The Sun. — London, England, 1866-02-17 00:00:00

711n1TEy MARKET AND COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENC:h, TWELVE O'CLOCK. There is scarcely any alteration in the discount market, but discounters are enabled to transact business on easier terms. The Stock Exchange Committee have appointed Wednesday, the 21st instant, a special settling day i n the Shares of the General Exchange Bank, which are not to be marked. The specie movement during the past week has been on a very extensive stale consequent upon large arrivals from Australia, America, and the Continent. The imports have amounted to £1,041,072, while the exports have only been to the extent of £60,512. The gold sent into the Bank of England yester day afternoon amounted to £40,000. The Syria has arrived from Alexandria with specie to the amount of £82,986. A. report will be presented at the ordinary gene ral Aeeting of the Oriental Commercial Bank t he that the p ro fit s f or th e s i x mont h s en di ng re 31st December last, after payment of all charges, salaries, remuneration to directors, &c., are £19,627 13s. 2d., being equal to 23 per cent. per a nnum on the amount of paid-up capital ranking for dividend. The directors now declare an in terim dividend for the past six months at the rate of 10 per cent. per annum, clear of income tax, which will absorb £8,500, leaving a balance of 4.11,127 13s. 2d. to be carried forward for appro priation at the end of the financial year in June next. Two O. rather larger amount of business ' CLOCK has been transacted to-day in the market for Stocks and Shares. Sales have preponderated for the purpose o f realising profits after the late advance, and Consols have in consequence reached to the extent of per cent., the latest prices being 87+ 8 for ra „. °ll eY, and 87i f or th e M arc h sett l ement. Th e ew Threes and Reduced Annuities are quoted • ) 17 A 1 ; Exchequer Bills, 75. 3s. dis. ; Bank Stock, ," 7 ; India 5 p er C en t s ., 102+ ; do. 4 per Cent. Debentures, 98+ ; and do. Bonds, 15s. prem. In the Foreign Department there has been a 4 _, 111 1 averag e o f b us i ness, b ut t h ere has been a little d epressio n , as will be seen by the following latest quotations :—Turkish 5 per Cents. are 381 f ; exiean 221 ; ditto New, 20+ ; G ree k , 14 ; S panish Pas s i ve , 27 1 ; C ert ifi cates, 151 16 ; Italian, 101 61; the Confederate Loan, 5 7 ; Brazilian Scrip, nit 2 i prem. ; an d E gypt i an Scrip, 14 i• prem. ; ed States Government 5-20 Bonds are 68 f ; Erie Shares, 53 1 ; and Illinois, 76 In the R a il way Share Market the dealings have b • een moderately active, but prices in one or two I stances have shown less firmness. Great Eastern, G Lincoln, Western, an d Manchester, Sheffield, and 44 neoln, have each receded 10s. ; and Midland, 15s. In the Foreign and Colonial lines, Grand Trunk of Canada have declined to 45i. The dealings iu American Securities have been (5 . a very limited scale. Erie shares have receded States3k ; Illinois shares to 761 ; and United 5-20 Bonds, 1 to 78 +. • 4 Bank and Miscellaneous Shares generally are in Moderate request, without material change in prices. BRITISH FUNDS—CLOSING PRICES. GO VERNMENT FUNDS. ber Cent. Consols Do. Account, March 6 B7/ 1 1. 8 Per C 871 f N OW ent. Reduced 'W 3 per Cent B7f 14 NOW . II 2 k Per Cent. Jan. 1894 _ A -0 - per Cent. Jan. 1873 — h -11)anities, 30 yrs, expire sth Jan., 1880 for 30 yrs, ex p ire sth April, 1885 — t. „ . Do (Red Sea Telegraph), Aug., 1908 7 •_ lehequer Bills, £l,OOO, 3 per Cent 37 7 Do, £5OO Do £lOO and £2OO Bank 7 (4 England Stock, 5 per Cent In - 4, 13 / 4 1 ‘ GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. 1 -. ) '' ll Stock, 10/ per Cent., AprillB74 — Account Do. Account O. 5 per Cent. Oct 1870 I ) ° ' 4 per Cent., Oct. 1888 D O. Certificate - o' ,I:daced Paper 4 per Cent — D O - '''' ° Per Cent., Jan. 1872 D ° : 5 ,, i Per Cet., May 18 7 9 13 1 per Cent., Aug. 1866 o 11 h • -uuds, £l,OOO -0 under £l,000 it -N REIGN FUNDS—CLOSING PRICES. iirznstrilia Bonds, 5 p er C en t, 1859 — t n ill n 5 per Cent Do Per li Per Cent., 1852-58-60 1863 Do • 1865 Do Acco t 761 6 D o R 1111 /3 11 * ' - 'erllN £35 paid -eOl3B A 6 Cent — b b_ . , de yres per 0 0 d. count of,Y,. 1 per Cent (Deferred 3 per Cent ) 9 — ,} ril 6 per Cent It 4 i Per Cent — ,abian 6 Per Cent. — 6 11 ,,,°a 8 per Cent. a Aush 3 per Cent., 1825 jc°- 4 per Cent., 1863 Danubian "EL r Cent., 1773-77, £25 paid — Principalities tgeadAorceNiune:u;;;;ii.dza,l per .Cent — 1) 0. , Provisional L an d Warrant....... - Vptian 7 per Cent ')°▪ . Second Issue " o .£loo Bonds 95/ , Do. 1864 93 ( 1 '"0 £lOO Bonds t Ts e elt 5 per Cents., 1824-5, ex Coupons — l4 1-10. Account D o , G Account 4„ ". Account it.,rnala 5 per Cent. — D o l4ll 5 er Ce t 1865 Ace') en 7 76f Account hie.• Itiaremnaana Railway 6l* _ h ic au per Cent "e• Account Reg D 1864 2O 1 111,, per Cent. Anglo-French _ 140,1t9videan 6 per Cent., £3O paid ble rBll Imperial 5 per Cent Iv G ran da 141 °0 2 a 1, per Cent ).)o Deferred t, arr i a B n 6 t 4 s (Hectares) N.6°l4ar en t, P kivaranteed, 4 per Cent _ 1) via ll 5 per Cent, 1865 Doo. g ~ ueoutit b n ,Per Cent. (Uriba Aort;2l per Cent., 1862 rren) 4 ; ;Pese 3 p er C ent., 1853 -- 80, ,Peer Cent, 1856, '7, '9, '6O, '62, '3 , —_ Itiass; Account 4sf * 0, 144 5 per Cent, 1822, £ St — B o 4 Per Cent. 1850 D 0 ; Per Cent., 1860 o Pez Cent. 1859 ... „ D o '-' Per Cent. 1862 .... kiardir,"; Per Cent. 1864 ... 0 0 7, 4 , 4 5 per Cent ... 0„-.7-(0 Bands tip ": j't per Cent 441 811 3 . I), A per Cent bel) „recount Neal Deferred — I) 0 Account b Account BNltlic' A ccount ' 7 4 4 7 t , D o 81 A 1 Cert. of Coup not funded — QIN , • - ' e celint 151 16 edtsl i 4 be per Cent. —T,: 4 1 Per Cent. 1864 ur, cto , n D o ' ° Per Cent. 1854 — ° D Ac t unt • 91 13Per Cent 1858 Do A s „ .b, ount 691 f b e flOO B onds 751 13 ' Per Cent 1862 — Do .&„_ . 00 ,cont 661 6 D o 41 °0 Bond s 66 54 64 , 6 ~„ -Jo 5 per Cent., 1863 121 Per Cent 1865, paid up Scrip — 13 0 4 4 e ceunt " Ir„ Per Cent. Guaranteed _ 1 4, 11e1a 3 Per Cent. — DOOl - aeceUot O . 6 A Pe n ! Cent, 1862 -- '-'"-- no ot ____ D o. h. 1864 _ At lat . 'llvidenets on the above payable in London. P o i Nu, 5 ti gla4 A , v-r uent, Ex. 10 Florins F - 'llteh :Z. - ti per cent Ex. 25f. -, 1 --0 P Pel' Ce nt., Ex. 12 Gail ,te nch per Cent. Certificates 4tAl .:"'elates 3 p er C ent. D O ' A per Cent, 1861, Ex. 25f. ' te e•oluat G 0 ' ........ g C° l l 3 B°lB fo r ni ......................... 1:11TO O'CLOCK. 87f i DO . A ccouttt Oney Zip 901 4 891 (1.1)001 Cotton Alarket. —TLis Day. -uhe bale s. Illarket opens steady. Sales probably 8,000 The Price of Gold. —As— tjthaLl!otation of gold at Paris is about 4 per mill pm and 00,Z7t exchange on London is 25.24 per £1 ster l in g . . U_ _ 14.7'k; these rates with the English Mint t tearb, 4(l * Per ounce for standard gold, it appees that gol price of is 11,. / i -Roth per cent• dearer in London than in Paris. Iticljtal.4vie'' 'torn naniburg the price of gold Is 424 per mark 1., le Bhort exchange London is 13.4 a per £1 sttrlin -41 dard o n Abo ut 4 , gold at the Engli,li Mint price Is, there tore, at the same price in London and Hamburg% SHARE MARKETS--This Day. ORDINARY SHARES AND STOCKS. Share/ Railways. I p aid. l Closing I Business Price. done. Bristol and Exeter Caledonian Cambrian Cork and 8and0n...... Cornwall Dublin & Belfast June Dun„Perth, & . b.Junc E. London, trip Certi 1)0. Glasgow & S. Vcc stern Great Eastern, Ord. stk. Do. E. Angl. at. No. 1 Great Xorth of Scotland Great Northern DJ. A stock Do. B stock 93 95 131 33 65 70 13 15 4i 5i 68 70 70 72 67 8 114 116 30 40 66 76 , 29 131 118 119 Do.:•ew. 18. at 25 pml GtS, and W. of Ireland Gt. Weate n -Original 1) . s. Val. Rail guy,. Do. South Wales Do. W. Md.—Oxford Do. Newpo:t Do. Hereford co 92 63. 