The Sun. — London, England, 1870-03-23 00:00:00

ADMINISTRATION OP THE POOR LAW. TITESDAY. The select Committee upon the System of administering the poor-law in Scotland met again to-day, when the examination of Dr. Young, the chief constable of Ayr shire, was proceeded with. He was examined at consi derable length on the system of poor relief as administered in England, particularly with regard to the test system, which he described as a very effectual one for decreasing pauperism. The system of employing the police force for the pm-poses of relief had had a very remarkable effect in reducing the number of vagrants. In cotlond they were in a far better condition than in England, because there they went on the basis that the able-bodied poor had no right to relief at all, There was the greatest possible necessity for discrimination in the administration of casual relief, and the police, above all, were the best persons able to judge of the proper persons to whom it should be given, because they were able to watch their practices and movements and they knew more about them than any one else did. He ap proved generally of the present system under which the Scotch poor-law relief was administered, but thought that some provisions ought to be made whereby the rule which separates husband and wife might be relaxed in the cases of old people. That rule was bitterly complained of. He also stated that before the Act of 1845 the manner in which poor relief was administered was disgraceful. The committee then adjourned. LOCAL TAXATION. LONDON, TUESDAY. The Select Committee on Local Taxation sat again this morning, Mr. Goschen in the chair. There was, as usual, a large attendance of the committee, among whom were Mr. Rathbone, Mr. Hunt, Sir J. C. Lawrence, Colonel Bartellot, Mr. St. Aubyn, Sir M. Lopes, and Mr. Sclater Booth. The evidence taken to-day had re ference to the mode of rating in Hampshire. the witnesses examined being Mr. Erle, the Clerk of the Peace for the county, and Mr. Webb, his chief clerk. Mr. Earle stated that a proportion of the expenses of the lunatic asylum was provided for out of the county rates, and another portion was derived from payments made by relatives of insane persons. Altogether £4,400 was raised for the lunatic asylum, nearly one lird of the whole county rate. They spent £6,000 last year on the county bridges. The wit ness also described the various payments for other pur poses, such as militia stores, the prisons, &c., and stated that the Treasury paid a fixed sum for the maintenance Df the prisoners. The net cost of each pri soner was about 4s. 3d. a head. The Clerk of the Peace was examined at great length with reference to the prison expenses and management, and Mr. Erle explained that there was an unusual number of of military prisoners letained in Hampshire on account of the vicinity of Alder. shot and the military prison in the Isle of Wight. At the same time, if the county gaol was full, the county magis trates would refuse to admit military prisoners, but care would be taken that there should be sufficient space for the reception of county prisoners. By Mr. Hunt : The military and naval prisoners were sent there under the Military Act, the governor of the gaol L being bound to take them under a penalty. The whole of the evidence to-day was directed to an inquiry into the administration of the rates of the county of Hampshire, after which the committee adjourned. COMPULSORY PILOTAGE. TUESDAY. The Select Übmmittee appointed to inquire into the System of compulsory pilotage held its first sitting to-day, when there was an extremely large attendance of the members of the committee.' Mr. Farrar, the permanent secretary of the Board of Trade, said that since the year 1850 the question of compulsory pilotage had been frequently before him. A return made hewed that in the compulsory pilotage district there were 1,828 pilots, and in the free districts?l,o66. In the case of Newcastle, the Tyne, Sonderland and Hartle pool, the pilotage had been compulsory for foreign vessels but not for British. Since 1859 the tendency had been to increased exemptions, and to make modifications as far as possible. In a case which was brought before Dr. Lushington, that learned judge had ruled that when the appointment of the pilot rested with the owner he was responsible for his acts or for any damage occasioned by want of sobriety or want of skill on the part of the pilot. He admitted, however that the ruling was wholly opposed to the doctrine laid down by Lord Howell and Sir J. Nichol' ; also to the doctrines held in the American Ports, and the view of the jaw taken by the present judge of the Admiralty court. The recent practice of the courts was to confirm the ex emption of, the masters, strictly to the case in which the pilot was in fault, and put upon the owner the onus of proving that the act which led to the damage was that of the pilot. The effect of recent decisions was to make it to the interest of the Captain not to interfere with the pilot even if he should see that the vessel was going into danger. An example of this was afforded by the Spindrift, which was under an experienced master. The ship was going on a dangerous course and the master went below and left the vessel in charge of the pilot. Trinity House had pointed out that they considered it the duty of the master to keep a vigilant eye on the safety of the vessel, and to urge every precaution, and, if necessary, to insist that the precautions recommended should be taken. In the United States it had been decided that whether a vessel carried a pilot or not, the owner was liable for damage. The same applied th Belgium and France. Ger man laws were similar to ours. Mr. Lindsay's committee cf 1869 was in favour of abolition of compulsory pilotage. special circumstances, however, must prevail at different ports. The Trinity House district extended from where the Hull district ended. The Bristol Channel had been a cause of great contention. The system of pilots working in and out of London was very difficult to understand. There were seven different classes of pilots to pilot ships, in and out of London. Almost every vessel coming into' London had a pilot on board. Each class of pilots complained of the others. A letter was read from Mr. Steele, of Liverpool, setting forth the hardships inflicted upon masters of coasting vessels by compulsory pilotage. - Further evidence of a similar character was given, and the committee adjourned. SALMON FISHERIES. TUESDAY. The Select Committtee upon the Salmon Fisheries re slimed its sittings to-day-- I Mr. Dodds in the chair. The evidence of Mr. Walpole, the inspector of the fisheriei, was again proceeded with, and occupied the whole of the day. He stated that since the last meeting he had prepared a 'scheme for the constitution of boards of conservators for the salmon fisheries. He recommended that steps should be taken to make such boards strictly representative, and with that view he would have one-third of the board elected by 'the riparian owners, another by the occupiers Df.the various salmon fisheries, and the remaining third by the public fishermen. He would admit of accumula tive voting to a certain extent, but he would not allow any voters to possess' - more than four votes. The voting should take place by means of voting papers. With regard to the rates he did not consider it would be fair to rate private proprietors for the benefit of public fishermen. He believed that the various laws which had existed with re spect to the conservation of the salmon fisheries in England might be very easily assimilated but he doubted whether the Irish laws could very well be incorporated with them. He would recommend that the salmon fisheries should be under the control of a Parliamentary minister, having officers under him. He denied that the bill of last session would have proved useless if it had been