The Sun. — London, England, 1870-04-26 00:00:00

0 BY r Greek bri• ce, which is glishmen and murdered in 7d and Lady ir little girl , Er. Herbert, Carnarvon), were seized from a visit e at once re• nuently p o arrange for sting of the he conditions Mall Gazette he sum de• by Lord es Ramsdell) undertaking the money =mond and r as soon a 5 free pardon apposed that kuncaster, • Ind that his ills. At the seem to have free pardon s. Our oWn the situation, yid be sent to captives and ' , reeks me° chie f ,gand and mcsty, step •taKe. , * rround with aptives were kers with 3 ling was that ,ce, in which ;out this tinie .talian Secre- Le troop, car' 'd, cut their yards Thebes. is which have ad some difa' nd that Mr. on the way ;ot as far as frile curgus of s n zs transuat t f e , Redcliffe, I clergy The ,hurches• and said ewer T each oth a was con bo o t Ringing 313° A . ssemblY seen preSenvat o Novas C° lo , ed his re so Nand urt ova Sec, ed had decreo's a TreatY, for ake effort s o re luld take vi a ,. tome arratio re' We 110°,0 ;0 3 irce_ exi3O? the tir"., mind °' t of .yen in tila ke pt au p te eand c° " 7 0 " io se advi ce 4og It cases d' ir o a t the tt 0. have • h a s re' nd it i tlis 4. . 1 , 0 0 ion was t1t , ., 4 The reaso; ich is on ;/ois. A th e 3urviVe io n oiler exPi g e ls, s in Br u l val a nd clelir,l„g c eived ha%l- ,n the, chargat plantutionioro i on just be THE MONEY MARKET AND COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. CITY, Two O'CLOCK. business to-day on the Stock Exchange was flat. Consols went down I, and in foreign securities Egyp tian Sevens, 1868, gave way, but the Viceroy Loan re mains fi rm. The Ra i lway M ar k e t h as a l so declined, North Westerns, Caledonians, Metropolitans, and South Easterns being all lower. There is a rise of g i u Anglo-American:;Telegraph ; and in American Securities we have to note a fall in Eries to nearly t 1 Per Cent. In Banking and Miscellaneous Shares ule quotations generally remained unchanged. Consols are now at 94 8 3/ 4 for money; ditto, /,‘,!count, 94 ; Three per C en t. R e d uc ed, 921 1 ; le W Three per Cents., 92i ; Bank of England Stock, 44- per cent., 233 5. Exche quer Bill s £l , OOO, 21 p er cent., prem. ; ditto £lOO, £2OO, and £5OO, par 5 prem. In dia Stock, 10} per cent., April, 1874, 209 ; ditto r , 5 per cent., July, 1880, 1131 ; ditto 4 per ?at., Oct., 1888, 1001 1 100/ ; ditto Enfaced Paper Per cent., 1872, —; ditto Bonds, under £l,OOO, 21 prem. *, 111 the Foreign Market Brazilian are now 89 to 89 8 i ; Egyptian (1864),90 to 9 1 ; ditto ( 1868 ) , 80 1 to ;• 1 1; Viceroy's Nine per Cents., 1021 to 1021 ; ditto Seven per Cents., 841 to 85 ; Italian, 541 to .q; Peruvian, 87 to 871 ; Russia (1862), 871 to ; Orel, 841 to 851 ; Nicolai, 70 to 701 ; Moscow, 86 1 to 861 ; Charkof, 841 to 851 ; Spanish (1867), 2 , 8 1 to 28/ ; ditto (1869), 281 ; Turkish Five per Cents., 471 to 47/ ; and ditto (1869), 61/ to 61/. In the Railway Market Great Northern are marked 120 1 to 127 ; North British, 36 to 3 7 1 Metropolitan , 771 to 73 ; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 1301 to 1318 ; C aledonian, 731 to 74 ; London and ,North Western, 128 .1 to 1284 ; Midland, 1261 to 127 ; Great Western , 72 4 to 723 ; London and Brighton, 451 to 461 ; South Eastern, 781 to 781; Great Eastern, 421 to 421 and Manchester, Sheffield, ani Lincolnshire, 52 1 to 53. American Five-Twenty Bonds are 881 to 881 ; di Erie (1865), 851 to 861 ; Illinois, 1111 to 112 1 ; and . "tie Shares, 181 to 181. „ Lombardo-Venetian are 161 to 16 1 ; Great L uxemburg, 13} to 131. Construction and Maintenance Telegraph Shares are now 351 to 361 ; Anglo-American, 17 1 to 17 1 ; B ritish I n di an, 8/ t o 9} ; China Submarine, 2 to 1} 4 , 18 .; Falmouth, 9 to 98; and :French Cable, 151 The New Loan for the Viceroy of Egypt has been 'eq . favourably received, and is actively de alt in at to 1 prem. The City of Vienna, from Port Phillip, has brought 48 )641, and the Lincolnshire £lO,OOO. T he prospectus of the new 7 per Cent. Daira ° an of the Viceroy of Egypt for a nominal sum of 7 7 1 1 42,860 a t 781, in instalments extending to the v 'tit of October next, and redeemable at par in 20 ," e , 4 , 174 ) has been issued. The discounts on p re p a y ment ; 41 reduce the price to about 771 and the net re- Ur n) after making allowance for drawings, will be nea rly 11 per cent. The accounts from Spain with regard to the pros mts of this year's harvest are extremely favourable. In relation to the Turkish network of railways it is Stated th at M r. P resse l, th e con tractor, has arrived In e Constantinople to make arrangements for the c ommencement of the following lines :—Constanti 4°Ple - Rutschuk - Tschkmedje - Adrianople, Adria °Ple-Lledesc, and Adrianople. Sarambay, comprising total length of 400 miles. These three lines are to be opened for traffic in the year 1871. According to aivices by telegraph from Alex !Aria the recent rise in Egyptian securities was 'killed by large operations on account of the Viceroy. 1 ,Y -he fortnightly settlement will commence on ednesday next (" continuation day"), and conclude 00 Frid ay. T he report of the Otago and Southland Invest tuent. Company ompany (Limited) recommends a dividend at rate of 10 per cent. per annum. The report of the Standard Bank of B ritish South Afrt ea (Limited) recommendi a dividend o f lea. on £25 shares and 4s. on £lO shares. ME. Willi am C as h has been appointed liquidator of the United Kingdom Railway Rolling Stock Com- Pany. anticipation of the meeting called for the 3d of d ay, the report of the directors of the Anglo i7erican T e l egra ph Company (Limited) has been : l ed. The net profit for the nine months ending e ! 31 st January amounted to £ 106; 2 58, out of h a tch thr ee i n t er i m di v id en d s of 10s. per share each been declared. A further dividend of 52 . per share, free of income tax, is recommended. A.t the annual meeting of the shareholders in the eat East ern St eams hip Company, held yesterday, it p was stated that the Telegraph Construction Com :117 had chartered the ship for five years at a pay dellt of £ 20,000 per annum. This would yie ld a ,; — Ldend of 20 per cent. for that period. Messrs.sa: Berger, Spence, and Co.'s wee kl y re p ort The business of chemicals up to the close 11, ` the w ee k h as b een o f a very meagre character ; 1 , 141 although there was a better feeling displayed at d f icl ara market, still the effects of the Easter holi -478 have b een ver y apparent from the few and un important transactions negotiated. In minerals no re a nge of impo r t a nce has transpired since our last , c 1)(31 t and a regular business continues to be done. etc h and Cleveland pig irons are in strong demand, St enhanced p r i ces . C o pper is improved, and smelters arequotations.requiring hi g her rates. Another advance has be en declared in tin, and holders are very firm at In lead and spelter there is no marked difference prices are low, with a limited business. BRITISH FUNDS-CLOSING PRICES. 