The Sun. — London, England, 1870-10-21 00:00:00

TETIRD EDITION. SUN OFFICE, 2.30 P.Y. LATEST INTE L LIG EN et',. THE WAR. DEFENCE OF LYONS. 'n ord er to be prepared for any emergency, orders 'pithke b een given by the Government to supply Lyons has P r ovisions for 70,000 men, and. General Trochu n{ further further orders to the generals in command 1113-clivisions to be in readiness at any moment Feud that amount of force to the city. GERMANS REPULSED AT ISSY. 4 1 1 1 1 e latest it em o f news rece i ve d f rom P ar i s by th. °°ll is that the P r ussians on the 11th attacked t edoubt of Haut Bruyeres, near Fort Issy, but B ete aucces s f u ll y repu l se d . At 1 a . m . a f res h a tt ac k ki 41 ade with double the number of troops, and tkL th res hours' hard figbtiug the Prussians were 'tcl with much loss. PEACE NEGOTIATIONS. t„,, rumours of peace negotiations with the ex 4a:erur, or at l eas t w ith som e of th e Imperialists, k 4llO greater cons i s t e n c e. It i s cert a in that f r e s h aPuriers were held with the Republican Ministry, 41 the failure of this renewed attempt, so it w a : l4) , r eed the Germans, desirous of finishing the pAi4 bef ore mid-winter, turned to Napoleon. It is ),4 at Bru sse l s t h a t a regu l ar sc h eme i s pl anne d, 1 4ce erl 1 the Germans will be insured complete Th e N, and Napoleon reinstated on the throne N 4l ea Pitulation of Metz is part of the pro with 41 e, for it w ill f ac ilit a te the t a ki ng of P ar i s i th (l lit which Bonapartist restoration would be t o Zible. More favourable terms will be granted Pto w e Emperor than to Favre, so that the French 'nay more readily accept the restoration. It 4 11°t her version speaks of a more moderate plan. 11,2' that Bazaine is treated with as a dictator. t } k"111 summon the Constituent Assembly to ratify th t Zt 4B of a peace whilst the Germans remain in SHELLING OF MEUDON.. Th o VERSAILLES, OCT. 20. 44 tho V ersailles Journal, published by Prussiaa Fo yer , ti tY, announces that the French General te td s visit to Versailles was to treat of the sur t: of Metz. ke k , o t tight news was received of an engagement kikedhateandUn, in which Wittich's Corps routed °f French troops under a Polish officer. lok k i e ; t e measures will be adopted' against foreigners Thy 44 arm s , l'ench are shelling Meudon. Weath er is fine. I t 1113 1TRGES THREATENED. eij generally believed in Berlin that as Orleans they " te sudun are now occupied by the Prussians, : 4 th a lt , ill next take p o s s es s ion of Bourges on account natitccount Place's importance as a centre of technical t Nid 4t ." s. l and as having an arsenal and gun rie ' S URRENDER OF METZ. BERLIN, OCT. 19. ti la n°14 1 ,, generally credited here that the negotia- It k e ," 44 General Boyer have resulted in an 4 44 ZIA respecting the terms of capitulation, kec t l t General Boyer yesterday returned to , tt Pko l : ( , ) , 14 Y the stipulations before Bazaiue for '4 4 '. If not accepted within five days from Foe no longer hold good and will not be '()rt Aleasures will then be taken to reduce E l°Y at all hazards. jtLES FAVRE'S REPLY TO , BISMARCK. : 4 1 4 1 . 04 41 es Favre has published a reply to Bis ette i c ircular, relative to the interview at Fer ot of 11 which h e says th a t th e proposal of a sacri h: th e departments was to offer her dishonour, kl l: ) ', e ° f cour se , s h e re j ec t e d. It was now "L to th p tefien, punish her with death, but ti Sufferings were to be preferred rather It Ne v 4bll lisaion to the cruel ambition of her enemy, 114 ell i f e b i Nst 11 timately vanquished, she will remain Ot et - her misfortunes that she will become an Md . admiration and sympathy to the whole RE STORATION OF THE EMPEROR. 4 h TOURS, Ocr. 20. ' 4 4r: -iiiutrAisse has been appointed Commissioner at t lP : e r . l . B ' in place of M. Esquiros, with full - N: t -0 act as Delegate Extraordinary in the a 4. of the Rhone and Var. po °r te, Sub-prefect of St. Malo, has been :,The li ah Prefe c t o f t h e H au t e L o i re , i n p l ace o f DO;i a t et 44 , , the lat ter b e i ng c o nsidered unequal to 1. f - : 41 ot u ; i rncii de rEure states that Prince Albrecht :ght iciaily informed the Sub-Prefect of Andelys 'No W M the intention of the King of Prussia to 1, fL tltt lee. " fliperor Napoleon to the throne of XERATRy T MADRID. Th, MADRID, OCT. 19. 0 141 j e tr Is Much speculation about the object of " t a ttY's arrival at Madrid to-day. It 4 11 }, 11° , 3 4 that he has a mission from the ffi t p irt YS' e- st:._ °v eninent, but nothing has been . o . *.u. To -day Martos and Castelar visited kOVD- lir 1). 1 MOVE IN BAVARIA. il q: ° 4 4lls tiZ r4ft e tie o _ ovements seem very active in 4 Nll,l.Bray, Herr Von Lutz, and Major 4tice 111 c 41 , the 44(1 War, have c) Mi left nist Munich forers of Foreign Versa . A u ff le a s irs, u, 4tIE flk -"ell FROM NEU BREISACH t it elegram, d a t e d T ours , O c t. 19, says k`tll4oungllssrtie was made from Neu Breisach on the sit and which w the Prussians lost about 200, ounded. Heiteren and Veckolsheim, it aV e been abandoned by the Germans. ITALY AND ROME. ~ i gri FLORENCE, OCT. 20. ` 48 1 3 at," S ella has returned from Rome, .wher h e_ m a tot h 4lo n. of Romans waited on him to thank him ' Is elleget' 11181 vo t t. , . le policy, and urged . him to complete Of hal ". Y llinnediately declaringßome the capital .. til y illie lat t 174 a popular ovation in honour of the e t at his departure. t Ace, ,PII)RENCE, OCT. 19 (A.FTERNooN). e ll —ttung to trustworthy information which has Ithilteceived in this city, several of the European - ti act la,,etB,l'avo communicated to the Pope their i ht t h ---, unanimous opinion that he ought to remain 8 Vati 1 ber call ' fi rs t lease 'eve that this course, which from the very prad to his Holiness appeare,i the most be O lio __ illider all the circumstances, will actually ed.--Telegraph. OUTRAGES UPON ENGLISHMEN AT HAVRE. The Admiralty have ordered the Helicon dispatch boat, of to o guns, to proceed to Havre to protect British interests. It ‘will be remem bered that serious disturbances have taken place at that port, owing to British ships having taken cargoes of provisions on board—the French popu lace believing that at the present crisis the export of food is an injury to their country. Some English captains have been assailed, CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAMS.) MR. TREVELYAN, M.P., ON ARMY REFORM. Mr. Trevelyan, M.P., in a lecture on "Army Reform,' delivered in Newcastle last night, said lie intended to place the following depositions before the House of Com mons early next session. Ist. That as an essential pre liminary to any effective reorganisation of the army, the sale and purchase of commissions shall be extinguished. 