The Sun. — London, England, 1870-05-03 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS-MONDAY. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at five o'clock. MARRIAGE WITH A DECEASED ER WIFE'S SIST. Lord HOUGHTON moved for a copy of correspondence between the colonies and the Imperial Government with respect to the legalization of the marriage with a de • ceased wife's sister. REPEAL OF THE UNION. Lord TALBOT DE MALAHIDE presented ;petition from the Board of Guardians of the North Dublin Union, pray ing for a repeal of the Legislative Union of Great Britain and Ireland. COUNTY COURTS (BUILDING) BILL. This bill was read a second time. CUSTOMS (ISLE OF MAN) BILL. This bill passed through committee. SURVEY OF GREAT BRITAIN BILL. This bill also passed through committee. ECCLESIASTICAL TITLES ACT. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE asked whether the Government were prepared to introduce a bill either to repeal or modify the provisions of the Ecclesiastical Titles Act so far as relates to Ireland ; also to ask whether the Government were prepared to amend the marriage law a Ireland, &c. Earl GRANVILLE said that a bill on the first subject would shortly be introduced by the Lord Privy Seal, but, with respect to the amendment of the marriage law of Ireland, he could make no promise. Their lordships adjourned at twenty-seven minutes past five. HOUSE OF COMMONS.-MONDAY. The Speaker took the chair at five minutes to four, at which hour nearly every seat on the Government side of the House was marked as taken. MONASTIC INSTITUTIONS. Sir G. GREY presented a petition from the Corporation of Dublin against the proposed inquiry into monastic and conventual institutions. Mr. Cogan and several other hon. members presented similar petitions. Mr. NEWDEGATE presented a great many petitions in favour of the appointment of the said committee. THE RED RIVER. Mr. R. FOWLER moved an address for copy or extracts of correspondence between her Majesty's Government and the Governor General of Canada on the subject of the recent disturbances at Red River. The motion was agreed to. EAST INDIA (METRIC SYSTEM). Mr. J. B. Storrs moved an address for return of certain correspondence on the subject of the application to India of the metric system of weights and measures. The motion was agreed to. TURF BETTING. Mr. T. HUGHES gave notice that he should postpone his motion on this subject until Thursday next, on which day he should also ask whether it was the intention of the Government to extend the act for the suppression of betting houses to Scotland. PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS. The Marquis of lIAATINGTON gave notice that on Mon day next he should move for leave to introduce a bill to amend the law with respect to procedure at Parliamentary elections, (Loud cheers.) MONASTIC INSTITUTIONS. Mr. EYKYN gave notice that on the resumption of the debate on this subject he should, as an amendment, move for the appointment of a Royal Commission to inquire into all institutions of the kind, whether Roman Catholic or Anglican, throughout the United Kingdom. THE GREEK MURDERS. Sir J. ELPUINSTONE said to-morrow he should ask for certain information with respect to the English force in Greek waters, and also whether it was the intention of the Government to take steps to press on the Greek Government to make adequate provision for Mrs. Lloyd. CAPTAIN SPEER. Mr. Costar asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any intelligence had been re ceived from her Majesty's Minister at Washington re specting the trial of the soldiers of the United States army on the charge of shooting Captain Wilfred Speer. Mr. OTWAY said the trial of William Barrett, the person charged, had been delayed, but it would take place in June next. Great difficulty existed as to procuring the attendance of the witnesses, most of whom resided in St. Louis. ARMY PROMOTION. Colonel KINGSCOTE asked the Secretary of State for War upon what principle and for what reason the rule governing the promotion in other regiments, both of cavalry and infantry, was not allowed to apply equally to the Coldstream and Fusilier Guards. Mr. CARDWELL said the matter, as regarded the Cold stream and Fusilier Guards, involved the question of. over-regulation price, which would no doubt be considered by the Royal Commission, pending which he could not consider any representations on the subject. IRISH CHURCH ACT. Lord JOHN MANNERS asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, when he proposed to introduce the measure, promised on the 23rd of AprillB69, for amending the pro visions of the Irish Church Act of last session, which relate to the holding of land by the Church of Ireland when disestablished. Mr. C. FORTESCUE said the subject was one of import ance and difficulty, but not of urgency. It was impossible for him to say, in the present state of public affairs, whether the bill could be considered in the present session. THE RIVER SHANNON. Mr. WILLIAM GREGORY asked what steps the Govern ment was prepared to take to facilitate the drainage of the Shannon and its tributaries. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said a bill had been prepared, and he would bring it in as soon as he saw a favourable opportunity. TRACTION ENGINES. Mr. COGAN asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention had been directedto Mr. Thomson's road steamer or traction engine ; if so, whether he had ob tained any information as to its capabilities for military purposes. Mr. CARDWELL said attention had been called to the subject, and a favourable report had been received which was now under consideration. GUARD-SHIPS. The Marquis of HAMILTON asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether it was the intention of the Admiralty to order a man-of-war to be stationed either in Lough Foyle or Lough Swilly during the ensuing summer months. Mr. CHILDERS said after the summer cruise of the first reserve fleet it was the intention to send one of the vessels to the places referred to. THE KHEDIVE LOAN. In reply to an HoN. MEMBER, Mr. OTWAY said information had been received of the negotiation of the loan referred to, and the representative of the Sublime Porte had forwarded a protest against it, but the Government did not consider they could interfere in the matter, as it was one that simply concerned the persons investing in the loan. THE IRISH LAND BILL. The House went into committee on the Irish Land Bill. _ _ — Mr. SrNAN moved to leave out in line 15 sub-section 3, "thirty-one " and to insert " sixty-one." In his opi n i on the proposition was the best and most conclusive remedy for the present state of things in Ire land in relation to the question under con sideration. He asserted that the question was as much an English one as it was Irish, arguing that if it were satisfactory to the Irish people it would become the foundation of amicable relations betvreen the two coun tries. The principle of the bill was, as he understood that in order to apply a final remedy to the social grievance, the occupier of land so far as was consistent with any enjoyment of property by the landlord, was to have his possession secured. The amendment, he held, was not