8 PrcllCZNC4,:solTs F UNDS. 94 4 3 4 4 94 a bitto for Account 924 1 ,Per Cent. Re luced 921 4 1 'l,r'w 3 per Cent e i 7 2 i per Cent. Jan. 1894 A Cb * 5 per Con J 4.11.1873 ...alnuities, 80 yre, expire sth Jan., 1880 — Do for 30 yrs, expire sth April 1885 — „, (Red Sea Telebraph), Aug., 1908 — '4zehocintr Bills, £l,OOO, 24 p. r , 1)0 £lOO, .£2OO & .£5OO — !)o Jai 233 5 Ilk of England Stock, 41 per Cent -. • T.,l4•Jpenuag ',-.' ada 4 per Cent. Bonds — 1 Inter-Colonial Omnmm .11113I1N GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. I'dia gtock 101 Cnt April 1874.....209 D 1:::,„ ! ., ' "Man f o r Account `). 0 Per C ent. July,llBo 113 1 1 Do. 4 Per Cent. O c t. 1888 b)). E nfaced Pav el 4 per C1int.........D ). 5 ~ per Cent Jan. 1872 . c)* D o ' 5 4 PrerCent. Cen De - b. Rup . t. May 1879 187°— D) pe , do 18'''... , -Do. do. 1882 D0...1) ob., 5 p er C ent., Aug. 1873 ...„ — ~- Donde; per Cent., £l,000 .' O . ander , El.000 Argentitirie°lllteEp l uM, F 6 lj pe N r D C S e — nt Aultitell ll on t ds '6 per - cent CLOSING PRICES. ,_ . . Do. 1859 — ...r.,.sictlian 5 per Cent ' ) o. 44 per Cent '1852 — 1 13° . do • 1858 . .. be,) au 1860 _ do , 1863 1- 1 1 )t o i • 5 per * Cont., 1.865 891 Is I. . Account, . ............... ...... • li nos Ayres •6 per Cent. ... Do 2 per Cent.(Deferred 3 por Cant 0 Atlian 6 per Cent no. 41 per Cent......... ....... ... ... . Do. 3 per Cent., Do. 7 per Cent., 1866 58} Do. 6 per cont. 1867 0 to nbutn, 6 per Cent. Danish, 3 per Cent., 182 5............ 11 'N 6 per Cent. ........... . Da n . Wan Principalities, 7 per cent — Do Account Do 8 per Cent., 1867 Ecuador Now Consolidated, 1 per Cent ... Euptian, 7 per Cent ~.... oo Seco,id Issue •• -- Do. £SOC Bonds — Do. 1864 Do. Account Dv. £5OO Bonds D0.,4100 ttonds . - 11- Do. 7 per Cent., 1868 .. .. Do. Account Do. £lOO Bow's ..... 811 -I Government Railway Debentures Greer 5 per Cetit., 1824 5, ex Coups Do. Coupone • Guatemala 5 per Cent . flonduras Gov Rail. Loan., 10 p. Ct., all Do.XIOO Italian 5 per Cent., 1865 Do. Account .. - - Do Maremmana Railway... toxic= 3 per Coat Ditto for Account Dn. 1864 Do 6 per Cent. Anglo-French M mtevidean 6 per Cent. Hot:lrish Imperial 5 per Cent New Granada • ••• Do 3 per Con„ — 1)o. Deferved Do Land Warrants (Hectares) ....... Peruvian 5 per Cent. 1865 Do Account •••••••• ••• Do 41 per Cont. (UL:barren) ..... .......... Do 44 per Cent.. 1862 - •• --- Portsguese 3 per Ct., 1853, '6, 7, 9,'60,'2,':... Do. do. 1867 — Do. do. Scrip, £2O paid — Russian 5 t per Cent., 1822, X St .. . B5 Do 44 per Cent 1850 Do 41 per Cent., 1860 D 3 3 per Cent., 1859 Do 5 per Cent., 1862 ........... ....,...., Do A.nglo-Dutcb, 1864, £lOO Bon& Do. do. £B4 15s. do — Do., 186 G, £lOO Bonds 924 Do. do £B4 15s. do — Do Nicolas Railway 7Ol 70 Sardinian 5 per Cent Spanish 3 per Con . Do. Account ... Do. 1867 Do. Account Do. New Deferroa Do. Passive — Do. Corn. Cert. of Coup. not funded — •29 81 Do. Account Swedish Provincial Mortgage Loan Do Government, 1864 Do do, 1868 Turkish 6 per Cent Do Account Do 6 per Cent. 1858 6B} Do Account Do LIOC Bonds ... .. 701 Do 6 per Cent., 1862 Do. Account no £lOO Bonds Do. 5 per cent. 1865 4B 7 Do. Account Do 6 per Cent., 1860 ••• • Do Account Da 1 por Cent., Guaranteed Do do, Scrip Venezuela 3 per Cent. D 6 per Cent. 1864 DJ 6 per C0nt.,1862 Dividends on the above payable in London. Austrian o per Cent Ex 10 Florine - Belgian, 44 per cent., Ex. 25f. Dutch per (lent. Ex. 12 Guil Do. 4 per Cent. Certificates .... French Bentes 3 per Cent., Ex. 25 f. Italian 5 per dent. 1861, Ex. 25f Do Account 71 i CLOSING PRICES. Consols, Money' 93i 4 Do. Account, May 4 POLICE INTELLIGENCE—(TIus DAY.)' MARLBOROUGH-STREET. George Mills, a young man, was charged before Mr. Tyrwhitt with uttering a counterfeit florin and a half-croyn at the shop of Mr. George Willis, stationer, No. 75, New Bond-street. From the evi dence it appeared that the prisoner yesterday went into the shop of Mr. Willis and asked for some note paper and envelopes, and in payment tendered a counterfeit florin, and immediately he did so he was recognised as the person who had tendered a coun terfeit half-crown on Thursday last, and he was then given into custody. The prisoner refused his address, and denied that he ever was in the shop before. He was remanded WESTMINSTER. Hugh Webster Tellson, who has frequently been charged with assaulting his wife, Hannah Maria, was charge on another warrant with a similar offence. The prisoner, it appear:', formerly held a respectable situation at Messrs. Shoolbred's, but directly after his marriage wi,h the prosecutrix heleft his situation, took to habits of indolence and intoxication, and while in that state has smashed the whole of the furniture, got the wife turned out of all the houses she has got into, and his threats have been of such violence, accompanied by assaults, that she has had to bring him to this court three times, and he has been held to heavy bail. This restraint had not weaned him from drink, and now bad become so violent that the wife went in fear of her life. She had offered to give him 9s. a week t 3 keep away from her, but he refused. The magistrate ordered him to find bail for twelve months. THAMES. - _ John Harris, aged 27 years, described as a stoker, of No. 110, Carr-street, Limehouse, was brought before Mr. Paget charged with stealing two live pigeons, the property of Mr. William Cross, a foreman of the Commercial Gas Company. The prosecutor lost two pigeons from the back of his house, near the gas works, six weeks ago last Saturday, and found them in a shop opposite the Edinburgh Castle, Rhodeswell-read, Stepney, yesterday. He accused the prisoner with stealing his pigeons, and he in dignantly denied having done so. The breeder of the pigeons having given the magistrate a description of the birds, the loser and the buyer then did the same, but Mr. Paget said he did not think they came within the meaning of any of the three descriptions, and he should discharge the prisoner, without imput ing blame to the officer who arrested the prisoner on the prosecutor's shop. He must say that if people allowed their pigeons to fly about and they settled in other persons gardens or premises those in possession of them ought not to be lightly given into custody. A charge of pigeon stealing in London was a difficult one to make out. SUSPECTED INCENDIARISM. A. serious fire, the result of incendiarism, occurred on the farm premises of Mr. James Hobson, of