2nd. That the tenure of the command-in-chief shall be so arranged that the existing Ministry can freely and with• out scruple avail itself of the best administrative talent existing at the time in the profession. 3rd. That the military, social, and financial interests of the country demand that short services in the ranks shall be the rule of the army. 4th. That the line and militia shall be amalgamated on a local basis. THE REPRESENTATION OF COLCHESTER. A large meeting was held at the Colchester Theatre last night for the purpose of hearing Sir Henry Storks deliver an exposition of his political principles, a requisi tion having been sent to him requesting him to stand for the borough in the Liberal interest. Mr. E. Smith occu pied the chair. Sir H. storks, who was warmly received, having paid a fitting tribute to the late Mr. Gurdon Rebow, declared himself a supporter of the great Liberal party. The present Government, he ventured to say, had passed great and important measures. 'On the educational question-he said: Although the bill just passed might be improved, it would be productive of beneficial results. Although a Churchman, he was in favour of the most entire t freedom of conscience being accorded to people of all denominations. Iu speaking of the war, he pointed to the moral lesson we ought to derive from the occurrences on the Continent. While we ought not to exhibit any feelings of defiance, we ought to be in a per fect state of defence. He considered no question was so difficult as that of national defences ; but he believed that a scheme was in course of preparation to be submit ted to Parliament. An unanimous resolution was come to accepting Sir Henry as the Liberal candidate. WISBEACH CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE. A meeting of the Wisbeach District Chamber of Agri culture was held yesterday at Wisbeach. The subject for discussion was the advantages of steam cultivators, on which Mr. Isaac Robinson read an able paper, demon strating forcibly the superiority of cultivation by steam as opposed to the more tedious process of horse cultiva tion. Upon this point there was no dissension, but several speakers expressed a wish that the relative merits of the district or round about systems of steam cultivation, as applied to light or heavy lands, and also the cost of culti vation by steam as compared with horse cultiva tion, should form the subject of another paper. The debate was therefore adjourned until the next meeting. Captain Cartling piOposed the following resolution :—" Tuat the application of science and capital is greatly restricted by covenants, which limit the cultiva tion of the land ; and the advance of tho cost of labour, and the lower range of corn prices, ought to induce agents to concede greater freedom of management." The consideration of this resolution was also adjourned. RAILWAY ACCIDENT. An accident occurred last night to a goods train near Issham, between Wellingborough and Kettering, on the Midland Railway. An axle tree of one of the waggons broke, and threw several of them off the metals, thereby blocking up both lines, and doing much damage to the permanent way. Evening trains from London did not reach Leicester until several hours after their time. Trains to London from Leicester were also delayed in starting. A DISPUTED EL ECTION ACCOUNT. Judgment was given at the Sheffield County Court, yesterday, in the case of " Hardy and Duke v. Mr. E. P. Price, Q.C.," which was an aotion to recover £3O, for joiners' work done under the instructions of a person named Chapman, who was alleged to have been the de fendant's election agent, when he unsuccessfully con tested the borough. Mr. Ellison, the judge, decided that at the time the order was given, Chapman had no authority to act for Mr. Price. There was, therefore, a verdict for the defendant. WRECK OF A BARQUE. The barque Cerealia, of Sunderland, Captain Leighton, from Kustenjie for Hull, with maize, got upon Hais borough Saud yesterday. The crew, twelve in all, with the captain's wife, left the vessel in the jollyboat, and, after rowing about for some time, were picked up by the Dutch bomba, Von Trann, of Scheneniugen, and landed at Yarmouth at six o'clock this morning. PROPOSAL TO INCORPORATE THE DISTRICT OF .ROTHERHAM. The inhabitants of the district under the control of the Rotherham and Kimberworth Local Board of Health, have decided to petition for a charter of incorporation The petition states that the district has a population of 27,000, is 5,030 acres in area, and is of £74,500 rateable value. The Mersey Dock Board resolved, yesterday, to transfer their line of telegraph to Holyhead to the Government, thereby effecting a saving which was estimated at several hundred pounds annually. During the week the inhabitants of Merthyr Tydvil have been holding festivities in celebration cf the return home of Mr. W. Thompson Crawshay, of Cyfartha Castle, with his bride. On Wednesday night,while some men were firing a salvo, one of the guns, which was brought from Sebastopol, burst, and a man was killed, others being seriously injured. The cause of tl.e accident was the over charging of the gun. Cardiff and the district has been visited during the last day or two with very heavy weather. The shipping in the ports and roadsteads has not, however, sustained serious injury. There have been very few arrivals in dock. Considerable damage has been done to property, several houses having been dismantled, and bsing their roofs and chimneys. At Newport a portion of the iron work of St. Woollas Church was blown down, and fell through the roof, causing mueh damage. IRISH NEWS. The return of at least a large portion of the Irish Am bulance Corps, which was conveyed by the steamer La Fontaine direct from Dublin to Havre, is likely to take place sooner than was anticipated. Mr. Morley, M.P., offers to present, through the Royal Agricultural Society of Ireland, the sum of £lOO, to be awarded in prizes for the best essay or invention for the utilisation, in the most economical way, of the waste fuel of the bogs of Ireland. CRYSTAL PALACE BALLOON POST.