irreconcilable withthe prin ciple of the bill. There was no doubt that the occupiers of land in Ireland had an objection to leases, but only to such leases as were mentioned in the reports of the inspec tors which he held in his hand—leases that made the occupiers not only tenants but gamekeepers to the land lord, and whose occupation was subject to forfeiture on the violation of certain conditions of the lease, such as permitting a person to trespass., He proposed his amendment in perfect good faith, and upon the autho rity of men whose opinion were entitled to weight and consideration. Mr. C. FORTESCIIE thought the lion. member would sot consult the izztereet et the DIU by pzeeelpg his Alll9l2Slis meat. The Government were not disposed to go to such a point as the hon. member proposed, and it was raising an issue which was not before the committee. Mr. DOWNING said that a lease of sixty-one years was not an uncommon thing in Ireland, and he bore testimony to the good results of the system. The O'CoNoR DON thought that the substitution of sixty-one for thirty-one would be in almost every case to bar any lease being granted in consideration of the getting free from the other clauses of the bill. Mr. DISRAELI said the fair issue was whether they should accept the proposition of 31 years from the Government or not. They had nothing to do with the amendment. Mr. SYNAN remarked that he had expected more sympathy with his proposal, but under the circumstances he should withdraw his amendment. Dr. BALL moved an amendment on Clause 3, page 4, line fifteen, leave out " thirty-one," and insert " twenty one." He said his amendment did not affect the question of leases to be given where improvements were to be made. It did not interfere with the compensation or re muneration allowed under the bill where improvements were made or should be made. The only question before the committee was what should be the term of the lease, which exonerated the landlord from compensation for dis turbance or damage for eviction. He thought that a team of twenty-one years was a very considera ble tenure, and an advantageous lease to the tenant. They were the terms of leases generally adopted in Ire land—namely, twenty-one years, which was the term of ordinary letting, and a term of thirty-one where improve ments had to be made ; and he thought it quite right that the difference should exist where,as it might be, the tenant had to build the house upon his land: It was therefore his great desire to encourage as best he could both of the systems which were dealt with in the 3rd and 4th clauses of the Act. The learned gentleman then read a variety of extracts from evidence given before Lord Clanricarde's committee by Mr. French, Mr. Mackie, and other persons, who all were of opinion that twenty-one years was the best term that could be decided upon, as it would afford full time for the develop ment of farms as to fertility. He contended that one of the amendments standing on the paper in the name of the Secretary of Ireland, favoured his proposition. (Mr. C. Fortescue signified dissent.] If it vas not so he hought it could not be said that it was not an argument going in the direction of his amendment. The Marquis of HARTINOTON thought it was most desirable, after it had been determined to take the subject of land tenure in Ireland into consideration with a a view to its amendment, to do so in a large and compre hensive manner ; and he could not but express his regret that certain amendments which would restrict the opera tions of the bill should have been pressed upon the Govern ment. The proposal of the right hon. and learned gentleman for the making the term twenty-one years, he considered, would be very unpopulor in Ireland, and many persons would prefer remaining tenants-at-will rather than take a twenty-one year's lease. It would be a suicidal policy to introduce such a principle in the bill. He did not see that there was anything in the bill which would force an Irish landlord to do more than the great majority of good landlords did now. Sir ROUNDELL PALMER spoke against the amendment. He thought he should not be justified in dividing against the Government on this proposition, the more so as it was not a question of principle. The Government had done much to meet the objections that had been raised against the bill, and therefore he could not give his assent to a proposition which he looked upon as an abstract point of policy. The committee divided, when there appeared— For the amendment 209 Against 290 Majority against Sir HENRY SELWYN-IBBETSON then moved in lime 15, after " years," to insert "or for a term of a life or lives with or without a concurrent term of years, and which lease has existed for thirty-one years before the making of the claim." ''' The SOLICITOR-GENERAL for IRELAND opposed the amendment. A; ter some discussion it was withdrawn. Feveral other amendments were moved and withdrawn after a brief conversation. Shortly before 11 o'clock, the House then took up the adjourned debate on the appointment of Mr. Newdegate's Committee on Monastic Institutions. Mr. NEWDEG TE, in compliance with the appeal made to him on Friday by Mr. Gladstone, explained his understand ing of the scope of his inquiry—i.e., that the committee should inquire into the mode and the conditions under wh . ch property was held ,jy monastic institutions, and also into their discipline, with he view of testing their cha racter. Mr WINTERBOTHAM opposed the inquiry, as likely to lead to no practical result but irritation and jealousy. Mr. GLADS-'ONE, deeply regretting, from a practical point of view the original vote of the House, which must lead to much animosity and ill-will,said if Mr. Newdegate would con sent to limit the inquiry to all matters connected with the property of these institutions, and the law relating to them, the government would not object, though they did not ex pect any profitable result from it. Mr. NEWDEGATE refused the proposition, but ultimately the order was discharged by 270 to 160. Mr. GLADSTONE then moved for a Select Committee to inquire into the state of the law relating to monastic insti tutions and the terms on which they hold their property, which was carried by 348 to 57. Several notices were given of instructions to the Committee to be moved at the next stage. Mr. BRUCE anneunced that he had relinqUisb( d his inten ion of bringing in the Licensing Bill this year. The House adjourned at two o'clock. NATIONAL TEMPERANCE LEAGUE. The annual public meeting of the National Temperance Leagqe was held at Exeter Hall last evening, Samuel Bowley, Esq., in the chair. Some idea of the efforts made by the League in the cause it advocates, may be gathered from the following extract from the report read :—Thirty eight working-class meetings had been held at the Lambeth Baths and Burdett Hall, where 503 persons signed the pledge ; and the President of the League had addressed a meeting of the directors, officials, and employes of the Midland Railway Company at Derby. Meetings had been held at several military garrisons. Temperance societies had been formed on board the Minotaur and other ships in the navy ; and the missionary to sea men had paid 4,608 visits to vessels in the port of London, distributed about 20,000 tracts and other publications, and registered 230 names in his pledge-book. The lec turers, missionaries, and honorary deputations of the League had attended about 1500 meetings during the year ; and the Crystal Palace Fete had been attended by 53,780 persons, being nearly 11,000 more than on any former occasion. The receipts of the year, amounting to £4,154175. 