59 6 4 *3 35 37 101 k 1,3 123 124 b 9 97 08 85 37 45 5 127 )274 114 95 65 Oil 134 135 3 Pip 1 lip 98 10 Lanc shire & Yorkshire I,4ndon and Blackwall Lon., Brigh., Lit S Coast Lon., Chat., and Dover Do. Metrop. Ex. A Lou. 4; North Western Lon. Jc South Western Man., Shet., 3; Lincoln Metropolitan Do. New Do. Extension.... Metropolitan District, Do do. do. Do. and St. John T ard Mid and Do. L 9 Share 1271 128 li It t gii 118 Do, Birmin & Derby vl id Kent North British Do. Ed., Pth , & Dun Nth. Eastern— Berwick Do. 14. N •E purchabt. Do. Leeds Do. York Do. Carlisle ..... Do. Stock. & Darling. Do. do. 1860-61 North London Do. do. 1864 CO 62 7 28 112 114 Do. do. 1865 worth Staffordshire N. & S. W. Junction Scottish Central Scot. N. E Aber. stock uo. Scot, Mid. stack Shropshire Union South Devon 'outh E stern Staines, Wok., & Wok Taff Vale Do. C Vale o► Neath Waterford & Kilkenny Waterloo & Whiteha 1 West Cornw iil I tKITIS H P Atlantic & St.Lawrcnce Born., Baroda, e Cen.ln. gu. s pecent... Do. F shares Buffalo k Lake Huron Do. Preference Buff.,Brant, & Goderich 6 p.c. 872-3- Calcutta & 8. E., lira at e Town & Dock, gu Demerara, 7 p.c. per. p East. Ben:al, gu., 5 do East Indian, gu. 5 p.c. Do. J Extension (rand Trunk of Canad a Do. Equip. Mort, Bonds I charge 6 p.c Do. Ist l'ref. Bonds Do. do. deferred Do. 2d Pr, f. Bonds Do. do. deterred Do. 3d Pref. stock Do. do. deferred Do. 4th Fret. stock Do. do. deterred Gt. India Pen. gua. sp.c. 1 'co. Gua. 5 per cent Do. New gua. 5 p. 0 Gt. South of India gua. 5 per cent D . 41 per cent , Do Great W. s. of Canada..l Do. New Do. 6 p. c. Bdo. pay. 1873 I Jo. 54 do. pay. 1877-8.. Indian Branch, limited Madras, gua. 5 p.c Do. 41 do Do. 4; do Do. Filth Extensiol. Melb. Cor. 6 p. c. Buds. Mel. & Hudson's Bay.. N. Itl.C'da,6pc Istptbs. Scinde Do. Delhi Do. do a. Do. Punjaub Do.lndus St Flo " I COLONIAL GO VER fah Columbia, 6 per cent., Dec. 31, 1872. Can.Gov.6 p.c.Ja.‘St July 1877-84 Do. 6 p. c. Feb. & Aug.. DO. 5 p. c. Mar. & Sept uo. 5 p. c. Jan. & July Do. sp. Inscribed sk Cape G. Hope, 6 p.c. 1873, Do.Apl.&Oct 1890-1900 Do. do; 1880-9 Do. Jan.&July, 1890-9. Do. 5 per cent. 15 April ancl - 16 Oct., 1900 Ceylon, Nov. 1868, 6 p. Do. 1878, do Mauritius, 6 p. c, 1873, Jan* and July Do. 1 , 78 Do. 1881, Mayls, Nov, Do. 1895, Feb. 4t Aug Natal .iov. o per cent N. B.Gov. 6 p.c.Ja. uly N. S.W. Gov. 5 p•c., 1866 Do. 5 p. c. 18;1 to 187 t, Do. 5 p.c. 1888 to 1891 New Zealand, 6 p. cent Do. 5 per cent.... Nova Sc tia Gov. 6 p. c sterling„ 1875 Queensland Gov. 6 p. c 6. Aus.Gov. 6 p.c 1868-9 Do. 1878 & upwards Vic,Gov. 6 p.c. Ja &July Do. do, A pril & Oct BRIT" Cam. Consol. Gold, lim Chiverton Clifford Amalgamated Devon G. Cons. (Tavist Drakewalls East Bassett (Illogan) East Caradon Easc Cam Brea Past Grenville East Gunnislake ;East Loved E. W'l Russell (Tavistk (1 am. & StAubyn(G wen. Great, L ,xey, limited Great South Tolgus Great Wheal Busy G. Wheal Vor (Heist Grenville Herod's Foot •••• Hlngston crowns Margaret , Uny Lelant Rorke Valley Niwyndy Iron Ore, liar New Se ton North Roskear N.Wh'l Bassett (11logau North Whe.d Crotty Prosper united Pr vidence tiny L.lant S. Caradon (St. Cleer) South Condurrow &Wheal Fran. (Mogan Stray Park Tin Croft iTigTa and Cl gan, West I;assett (Illogan W. Caradon (L , skeardi West Chi rerton West Seton. Wheal Bassett 'lllogan Wheal Buller (Redruth Wheal Mary Ann (Men Wheal Setou IWheal Tielawney (Lis, 72 73 108 109 37 38 104 Dip 121 126 1,2 p 16 2 n 75 77 11 12 147 149 68 70 112 114 63 55 76 76 8 9 147 150 3 102 104 51 63 ISSIONS, Ai 6) 99h 100 h id 0 74 8 10 11 74 78 96 98 65 70 100 102 100 101 102 103 45 49 87 90 68 70 60 e 3 62 64 53 56 48 51 44 47 38 40 96 38 103 104 09 100 91 93 171 171 n 62 o 4 84 e 6 1 40 93 lot 90 92 86 88 64 0 8 82 98i 994 98 99 98 99 1031 4 171 } 17 % 'IIIENT SECUR 94 P 6 93 lifi 95 97 0 82 76 W 101 103 104 106 104 106 101 103 90 92 101 103 106 1.8 102 104 103 tO5 103 1(5 I'•4 100 94 101 93 95 93 95 87i 88 100 102 84 84 F 8 103 98 100 104 106 105 106 ,NES. ti 94 14 16 570 690 i lit 19 2 6i 71 it 4i 4 t 11 14 3 31 5 7 20 21 1i 2 3i 3C 32 31 Sf 40 4z 6} 51 b 7 4 44 21 Itd 40 50 13 f 5 i ! 37 39 410 430 2 1 ?8 22 9 11 19 20 4 6 3 8 10 77i 82 183 125 81 95 25 24 3 6' 230 23 , 16 174 811 2 1} N.; le if; RENCE btiAktiCb. North Staffoidshire, 2lf 1 4 1)REMN RAILWAYS. Antwerp and Rotterdam, It Recite and San Francisco, Rm., gua. 7 per cent., 1211 Sambre and Meuse, 8l F. nii4;IGN Mrivicfa. Chontales Gold and Silver Mining, 4 3 St. John del Key, lim., 55i BANKE; Agra and 31 asterman's, Um., 54k Alliance, 11 , u., 291 $f Anglo Austrian, 7 Australasia, 72 Bank 01 Egypt, 31} Chartered Bank of India, Australia, and China, 231 City, 2 Consolidated Bank, Hm., 91 Eng ish Joint Stock, lira., European Bank, Um., lif I mperial Bank, Um., 291 304 Imperial Ottoman, 134 London Bank of 1 , 1 exho and S. America, lint, 141 I London and Brazilian (Um.), Ditto, new. 71 London Chartered Bank of Australia, 23 London and County, 77 London and 1% eatminster, 96 f 51 Merchant Bank, linu., 26 Midland Bank, lira., 20 Oriental Banx Corporation, 53 Oriental Commercial Bank, lim., late 0. C., Of Scinde, Punjaub, and Delhi, Dit o, issued at 2 pm., 14 Uniou of A uatralia, 53, 4 Union of London, 53} MISCELLANEOUS. Atlantic Telegraph, 8 per cent. gua., 2; canada Company, t,O Ceylon Company, 10 Coolnercial Union, Insurance, 71 Credit roncler and Mobilier of England. 81- Crystal Palace, 6 per cent. perpetl. deb., 1.0 Electric Telegraph, 1374 Fore-strict Warehouse, lint., IC; Gen. Credit and Finance 01 L inuon. Jim., 5 44 Hudson's Bay, 174 Imperial Mercantile Credit Asso., 6 61 International Financial society, lint., 6 4 Interational Credit. lint., 6 Joint Stock Discount, Jim., 44 $ London District Telegraph lint.. 11 London Financial Association. lint, 134 13 121 London General Omnibus Company, lira, 3; London and Glasgow Engineers , g and Iron Sbip, lint. 104 Lon Provincial Marine, 24 M dras Irr:gation and Canal, Ditto (all), 18 National Discount Company, 141 Northern Assam Tea, Jim., - DA' o. B, 3j North British Australasian, 56 x d from Ist Jan. Ocean Marine Insurance), 20. Overend, Gurney, and Co., lint., 19; Peninsula and Oriental steam, 74 Thames and Mersey (Marine) Insurance, 1im.,:74 Union Marine, Liverpool, lint., 31A Upper Assam Tea. lim.. 44 Tan Diemen's Land, 9} LONDON SCOTTISH RIFLE VOLUNTEERS.—It has been resolved by the London Scottish Volunteers to give a dinner to their new honorary colonel, Lieut.-General Sir James Hope Grant, G.C.B. The meeting•will take place at St. James's-hall on Wednesday, March 14—Lieut.- Colonel Lord Elcho, M.P., in the chair. 44 391 131 1471 8} 62 Jiiii CO 81 98 3ii 1208 7 951 5 61/ 85 4 2 134 5 92 10-i 127 k I I ; C2l 2 i 113 73 1119 8f 100 1,0 100 10 100 tOO 'OSSK II M 3.2.0 18.18 9 35.15.6 THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 17, 1866. r_PILIRD EDITION. SUN OFFICE, 7 O'CLOCK. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT HOUSE OF LORDS-THIS EVENING. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack ai four o'clock. There was a full attendance of peers, but no business was transacted until 20 minutes to five o'clock. SUSPENSION OF THE HABEAS CORPUS ACT IN IRELAND. The Bill for the Suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act in Ireland was brought up from the House of Commons, with the usual pr a yer f or it s assen t by th e i r l or d s hip s .. Earl RUSSELL, in moving that the bill be read a first time, said that her Majesty's Government had not adopted the extreme course involved in this bill without due consideration of the circumstances which existed in Ireland up to the present time. They had been compelled to resort to the introduction of the bill solely by the ne cessity of the case. It had been discovered that a power ful conspiracy had arisen in Ireland, the object of which was to subvert the Government of this country in Ireland; and the acts of the conspirators had been so notorious as to show that they wanted to exhibit their strength and not to seek concealment of their object. It was indispensably necessary that immediate action should be taken by the Government, and, accordingly, proceedings with which their lordships were familiar had been adopted to suppress the movement, but these had been ineffectual. Had it not been for the civil war in America the present disturbed state of Ireland would not have arisen. At the end of that war a million