—The mag nesium balloon despatched with the postal cards, collected from visitors present at the fireworks display on Tuesday last, was found on Wednesday morning by a labourer, on Stanton Park Farm, at Ixworth, Suffolk, 72 miles from Sydenham. The cards were posted at Bury St. Edmunds, reaching their destination yesterday (Thurs day) morning. The bag contained about 200 cards, the writing of the messages upon which caused much amuse ment among visitors. At the fireworks display on Thurs day next there will be additional post balloons, so that in creased numbers of message cards may be sent. At an influential meeting of Nonconformists, held on Wednesday evening at Birmingham, it was resolved that the present organisation of the Central Nonconformist Committee be extended, in order to obtain the amend ment of certain provisions in the :education Act of last session. Cabinet Ministers are expected to be in town by Saturday. No summonses have yet been issued for a Cabinet Council, but it is said that a meeting will take place within a few days. The Premier, on his return to town yesterday, had an interview with the Foreign Secretary. The .'stauts-Anzeiller states that 241 cannon were employed for the siege of Strasburg. 194,722 projectiles were fired, which give:; an average of 6,249 per day, 269 per hour, and from I to 5 per minute. Among the freshmen at Oxford this term, are fifteen unattached students, making a complement of eighty-five members of the university pursuing their studies unconnected with any college or hall. Mr. Ewart's scheme, although not rapid in its progress, may be consi dered firmly established. 1 FIE SUN, LON DON, FRIDAY, OCTOBE ! 21, 187 C. WRECK OF THE CAMBRIA. SUPPOSED GREAT LOSS OF LIFE. The steamer Enterprise, from Garston to Londonderry, picked up a boat off Irishowen Head at three o'clock yester day afternoon, containing a sailor and the corpse of a girl. The former states that the Cambria, a ship belonging to the Anchor Line, which left New York on the Bth instant, struck at ten o'clock the previous night on Inishtralnill Island, and became a total wreck, Pour other boats containing liassengers left the ill-fated vessel at the same time as the one picked up, but what has becoMe of them the sailor is unable to say. His own boat was capsized, and all in .it 'except himself were drowned. The above information has reached Lloyd's. [CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAM.] LIVERPOOL, FRIDAY. Lloyd's London despatch as to the wreck of the Cambria is confirmed ' by a telegram received here by the agents of the Anchor line, from Londonderry, which is to the effect that the steamer Cambria, which left New York on Saturday week, was totally wrecked on Inishtrahull Island, near Londonderry, on Wednesday night. Out of a total of 170 people on board only one man, Mr. Gartlan, of Omagh ) Ireland, has been Saved. He is now at Londonderry, We are requested by Mears. Allan, Brothers, and Co., of Liverpool, to mention, with reference to the announce ment of the loss of the Cambria, that this steamer is not one of their line.— Titiits' Second THE MONEY MARKET; CITY, Two o'CLocx. Stock markets not quite so good ; Consols are quoted at 921 to The end of the war can hardly arrive without an addi tion being witnessed of at least 200 millions sterling to the existing debts of European States. Already more than a quarter of that sutra has been raised, and Prussia and Bavaria are again seeking supplies, while in the back ground there is the huge amount to be provided by France ilkthe shape of indemnity and also for the means of reparation from the ruin of the war, together with the requirements to establish a return to specie payments. A prospectus has been issued of the Bellavista Silver Mining Company (Limited), with a capital. of £30,000 in shares of £l, to work some mines in the province of Cagatambo, in Peru. The report of the Grand Trunk Railway of Canada, to be presented on the 27th inst., shews an available balance of only £8,639. The increase in the gross receipts as com pared with the corresponding half-year of 1869 has been £29,946, and in the net receipts only £12,384, owing to the competition Carried on, the low prices of produce, and the interruption to business from the Fenian invasion of May and June. The Liverpool Journal of Commerce states:—" Mr. Henry Wilson, London, and lately one of the partners in the firm of Cunningham, Andrews, and Co., cotton brokers, Liverpool, has petitioned the Court of Bank ruptcy for liquidation by arrangement. A meeting of creditors is called for the 26th inst. at Liverpool. In the County Court yesterday a meeting of the creditors of Mr. John Hill, metal broker, Liverpool, was held, when debts amounting to £4,803 were moved. The statement of ac counts disclosed unsecured debts, £6,978, and assets £2:58." The Manchester Examiner states :—" At an adjouined meeting of the creditors of Mr. J. B. Wolfenden, share broker, the resolution to accept a composition of 3s. in the pound-2s. in cash and Is. in two instalments—was confirmed. The following relates to the Central Argentine Rail way :—" Central Argentine Railway Company (Limited), 60, Gracechureh-street s Oct. 19. Sir—The announcement which appears in your article of to-day, that the Argen tine Government had found it necessary to ask an authorization from Congress for the sale of the 17,000 shares they possess in the Central . Argentine Railway,' having given rise to many inquiries from parties interested in this important undertaking, you will not, I hope, deem it unreasonable if, under the circumstances, I ex citant, through the medium of your column, that the law passed in Congress the 13th of August, 1870, authorizing further railway communication in prolongation of the Central Argentine Railway for a distance of 376 miles to Tucuman, in view to connecting the Argentine Confedera tion with the republics of Bolivia and Chili, enacts by Articles 9 and 10 as follows :—` Without prejudice to the foregoing Article, the Executive is authirised to dispose as best it thinks proper of the shares it holds of the Central Argentine Railway Company for the purpose of raising funds for the immediate commencement of the works of this Tucuman Railway. ' The Executive shall, by special law, be authorised to conclude a contract for the immediate construction of that part of the railway already surveyed and starting from the city of Cordova, and according to the provisions of said law.'—l am, sir, your obedient servant, GEORGII WooLcorr, Secretary." • MARKETS.