11d., included £26215. 2d. from a legacy, and £1,469 4s. 6d. in subscriptions and donations. STRANGE INQUIRY INTO THE LOSS OF A STEAMER. A Board of Trade Inquiry is at present being held in Newcastle into the circumstances connected with the loss of the screw steamer Sea Queen, of London, and all the hands (29 in number) on board, on the 14th of February last, while on a voyage from Newcastle to Malaga. A large number of witnesses were examined on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and the court is still sitting. Several witnesses spoke to the unseaworthy condition of the vessel during the voyage preceding the one in which she was lost, the pumps having to be freely used, and several of the men refusing to go in her again. Others described her disgraceful state when she left the Tyne for Malaga, wanting her mainmast, being very leaky and much overladen. The dock master said he observed to persons standing by when she left the Tyne Docks that she was "nothing else but a coffin for the poor fellows on board." During the whole of his experince he had never seen a steamer leave the docks so deep in the water, and he said to several persons at the time that " she would never reach her destination."—The widows, fathers, sisters, and other relatives of the poor fellows who were lost also gave evidence. Some stated that - the men only joined the ship on the understanding that she was to be overhauled before sailing. That was not done, however and although matters were made worse by the overloading, the men were compelled to go or be sent to prison.and the told hi s w if e h e on l y wen t f or th e sa k e o f h er the bairns," and to save himself from being thought a coward. Another replied, when his sister entreated him not to go, ' afraid of my ' I Ch ye ar s a i r i te ed r andarticles don't o l'm wish to coward sent to p ; I' m r only s_o n John Potter, who had a Son on board ws as fireman, said his son told him that her side was so low that he could wash his hands over the gunwale. Witness and his wife tried to persuade him from going in the ship, but he replied that he had signed articles, and must go. Riots have taken place at Plumstead in conse quence of the decision of the Master of the Rolls respect ing the enclosure of the commons. All the fences were torn up on Friday and Saturday, and the rioters also threatened to pull down some adjacent houses. Three of the ringleaders have been fined by the magi strates. In consequence of the notice of appeal given by the Rev. Mr. Jackson, vicar of Ledbury , from the sentence of fi ve y ears ' suspen sion passed upon him by the Court of Arches, the sentence was not afhxed to the church doors at Ledbury yesterday, as Sir R. Phillimore directed. The Bishop of Hereford has not withdrawn his inhibition against Mr. Jackson from preaching or officiating in the church. THE ALBERT LIFE SSURANOE COMPANY MONDAY. Vice-Chancellor James gave judgment this morning in several summonses which had been submitted to him affecting the interests of the various classes of policy holders in ,the above company. He decided that the non-participating policy holder was to be insured by the Albert Company on a similar footing in another office equally as substantial as the Albert had been. As it happened that the Albert had lost the opportunity of drawing profits, participating policy-holders were to have policies granted them in an office which did noWield profits. There was another class of holders who paid haLpremiums upon their policies, and they were to be insured on a similar basis in any other company that might be selected, the latter would have an oppor tunity of making a proper deduction in consideration of the payment of half premium only. It might occur, too, that certain holders had failed in their health subsequently to effecting their policies. In those cases a proper addi tion must be made in proof, so that the holders might be raised up as if in the enjoyment of good health. Lives generally must be regarded as being in a normal state, and in all cases proper consideration must be had of the original contract. In reply to his Honour, Mr. Kay, Q.C., intimated that the Mutual Assurance Company had been selected for the purpose of effecting re-assurances, and he thought an arrangement would be arrived at beneficial to all parties interested. THE " PORCUPINE " LIBEL CASE. MONDAY. To-day Mr. Shirwin, the writer and publisher of the Porcupine, a satirical journal published in Liverpool, was brought before the Judges of the Court of Queen's Bench to receive sentence. It will be remembered that at the last Liverpool Assizes, Mr. Shirwin was found guilty on a criminal information of libelling Mr. Fernie, the chairman of the Merchants' Trading Company, by attributing the foundering of the Golden Fleece to unfair means applied by that gentleman. Neither Mr. Fernie nor the Golden Fleece was mentioned by name; and the learned judge (Mr. Justice Brett) left it to the jury to say whether the article complained of referred to Mr. Fernie and the Golden Fleece. The jury found at once that it - did. The Court of Queen's Bench was crowded to excess, and Mr. Shirwin sat in front of the counsel. Justices Blackburn Mellor, and Hannen were the judges.—Sir John Karslake having prayed judgment, Mr. Justice Hannen read the notes of Mr. Justice Brett.--Mr. Davison, Q.C., on behalf of Mr. Shi rw i n , th en rea d the evidence speaking to the character of the defendant and the Porcupine paper; after which he spoke in mitigation of sentence.—Mr. Justice Blackburn, in delivering the sentence of the Court, said the crime of libel was a misdemeanour punishable by fine and imprison ment. This was not a case of personal ma lignity, nor was it done wantonly and merely to make a commercial profit. The previous character borne by the paper was conclusive that it had not been carried on to propagate scandal or to make reckless imputations upon others. The jury had found rightly that the matter of the article referred to Mr. Fernie. To a great extent the article was a fair comment on the system, but it was wrong to illustrate it by the reference to Mr. Fernie, of the Golden Fleece. They considered that it was not a case for a severe sentence, and that justice might be met sufficiently by a sentence of the defendant to one month's imprisonment as a first-class misdemeanant. Mr. Davison applied for Mr. Shirwin to be taken to Kirkdale Goal, so that he might see his friends to carry on his busines. The Court granted this ; and Mr. Shirwin left the court in the custody of the judges' clerk. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MAY 3, 1870. LAW AND POLICE. RAILWAY CONTRACTS.