passed, because he considered that the 120th clause, especially, would have had a very beneficial effect. He thought that power Wright to be taken to prevent fishing within a certain dis tance ; and powers of compulsory purchase should be fiven ; but beyond that he did not think that any urther legislation would be required. He was of opinion that the water-bailiff should have great powers for the purpose of repressing poaching, and thinks they should even have the power of searching the pockets of persons seen near rivers, and who were suspected of poaching. He would put the water bailiff in the same position as the police constable, and under the larceny Act the police, in certain cases, may arrest a person, and search him on suspicion. . Mr. C. Denison asked the witness whether he did not think such a provision would be liacle to abuse. Mr. Walpole thought it would not be liable to abuse, =Amore than the power of searching a basket. Of course there must be reasonable ground for suspecting, and he put the case where a person who was trout fishing caught a smoult, And instead of returning it to the water put it into his pocket, the trout being put into his basket. At present the water bailiff had no power to search the person, though he had to search the basket of the fishep. - man. ARE YOU A PROTESTANT ?—The plaintiff in a breach of promise case, heard at Huntingdon, was ex amined as to her religious belief. She caused a roar of laughter by saying, in reply to the question, " Are you a Protestant ?" "No, I belong to the Church'of England." The faithless swain was a policeman, and the girl had quarrelled with him on one occasion because he had been placed on duty to prevent a disturbance at a meeting at 'which the well-known Murphy was present. ' REmAnKABLE MATRIMONIAL OASE.—A. very re markable case was recently decided in the Civil Court at Luckuow. The plaintiff—a Mahomedan—filed a suit for the restoration of the person of his wife. He was met by the plea that his wife was an apos tate from her religion, and that, in consequence, the marriage under Mahomedan law was cancelled, and his claim under the marriage must necessarily fall to the ground. The case caused considerable sensation among all classes, but especially among the Mahomedan commu nity. The Judge, in an elaborate judgment, after bring ing under review all the laws bearing on the po int, decided the suit in favour of the plaintiff. The most re markable feature in the case was the demeanour of the wife while under examination in court. Not satisfied by an open recantation of the Mahomedan religion in the pre sence of a large gathering of the Mahomedan community, she deliberately declared her conviction of the truth of the Christian religion, and her faith in our Saviour's mission. The wife, her sister, and mother Wer7l7tised the me ea* dam. fatikft 11.9IYUge 01lta.0th DICKIa; TIIE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MARCH 23, 1870. THE DIPLOMA.TICI AND CONSULAR SERVICE. HOUSE OF COMMONS, MONDAY. The Select Committee appointed to inquire into this subject resumed their sittings this morning, the Right Hon. E. P. Bouverie in the chair. The permanent Foreign Secretary, Mr. Hammond, was again called into the chair, and produced a list of the diplomatic staff, which was handed in. The members present were Mr. Sclater-Booth, Mr. Rylands, Mr. Eastwick, Lord Bar rington, Mr. A. Russell, Mr. C. W. Dilke, and Mr. W. H. Gladstone. The examination of Mr. Hammond was proceeded with by Mr. Rylands, who put some questions for the purpose of chewing that the return of extraordinary expenses put in did not correspond with the sums voted by Parliament. Mr. Hammond explained that the extraordinary expendi ture must always be taken on a rough estimate. There was no question whatever that the extraordinary expendi ture had very much increased, compared with 1868-9. The charge for Persia was not included in the estimate, which accounted for the discrepancy. Mr. Rylands pointed out that the sum voted by Parlia ment for 1868-9 was £30,539, whereas the sum actually expended was £45,480. Mr. Hammond : Yes ; but estimate and expenditure are not quite identical terms. The actual expenditure includes the expense of the Persian mission, which will account for the difference. Mr. Rylands then read a list of the missions, giving the increase in expenditure of each ; but Mr. Hammond said that although it was perfectly true that within ten years succeeding 1848-9 it had increased, yet in the succeeding ten years, from 1858-9 to 1868-9, the extraordinary expenditure had greatly decreased. Fin instance in 1859 the extraordinary expenditure was nearly V 7,000 ; in the following year it was £38,000 ; and in 1868-9 it was £30,539. The expense of telegraphing and translation was much' less now than it was formerly. Mr. Ryland then proposed to ask Mr. Hammond whether any pensions were paid out of the secret service money to persons engaged in the diplomatic service, but that gentleman said he must decline to answer any ques tion as to the appropriation of the secret service money. The Right Hon. the Earl of Malmesbury was then called and cross-examined by. the Chairman. His Lordship said : I have been twice Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and gave evidence before the Libel Committee of 1851, and believe that the service has been to some extent thrown open to by introducing a system of examination, but I doubt whether it would be expedient to throw open the service to competitive examination. The possession of a university degree might be a recom mendation for entering the service. Ido not think the salaries are too high considering the increased cost of provisions. An attache certainly could not live on his pay, he must have independent means. It is essential that all gentlemen connected with the diplo matic service should be persons of high character and be animated by considerable esprit de corps. I think it would be extremely doubtful whether you could have a number of clerks employed at the various missions, instead of attaches, because I should be afraid that they would be of such a varied character that continual selections would have to be made by the head of the mission. The personal character of the young men enter ilkg the service is a matter of grave consideration. I do not think the question of pension presses very much, because unless a man is in very bad health, he can carry on his business to a very lengthened period of life. At the time I became Secretary of State, Lord Cowley was at Paris, and I continued with him there. The post of Ambassador now is not generally filled by a party man, though that used to be the case. There is a considerable block in the service at present. By Viscount Barrington : The service is certainly looked upon as a profession, and I do not think it is necessary to change our ambassadors frequently. Unless attaches are men of means themselves I should say the salaries are not sufficient. There is a very clumsy way of payin the secretaries. One half of their salary is de ducted w'ban they are on leave of absence. If a chief is ab sent there is a deduction from his salary, and an increase to that of the secretary. It costs a minister on the average £4 a day besides his expenses when on leave of absence, and the consequence is there is sometimes a disinclination to take it. It would be very extraordinary if, when a colonel took his leave he had to pay the major, and the major the captain. lam not aware that it is so in any other Inc fession, andam not at all of opinion that it would be wise to give up the smaller missions. In point of fact, the two most important pieces of information ever received, I received from two small missions. Viscount Barrington : Is there objection on the part of your lordship to stating what they were. The Earl of Malmesbury : No. One was when we thought we had avoided, in conjunction with