Great Glenn, near Leicester, on Saturday evening. Engines were dispatched from Leicester, but were unable to stop the fire until considerable damage had been done, owing to the dry character of the buildings. One large haystack, a bean stack, two barns, a waggon hovel, stable and other outhouses, used as calf-house and piggeries, besides a winnowing and threshing machine, and other farming implements were wholly consumed, the house narrowly escaped the flames, and the damage is believed to be about £2,000. Suspicion has fallen on an imbecile man living in the locality, who is supposed to have set fire to some stacks in the same neighbourhood i.welve months back. THE LOSS OF THE CITY OF BOSTON. Our Truro correspondent telegraphs that a thin slip of wood, three feet long, painted blue, was picked up at Perran Forth, on the north coast of Cornwall, yesterday, and in large letters cut in the wood was written " City of Boston is sinking. February 11th." Another sentence, commencing with the letter " M," appears to have been begun, but the board is unfortunately broken off. THE MAYOR OF SHEFFIELD AND UR. MUNDELLA, M.P.—The mayor has refused to consent to his charges against Mr. Mundella being referred to Mr. Baines and Sir Francis Crossley, as arbitrators. On this proposal being made to him the mayor repeated that if Mr. Mundella could point out what he had really done to further the interest of the town in .the matter of the Gas Bill, he (the mayor), should, on his part, be only too happy to with. draw or modify what he had said. A further lettez from Mr. Mundella was handed to his worship, with the request for an answer, in order that the whole correspon dence might be published. The mayor declined to answei the letter, upon the plea that it was unnecessary ; but said he was not only willing, but wishful that the cOr• respondence should be published. The letters have ac• cordingly been made public. - - - - ----- Official reports have been published on the Bridg water election inquiry, accommodation of parish schools, go 3 and water facilities, and powers of railway com panies. - THE SUN, LONDON THE MASSACRE BY GREEK BRIGANDS. What Little need there was of confirmation to the story of the butchery in Greece has been but too adequately met. Mr. Otway has confirmed the intelligence in the louse of Commons. More telegrams through Reuters' agency make no substantial alteration in the d3tails. Count de Boyl,. Secretary to the Italian Legation, and Mr. Herbert were killed first, and afterwards Mr. Vyner and Mr. Lloyd. Several of the robbers have been killed or taken, and two of the chiefs have fallen. The bodies of Mr. Herbert and Alr. Lloyd have arrived at Athens, and will be buried in the presence of the King and Queen, the Ministers, and other diplomatic bodies, and the Archbishop. Mr. Lloyd was the son of Mr. E. J. Lloyd, Q.C., of. Frenchay, Gloucestershire, and County Court judge of Bristol, and was himself a barrister. Mr. E. H. C. Herbert, one of the victims of the brigands, was British diplomatic secretary at Athens, having received his ap pointment in November, 1868. He had previously been secretary at Vienna,to which service he had been appointed in October, 1865. His diplomatic career began in 1859, in which year he got the nomination of attacb6 to the Vienna Embassy, after passing an examination before the Civil Service Commissioners, and obtaining an honorary certificate. He was transferred to Lisbon in August, 1861, and to Constantinople in June, 1863, after passing a second examination before the Commissioners, and attaining the rank of third-class secretary in her Majesty's diplomatic service. ^ He went back two years afterwards to Vienna, from whence, as already noticed, he was transferred to the Athens Legation. Mr. Vyner was a grandson of the late Earl de Grey, and younger brother of the present Countess de Grey and Ripon. He was the son of Captain and Lady Mary Vyner, and was exceedingly popular in Yorkshire, where his death will be universally mourned. Lord Muncaster, who has happily escaped, is a baron in the peerage of Ireland (creation 1783), and a baronet of Great Britain. His lordship was born on Christmas Day, 1834, and succeeded his brother in the title in June, 1862. He married in April, 1863, Constance, second daughter of Mr. Edmund L'Estrange, and niece of the Earl of Scarborough. Lord Muncaster was formerly a captain in the Rifle Brigade. The London journals publish an important communica tion from a good authority respecting the conduct of the Greek Government in this mournful affair. What is de- dared to be the true state of the case is put thus :-1. That the expedition to Marathon was under taken with the full knowledge and consent of the Greek Government, under the formal protection of an escort, and even, as there is reason to believe, with the assurance that such protection was unnecessary. 2. That the capture of the whole party occurred within a very few miles of Athens, and that when it had so taken place the means of ransom to the last farthing were imme diately forthcoming without expense to the Greek Govern ment. 3. That the Greek Government were distinctly warned that any employment of force against the brigands would be followed by the massacre of the prisoners, and that they gave a solemn promise, which was communicated to the brigands, that they should not be molested. 4. That, false to this promise, the Greek Government did send, or allow to be sent, troops who sur rounded the brigands, and thus deliberately provoked the massacre. 5. We know that the amnesty was a vital point with the brigands, and would have saved the prisoners. Even assuming that the objection of the Greek Govern ment to grant an amnesty was reasonable, it was at least a matter for further consideration. By attacking the brigands the Greek Government destroyed all chances of escape for the prisoners, and are thus accountable for their murder. A correspondent of the Levant Herald, writing before the murders, and whilst the negotiations for ransom were going on, says :—" The public consternation at this event is indescribable. Everyone was aware that brigandage had increased to an insufferable extent, but an outrage like this, committed almost at the very gates of the capital, upon the persons of foreigners of high position, is an act of audacity without precedent. At the time of the occupation of Greece by the English and French troops in 1856, a French captain was actually carried off by brigands from the French camp itself between Athens and the Piraeus, but the Greek Govern ment was, at that moment, absolved from all responsi bility for the maintenance of public order. The coup de main of Monday last will furnish the enemies of Greece with