of dollars were subscribed at one time with the view of invading Canada, and afterwards with the view of invading Ireland. The object of this Fenian movement was to take possession of property in Ireland, to upset both Churches in that country ; it was, in fact, a movement directed against vested rights and religion. (Hear, hear.) Of course it was the object of the origi nators of this movement to procure as much support as they could on behalf of their object, and for that purpose they had established an organised system throughout Ire land and the United States, whore a sympathy with the movement was felt. All these facts had come to the know ledge of the Lord Lieutenant and the Executive, and at tempts had been made to arrest the progress of the movement, but it had been found that these attempts had been inade quate. As a proof of the extent to which the movement had extended, the noble lord referred to the attempts which had been made to tamper with - her Majesty's soldiers, which, to their credit, had been unsuccessful. Under these circumstances, there was no course left open to the Government in order to prevent dis order, the devastation of property, and the other effects that would follow on the progress of such a movement, even if it were temporarily successful, but to adopt the most stringent measures which had been sanctioned by precedent in times of emergency. (Hear, hear.) The emisssaries of the Fenians from America had been so numerous, that the Lord Lieutenant said he could not be held responsible for the safety of Ireland without he was armed with the powers sought by the bill, and the Govern ment felt that the time had arrived when they could ask the Legislature to give its assent to the bill, which un doubtedly was one of great power. If Government were to allow the proceedings to go on, and if they were to allow the military measures to go on, Government would be in curring a very great responsibility in not asking for power to put an end to such a state of things. The prin cipal emissaries in the Fenian conspiracy were men from America to whose employment the termination of the civil war had put an end. The suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act would enable the Lord-Lieutenant to lay his fingers on those men, and thus they would be placed with those who had already had their trial by the ordinary tribunals of the country. It might be said that the Government was asking for this very stringent mea sure without having measures of a remedial nature to back them up ; but he thought that in putting down this con spiracy the Government were taking the highest and best remedial measures in their power. (Hear.) The object of passing the bill, in fine, was to preserve the peace in Ire land, and to maintain the authority of the Queen in that country. (Hear, hear.) He now moved that the bill be read a first time. The motion was then agreed to. The LORD CHANCELLOR, the standing orders hav ing been suspended, put the second reading of the bill. The Earl of DERBY said he did not rise for the pur pose of offering any opposition to the motion, because he supposed that the state of matters in Ireland had altered very materially since the opening of Parliament. He should abstain from all lengthy remarks, but he could not certainly coincide in the observation that the Fenian con spiracy was solely the result of the termination of the civil war in America. Tho time might come when further explanation might be called for, but at the present time all that was to be done was to assent to that measurro which nearly 370 members of the Houso of Commons had approved. There had been an insignificant minority of six in the other house, and he did hope that there would not be even one member in that house hesitate in the cause of order, but that power would be given to the Govern ment which they by their bill now asked for. The bill then passed through its other stages. TELEGRAPH (IRELAND) BILL. Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY moved and obtained leave to bring in a bill giving the Lord-Lieutenant power over the telegraph lines in Ireland. The house then adjourned during pleasure. It was understood that their lordships will re-assemble to-night at 11 o'clock to give the royal assent to the bill. HOUSE OF COIVIMONS—THis DAT. The SPEAKER took the chair at 12 o'clock, at which hour there was a very full attendance of members. SUSPENSION OF THE HABEAS CORPUS ACT IN IRELAND. Sir G. GREY said he rose with deep and sincere regret to move for leave to introduce a bill for the above object, and in doing so he was fully impressed with the feeling that the power was one which no Government ought to hastily and lightly ask for. (Hear, hear.) He made the motion with the deep sense of the power it placed in their hands, but after exhausting every power known to the existing law, the Government now asked for the authority given by the bill to crush out a wicked and wide-spread conspiracy, and to afford protection to the loyal and faith ful subjects of her Majesty in that part of her kingdom. Some might be of opinion that the application was made too late, others that it was made too soon. The Fenian organisation had been known to exist in 1862, but it was not until the termination of the war in America that the movement fornied a shape and extent at once dangerous and widespread. The natives of Ireland who had enrolled themselves in the service of America, having nothing on hand at the close of the war, organised themselves, in conjunction with the disaffected in Ireland, into a conspiracy, the avowed object of which was to subvert the authority of the Queen, and to sepa rate Ireland from the other parts of the kingdom, and to declare there the existence of a republic. The Govern ment had closely watched the action of 'these parties, and it was not until they could strike a blow with overwhelming effect that they thought it their duty to apply to Parlia ment for the powers now sought. (Hear, hear.) The first seizure that took place was that of a paper published in Ireland called the Irish People, in which sedition was published in the most open and daring manner, and so well was the nature of those articles known that he would not insult the house by reading from it. (Ileac, hear.) A man named Stephens had been one of the great moving powers of the conspiracy, and up to the pre sent he, it was to be regretted, was still at large. The members of the conspiracy who had been captured, had been brought to trial, and every one of them had been convicted. But that was not all. It had become known that sums of money have been discovered, the object of which was to corrupt the, loyal part of the population, and large quantities of arms and ammunition had also been brought to light. The emissaries from America had succeeded in enlisting supporters in different parts of the country, but it was with deep regret that in nearly every regiment in Ireland these people had in sinuated themselves with a view of seducing the soldiery from their loyalty. It was to be 'regretted, as unfortunately was the case, that some of the soldiers had lent a too ready ear to these solicitations, and were new awaiting their trial; but he felt satisfied and convinced that the house and country might depend upon the loyalty of the army as a whole. (Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") Then, again, it had been said that the Government, fear ing the extent of the Fenian conspiracy, had abstained from sending Irish soldiers to that country, but he could answer the house that the Commander-in-Chief had not departed, in one instance, from the roster in sending English and Scotch soldiers only to Ireland. (Hear, hoar.) It had been for some time necessary to search various ships arriv ing in Ireland from America, and in several of them large quantities of arms had been discovered, and fortunately pre vented from reaching the destinations for which they were intended. (Hear, hear.) During the Fenian trials no less than 36 leaders of the conspiracy had been condemned to penal servitude, and others