the French Em peror the necessity for the Italian War. We had early information from our mission to Hanover that the Aus trians had broken through everything and crossed the Ticino. The other case was that months before the event occurred, we had intelligence from Switzerland that it was the intention of the Emperor Napoleon to annex Savoy. By Viscount Sandon : The effect that I can see from the rule that an attachg should be unpaid is, that it opens the door of the service to the sons of wealthy persons. No doubt the greater facilities of communication has, to some extent, rendered the diplomatic business easier, but, at the same time, there has been a considerable increase in the diplomatic business in consequence of the increased commercial rela tions. I have known instances in which European wars have been avoided in consequence of diplomatic action, of which the public have known nothing whatever, with re apect to which it wag necessary that profound secrecy should he preserved. After some conversation as to the advisability of sup pressing the mission at Stuttgart, to which the Earl of Malmesbury was opposed, and likewise some observations ea to the consular service being under-paid, the committee 241 j owned. AI)VANTAGES OF A DIPLOMATIC CAREER. Now that the subject of the diplomatic service is receiving so much attention, the following remarks from an article in the Pall Mall Gazette may prove interesting :—" People in ;England fancy that diplomatists enjoy great social advantages. It is argued that if attaches and secretaries het but miserable pay, they get the worth of several hun lreds a year in position. If at the age of from (5 ,to 50 a man is only receiving £5OO a year, is he not `hail fellow well met' with lurchlauts, dilections, and excellencies, and smoking ligarettes with chamberlains and flirting with maids of aonour ? The answer is that nothing can be more false han the idea that diplomatists have an enviable social osition in the capitals where they reside. In the smaller oreign capitals the ' good ' native society consists chiefly ,f stupid men and unlovely women. Its members belong -zelusively to the aristocracy, with whom no middle class, professional, literary, or scientific people have any social intercourse. The society is miserably small (say 100 to 150 strong.) There are no dinners, few evening parties, at most eight or ten balls in the winter monthsl to which diplomatists are invited. Far from diplo matists being courted, they are kept at a distance. They are suffered as a necessary evil, and only in view of the balls and dinners which the heads of foreign missions occasionally give. The native ladies prefer as dancers their own friends and relations. The native officers and chamberlains will sel dom dance with diplomatic ladies, however young, pretty, fascinating, and well dressed these may be. Only in very exceptional cases will native ladies stoop to inti mate terms with diplomatic ladies. The sole social resource of diplomatists, so far as real acquaintance ship is concerned, is the diplomatic body, which may generally number fifteen to twenty-five gentlemen, and three to five or six women. Sometimes it happens that, from the ministers being unmarried or other causes, no diplomatic house at all receives company. In such cases a diplomatist may go for months without getting the offer of so much as a cup of tea, for the native society- seldom comes to town before Christ mass or remains after Easter. In middle-class society a foreign minister or attache cannot easily move. Enghsh mm often try, but the attempt generally fails. Besides, if a diplomatist is known to associate with merchants or mm of letters, he is invariably called a democrat and a snob, not only by the `good society' and the Court, but even by his colleagues." BRUTAL CONDUCT OF A PUBLICAN.—The accident at Hitchin on Saturday was the occasion of very brutal behaviour on the part of the landlord of the public house where the bodies of the persons wholost their hves by being thrown from a carriage, were taken to. The coroner (Mr. C. Innes) informed a correspondent of a paper that when he went to the public-house to hold the inqiiest he found the two bodies dressed as they were found, and lying face upwards on the floor, and this sickening spectacle was being exhibited by the publican to anyone who bought a glass of ale. Mr. lanes at mice gave the constable orders to lock the door and keep the key. A few minutes after he found the public were being admitted through a side door. As this door could not be locked he told the policeman to nail it up. The landlord, W. Webb, said it should not be nailed up, and at once broke it open. Fortunately this scene was put a stop to by the medical officer ordering the bodies to bl ;aunediately interred. GOLD ASSAYS.—The change in the method of stating assays of gold bars at the Bank of England is explained by the Times. Hitherto they were stated at 1-768th (Ath carat grain) fine, and the importer ran the risk of losing £1 in every £768, while on the average the loss actually amounted to £1 in every £1,536. The new system states the fineness to 1-3 milli6me, giving a risk of £1 in £3,000, or an actual average loss of D. in £6,000. The difference between these averages is 0'493 pence (id), equivalent on standard gold to 10s. 6d. for every £l,OOO. Small as this difference seems, it nevertheless raises the actual pars of exchange between England and other countries by i per mile in our favour. The change is tantamount to relieving the importation of bullion of a tax of N. per oz., and to doing away with a premium of -id. per oz. in favour of exportation. In regard to the French exchange, for instance, whereas now the rate of 25f. 10c. per £1 leads to the export of bullion from the Bank, it must in future fall to 25.081 before withdrawals become practicable, and, instead of receiving gold from Paris, when the exchange is in our favour at 25.35, we shall already receive at 25.331. The same rule applies to other exchanges. We shall receive gold sooner, and keen logger. A young burglar, who broke into the house of Mr. Barnes, Coventry-road, Birmingham, proceeded to the dining room, wh ere h e f oun d some plate. He tied a silver cruet-stand and salver in a'handkerchief, and put a silver salt-cellar in his pocket. Here his depredations seem to have ended, for, finding a decanter on the side table, the burglar applied himself to the wine which it contained. He became inebriated, and made so much noise that he disturbed both the inmates of the house and the neigh bours, by whom he was secured. He is now awaiting his triakat tke..asikcs,_ THE CHESTER CUP. Business for the Chester Cup has of late centred large% in the backing of Sabinus, who has advanced gradually to :i.,000 to 50—a figure which at Tattersall's was not given very freely. Starter has,been supported at 100 to 6, de uidedly the shortest price given up to Monday night. Chdrie finds some substantial support at 20 to 1 ; St. Mungo has done a little business at 25 to 1; whilst Formosa has been driven off the field. Bell's Life says :—" A genuine commission is apparently bein b - , worked C about the three year old Vintner for the Chester up. A hint about the colt was given our readers nearly a month ago, but as it is not the duty of a sporting writer to enlighten the public respecting the merits of an outsider to the utter ruin of the owner's chance of ' getting on,' our remarks were very cautiously worded." But it is - lecessary to add a warming that speculation on this .1-3/It is still in a very indecisive and chaotic state. THE CITY AND SUBURBAN. With the downfall of two favourites for the great Ep tiCal handicap, the prospect of a good field has decidedly improved, for with so many advanced three-year-olds, owners of less-favoured horses might have lost hope. There is now a fair prospect, it is thought, of a field of about a score. The