The Sun. — London, England, 1855-12-25 00:00:00

TRADE WITH" THE WEST COAST OF SOUTH AFRICA. POST-OFFICE IMPEDIMENTS TO AUSTRA LIAN COMMUNICATION. •_ _ _ Some time ago we stated that Mr. Hamilton, of Old Hall-street, Liverpool, had chartered a vessel to convey some iron bridge-girders to Aspinwall, for the use of the Panama Railway, whose traffic is so rapidly increasing. The girders were not ready for shipment by the barque Hathorn, 445 tone, which had to be despatched on the 13th ; but as an evidence of the fast-growing trade be tween this country and the west coast, via the Isthmus, it is worthy of remark that, though the Hathorn was but a short time on the berth, and little care was taken to make known ber intended departure for so unwonted a destination (for a sailing ship), there were put on board many hundred packages for the Pacific. These goods will thus reach San Francisco, Valparaiso, Callao, Guayaquil, and the other adjoining markets, most pro bably be disposed of, and further orders for fresh sup plies on the samples so sent be half-way back to England again, before goods consigned by the route round the Horn can have reached the west coast. The difference in the cost of freight by Panama is scarcely appreciable as compared with the gain of time, and the consequent advantage of quick returns, by the Isthmus. Strange enough, however, just as the superiority of this route for rapid intercommunication is becoming apparent to the mercantile world, and just as it becomes doubly de sirable that, by widely spreading the knowledge of these facts, private enterprise should be stimulated to do by way of the Isthmus what the Government of England will do no way at all, namely, open a direct postal route between England and our Australian and New Zealand dependencies, the authorities at St. Martin's-le-Grand, with the extraordinary infatuation which has recently marked their pe►formances, have loaded all journals sent via Panama with an additional rate of 2d., which, i❑ the ease of newspapers, virtually amounts to a prohibition. Thus, if our fellow-citizens on the other side of the great American continent, from the extremity of Chili to Vancouver's Island, and in our immense possessions iu the Southern Ocean, would know what is going ou in the mother country, they must pay an enor mous additional rate on their papers, or else be content to receive the news after being ventilated by a voyage of a third of the globe additional. But it is not oven optional with them to make a selection. The additional 2d. must be prepaid, or else the paper goes round the world by either Cape. Observe the hardship of this. Hundreds in Australia and along the west coast subscribe in advance the ordinary st►pulated sum for their papers by the year, or two or three years, as the ease may be. Suddenly one-half the cost of the paper is added in the shape of postage. What is the English news vendor to dog If he pays the postage he knows not if his subscriber will be willing to reimburse him ; if he does not pay it he knows that his subscriber is placed at a most serious disadvantage in receiving news—it may be of the most ♦ital consequence in commercial matters —from three to perhaps three times three weeks staler than his rival in business, who is provided with intelli gence transmitted through the Isthmus. The excuse for this new tax is the heavy expense of the Panama transit. But in truth it is to mitigate some of the consequences in loss of revenue occasioned by that incredible bunder pointed out by Sir Cusack Roney in his late correspondence with Mr. Rowland Hill. On the abolition of the penny impressed stamp, except for postal purposes, the authori ties, so far from giving the colonies any scheme, which was perfectly unintelligible, except in this one particu lar—viz , that the Canadian, West Indian, Austra lian, and other analogous readers of English journals would thenceforth have to pay some 70 to 100 per cent. more for his paper than before the alteration. Shamed out of this absurdity and injustice, though not without a stout defence of the plan, a la mode ele Balalclai•a, as a piece of superlative wisdom and equity, St. Martin's le-Grand rushed into the opposite extreme, and struck off both impressed and affixed stamp ; so that, while it cost lid. to reoeive a London morning newspaper by post in Liverpool, it was carried to the antipodes for no thing, as also to many parts of the European Conti nent. The preposterous sacrifice of revenue thus occa sioned was also demonstrated by the gentleman just named ; but as he had secured his point in reference to Canada, he cared not to continue the exposure. After a while the authorities, calculating on the obliviousness of the public, or careless as to whether the blunder were remembered or not, revoked their folly to the extent of imposing id. on every English paper delivered in the colonies. But there is a combinat►on of the two ori ginal blunders, and a supervening third one, in the ex pedient now hit upon. The public are told that the right way to send papers to certain parts is by Panama ; but, in the same breath, it is announced that a fiscal barrier is erected across the Isthmus, and that, without paying this monstrous 2d., old news, and old news only, can be received in the parts enumerated, some of them the most important in the possession of the British Crown. Re pulsive as is the aspect the matter wears now, its pro spective features threaten to be still more obnoxious. Though successive Colonial Ministers, Mr. Labouchere included, have treated the question of direct steam coin munication with the Pacific as if no such places as Aus tralia and new Zealand existed, it is gratifying to know that, both here and in the United States, and at Auck land, Melbourne, and at Sydney, progress is being made in the organisation of means that shall give regular and frequent despatches of mails and passengers be tween England and the antipodes, via the Isthmus. But in proportion as this design is carried out, so will the disadvantages increase to those who will not pay the 2d. ; for as the transmission of news direct is acce lerated, so will news by the old round-about route of the Capes wax more and more antiquated by com parison. That the pretence of the Panama Rail way tariff being the cause of 'the additional 2d. is obviously absurd is proved by the fact that the New York merchants find it cheaper to forward such bulky and ponderous articles as coal and building materials, and to receive coffee, pearl-shells, dye-woods, and all the west coast produce across the isthmus, instead of in sailing ♦essels by the Horn. Such being the case, it is rather too great a strain on our credulity to be assured that the British mail bags must be lightened, or those interested in their contents mulcted in the fashion that is to come into operation on the Ist of January next. The Royal West India Mail Company now run their boats to Colin, or Aspinwall, as the Americans call it, and will soon, probably, complete the other half of the service from the Panama side of the Isthmus to Mel bourne and Sydney, as they have such ample resources and facilities of doing. But at present they ask for no increase of remuneration for the existing moiety ; and the least our British Post-office might do would be to wait till such claim upon them affords some apparent justification for their claim ou the public.—Liverpool Albion of yesterday. CS BS PARISH OF ST. BOTOLPH, BISHOPS- GATE. Yesterday a vestry meeting of the inhabitants of this parish was held in the vestry-room, for the purpose of l making a church rate, in pursuan ce of an Act of Partia ment, made and passed in the si xth y ear of the rei g n of to sf his Majesty King George the Fou r t h, cha p . 176, and for the transaction of other business connected with the o parish; the Rev. Dr. Russell , t he rector of the p arish, le a presided. 3T 4 The CFIAIRILAN said the first business on the paper was the making a church rate, and ho h ad the satisfaction of 9. stating to the meeting that for the next 10 y ears the h• t. 