sentenced to long terms of imprisonment, and it was hoped that the movement would have been stopped ; but the contrary had been the result, the danger had gone on increasing, and the Government had been compelled to proclaim in Sligo, Carlow, and Tralee. If the remedy was sharp, the disease, it must be confessed, was strong. (Hear, hear.) The number of emissaries from America was known pretty well to the Government. (Hear, hear.) There were 340 in the provinces and 160 in Dublin, making in all about 500, but the number was being constantly augmented by fresh arrivals from America. The Government had also discovered three manufactories of pikes, bullets, and cartridges in Dublin, but it was too apparent other depots still remained undiscovered, because there would be no I use for bullets without there were muskets and rifles to put 7 them in. (Hear, hear.) The audacity with which the 1 conspiracy was conducted was astonishing, because emis saries from America had actually been surprised in sketching our forts and other means of defiance to the Queen's authority. (Hear, hear.) The most dangerous feature, however, of the conspiracy was the attempt to seduce the troops. He would not go into that part of the case on that occasion, further than to say that at present it only existed to a limited extent — (hear, hoar)—but what he had to ask the house was whe ther these emissaries from America were to be allowed to go on distilling their poison. He felt that the mea sure asked for was but too much required, because the Government were in receipt of communica tions from the Lord Lieutenant, in which it was stated that he could not be responsible for the safety of the country, and without the power which the act would give him he could not undertake to avert the serious mischief which threatened Ireland. (Hear.) The most disastrous consequences would result if the movement was to go on unchecked. Capital would be debarred from entering the country, and other nations would inevitably benefit by it which could not but be fraught with disaster to the loyal portion of the population. (Hear, hear.) Govern ment had shown their estimation of the responsibility rest ing on them by making the proposal ho had made to the house, and it was for the house to say whether or no they would give them the power. (Hear, hear.) He hoped the house would be of opinion that he had made out his case —(hear, hear) —because the strengthening the hands of the Government by this measure would be to enable them to c.ush out this enormous mass of sedition. (Hear, hear.) He proposed only to limit the operation .of the Act to six mouths, and under these cireumstances he moved for leave to bring in the bill The hon. baronet resumed his seat amidst loud cries of "Hear, hear," from both sides of the house. Mr. DISRAELI did not rise to offer any opposition to the course proposed by Government. He only wished to express his opinion that there had been too much delay already. (Hear.) He could not but think that there had been too much hastiness shown last session in repealing an act of Parliament which would doubtless have been found of great service in the present emergency. He alluded to the repeal of the _Rapparee Act. The house had been told that this conspiracy had been fostered and extended by emissaries from America ; but if the Act of George 111., to which he had already referred, had not been repealed, these dangers could never have occurred, because theprovisions of that bill brought the ppople whom t was now sought to bring within the hold of justice within its scope and operation. (Hear, hear.) The duty of the house was to him perfectly clear, and admitted of no misunderstanding. (Hear.) He should pursue the same course as he had done in 1848, when the home Government had to ask for similar powers as those now asked for. (Hear, hear.) He should give his strongest support to the Government. (Hear, hear.) But while he did did this he thought it was but right to take the speediest steps for the introduction of remedial measures. (Hear, hear.) This state of affairs was not produced by grievances of an internal, agrarian, domestic, or religious grounds. (Hear, hear.) It aimed much higher—(hear, hear)—it aimed at the throne of England, and the greatness of the kingdom. (Loud cheers.) He should give his complete support to the Government, and. he hoped the house would give its consent to the motion unanimously, at the same time he pressed upon the importance of promptitude of action. This was no fancied conspiracy ; it was a conspiracy the great object of which was to deprive her Majesty of one of the most valuable possessions of the British Crown. (Hear, hear.) Mr. BRIGHT said he never, during the twenty years he had sat in Parliament, rose to speak with so strong a sense of shame and humiliation as he did on the present occasion. During the whole of the time he had been in Parliament nothing had ever been done for the people of Ireland except upon emergencies, and all her demands had been treated with insult and contempt. He asked the house if that was not the fact. Nothing had been done for the last five-and-twenty years for Ireland which could be called statesmanship. (Hear, hear.) There had been arms' bills and coercive acts every session (hear, hear) —bat when were measures whose great aim and object was the improvement of the generous and true-hearted people of Ireland. He challenged the house to point out where he was wrong in his observations. He contended that were the heartburnings and party fights for office between the two great opposing sections in that house to be laid aside, and measures for the improvement of Ireland adopted in their place, then Ireland could be made a strength and not a weak ness. (Hear, hear.) Ireland had always been neglected and treated with contempt, and was it to be wondered at that under such circumstances she should attempt to gain that to which she had a perfect right, viz., equality with England. (Hear, hear.) The country had been oppressed and illtreated for years, and the whole had been brought about by neglect and mismanagement. Ho did not intend to oppose the propo sition of the Government, because under the circumstances the course about to be pursued was the only merciful course for Ireland. (Hear, hear.) He, however, maintained that the present condition of Ireland was a blot on the Crown and a scandal on tho civilisation of the country. Mr. ROEBUCK wished to know what had induced the hon. member for Birmingham to deliver the speech he had just delivered himself of. Was it for the pur pose of smoothing or Conciliating the present condition —(hear, hear)—because if such had been his intention he (Mr. Roebuck) must say he had missedhis mark. (Loud cries of "Hear, hear.") The hon. member had taken the opportunity to find fault with everything that had been done for Ireland for the last twenty years, but he did not agree with him in such a statement. Every matter brought forward for the amelioration of the condition of Ireland had always been most atten tively and carefully considered—(hear, hear)—but one thing the hon. member for Birmingham had not done he shad not in one instance placed his finger on one thing that been done detrimental to Ireland— (hear, hear)—neither had he made known in one particular what he considered ought to have been done. (Hear, hear.) It was all very well to be an admir able declaimer, and to lament over the miseries of Ireland, but he wanted to know what they were. (Hear, hear.) One of her great grievances was the Irish Church— (hear, hear)—but did they not think that the Church of England was as great a grievance to the Roman Catholics. Ho thought the state of Ireland would not be at all improved by the speech of the honourable member for Birmingham, but quite the contrary. Mr. HORSMAN condemned the speech of the hon. member above him (Mr. Bright), but it appeared to him after the most minute attention that the hon. member had forgotten to say whether he disapproved of or agreed with Fenianism. There was one thing of which he felt perfectly convinced —that