—Three suits have been instituted in - the court of Vice-Chancellor Malins against the Metro politan Railway Company to enforce specific perforniance of contracts for the purchase of land. In one case the contract had been made six years ago, but the money was not yet paid. The Court decreed that the contracts should be fulfilled within the next two months. THE JUDGES IN A Frx.—ln the Court of Common Pleas, Lord Chief Justice Bovill, addressing Mr. Williams, asked if Thursday next would be a convenient day for taking the case of Bovill v. Finch," which, it will be re membered, is an action brought by the plaintiff against a miller for an alleged infringement of a patent obtained for improved milling machinery. The plaintiff, who is a near relative of the Lord Chief Justice, has brought a large number of actions against millers during the past few years, and the trials have occupied a large portion of the time of the superior courts. Mr. Williams reminded the court that the arguments would occupy a long time, and suggested that, under a recent Act of Parliament, a second court should sit in Banco. The Chief Justice thought they would scarcely do that. For his own part he -could not with propriety sit in the case ; but his brethren could take it on Thursday next, if convenient to the counsel. Perhaps Mr. Williams would intimate that to, Mr. Groves, the learned counsel for the defence. Mr. Justice Brett said he did not know whether he could sit in the case either, as he had been engaged as counsel in one of the actions.—Mr. Williams thought if they went to that extent, there was scarcely a judge on the bench who could take it. Nearly everybody had been in it in some form or other. (Laughter.)—lt was ultimately agreed to take the case on Thursday. THE RELATION OF OLD TO NEW COMPANIES.—In the Rolls Court, Lord Romilly gave judgment in a matter affecting the interests of the Birmingham Banking Com pany, which is now being wound up. The question sub mitted to his lordship was whether a compromise could be allowed for effecting the sale of the old bank to the new bank, the latter being a limited company, and the official liquidator of the old bank, who was also the managing director of tire new company, being the seller of the building. It was also asked whether power could be given to the official liquidator to sanction compromises generally without the necessity of applying to the court to ascertain whether they were fit and proper. His lordship, though designating the proposed transaction somewhat irregular, assented to it on the understanding that a sum of £5,000 should be reserved for the payment of those creditors who were either abroad or had not been found, There was a fund of £20,000 in court, and all creditors with the above exception, had been paid, and his lordship believed that the interference of the persons interested would be a sufficient guarantee against any thing improper passing unnoticed. THE RIGHTS OF APPRENTICES ON A DISSOIXTION OF PARTNERSHIP.—The case of Couchman v. Sillar came before the Court of Common Pleas on a demurrer. A sum of £99195. was paid as premium by Mr. Couchman to Messrs. Sillar,and Bateman, who bound themselves to in struct his son in their business of tea brokers and col?mal mer chants, for two years. There had since been a dissolution of partnership, the defendant, Sillar, seceding from the firm, and Bateman carrying on the business. Sillar was the partner whose instruction was held by the plain tiff to be of the most value, and young Couch man refused to serve under the latter partner. At Nisi Prius a verdict was taken by consent, subject to the opinion of the full court upon the point raised, as to whether the dissolution of partnership was a breach of the agreement. The Lord Chief Justice said no doubt the plaintiff had a right to maintain this action. His son was entitled to the instruction of both, and as the defendants had by their own act disabled themselves from carryi ng out the contract, they were clearly liable. The other learned judges concurred. THE GODRICH DIVORCE CASE AGAIN.—In the Court of Queen's Bench Serjeant Parry moved for sentence to be passed upon Elizabeth Williams who was found guilty of perjury in the Godricci Divorce suit. She was tried before the Lord Chief Justice last term, when' she was ordered to come up for judgment on the sixth day of this term. As she had not appeared, the learned counsel now asked that sentence be passed upon her in her absence and to have her recog nisances estreated. Mr. Justice Blackburn said no notice had been given to bring her up for judgment ; and he did not know of any case where sentence had been passed upon a prisoner in his or her absence. Ultimately the court refused the application. A HEARTLESS SON.—A painful case has been brought before the Woolwich magistrate. A mechanic in constant work refused to pay for the burial of his mother, and the Board of Guardians, after the remains had laid five days uncoffined, conducted the funeral, applying to the son afterwards for payment. He refused to pay, and the law, according to the Wo o l w i c h mag i s t ra t e , can on ly com p e l him to refund the cost of maintenance, not the expenses of a funeral SHOOTING A PARTRIDGE.—A boatman named Rae was convicted at the Derbyshire Quarter Sessions of stealing a partridge. He picked up the bird in a field over which a party of gentlemen had the right of shooting. The jury found that the bird was in a dying state, and could not have escaped when Rae picked it up, and therefore he had taken it, fraudulently depriv ing the owner of it. The Court of Criminal Appeal quashed this conviction. Five judges held that a bird or an animal in a wild state was not regarded as property, and that it was never intended to make those who preyed upon game thieves as well as poachers. COUNT DARU'S NOTE.—The Memorial Diplo matique says that by common consent the Vatican and the Court of the Tuileries have resolved to consider the Memorandum as nul, and as consequently calling for no reply. The Univers on the other hand affirms that the note has reached Paris, 'and that it simply contains a refusal to communicate the Memorandum to the Council. Cardinal Antonelli declines to enter into a discusssion of the questions which have been raised by Count Daru. SLEEPING CARTERS.—A Brentford magistrate witnessed on Saturday week last a procession of a very singular character. On the road between Brentford Town Hall and Turnham-green, slowly following one another, were no less than fourteen carts, and every carter of the fourteen was fast asleep. A few days later the spectacle appears to have been repeated, and five men were, on Saturday last, fined for being asleep when they should have been driving. The reason is not far to seek. Three times a week Covent Garden market begins about midnight to be a scene of bustle and activity. Waggons and carts come in from the country laden witlrflowers, fruits, and vegetables, and after some hours marketing, the return journey begins just about the time when London is at breakfast. The men have been up all night, and have had beer to keep them lively. The horses are glad to be going home, and know the way quite well. The natural consequence is that all the drivers go to.sleep. The only way to prevent it is to make the 0011- ductors walk beside their horses, and, that wcnda tither 9rue mumurc tic twke.