'i rate would be 100 guineas less than it had been for the r- 10 years preceding, and 525/. less than it was when he r first came to the parish. The rate, as they must be as a ware, was made under an Act of Parliament. Th e al churchwardens had the 'slaking of it, but they must do h o in public vestry. Mr. PERRY said, so far as the commutat ion of ti t hes a d was concerned in reference to the act referred to, the churchwardens could no doubt levy a rate, but he denied s, it that without the authority and sanction of t he vestr y assembled they could do so in respect of any expenses r relative to the conducting of the worship of the church, -;- is such as the payment of organist, pew-openers, and so ). forth. The CHAIRMAN stated that the whole of the sum now o levied as church-rate, was so levied under the Act of Par s- h )f at:tient for commuting the tithes of the parish. B y that act it was ordained that a sufficient assessment should be IT made, to cover the sum 2,5001., which had been corn y muted in the shape of the tithes of th e p arish, end d therefore it was not an assessment on the inhabitants, )1 but it was only carrying out the requirement s of the A act. Since he had come into the parish the sum had r. been reduced by 5251. No. Mr. PERRY still thought that the commutation of the tithe had nothing whatever to do with the conducting of if the public worship in the church. That was a matter if which appertained exclusively to the inhabitants, and it i• ' was for them in vestry assembled to sanction such ex. E enditure. Mr. ABILIIIAIIS was of the same opinion. The act of Parliament merely related to the commutation of tithe in respect of the rector ; it had nothing whatever to do with the other expenses of conducting public worship in the church. However, as they bad appointed, last Easter, the officials for whose benefit a portion of the rate now demanded was to be apportioned, he thought they could not do otherwise than provide for the pay ment of them. Mr. BRIGGS, the churchwarden, said the rate wag yearly decreasing, as during the past year it had been fivepence and fourpence in the pound per quarter, it was now only intended to ask a rate of three-pence in the pound. A rate of threepence in the pound for the purposes r equired was accordingly agreed to. Mr. Pxaay gave notice that at next meeting he would make a motion to the effect that all sums appertaining to the expenditure consequent on the celebration of public worship in the church be separated from the general vote taken for that purpose, under the Act for the Com mutation of Tithes. giThe CIIIMICKWARDEN then said that he bad next to ask the vestry to vote him a rate for the relief of the poor for the current quarter. He was sorry to say that such rate would be somewhat high, as he found they would require to strike a rate to the extent of ls. sd. in the pound. He had also the disagreeable intelligence to give them that next quarter there was every probability of the rate being higher. After some discussion the rate was agreed to ; and the meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to Dr. Russell, for his conduct in the chair. THE ROI3BEHY Or JEWELL/RT. AT PORTSMOUTH.--A reply to a❑ application of the mayor and magistrates of Portsmouth was received yesterday (Sunday) from the Home Secretary, tc the effect that her Majesty's pardon would be eVended to any accomplice in the late burglary at Messrs. Emmanuel's of that port, who shall give such information as shall lead to the conviction of the offender or offenders. This is an addition to the 100/. reward. MEDICAL OFFICERS UNDER THE BOARD OF HEALTH. The following instructions from the General Board of Health to local boards on the duties and qualifications of medical officers of health tnay he useful in relation to the pending choice of officers of health by the new metropo litan authorities "The officer of health is appointed in order that through him the local sanitary authority may be duly informed of such influences as are acting against the healthiness of the population of his district, and of such steps as medical science can advise for their removal ; secondly, to exe cute such special functions as may devolve upon him by the statute under which he is appointed ; and thirdly, to contribute to that general stock of knowledge with regard to the sanitary condition of the people and to the pre ventible causes of sickness and mortality which, when collected, inethodised, and reported to Parliament by the General Board of Health, may guide the Legislature in the extension and amendment of sanitary law. " The duties of the officer of health will be to the fol lowing effect : " 1. He will make himself familiar with the natural and acquired features of the place, with the social and previous sanitary state of its population, and with all its existing provisions for health—namely, with the levels, inclinations, soil, wells, and watersprings of the district ; with its meteorological peculiarities ; with the distribution of its buildings, and open spaces, paved or linpaved, of its burial-grounds and lay-stalls • with the plan of its drains, sewers, and water supply ; with the nature of its manufacturing and other industrial establishments ; with the house accommodation of the poorer classes, and their opportunities for bathing and washing ; with the arrangements for burial of the dead, and with the regulations in force for lodging houses and slaughtering-places, for the cleansing of pub lic ways and markets, and for the removal of domestic refuse. And if he be the first officer of health appointed in his district he will, without unnecessary delay, fur nish to the local authority a connected account of these matters so far as they relate to the public health, mak ing thereon such practical suggestions as he may think applicable. "2. He will invite communications relating to the sanitary wants of the district from the resident clergy, the medical practitioners, registrars, relieving officers, and other persons or societies engaged in the visitation of the poor. " 8, He will take the best means in his power to be come acquainted from week to week, and in times of severe disease from day to day, with the deaths and sicknesses in his district ; and he will inquire to what extent they have depended on removable causes. "4. With the assistance of such subordinate officers as the local board may empower him to direct and su perintend he will watch his district, taking care to bring its several parts under examination as often as their sanitary circumstances shall require, and especially observing those places which have previously given oc casion of complaint, or been subject to sickness. He will inquire as to the cleanly, wholesome and weather proof condition of houses ; as to their due ventilation and not overcrowded condition ; as to the efficiency of their drainage and water supply ; and as to the absence of dampness and offensive effluvia in and about them. He will examine from time to time the drinking waters of the place, and will observe whether provisions are offered for sale in any damaged or adulterated state that is hurtful or illegal. He will occasionally visit all burial-places, and see whether they give any ground for complaint, and he will habitually observe the slaughter ing-houses of the district and other industrial establish ments which are liable to emit offensive (especially animal) effluvia. "5. He will report to the local board weekly, annu ally, and at such intervening times as may require it : " Weekly, on all deaths (classified according to age, cause, and locality), and, so far as may be practicable, on all important sickness of the district ; on such newly-observed unwholesome conditions as the local board can remove; and on the completion, progress, or neglect of improvement in matters previously re ported on. " Annually, on the sanitary transactions of the year (especially as to the removal of former evils, or the crea tion of new establishments for sanitary purposes), on whatever incidental changes