the Fenians would place a high value on the speech of the hon. member for Birmingham. He could only imagine his motive for delivering it on the present occasion was because he had prepared it for the motion of the hon. member opposite (The O'Donoghue) on the Address, and had then been precluded from delivering himself of it, and therefore he was unwilling that so much eloquence should •be lost. (Hear, hear.) The hon. member for Birmingham seemed to him to be " One of those patriots to be walled alone, Friends of every country but their own." He (Mr. Horsman) could not think the people of Ireland would look upon the hon. member for Birmingham as a benefactor in the past, or a safe guide for the future. Mr. DILLON thanked the hon. member for Birmingham for the speech he had just delivered, which he looked upon as the truest, noblest, and most generous address it had ever been his good fortune to hear. He was opposed to the bill now sought by the Government. Mr. J. S. MILL hoped the Government would use the enormous powers given by the bill cautiously, and that they would not go to sleep again for the next 15 years, but that they would direct their energies to the improve ment of the condition of the country. After a few words from Mr. MOORS and Mr. CONOLLY, Sir G. GREY said he could not but say a more Fenian speech than that delivered by the hon. member for Bir- mingham he had never heard. (Hear, hear.) Ho con demned the Fenians in Ireland as a body of lawless ma rauders, banded together for the appropriation of property of every kind. (Hear, hear, and No, no.) Hon. members might say, " No, no," but he contended that life and pro perty were the chief causes of assault in Ireland. (Hear, hear.) He denied that the Roman Catholic clergy were to be looked upon, According to the member for --- Sheffield, as the abetters of conspiracy ; he emphatically denied such an assertion ; on the contrary, he (Sir G. Grey) was of opinion that the peace of Ireland, up to the present time, had probably been preserved by the Catholic clergy. (Hear, hear.) The O'DONOUGHUE thanked the hon. member for Birmingham for his speech, and said if the tenour of it was acted upon it would go far to put down Fenianism. (Hear, hear.) lie thought if the Government had determined to thoroughly investigate into the matters that had brought the Fenian movement and say so the greatest good would re sult. (Hear, hear.) He could not agree in that which had been said, viz., that robbery and murder were the great aim and object of the disaffected in Ireland. (Hear, hear.) Co ercion was not what was wanted in Ireland—(hear, hear) —it would only create panic and intensify disaffection, and produce exactly the opposite result that the Government desired to bring about. One of the greatest triumphs for Stephens would bo the action of the Government that day. (Cries of " No, no.") He said " Yes, yes ;" and further that when the news arrived in America they would come to tLo conclusion that the matter was much more important than it really was. They would say "We must subscribe, we must get our ships ready, for the movement must be im portant when the G.wernment of the Queen comes forward in the British House of Commons and proposes to suspend the Constitution. He could only deeply icgrat that the Government had been so precipitous as to introduce this The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the time, he thought, had now arrived when the house ought to come to a decision on the bill now before it, but before it did so he thought it was right he should refer shortly to some of the observations adddressed to the house during the debate. With respect to the act referred to by the hon. member for Buckinghamshire as being repealed just at the time it was wanted. NOW that act was passed for a different object to that which the hon. member now states it would apply to. He (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) did not think the Government would have been justified in putting in action an act passed for vagrants and vagabonds against those whom it was now sought to restrain ; and with respect to the want of fore sight of which the Government had been accused of in that respect, it should be borne in mind that the bill for the repeal of the act had been moved in the House of Lords by the Earl of Donoughmore, a very distinguished member of the party opposite. (Hear, hear.) With respect to the speech of the hon. member for Birmingham he could not but say he had listened to it with feelings of pain and regret, and he could not but think that on the present occasion it was entirely out "of place. (Hear, hear.) The re presentatives from' Ireland have not protested against the passing of the bill. He contended they bad the unanimous feelir•g of the house in their favour, because the members for Tipperary and Tralee had not ex pressed their disapprobation of the bill because they ap proved of Feniani6m, but because they thought it would irritate rather than allay the present state of feeling, and because they considered it unnecessary. The Government had waited until the last moment before they took the step they were now asking the house to assent to. They did not propose the measure because there was a danger of the separation of Ireland, bectiuse the loyalty of the majority of Irishmen was too well known to the Sovereign who now occupied the throne to give rise to such a sup position. (Hear, hear.) They brought in the bill to act against those who had been misled. (Hear, hear.) That was their duty of to-day, and to the duty of the day let them for the present confine themselves. (Hear, hear.) He felt that before the clock chimed again (4 o'clock) the bill would have passed from that house to another place for it to give its judgment, and such a pro ceeding would show that the House of Commons was equa to the emergency, and was not slow to guard even mis guided people against themselves. The SPEAKER then put the question that leave be given to bring in the bill, The "ayes" answered in a very numerous and emphatic manner, but on the " noes" being called for The O'Donoghue objected to the motion, and a division took place, when there appeared— For the introduction of tho bill 364 Against it 6 Majority --358 Tho announcement of the numbers was received with loud cheers. The bill was then brought in and read a first time, Sir G. GREY moved the suspension of the standing orders, when the bill was read a second time, committed, and read a third time, and passed without further opposi tion. CATTLE DISEASES BILL. On the bringing in of the report of the committee on this bill, _ _ _ Sir J. FERGUSON moved the insertion of the follow ing additional clause :—The powers of each cattle plague board shall extend over the whole of the county for which it is appointed, and over all burghs situa ated therein, excepting cities and burghs which have to elect members to Parliament, and whereof the population within the Parliamentary boundaries of any such burghs exceeds 20,000. After a short discussion the house divided, when there appeared— For tho clause Against it Majority against the clause —46 Some further verbal amendments having been mado to some of the other clauses of the bill, it was ordered to be read a third time. The house than adjourned. HOUSE OF LORDS-LAST EVENING. THE PUBLIC LOAN ACTS. Earl POWIS called the attention of the First Lord of the Treasury to the impediment to the beneficial working of the Public Loan Acts, caused by the Treasury minute of 1859, declining any further reduction of interest below 5 per cent. He did not complain of the action of the Trea sury so far as related to loans granted to companies under taking works for private profit ; but he must say that he did think that it was unjust and inexpedient to exact so high a rate as 5 per cent. for money lent for public purposes, on the security of poor rates, borough rates, and county rates. The State ought not to make a profit out of the assistance which it gave by loan to such undertakings. By so doing they increased the expense, and therefore dis couraged the