—Eato. AMERICAN LIFE INSURANCE IN EUROPE. (From the Anglo-American Times) One or two disastrous failures of English Life Assurance Companietlately shook public confidence, and directed attention to the system in force on the other side of the Atlantic. It was found that the States exercised a supervision, forcing the compa nies to publish their accounts in a comprehensible form, and decreeing a ruinous penalty in case of failure to supply the facts, or of falsification in the figures. The confidence inspired by this practice worked beneficially to the companies themselves, for it barred the door to bogus concerns, and led the citizens of the Republic, whose rights as insurers were thus protected, freely to take out policies. The consequence was an enormous business, which has placed the life assurance companies of the Eastern States among the most gigantic in the world, and established them on a secure and substantial basis. Attracted by the discussion and the interest excited towards the American system in England, some have turned their attention to Europe as to them a fresh field for operations, and the New York Life has established itself as the pioneer company both in London and Paris. Nor is the enterprise con fined to life, for the New York Home Fire Insur ance has appointed an agent in London and pub lished a circular. But it is to life assurance that interest is mainly directed, for the American system appears to have produced better resulier than the English, and to have created some of the most thriving companies in this line ever established. That the American intruders will have difficulties and prejudices to overcome we know; and so should they unless very ill-informed, but ultimate success must hinge on the comparative advantages to insurers they possess. There are Europeans who would not buy American Bonds, though they felt convinced they were the most secure in the world, so intense may be their hatred of the Republic. But such are the exceptions, for the main question to nearly all in surers is, What are the advantages, what the secu rity of these offices? The insurance Record asserts that there are none in the world that can approach the English and Scottish offices in point of security; and if that be so, the sooner the New York Life goes home the better for itself, for the very essence of life assurance is security. The father of a family insurt s his life as a provision for his helpless widow and children when he dies, and to enter a ricketty concern because the premiums are less would be an act of insanity, of which no one is guilty except those deluded into the belief that the fabric is sub stantial. The greatest of speculators drops specu lation when he comes to life assurance, and the greatest screw turns it on in another direction, or he trifles with the very interest it is his design to guard. But is the remark of the Insurance Record correct? We assert that there are no life offices in the world equal to the American in point of secu rity, while freely admitting that in the Western States some " wild-cat" assurance business has been done. The reason wby the offices of such States as New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania are so secure is that they have to submit to a public in spection of their accounts and a close Government nvestigation, nor are they permitted to publish the statements which English Limited Liability Com panies call accounts, whereby concerns in hopeless bankruptcy were made to figure with a surplus for dividend, and a large reserve to fall back upon. S❑pposing the honesty of the management to be equal, and with such a system of espionage, it could scarcely fail to be so, while the business capacity is on a par, the reason why an American office is superior to an English office is sufficiently obvious. The principle of all assurance is the reception of sums making up a large total to be paid .back at a future day. It is simply a deposit against a con tingency, or an event which must sooner or later occur. Its very essence then rests on the manner in which the money entrusted to the company is handled, or the power of making secure and paying investments. Those acquainted with the advan tages an investor in America has over an investor in England know the superiority of the American over the English office ; and if the company be on the mutual principle, it follows that the premiums required from the policy-holders must be less, fur the earnings of the money paid to the company being greater, if there are no shareholders to absorb the difference in large dividends, theywill accrue to the policy-holder. The New York Life is a mutual company, and the advantage it offers t 3 English in vestors is in part based on this fact. In replying to a letter addressed by Mr. W AL F ORD to the Insurance Record, upholding American offices, the Review, a monthly paper devoted to insurance matters, calls in question the very point for which we contend —that is, the superiority of an American over an English office in the matter of investment. In the first place, it cannot see how English insurers are to be protected in American offices. By the same law, we answer, which protects American insurers, which recognises no difference in nation ality where a contract is concerned, but decides on the question of law and equity before it. " Does not the extra interest obtainable in America exactly represent the amount of mistrust which causes the difference in price between English securities and American ?" Now that, although 'plausibly put, is grounded on a palpable error. It is not mistrust which causes the difference in price between English securities and American, but the dispro portion between the demand and supply of capital in the two ccuntries. We presume the Review will admit that there is property as secure in America as in England ; such, for instance, as real estate in. New York or in San Francisco. Suppose that there were three acres covered with houses, the one in London, the other in New York, and the third in San Francisco, the revenue from each being,, equal, and the security alike. A mortgage on the London property would yield little more than four per cent. ; in New York at least six would be given ; in San Francisco perhaps ten or twelve. Here, then, would be a difference on what is supposed to be equal security of nearly three to one between London and San Francisco. If the English cannot understand land out of Eng land presenting as good security as land in Eng land, let them take British Consols, and no New Yorker who accepted themes absolutely safe would lend his money on them at less than 6 per cent., nor would the Californian under from 10 to 12. It i; not therefore tl e mistrust which anuses the dif ference in price. Then comes the reply that it is quite open to English offices to invest in American Securities. Such is the argument which HoRACE GREELEY uses, and with most effect too, when he wants to stop a Free-trader's mouth about the enormous profits made by the iromnas:ers in Penn sylvania, " If it be so profitable, go there, and in vest." The fact is that business cannot be thus transferred or investments changed from one land to another, for