great feature of Monday's exciting speculation was most decidedly the hostility that was shewn to the chance of Ashfield, who was backed on Saturday for all that could be got on down to 9 to 1. Early this morning 8 to 1 was the best offer against him, but a report becoming prevalent that he had been beaten in his trial, or, to put it more mildly, had " failed to realise the sanguine anticipations of his friends," after O to 1 had been laid against him to about £lOO he gradu. ally receded to 10 to 1, 100 to 8, and finally 100 to 7 might have been had about his chance. This had not the effect of bringing either of the Findon candidates to the front, and at present there does not appear to be much dispo sition to back anything trained in this stable. An attempt to oust Sabinus from his prominent position has utterly failed. At one time he was driven to 25 to 1, but he regained ground as rapidly as he had formerly lost it. Walter at one time appeared to be "on the go," 100 to 6 being laid against him, but at Tattersall's he was in greater favour, and at the close 1,000 to 80 was the best offer against his chance. The Sportsman's writer says, " The opposition may be accounted for by the rumour that in a recent spin he, too, had failed to please his friends, but I believe, that the report of his having been tried is untrue, for, unless I am very much misinformed, he will be put through his examination between now and Wednesday,nnd the market will tell its own tale as to how he acquits himself." Vagabond has been heavily supported amongst the out siders. The advance of Vestminster has sent back Van donhoff. WARWICK AND ST. ALBANS. The principal contest for Thursday at Warwick has already been investigated—the balance of opinion being decidedly in favour of Pearl Diver, on account of his favourable weight. But many still hold to The Colonel, and if he wins he will undoubtedly rank as the first steeplechaser of the day, if not of the century. With regard to the minor events at Warwick, and like wise to the St. Albans Meeting, the following analysis is given in the Field —To the Hunt Cup Steeplechase (about three miles) there are thirteen nominations ; and the most taking names in the entry are Badminton, Bishopton, Ben Nevis, Caprice, Ada Penelope, Knockany, Bonaparte, Gem of the Sea Dalby, and Three per Cent. From these we retain Bishopton and Bonaparte as the best ; and, as Bishopton has had the most practice in the jumping line, he is entitled to the preference. There are thirty entries for tho Handicap Hurdle Race on the mile course, and Warlike, 12st 71b. has been honoured with the top weight. This clever son of Weatherbit has, how ever, been over-weighted, and cannot beat Antias and Target ; and the mile course at Warwick will suit Antias better than the longer one did at Kingsbury, For the Stand Handicap (1 mile) 22 horses have been entered, and those best in are Pyrenees, 7st 101 b ; Brambridge, 7st 71b ; Veda, 7st 41b ; and Champagne Charlie, 7st. Of these we prefer Champagne Charlie and Veda, even though the first should put up 51b penalty fOr winning the Willoughby Cup on Tuesday. In the Handicap Plate (5 furlongs) Lily and the Rover appear well treated. The St. Albans Steeplechase Meeting will be held on Friday and Saturday, on Mr. Barford's land, which is in close proximity to the town. A capital programme has been issued by Mr. Pratt, and the eight races closed have all filled well. Twenty-nine horses have been engaged in the Grand Annual Steeplechase (3 miles), and the Doctor, l2st 71b, heads the list. The weights, as far as they can be in races of this description, have been carefully apportioned, as Tho Doctor, The Elk, The Robber, Captain Crosstrec, The Nun, Hippolyte, and others, should finish close together, judging by their public form. We must, however, admit a slight preference for The Elk and The Doctor. The remaining closed events do not come within the province the turf analyst, as horses have been engaged in several races." THE UNIVERSITY BOAT RACE. A writer on the Daily News gives an elaborate review of the Cambridge eight. His remarks on the individual rowers need not be quoted, but his general comments give expression to an opinion which has been but too well founded in former years :—" The appearance of the eight aiit came 'end on,' I must candidly confess, was not pre possessing. The time, it is true, with the exception of occasional lapses on, the bow side, was very fair, and there was less of the traditional Cambridge bucket' about the rowing than we have been accustomed to see of late years ; but, per contra, there was a lamentable lack of life and swing throughout the boat, a deadness about the recovery, and a general tendency to half cover only the blade of the oar, that hardly augured well for the pro spects of a crew that in little more than a fort might must be wound up to concert pitch. Moreover, the one great desideratum in a light racing craft—that firm, decided ' grip ' of the water the moment the oars touch the surface, and the arms are at their fullest tension—was painfully , conspicuous - by its absence throughout the boat. Not a man in the crew seems to have the slightest idea of getting fairly hold of the water, in other words, of bringing his full weight and strength to bear upon his work until the oars are nearly, at right angles with the rowlocks, with the solitary ex ception, perhaps, of Mr. Goldie, upon whose shoulders, consequently, the whole weight of the boat is thrown during the tore-part of the stroke to the necessary detri ment of his style. All Mr. Morrison's most assiduous ' coaching,' strange to say, has hitherto been unavailing to eradicate this vital fault. The old rowing adage that Good big men are better than good little men.' which has been so lon,g recog nised and followed with such success at the sister Univer sity has evidently not been forgotten this year by the C. U. B. C. authorities in the selection of the rawmaterial of their crew. Taken man for man, the Light Blue repre sentatives are unquestionably the most powerful lot the Cam has turned out for many a long year, and if weight and sheer physical strength could ensure victory, they ought to possess a very formidable chance." The selection of Darbishire to row stroke again for Oxford has given rise to much comment. The following letter from an Oxford man, defends the proceeding :—" The only possible objection to his doing so is that he has taken his degree ; but I am at a loss to conceive why that should be considered as a hindrance to his rowing, when year after year we see Cambridge graduates in their boat. For ex ample, in 1868 there were two—one of them a Fellow of his College ; and it seems, to say the least of it, unreason able that what is thought a regular proceeding in one University should be stigmatised as unfair in the other. I may add that this year Oxford is deprived for private reasons, of the services of three of her very best men, and Vet we hear her making no complaint." MR. ODGER IN A NEW LIGHT.