have been wrought in the physical state of the district, and on the sickness, mor tality, and atmospheric conditions of the period—using for these reports, as far as convenient, tabular forms and other compendious arrangements ; and in every case where he refers to an existing evil, stating what sanitary rule, measure, or appliance he deems best for its mitiga tion. " 6. He will attend the local board when required, will be present at some convenient appointed place as often as may be needful for the receiving of complaints, and in whatever is to be done for the abatement of un wholesome conditions will give all fitting instructions, superintendence, and aid. " For the proper performance of these duties special qualifications in science are required. These lie in pa thology, including vital statistics, and in chemistry, with natural philosophy. "In pathology, because the science implies an exact study of the causes of disease in their relation to the living body—a study of what they are, and how they act, and why they seem to vary in operation. " In vital statistics (properly a section of pathology), because by analysing the composition of various death rates, and by learnin g how the pressure of particular diseases differs under different circumstances of climate, season, dwelling, age, sex, and occupation, definite standards of comparison are gained, without which the officer of health could not estimate the healthiness or un healthiness of the population under his cherge. "In chemistry (accompanied by microscopical obser vation), because without such aid there can be no accu rate judgment as to the impurities of air and water, dan gerous impregnations of soil, or poisonous admixtures in food ; and because the same science also guides the ap plication of deodorising and disinfectant agents. "In natural philosophy, because many nuisances are traced, and many questions as to ventilation and over crowding are answered by its laws ; further, because by its aid, the officer of health studies the atmospheric changes, and learns the climate of his district, important steps in proceeding to speak of its diseases ; and finally, because natural philosophy, in conjunction with chemis try, renders him competent to report on many manufac turing processes alleged to be hurtful to health, and on the sufficiency of such means as are employed to reduce the evils ascribed to them. " The branches of knowledge here spoken of are parts of every extended medical education, for curative and preventive medicine are founded on a common basis ; but they are not the parts which have most direct rela tion to the treatment of disease. The most distinguished practitioner of a neighbourhood may, indeed, happen to be alsci the person best qualified for a sanitary appoint ment ; but the reverse must often be the case, for not all members of the medical profession can afford equal leisure to cultivate those distinctive studies ; and it will imply no disparagement of men, actively and skilfully engaged in the treatment of disease, if the special quali fications in question should sometimes be found in other members of their profession rather than in them. " On the other hand, it is important for local boards to know that the best training for the general duties of the medical profession is also the best training for the duties of an officer of health ; and, in choosing among candidates, who have not previously held sanitary ap pointments, those who have to elect may properly lest on the evidences of general aptitude for a medical career, especially where testifying to methodical and industri ous habits, to competent powers, with some previous discipline in scientific observati o ns, t o so b er judgment, and to thorough conscientiousness in the investigation and statement of facts. " The duties of au officer of health will not usually be inconsistent with his devoting a portion of his time to certain other professional engagements. But, where pos sible, it will be well to debar him from the private prac tice of his profession-1, because the claims of such practice would be constantly adverse to those of his public appointment, the duties of which (especially at times of epidemic disease, when his official activity would be most needed) private practice could scarcely fail to interrupt and embarrass ; 2, because the personal rela. tions of private practice might render it difficult for him to fulfil his frequent functions of complaint ; and 3, be cause with a view to the cordial goodwill and co-opera tion of his medical brethren, it is of paramount import ance that the officer of health should not be their rival in practice, and that his opportunities of admonitory in tercourse with sick families should not even be liable to abuse for the purposes of professional competition. " Objections of this nature will not generally hold against the officer of health being professionally con nected with the medical school or hospital of his town. Provided such engagements are not of too engrossing an amount, its will conduce to the efficiency and estimation of an officer of health that ho be thus kept conversant with the practical aspects of his profession, and have given some security - for keeping pace with its scientific progress. " It may happen that the extent of duty to be re quired from the officer of health in a particular district would not justify the local board in allotting such a salary to the office as would enable its holder to dispense with the income derivable from private practice. But in cases of this description the object would be equally fulfilled if the local boards of neighbouring towns or districts would combine in engaging and remunerating a properly qualified person, on the understanding that he should be precluded from private practice, and should act as officer of health for the two or more boards con curring in the appointment. " Dec. 20." " W. COWPER, President. THE SUS, LONDON, TUESID►AY EVENING, DECEMBER 25, 1855. I of Charity undertake the housekeeping of the establish ment ; an account of all that will be required of them on the coming day is handed in to them the evening be fore by the controller of the finances. "There are six farms attached to the institution. The land consists altogether of 260 hectares, or about 520 English acres. The farming is overlooked by a very gentleman-hke person in the pay of M. De Metz. The land appears well cultivated, and a large stock of horses, coves, and pigs is kept. It must be an excellent thing, I think, fur children to have the care and tending of dumb animals—'Emollit mores, nee sinit esse feros.' The farm buildings are as simple as possible—just such as the colons are likely to find themselves in in afterlife. Each of these farms has a separate establishment with a,separate kitchen,—there being but one kitchen for the principal stock of buildings which I have hitherto spoken of. To each farm is attached a chef de famille and a respectable farm labourer and his wife, who is house keeper and cook. The boys employed on the farms only associate with the body of buys employed otherwise on Sundays and feast days, when they go up to enjoy their holydays together. They are employed to work hard, and to adhere altogether to agriculture ; they sleep in hammocks like the rest, and sleep, eat, and learn in the same airy barn-like room. The walls in all the rooms are hung here and there with improving prints and engravings, the subjects being fur the most part re• ligious or military. There is a large, rough, wooden and thatched open outhouse put up in a field, where the children are made to break stones in wintery, rainy weather. They all do their work by the piece, so as to excite and accustom each child to industry. The boys, moreover, are made to practise gymnastic exercises, and everything they do they seem to do heartily. "A ship has been put up—on dry ground, of course —for the boys to gain as much knowledge as they can of seamanship, and an old sailor is engaged to instruct them. S.nne of the boys, also, are formed into a fire brigade, and