—Tars DAY. MARK LANE. Influenced by the clearance which is being effected in the floating grain trade, the business passing at Mark lane was of an animated character ; but a general advance was checked, owing to the extensiveness of the arrivals from abroad. There was only a moderate show of English wheat on offer, but of foreign it was large. The inquiry for all qualities was active, at an occasional rise of ls. per quarters Barley was in good supply and reqnest, at fully privious currencies. The malt trade experienced a slight im provement at Monday's quotations. The market was largely supplied with oats, nevertheless the demand was brisk, and in some instances the late reduction was thoroughly recovered, Beans and peas met a healthy enquiry on former terms. Flour was in active request, at firm quotations. TIM!: EMU., OF - DERBY ON THE EDUCATION BILL. (CENTRAL PRESS TEbEGRAIL) Yesterday afternoon a crowaed public meeting, to ex plain the objects if the . I.latichester Diocesan Board of Education, was held in the Preston. The Right Hon. the Earl of Derby presided, and there were also present; the Lord Bishop of Manchester, the Hon..F. Stanley, and most of the clergy and gentry of the town and neighbourhood: The noble. chairman, after a few prefatory remarks, said that what the promoters of this meeting desired was, briefly stated, to increase in various ways the effi ciency and to add to the number of those elementary schoMs which were, in that part of the country, in connec tion with the Established Church. Other religious denominations were exerting themselves in the same way, and lie was quite sure that his friends on his right and left would bear him out when he said that the position of those now before him was not one of hostility to other denominations, but rather one of friendly rivalry with them, and of co-operation with them- . -though of separate -and individual agency—for one common and national good. (Hear, hear.) Now, -most of them knew what were the principles and leading provisions of that important measure for . -the extension of elementary teaching which had become law during the last few months. It *as not his object to criticise that measure, or to look at it with the eye of a theorist or a partisan. It seemed to him that it had been conceived in a spirit of fairness, moderation, and equity, as between the various interests of parties. What Par liament had in substance said tc, the people of England, was this—" We intend to have every child in England, Whether in town or country, and without expense, taught to read and write and cypher, and made capable of discharging his duty to his family and his country. (Hear, hear.) We hold you, the local authority, and you, the ratepayers, responsible for this being done, and done effectually. Providing you do it, we don't want to tie you up too tightly as to the means. If you can get on without compulsion; so much the better : if you cannot do so, then you are authorised to use dompulsityn. If you can do it with the present agency, do so, but the new ma chinery provided by the school boards gives you a system of doing it more effectually." He (the noble earl) thought the plan one calculated to obtain a maximum of useful result with a minimum of antagonism, and could be worked without injury to the feelings of individuals or classes. But the Education Act of last session was upon the face of it an experiment. There was no finality about it. So much, however, was clear, that, h it held out to the various religious denominations into which the community was divided -the strongest possible incentive to exertion. (Hear, hear.) While, on the one hand, they were told that on certain conditions their assistance and co-opera tion was invited—while Parliament, wisely in the present circumstances of the country, does not refuse to avail itself of the co-operation of those ecclesiastical bodies which it was admitted had done so much to promote ele mentary education, and could do so much to impede any system to which they objected, on the other hand, it held over them and the whole community a very distinct and intelligible warning, that if the educational requirements of the country were not adequately met by the agencies existing, or by- those recently sanctioned, they would have to be met in some other way, and probably no different arrangement would be likely to be so unobjectionable as the present one in the eyes of those who had now the working of elementary schools. (Hear, hear.) But it was not the object of anyone in that roofs either to find fault with the Education Act of last session ; because that would be useless, or to endeavour to turn or to twist it, to any special purpose. The promoters of that meet ing wished honestly to work the Act, and to use the powers it conferred upon them in the spirit and for the purpose for which it was intended. Now, the Act made it optional to choose between the effectual working of the old existing schools or the creation of School Boards ; which might be supported by rates. He had not a word to say against the system of School Boards. They were an experiment in every large town, and it might be that we should come to them universally in the end, but it seemed to him that School Boards were likely to answer best where the area of their operaticuss was largest, and that most difficulties would be encountered where the area was small. But in towns they would have a wider choice of educated men to serve on the boards where those important de nominations he had referred to were well represented, while in the . agricultural districts there would be a desire to learn something from the experiences of those who had made the first step; for he did not think they were anxious to enlarge on the old foundations, and would go on as long as they could with the educational machinery to which they bad been accustomed, and which did not involve any addition to the local taxes. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) His own feeling in the matter was this : Let them, by whatever agency they might severally prefer, render primary instruction universal.. He saw in this Diocesan Board of Education an engine powerful for that purpose, and he for , one should give it his hearty support. (Hear, hear, and ap plause.) The objects of the promoters of the scheme were to stimulate and sustain a more general and hearty • interest in the subject of. elementary educa tion in Church schools throughout the diocese, to aid from the funds of the Board in providing sufficient school accommodation, and promoting the effi ciency of existing schools, to secure the supply of suitable teachers, to organise a system of the diocesan school inspection, to promote the efficiency of Church Sunday schools, to encourage the development of middle-class education by means of secondary schools, to help in establishing and maintaining satisfactory relations between managers of schools and the Education De partment, and generally to co-operate in securing the effective working of the new Education Act. For these purposes it was estimated that an annual income of from £2,000 to £3,000 would be required. (Applause.) The Bishop of Manchester moved, and the Hon. Edward Stanley seconded--" That this