—T he election agent of the working man's candidate has posted in shop windows of Southwark a list of the names of working men who voted for the Conservative (Col. Beresford) between the hours of three and four on the afternoon of the polling day. This bill evidently insinuates that the men were bribed, a passage denouncing bribery is quoted from an Act of Parliament. The question is raised, whether Mr. Odger, by appeasing in this new light before the public, has not laid himself open to action by the men whose names he has published. THE EASTER MONDAY REVIEW. — The committee of officers appointed to visit Brighton for the inspection of the various sites proposed for the forthcoming review, arrived at that place on Saturday morning. The com manding officers selected, amongst whom were Lords Elcho and Ranelagh, were met on the plat form by the Mayor of Brighton and a number of autho rities interested in the review. The whole party then started off in carriages and on horseback. The site of the review of 1866 was pointed out, and it was generally agreed that it would be better to break new ground this time. It was decided that a site at Ovingdean should be recommended for the consideration of the metropolitan commanding officers. it serious acciaent has just occurred at Barn staple. About a dozen men were employed on a vessel in course of building at Messrs. Westacott's yard, when the scaffolding on which they were standing gave way, and they were precipitated into the dock beneath—a depth of 25 feet. Several of the men were seriously injured. Du BARRY'S Delicious Health-restoring Revalenta .Ara bica Food, which contains three times the nourishment of the best meat, saves fifty times its cost in other remedies, restores perfect digestion, strong nerves, sound lungs, healthy liver, re freshing sleep, functional regularity, and energy to the more enfeebled, removing speedily and effectually indigestion (dys pepsia), habitual constipation, diarrhoea, haemorrhoids, liver complaints, flatulency, nervousness, biliousness, fevers, sort throats, catarrhs, colds, influenza, noises in the head and ears, rheumatism, gout, impurities, eruptions, hysteria, neuralgia irritability, sleeplessness, acidity, palpitation, heartburn, head ache, debility, dropsy, cramps, spasms, nausea, and sickness. sinking fits, coughs, asthma, bronchitis, incipient consumption scrofula, tightness of the chest, pains at the pit of the stoma,;h. between the shoulders. &c. We quo'o a few out of PB,OOO cues —The Pope's health restored by Du Barry's Food, Cure No 68,413 Rome, July 21. 1866. —The health of the Holy Father is excellent, especially since, abandoning all other remedies, he has confined himself entirely to Du Barry's Revel , nta Arabies Food, of which he consumes a plateful at every meal. It hat Produced a surprisingly beneficial effect on his health, and hit Holiness cannot praise this excellent food too highly."—Frorr. the "Gazette du Midi," July '25. Cure No. 9,832: "Of Fifty years indescribable agony from dyspepsia, nervousness, asthma cough, constipation, flatulency. spasms, sickness at the stomacL and vomiting. Maria Jolly. Wortham, Ling, near Di: s, Norfolk. Cure N o 47,121: Miss Elizabeth Jacobs, of Nazing Vicarape. Waltham Cross, Herta, of extreme nervousness, indigestion gatherings, low spirits, and nervous fancies. Important Coutio: —Beware of the many unsavoury and more than sloppy imita tions to which without authority, Baron Liebig's name is mos audaciously attached In tins, at is 11d; 1 lb 2a 9d; 2 lb 4e Cd; 5 lb 118; 12 lb 22s 24 lb.-; 4 s.— lso D U BARRY'S BEVALENTA RABICA CIIOCOLATI POWDER is packed in tin canisters: for 1! cups at 2s, for 24 cup at 3s 6d, for 48 cups at Cs, for 288 cups at 30s, for 576 cups at 55 —being about one penny per cup. The 30s and 55s tins are sen free of carriage in England on receipt of Post Office Order. BARRY Do BARRY and Co., No. 77, Hegent-street London; an 6 all Grocers and Chemists. MONEY AND BUSINESS. (From the Springfield Republican, March 5.) The decline in gold has been the great event of the week, but has had an inconsiderable effect on money and business. Money is easier, if anything, than last week, there being less disposition to use it in business in view of the fluctuation in money. Many merchants who have been holding gold for their own use and borrowing money to carry it have been encouraged to "let it slide," under the belief that they could get it at lower preinium, svhen . ver they should want it. It is rat w nearly six months since the September panic located gold at 120 to 122. What has occurred at the present moment to displace it from that lodgment? The print - pal cause undoubtedly is the improvement in the price of American bonds abroad, and this is due again to the excellence of our credit, the high rate of interest we pay, and the abundance of money in Europe. The capitalists of England and Holland and the more prosperous German States have long feared the approach of the dreaded "stationary state," when capital shall no longer be able to pay any interest. The great preventive that has hitherto staved, off such a condition of affairs has been the em ployment of capital abroad. A time has now arrived when this truth is realised more than over. Europe made money out of us during the war, and now, when business is stagnant, does not know what to do with it. If she kept it herself, the rate of interest would go below 2 per cent. in England, and 3 to 4 per cent. on the Continent, and the "stationary state" would be close at hand. Foreign in vestment is the only other resource, and foreign bonds of first class description are consequently in demand. This state of affairs renders the task of funding our debt much less difficult than it seemed a few months ago, though there is still quite a field for the appreciation of our pre sent issues of bonds before their price will justify an ex pectation of the placing of Four to Five per Cents. at par. In regard to contracting a debt with foreigners, some people are exhibitieg a squeamishness that would be amusing if it was not frail. There is no reason why we should not employ this European capital, especially since it is cheaper than our own. Funding at 4 per cent. would be a pretty costly policy if we had to put in our own money. There are millions and millions of municipal and corporate stocks in this country paying frotn 8 to 10 per cent., to say nothing of the rates of profit in ordinary business in America. All through the West the "legal rate " of interest is 8 to 10, and here in New England 6 per cent. is entirely traditional, and less than can be thought of, even where the security is first class mort gage. How, then, can American capitalists, with their willingness to lie awake o' nights for a small pittance and their ill appreciation of "long time," be expected to invest in bonds bearing only 4 to 5 per cent., even though they boar the image and superscription of liberty herself. We cannot make a better trade than to keep our own capital earning high rates, while our cheap work is done by the sovereigns and thalers of the Old World, which would otherwise lie idle, and are only too glad to find such employment. On the other hand, so long as there are so many profitable enterprises in this country, in which foreign capital, from the nature of the case, cannot or dare not invest, we may entertain no fears of being " run into the ground" by European competition. Gold, which in our last review we left!at I 174 (Wednesday), on Thursday morning declined to 1164, and in the afternoon, on the receipt of news of the Senate vote against infla tion, went down to 1164. On Friday, after a day of de pression, there was a rally to 117, occasioned by rumours that the March sales of gold by the Treasury would be small. The price broke again on Saturday to 1154, and to 115 on Monday. The last and most reliable announcement of the Treasury programme for March provides for the sale of $2,000,000 gold and the purchase of $5,000,000 bonds. The small amount of gold named served to stiffen the market on Tuesday to 1164 to 1161. New York is full of rumours as to the formation of heavy combinations to bull and bear gold, and one of the clique is said to have sent an agent abroad to manipulate the bond market for a fall in gold here, to be succeeded by a great advance. The audacity of Wall-street operations has accustomed us to almost anything in the way of "corners," but this is a "little 2 much." Looking at the fray from a less metro politan standpoint, and from a region of purer air and less mirage, we see no reason for introducing "combinations" and wireworks, when all that has occurred thus far is explainable on entirely "natural causes " and might have been predicted to happen just as it has happened. Given—a large supply