have rendered at times substantial assist anee in the neighbourhood, and only the other day saved the village church of Mettray from destruction by fire. The children arc taught singing, but only as a means to the grand ends ; and in order not to give an opportu nity for individuals to distinguish themselves, or for the creation of fine solos, they are very much taught to sing in parts, or at least only in masses ; and if a boy shows any turn fir drawing ho reeeivee a little instruction in it, but only in linear drawing. Evasion is looked upon with much severity. If a boy has escaped afiagis hoisted on the top of the church by day, and a lamp by night. A reward of from 30f. to 40f. is given to the person bringing the boy back. It is scarcely possible, without a personal visit to Mettray, to form a correct idea of the amount of study and attention which is devoted to the considera tion of every particuiar, and of every child in par• ticular. The family division makes this easy by con centrating the attention of the several employes allotted to the same number of children ; if assembled in an un divided mass the same amount of gond could never pos sibly be effec ed, for the attention of each one would be divided by the whole number ; nor could the interest in each other be awakened which now exists between the chef de famille and his young people. As for the em ployes themselves, who are gentlemen by nature, if not always by birth, it is quite impossible to see and converse with these intelligent, well-educated, and benevolent men without feeling how great must be their elevating influence upon the character and general tone of the boys. The two principal employes are in receipt of 160/. per annum each. They are of a standard of intelligence ' and ability which would insure their advancement in any profession, and one feels their devotion to be the more admirable. M. De Metz has been particular in placing his employes in a respectable and comfortable position, and has built for the two principal ones excel lent houses a little apart from the houses for the boys. The wives of these two gentlemen are perfect ladies, and we had the pleasure of meeting them at dinner at M. De Metz's house. " There are many things at Mettray, suggested by the military spirit of the French, which would at first sight appear, perhaps, impossible to carry out iu an English institution ; but I see no reason why the feeling of honour,' which I believe to be as strong in an English child as in a French one, should not be appealed to with advantage in an English reformatory. Why should nut we have the table of honour hung up where every one can see it, upon which is inscribed the name of every child whose conduct during the last three months has not called for punishment ? With regard to the almost military discipline and order with which the children go through their movements before and after work or meals, I consider that by it a great saving of time is made, and five or ton minutes upon every change of movement are saved which would be otherwise lost in collecting and adjuring stragglers, both young and old. " Let me mention and recommend, too, the box placed within general reach, pour lee objets trouves, which is a delicate way of allowing a boy whose temptations have been stronger than his virtue to listen to the re proaches of his conscience, and without being pub licly brought to shame, to restore the theft which lies heavy on his soul. " I will say no more of Mettray at present, except that the instruction given is firmly based upon reli gion, and includes reading, writing, and arithmetic, but very little beyond it. "Lesson hours do not exceed one or two hours a day. I must add that the children are first received as innocent, and as having sinned without discern ment, and therefore irresponsible for their actions ; but when they have been once admitted to the benefit of the instructions given them in the institution they are considered to be capable of discernment, and be come subject to the strict rules observed in the insti tution. _ _ i have been so lengthy upon Mettray that I have no time to discuss other institutions. Of the three or four others I saw in France I like La Petit Lu willy, near Rouen, the best. Petit Bury, near Paris, seemed to me to be conducted upon ♦ery objectionable principles, and not upon the family system. " M. De Metz and other French reformers congra tulate themselves upon the superiority of the French law over' the English, as they are able to receive children direct into their institutions ; whereas our law sends them first to prison, and thereby disqualifies them for ever for the army and navy." ST. PANCRAS BURIAL BOARD-IM PORTANT INVESTIGATION. Yesterday, at the Vestry-hall, St. Pancras,special meet ings of the directors of the poor and of the burial board were held, for the purpose of investigating the statements which had been made in reference, in the first place, to the treatment of a woman, named Knight, and her child, whilst an inmate of the workhouse ; and, se- , condly, as to there not being sufficient grave space pre pared at the new cemetery at Finchley. The Rev. 'rims. DALE, M.A., vicar, presiding at the meeting of the burial board, and Mr. Wright at the board of directors. At the board of directors it was stated that Mrs. Knight was lying in the infirmary seriously ill, from a fall off the hearse on her return from attending the interment of her child at the ceme tery, and it was resolved that Mr. Churchwarden Farrer, Mr. Baker, and Mr. Glazier should go to the infirmary and take down in writing the poor woman's deposition. Upon their return they read the following as her state ment :—" Sarah Knight s t a t es th a t she fell from the hearse in consequence of missing her bold of the top ping.' It was entirely an accident, and no blame im puted to any person. She was wa rmly clothed, but felt very cold. Every attention was paid to her, and, she says, had she been a lady, she could not have had more attention paid to her atter the accident. The graves were not ready, in consequence of some mistake. Her child, she says, received every attention from the medi cal officer of the infirmary, and she repeatedly expressed herself to that effect."—present Mr. Churchwarden Farrer, Mr. Baker, and Mr. Glazier. Mr. STOCKTON, in moving that this statement be en tered upon the minutes, said it w as a complete answer to the slanders of an idle and dissolute pauper named James, who had been 16 years living upon the rabe pavers in that workhouse, against their new medical officer. The motion having been seconded and carried, Mr. COOI'ER moved, and Mr. STOCKTON seconded, a resolution, directing the temporary hire of a black painted omnibus of the contractors for the interment of the parochial poor, to convey 12 relatives, two in each case, if possible, to the cemetery, to attend to the inter ment of their deceased relatives. After some discussion this resolution was carried. A.t the burial beard, Mr. Churchwarden FARRER at tended to explain some statements in reference to the non-preparation of a sufficient number of graves for the interment of the poor, attributed to him in the Daily News of Wednesday last, reflecting upon the burial board. That gentleman denied that he had in the slightest degree imputed blame to the burial board, although he felt strongly upon the subject sufficient graves had not been prepared. The investigation was entered into, and several wit nesses were examined, from whose evidence, it appeared that on the 11th inst., 16 bodies—double the usual num ber—arrived at Finchley, and that in consequence of the irregularity of the post in that district, the notice did not arrive in sufficient time to get the extra grave space prepared, and the bodies were placed temporarily in the first grave till the additional ground could be got ready. The board directed the superintendent, for the future, always to have sufficient graves prepared in advance. REPRESENTATION OF LINCOLN.