meeting having heard the object and constitution of the Manchester Diocesan Board of Education, resolves to give it its hearty suppOrt." The resolution was carried unanimously, as were seve ral others, and the meeting terminated. THE LATE FLOODS IN SOUTH AMERICA. The Philadelphia correspondent of the Times says that the entire country is in lamentation over the severe loss of life caused by freshets and overflows in Maryland and Virginia. After a summer of drought, in which the streams of almost every section were shrunken and almost dried up in some cases, a heavy easterly storm came last week and discharged the bulk of an enormous mass of water among the Alleghany Mountains in Virginia. The outlets for the flood were along the James and Potomac Rivers, and they swept along their shores with resistless force, devastating the farms, carrying away bridges, destroying villages and towns, breaking canals and railways, and causing the loss of at least 100 lives. The flood first appeared in the James River, overflowing Lynchburg, and subsequently submerging the greater portion of Richmond. On the Ist of October, at Richmond, the James in a few hours rose 40 feet, overflowing the entire lower part of the city, destroying the gas works, and thus depriving the city of light, and compelling hundreds of families to floc fur their lives. Ferrioo wore run tluvugh the prin cipal streets, and in one place a large schooner anchored in front of the door of the principal hotel. 'The store houses were submerged, and all the available waggons were employed in hauling from a tobacco warehouse the tobacco of the French and German Governments, 180 hogsheads of which were, however, destroyed. In the valley of the James River and at the cities on its banks, the loss of property is estimated at 4,000,000 dollars. At the same time that the flood was rushing down James River, a similar freshet from the Shenandoah Valley swept along the Shenandoah River, and into the Potomac at Harper's Ferry. Here another flood into .the Potomac was met, and the result was most disastrous• to the town. Two swollen moun tain torrents compressed into one swept over the greater part of the place. Over thirty buildings were swept away, the portion of Harper's Ferry built on what is known as the "island" being almost entirely carried off. Forty-seven persons lost their lives in this flood, and many had hairbreadth escapes. The waters rose with great rapidity, becoming in a few moments a wild torrent, dashing over the town and destroying every, thing in its way. This flood, passing down the Potomac overflowed Georgetown, Washington, and Alexandria, carrying away or damaging the valuable bridges across the river at those cities. Here the damage done was very great, and at Alexandria several lives were lost. The Potomac was a strange sight, however — furniture, timber, provisions, flour-barrels, and every conceivable thing floating down with the current, while hundreds of courageous boatmen were venturing along the borders of the stream endeavouring to recover the valuables floating by. These floods have cut off railway communication with the South, and severed the telegraph wires; they are said to have been the most severe since 1807. On the 2nd of October the waters began to subside, and now all fear of further danger is past. The damage (lone in the Shenandoah Valley is said to be worse than any inflicted during the late war. Two towns—Shenan doali city and Columbia, in Fluvieuue county—have been almost entirely obliterated. POLICE INTELLIGENCE.-THIS DAT. STEALING TIMBER IN KENSINGTON-GARDENS. THE DANGER OF KNOWING TOO MUCH.—Two boys, named Dominick Sweeney and James Macarthy, were charged at the Marlborough-street Police-court, before Mr. Knox, with stealing some timber in Kensington-gardens, the property of Her Majesty's First Commissioner of Works. Police-constable 463 A said that about nine o'clock that morning he saw several lads running away with pieces of timber cut off the trees in Kensington-gardens ; and on going after them he met the prisoners with A piece of timber about six feet long on their shoulders. As soon as the prisoners saw him they dropped the timber and ran away, and he went after them and took them into custody. Macarthy : The constable asked us questions coming along, for the purpos) of making us criminate ourselves. Mr. Knox : Criminate yourselves ! Why, you are evidently a young thief from your language, and I shall remand you both, that we may see who and what you are. Elisha Butler, of Caroline-street, Bayswater, was also charged with stealing timber in Kensington Gardens. In this case Sergt. Martin, A Division, saw the prisoner in possession of about a cart load of timber off the trees in Kensington Gardens, and on telling him that he should take him into custody for stealing it, he coolly replied, " Oh, then take it back again." . ;The prisoner knew that he bad no right to take the timber, as one of the park superintendents told him it was not permitted. Committed for a month, with hard labour. A BRUTAL IRISHMAN.—John Carney, an Irishman, aged 62ilyears, ;of No. 45, Star-street, St. George-in-the- East, was charged before Mr. Paget, at the - Thames Police-court, with assaulting and wounding Sarah Flynn, of the same place. The parties met in a beer shop on Wednesday night, and quarrelled about their hop experiences in the county of Kent. The quarrel came to a termination in the beer, house without bloodshed, but on reaching home' it was renewed with great force and fury, and the prisoner swore by the " holy poker" he would extinguish her if she did not hold her tongue. She continued to abuse him, and he took hold of a kitchen poker and struck her a tremendous blow on the head, inflicting a severe wound, from which she bled profusely. He fled, and was subsequently arrested by the police. Dr. John Kierman, a physician and assistant to Mr. Daniel Ross, divisional surgeon of police, .175, High-street, Shadwell, said the complainant had received a contused and lacerated wound, extending to the bone. The iron poker pro duced would have inflicted such a wound. It was rot dangerous. The prisoner howled for mercy, and said he was a very old and infirm man. Mr. Paget—You are a very wicked and brutal old man. It is very fortumte you are not here on a charge affecting your life. You might have killed her. The doctor says the wound is Lot dangerous, and I convict you of an assault, and sentence you to six months' imprisonment, and hard labour. The Augsbut g Gazette gives the account of a WUrtembergian ()nicer who was on horseback dose to the window of the room where the interview between the King of Prussia and