The Sun. — London, England, 1870-11-29 00:00:00

CALAMITOUS RAILWAY ACCIDENT. As we briefly stated yesterday, a terrible accident occurred on Saturday night to the express train leaving Euston for the North at five o'clock. The disaster took place beyond Harrow station, which is some nine miles from London. The express train was, as is usual on Saturdays, a very heavy one, being made up of a pilot engine, one of M`Connell's powerful Bloomer engines, driven by William Shelvy, a second engine, one of Rams botham's patent, driven by Robert Stone, and nineteen carriages. The night was unusually foggy. At 5.10 the foreman at Willesden Junction gave the signal " all dear," and the express passed by. Twenty minutes previously the foreman had started from Willesden Junction a train of empty .coal waggons, bound for Rugby, with instrue dons to shunt at Harrow for . the purpose of allowing the express to pass. This train, consisting of about thirty empty waggons, drew up to signal just beyond Harrow station, but the rear trucks not having overhauled the siding points the driver again started, which sudden action uncoupled the Bth waggon from the engine, drawing out the crossbar from underneath the ninth waggon, and leaving the remaining twenty waggons adrift. The danger of this unmanageable obstruction was at once apparent to the pointsman; and, the whole of the southern portion of the railway between London and Rugby being worked upon the block system, he instantly telegraphed back two miles to the signal man in the Wembly cutting, telling him the main down line was blocked. This man acknowledged the message, and replied that he had put his signal against the express, and the efforts of every available man at Harrow were called into requisition to get the empty waggons into a siding. The pointsman adopted the ad ditional precaution of sending the chief porter, White, up the line with fog signals. White had placed upon the rail only one signal, about 100 yards from the station, and had scarcely run another yard when he heard the puffing of the engines and the noise of the train rapidly approaching. In a moment he heard Shelvy blow his whistle, and saw him turn off the steam from his engine as the train flew past. Another instant and the pilot engine struck the last waggons adrift with so much violence as to shiver them into fragments, leaving scarcely a square foot of wood or iron unfractured. The shock had the effect of throwing the wreck of the waggons on the left or down side of the line, while the pilot engine itself and its tender fell over to the right and completely blocked the up main line. The second engine and its tender, although thrown off the rails, ploughed away through the ballast, and ran some few yards past the pilot, both engines together forming an immovable barrier against which some four or five of the leading carriages in the train came with such force as to be completely broken up. The stronger portions which held together mounted upon each other to a height of nearly 20 feet. The accident occurred about 200 yards north of the station platforms, on which there were several persons waiting the arrival of up and down local trains. Very little noise was occa sioned by the collision, but the promptitude of the few officials speedily assembled a ready body of volunteers, who rendered admirable service. The Duke of Bucking ham, who was going down in a train a few minutes later ; Sir H. Verney, M.P., who was travelling in the ex press ; Mr. Cawkwell, the general manager, and many other gentlemen connected with the company, were soon on the spot to assist in clearing the wreck, and giving directions as to the forwarding of the traffic on the only set of rails which was left unblocked. The labour of extricating the dead and wounded from the wreck lasted over more than four hours. Among the earliest got out was Mr. Balfour Stewart, Professor of Natural Philosophy at Owen's Col lege, Manchester, whose thigh was fractured. The ap pliances of the local surgeons not being equal to the emer gency, Mr. Warne, a local builder, improvised a pair of splints, which, with other aids, enabled the sufferer to remain at rest until Sunday morning, when he was removed to the residence of Mr. T. H. Lambert, of Northwick Villa, who also housed several others of the wounded. The subjoined is a corrected list of the killed:—William Shelvey, engine driver, aged 40; Mr. J. W. Jeffreys, of Manchester; Mr. J. H. Jordan, of Cheadle Hulme, near IVlanchester ; Mr. George Bell, of Bolton; Miss Bell ; Mr. Smith, of Tib-lane, Manchester; Mr. Rowley, of Stanhope-street, Hyde Park-gardens. Mr. Rowley, whose position when found under the wreck of the carriages was dreadful, he being regularly locked into the d6bris, was an exceedingly fine-looking young man. He bore his painful position with great for titude for nearly four hours, being kept up by the admini stration of- small quantities of brandy, and when extri cated was sufficiently conscious to direct that a telegram should be sent to his wife and mother in Cheshire, con veying his best love, and his regret to inform them that lie had met with a very serious railway accident. After having been got out ho gradually sank, and the doctors in attendance were unable to sanction the only chance of saving him—amputation. After a time lock-jaw ensued, which was soon followed by death. A Miss Butler remained in attendance upon the unfortunate gentleman until the last. Mr. Bell and Miss Bell were recognised by letters found in their pocket-books, which enabled the officials to com municate with their friends. The affianced lover of Miss Bell came down to Harrow on Sunday. He had bade her "goodbye" at Euston on her leaving the station. Mr, Jordan was identified by the season ticket between Man chester and London found upon him. Mr. Smith was identified by documents found upon him, which shelved that he was a partner in the house of Fisher, Sons, and Smith, of Tib-lane, Manchester. The driver, William Shelby, was a remarkable man, and known upon the line by the sobriquet of "The Duke," from the prominence of his nose, which bore a resemblance to that of the Iron Duke. He was a man of great experience and courage in his duties, and invariably travelled with a favourite dog— a half-bred fox. When Shelby's remains were discovered under the dome of his engine his faithful dog, which had escaped unhurt, was found watching near the body. Mr. Jeffreys was recognised by a letter addressed to him at the Langham Hotel, from Mr. Richards, of Frederick's place, Old Jewry. His wife telegraphed to Euston on Saturday night to know if her husband was in the train, but his death was not known to the railway authorities until Sunday. The escape of the stoker of the pilot engine, John Cleride, was very miraculous. He was thrown completely over his engine, and found himself, when conscious, in one of the empty" coal waggons. His grief at the loss of his mate was most touching. The escape of Gemmel, the Manchester guard, is scarcely less miraculous. His van was broken into a thousand pieces, but with the exception of a severe shock he has sustained no injury. Among the passengers who happily escaped serious hurt were Mrs. Grimshaw and her daughter, of Aspley, in Bed fordshire. They remained for the night at Lord Charles Russell's, at Pinner Lodge. The policeman stationed at Wembly cutting alleges that as far as he could judge as the train passed his box he does not think the driver of the pilot observed that the signals were against him. The fog, he adds, was very dense in his district. Mr. and Mrs. Allen of Dublin, Sergeant Sturt, 18th Royal Irish