of gold in the hands of the Now York merchants, the prospect of more Government sales and of the disbursement of the Ten-Forty interest, and the inevitable rise of. bonds in Europe—and the result of the problem would be just what occurred, a de cline in the price of gold. Whether it shall go down any further also depends largely on the price of bonds. All attempts to determine the "normal rate" of gold by com paring the amount of it with the amount of . greenbacks are useless, because there is another unknown factor— the amount of fictitious business to which a variable currency gives rise. People may as well give over talk ing al out what gold "ought" to be, and whether it is lower or higher than tho normal rate. We shall have no normal rate till Congress establishes a free banking sys tem, with the circulation redeemable abd instantly conver tible into coin. Such a circulation would be its own ad justment, like the governor ou a steam engine, and is the only solution of the problem that will justify the applica tion of the word "normal " to any part of our finances Governments have been more active in Europe than in this country, and have been quoted as high as 901 in London fur 18625. With the present quotations of exchange, this is within one per cent. of par. Bonds in New York have declined somewhat in sympathy with gold, but the long Bonds of 1881 have been at times 11 per cent. above gold and the issues of 1862, 1864, 1865, etc., on a par or nearly so.. The two lines of quotations diverged a little more on Wednesday with the higher rate of gold. State Bonds were dull and depressed through the decline in gold, but came up with it on Wednesday, New Virginias rose I per cent. to 69 on " the announcement that the State debt will be de reased by the payment of a large amount of it into the State Treasury by new railroads now building." Old North Carolinas rose 11 to 46, the New 1 to 25, Louisiana Levee Sixes 14 to 70 5-6, and Levee Eights 1 to 80, Missouri Sixes being firm at 931, Georgia Sevens at 92, and Alabama Eights at 94. Old Tennessees were exceptionally weak, falling 4 per cent. to 55, while ne rose 4to 464. Stocks shared the depreciation with gold, but are now recovering, The difference between the quotations of Monday, the 21st ult. (Tuesday being a holiday and Wednesday the first day of the panic), and of Wednesday, the 2,1, show an average falling off of at least 3 per cent. Harlem fell off nearly 7, and the speculative stocks generally suffered most, as will be seen by our tele graphic quotations. There has been considerable activity in the Stock Exchange at Boston, where the Vermont Central Bonds have been the fancy of investors for a few days past, the first mortgage advancing from 80 to 834, and the second from 41 to 431. Tt e Boston and Albany -will issue one share of new stock to every five of old at par to stockholders of record, March 2, payable 50 per cent. on or before April 1, and the rest before October 1. Stockholders who desire to anticipate the payment Of the second instalment are to be allowed interest at 5 per cent. per annum. According to the Act of the last Legislature all stock not taken after thirty days' no tice (which will be Aoril 1) must be sold at public auction for the benefit of the company. It is understood that this new stock will give the company about $3,000,000, with which it is proposed to pay up their debts in Lon don, build new tracks, dtc. The Union Pacific wares have become well wonted to the airof State sheet, and aremore quoted there than at New York; the shares sell at 38; the gold sixes, which with the decline in gold are not as firm as the currency sixes, at 831 ; the land grant sevens at 684, and the income los., the March coupons of which are being promptly paid, at 77. Several important leases have been consummated during the past week; among them that of the Ogdensburg Railroad to the Vermont Central and Vermont and Canada for 20 years, with roll ing stock and equipments. This lease is a perfection of the Vermont Central through line between Boston and Ogdensburg and is a voluntary carrying out, as far as pos sible,of the consolidation sought of our . Legislature, last win ter. The Albany and Susquehannaßailroad,over which Fisk and Ramsey had their rough-and-tunable fight, has been leased to the Delaware and H u d son Canal 'Company, which is said to be "powerful enough to protect Troy and Albany look for cheaper coal as one result of the lease. The lease of the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad to the Erie has been approved by Chief Jus tice Thompson, of Pennsylvania, with the exception f the clause r, (erring controversies to Mitch ell and Robinson, of New York, which was struck out. This was the last legal gauntlet which the lease had to tun, and is supposed to settle its validity forever. ['he gold fiery has unsettled the new spring busi tess some whet, but there is considerable activity never heless. Cotton and breadstuffs are lower. Provisions aave been more active, and prices a little higher fur beef and butter, but lower for pork, with a dull business in heese. Groceries, especially sugars and domestic ma 'asses, a. e active, with a tendency to lower prices. To 'acco was dull last week at a decline, the only sale of seed [oaf at New York being 100 cases of Cllrio at 25c. In re tard to the dry go , ds trade the Financial Chronicle says : The market, although not generally active, has pre .ented during the weak some features of unusual interest. I'ho leading event has been the offering of certain makes . of prints by A. T. Stewart and Co. and by H. B. Clan and Co., at much below the ruling rates for these gcols ; and the whole interest of the trade was for a time centred in the operations of these two houses, particularly of the former, where much excitement prevailed among buyers, and very large sales were made at the reduced prices. The cause for this extraordinary action on the part of the houses referred to is not well known, but it would seem to be a natural inference that lower prices aro expected by them, and that this movement is intended to forestall a decline in prices, and effect large sales b:'fore the down ward movement has become general. (From the Wall-street Journal.) FRIDAY EVENING, March 4. Business continues on a very small scale, the excitement in the gold market precluding transactions. Money on call is supplied at 5 per cent. on miscellaneous collaterals, and on Government Bonds at 4 per cent. Discounts aro very easy, and prime acceptances are readily passed at 7 co 7i per cent., No. 2, at 8 to 9 per cent., and approved single names at 7 to 12 per cent. Gold is exceedingly heavy, and spite of every effort to send up the price, the market after much excitement to-day finally closes at, 113. So rapidly has the credit of the United States ap preciated that it almost seems as if greenbacks instead of gold would soon bo at a premium. QUOTATIONS FOR SPECIE. Amer. silver... 9f to 96k 1 Eng. sovs 486 to 488 Mex. dollars...lo3i „ 104 j2O francs 3F4 „ 386 Eng. silver 4Th , 480 j Thalers Five francs .... 96 „ 97 I Government Bonds are weak in sympathy with the speculation in gold. Sixes, 1861, registered — to —I Sixes, 1881, coupon Sixes, 1868, coupon U.S. 6s. Pacific Railroad Five-twenties, 1862, registered — to Five-twenties, 1862, coupon Five-twenties, 1864, coupon Five-twenties, 1865, coupon Five-twenties, 1865, coupon, new Five-twenties, 1867, coupon U.S. 5-20 Coupons, 1868 • 1091 to 110 Ten-forties, coupon lO7l to 110 Ten-forties, registered Oregon War Loan, Sixes 1 Miscellaneous Stocks are g declining to 37, Canton to 61 Railroad Stocks are gone] some stocks show a decline. N. Y. Cent. & Hud. Rr 95 Erie Reading Mich. Central l2O Illinois Central Cleveland & Pittsbrg 9B Chi & North-West North-West Preferred 88 Canton. Rock Island Cleveland and Toledo Fort Wayne 9ll I The following are for the N. Y. Central 6s, 1883... 