the Emperor took place. The Klig sheaved the Emperor a map indicating certain pouts thereon, speaking in a very lively manner. He tlen drew a document from his pocket which Napoleon signed. The Prince Royal was then admitted into the room, aid shortly after the interview ended. DEATH OF MICHAEL BALFE. The most charming the most popular—of English composers has breathed his last. Michael Balfe died yes terday at a minter past twelve, at his country-house, Rowney Abbey, ITerts He was taken ill ten days ago, having beon seized with a sharp attack of bronchitis, which only assumed a serious aspect on Saturday, when Dr. Hamilton was summoned from London, and reported that his lungs were in a state of considerable congestion. On Sunday, however, he was better, but on Monday the symptoms became more serious, and Dr. Hess was brought from town to consult with Dr. Evans, of Hertford. But slight hopes were entertained by these gentlemen. Nevertleless, Mr. Balfe remained conscious and strong until one o'clock yesterday inorning s after which hour he grew rapidly worse, and never rallied, dying at a quarter past twelve p.m., in the presence of his wife and his son in-law, Mr. Behrend. Michael William Balfe was born in Dublin, on the 15th May, 1808 ; he was, therefore, in his 63rd year. PROTEST OF THE CATHOLIC HIERARCHY. (CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAM.) The Catholic hierarchy of Ireland has issued a protest on the Roman question. It is signed by Cardinal Cullen, three Archbishops, and eighteen Bishops. After a review of the several points of the question, their lordships pro test as follows :—First. Believing that the Pope is the Vicar of Christ, the infallible teacher of Christian truth, to whom has been given the supreme power of the feeding, ruling, and governing the whole Church, we protest against the sacreligious insults recently offered by the usurping power to the reigning Pontiff, Pius the Ninth, and, in his person, to Chris(' Himself, whose representa tive he is on earth. Secondly. Convinced that the full, perfect, and complete discharge of his apostolic office requires, as its necessary condition, the freedom of the Roman Pontiff from the control of other temporal princes, we protest, in the name of two hundred millions of Catho lics, against the usurpation which has deprived their spiritual chief of the temporal dominions necessary for the exercise of his liberty, and thereby subjected him to the caprice of hostile powers. Thirdly. Per suaded that by the wisdom of Providence the temporal sovereignty of the Holy See has been ordained for the common good of all Christendom, and that Rome and'the Papal territory belong to the Catholic world, we protest against the sacrilegious invasion of both as a violation of the sacred rights of the whole Catholic world. Fourthly, regarding as subversive of social order the appeal made to revolutionary passions, by the usurping . power, against the oldest and most legitimate sovereignty in the world, and indignant at the hypocrisy which sought to mask a brutal attack under the profession of Catholic loyalty and kingly honour, we protest against the means so scan dalously, so immorally, employed to accomplish this most un just usurpation. Fifthly, recognising with gratitude the benefit conferred upon the world by the noble use the Roman Pontiffs have made of their temporal dominion, and the splendid examples they have set the governors of Christendom by the mildness of their rule, their patronage of arts and letters, their tender care of the weak and poor, and their love of justice, we protest against the attempt to extinguish by means so unholy an institution that has deserved so well of civilised society all over the world. Sixthly. We protest also against the threatened devastation of the venerable sanctuaries of Rome, against the plun dering of its shrines, the suppression of its religious com munities devoted to prayer and good works, and of the classes of its numerous schools and colleges, where so many students of our own and other countries are trained in piety and learning. Seyenthly. Since the invasion of Rome has been undertaken and accomplished at a time when a general council was being held there, under the presidency of the Supreme Pontiff, we protest against the violence that has interrupted its deliberations, and we hold the Florentine Government responsible fof the outrage offered to the assembled bishops of the universe, and for the injury done to the faithful by depriving them for an indefinite time of the blessing the council was calculated to confer." The document concludes as follows :—" It now remains for you, beloved brethren, by taking prac tical steps to relieve the Holy Father, to give effect to this protest. First of all, it is our duty to have recourse to the powerful arm of prayer. Secondly, in addition to the spiritual weapons, it is desirable that Catholics should uniting, protest against the insults which have been heaped on the vicar of Christ, and against the violation of justice and right on the part of those who have seized on Rome, the common property of the Catholic world. These protests to have weight should be made in writing and be placed in the hands of those who represent us in Parliament, so that they may be laid before the public authorities of this country. We have a full right to ask from those who rule Catholic nations that they should secure from a control which cannot be other than capricious and tyrannical, the policy whose authority guides the conscience of millions of their subjects." NAV L AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE. Major-General Prince Edward of Saxe Weimarleturned on Tuesday evening from Scotland, and on Thursday resumed his duties at the Gun-house, St James's, as Major-General Commanding the Home District. A large number of the sergeant musketry instructors attached to the various metropolitan rifle regiments have proceeded to Birmingham, in accordance with orders from the War Office, to go through a course of instruction at the Royal Small Arms Establishment there, in connexion with the Snider rifle about to be issued to the Volunteer force. The travelling expenses to and from Birmingham of the instructors are paid by the Government, and they will receive while under instruction an allowance of ls. '2d. a day. His Royal Highness the Field Marshal Commanding in-Chief will hold a levde at one o'clock on Wednesday, the 26th inst., the number to be received being limited to 100. A gentleman who has visited Pembroke Dockyard since the inquiry into the loss of the Captain has seen there the iron-clad Thunderer, which is being built in all