—Mr. Charles Seely has withdrawn himself as a candidate . for the representa tion vacant by the death of a Col. Col. Sibthorp. The late colonel's eldest son, Major Sibthorp, now stands alone, and no doubt will he returned without opposition. ALLEGED FORGERY IN A CASE OF LIINACY.—At the A rt house Leeds, on Saturday last, before two of the —our magistrates of that borough, Mr. Lewis, of London, soli citor, appeared on the part of the Commissioners in Lu nacy and preferred a charge of forgery against Mr. W. B. Wilkinson, assistant to Mr. R. G. Horton, of Leeds, surgeon. It appeared that on the 3d of November last the defendant signed a certificate with Mr. Horton's name, alleging that he (Mr. Horton) had attended a young woman named Ann Ash, daughter of a publican at Swil lington, near Leeds, and that she was insane ; and that upon this certificate, and another one by Mr. Craven, surgeon, of Swillington, she was committed to a lunatic a sylum, called the Retreat, at Armley, near Leeds. There appeared to be no doubt about the insanity of the girl, nor that the defendant had signed Mr. Horton's name without his leave or knowledge. In extenuation it was shown that Mr. Horton had been ill, and unable to attend to his business during the past summer, and that the defendant had permission to act for him, and sign his name to medical certificates for benefit societies. Mr. Bond, of Leeds, appeared for the defendant. The magistrates committed the latter for trial at the next as sizes for the county of York, but admitted him to bail. Spirit of the Public Journals. (Front the Times of this clay.) If the rumours of peace fall everywhere on un heeding ears it cannot he denied that the events which have produced them have much significance. It may, indeed, be a sign of credulity to expect that a few weeks will close the great contest which forty years have prepared, and that the armies of the West will before spring is far advanced take their final leave of the old battle-fields, which are now historic names. The natural conviction of every one is, that such a cause, such exertions and sacri fices cannot be defrauded of their legitimate results. It seems clear that, unless Russia consent to the full demands of France and England, the war must go on ; and that she will consent no one ventures to anticipate. The great preparations for the next campaign will not then prove useless ; the batteries and mortar-boats will not lie cumbersome hulks in our naval ports, the stores of arms will not be piled up in readiness merely for another war. But yet the events which are now passing will have their consequences. It is probable that the mediators of to-day will in a few months quit their middle position. Althou g h the Western Powers may not openly be assisted by the arms of Austria and Prussia, there is every reason to believe that these empires will find it necessary to declare fully their accordance with the views of the allies and their censure of the course which the Czar has adopted. No one can have watched the military and diplo matic events of the present year without seeing that their tendency has been to make neutrality impossible. Twelve months since the armies of France and England were in a situation which might be called perilous. They had, indeed, won victories, and were in no danger of being driven into the sea, but in the eyes of Europe, as well as in the opinion of some of their own leaders, they were likely to fail in the great object for which they encamped on Russian ground. The death of Nicholas and the succession of a younger and less arrogant monarch did much to weaken the deter mination of the Austrian Emperor, while financial difficulties almost bound the Cabinet of Vienna to persist is peace. This was the moment when the policy of neutrality was most loudly advocated and seemed almost justified by events. But since then every day has made such an equilibrium less stable. The fall of Sebastopol has delivered 200,000 of the allies from a difficult and dreary task to which their honour bound them. It has endangered the whole Russian coast, and made the conquest of en tire provinces a work to be looked for at once. Still more has the cause of the Western Powers gained from the manifestation of unflinching obsti nacy of purpose by the British people. The popu lar feeling of this country is the vital force of the whole war, the spring which keeps in movement all the machinery of cabinets and armies. Since it is clear that this country will make no hollow peace, and that, whatever may have gone before, England is now about to put forth a strength worthy of her name, the German Powers have felt that the war is about to assume a terrible earnest ness, which will make indifference impossible and affected moderation a folly. But the power of the allies is less alarming to neutrality than the weak ness of Russia. Allowing for the exaggerations of sanguine or ignorant writers, there is sufficient testimony that the difficulties of the enemy are great and rapidly increasing. Discontent prevails among powerful classes, for the trader is cut of from the great mart of the world, and the wealthy deferred from intercourse with the chief seat of civi- lisation. The losses in men are ill repaired by a con scription of youths, while money fails by the destruc tion of the country's nascent commerce. The Ger man Powers seem fully aware that the continuance of the war must lead to the supremacy of France and England both in the north and east of Europe ; therefore, even although we may look on them as preserving their former feelings towards us, yet we may look for their earnest interposition to bring the war to an end, and expect that they will deeply resent the obstinacy of the Czar, should he expose himself and them to evils not inevitable. That these are not merely speculations is proved from our foreign correspondence. We learn that Austria has communicated to Prussia the prelimi naries agreed upon by the Western Powers, and called upon her to urge their acceptance at St. Petersburg. It is with the two great German Powers that we have chiefly to do. It is plain that the recent compact with Sweden has startled the two monarchs. A defensive alliance, even though conditional, is a bold step for a State so small and so ill-situated as Sweden, and the conclusion of it has roused Austria especially to the consciousness that Russia's political greatness has for a time de parted. Francis Joseph is therefore more and more anxious to play some decided part, and not only to gain influence in Europe, but to extend his power over those minor German States which vacillate between him and his Prussian rival. It has been seen for many weeks that the tendency of these Stattig• has boon to neparation limn Russian inte rests. Austria therefore has a chance of once more becoming the leader of the Confederation. On the other hand, tho King of Prussia sees with apprehension the waning of his recent influence. lie has had against him France, England, Austria, and the opinion of the world. He was supported by Russia and the minor States which are ruled by Sovereigns akin to the Russian dynasty. Now that the great northern empire is weakened, distracted, and beaten, the German Kings and Grand Dukes are falling away from his side. He will soon have no friend but the Czar, himself needing help and consolation in adversity. We cannot doubt that the Prussian King sees these dangers clearly, and, if he wishes worthily to obey the commands of his late kinsman, and really to befriend that kinsman's heir, he will do his best to enforce assent to the de mands of the Western Cabinets. We have always felt that the continuance of the war must end in at least a moral league against the common enemy. The burdens of a state of hostili- ties must before long bo felt even by neutrals, and then the blame must fall on the nation which, with out hope of success, prolongs the contest merely in a spirit of senseless pride. Some months since, when Austria shrank from executing the treaty which she had concluded, the apprehensions of many added bitterness to their reproaches. It was