, but on his shouting, " Guard, turn out," several soldiers issued from the barracks and rescued them. Early in the morning Lieut. Swinny was temporarily released by the orders of the adjutant of police, and summonses were issued for the two officers to appear on Mon day, the 11th inst., at the magistrates' court, on the above charges. The magistrate patiently examined the whole case, and remanded the prisoners, who were released on parole till the following Wednesday, when they again appeared at the bar and were sentenced to 3 months' imprisonment, and bound over to keep the peace in a sum of £5O each, to be guaranteed by two sureties each. Railway Traffic Returns for the Weeks Niles Opened. Receipts. Railways. 1865. Belfast and N. Counties 9ll Belfast and County Down l4} Blyth and Tyne 2B Brecon and Merthyr Bristol and Exeter _ 121} --, 1864 E 1.669 M 9 1,951 Caledonian, Scottish Central. 403 - Cambrian Cockermouth K & Penrlth .. 31k Cockermouth and Workin .. 0 Cork and Bandon 2O Cork, Blackrock, & Passage 6i Cork and Youghal Cornwall 65, Deeside l7 Do Extension ..., Dublin & BelfastJunetion 63 . Dublin and Drogheda 75 Dublin and Meath Dub. & Wicklow and Woad loe Forth and Clyde Junction Fiances, &c 5O _ ._ Glasgovi & South-Western 249 Gt. Eastern,Nrik.,&E.Union 7211 Great Northern 404 Great North of Scotland 6B Do Branches 42 (3t. Northn. & Westn. (Irel.) 7 lf fit.Southn. & Westn.(lrlnd.) 3B7t Great Western Hull & Hornsea 13 Highland , 245 I ris h North-11 estern 145 Lancashire & Yorkshire 403 Limerick and Ennis... 241 Limerick and Foy nee 26t Llanelly 461 Llynvi Valley London & North-Western London and Black Wall 5l London & South-Western Lond. Brighton, &S. Coast 2931 London, Chatham, & Dover; (134 all Metropolitan Extension t 12 Do. Kent L oast Lon., Tilbury, & Southend tdan.,Sheflield,& Lincolnsh Manch. S.Jun.&Altrincham.. 9} Maryport and Carlisle 2B Metropolitan Midland (inch N.-Western) 6774 Midland Gt. Westn. of hind 2eol Monmouthsh. Rail. & Canal lt North British, Edin., Perth and Dundee N-Eastern and Stock. & DarL 12051 North London ll North Staffordshire 258 Pembroke and Tenby lll Ithymney l9/ Scottish North-Eastern l3ts Somerset and Dorset 66 South Devon South-Eastern 315 Taff Vale 6l Ulster 10 . i Vale of Clwyd Waterford and Kilkenny 3l Waterford and Limerick 77 W'haven,Cleator,& Egrmnt lO Whitchaven Junction l3 Whitehaven &le urnessJun 33 FOREII.:N AND COLONIAL. Austrian B2B Bahia and San Francieco Belgian Eastern J unction 266 Bombay, Baroda, & Ccn. India 308 Detroit and idilwaukic lB9 Dutch Rhenish 108! Eastoru of France - Eastern Bengal East Indian _ 1119 Grand Trunk of Canada 1477 Great Central of Belgium 285 Great Indian Peninsula 590 Great Luxembourg 134 Great Southern of India Great Western of Canada 34.i Madras Madrid, Saragossa SzA dean t 778 Northern of Canada . 94 Northern of France 7'24 Norwegian Trunk -1 Ottoman . Paris, Lyons, .4z Mediterni 2006 Paris and Orleans lB2l Recife and San Francisco. &c 774 Sc.nde lO5 Do. Punjab, &c 2 53 South Austrian, &c 1658 Southern of France 663 Victoria ... Weiiand 26 West & N-Wn. of } rauce .. 1155 211 2,933 B,coB 31,301 34,037 1.609 1,135 416 7.530 67,6:4 96 2,680 1,691 31,240 155 103 502 386 108,007 1,709 2,32 16,53) 6,4 , 2 1,200 72) 1,1',4 17,013 1,297 1,382 2:tut 46,4.0 4.561: 2,9661 21,202 63 695 5,117 9.197 55 966 6,096 828 3,593 19.332 5,31 u 2.513 147 825 26 3 / 4 185 k 18%9 453 1,193 565 1(.8f 47,859 37,648 839 . 629 318 3 14 7,41 , 8 2,636 7,698 6,36( 5,7 f 0 5,236 74,723 66,0171 41,701 25,625 31,832 25,466 8,108 5,;28 24,616 14,972 6,t01 4.561 739 512 14,718 12,367 10,113 6,111.: 18,947 17,290 1, , ,93 1,144 6 ,4i5 58,018 .bB3 1,059 14 771 537 107, 147,364 131,667 1618 77,349 68.411 774 996 699 105 1,828 2,298 45 1,391 323 1627 61,838 56.463 ; 823 32,'.:33 29,266 196 11,828 8.237 25 1,430 240: 1016 5 ,936 40,072 J er )lk. .ily Lret a nd ,out A. itly Ber es of s in ,mpt eaty 7t of 101} 103} 1 '' I