90i N. Y. Central 6s, 1887... 89 N. Y. Central 6s, R Est.. 871 N. Y. Central 6s, Sub'n.. 871 N. Y. Central 7s, 1876...100 N. Y. Cen. is con. 76 ... Erie Ist Mort , Ex 100 Erie 7s, 2d Mort, 1879 901 Erie 7s, 3d Mort, 1883 89 Erie 7s, 4th Mort, 1880 85 Erie 7s, sth Mort, 1888 801 Long Dock Bonds Buff. N.Y. &E. Ist M, '77. 89 Hud. R. 7s, Ist M, '69 1011 Hud. R. 7s, 3d M, '75 105 Harlemilst M, '6B '72 102 Mich. C. Ist M, 69'72 124 Mich. new Ist M 85,'82 — Mich. So., 7 p. c. 2d M 971 N. Ind. Goshen Line '6B Mich.S.&N.l.S.F'd7p.c. 98 111. Cen. 7 p. e, '7O 105 Alton & T. H. let M 944- Alton &T.H. 2d pfd 801 Alton &T. H. 2d M. Inc. 76 Han.& St.J.LandWrntsloB Ran. Si St. J. Con Chi. B. & Q., Ist M 109 Chi. & N. West, S. P 96 Chi. & N. W. Con Cony 9O Chi. & N. W. Int B B9l Chi. & N. W. Ist M B2l Quincy & Tol, Ist M, '75 81 111. & So. lowa Ist M 7O Gt. West. Ist 31, 'BB B6 Gt. Western 2d AI '93 7B Tol. & Wab. Ist M Ex 9O FOREIGN London Bankers Landon, Prime Commercial Paris, Bankers Bremen, Bankers Hamburgb, Bankers Frankfort, O.M Berlin and Cologne Antwerp Amsterdam, Bankers Swiss Express Stocks are firm. Adams American Merchants' Ui Merchants' Union, old Si United States Wells, Fargo, and Co.— 881 — to enerally lower. Pacific Mail and Quicksilver to 11k. .ally strong to day, although Pacific Mail b72 Atlantic Mail Quicksilver W. U. Telegraph Miraposa B/ Mariposa Preferred 194 Ohio and Mississippi 294 Boston Water Power 174 Cumberland N Y and N Haven 143 M & St. Paul M & St. Paul Preferred 754 aortgages Tol: & Wab. Equip 76 Mil. & Pr. du Ch. lst M — Gal. & Chic. Ext.. 9B Gal. & Chic. 2d M 93 Chi. & R. I. Ist M 100 Chi. R. I. & Pacific 7's 97 Cleve. & Tol. S. Fund 9B N. J. Central Ist M 102 N. J. Central 2d M 1001 Pitts. & Ch. Ist M 102 Pitts. Ft. W., & Ch.2dM 954 Pitts. Ft. W., & Ch. 3d M 93 Cleve. & Pitts., 4th M 74 Chic. & Alton. S. F. Inc 97 Chic. &Alton,.S.F.lstM 101 Mil. & St. Paul Ist 31 94 & St. Paul 2d M B3 Marietta & Oin. lst M._ 87 Morris & Esss Ist M 101 Morris & Essex 2d M 94 Joliet & Chic. Ist M — Chi. & Gt. East'n lstM — N. Y. & N. H. 68 ... 98 Dubuque &S. City,lst M. 95 Peninsula Ist 31 B7 Ohio & Miss. Ist 31 96 Ohio & Miss. Con B2 Tol. P. W. Ist M. E. D BO Atlantic & G. W. 2d A! — Del., Lack., & W., 2d M 100 Lake Shure Div. Bonds 85 Cleve, P. & Ash. N.B — Do. 0.8... Union Pacific Gold 8... 83 Central P.RR. Gold 8,.. 95 Pacific RR. guar. by Mo. 90 EXCHANGE. Sixty Dap!. Three Days . 1081-1081 1084-1091- . 1071-108 i 5.231 -5.13. 5.18 i -5.17 . 78 —7Bk . 351 -35 f 44-401 ,5.281-5.181 . 401--404 .5.231-5.18 i 601 to 61 aion Lock 8 to 9 50 to 51 20 to 2 1 THE PUBLIC DEBT OF THE UNITED STATES Decrease since Feb. 1, 1870, 6,484,811;6 since March 1, 1869, $87,i3.477g-2. The following is the official statement of the public debt of the United States, on the Ist day of March, 1870, compared with the figures given at the corresponding time last year: DEBT BEARING COIN - INTEREST. Mar. 1, 1868. Mar. 1,1869. Five per cent. bonds 5221,589,300 $221,589,300 Six per cent. 5-20 bonds Total bearing coin in. 52,107,854,050 $2,107,939,650 DEBT BEARING CURRENCY INTEREST. Three per cent. certificates $57,410,000 $45,555,000 Navy pension fund Total bearing cur'cy ie Matured not paid $71,410,000 859,555,000 6,442,463 3,973,346 DEBT BEARING NO INTEREST. Unitel States Notes 5356,021,073 $356,109,978 Fractional Currency Gold Certificates 28,775,560 41,382,810 Total bearing no interest $121,578,180 $440,442,857 RECAPITULATION. Debt bearing coin interest $2 ,107,854,950 $2,107,939,650 Debt bearing currency int't 71,140,000 59,555,000 Debt bearing no interest 421,578,180 440,442,857 Matured debt not paid Total $2,606,994,694 $2,611,910,354 Bonds issued to Pac. BR Co 35,937,000 64,457,320 Grand Total AMOUNT IN THE TREASURY. Coin Currency 16,853,529 10,280,285 Sinking fund 27,786,529 Other purchased bonds Total in Treasury 5115,594,789 $213,340,316 Debt less cash in Treasury 2,545,336,901 2,463,027,855 Decrease of the National Debt sin , :e March 1, 1864 VARIATIONS FROM LAST YEAR. Increase. $83,600 37,606,281 Decrease. Debt bearing coin interest Debt bearing currency inte rest Dobt bearing no interest Matured debt not paid $11,595,000 18,864,677 2,469,117 , . The following table compares the March statement of the public debt with the previous one made on the Ist of February : DEBT BEARING COIN LNTEREST. Feb. 1, 1869. Mar. 1, 1869. Five per cent bonds 5221,589,300 $221,589,300 Six per cent. 5-20 b on d s 1,886,349,900 1,886,350,300 Total bearing coin interest $2,107,939,200 $2,107,937,650 DEBT BEARING CURRENCY IN 1 EREST. Three per cent. certificates $45,530,000 $45,555,000 Navy pension fund 14,000,000 14,000,000 Matured, not p-dd - 3,973,346 Total bearing curr'cy int't $59,530,000 . $59,555,000 DEB r BEARING NO INTEREST. United States notes... Fractional currency 40,063,512 39,950,039 Gold certificates Totalbearing no interest... $446,565,951 $440,442,851 RECAPITULATION. _ _ Debt bearing coin interest.. $2,107,939,200 $2,107,937,650 Debt bearing currency int&t 5V,530,000 59,555,000 Debt bearing no interest 446,565,951 4 40 , 442 , 851 Matured debt not paid Total 52,618,088,197 $2,611,910,847 Bonds issued to Pacific Rail road Company 63,000,000 64,457,320 Grand total 52,683,088,1 97 $2,676,368,173 AMOUNT IN TREASURY. $101,600,730 $102,400,739 0690,807 10,280,285 25,716,080 27,876,529 71,366,104 72,782,763 Coin. Currency.. Sinking fund Other purchased bonds Total iu Treasury 5207,373,922 $213,340,316 Debt less cash in Treatzury 2,475,714,275 2 , 4 63,027,855 *Decrease of the national debt since Feb. 1, 1870 VARIATIONS FROM LAST MONTH. Increase. 12,686,420 Debt bearing coin interest Debt bearing currency iut'st Debt bearing no interest 6,123,100 Matured debt not paid 81,700 * In this statement no mention is made of accrued in terest, and the bonds issued ti the Pacific Railroad Com pany are calculated as part of the public debt. According to the report of Treasurer Boutwell, who adds accrued in terest and ignores the bonds issued to that road, the total debt exhibits a decreaft during the pastmonth amounting to $6,484,812, Decrea 30. $1,55 0 $23,000 MONETARY REPORTS.—YEs T E RDAY. The tone of the Stock Exchange Markets ha§ beell healthy to-day, and an almost general advance has taken place in prices. In the Consols Market there has been a continuance of firmness , and further purchases have resulted in an improvement of per cent. For money the quotation has been 92 to 92k, and for the April account 92i to 92/. Reduced and New Three per Cents., 91i to 91t xd. Exchequer Bills, par to 4s. preni. India Five per Cents., 1125 to 1831- ; and Indian bonds, 2)s. to 235. prem. With the exception of the London and Brighton Stock, which has exceeded the market for English railwaY stocks has been healthy, and the movements have been favourable. Great Northern A has risen is. Midl and ', *. London and North-Western, Great Western, g.'d Indian railway stocks have been quiet, bu t firm. I Canadian shares there has been but little inquirY, a nd prices have been without movements of importance' Foreign shares have been purchased to a fair extent at steady currencies. Considerable firmness has been noticed in the market for foreign bonds, and prices have improved in most in' stances, For Egyptian there has been a strong denland and prices have risen about per cent. Italian (186 1 ) h ay ! been firmer, and better, and Turkish Fiveper Cents 11 3 ", risen to the extent of /; but Spanish (1867) hav e recede(' per cent. American securities have been quiet. Virginia State Bonds have receded Less firmness has been noticeable in the market fel' mining shares. Assheton have fallen Fan-yr-Alt an c , i West Chiverton 1. Colonial and foreign mining share" , have been without movement of importance. Bank shares have been quiet but firm. . #,3 Telegraph shares have been firmer. Anglo-Ame r " have risen British Indian Submarine I, and Falmouth Gibraltar, and Malta Hooper's Telegraph Works shares have been firmer D ' t dis. Telegraph Construction shares have been steady at 375. 