men have to lie on the bed they have made, however strongly they may be con vinced that somebody else has made a better. An assurance company is a thing of slow growth, and takes time to attain to a position of undeniable se curity, such for instance as the New York Life, now more than a quarter of a century in operation. We have no doubt that its investments during this period have been enormously profitable, for it has enjoyed in a country like America the same a I vantages as those possessed by an emigrant— that is, the certain increase in value from the growth of population around, which enhances the worth of the farm, of the business of the bank, of the assurance office, of a newspaper, coming with out effort, the constant pressure beneath of the in coming throng, the ceaseless rise, like the flowing tide. An assurance office thus placed enjoys a manifest advantage, and competes against an Eng lish institution from the highest vantage ground. Then, asks the Review, in the event of a war or the thousand and one chances to which American finance is exposed, where are we to find the rea lization of the sacred character of the assurance trust ? This is mixing up public and private affairs. A debt is no more cane lied because the nation of the creditor goes to war with that of the debtor, or the contract invalidated, than would the liabilty of Smrrif be abolished by blackening the eye of his creditor ROBINSON. The insurer has but to look to the solvency of the company. So long as the New York Life can pay, whether the United States be at war or at peace, whether the policy-holder be American or English, that com pany must fulfil its contract, nor would it dispute its liability if solvent on any flimsy grounds, for if security be the essence of the subject to the in surer, a good name which involves that security is an absolute essential to the company. Hence the frequent settlement in favour of the policy-holder, though the matter be in dispute, and the law on the company's side. We cannot close this subject, though trenching on our space, without noticing the handle made of Erie to the injury of all classes of American enter prise when brought before the British public. "A legal difficulty," observes the Review, " must be argued before the most corrupt bench in the world, that of New York, and the legal proceedings rela tive to the Erie Railway show how English invest ments may be trifled with." The difference be tween a great railway property falling wholly into the hands of a clique, and the comparatively insig nificant interest of an individual policy-holder, ought to be sufficiently obvious, for all that the Erie has achieved has been through the magnitude of the funds at its disposal and of the prize to be gained. Nothing less than the absolute control of an im mense property in a very few bands could have en abled the directors to achieve results which have had so disastrous an effect on the credit of the Em pire State. Swaying millious, they bribed by hun dreds of thousands, and so far carried their obj,:ct ; but this differs widely from any other case possible, and when employed to scare English investors the intention is to damage American credit generally, thus using it, as does the Times, for all purposes, however inapplicable. The English insurer may rely on the fact that his rights will be at least as well protected by American law as by English, and that it is not possible for any court to interpret that law favourably for a native and unfavourably for a foreigner, the American holder, even of Erie, being victimized by the proceedings of the clique just as is his confrere in London. It was rumoured in New York last Wednesday that the failure of the Funding Bill passed by the Senate is now considered certain, the Committee of Ways and Means of the House of Representatives having decided to recommend a substitute for the measure. This is in con tradiction to the news by mail, which led us to expect the passage of every portion of the bill, except that which curtailed the currency by funding greenbacks at four per cent. TILE HAMBURG-AMERICAN STEAM COMPANY.— In commenting on the question lately put in the House of Commons to the Postmaster-General on the subject of the unsatisfactory state of the postal arrangements be tween this country and the United States, to which his lordship stated that the service was performed from Ame rica by the North-German Lloyd and two English com panies, the Hamburg Borsen-Halle expresses its unmiti gated astonishment that the noble marquis did not even mention the Hamburg-American Steam Com pany, which, as is well known, is under contract to bring over every week the New York Tuesday's mails, and lands them at Plymouth with the most admir able punctuality, and always on the ninth or tenth day. The article concludes as follows :—" Unless we admit the not very flattering supposition that the British Postmaster-General is unacquainted with these facts, it is difficult to account for his passing over the company in such complete silence, as if it had no existence at all. The question itselt that was addressed to his lordship, and the continual complaints sent in by the Chamber of Commerce of the principal manufacturing towns and mercantile ports give sufficient evidence of the great discontent of the Eng lish merchants at the present imperfect state of affairs, which has virtually thrown the whole carrying of the American mails into the hands of the German lines, as the steamers of the English companies, not being built for speed, are unable to compete with the first-class vessels of the North-German Lloyd and the Hamburgh-American Steam Company. flumouß.—Pierre Bonaparte is not comiog to America after all. We are glad of it. Wo don't like this shoot of the Bonaparte family. - tieneral Butler pro bably feels, with lago, that it is hard for him to be com pelled " To wear his heart upon his sleeve For £)awes to peck at." —Figaro says that a legal peculiarity of the West is that all the lawyers are judges, and none of the judges are lawyers.—Decollete babies have gone Out of stale in New York, and nothing but high-necked infants will now pass.—A contemporary says, "A man in Chicago came near having the top of his head blown off because he called another man an alderman. This habit of calling people names will get some one killed yet."—Senator Nye put his new silk tile carelessly upon the sofa. A few minutes after the veteran philosopher Greeley sat down upon and crushed the hat fearfully. "Damn it,' roared Nye, "I could have told you it wouldn't fit, before you tried it on."—b. correspondent, speaking of the eighty nine dozen eggs recently given to an Illinois clergy man on a donation visit, calls it "lay activity."—At a trial in an Alabama town not long since, one of the wit nesses, an old lady of some 80 years, was closely ques tioned by the opposing counsel relative to the clearness of her eyesight. " Can you see me ?" said he. " 0 yes," was answered. "Row well can you see me ?" persisted the lawyer. " Well enough,'' responded the lady, "to see that you're neither a negro, an Indian, nor a gentleman." The answer bought down the house and silenced the counsel. —The people of Florida propose to erect two monuments on the St. John's River, near Mrs. Stowe's residence, to com memorate the heroes of her great novels, and one is to be dedicated to Uncle Tom, the other to Lord Byron.