Regiment, and a deserter prisoner, two soldiers of the 62nd Regiment, the Rev. J. S. Hillocks, Mr. Taylor of Stoke-upon-Trent, Mrs. Taylor, Mr. King (Blossom-street, Norton Folgate), Mr. James Hilton, Mr. Harrison, Mrs. Wood, Mr. James Lamb, Mr. Reed (of Snow-hill), Mr. and Mrs. Heaton (Manchester), Mr. Bourgoin, Mr. Clapshaw (of Kilburn), and Mr. Pickering were among the sufferers. Some of these persons received serious injuries. The Dean of Lichfield and Mrs. Champneys were pas sengers in the train but fortunately were not injured in the least. They returned to London. The following account of the accident is by one of the passengers :—" The five o'clock express left the Euston station with its usual punctuality on Saturday evening. was accompanied by a friend. We were both b ou nd for home—my friend for Dublin and I for Cork. At start ing we did not notice much the length of the train. Being old travellers, and having acquired a strong prejudice . to occupying a carriage either too near the head or the tail of a train, we selected as usual one of the centre carrages. We got into conversation with two soldiers—a sergeant and a private of the 62nd Regiment —both remarkably intelligent men, the sergeant particu larly. The war was, of course, the topic of our conversa tion. The knowledge displayed by these two soldiers of the latest news ascertained from the Continent rather sur prised my friend and me. I had begun to endeavour to have a sleep, when all in the carriage were suddenly forced with much violence against each other. I remained for a few minutes in the utmost state of sus pense. The people in the carriages on each side of me had now begun to call loudly for the guard and ask what was the matt er . M y fr i end and I got out o f our carriage. Our example was followed by all the pas sengers who escaped sufficiently c, well t o ena bl e t h em to 'd o so. The fog was not thick enough t o prevent us seeing, by a number of lights in the distanc e , th at we must havea just passed a station , and some of the passengers made out that it must be the Harrow station, and so it was. We took the lamps out of all the carriages from the middle to r 4.- i'BE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29,- 18M. ADVANTAGEOUS EMPLO I 2q. EN T OF MONEY, - - (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) Notwithstanding - the general depression which has ex isted in enterprise of all kinds since the memorable panic of 1866, a superabundance of capital is lying at unrernune rative interest in banks and elsewhere, whilst its owners would be very glad to invest it in channels combining security with the substantial prospect of a fair return. An opportunity of this description, possessing features pecu liarly advantages to persons desirous of securing improv ing endowments, is presented by the Tontine arrange ment under which it is proposed to open the Alexandra Park and Palace at Muswell Hill, London.. The capital required for all purposes (reserving right to issue' deben: tures of moderate and fixed amount) is £650,000. This is divided into 20s. shares, bearing no interest, but conferring rights of free anmission and of tickets in three Art Unions, which appear to be eminently attractive—indeed, in themselves worth much more than the amount cf the investment. The members entitled to the benefits of the Tontine are confined to the subscribers for the first £500,000 of capital. The survivors amongst these, or their nominees, (who may be appointed and registered up to a date to be fixed in the articles of association), will become owners of the entire property, at the short and satisfactory term of ten years, when the Tontine will be completed. But it is expected that by exchange of shares for increased privileges of admission, by gaining valuable prizes in the Art 'Unions, and by natural lapse of life, the amount of capital Parti cipating in the Tontine will have been reduced by nearly one half—say by £250,000 —leaving the holders of capital to the amount of £250,000 to divide the property. Now according to opinions expressed by our contemporary the Architect, and other recognised business authorities, the market value of the Park (400 acres) and Palace will at that time exceed £2,000,000,—an estimate more than justi fied by what has taken place at Sydenham and Norwood — where, since the opening of the Crystal Palace £3,000 per acre has been paid for land previously worth only £3OO, an increase of 1,000 per cent. But in order to keep safely within the limit of virtual cer tainty, the promoters of the Alexandra Park Association put their estimate at only £1,500,000, which, supposing that it were determined to sell the estate, would yield a return of £6 upon every £1 invested. Option, however, is reserved to the then Government to purchase the pro perty in order that the institution may be carried on in the interest of the public ; and even should Government not exercise this option, the great probability is that the majority of the shareholders would, instead of selling, de cide upon maintaining the establishment, as, considering that the revenue will be unencumbered by any heavy burdens, the entertainments of a most attractive character, and regarding, moreover, the rapid increase of population and the growth of improved taste, there can be no doubt that the clear profits will suffice for the payment of an immense and progressive annual dividend. As a benefi cially accumulating endowment for a rising family, it seems scarcely possible to make a more prudent and pro fitable use of money than investing in these 20s. shares, and nominating to the interest in them the person for whom it is desired to make provision. The limitation of time at which the Tontine benefit is to take effect divests it of any objectionable features which might have been alleged against the old tontines, in which life was, as it were, pitted against life, and imparts to the whole arrangement the essential nature of a deferred endowment policy granted by a life insurance office, and payable upon the life 'named-aged, let us suppose, 12 years—attaining the age of 22. The only real difference between the two is that the benefit conferred by the tontine shares will be greater, several times over, than would be recived from the endowment. It need scarcely be remarked that the probabilities of a young and healthy life not surviving ten years are exceedingly slight. But to preclude the re mote possibility of any loss of the money invested taking place through this contingency, the life of the person to be benefited could be insured (for a young life) by a ter minable policy at a merely fractional expense, and the policy made payable upon death occurring before the ex piration of ten years. Thus, even in the latter very im probable event, loss of the capital sum invested would be avoided, as the amount of the policy would be paid by the insurance office. The contingency of loss of interest is obviously far more than counterbalanced by the enormous advantage that will accrue upon survival for ten years. Of course all our readers are aware that one of the most convenient uses of life insurance is that of securing a debt by a terminable polio) upon the life of a person who will be entitled to property at a stated time or age. That familiar process is strictly identical with the one here described. But it is important to mention another fact, which illus trates the careful skill with which the interests of members are provided for upon all points. We have alluded to the free admissions and Art Union privileges. Well, suppose that an investment be made to the extent of 100 