additional arguments against her ; so' striking a proof of the deplorable absence of public security cannot fail to give fresh rain to all possible calumnies that can be heaped upon the country. There is extreme indignation against the Ministry. It is justly remarked that the incapacity of the Minister of War for the post he occupies has long been notorious, and that nothing can excuse his retention at the head of a department which is of paramount importance in the sup pression of brigandage. His colleagues, aware of his in competency, did, it is true, seek to have him replaced by a more capable officer, but M. Soutzo has always proved skilful enough to frustrate the efforts made to re move him from office. M. Avgherinos, also—whom M. Zaimis, while himself absent in the suite of the King, had entrusted with the Ministry of the Interior— come in for a full share of the public blame. People naturally ask, bow it came that the Home Minister, whose department it specially concerned, could have been ignorant of the fact that a band of twenty-eight brigands was prowling about Attica ? It is really incre dible that a band of such a number should have been able to move about unnoticed at so short a distance from Athens. The whole Ministry will not improbably be compelled to resign as a sacrifice to the anger of the public. As the present Government owes its exis tence to royal favour—it was in a minority at the close of the session, and was retained in office solely at the desire of the Court—some portion of the odium which it incurs necessarily reflects upon higher quarters. It is felt and said that if the Ministry be incapable, parliamentary government is not to blame, for matters were so managed that Parliament was deprived of the influence which it should legitimately have exercised in the construction of the Cabinet. There was a desire to reign with paramount power, and that desire was accom plished, but what use has been made of that power? Personal enjoyment in high place has been derived from it, and that only. As for the country, it was never so low as it is at the present moment. The King should lose no time in covering his responsibility. If he holds to `personal government '—if he is bent upon governing himself—it is essential for the security of his throne that the country should perceive some good results accruing from such government. The country has allowed the Throne to encroach upon all its rights, and it is at present too weary to defend them ; but if the upshot of these encroachments be to allow Greece to Pia into a state of disorganisation, growing worse from week to week, then assuredly the people will before long demand a strict account from those who have substituted personal rule for parliamentary government." A letter from Mrs. E. Lloyd describes the capture. It is dated Tuesday, April 12, and is addressed to a relative —" You will be as much shocked to hear as I am to tell of the dreadful thing that has happened. There arrived herelast week Lord and Lady Muncaster and Mr Vyner. An expedition to Marathon was arranged for yesterday. We started in two carriages at 5.30 a,in a having procured an escort from the Minister of War. In the first carriage were Ned, Barbara, the Italian Secretary, myself, and the Italian secretary's servant ; in the second, Lord and Lady Muncaster, Mr. Vyner, Mr. Herbert, and a Greek dragoman. We reached Marathon all right, breakfasted on the tumulus, and started for Athens at 2 30. At 4 30, when we were about a mile from the place where we were to change horses, two shots were fired, and the two gendarmes in front of our carriage fell the carriage stopped, more shots were fired, we all crouched down to the bottom of the carriage, and in a moment were surrounded by brigands. We were made to get out, and hurried off into the bushes. Then there was a slight engagement between the soldiers and the brigands., and we were made to lie flat down, so as to avoid the bullets which whistled through the trees over us. Then we were hurried on as fast as possible, Ned carrying my poor little Bunch, who cried bitterly. As soon as they got out of reach of the s o l diers fire the brigands begun to be uncivil. To me they had offered no personal violence, but they . struck Lady Muncaster with a stick, and dragged so violently at a velvet collar round her neck with a pearl cross, attached, and at her watch chain, that they nearly ch oked her. After they had made us hurry over dreadful ground for about an hour they mounted Lady Muncaster and me on the horses of the gendarmes, and Ned on the other horse with Barbara, and then took us right to the top of the mountains. There we were made to sit sawn, and a consultation was held between the briga n d s and ourselves, with the dragoman as interpreter. They ask £50,000 ransom ! They told us £32,000, and Lord Mun caster said he only saw one way of doing it, -which was, if they let the ladies go, to telegraph to the head of a bank in London for £32,000 in sovereigns to be cent cliraetly by special messenger. and settle afterwards. At 7 o'clock they sent off I„,ady Muncaster and me with the two gen darmes, and Bunch, on the same horse as Nee had ridden in the servant's arms." OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE. With commendable promptitude the letters which have passed between the British Foreign Office and its Minister at Athens, respecting this deplorable calamity, have been printed and issued for the information of Parliament. The first letter is from Lord Clarendon to Mr. Erskine, British Minister in Greece, and was written last Thursday. The full text is as follows : " Snx,—l think it desirable to recapitulate what has passed through the telegraph up to the present time r on the subject of the capture of the party of English travel• fors on their way back to Athens from Marathon, by a party of brigands, on the 11 th bf this month. tour telegram of the 12th, announcing this event, coupled with that of the release of the ladies of the party, and the demand of the brigands of a sum of £32,000 fox ransom, was not received till the early hours of the morning of the 14th ; and after communication with the friends of the eaptives, some of whom were at a distance from London, instructions were sent to you by the telegraph in the afternoon of the IMMO OAT t 9 endeavour to obi § ' TUESDAY EVENING, APRIL 26, 1870. reauction in the sum ctemanciect tor ransom, so as ii pos sible to bring it within £5,000 ; but that if you found the lives of the captives would be endangered by delay in referring home for authority to pay a larger sum, you were authorised to pay whatever might be necessary for their release, and to draw on Messrs. Drummond for the amount. "On the following