—The last of Washington's field bands has died again, this time in St. Louis. Of course, he was 105 years old, and all his faculties unimpaired. JOURNALISM.—American Enterprise is a new illustrated paper, designed to show how the most skilful art may be rendered tributary to practical business pur poses. The first number contains a series of magnificent cartoons and emblematic designs illustrative of the pur suits of the advertisers. It is published by the American News Company, New York.—At the British Post-office the reduction of postage on newspapers to one halfpenny for six ounces will date from the let of October next.— " Si Slokum," of the New York Leader, is M r. E. It. Kidder, an actor at Niblo's, and son of Mrs. Kidder, the poetess.— The Toledo Commercial says that the salary of Whitelaw Reid, of the New York Tribune, is very soon to be in creased to $7,000 a year.—Th e " American Architect and Builders' Monthly" is a new quarto magazine, devoted exclusively to the promotion of architectural art. At Baltimore, on the 9th of April, a terrific boiler explosion occurred in Sterling and Abrams' Chesa peake steam sugar refinery, on the wharf, below Pratt street. The boiler room and kiln house were demolished, and fifteen feet of the adjoining steam bakery of Bartis and Co. was blown into fragments from the base to the roof. Seven persons are known to have been killed and ninny injured, among the latter being several labourers on a schooner lying in front of the refinery. The schooner was badly damaged, and had her deck covered with debris from the explosion. Next morning seven bodies had been discovered, being those of W. M'Kiuney, foreman of the refinery ; James Cooney, fireman ; Jas. Dunn, private watchman ; Jas. W. Duncan, wood corder ; A. Pindall, wooddealer ; E. D. Gibson (coloured), wood sawyer; and a boy armed Riley, aged ten years, one being taken from the dock. The coroner's jury have found that the explo sion was caused by the insufficiency of water in the boilers. The funeral of Major-General George H. Thomas took place at Troy, N. Y., on the Bth of April, with im pressive ' ceremonies. .The pall-bearers were Generals Meade, Rosecranz, Schofield, Hooker, Granger, Newton, Hazen, and Mackay. The funeral service was read by Bishop Duane. The funeral procession included, besides the pill-bearers, an escort of soldiers, detailed by General M'Dowell, President Grant, Secretaries Belknap and Robeson, Postmaster -General Creswell, Generals Sher man, Horace Porter, and Dent; Commissioner Capron, Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States, Governor Hoffman, member of the New York Legislature and citizens. Public and private buildings in the city were draped in mourning, and busi ness was suspended from 11 to 2 o'clock. In Nevada recently the people met and unani mously "resolved that the Indian of poetry and romance is not the Indian in fa q, the latter being possessed of every attribute of beastly depravity and ferocity." M. E. Susisky, city treasurer at St. Louis, was arrested on the 9th April charged with defalcation. An examination before the mayor and other city officers showed tbat ha bad used and lost about $120,000 of the city funds, mostly in stock speculations. Charles E. Lockwood has obtained a verdict for $15,000 for injuries received on the New York Central Railroad. MONETARY REPORT S-YESTERDAY• Tins being one of the half-yearly days for the closing tY, the transfer-books of the Bank, the Stock Exchange lag been closed to-day. There has been a fair supply of capital in the discount market. The near approach of the 4th of the month ha s stimulated the demand for accommodation. At the sam e time, however, three months' paper has continued to he negotiated at 24 to 3 per cent. Considerable firmness has been noticed in the g rain trade to-day. The supplies of wheat have been only moderate, and with a healthy inquiry, prices have r isen to •the extent of is. to 2s. per quarter. Spring c orn has commanded extreme quotations, the demand 'vim"' firm. t The failure is annou nce d o f M r . W. Hargra ves , of Shanghai, with li a biliti es roug hl y est i ma t e d at ab out £lOO,OOO, a consid era bl e por ti on o f ' w hi c h will f , on Manchester, whi c h cre dit ors, h owever, are b e lieved `I" be nearly covered. There have been no bullion operations at the Bank to ' day. The Pera, from Alexandria, has brought £5O , aild the Hermania, from New York, £2,000. At a meeting of the Telegraph to India Cei n P 3 . lll it was announced th a t th e B r iti s h I n di a n Exteu sl4 : 0 Company had arrang e d t o t a k e over th e un d e rtaking, cost of £37,500 in paid-up shares. MARKETS-YESTERDAY. LONDON CORN EXCHANGE, MONDAY.--From Esse X fide t m e Kent the receipts of wheat have been only moderate. has been steady, at from ls. to 2s. per quarter more men e i r ; the similar improvement has taken place in foreign wh ea o ket inquiry for which has been tolerably active. The In t o& has been moderately supplied with barley. The bo a has been firm, at previous quotations. Malt l ias w ede' quiet, on former terms. Oats, the show of which has been rate, have been in requst, at a further improvement of o". re , qr. Beans and peas have been steady. Flour has been and Norfolk qualities have risen is. to 2s. ess LONDON PRODUCE MARKETS, MONDAY.-Much q uie gere has been noticed in the produce markets to-day. For t ea t he has been very little inquiry, caution being engendered. o3 ; ba t heavy sales about to take place. Raw sugar has been clinT o ifee firm. Refined goods have maintained late rates. „ r ice, has been inactive. Fine descriptions have been firm " otherwise the tendency has been unfavourable. " LONDON TRADE REPORT, MONDAY.-The market has b Sat. Y.C., spot, 445. 3d. per cwt. METROPOLITAN CATTLE MARKET, MONDAY.-Ab out eds average supply of beasts was on sale here to-day. For all bre Dest the trade was firm, and extreme rates were realised, thl Scots and crosses readily commanding 4s. been ss. per 81bs. With sheep the market has been more freely supplied. A steady business h 5 best concluded atper Sibs. more money. Tho bs . Downs and half-breds have sold at ss. 2d. to ss. 4d. pe r S and Lambs have been dull, and easier. Calves have sold slowly , ; pigs have been in limited request. Beasts, from 3 s• t° to s g' sheep, 3s. to ss. 4d. ; lambs, 6 s . 6d. t o 7 s . ; ca l v es, 3 s . 10d. o gal. Bd. ; and pigs, 4S. 6d. to ss. Bd. per 81bs. to sink the ,isesr Total supply :-Beasts, 1,850 ; s h ee p an d lambs, 29,0),i; 196 ; and pigs, 100. Foreign-B eas t s , 1,380 ; s heep and la 8,160: calves, 187 ; and pigs, 20. ties METROPOLITAN MEAT MARKET, MONDAY.-The suPP alea of all kinds of meat were short to-day, and the tra de , r scl.; brisk, at very full currencies. Beef f rom 3 s . 4d. to 45. n 0r1;, mutton, 4s. to ss. 2d. ; veal, 4s. Bd. to ss. ; l am b, 65. to 7 3 ; 3s LONDONSs, Bd. per Blbs. by the carcase. is S. OIL MARKET MONDAY.- Linseed oil qui et, S. 325. spot. Rape is firm. English brown spot, 425. 9d• ,0 For other oils there has been very little inquiry. 