shares £lOO. This entitles the holder to free admission (accompanied, at his or her pleasure, by four friends with or without carriages and horses), for ten years, and 100 tickets in each of three Art Unions, some of the prizes in which will be of the value of £5OO, others of £4OO, others of £3OO, ranging from these values down wards, so that the holder may possibly draw prizes of the value of very many thousands. The drawing of a pri ze extinguishes only one twenty shilling share ; therefore the investor to the amount of £lOO may draw fifty valuable prizes, and still retain the right of the remaining fifty shares to participate in the benefits of the Tontine. After the enjoyment of these prilvileges for ten years, then will come the reversion to the Tontine, or, should premature death have taken place, the money invested will have been recovered (minus the trifle paid for the policy) by the cheap and simple insurance arrangement already mentioned. It will, moreover, be optional with members either to take their chances for prizes with the whole or some portion of their shares, or to retain all or a portion of them, for absolute participation in the pro perty. On the whole view of the matter we do not call to mind an enterprise founded on a more _ . secure business basis, or comprising features more lucrative and advantageous for those who take part in it, and influential committees are in course of formation at Wood Green, Hornsey, Highgate, Hamp stead, Barnet, and in other of the northern suburban dis tricts of London for the purpose of organising the subscrip tion of the necessary capital. The case of the Queen v. Boulton and Park, which was removed by certiorari from the Central Criminal Court for trial in the Queen's Bench, does not appear in the list of causes, and will not, therefore, be tried at the present sittings of that court unless a special application to enter it be made to the Lord Chief Justice and com plied with. It is thought that nothing more will be heard of the matter. SPAIN AND THE POPE.—On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception a public wt of devotion on behalf of the Sovereign Pontiff is to take place over the whole of Spain. The people are to frequent the churches in com panies clueing the whole day, and when the solemn services are not going on they are to recite the Rosary and the Litany of the Saints. • THE RIGHT HON. B. DISRAELI AND LANCA SHIng.—A requisition from the Conservative Associations in Lancashire is in course of signature, inviting the Right Hon. B. Disraeli to visit this county before the commence ment of the parliamentary session. The secretaries of any association who may not have received a copy of the requisition may obtain one on application to Mr. Joseph Maltby, secretary to the City of Manchester Conserva tive Union, 4, Temple Chambers, St. James's-square, Manchester.—Manchester Courier. VOYAGE OF THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH.— Her Majesty's ship Galatea, under the command of his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh arrived at Sydney on the 15th September, having called at Welling ton, New Zealand, on her way from the Cap e of Good Hope. His Royal Highness arrived in time to see the Inter-colonial Exhibition, and the closing ceremony was performed by him. The Galatea on October 11 was in the Sydney Graving Dock, and was expected to sail about the end of October for the South Seas, her commander having received instructions from the Admiralty to make an investigation with reference to some murders alleged to have been committed at the Kingsmill Islands by Cap tain Carmichael, of the ship Hannah Bloomfield. His Royal Highness was expected to visit Melbourne prior to the departure of his vessel for the islands. PROPOSED NEUTRALITY OF THE AUSTRALIAN COLONIES.—By telegraphic summary of Australian news furnished by the Melbourne Argus, under date of Oct. 11, and forwarded by Brindisi route, we learn that a propo sition has emanated from a Royal Commission on Federal "Union, appointed by the Governor of this colony, to the effect that an Imperial Act should be obtained enabling any two or more of the Australian colonies to unite for legislative or other purposes on terms to be mutually agreed upon. It is also suggested that the colonies should be placed in a position which would enable them to de clare their neutrality in the event of a war between Great Britain and another Power. Never since the Crimean war has the arrival of the various instalments of European news via Suez or California been,awaited with such eagerness in Australia, and scarcely any intelligence ever brought to the colony has produced greater excite ment than the tidings which arrived by the last mail of the disasters to the French arms, and the advance of the Prussians upon Paris. THE WAR. THE SIEGE OF PARIS. BY BALLOON MAIL. M. Wilfred de Fonvielle, one of the last aeronauts who have arrived from Paris, sends a letter to the Etoile Beige. He says :—" I cannot sufficiently thank tho nhabitants of Louvain for the sympathetic wel come which I and my companions met with on the Belgian soil. One of the principal objects of my voyage was to prove to Europe that French aeronauts were not so intimidated by Prussian shots that they were obliged to confine themselves to nocturnal voyaging. I can affirm on honour that Paris is perfectly provisioned, that public spirit there is excellent, and that the National Guard is animated by warlike sentiments. All that has been said of ultra democratic agitation is pure exaggeration, if not Prussian invention. Paris is sure of success, and may well trust to the strength of her ramparts and the provisions which are yet in, her storehouses. It is only two days since the salt meat was begun, and people are now getting accustomed to eat the flesh of horses, which I find a great delicacy. The army which will enter on its campaign in Paris will soon be in a fit state to commence active operations. Great activity prevails in the manufacture of arms and war ' like munitions. Some delay hss taken place in the carrying on of the war, on account of the difficulties in the way of the fabrication of cannon. The Prussian line has drawn back during the last few. weeks. lam going to England, to explain the state of affairs to the British nation. I offered to the Republic the Egalitd balloon, which conveyed me to Belgium, and which I hope will soon take me back again to Paris. The pigeons which I bought at my own expense are already en route for Tours to be at the disposal of the French Government. I must here declare that it is fake to say that General Trochu is waiting for the Army of the Loire. As a good tactician, he is watching for the appro priate time to make the grand coup. It would not be expedient for me to say what I know of strategical combinations, but Paris is acting in concert with the pro vinces. Paris has no wish to dictate to the rest of France but to shed her blood for the defence of the eountry. My balloon Egalitti is much larger than the other balloons which have hlft Paris. I am convinced that if the Republic has better balloons it has no aeronaut more willing than I am to die for its safety and glory." M. Rochefort, who has become an artillery gunner, will resume the publication of his well-known journal, La Lantern e. The Times Versailles correspondent says the French made a judicious use of their irregulars in distracting the German forces, and endeavouring to deceive them. The greatest sufferers of all in Paris are the infants, for want of milk. The mortnlity among them is beginning to be very great. The weather is cold around