execution of many public works. There could be no need for the Government to charge 5 per cent. for loans on the security of rates, because the security was perfectly safe, while they themselves obtained the money at something like 3 per cent. Earl RUSSELL said that before 1859 the rate of interest on loans granted by the Public Loan Commissioners varied with the rate of interest in the market. That practice was found very inconvenient, and therefore, in 1859, the Treasury decided that the uniform rate of interest should be 5 per cent. That was not a very high rate, and he believed it was far more conducive to the public interest that there should be a fixed than a fluctuating rate. Ex ceptions had, however, been made from time to time in favour of useful undertakings of a beneficial character, for which money had been lent at a lower rate than 5 per cent. Lord OVERSTONE said that if the Government inter fered to divert capital to particular classes of undertakings, they ought not to supply that capital at a lower rate than that which persons were compelled to pay who borrowed money in the open market to carry on other useful works. Looking to the rate of interest which had prevailed for the last five years, he must say that he was surprised to hear 5 per cent. complained of as an unduly high rate of inte rest. The demand for capital to meet the various under takings which had been entered into on all sides was very great at the present time, as was evident from the current rate of interest, and he thought it would bo most unjust if the Government, by offering money at a very low rate of interest, were to divert capital into a certain class of under takings, and were thus to add to the embarras§ments under which men of business who had to obtain their capital in the open market were now suffering. The subject then dropped. THE CATTLE PLAGUE. Lord DUNSANY wished to ask her Majesty's Ministers whether they had received information that any cattle bad been smuggled into Ireland from Scotland, and if so, what precautions had been taken to prevent it. He also desired to know if it was true that an Order in Council had lately been issued permitting the importation of sheep or lamb skins under certain conditions into Ireland. Earl GRANVILLE said that 126 sheep had been ille gally imported from Scotland into Ireland in the month of October. The importers were prosecuted and punished, and he had not heard of any subsequent case in which the law had been evaded. An Order in Council had been issued permitting the importation of sheep and lamb skins on condition that they were packed in a particular way, and were prepared with lime in such a manner as to pre clude all risk of their conveying infection. The house adjourned at twenty minutes to seven o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS—LAST EVENING. CATTLE DISEASES BILL. The house then went into committee on this'bill. Clauses from 22 to 30 inclusive were struck out of the bill. Mr. AYRTON took objection to the proposal to raise one-third of the compensation by a cattle rate, and showed the hardship which it would inflict on the owners of diseased cattle. He preferred that the whole sum should be raised from the local rates. Mr. J. S. MILL said the hon. member for the Tower Hamlets having done him the honour of making reference to some observations of his, appeared not altogether to have seized upon his argument. Perhaps he might be allowed in a few words to recapitulate the substance of that argument. The hon. member had laid down the prin ciple that taxation ought to be so regulated as not to be partial, and that a particular class of the community ought not to be taxed in order to indemnify them from the con sequences of a calamity because they had already suffered to so great a degree. Now, his argument was grounded on this, that the class, though the sufferers immediately, were not the sufferers ultimately by this calamity, in any other way than the rest of the community, inasmuch as they are consumers of food. (No, no, from the Opposition.) Such a proceeding would relieve them from the conse quences of this misfortune, except that portion which they, as consumers, would bear in common with the rest of the community. In consequence of this, it followed that if they took from the whole community, in order to give special indemnity to a particular class for what they suffered instead of taxing them partially, they would be taxing the rest of the community in order to relieve them. This was his argument, and ho had seen nothing to alter it. That part of the bill which made provision for the com pensation to which the hon. gentleman the member for the Tower Hamlets referred was the only part of the whole which he conceived to be founded on a correct principle. (Laughter.) It was compensation, not for a burden, but for the inequality of a burden. The class, as a class, would be compensated in the ordinary order of things ; but this was the compensation which was due from the more for tunate of themselves to the less fortunate, and this the tax on cattle would effect. Thus ho contended that in principle the tax, whatever it might be, ought not to be a general rate, but a rate on land only. (No, no, from the Opposi tion.) Although he thought the clause was capable of amendment, ho would be disposed to support a very diffe rent alteration to that proposed. Mr. B. COCHRANE and Sir J. PAKINGTON argued in favour of drawing a portion of the rate from the general funds of the county. Sir W. JOLLIFFE, despairing of obtaining the assent of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to any contribution frcm the Consolidated Fund, recommended that the whole charge should be borne by the county rate. Mr. J. B. SMITH recommended the imposition of a general cattle rate. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER characterised the proposal to lay the Consolidated Fund under contribu tion as novel, inexpedient, and entirely unasked for by the agriculturists, and reminded the house of the forcible argument used by Mr. Lowe, that to secure the great ad- 64 76i 4 ilii 61 i 1021 45 4 51 'TIES, vantages of a local administration it was necessary that some portion of the funds should be raised from local sources. As to the proposal to levy the whole by a general cattle rate, he said that the Government, in the particular proposal they had made, had acted on the principle that no persons were more interested in checking the disease than stockowners in the neighbourhood of infected dis tricts, and they further believed that it would have the effect of preventing any kind of contest between town and country. Mr. LOWE pointed out to the house that Mr. J. S. Mill's argument as to the ultimate incidence of the loss on the consumer was based on the fallacy that this was a bill to indemnify for losses, whereas the object of this part of it was simply to hold out an inducement to the farmer to disclose the existence of disease among his cattle. lie . _ asked Mr. Mill to mention a case in which producers bad been indemnified for a great calamity of this hind by a rise in piice, and reminded him that English cattle growers had very formidable competitors in foreign importers. But, admitting that Mr. Mill's argument was sound, he con tended that the consumers were not absolved from making every effort to avert a great national emergency. lie showed the difficulty of levying a cattle rate on a temp,— rary emergency, and urged the advantage of using the existing machinery of the county rate. Mr. MILL said ho would reply to the strictures of the right hon. gentleman who had just sat down in a very few sentences. In the first place his right hon. friend thought it was a complete answer to his argument to say that the object of this tax was not compensation, but to give a motive - to farmers whose cattle were diseased to declare that they were so. Now he (Mr. Mill) really thought that the motive that was held out to farmers was derived from the compensation itself, and from the quarter whence it came. If the farmer received £lO, £l5, or £2O for a dead