131 de" LONDON METAL MARKET, MONDAY.-For iron tto mand has been inactive. Tin has been quiet-Straits , £132. Copper has sold slowly. LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, MONDAY.-The nlarketlia° been dull. Sales, 8,000 bales. Import, 26,125 bales. ' ts 1255 ' ; CORK BUTTER MARKET,MONDAY.-Ordinary Firs 00 0 seconds, 115 s. ; thirds, 100 s. ; fourths, 88s. • fifths, 6 70 . ; 000. 0 not quoted; 770 firkins in the market. Mild-cured firsts, seconds, 1245. ; thirds, 110 s. ; 50 firkins in the market. AGRICULTURE AND THE CORN TRA--- nE. The refreshing showers which have fallen in m ost p o a r ; of the country during the past week have mate altered and considerably improved the aspect agricultia; affairs. A fresh impetus has been given to ve getati e ro _, fw and the wheat plant, previously suffering i j a,s the unexceptional dryness of the season, oe d assumed a most luxuriant appearance, whilst the le hold of the ground which it h a d a l rea d y o b ta i ne d, t l l a to the belief that beneficial results will ensue from progress of affairs up to the present moment. The Poe tures and meadow lands, also, have benefitted bY much-wanted moisture, and alth oug h th e su pply of gr ,° is less than the average f or th e ti me o f y ea r, and in e - sequence feeding stuffs have continued in request, 1 3 ' 'P A pects as regards the hay crop have been enhanced• bu t yet the quantity of rain fallen has been very moder ates e ssa' at present there are no indications of its immediate e tion. Notwithstanding that business has not been b e en ducted on a liberal scale, considerable firmness has o p• noticed in the grain trade during the week. Thelnlliers plies of wheat hav e b een on l y mo d era t e , and , 0 shewing more disposition to i ncrease th e ir stool , to upward tendency has been imparted t o p r i ce s, andr A 2s. per quarter more money has been obtaine'' ‘ , o o- remarkable feature has been the presence of some ' erir tinental buyers, but we do not hear that they have °Pot ted to any extent ; but, at the same time, the fael: rt hea such operations have taken place, has tended to streno t he values. A general improvement has taken place laol quotations throughout the Continental maxket, e ?,t i et, at the Baltic ports prices are is. "' c r v ices, with still an upward tendency. American %i l ea' report that not only have extensive shipments of _ o w and flour been made to this country at en hanced V o tli tions, but large purchases have been made by e s+ American merchants. It seems now more than ev e ° jet, dent that the value of wheat has touched its lowest )3 ,',)13r that prices will continue to rule firm, and not iinPr e f ooar to further improve, although appearances are not in of any important advance.—Mag n et. l at Although favoured with a touch of midsumm e r week, we have again relapsed into a M a f e et fo r coldness with only a few showers, quite insuffini e o soa" present wants. Thus April closes its term unsex Pir, ably, and leaves us without the usual pro !ras e ' • , the grthes and spring corn th e d e fi c i enc y of t r'„ becomr. , serious, but we should hopefully renion' t e still . and fruitful showers may yet be clos e bets us to dispel our fears. But if the weather-PI who felt the sun w h en , on Wednesday, the 18th , ' l a b° at 95 degrees, and predicted a hot summer, sh eu go ria right, and the heat b e w ith ou t enoug h ra in, our "0101 corn would have a poor chance, and even the ee o f from its thinness not come up to the abunclan re 1868. The neighbouring countries of Europe `7 l tlier 9 getting apprehensive from the state of the we the and markets are generally rising. All along r oof Baltic they speak of short supplies, and the bes . t .,Poore of this at Dantzic is that such a first-rate granary I t ; offers literally nothing now to the London marketf o ' o bv such a state of things it is no wonder some impress' wr ite at last been made upon the country, and again w e s oln e prices fully ls. per quarter higher for wheat, and in places 2s. ; while all spring corn begins to move up s i v e aeS' oats more especially after a very long and undue u •`. sion.—Mark Lane Express. 05' s The cold ungenial weather of the last few weeks, a the spectoorarrornnsedpse:prerootsepnqsditmtghinoewstNfaacnnormatstteiehnsr.gchaaamsnmpderisuhgitew-zs,ioeehlrlas: bwn ut ta t ne a a sr d sl v or a ni n :: : ::3 : eir o go o vir g a t to, vigorous ; the winter-sown beans, of which a ce of breadth than usual was sown, in consegn e : r al e the almost total failure of spring beans last a itiam y looking very indifferently, and in many cases are p il d or wholly renown with peas. Barley is at a s 'l - 0 .4 want of a more suitable atmosphere. The wheat but as a whole, may be said to be fairly pronlise & clai i ; there are many cases where sown on ta c e i s tiV e 'd upon summer fa,llows, or after two years' se e _ roal l e lighter soils, are very unhealthy:, and much of the `i become unoccupied by the dying of the plant, i 'v ro jea t amount of injury is inflicted by that much-to-he l . l p tbsa pest the wire-worm. It is a matter of congratula t rovar, farm work, especially horse labour, is in a verY hig state, as the price of agricultural horses is verY oh The prospect of spring k ee pi ng f or s t oc k is not g ins ° ° f pastures, with a few exceptions, look brown green.—Chamber of Agriculture Journal. Ca Authenticated accounts state tint i t General , - 01 ,0, has resigned the command of the insurgent forces i 11 , 0 0 6 _, and has escaped from the island and reached St. --,Lieou He has made a statement to the effect that the in ew , of the insurgents, and the dissensions among their 0 render success impossible. Coln it The Memorial Diplomatique states that ra thv Beust has instructed Prince Metternich to infAST job Cabinet of the Tuileries that Austria would re cities i in any collective step to prevent future atroc,,n Greece, in addition to the collective action of Eng i " — Italy. vog eci At Crusheen, Clare, notices have been relits commanding the local landlords to reduce the' DT L i c e ° ts twenty per cent., under penalty of being s hot. t re fi ll also given to tenants not to pay the Pres e ecia'' under a similar penalty. Three landlords a re " named. BRTHS. MORRICE —On the 2d inst., l at Blythe Hill, Ca , d f„ -bri d g e' Kent, Mrs. A. W. Morrice, of a son. 31°17 On the 2d inst., at 8, Cambridge-pla ce l llregePt ° park, the wife of Albert Mott, Esq., of a daugh'e' MARRIAGES. V l '' r 0 HAItLEY—KARN—On the 30th ult , at Ettmsga%, riot' Harley, son of Richard Harley, of Hereford, to oas D'Arthez Kern, of Ramsgate. 30' MUNDY—TOWNSEND—On the 30th ult., at ThornbliTli4P, daughter Pierrepont Mundy to Geraldine 8° ,hors" of the Rev. M. P. S. Townsend, vicar of bury, Gloucestershire. DEATHS. APHWORTH —On the 80th ult., a t Clavertou Lo n g o, Thomas Ashworth, Esq., aged 67. r REAL —On the Ist inst., at St. Leonard's Dale, pea sor, Berks, John Keal, Esq., aged 70. u ol:1 4 + London: Printed and Published byWILLIAM 4 O,,„f of No. 112, Straud, Printer, at THE SUN Office, _ l a 0 Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in t he Co Middlesex.—Tuesday, May 3, 1870. i C cal A t 1 3 ori c P„ P 1