the capital, and winter appears to have set in prematurely. WAR PREPARATIONS. AT TOURS. The special correspondent of the Telegraph, in his letter from Tours,dated November 24, says :—The great fight of his campaign will, I am persuaded, take place nearer — much nearer—to Paris than the world has any idea of. Trochu is ready to issue forth with 300,000 men whenever Aurelles de Paladine shall be within easy reach of the Prussian lines at Versailles. Whether the Duke of Mecklenburg on the right of the French line at Le Mans, or the Ptinee Frederick Charles on its left at Nevers, will stop tin advance of the Army of the Loire—remains, of course, to be proved. My own opinion is, that the Prussians have greatly underrated both the quantity and the quality of the French army, and will suffer the penalty that falls upon every leader who values his enemy too cheaply. In this view, as I hear indirectly, I am upheld by the two English officers now with the army at Orleans and Nevers—Colonel Fielding, of the Coldstream Guards, and Colonel Reilly, of the Royal Artillery. They are both, I understand, greatly astonished at the state of discipline of all the French forces in this part of the country. And, if what I hear whispered in the Ministerial circles here is true, it may come to pass that France and French troops may prove of the highest interest to England and Eng lishmen; for it is openly said here in Tours that Mr. Odo Russell's reception by Bismarck at Versailles on the subject of the Eastern question has been much of the same ' kind as the envoy of a petty Rajah in India would receive at the hands of the Governor- General if he came to ask for help out of a difficulty. In this town preparations for war are going on with great system, great regularity, and upon an almost gigantic scale. This morning I counted twenty carts coming from the railway station, each containing ten cases of rifles, and each case must have held fifty of these weapons. This makes a total of ten thousand rifles, which have just reached us from Brest, whither they had been brought from America. The rifles are, I believe, of the pattern called Remington, which the French greatly pr fifer to any other kind they have yet tried. Half an hour later I saw the train carrying off to some military station in the South twelve thousand knap sacks that had been made in this neighbourhood. As for stores, there are contractors here who are ready and anxious to furnish the army with anything and every thing it may want in the way of eating and drinking, or clothing, or war materials, no matter in what line or to what extent. I heard of one gentleman the other clay who offered to deliver, within a fabulously short period, and for payment only when the goods should be brought to the house, a small matter of three complete Arm strong field batteries, horses, harness, and all com plete. Where he could have got the " goods" is a marvel, unless he is in the habit of walking into the Woolwich Arsenal and carrying away 12-pounders in the pockets of his overcoat. The energy and determina tion shdwn in every Government department here to overcsme all difficulties are certainly beyond praise, and form a great and sad contrast with what used to be seen at Strasburg and Nancy before the war commenced. In those days there was a degree of laissez alley and feebleness of purpose, a want of forethought, which a child would have perceived. But we have changed all that now, and have run into the very opposite—and certainly better—extreme. THE GUNPOWDER EXPLOSION AT METZ A correspondent of the Daily News, writing from Metz on the 21st instant, says :—I arrived here on Saturday evening to find the town in a filthily dirty state, and every hotel crammed with Prussians. This morn ing, about nine o'clock, • one of the powder maga zines of Fort Plappeville, containing some say 5,000, others 10,000 kilogrammes of powder, exploded and killed some thirty Prussians, besides wounding many others. It is supposed to have been due to the smoking propensities of the Germans, some of whom, it is said, were seen to enter the magazine with pipes in their mouths. I made my way there this afternoon. During my journey I came across a number of miserable look ing wretches, pictures of despair and starvation, in charge of some GerAran soldiers. They were huddled together in what had once been a field, but was now a miserable bog in which it was . impossible to stand for a few minutes without sinking deep into the mud. Those I spoke to informed me that they had been prisoners in the fort, and had been removed directly after the explo sion ; they appeared to have no idea as to their ultimate destination, or where they were to spend the night. None of then' had had any food that day, and they all seemed to be in a most abject state of misery and demorali sation. I continued my journey to the fort, but soon met with a strong guard of soldiers, who prevented anyone from approaching it. They were afraid of some further explosion, as it appears that the majority of the forts are mined. Fort Plappeville commands a very large area of ground. On the inner slope which faces .Metz are a number of mud huts, which were formerly occupied by the French army. Many of them have been destroyed, but judging from those that remain, it is a mystery to me how any one could have lived in them for any length of time without engendering every disease under the sun. Even now, in many parts, the stench is quite insupportable, and likely to create a large amount of illness. The prices of provisions- are coming down somewhat, though the shopkeepers are doing their utmost to keep them up. From what I see and hear, it would seem as though the better class of the inhabitants did not suffer much, if at all, during the siege. It was the poorer classes and the soldiers who had to endure all the misery. The hospitals are still crowded, and are in a wretched condition. They are very dirty, and the superintendence is all at fault. There is an insufficiency of pro Visions, which are, moreover, in many cases, very bad. The bread, for instance, is of such an inferior and coarse quality, besides being very badly made, that it can hardly conduce to the restoration to health of patients broken down by disease, hunger, and suffering, not to mention neglect. the end of the train, and proceeded to see what had been the cause, and what was the nature of the accident. The first half-dozen carriages from the engines seemed to have been only affected by the collision—for such now the accident appeared beyond doubt to have been. The first carriage was a complete smash. One man had been caught by the thighs, and his legs wrenched from his body. Some of the passengers in the second car- Hap' appeared to be past all human relief also. Fortu- ' nately among the uninjured passengers were a couple of medical gentlemen. The wounded were con veyed on stretchers to the Harrow station, where their temporary wants were kindly attended to by many of the rlidents of Harrow, who, on hearing of the accident, came to the station and were profuse in their offers and acts of benevolence. The dead [ that couldlbe extricated from what remained of the smashed carriages were laid upon one side of the line. I made out six altogether. It was generally believed that the driver of the first engine was killed 'instan taneously. The person cut in two in the first carriage, the two in the second, another person who had his head cut through, !tad a lady, made up the hapless half-dozen. Our friends the two soldiers, who had some short time before been so energetically discus sing the probability of England going to war with Rustia, were among those who had to be taken on stretchers to the Harrow station, in the waiting : room of which they were accommodated as well as could be uader the circum stances. Altogether some fifty or so persons must have been seriously injured. The carriages of the express were intended for Liver pool, Holyhead, Manchester, and Birmingham. The official account of the accident furnished by the railway authorities says that the " real cause " was the dense fog which prevailed in the neighbourhood of Harrow a►t the time. Dr. Diplock, the coroner for West Middlesex, opened the inquiry respecting the deaths of the deceased, at Harrow. They were identified as Henry Miller Jeffryes (55), of Brighton ; George Bell (56), civil engineer, Bolton ; Jane Bell, of Bolton ; J. H. Jordan, merchant, Manchester; George Henry Smith (40), auctioneer, Manchester; William Shelvey, engine driver; James Campbell Rowley; solicitor, Ashton-under-Lyne.