regarded as an almost desperate enterprise to at tack the hugest an I most compact of adversaries merely by expeditions carried on with difficulty by sea at a distance of 3,000 miles from home. But it was by a wise impulse that the two Governments resolved to persevere, and to leave time to bring into action the alliance which existed in principle. That time seems uow not far distant. It will, how- ever, best become our dignity, and conduce to our interest, to make no supplications for foreign aid. That aid will come most readily when we have shown that we least need it. Such is the action of human nature in States as well as individuals. The part of the allies is to prepare for the contest with renewed vigour on the largest scale. For the present arms must decide the question ; it has emerged from the domain of diplomacy, and not yet returned to it. When successful war has given us the mastery, we may then expect that both foes and neutrals will acknowledge the justice of our claims and the force of our reasoning. (Prom the Daily News of this day.) He is no true Englishman who has read the tissue of falsehoods and fallacies put forward yes terday by the Times, with reference to the case of Colonel Tut; without blushing. It is a national reproach that an English journalist has been found mean and shameless enough to pervert facts and principles in such a manner, with a view to encou rage our Government to commit an act that would stamp them with indelible infamy. Colonel Turr, according to the Times, " was not only a deserter, but was in arms with the Hungarians.' This is not true. He was no deserter. He served in a Hungarian regiment ; be belonged to the national army of Hungary ; and when his country was at war with the Austrian Government, he fought, like a true man, against Austria. But this is not the questi on at i ssue . The Times declares_ that if any foreigner accused of a political crrimicee, weby " his original Sovereign enlist s into our service, will not allow him to b e dra gg ed away from under the British flag." Colonel Turr (or 111. Turr, as the Times affects to call him) was dragged away from under the British flag." He was sent to Bu charest by the officer in command of our Land Transport Corps, to which he was attached, to purc hase horses. He was seized by the Austrians, on Turkish territory, while acting for the belloof of the British army in accordance with . the com ands of his superior officer. If this was not b lu e i n g "under the British flag," we know not what can be so designated. The Times proceeds —" He chose to accept a commission which took him to. Bucharest, to the head-quarters Of au Austrian general, and the station of his own re giment. He was apprehended, and, though it may be considered a slight to England that any one employed in our service could be so treated, yet diplomatic interference, according to national law, can only come from the Sultan, on whose terri tory the act was committed." We demur to this doc trine so dogmatically laid down. England, France, and Sardinia are at this moment allied with Turkey, and engaged in a war to maintain the integrity of the Turkish dominions and the Sultan's authority within them. By seizing Colonel Turr, the Times admits the Austrians have violated the rights of the Sultan in his own territory. The Allies have a right—it is their duty —to resist this aggression upon the Sultan's sovereign rights. England, or France, or Sardinia, or all in concert, may take the initiative as well a s the Sultan, in protesting against such an infringement of the law of nations, and de manding redress. But even Admitting that diplo- THE CRYSTAL PALACE. At one time it seemed probable that yesterday would have been observed as a holiday throughout London, and the Crystal Palace Company, with their usual fore thought, put forward an attractive programme for the purpose of meeting the demand of the liberated metro politan sight-seers, who it was thought would have taken the opportunity of visiting the building. But, as our readers are aware, yesterday was as busy a day as any in the year, and the palace was not so crowded as might otherwise have been expected. However, a numerous and most respectable audience were present yesterday, who listened with attention to the judicious selectio❑ of music which was performed by the magnificent bands of the Royal Artillery, the Coldstream Guards, and the Crystal Palace Company, which played separately and in concert throughout the day. The grand finale of the national airs of the Allies was given by the united bands with powerful effect, and elicited much applause. The concert will be repeated to-morrow, when it is expected that a large number of visitors will be pre sent. THE REFORMATORY ESTABLISHMENT AT METTRAY. The following notice of the establishment a t Mettray is from the pen of Lord Leigh, who has employed a short visit in France in the useful ob ject of gathering personal experience and informa tion of the various institutions of this class in the country of our neighbours and allies. They were addressed in a letter to a member of the committee employed in carrying out the plans of such an in stitution in Warwickshire, in which the noble writer has from the first taken an active part. The letter, intended only for the use of those acting in his own county, may be equally useful in others : "According to your request, I propose to send you a short account of one or two of thereformatory institu tions which I have seen in France, but I shall confine my observations chiefly to Mettray. The conduct of the Co lonie Agricolo of Mettray has the advantage of resting entirely with our admirable friend M. De Metz, who first set the institution on foot about 17 years ago, in com pany with a friend, the Vicomte de Bretignieres de Cour teilles. It has been supported by private subscription, by his own and by his friend's benevolence, and by as sistance from Government at the rate of 70c., or 7d. per head a-day, with a gift of 35f. on the admission of the child into the colony, and 3M. at the close of two years more, with an annual subscription of 50,000 f. (2,0001. English money), lately diminished to 25,000 f., or 1,0001. The present number of children is 681, and of einplo?gs fed at the expense of the institution 56. The buildings stand in the middle of a flat open plain, remote from any town or large village, without wall or enclosure of any sort, for the purposes at least of confinement. The church stands in the middle of the buildings at the further end. It is open at all times, but service is only performed in it on Sundays. M. De Metz observed on this point that he objected to daily service, on the ground that the work men in every-day life would be unable to attend it, and that to drop a duty which had been inculcated as one had an injurious effect on the mind. The co/on, when first he found himself unable to attend daily service, would feel that he was neglecting a duty, and when at war with his own conscience would soon give up going to church at all. In speaking also of La Grande Trappe, which is in the bands of monks, M. de Metz said that, although he had not seen it, he feared upon this principle that it was probable, that when once the young detenu re . . stored to the world found out how dissimilar real life was from what he had hitherto seen of it, and the impossibi lity of carrying out the religious practice to which he would have been most likely trained in La Graude Trappe there would be great danger that, his eyes over-opened, and the constraint once removed, he would become wholly reckless and neglectful of the observances which the law ful business of the world still gave time for. At the same time the children have full liberty, the church doors being open, if they wish to spend a few minutes in prayer to do so, but if they desire to do this it must be during the hours placed at their disposal for play. These hours are the hoar after dinner and the two half- hours after breakfast and tea. The boys are divided into families of, in general, from 30 