ox, it made no differenee whether it was paid by a tax on cattle, or from the county rate, or from the Consoli dated Fund. In the second place, his right hon. friend had laid down the proposition that it was not always the case that losses, by diminishing the quantity of any article necessarily increase the price. He was fully aware of this ; but it was much commoner that this should be the case than otherwise. In the next place, his right h on . friend thought it was extremely unreasonable in him not to take into account that portion of the supply of cattle which was imported into this country. Now, so far from neglecting this, he had referred particularly to it on a former occasion. But he argued, when he mentioned this fact, that the quantity imported was so very small a pro portion of the whole that was consumed, that it could not be specially taken into account. (Oh, oh.) With regard to the asylum illustration employed by his right hon friend, he would merely ask, was there any economic law by which patiehts in a lunatic asylum were compensated for the expenses of that asylum. (Laughter and cheers.) Sir G. GREY intimated that the Government, seeing the feeling of the house, would give up their proposal for a cattle rate. The clause was amended to this effect. On clause 50, which gives a legislative sanction to the Orders in Council issued on this subject, Lord R. MONTAGU asked what the intentions - of the Government were in regard to retrospective compensation. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the Government had not abandoned the principle of retros pective compensation, but desired to reconsider the manner in which it could be carried out. Several clauses rendered unnecessary by the alterations of the bill were omitted, and the remainder were agreed to after a long discussion. A clause was added, enabling the Queen in Council to suspend at any time the operation of the act as regards the slaughter of animals. The bill was ordered to be reported to-morrow, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer intimated that he should ask the house to read it a third time. Mr. Hunt's bill was committed pro forma. THE CATTLE PLAGUE BILL. This bill m ent into committee pro forma for the purpose of having additions made to it. GREAT YARMOUTH AND NEW WINDSOR. Election petitions were presented complaining of undue returns for tho boroughs of Great Yarmouth and New indsor. The house adjourned at ten minutes to one o'clock. BOMBAY TELEGRAM—Feb. 13. Exchange in London for a first-class bank bill, six months' sight, 2s. 11d. ; Calcutta rate for do., 2s. 1 11-16 d. ; exchange on Calcutta at sight, 99 to 994- ; price of Government 4 per cent. paper, 89 ; do. 5 per cent., 103 ; do. 5f per cent., 109 ; Bank of Bombay rate of discount, 13 per cent. ; price per tola of bar gold, 99f tout]., 16k ; price per 100 tolas of bar silver, 17 to 17f betterness, 1051. 85,000 bales of cotton sailed from Bombay during the week. COURSE OF EXCHANGE--Last Evening. Amsterdam Short. 11 18 Ditto 3 Months. 12 21- Rotterdam Antwerp — 25 55 s Brussels Hamburg Paris .. Short 25 20 Ditto 3 Months. 25 55 Marseilles Frankfort on the Maine 124 Vienna... — 10 65 Trieste — 10 65 Petersburgh - 291 Berlin Madrid — 46; Cadiz Leghorn Milan Genoa Naples — 25 724 11 19 12 3 12 25 GO 25 GO 13 11 25 30 25 60 25 GO 121 k 10 i 0 10 70 29 6 291 461 47 1 25 771 25 771 25 75 2 2i 771 A Supplement to the London Gazette of last evening con tains the official account of the investiture of the King of the Belgians with the Order of the Garter. The proceedings have already appeared in The Sun. MONUMENT TO LORD PALMERSTON.—We under stand that within a few days the Rouse of Commons will be moved to grant a sum of money for tho erection of a monument to Lord Palmerston over his tomb in West minster Abbey. This motion will undoubtedly meet with the ready sanction of an assembly which must deeply feel his loss, and be anxious to do honour to his great memory. ' SEIZURE OF THE IRISH TELEGRAPHS.—A bill will be shortly introduced into Parliament to give to the Lord Lieutenant the power of taking possession of the telegraph lines in Ireland. This power already exists in England, and was accidentally omitted, as far as Ireland is regarded when the General Telegraph Bill was framed. The object of the present measure is to deprive the Fenians of facilities of intercommunication, and to place in the_hands of the Government the most efficient repressive powers. HER MAJESTY'S STAG -HOUNDS.—After Easter Harry King, the present whip and famous rider, will suc ceed Mr. Davis, the present huntsman, whomany years ago succeeded Mr. Sharp, to whom he had been whipper-in. How TO SAVE YOUR KETCHUP.—The enterprising proprietor of one of the largest dining halls in the City has caused to be reprinted and laid upon his tables an article describing the method by which putrid liver is turned into " Fine Leicestershire Ketchup," which appeared in a late number of this journal.—The Grocer. The Prince of Wales, who takes much interest in the Firo Brigade, is furnished every morning when in town with a copy of Captain Shaw's report of the fires lat occur in the metropolis. THE LATE EXHIBITION AT OPORTO.—At the close of the Oporto Exhibition, Mr. John Head, of the firm of Ransomes and Sims, was nominated a Commander of the Order of Christ, by the King of Portugal, in token of his Majesty's appreciation of the machinery in motion, specially adapted for Spain and Portugal, exhibited by that firm. This is the highest honour conferred upon any exhibitor, whether English or foreign, and we think it proves that England's celebrity for her mechanical produc tions is not on the wane. DEATH OF A GLASGOW NEWSPAPER.—The Glas gow herald announces the demise of the Glasgow Courier, whose final issue appeared on Thursday last. The Courier at one time occupied an honourable and prominent posi tion in Glasgow, but for some years had almost passed out of sight. It was established as a tri-weekly paper in 1791, but was afterwards reduced to a weekly, and was through out a stanch supporter of Tory principles, and was re garded as the principal organ of the West India interest. DEATH OF SERGEANT lIOWLEY.—Sir John How ley, first sergeant-at-law, died yesterday, at his residence in Fitzwilliam-street, Dublin. He was one of the oldest members of the Irish bar, and had been for 30 years chair man of quarter sessions of the county of Tipperary. It was on the occasion of his retirement from this office that Sergeant Howley was knighted. It is considered probable that Mr. Barry, M.P. for Dungarvau, and law adviser to the Castle; will be appointed sergeant. NEGRO SUFFRAGE IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. —The New York World says that the passage by the House of Representatives of the bill conferring the elective franchise on the negroes of the District of Columbia is a vote of censure on the President, and asks, if the bill pass the Senate, will Mr. John son veto it? That is a question for his discretion, and the World presumes not to instruct him. There are reasons of considerable force on both sides ; and whatever view he may take our contem porary is prepared to judge his actions with candour. The only practical interest which attaches to its passage is, that it fully unmasks the determination of the Republicans in Congress to keep out the Southern States until they allow the negroes to vote. It fixes, by putting in an official form, their opposi tion to the policy of the President, and accordingly diminishes his motives for forbearance in the hope of co-operation. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE —This Day. VICTORIA CLUB BETTING—Tins DAY. LINCOLNSHIRE HANDICAP. 3to 1 agst Copenhagen (taken) ' 6to 1 agst Valiant (taken) 10 to 1 agst Caithness (taken) 100 to 7 agst Provisor (taken) 14 to 1 agst Saccharometer (taken) 100 to 6 agst East Lynn (taken) 20 to 1 agst Treasure Trove (taken) 50 to 1 agst Historian (taken) 100 to 1 agst Knight of Snowdon (taken) CHESTER CUP. 25 to 1 agst Red Cap (taken) 25 to 1 agst I3aragah (taken) 28 to 1 agst Gong (taken) 50 to 1 agst Be;grave (taken) DERBY. 