— Mr. Cawkwell, the general manager of the line, gave evidence as to finding the bodies, after which the inquiry was adjourned to Wednesday next. THE ALABAMA CLAIMS AND THE CANADIANS. The Nation, the most thoughtful and honest paper in the United States, has some remarks on the Alabama question in its latest phase, which may be accepted as a fair. representation of American opinion among mode rate people. The gist of the article is as fol lows :—" Men who lost their ships during the war learning that England is ready to pay " the cash," some of them are not unnaturally anxious to get `the cash' in." The Nation holds that there rests on the United States Government an obligation of the strongest kind, either to adjust and pay their claims at once itself, and then take its own time to exact reim bursement from Great Britain, or to push the settlement of their claims now with all ccnvenient speed. As to the causes of the unwillingness of the Administration and of a portion of the press to define the satisfaction which Great Britain must give in order to close the Alabama controversy, they are two in number. One, which prob ably only actuates a comparatively small number of persons, is the desire of revenge. They ex pect that England will some day get involved in a Euro pean war, and that then the United States will have an opportunity of paying her off in her own coin. With this class, however, there is little use in arguing. The second class consists of persons who hope that by holding out we shall get Canada eventually in satisfaction of the Alabama claims. In this class may be included Harper's Weekly and Senator Trumbull, probably the two ablest and most respectable supporters of the scheme. Senator Trumbull has, in a recent speech in Chicago, set forth the unde niable advantages, political and economical, both to the United States and to Canada, of the annexa tion of the latter. In fact, it is something which any body who knows anything of the circumstances of the two countries must wish to see brought about ; but it is precisely because the Nation wishes to see it brought about, and that speedily, that it deprecates all advocacy of it in America in connection with, and especially as a penalty levied on England on account of, the Alabama case. It ought not to be necessary to point out to any man who has any familiarity with history, and has occu pied himself with politics, that the cession of territory is regarded by all modern nations as a sign of defeat and humiliation. It is something to which no first-class Power ever submits, except in exchange for something else, or as a terrible necessity imposed by irretrievable disaster in war. In the frantic resistance offered to it by the French, even in the throes of despair, we have a striking illustra tion of the horror with which it is regarded by the leading nations of Europe. With the feelings of the French about it, everybody who is capable of putting himself in other people's place—and anybody who is not ought to let politics, and especially foreign politics, alone —must sym pathize. Now, Great Britain has not been defeated in war ; she is, therefore, though willinc , enough to pay damages for the Alabama depredations, not' prepared to sub mit to the payment of a penalty, and especially of a penalty so exceedingly humiliating as the surrender of territory. If, Canada, therefore, be asked for as a penalty—that is, as something to appease an angry enemy without any refe rence to its pecuniary relation to the wrong for which it is expected to atone—it will, of course, at once bring into play the national pride and divers other worse passions, and then we may bid farewell for an indefinite period to all hope of a settlement of any kind. There is, however, one way in which the annexation of Canada to the United States might be made acceptable to England, and that is its being demanded by the Canadians themselves. If the Cana - dians called for a severance of the few remaining bonds which unite them to Great Britain, their application would be received by nine-tenths of the English public with open or secret rejoicing, and at once be acceded to. But it is just as safe to say that anneixation against which the Canadians protested, men of all parties in Eng land, and more particularly the English Radicals, would feel bound in honour to resist to the death. The delay in framing and producing distinct grounds of settlement in this controversy, and urging them persistently on England, becomes more and more discreditable to the Government mid the public the longer it lasts ; and what a proper regard to the interests of individual sufferers, to the dignity of the United States, and the interests of civilisa tion and justice calls for, has been well set forth by Dr. Bluntschli, Lamely, compensation for all damage done by cruisiers sailing from English ports, and the issue of such a joint declaration touching neutral duties as shall not only attest the illegality of the past course of Great Britain in this war, brt settle the law for the future. THE GI.RAIAN FEDERAL COUNCIL. The Berlin correspondent of the Independanee Belge gives the following resusra of the changes in the North German constitution. Federal legislation extends to the laws of the press and . of associations. The modifications of the Constitutions require henceforward the votes of three-quarters instead of two-thirds, as in the Federal Council. Declarations of war demand the consent of the Federal Council unless it is a question of repelling an attack on the territory or the coasts of the Confederation. The Grand Duchy of Baden will have fourteen votes in the Parliament, and three votes in the Federal Council. Hesse Darmstadt will have six new members in the Parliament besides those which it already has in the Hessian province of the North. In the Federal Council Hesse will have three votes. She has hitherto had but one. The taxes on beverages, especially on beer and brandy, are reserved to the Southern States, consequently Baden, for instance, will not be able to share in the receipt of the imports reserved to the States of the North. On the other hand its deputies and plenipotentiaries in the Parliament and the Federal Council will not take part in the deliberations on these taxes. It is, however, under stood that as soon as possible a consolidation of the taxes for the North and South will be accomplished. The Constitution will come into force on January Ist, 1871. The same applies to the greater part of the Federal laws which affect Baden and. Darmstadt, though some will not be valid until later. The Penal Code will not come into force in Baden until 1872. The Rev. Dr. Butler, Head Master of Harrow School, will preach the sermon at St. Paul's Cathedral on the occasion of the consecration of bishops next Wed nesday. DEATH OF THE SULTAN OF ZANZlBAR.