to 50 each, to which families they remain attached during the whole period of their detention ; and when they return to visit Met tray, when out of a situation, they invariably seem to turn again to their old family. We ourselves saw a pro mising young soldier who had been wounded in the Cri mea, and was now quartered at Tours, revisiting his old haunts and the house in which he had been brought up, and when the children were being marshalled, as they always are to the sound of music in martial order pre paratory to meals or return to labour—assisting in get ting the little ones of his former family into their proper rank and place. There are 12 houses (exclusive of the farm-houses) for the boys, divided into three storeys ; the two upper firm the sleeping and living rooms, while the ground floor is used for a workshop ; the family divi sion, however, is not carried out in the workshops, as boys of various families are brought together to learn the same trade. M. De Metz observes that it is very' desirable to teach boys who corns from towns, and who belong to families practising them, trades, as he says that lie has found by experience and former failures the impossibility of inducing town boys to attach theinselyee to country life. He started with the idea that he night exclude trades altogether, but his long experience has taught him that this did not answer ; nevertheless, he makes a very great point of agricultural occupations, and something less than half the whole number of children are employed directly upon the farms. To return to the family division, to which I conceive the success of Met tray to be greatly due. I am of opinion that this system alone allows of attention to every individual child, which is indispensable to the reformation of each individual character, while it procures for children, who have per haps never experienced them before the happy influences inspired by the love of home. A chef de fanalle or cot ploy(' has the constant superintendence of one of these families. He is assisted by one of the (leas, or young men in training to become masters hereafter, who does not, however, remain permanently attached to one fa mily ; and by two freres aim - s, who are chosen from . among and by the boys themselves. The freres are in the position of monitors, and are distinguished by a red mark upon the sleeve of their jackets. M. De Metz is at very great pains, in introducing new boys, to place them judiciously as regards the families. For ex ample, in France there is a great difference of diameter observable in different provinces, and he takes care that the volatile nature of one disposition shall be balanced by the steadiness, not to say stolidity, of another. The family division presents great advantages on the intro duction of any number of boys into the institution ; for when there is an accession of bad boys—who, if turned in with ever so great a number of others, would remain a nucleus of evil, attracting all the evil round it till it swelled and corrupted the whole mass—by a careful subdivision, and by introducing but one or two boys into a family of improved and improving cha racter, the spirit of evil is probably soon repressed by the preponderating good around, and no per manent injury is done. To return to chef de famille. He occupies a little closet at the end of the children's bed-room, which is in shape an elongated square ; there fore it is the more possible for him to overlook the whole through a little window opening into his room, added to which the children lie with head and feet alternating. No conversation whatever is allowed during the hours for work, meals, or sleep. The hammocks (which the children at Mettray all sleep in) were recommended to us on many grounds, although I am not prepared to give a decided opinion myself upon them. M. De Metz said that in summer the boys lie in them in comfort and decency, with scarcely any covering whatever, and in winter very little makes them snug and warm, not to mention the great economy of material and of space. The supports for the hammocks on the outer side are in the daytime hooked to the walls, and at night, at a given signal from the chef, are dropped into grooved sup ports, projecting from the posts which support the roof, and stand out in the room. Though stout beams, they were easily lifted by the children together. All retire to rest at the same hour, only the little ones get up later in the morning. A light is kept burning in the rooms all night. Haif the children sleep on one floor, half on an other. The chef de fccmille sleeps near one half, and the elhe near the other. The children have three meals a-day--meat twice a- week. The cost of their diet averages 45 centimes, or 4id. The trades the children learn are various tailoring, shoemaki ng' saiot making, with blacksmiths', wheelwright s ', and carpenters' worn ; and they also snake agricultural implements. They take turns to assist in the domestic services of the house and kitchen. Washing is done every day in an admirably organised leundry, and the boys wash their own clothes. It is the chef cr atelier who adjudges the little rewards in money which are given to the best workmen among the colons at the close of every three months, to the amount of shoot 3f. for the best, with a graduated scale down to the Bth, if the family co ns i s t s o f from 40 to 50 boys, but only down to the 4th if it consists of from 20 to 30. "The chef de famine, however, puts his veto upon the reward if the conduct of the child in the family has not been satisfactory. Whatever the reward may be, it is always doubled if the recipient is in the position of a fare (tine. Part of the money is put into the savings-bank at Tours, and, I believe, one-fourth is at the disposal of the child, at the discretion of the chef, but the account hooks are entirely in the hands of the controller of the finances of the establishment. A boy in receipt of any money has to make payment for any part of his dress which requires to be renewed before the stated time ar rives at which fresh clothing is given out, which other wise is all furnished by the institution. On the other hand, if his clothes are found in good condition at such time he receives the benefit of it by having the money which would have been laid out in clothes placed to his account. The dress is uniform and extremely simple, and just what would be if working at home—viz., a plain brown blouse or short tunic, canvas trousers, sabots, and straw hat. The money in the bank is paid to the boy on his leaving Mettray, unless, by his desire, it is allowed to remain yet longer. The boys wash in open sheds, attached to the various houses, and connect ing them at the back. There is a largo fountain at hand, from which they carry the water in large tubs to the sheds. Twice ;a-week they are taken in divisions to a reservoir to baths and learn to swim in summer. " The strictest discipline is observed, and nothing is overlooked. Dry bread is an occasional punishment, but the cell is a more frequent one. Every fault which has called for reproof is registered, and a most careful and detailed conduct-book is kept, showing the be haviour of every child. Here are seen at a glance his name, previous residence, habits, health, appearance in detail, the crime for which he was convicted, every pos sible information which can be gleaned with regard to himself and his family, with a most careful . and complete aeport of his behaviour since ad . reissTn. When a fault calls for punishment, before it isinflicted upon the child he is made to retire into a cell, which takes for the time dire reviews his being the name of Salle de Reftexiwt; he is kept there f or an hour or so, and meanwhile the cteur conduct-book, takes into careful consideration the pre• virus circumstances and conduct of the boy, his gen era l character, his advantages and disadvantages, and, hav ing carefully weighed them and taken time to collect himself, and give the boy leisure to reflect upon his fault, he is in a position to pronounce, as far as human discern ment goes, the exact measure of punishment deserved by the child. Those confined to cells have an hour's ex ercise a-day in chopping wood, or in some similar occupa tion. The cells are bare rooms, with sufficient light and airier breath. Punishment is administered for apparently trifling faults. We found four boys in four cells on the occasion of our visit. One was there for refusing to sing the day before, two for taking chestnuts, and the other for being found near the cellar, where he bad no busi ness to be. I think it will be allowed that these are not offences of a very grave nature, and, as the discipline is so strict, that it is satisfactory there are so few boys from a larger number. The cells are so placed and arranged that those in them, although unseen, can be admitted to take part in the church service, at the back of the altar of the church, on Sundays. Eight Sisters THE UNITED STATES. (From the Times Correspondent.) NEW YoßK,'Dec. 12.