respects like the vessel which foundered. As the vessel is nearly half finished, and work is still going on, he thinks it time for the public to inquire whether it is the intention of the Government to persist in squandering the public money by completing another ship after the same design as the Captain. We have authority for stating that the second battalion 60th Rifles, stationed at Setapore, India, has been fur nished with Snider rifles, and is not now relying on En fields, as stated by a contemporary, The French Canadian contingent of the Papal Zouaves, numbering two hundred and nine men, sailed on Wednesday from Liverpool for New York, en route for Canada, in the steamer Idaho. Major Blundell and other influential Roman Catholic residents were on board. The Archbishop of York, who presided at the Doncaster Church Conference, said he should like to see a council of clergy and laymen labouring in every parish. It was desirable in these times of peril that they should have around them every member of the Church ; hence for this reason he was glad to notice that the mistrust between clergy and laity was rapidly diminishing. EXCURSIONISTS AND FOREIGN TRAVEL—We know many people now returned who were determined to have their annual excursion abroad—war or no war—and Switzerland, Holland, and Belgium have been thronged with tourists, who have experienced little, if any, incon venience on their travels, beyond being sometimes de barreel from remaining at any particular town they wished from the great influx of visitors. We hear of an English gentleman, at Brussels, who offered a fabulous sum for a night's lodging over a small butcher's shop, and could not obtain it. Brussels is literally crammed. John Bull. WRECK ON THE SCOTCH COAST.—The barque Orange Grove, of Glasgow, bound thence to Demerara, with a general cargo, was driven into Ayr Bay, during a heavy gale on Tuesday, and as she could not beat out again she was run ashore at the entrance to Ayr Harbour. As there were rocks in the immediate vicinity of the vessel, and a heavy sea was running on them, the lifeboat Glasgow Workmen, belonging to the National Lifeboat Institution, promptly went off to the rescue of the crew ; and ultimately brought safely on shore all on bOard, numbering fifteen men. FRENCH CRUISERS IN CHASE.—The North Ger man mail-steamer Westphalia, on leaving New York, was chased by French cruisers, but succeeded in evading them. She has arrived in safety at Leith. In order to make her escape, she was obliged to burn resin in her furnaces. The French cruiser Distress still remains at her anchorage in the Firth of Forth, and will probably remain over Thursday. She has been permitted to prolong her stay on the plea that her machinery requires over hauling. A strict watch is kept on her movements. The Distress has 15 Prussian sailors prisoners on board. These formed the crews of two vessels which were captured in the North Sea. TRAINING SHIPS FOR BOY S.—The first annual meeting of the supporters of the Formidable Training Ship, for homeless and destitute boys, stationed at Portis head, near Bristol, was held on Thursday. Letters of sympathy with the movement were read from the Earl of Shaftesbury, Mr. Morley, M.P„ and others. The annual report shewed that of the 98 boys in the ship 14 were from the Park-row and Clifton-wood Industrial Schools, 69 had been sent. by the magis trates of Bristol under the Act, 6 from Somerset, 3 from loucester, and 6 were Supported by friends. Eight had lost both father and mother, 16 had no father, 12 had no mother, 17 had been deserted by their parents, 28 had b,th parents living, and 6 were illegitimate. The com mittee put the cost per boy at present at £22 per annum. The meeting was addressed by the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol, Mr, K, D, Hodgson, Mir., and others. ! OTR, COIEKPORARIES---This Morning JULES PAYEE'S REPLY TO BISMARCK. The Times says the new circular of M. Jules Favre was not needed to prove the unreality of a rumour which is, however, remarkable as shewing the feeling among neu tral nations that there ought to be peace. Peace is as far off as ever. The language of this very circular must tend to defer rather than to hasten the end of the war. On this account we cannot but regret that the Government of Defence should have issued it. We are ready to acknowledge the tremendous pressure under which M. Favre and his colleagues must live; we can understand and sympathise with their feelings as they con template the misery that is deepening over France, but it would have been well could they have suffered in silence, and have allowed other nations to draw for themselves the reflections that are forced upon them by the state of affairs. As it is evident that the only way in which peace can be brought about lies in a modification of the demands of Germany, it is to be regretted that any thing should be said by the Ministry of Defence to harden the temper of the German people, to shut their ears to argument, to make them implacable to pity. The language of the circular is the more to be deplored because it appears to be founded on nothing new ; it is simply a fresh commentary on the interview at Ferrieres, the meaning and significance of which had been appreciated with sufficient clearness by all observers. Even as a commentary it is marked by an exaggerated feeling which is, if we may use the expression, blinded bg its tears. PROBABLE FALL OF Birrz. We were able yesterday, the Daily News remarks, to confirm the rumours of negotiations between Marshal Bazaine and the German Commanders by the informa tion that General Boyer, Bazaine's chief adjutant, is actually at Versailles. not probable that the transferenoe of the negotiations from Prince Frederick Charles to Counts Bismark and Moltke indicates that they have any political design ; the probability is that Bazaine asks for some con ditions other than simple surrender, and that only at headquarters can such conditions be discussed. He is most likely justified in asking for conditions. Nothing can be more important for the Germans than the possession of Metz. Bazaine has held it with marvellous tenacity, and his sacrifices in holding it are more than warranted. It is in some respects the key of the whole posi ion; and it will be an unspeakable mis. fortune to France that the negotiations for peace should be preceded by its surrender. Bazaine has not only kept firm the hold of France on Lorraine, but has at the same time held nearly 200,000 Germans in check. If Metz changes hands Germany will not only be so much the stronger for war, but so much the better off in nego tiating for that cession of territory