—lnforma tion has been received of the death of his Highness Syud Majid, Sultan of Zanzibar, and stating that hi-i brother Syud Burgash has succeeded him in the sultanate. The late Sultan was the successor of Syud Saeed, Sultan of Muscat, who made Zanzibar a permanent seat of govern ment: In 1844 his Highness Syud Saeed intimated his desire to appoint his sons Syud Majid and Syud Thowaynee as his successors in his African and Asiatic dominions respectively, and appointed them his deputies. In accordance with this Syud Thowaynee succeeded to the government of Muscat on.his father's death, and in virtue of that he claimed also feudal supremacy over Zanzibar. He prepared to establish his claim by force of arms, but the dispute was submitted to the arbitration of Lord Canning, who decided that Zanzibar should be independent of Muscat, paying, however, an annual subsidy of forty thousand crowns. Syud Majid was a weakly prince, but ever true to the British power ; how far his successor will show the latter amiability remains to be seen, espe cially in carrying out the arrangement to pay the annual subsidy of 40,000 crowns to the ruler of Muscat. Syud Toorkee is an elder brother of the newly-made Sultan ; younger brother, Abdul Azeer, is at present on a sort of roving commission in the Gulf. The late Sultan of Zan zibar paid a visit to Bombay four of five years ago.— Bombay Gazette. BREAKFAST.—EPPS'S COCOA.--GRATEFUL AND COM FORTING.—The very agreeable character of this preparation has rendered it a general favourite. The Civil Service Gazette re marks :—" By a thorough knowledge of the natural laws which govern the operations of digestion and nutrition, and by a careful application of tho flue properties of well-selected cocoa. Mr. Epps has provided our breakfast tables with a delicately flavoured beverage which may save us many heavy doctors' bills." Made simply wjth boiling water or milk. Soldonly in tin-lined packets labelled—JAMES EPPS Jz CO., lionneopatilic Ckeniists, London.—Advt. AN IN'T'ERVIEW WITH BISMARCK. The New York. World of Sunday contains the follow ing report of statements made on the 21st of November by Count Bismarck to a correspondent of that journal, who left Versailles-on that day and arrived in London on the night of the 24th. The corresponent says that the conversation which he relates was held under peculiar circumstances, which "cannot now be stated;" but he affirms that he has given almost the exact words used by Count Bismarck. The conversation commenced by the mention on the part of Count Bismarck of the great dissatisfaction with the so-called Bismarck plan of the campaign, especially in relation to Paris, which existed in Germany, and which found expression in the press. The manifold motives prompting and strengthening the longing for the consummation of the campaign by the capture of Paris—popular passion, domestic distress, and the host of other motives, real • and unreal were mentioned ; and the Chancellor then went on to say that the capture of Paris, thus clamoured for, must be brought about sooner or later to satisfy the folks at home. But respecting both the time and means for effecting this, public opinion was much astray, and be stowed its animadversions unjustly. Had the Chancel-,` 16es - counsel been followed, Paris would have been \ attacked long ago, as was known to those con versant with the ways and wishes of the head of affairs as now administered in Versailles. When the forces led by General von Blumenthal to victory at Weissenburg and Worth • emerged from the Vosges and marched on towards Chalons, where the cavalry under Prince Albrecht rested, Count von Moltke decided that they should come up and help to annihilate the army which had so hurriedly abandoned Chalons. Count Bis marck strongly urged that they might be allowed to con tinue their march on the capital then almost unprepared for a siege; that they should occupy the city, or, if not able to accomplish so much, that they should at least cut it off from the rest of France, which should then be over run as quickly as possible. When the Department of Seine-et-Oise was reached, it was found but the husk of a shell hard to crack. Then came a new question— How waS the kernel to be reached? At first it was determined upon bombarding the city—of which intention the open secret of the German park of artillery at Villecoublay was ample proof. Then came a new dis agreement, the result of which was that the King, under the advice of General von Moltke, decided to lei famine reduce the capital, trusting, also, that internal discord would hasten the capitulation. Count Bismarck now " ceased to disguise his in dignation that he was no longer asked to the councils wherein great questions were decided." In 1866 no important proposition was decided without his advice and presence; but now great changes or whole plans were adopted without consulting him, while popular disapproval fell upon him. Those who said it was his fault that Paris had not been bom barded were wholly in error. He had most ardently desired it—had most strenuously urged it. The Chan cellor also said that he attributed the halting and partial failure of the attempt at German unity to the delay re -suiting from the opposite scheme. Had his advice been accepted and followed, the Government and people of Bavaria and Wurtemberg would have been carried in by the wave which swept over Germany ; and the grand scheme of a united Vaterland and a Deutscher Kaiser would have become a reality, instead of the half-hearted Confederation now about to he born. " For me," added the Chancellor, "the great object of the war never lay on this bank of the Rhine, but on the other side, where I he ped should exist one great country, one great people and one great Emperor."—Daily Telegraph. The French papers state that General Kanzler, late Commander-in-Chief of the Papal army, remains in Rome. Being a Bavarian by birth he was unwilling to return to his country, where he would be called upon to fight against his late brethren in arms. ' Among the officers on Bourbaki's late staff is a young cornet, who enlisted at the beginning of the war as a pri vate soldier, and who will probably some day inherit about 30 millions of francs, at which amount is estimated the fortune of his father, Fr&ay, the well-known capita list. A letter from before Thionville, written prior to the capitulation, which it mentions as imminent, states that orders had been sent from Versailles to reduce as speedily as possible all the fortresses in Lorraine, and everywhere in the north of France, in order that, on any peace negotiations arising, they may be in German pos session. At 230 p m. on Sunday, two French bark-rigged iron clads were seen from Dover, passing through the Channel from the eastward, steering westerly. They appeared to be cruising. On Saturday afternoon, at 3.30, a large turret ship passed Dover, steering westerly, chew ing no colours except her number; she is supposed to be English. There is a good deal of talk in the German camp about the numerous Snider rifles in the hands of the French, and of the severe wounds they inflict. It cannot be—at least according to all accounts given by English Ministers —that many Spiders have been obtained in England. These formidable rifles were probably Remingtons, which the French prefer to every other they have yet tried. There is an enormons concourse of visitors in Tours. Not a nook of room is to be got anywhere. People pay