day, the 15th, I further instructed you to urge the Greek dovernment, by the special order of her Majesty's Government, to take every practicable means for the release of the captives ; and I informed you that a ship of war would be placed at your disposal, which you i anight send to bring them off from any part of the coast-they might reach. " Your second telegram of the 13th, announcing that Lord Muncaster had been released, and had arrived at Athens, and that the brigands demanded £25,000 and a free pardon for the release of the whole party, and that you were treating on the subject with the Greek Govern ment, only reached me on the 16th ; and in reply, I expressed the hope that, with the assistance of the Government, you might be able to induce the brigands to release their prisoners, and I desired you at the same time to intimate to the Government that the better the terms on which this could be effected, the more readily could -the Government meet any representation which you might thereafter be- instructed to make to them on the subject of so scandalous an outrage. I added, however, that I was unwilling to embarrass your free action by any specific instructions, and must rely on you for using your best endea vours to set the captives free ; and on the following day, the 18th, I further instructed you to prepare the Greek Government for the exhibition of very angry feel ings in this country with reference to the outs age, and empowered you to say that her Majesty's Government hoped that there would be no hesitation in granting a pardon to the brigands rather than allow the lives of the captives, by demurring to do so, to be exposed to addi tional risk. Late in the afternoon of the 18th your tele gram of the 16th, reporting that the brigands had carried off their prisoners to Oropo, that the prisoners were well on the previous day andwere kindly treated, and that negotia tions were in progress, was received. The date of your two following telegrams was uncertain; in words they pur ported to be dated on Sunday and Monday night, but in figures they bore date respectively April 18, 8 p.m., and April 19, 4.40 p.m. Both, however, were received in the morning of the. 20th. In the first you acknowledge the receipt of my telegrams of the 14th and 15th, and stated that as the Captives were pledged for a ransom of £25,000, it would be dangerous to offer less, and that the amnesty required by the .bri gands was the real difficulty. With reference to this point you inquire whether her Majesty's Government, if the consent of the Greek Government could be obtained to such a course, would consent to allow the brigands, or at all events some of them, to be conveyed to Malta or some other place of safety in a British ship of war ' • but you added that you had heard from one o f the captives that though otherwise well and comfortable, they were threatened by the chief of the brigands with death if the terms of their ransom were not settled within two or three days. In your telegram of the 19th (or Monday night), you added that an Aide-de-camp of General Church was starting to renew negotiations with the brigands, but that they still insisted on an amnesty, which it was impossible to obtain for them. Within a few hours, indeed as soon as it was possible to prepare a telegram, a fter the receipt of your last named telegrams, I instructed you to point out in the clearest terms to the Greek Government the indignation that would be felt in this country if the lives of the prisoners were endangered by a refusal to grant the required amnesty. I authorised you to insist on the discredit that attaches to Greece from the prevalence of brigan dage, which no effectual measures are taken to suppress, and to declare that the British Government would not accept as an excuse for the sacrifice of life the plea that even for its preservation pardon could not be extended to the brigands. And although her Majesty's Government could not conceal from themselves the extreme and unusual character of the step they were taking, I went so far as to authorise you to say that if the Greek Government would consent to it, you might make known to the brigands that a safe conveyance would be afforded to them to Malta should they desire to avail themselves of it, on board a British ship of war, if the prisoners were immediately re leased and arrived in safety at Athens. " I have further telegraphed to you to-day that, not withstanding what I have just stated as to the convey ance of the brigands, in case of need, to Malta, you would not relax your endeavours to induce the Greek Government to grant them an amnesty, if that course was more likely to influence the brigands to release the prisoners ; and I instructed you to say that her Majesty's Government considered that they were justified in calling on the Greek Government to consent to any measures for the release of the prisoners. " I have further desired you to inform me fully of the amount of protection given by the Greek Government to the party, and how far the party were travelling on their own responsibility.—l am Sze. " (Signed), " CLARENDON." The second letter is also from Lord Clarendon to Mr. Erskine, and was written on the same day as the preced ing, Thursday April 21st. It is very important : " Sir,—Since my other despatch of this day was written, I have seen the Greek Minister, who called upon me in pursuance of instructions from his Government to exyress their great concern at the capture of the English party by the briaands, and to explain to me the difficulty under which the Greer Government laboured in regard to the grant of an amnesty, for which the brigands were appearing to hold out. - "M. Brailas-Armeni said that the power of pardon vested by the Constitution in the King of Greece extended only to political offences, and that the King could not in terpose his authority to relieve persons from the penalty attaching to ordinary crimes. But, he went on to say, the Greek Government were perfectly willing to close their eyes as regards any measures which the British Legation might take for inducing the brigands to give up their prisoners, by engaging, if they did so, to afford any of them who might wish to seek t heir safet y in leavin g Greece the means of doing so in a British ship. " I told M. Brailas Armeni that such a contingency had already been provided for, and that Mr. Erskine had applied for and obtained authority to give, with the con sent of the Greek Government, a passage to Malta to all or any of the brigands who might desire to leave Greece. But I went on to say that I could not admit the validity of the constitutional objection stated by the Greek Government to preclude them from granting a pardon to the brigands. The