which is declared by its organs to be the "indispensable and only basis of peace." It will enable the Germans to press their hard terms on France with the advantage of actually holding the territory they demand as a material guarantee. Nor will the military loss to France be less. The army in Metz is at least fighting a passive battle by holding so many Germans at bay—its capitulation will liberate those multitudes for active operations elsewhere. Even if Gambetta should raise a southern army, here would be sufficient force to keep it from marching to the relief of Paris, or even to defeat and scatter it before it was ready to fight. The fall of Metz would in fast be the final collapse of the regular French armies, and its sequel would probably be the fall of Paris. TUE RUMOURED ARMISTICE. The Telegraph, in discussing the truth of the rumour, says the discussions of a Cabinet Council are, of course, held apart from publicity ; but it will be obvious that the apparent dead-lock between France and Germany engaged the attention of the Queen's Ministers yesterday afternoon. There is no longer any talk or thought in neutral Cabinets of intervention by arms ; the same morality which is now invoked against the German projects would forbid an interference at the last stage by those who did nothing to prevent its outbreak. The conqueror is for the present left alone with the conquered. The limitations which constrain him are his own interpretations of public pro priety, joined to the prudence which must counsel re spect for general opinion and the fear of leaving to .his defeated challenger no counsellor but de spair. Yet there are principles which must govern those who are not at war, and who have not felt the fierce indignation of men counting brothers and fathers and sons among the many thousands of the slain. Knowing the feeling which has developed itself in English so.►ety within the last three or four weeks, we may assume that when an English Cabinet Council discussed the German programme, the idea of transferring popula tion without their consent from one nationality to an other could not be looked upon as consistent with the true doctrine of Nationalism. War, it may be said, which overrides civil rights, as in the system of requisitions, spurns international axioms ; but such is war in its most violent aspect, and civilised opinion must denounce an over-straining of the victor's rights, which recalls the worst characteristics of the heedless past. Europe will deem France, as the aggressor, to be justly punished by heavy penalties, but Europe would not wel come a settlement which sowed the seeds of future trouble, and procured for the aggressor sympathy instead of well merited condemnation. EUROPEAN INTERVENTION. If there is any power in Europe (the Standard says) other than that of the sword, then it is the duty of every civilised nation to join in repressing the inordi nate appetite of victorious Germany. We cannot allow that we arc debarred from undertaking it be cause we did not prevent the war in the first instance. It would have been better, perhaps, had we done so, but it is surely a strange argument that we are never to do right because we once did wrong. A man may, with out any great reproach to his humanity, permit two of his neighbours who have long been thirsting to decide which is the stronger to fight it out fairly; but it does not follow that he is bound to let the quarrel proceed to mutual annihilation. Without grudging Germany her victories, it is surely the business of Europe to take care that they are not pushed so far as to disturb the whole course of civilisation. For the same reason which induced us to regard favourably the cause of German unity we are bound to protest against the disintegration of France. The best excuse for Germany was that she took up arms to resist a violent spoliation. But this is precisely what she desires to inflict upon France. In taking Alsace and Lorraine by violence she will be the wrongdoer. She will have clothed herself in the very garments which she found so obnoxious in her neighbour. She will have reversed the positions of aggressor and victim ; nor can she sanctify her act by the miserable plea that her enemy would have done the same if she had been able. In whatever cause the spoliations may be made, and by whatever means secured, they will be spo liations still—offensive to the moral sense of mankind injurious to the peace of the world, fraught with the greatest danger to Germany herself, who has already shewn how much she has been corrupted by military glory, and how, from a peaceful, unambitious people, she has already passed into the worst form of that intoxica tion which it is her pride to have checked in her neighbour. At the Devon quarter sessions at Exeter on Wed nesday, Richard Ford, a boy of twelve years of age, was charged with stabbing Rebecca Morris, aged sixteen The girl was returning from a shop with the Police News, which contained a " horrible " illustration— men forcing a living woman into a coffin. Ford, who had a sharp knife in his hand, with which he had been cutting a piece of wood, asked the girl to let him see the pictures, and, as she did not immediately comply with his request, he stabbed her in the arm, inflicting a wound three inches deep. She has been under medical treatment for a fortnight, and has not yet recovered the use of her arm. The defence was that it was an accident—that another oy pushed Ford against the girl. The jury took this view of the case and acquitted the prisoner, and Earl Devon, the chairman of the bench, concurred in the verdict MR. G. 0. TREVELYAN ON ARMY REFORM.—On Wednesday evening Mr. Trevelyau, M. P. , addressed a meet ing in Queen-street Hall, Edinburgh, on the subject of our military system. He strongly condemned and denounced the purchase in the army as corrupt, vicious, dangerous, expensive, and in every respect bad. It had, amongst other things, caused the half-pay list to .be diverted from its proper purpose of providing for officers invalided or out o f employment for temporary reasons. It was now de voted to removing the difficulties created by the purchase system, and had for that purpose been swelled to £36,000 a year. lie complained that 1;73,000 a year was paid to generals, employed or not ; £166,000 a year to the holders of honorary sinecure colonelcies, and 1:10,000 a year to army agents. He pointed out what he considered other glaring defects in our military system, and then proceeded to suggest the remedies. In conclusion, he dwelt upon the disasters which an imperfect military system had brought upon France, and strongly urged the necessity for army reform.