ten francs a day for a room in a small house. The hotels are obliged to have successions of tables d'lulte, com mencing at 10 o'clock in the forenoon, and going on with a break of two or three hours in the middle of the day until 9 or 10 at night. The Moniteur Univcrsel, in its weekly bulletin, thus comments upon the military situation in the south east of France The presumed movements of the Duke of Mecklenburg and Prince Charles, which have caused some excitement, certainly have not surprised our Generals, and our military chiefs have not failed to guard against the flank march which has been so ostentatiously an nounced in all the German newspapers. Our Army of the Loire is much too powerful to be surrounded, as the braggarts of Berlin promise, by the comparatively weak forces which menace its camp." Herr Wachenhusen, writing on the 20th, from Dugny, to the Cologne Gazette, says :—" The guerilla war is now in full progress. This excites much bitterness among our troops. The soldiers say they no longer know with whom they have to deal. They are ordered to treat as soldiers all who have any sort of military uniform. They have the consciousness, however, that they have to combat with an armed bourgeoisie. The Franc-Tireur seems of late to have quite disappeared. Even the prisoners in the dark blue woollen blouses and bright blue belts now call them selves Mobile Guards, and indeed are so. At bottom it is quite immaterial whether they exhibit credentials as Francs-Tireurs or Mobiles. They are not at all to be feared whoever they are." More complaints are made of German plunder. One letter from a French gentleman says :—" In the country, the farms, villages, and hamlets, there is daily pillage. Corn in sheaves is given as litter to the horses, sacks of oats are cut open and their contents poured out and squandered, casks of wine are stove in. If some unhappy peasant dares resist, if a Freeshooter comes to his aid, if a shot is heard, the rage of the Prussians knows no bounds, and village, hamlet, or farm is quickly burnt. A. little town, Courville, was completely sacked on the pretence that a Freeshooter had pointed his rifle at a Uhlan." THE IMPARTIALITY OF TRADE. A Ger man, " who wishes his countrymen,, while being Prussianised, still to remain just," writes as follows to the Times :--" For certain political purposes much noise has been made in Prussia about coal and arms being furnished by this country to the French, but not a word has been said about the enormous quantities sent of woollen army socks, stockings, under-shirts, drawers, &c., or, above all, about tae many millions of army woollen blankets, flannels which have been, and are being, forwarded to Prussia from England. The manufacturers in the north have worked their mills night and day for months past for Germany in the above articles, and are at this moment so full of orders for the same market that they will be fully employed till the end of January. Nay, not only are immense purchases made here for the German armies, but now, as in 1865 (when Prussia supplied Russia with anything in the shape of warlike stores she needed), letters are actually being re ceived in this country from Prussian ports which hold out the prospect of large orders for Russia in case of war be tween the latter Power and England." SHIPMENTS OF WAR MATERIEL FROM NEW YORK TO FRANCE.—The shipments of arms and ammu nition of all kinds from the United States to Havre is assuming enormous proportions. Advices received in Liverpool on Saturday last from New York by the arrival of the Cunard steamer Java, state that the French mail steamer Lafayette, Captain Rosseau, one of the New York and Havre line of steamers, sailed from the former port on the evening of the 16th instant, havino , on board no other go o ds th an breech-loaders for infantry and guns for field artillery service, revolvers, and carbines, together with cartridges for the various weapons. This is understood to be the second full cargo of arms which th e L a f a y e tt e h as b roug ht from New York, besides one part cargo, since the com mencement of hostilities between France and Germany. The two previous lots of arms which ware carried to France by the Lafayette were valued at about $429,632, while the one which she sailed with from New York on the 16th was valued at $817,253, and con sisted of 2,133 cases containing 42,660 rifles ; 22 cases containing 1,220 carbines ; five pieces of artillery ; and 8,593 cases containing 8,844,236 cartridges. The Lafayette was the tenth cargo which had left New York for Havre, and makes a total of 2,680,750 dols. worth of war materiel which left the port of New York between the Bth and the 16th instant. The total value of the arms, ammu nition, &c., shipped from New York since the commence ment of the war is estimated at about 6,200,000 dols. ' and as the greater portion of the cartrid ges are metallic they can be intended for nothing other than breech-loaders. There were other vessels in New York at the time the Lafayette left awaiting to be laden with similar carves. THE EASTERN QUESTION. MR. ODO RUSSELL. AT VERSAILLES. Mr. Thissell was with Count Bismarck from one o'clenk till nearly four in the afternoon, and at nine o'clock Alajor von Kelidall went to the Petit Vatel with a communion" tion, it is supposed, from the Chancellor, which led to lklr- Russell's second visit, the account of which I have jus t had from a. secret observer. In two such long inter views, some six hours in all, much could be done, or, rather, said. -Another emissary tells me that D-fr' Odo Russell has sent off despatches in cipher, bY telegraph, thanks to the courtesy of the Headquarte rs here. And I am informed by a rivulet from another source of information that Mr. Odo Russell was not well yesterday, and that he was obliged to ask his Majes t y ] leave to absent himself from the'Royal table to which be had been invited. Talleyrand, or some other disingenuo us person, once on a time inquired, " What was M---- S c , and-So's motive for having the gout at this momen t But I am • sorry to believe Mr. Odo Russell s indisposition is not diplomatic, and that it is caused bY severe cold. However, that is not much to be wondered at. Colds are very common just now. The suspicion of a secret engagement with Russia is warmly resented, but if the other Powers were to reject proposals emanating from Prussia for a settlement of the issue so suddenly raised, their separate action would scarcely be assisted or taken in good part.