Greek Constitution had so frequently been violated by the Government in regard to matters of internal administra tion that I could not listen to a plea founded on it as an excuse for not relieving the British subjects whose lives were in imminent danger, by complying with the demands of the brigands for an amnesty as a part of the price of their surrender. — I am, &a -" (Signed) " CLARENDON." The third letter is from Mr. Erskine to the Earl of Cla rendon. It is dated Athens, April 12th, but it was not received until April 22 n d, so that it may properly be placed after the two letters of Lord Clarendon. Mr. Erskine describes the sei zure, his account differing in no material particular from those already published. It appears that when the ladies were set at liberty writing materials were supplied to Mr. Herbert, who wrote to Mr. Erskine in the following terms :—" Do what you can to stop the troops from pursuing us. The captain says he requires £32,000. Our ' friends' say they can be heard of in town, and request that a proper person may be sent to treat with them. Please telegraph to Carnarvon." Notes of a somewhat similar tenor were written by the Count de Boyl to the Italian Minister and by the other gentlemen to their friends in England. Mr. Erskine adds that the ransom was fixed at £32,000. However, the same morning (April 12th) he ws informed by General Soutzo, the Greek Minister of War a , that one of the mounted gan darmes who was liberated at the same time as the ladies had brought him a note from the chief of the brigands, saying that if in three days a sum of £50,000 was not fort hcomin g for the ransom of the Lordi,' and if all pursuit throughout the kingdom was not susnended, their prisoners would be put to death ; but General Soutze seemed to think that this was a mere threat, and that even the amount of the ransom might be greatly reduced. " I told him that I should be quite pre pared to pay at once any reasonable sum without discus sion ; and he assures me that men have been sent in all directions to discover the traces of the band, and t o t rea t with them if possible." Mi. Erskine adds : " I have also reserved to your lordship the right of calling upon the Hellenic Government to pay the ransom which may ultimately be accepted by the brigands should h er Majesty's Governm e nt think fit to do so ; and I do trust that as this is a case of two persons belonging to th e Diplomatic Body who had apprised the authorities of their intention to visit Marathon, who had obtained an escort which they were entitled to consider sufficient, and who received no intimation whatever of danger, your lordship may see fit to hold the Greek Govern ment answerable for what has occurred. The Italian Minister has addressed a similar representation to M. Valaority, and I feel persuaded that were it to be well understood that the nation would have to make good any loss inflicted upon foreigners owing to the neglect or ends of Government, the latter wrfald soon discover the means of putting a stop to a state of things which is mainly due to the supposed exigencies of party warfare, and which is a disgrace to any community calling itself civilized." The fourth letter is from Mr. Erskine to M. Valaority, who is the Greek Minister for Foreign Affairs. He de• scribes the capture, adding the comment that "the facts of the case imply a want of vigilance on the part of the authorities which is altogether inexcusable." Mr. Erskine makes in this letter a very vitalstatement `• The Minister for War has already given me a solemn promise that no attempt shall be made to pursue the brigands until the captives are released; a threat having been made by the brigands that the least attempt to molest them would be instantly followed by the massacre of the whole party, and I trust that you, sir, will take care that this engagement is religiously kept." The fifth letter is from Mr. Erskine to the Earl of Clarendon. It is dated April 14th, and was received in London on the 22nd. It notes the arrival of Lord Muncaster to treat for the ran scm, and also that the sum was P,50,000, not £32,000, After much negotiation, however, the brigands consented to reduce theirdemand to £25,000. Mr. Erskine con tinues : " His Majesty and the Prime Minister having returned to Athens this morning from an excursion they have been making in the Archipelago, M, Zaimis called upon ins in the course of the • day, with the Minister for Voroign Affairs, and expressed to me the profound grief and humiliation with which his Majesty had learnt the misfortune which had befallen my countrymen • and he assured me that the Government were prepared to make any sacrifice in their power to effect the releasa of the captives. A person t ala been sent off on behalf of the Government te treat with the brigands, and to promise them kiit'hing short of an amnesty ; and I trust that ere long the whole party may be restored to liberty. I have addressed a letter in Greek to the brigands, of which I enclose a translation, assuring them that the money will be raid, and that they need not fear any attempt to molest them on the part of the authorities. I cannot yet say, very posi tively, by whom the ransom will eventually have to be )aid ; but I have had the honour of an interview with his Hellenic Majesty, at which he said that he had desired M. Zaimis to take any sum that might be necessary from the Bank or elsewhere to pay for the ransom. His Majesty even shewed the most eager wish to go and place himself in the hands of the brigands rather than that any of their prisoners should suffer harm." A letter from the brigands, and another to the brigands from Mr. Erskine, are enclosed in this communication. The last of the correspondence is from the Earl of Clarendon to Mr. Erskine, and is dated April 23. It is as follows : " Sir,—Your telegram of the 20th of April, in the even ing, announcing that the health of the captives was satis factory, but that the brigands still held out for terms which the Greek Government could not admit, and further expressing the hope that the mission of General Church's aide-de-camp and the military measures taken to prevent the escape of the brigands would prove satisfactory, was received in the night of the 21st ; and on the following morning your despatches of the 12th and 14th of April, containing the particulars of the capture, and the steps taken up to the last.named date, reached my hands. '"Late in the evening of the 22nd, your further tele gram of the afternoon of the 20th was received, and caused me no small anxiety ; for I gathered from it that an attack on the brigands by the troops was likely to be made, or, at all events, that some plan was in agitation for facilitating the escape