37g. In miscellaneous securities very little business has b een doing, and prices have been without important change. The tone of the money market has been firm. Th e 4:, has been a good demand for accommodation, and Pri c '' have ruled firm at 3 per cent. for three months' paper' The sum of £20,000 in bar gold has been taken to the Bank to-day. A telegram from Melbourne states that the Avoca 1139 left for Galle with £459,000 in gold, and £6 1 , 870 in with . reigns. The Lock Katrine has sailed for England Wl' 27,000, and the Anglesea, with £ll,OOO. The Donan has left for New York with £29,25° it/ American eagles. The rates of exchange on Paris have been ye/ ft rfct ' otherwise there has been no material change. At a meeting of the National Bank of India a divid e° at the rate of 6 per cent. per annum was declared. ... A A meeting has been held of the London Bank of M eV" and a dividend at the rate of 8 per cent. per annura ha.s been declared. to The report of the British American Land Company' to be presented on the 28th inst., skews an available total o f £6,414, and recommends a dividend of £1 per share, Iv ii/ will absorb £6,000. a n d The official liquidators of the London, Bombay , Mediterranean Bank (Limited) have announced a sec °ll dividend of is. in the pound. At a meeting of the Sambre and Meuse Rai way 00131' pany a dividend of 4s. per share was declared. The report of the North British Railway Compank tt be presented at Edinburgh on the 31st inst„ shews t hat the estimated expenditure chargeable to the capital accos t in the half-year was £190,361 9s. 9d., and the actual suns' inclusive of £55,468 3s. 11d. expended on the Coatbridg° Separate undertaking—has amounted to £146,01217s 10d4 as detailed in the account No. 5. The receipts on r evenu e account show an increase of £25,877, and the expenditure an increase of £8,170. The balance of revenue available for dividend is £178,763115. 2d., inclusive of £129 9s. 4 c l ; brought from last half-year, and the directors r econtroe uth that this sum be applied in payment of dividend on the various stocks enumerated in the stateraenc; No. 11, which will absorb £178,413 15s. 7d., an leave a balance of £349 15s. 7d to be carried forward. Of the £830,148 of debentures which run out in h ls i next, the whole have been renewed, reborrowed, or coo' verted into debenture stock ; and as upwards of 2500, 000 of the amount at present bears five per cent., and renewa ls and new loans have been obtained at four per cent., the saving of interest effected by these transactions w ill he fully £5,000 a year. Looking to the company's improv ed financial position, the directors have considered it inexpedient to continue the issue o f the .q per cent. debenture stock. Since November 1868, £BOO,OOO of it has been either issued of arranged to be issued to take the place of a correspond ing amount of Debentures, and although the rate of intere4 allowed is liberal, the conversion will afford seils l L• relief to the Company in the management of their LI Debt. Immediately after the business of the gen er meeting is disposed of, a special meeting will be con sti. tuted to create 4i per cent. First-class Debenture Stock, to be issued in the further reduction of the terminab le debt of the Company. MARKETS -YESTERDAY. LONDON TRADE REPORT, TUESDAY.-The tallow market 11115 ruled quiet, at unaltered currencies. Y.C., on the spot, 465. a' for the month, 465. 3d. ; to 465. 6d. for last three months. on ° LONDON PRODUCE MARKET, TUESDAY.-A steady t t i l e has prevailed in the colonial produce markets to-day, and ds quotations have been well maintained. Sugar has tended upyot li t in value. There has been more inquiry for rice for export , b e d produce on the spot has ruled dull. Guatemala Indigo has 1 1, ; e0 steady in value. Tea has changed hands on former terms. Cu" quiet but steady, for both native and plantation sorts. troo l LONDON WOOL MARKET, TUESDAY.-For colonial 1 , 3 there has been only a moderate demand, but the quotations 0 % 0 ruled firm. English wool has been steady in value, but " inquiry has been limited. BOROUGH AND SPITALFIELDS POTATO MARKET, Ta; DAY.-Tne markets have been fairly supplied with potatoes. . s u trade has been dull, and prices have ruled as follo ws •-Eng. , " • shaves, 120 s. to 130 s• regents, 755. to 110 s.; Scotch regents, 750' to 110 s.; rocks, 70s. to 755.; and kind, 60s. to 70s. per ton. METROPOLITAN HAY AND STRAW MARKET, TuESP,,,i`L . -There wAi as a fair supply of hay and c l over on sa l e to-day. '- trade was slow, but prices were slightly firmer for prime , ties. to7o s.prime Rowen,'mea 50s. 'meadow 7 ; s p s. ri t m o e B c 2 l s o . ve 6 r l. l ; io i s nf . t e o ri l o 2 r 6s d . i ; tt in o, v feri Y or ditto, ' Bos. to 955.; prime second-cut clover, 100 s. to 1 1 . 013.; inferior ditto, 80s. to 90s. ; and s t raw , 26 5 . to 30s. per load. , LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, TUESDAY.-blarket dulhe Sales 12,000 bales, of w hi c h 2,000 o n sp ecu l a ti on . Import °'" the day, 30,500 bales. HAVRE COTTON MARKET, TUESDAY.-Market dull, nt .. drooping currencies. Domrawattee cheaper for arrival; Ap ril ' May, 103•50. MANCHESTER TRADE REPORT, TUESDAY.-There has been a steady business passing, and prices have been well suP; ported. Cloth has been in request at the full currencies Of Monday last. Tares rather dearer. PARIS, TIIESDAY.-Flour-cur ren t mon th, 55.30 ; April and May, 55.50 ; May and August, 56.25. Rape oil-current month/ 119.50 ; Septeniber and December, 105.75. AMSTERDAM, TIIESDAY.-March wheat unchanged. Rye spot and March, 184} ; May, 115 fr ; October, 187. Rape oil-spot 43 1 ; May, 431 ; Autumn, 42i. Linseed oil-iVring, 29 ; Aunts7l. Petroleum, 271. Banca tin, 71i. Captain Hardy, Deputy-Governor of St. Ma,ry' o Convict Prison at Chatham, has left that place for Gibraltar, where he has been appointed governor of the convict establishment. Captain Leggett has bee o appointed to succeed Captain Hardy at the Chathalo establishment. I ADVERTISEMENT. I —Holloway's Pills.—The truest phile slphical spirit of inquiry led to the discovery of this pric e ; less medicine, and the most unselfish labour and °spoil s " have been incurred in bringing so great a boon to the knovi" ledge and within tho reach of the afflicted through ou t the world. Every invalid w h o can read w ill understand tbl plain directions in his o wn l anguage w hi c h are f o ld e d roue ' the Pills, and should be taken in the doses and the times distinctly specified therein, while great attention should be paid to diet and many minor matters, all of which, howev er ; are important, inasmuch as they augment the curative power of the Pills, p reven t th em f rom di sagree i ng w ith the Itw s delicate, and spare time and suffering. BIRTHS. COBBOLD —On the 21st inst., at Putney, the wife of 11. C . Cobbold, of a son. Gmsroum - On the 21st inst., at 20, Granville-place, Air e ' George Gaisford, of twin sons. MARRIA G ES. BICKETTS - JAMEB-011 the 22d inst., at Westbury Church, Gloucestershire, Ernest Bengough, only sou of Her",,Y Ricketts, Esq., of Leamfield, Leamington, to Louisa, ouu of Henry G. James, Esq., of Strode House. SELBY—CHAPMAN—On the 19th inst., at Leo, Kent, George Selby, Selby, of Carlton Villa, Elthem-road, to Louisa Al' ll ,l only child of Frederick Chapman, Esq . , of New-cross nu Manor-park, Lee. DEATHS. - - GRANT—On the 20th inst., - at Gateshead, Newcastle, 1 1-8 / Macdowall Grant, Esq., of Arndilly. MURTON—On the 21st inst., at Lorrenden, Ospringe, Rent George Murton, Esq., aged 69. London : Printed and Published by WILLIAM ANDBEWV, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at THE SUN Offi ce, No. 112, itrialo , in the Preeiiset of the Savoy, in WedneAciay, Maroh_23, 1,870. the County of Iliddloses.-' Tho