— Times' Correspondent at Versaillo.' November 23. • RUSSIAN PREPARATIONS FOR WAR. j Yesterday's Financier says :—" Private advices inform us that immense quantitias of munitions of war ar e i constantly arriving at Odessa., the Crimea, all places on the north coast of the Black Sea. It is added that the Poti-Koutais Pc 9: ' tion of the railway now in course of constructi on in the Caucasus is to be completed in a few months. The new contract up to Koutais, taken by Messrs Crawley' Power and Co., is to be finished by the Ist of July, 187' 2 , subject to a penalty of £l,OOO for every week exceeding that time. It can hardly be supposed that this lin e , is required for commercial purposes. The object ° L Russia rather to secure her military position. It would, of course, be incorrect to extract cause of alarm from movements of this nature, or to imagine that they neces• sarily mean war.. But they certainly seem to mean that Russia is pushing steadily on to the realisation of her Pet national idea—that of repossessing herself of the fre e navigation of the Black Sea for warships. We may b e quite sure that with nothing less than this will she rest content." THE RELATIONS BETWEEN RUSSIA AND PRUSSIA. The Berlin correspondent of the Daily News furnishes some important information respecting the relations be' tween the two great Northern Powers. He says that at the outbreak of the present war the Russian Chancellor , Gortschakoff, was in Germany, and had several inter views with the King and Bismarck before their departur e for the field, the neutrality of Russia being the principa l object of their negotiations. The Russian Prime Minister then, for the first time, as the reward for his neutralitY , demanded the acquiescence of Prussia in the abolition of that part of the Paris Treaty of 1856 which forbids Russia to keep a fleet in the Black Sea. Bismarck accepte d the proposition, and it was mutually understood that this claim should first be publicly put forward at the conclusion of the peace between Prussia and France. Thus by the middle of August Bismarck w 3s enabled to send the two corps which had been left for the defence of the Eastern provinces of Silesia and Prussia to the seat of war. By this understanding, not only Russia's neutrality was secured, but Gortschakoff had even pledged himself to restrain Austria from interfering between Prussia and France. From the above premises it will appear that Prussia has not the least interest to oppose Russia in her present designs ; besides, she is not one of the Powers which have guaranteed the Paris Treatl- Whatever may happen, as long as the present war lasts , Russia must continue friendly to Prussia, and pursue her old course. By this policy Austria is also compelled to give up all her ambitious schemes for meddling with German affairs, and strictly to confine herself to the East. Favourable as this state of affairs is for Ger many and the undisturbed conclusion of the present war, nevertheless Prussia was far from approving Russia's sudden step in the Eastern question. It w ould, of course, not have been taken if France had not been entirely helpless, and it probably will—quite unseason ably for Germany—demonstrate to the rest of Europe that France must be sustained as a first-class Power ; that, consequently, the retaliation for her reckless p r ovo . cation of this war must not visit her as cruelly as she deserves. This writer adds that the expectation of peace being made induced the Russian Government to commit itself too early. • MR. FREEMAN'S VIEW. Mr. E. A. Freeman, the historian, writes another letter on the morality of treaties. He argues that treaties are naturally changeable; that they can be no more made for all time than a law. " But there is this wide difference between the two. If the laws of any State work badly , the legislature of that State can at once change them. Se it is in any case of dispute or •wrong between tive members of the same political community; there is a common authority ready to step in between the two and by whose award both are bound. In hr ternational dealings there is nothing of the kind. What is called international law is not law in the strict sense. It is of great use in helping to keep the passions of nations in some degree of order; but it is not strictly law, because there is no judge to enforce it. Every nation must reserve to itself the right of deciding in the last case whether it will obey its rules or not. It dos so, subject to the chance of other notions making war upon it ; that is, subject to the appeal to force. But the fact that the appeal to force is the lot appeal chews that the matter is one which does not come within the range of law strictly so called. The conduct of England and of every other European Power in declin ing at its pleasure to carry out the obligations of treaties may be ruled to be illegal and immoral. But if it be not so ruled, those words do not apply to Russia for exercising the same right. Die nation strictly carries out its treaties ; it disregards thea 3 at pleasure, subject to the last appeal to arms. And it does seem to me that for Russia to say openly that she does not intend to be bound by a particular treaty is more honest than the usual way of getting out of a treaty hi, picking a quarrel and getting up a war on some underhand pretext." • We regret to learn that Dr. Bowers, the Dean of Manchester, is seriously unwell. Lieutenant Colonel Creagh-Osborne, of the first battalion 6th Regiment has been made a C.B. Some important bits of news are given in a letter fron' the Standard's correspondent near Autun. He says there is a certainty that enormous quantities of American rifle o have been distributed among the southern levies, and that the latter have been lately pushed in masses on Orleans to support D'Aurelle, towards the vicinity of whose caraP , there are also being sent numerous convoys of emptY carts, supposed to be intended for collecting supplies for Paris. A protest has been published which was addressed to Marshal Le Bceuf by the colonel and the officers of the 41st Regiment, before the news of the capitulation of Metz was officially conveyed to them. They declared themselves opposed to the surrender of an army which had not been beaten by the enemy, and expressed their readiness to carry out any energetic movement which might be determined upon to avert the necessity of so great a disaster as the capitulation of Metz would be. Communication is carried on between Paris and the provinces by means of photography. In the letter from Paris four questions may be asked, to which the provincial correspondent should reply by " yes " or " no." The cards on which the answers are written are taken to the director , who copies them by microscopic photography, and sonde them by pigeons or otherwise to Paris, whence they are sent to their destination. [ADVERTISEMENT.] —Holloway's Pills.—Lungs, Liver, and Kidneys.--A large number of internal maladies arise from obstructions, over the removal of which these cele brated Pills exercise the most perfect control. A course of them is strongly rocoinmended as a remedy for almost all chronic affections, as liver complaint, congestion of the lungs, torpidity of the liver, and orher functional dig' orders, which cause much present suffering, and, if neglected, lay the foundation for incurable diseases.. Holloway's Pills are especially adapted for the young and delicate ; their gentle and purifying action places them above all medicines. In indigestion, nervous affections, gout, and rheumatism, these Pills have raised for them selves a universal fame. They expel all impurities from the blood, and restore cheerfulness and vigour. 81R7718. On the 25th inst., at 24, Carlisle-terrace, Kensington, th© wife of Charles'l. Beihell, Esq., of a ion. - On the 26th inst., at Beulah-hill, Norwood, the wife of Ernest George, of a daughter. MARRIAGES. • On the 24th inst., at All Souls', Langhamplace, Edwarcl John, younger son of Henry Hardy Tatam, E sq ., of Moulton, Lincolnshire, to Marion, younger daughter of the late F. H. Waller, of Broadway, Worcestershire. On the 25th inst., at St. Mary's, Islington, Mr. Augustno Boyce, of Edgware-road, St. John's-wood, to s e linft Sprado, eldest daughter of Mr. John Samuel Hall, of Torrington, Devonshire. DEATHS. On the 25th inst., suddenly, in Cornhill, Mr. Joseph North', • of Bishopsgate- street, city, and Gravesend, aged 75. On the 25th inst., at Wimborne Minster, William Wilson, aged 81. London • Printed by GIDEON ACLAND BOYCE, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, and Published by him a t Tar Surt Office, No. 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the County of Middlesex. Tuesday, November 29, 1870, Ad hent gtalli A , ,), t, tho