of the prisoners by other means than those which had hitherto been contemplated. " My worst fears were realised on the receipt of your telegrams of the 22nd, sent off respectively at 2 a.m. and 7'30 a.m., which reached the Foreign Oflice this afternoon, and brought the distressing intelligence that Mr. Iter bert and the Secretary of the Italian Legation had been put to death by the brigands, apparently under the pres sure of an attack made by the troops upon them ; that Mr. Vyner had been carried off by them ; and that nothing was known of Mr. Lloyd. " I telegraphed to you at once that if you should have reason to suppose that the safety of the surviving prisoners might be secured by the grant of an amnesty you should apply to the Greek Government, and in the name of her Majesty's Government, and in the strongest terms, require that such amnesty should be granted. " Three hours after this was done, your final telegram of this afternoon was received, conveying the sad intelli gence that Mr. Vyner and Mr. Lloyd had shared the fate of their companions, and mentioning that the former of them had been killed near Thebes. " I need not dwell on the anxiety with which her Majesty's Government await your detailed reports of this melancholy tragedy.. I fear that many days must elapse before they are received, and until then I am scarcely in a position to give you any further instructions. I can only hope, and indeed I do not doubt, after having read your despatches already zeceived, that you will have left no measure untried which held out a prospect of effecting the release of the prisoners, and that you failed not to use every argument which might prevail with the Greek Government to waive the futile, and under the circum. stances untenable objection which they made to granting the amnesty which seems to have been insisted on by the brigands as an indispensable condition to the surrender of the captives. " I will inform you of the wishes of the relatives of the deceased as to the disposal of their remains as soon as I can ascertain them.—l am, &c. "(Signed), " CLARENDO:f. "P. S.—April 24, at Night.—Since the foregoing despatch was written I have received your further tele gram, dated noon to-clay, announcing that the remains of Mr. Herbert and of Mr. Lloyd had been landed at Athens on the previous day, and in the afternoon interred in the presence of the King, Queen, Archbishop, Ministers, and Diplomatic Body in uniform ; and that the steamer had returned for the remains of Mr. Vyner and M. Boyl, the Italian Secretary, and was expected back in thenight. Your telegram further informed me that thirteen of the brigands had been killed or taken, but that eight, including the Chief, were still at large, although it wa4 hoped that they would also be captured." MPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE 01? COMMONS—Tins DAY . The Speaker took the chair at five minutes to four. THIRD READINGS. The following bills were read a third time and passed: —Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal Navigation Reading Gas, and Worcester Railway. THIRD EDITION. The Third Edition of The Sun of last Evening was published iu time for delivery in town at 7.15 p.m. SUN OFFICE, 7 o'CLocK. MARRIAGE LAWS. Mr. T. CHAMBERS presented twenty-eight petitions from different parts of the country in favour of legalising the marriage with a deceased wife's sister. MONASTIC INSTITUTIONS. Mr. NEWDEGATE presented petitions in favour of, and Vicount BURY and other hon. members petitions against, the appointment of a select committee to inquire into these institutions. THE CHURCH IN WALES. Mr. WILLIAMS gave notice that on the 24th of May he should bring forward the motion which stood in his name for the disendowment and disestablishment of the Church in Wales. DUBLIN FREEMEN COMMISSION. Mr. J. LOWTHER said he should not bring forward his motion on the subject which stood in his name, as he had been informed that the report would be presented in the course of a few days. PRISONS. Mr. HIBBERT asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there were any prisons in England and Wales which were not in conformity with the requirements of the Prisons Act, 1865, and, if so, whether he would state the number of such prisons, and whether the 35th and 36th sections of that act had been enforced against them. Mr. BRUCE said it was quite true that there were at that time a great many prisons not yet in conformity with the Act of 1865, but he believed that since the date of the last report a considerable number had conformed to the Act, and the others were making the necessary alterations to comply with the same. Two new inspectors had been appointed, and they bad received instructions to inquire and report on the subject. The penal sections of the Act had not been put in force. THE LETTER CARRIERS. Sir HENRY HOARE asked the Postmaster General whether letter carriers who had called a meeting of their body for Good Friday were menaced by circular with dis missal if they attended the same ; and, if true, uncle' what statute such circular was issued. The Marquis of HARTINGTON said a circular letter had been sent round to the letter-carriers calling upon them to attend a meeting on Good Friday to hear a paper read on the present position of the post-office employes, and after wards to discuss the matter. As that was in opposition to a rule laid down by Lord Stanley of Alderley, when Post master-General, the proposed meeting was not allowed. There never had been any obstacle placed in the way of the letter-carriers making any representations to their superior officers, which, when couched in respectful language, were always attended to. But it was not to be tolerated that a regular system of organised agitation was:to be allowed in which the men might be led into acts or words which might cost them their situations. The rule of Lord Stanley was a very good one and he had no intention of rejecting it. THE RED RIVER. _ _ _ Mr. TORRENS asked the Under Secretary of State for the colonies whether there was any truth in the state ment contained in the Toronto Globe of the 2nd instant, that "in view of the intended expeditionary force to Red River the Canada Rifles were not to be disbanded." " That this expeditionary force was to consist of not less . than 2,000 men, of whom a fair proportion are to be impe rial troops." And that " the artillery required was to be furnished from England." Mr. MONSELL said so far as the Imperial Government was concerned the Canadian Rifles would be disbanded. With respect to the second part of the question, the motion was under consideration, and it would not be for the public service for them to make any communication at present. THE MASSACRE BY BRIGAND 