25 to 1 agst Janitor (offered) TWO THOUSAND. 14 to 1 agst Auguste (taken) BETTING AT MANCHESTER. —FRIDAY. LINCOLN HANDICAP. 4 to 1 agst Copenhagen (offered) 10 to 1 agst Valiant (taken) 11 to 1 agst Caithness (taken) 12 to 1 agst Saccharorneter (offered) 16 to 1 agst Provisor (taken freely) 20 to 1 agst Pantaloon (offered) TWO THOUSAND. to 2 agst Lord Lyon (offered) ' 4to 1 agst Student (taken) DERBY. 30 to 1 agst Blue Riband (offered—take 1,000 to 30) 1000 to 15 agst Lanaret (wanted) 100) to 10 agst Duke of York (taken) LAW INTELLIGENCE.---This Day. --~ COURT OF PROBATE AND DIVORCE. (Before Sir J. P. Wilde and a Special Jury.) WATSON V. THE ATTORNEY-GENEHAL AND COWAN. This case came before the Court under the provisions of the Legitimacy Declaration Act, and the petitioner, Arthur Watson, sought to establish that he was the legitimate son of his father, Arthur Watson, by a female whose maiden name was Elizabeth Bell, and who lived in the ser vice of the latter as housekeeper. The parties lived at Longtown, C44berland, and the marriage took place at Gretna Green' on the 12th of March, 1854, three days after which the mother of the petitioner gave birth to him. The marriage and the paternity were not disputed by the respondents, but she pleaded that the petitioner was born three or four days subsequent to the marriage. The question of legitimacy had been raised twice before a jury, in the first case by an ejectment suit tried at Carlisle, which the plaintiff brought against the respondent Cowen, who was his aunt, and in which, as well as an application fora new trial, he failed. After that trial the Legislature passed the Legitimacy Declaration Act, the'object of which was: to enable persons to prove their legitimacy, and the next trial came before a jury at Lancaster last assizes, which, was in favour of the alleged legitimacy. The respondent, however, moved the court for a new trial on the ground that the verdict in the last case was against evidence, which his lordship granted, and directed that the issue should be heard before himself and a special jury. Mr. Manisty, Q.C., Mr. T. Jones, and Mr. W. G. Har rison, appeared for the petitioner. Mr. Temple, Q.C., Mr Monk, Q.C., and Mr. Quain for the respondent, Margaret Cowen ; and Mr. Bourke attended to watch the case on the part of the Attorney-General, who was merely a no minal party to the suit. Several witnesses were examined on both sides, some of whom were very aged, and the evidence as to the date of the petitioner's birth was very conflicting. The case was proceeding when we went to press. The Gay Season in New York. The New York Times says the gaieties of the pre sent season in that city surpass in extent and mag nificence those of all previous years. The public balls, entertainments, and receptions ; the concerts and the theatres, the skating " carnivals," and the displays at Central Park, exhibit a more general lavishness in expenditure, a wider distribution of wealth, and a greater popular attractiveness, than ever were known before. In fact the development of these matters in New York, within recent years, has been enormous. Fifteen or twenty years ago society, so called, was very limited, even if it was, as it claimed, quite select. At a single ball or other entertainment could be found nearly all there was of " society," and but a limited number of such affairs were included in the season. The beauties and glories of the Park were unknown, there were no Fifth-avenue ponds or skating carnivals, the Academy of Music had no existence, and such " turn-outs" as may now be seen by the hundred could not then be found this side of Paris. The ladies displayed no such toilets, and emblazoned themselves with no such diamond jewellery as they do now. They had no such " empire" bonnets or waterfalls, or looped dresses. But now, says the New York Times, behold our fashionable entertain ments, and amusements, and exercises ! Behold our fashionable belles ! Measure, if it be possible, the extent of our fashionable society ! It counts not by a few hundreds, but by a few thousands ; its re sources are measured not by millions, but by hun dreds of millions! Not only in New York, but throughout all the great cities of the country, the current winter has been one of unprecedented attrac tiveness. In the East, Boston has only been less vivacious than New York ; and Chicago, in the West, has, for its size, outdone everything on the continent. Whatever they go at in Chicago they carry out with a vim that even New York knows nothing of—whether it be politics, money-making, skating, or dancing—and even the sweet strains of music, which soothe the people of other places, are listened to by those of Chicago in an impatient and sort of frantic manner. If we can believe their newspapers—all of which, however, are half frantic —they have carried their popular gaieties this win ter to a pitch never equalled in the wide world, and both sexes have plunged in as though there were but one winter season in their existence. Railway Traffic Returns for the Week. Miles Opened. Receipts. Railways. 1866. 1865. Belfast and IN, Counties 9 )1 Belfast and County Down 44} Blyth and Tyne 36 Brecon and Merthyr ..... • Bristol and Exeter l2ll Caledonian, Scottish Central 4:sli Cambrian Cockermouth K & Penrith .. 31 1 Coekermouth and Worltin .. 9 9 Cork and Bandon 2O 20 Cork, Blackrock, & Passage 6l ti Cork and Youghal Cornwall 651 654 Ceeside , 17 17 I Do Extension D n u u b b li li n p 35 :35 Dublin and Meath 6' an i4e d D ifa ro st g Dub. & Wicklow t e u d n a ction ;. 61 so Forth and Clyde Junction . Furness, &c ........ _,•••• • _ Glasgow & Bouth-Ilettern Union •• ; 27 1 6 6 3 Gt. Eas fern,Nrf k.•& • ..... 401 401 Great Northern, .. .:....• 58 53 Great North of Soo 42 4e D o Branches., Bt..(irei.) 7 ll 71 qt.Soutiin.: Istn 1 Cit. Nortun. t 1280 I sti 270 Great We tern Hull & HOrllSeli High/and Irish North-Western 145 145 - e e .(lrind.) 3B7t 7 i Lancashire & Yorkshire lO3 403 Limerick and Ennis 2ll 241 Limerick and Foynes 26* 261 Llanelly 461 461 Llynvt Valley London & North - Western London, & South-Western Lond. Brighton, &S. Coast London, Chatham, & Dover, ( 134 12 / I all Metropolitan Extension 112 114 Do. Kent toast Lon., Tilbury, & Southend Hau.,Shellield, & Lincolnsh .. 246 216 Manch. S.Jun.& Altrincliam.. l gi Maryport and Carlisle Metropolitan Midland (incl. N.-Western)., 67/4 6UI Midland Gt. Wenn. of I rind. noninouthsh. Rail. & Canal 4l 44 North British, Edits., Perth and Dundee .• 1211 40d 121 7021 siii N-Eastern and Stock. & Dart 12071 116tri North London ll 9 North Stallordshire 258 258 Pembroke and Tenby lll 114 Rtlyntney l9l /91 Scottish North-Eastern 135 1 38 Somerset and Dorset 66 66 South Devon South-Eastern 315 3 C B Taff Vale 6l el Ulster Vale of Clwyd Waterford and Kilkenny 3l 31 Waterford and Limerick I A. V t: h s r 7 i Au5trian.........-.• fi n C . 11/ FOREIUN AND CoLoxiat.. 1 . e . a . t . 0 . ....................... : 8 1 2 : 828 ' Bahia and San Francisco •• •• 76 i 76 i Belgian Eastern J unction.. •• 264 26k Bombay, Baroda, & t,en. India 306 1851 Detroit and 31ilwaukie ....... 189 169 D u tch Rhenish .............. 1081 It 81 Eastern of France 15.1 14: , .3 Eastern Bengal ...... ..... 110 110 E as t Indian Grand Trunk 01 Canada 1:17 1.177 Great Central of Belgium 285 261 Great Indian Peninsula 590 653 Great Luxembourg 134 134 Great Southern of tndia Great Western of Canada 315 3 i5 Madras . 6ll 533 ~2 315 10,514 x.,111 43, 27 4.318 .4 211 7,710 6.01 104 957 992 17- 1,662 728 g.J.I 3,77 19,227 17,650 4,70 d 6,0,0 2,t31 2,1 s 10 155 539 37 t 1421. 1,120 WU 445 31,440 30,129 aO 6 574 3 5 298 11,251 3,877 4,'213 3,737 4,431 4,3:35 68,530 57,619 2,104 1,795 39,418 31,54.1 23,715 20,251 5,531 e.,4 7 4794 14,601 5,143 4.083 671 501 11,4.7 9,',97 7,783 7,141, cal ;arl col all lrY 411 d at ntS 0- )( 1 )d ce rhl 190 100 100 1.0 100 100 2.1.0 294 2.14.0 3} 2.14.0 8.3.0 3.9.0 10.8.0 all 0.14.6 14.9.6 8.18.0 8.10.0 5.10.6 13.17.6 4.10.6 48 381 4.4.0 2.13. 7.1.6 10.6.; 100 100 100 all 100 100 56 1 C 93 i 95 1061 6 5 141