3. In reply to an Hon. Member, Mr. OTWAT said the despatches just published had been received in the Foreign-office cypher, and great difficulty had been encountered in decyphering them in consequence of, the errors they contained. The greatest care had been taken in the matter, but he could not say whether or not the word "or " in Mr. Erskine's despatch to Earl Clarendon was to be read as it appeared, " 1:25,000 or a fr ee p ar d on ," or whether it was a mis print. (LEFT SITTING LONDON GAZETTE—This Evening, DOViNING-STREET, APRIL 25. The Queen has been pleased to appoint Eugene Leclezio, Esq., jun., to be a Member of the Council of Government of the Island of Mauritius; John Douglas, Esq., to be Auaitor and Accountant-Geperal and Controller of th Revenue for the Island of Ceylon. ST. JAMES'S PALACE, APRIL 22. The Queen has been pleased, on tl.e nomination of the Marquis of Normauby, to appoint Walter Clopton Wingfield, late Captain Ist Dragoon Guards, one of her Majesty's Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at-Arms, vice W. IL Middleton, resigned. WAR OFFICE, PALL-MALL, APRIL 26. sth Regiment of Dragoon Guards—Paymaster and Hono rary Captain Maxwell Reeve, from tho late Military Train, to be Paymaster. 6th Dragoons—John St. John Frederick, Gent., to be Come 6 William Henry Dawson, Gent., to be Cornet. st Foot —Ensign Walter Craufurd Kennedy to ba Lieu tenant ; Stephen Blyth Moore, Gent., to be Ensign. _ . 3d. Foot —Ensign Frederick Armstrong Coles, from 24th Foot, to be Ensign. 4th Foot—Robert Alex. Ogilby, Gent., to be Ensign. 6th Foot—Lieutenant Henry Wemyss Magee, from 77th Foot, to be Lieutenant. 7th Foot—Ensign Eustace Robertson Burnett-Stuart to be Lieutenant. oth Foot—Herbert Ifeyriek, Gent., to be Ensign. 12th Foot—Ensign Herbert Anthony Sawyer, from 82d Foot, to be Ensign. Gth Foot—Lieutenant John Edward Orange to be Ad jutant. Bth Foot—Lieutenant St. George Alexander Smith to be Captain; Ensign Alexander Ward Simpson to be Lieu tenant. 19th Foot—Lieutenant Alfred James Paterson to be Ad- jutaut. 22d Foot—Captain Duncan Chisholm Oliver Spiller, from 65th Foot, to be Captain. 24th Foot—Ensign Charles Carson Allen to be Lieutenant. 25th Foot—Ensign Charles Ludwell Melliar Dampier to be Lieutenant; Lieutenant Hugh Gough Collis, to be Ad jutant. 38th Foot—Lieutenant James Webber Smith to be Captain ; Ensign George Francis Thunder to be Lieutenant. 49th Foot--Ensign Edmund Ballo, from the 27th Foot, to be Ensign. 55th Foot—Ensign Charles Herbert Smith, frcm 16th Foot, to be Ensign. sGth Foot—Lieutenant William Bell to be Captain. 60th Foot—Ensign Allayne Beaumont Legard to be Lieu tenant. 62d Foot—Ensign Adolphus Lambert Dennis, from 47th Foot, to be Ensign. 65th Foot—Captain Harry Bromley Pitman, from 22d Foot, to be Captain. 68th Foot—Ensign Augustus Campbell Spencer, from Gth Foot, to bo Ensign. 70th Foot—Ensign Richard Handcock William Henry Har ris, from the 4th Foot, to be Ensign. 77th Foot—Captain Louis Philip Gould, from 96th Foot, to be Captain, vice N. X. Gwynne, who exchanges ; Lieute nant Reginald Hoilingworth, from 6th Foot, to be Lieute nant, vice H. W. Magee, who exchanges. 80th Foot—Captain James Loftus Winniett Nunn, to be Major, without purchase. 85th Foot—Lieutenant Francis Langford, from Ist West India Regiment, to ho Lieutenant. 96th Foot—Captain Nadolig Ximenes Gwyune, from 77th Foot, to be Captain. 101st Foot—Lieutenant Charles Pakenham to be Captain. SPORTING INTEL LIGENOF. CROYDON' APRIL MEETING. S DAY. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAM.) WOODSIDE PLATE. Thundercloud Election Juanita 3 Eight rau. CROYDON PLATE. Casse Tete 1 Lightning Sproacotnbe Three ran. GREAT WELCOMES HANDICAP. I Ventnor Thundercloud Tourist 3 Thirteen ran. GRAND HURDLE RACE. Ada Penelope 1 Astrolabe Doublo Event 3 Eight ran. HUNTERS' STEEPLECHASE. .. Leouci110 Kilcoleman 3 Seven ran. CLAIMING PLATE. Master Alfred Scout Sarcolite Twelve ran. GUILDFORD RACES.—This DAY. ALDERSHOT CAMP STEEPLECHASE. David.. ... 1 Aurifera 2 Mafia 3 Four ran. CHILWORTH. STAKES. Merrymaker .. 1 Patchwork 2 Bright Phoebus Four ran. NORTH CAMP STEEPLECHASE. Northern Light 1 Volhynia Chance Five ran. CITY BETTING.—Tats DAY. TWO THOUSAND. 5 to 2 agst Kingcraft (offered) 9to 2 agst Macgregor (taken freely) 7 to 1 agst King o' Scots (offered) 15 to 2 agst Stanley (taken and offered) 11 to 1 agstPrince of Wales (taken and offered) 1000 to 80 agst Hawthornden (offered) 20 to 1 agst Asterope (offered) 20 to 1 agst Sunlight (offered) ONE THOUSAND. 3to 1 agst Frivolity (taken) 9 to 2 bar one (offered) CHESTER CUP. 10 to 1 agst Glenfalloch (taken and offered) 100 to B . agst Muster (taken) 15 to 1 art Siderolite (taken) 1000 to 60 agat Formosa (taken) 33 to 1 agat Morna (offered) THE DERBY. Bto 1 agst Macgregor (offered) 11 to 1 egg Sanshine (offered—take 12 to 1) FLAT RACING FIXTURES. MAY. Newmarket Ist S 2to 6 Wye l9 Edinburgh 7 Doncaster l9, 20 Chester 10 to 13 Harpenden 2O, 21 Winchester 10, 11 Bath 24, 25 Salisbury 12, 13 Stamford ... . 26, 27 Chehusford 17, 18 Croydon 26, 27 York 17, 18 Epsom 31 to June 3 LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET.-(THIS DAY. Sales probably 10,000 bales. Market quiet. M.XTRAORDINARY BASE OF POISONING. liA Thursday night last a whole family,. residing in Drury court, Strand, were in danger of being poisoned. It ap peared that the son of a mechanic named Nottage went out for some beer, and when he was returning he and another lad quarrelled, and the latter, having some red precipitate powder in his hand, threw some of it into the beer. Young Nottage went home, and his mother and other members of the family partook of the drink. In a short time Mr. Nottage was alarmed to find that hie wife, his two sons, and a grandchild wore dangerously ill, and he accordingly had them all removed to the hospital, where remedies were instantly and effectually applied. The matter is in the hands of the police. The King of Italy is suireing from an attack of scarlatina. He is better, however, and the doctors antici pate that he will be quite well in a few days. At "Mahon, on Saturday, the executive of the Yorkshire Anti-Malt Tax Association decided upon an agitation for the equalising of the duty upon sugar. The -vicarage of Pradford Las been offered to the Rev. Dr. Ryan, late Bishop of Mauritius, and at present R.:ctor of St. Nicholas, Guildfcrd. The body of Isabella Leslie, who was missing from Dundee, in November last, was found in the docks vo3terday. The military revolt at Goa, in India, is over. It Ins ended in the complete submission of the Indian Government to the demand of the soldiery. An order of the Government of India has been issued directing reductions in the Army Staff of the dif ferent presidencies.