—Another week has passed away without an organisation of the House or a Message from the President, and the public must wait for the official announcement of the views of the Administration upon the questions pending be tween thin Cabinet and the British Government until the Speaker can be chosen. To tell the truth, the public care very little about the question, and would wait as long as Congress pleased without grumbling, if that were all the trouble occasioned by the delay. It is impossible to say when this controversy for the Speaker's chair will end. The Fusionists have been able to carry their vote as high as 107, the Administration vote remaining steady at 74 or 75, and the remaining vote being divided among enough independent candidates to prevent any one from receiving a majority. E ac h day the telegraph has promised a union that will elect a Northern Fusion Speaker, and each night has falsified the predictions of the morning. One writing from New York cannot follow all the shift ing scenes of Washington politics —cannot judge whether such predictions were well justified when made, nor why they have failed of fulfilment. I can only chronicle the end when it shall come. Until the organisation is effected everything must stand still in Washington, for all the attention of that idle and excitable metropolis is absorbed in the solution of the question of whether the north or the south shall have the formation of the commit tees of the House. Meanwhile, the Message is kept most commendably secret, and even the gossip ing correspondents of the journals do not venture to speculate upon its contents. In fact, until de livered, it is an unshaped as well as unborn child, and its author holds pen in hand to cor rect, alter, or modify from day to day as circumstances may direct. So far as British poli tics are concerned I am told that it will be mode rate ii tone. I hear of nothing new in relation to what is now called here the Crampton question. The discussion into which the British Government have entered in regard to the violations of the neu trality laws of this country is not exactly satisfac tory to the Cabinet at Washington. It is regarded, I am told, as evading the true issue by a sort of special pleading, instead of coming at once to the point, and making some sort of amende. The Washington Union, however, ceases to direct the vials of its wrath at the head of the British lion. Instead of that it now aims them at the Times and Lord Palmerston. In its issue of the Bth it closes a long article of unusually strong language with the following more peaceful strain : " It was in England, as well as in the United States, the all but unanimously-expressed conviction that the British Government had committed a grievous error in its attempts, whether lay infraction or evasion of the law, to levy troops in the United States ; that if, in the face of obstinate perseverance in those attempts by Bri tish agents, the American Government, while striving in good faith to maintain our national neutrality, had been forced into something of peremptoriness of act or language, it was not for the British Government to com plain of that consequence of its own wrongfulness ; that there exists no cause of hostility between the two coun tries emanating from the American Government ; that the interests of both nations are identical, and dictate peaceful relations ; and that the time has come in the history of the United States when the British Govern ment, and Lord Palmerston especially, must cease to imagine that England alone has the right to be great, arid must perceive, and act upon the perception, that the British race in the United States has irrepressible destinies of greatness before it which should be honoured and admired, not envied or fretted, by the British race in Europe. We therefore augur from what has occurr,d the best results. We in the United States, everybody knows, appreciate the value of a friendly intercourse with Great Britain. If in the present war we have seemed to be a little repelled from her, it is because, not content with tellin; us in words that the object of her alliance with France is, after humbling Russia,' then to loox to the United States, she has dining the last three years gratuitously interrneddled with our affairs at every turn —first in reference to Cuba, then in the Bonin Islands, in the Saudwich Islands, in the Ayes Islamis, off the Falkland Islands, in Dominica, in Ecua dor, above all, in Central America. Her diplomatic agents have acted as if they had circular instructions in blank to obstruct any cr all enterprises of the United States, right or wrong. We trust and believe that no thing is necessary but to have the British people dis tinctly perceive and understand the vicious and mis ohievous spirit which, from th e day of the sack of Wash ington to the present time, Lord Palmerston has mani fested towards the United States. We think it needs only this to insure the most cordial relations between Great Britain and the United States." As soon as the Message is delivered we shall know whether, and how far, these aro the views of the Government ; and until it is delivered it is not easy to tell what those views are, for, unfortunately, the Cabinet at Washington, like all Cabinets, is composed of diverse elements, which are not always capable of immediate solution, and will not al wny. stay in solution when that desirable state of things is once brought about. As I have before said, both in this letter and in every one which I have written since these difficul- ties assumed their present shape, there is no popu lar opinion in America that there will be any trouble. The speculators in stocks have used the rumour to depress tho " fancies" on the faith that even the rumour of a possibility of a discussion of differences between the two Governments (to put the contingency as remote as possible) would affect such a delicate thing as a fancy stock in a heavy gambling transaction. But beyond this I am unable to learn that the slightest effect has been produced. Even the troubles in Central America, fraught, as they are, with future difficulties, do not excite anxiety or create alarm. The difficulties in Kansas, which appeared so alarming, as reported by the telegraph a week since, fade into much less magnitude as we get detailed reports. You will receive by this mail the proclama tion of Governor Shannon, calling on the militia, which will give you the impression that actual civil war rages on the borders. But, on the other hand, all the free State accounts of the matter speak of it as of little importance, and represent Lawrence as being perfectly quiet. We have not yet the mate rials to judge where lies the right in this contro versy ; but I am inclined to think that it will turn out that the "difficulty" has been exaggerated, and that both parties have been disposed to make the most of it to influence the election of Speaker now going on at Washington. But there is great danger in calling so excited a population to arms, and the issue is watched with great anxiety. Money remains much as when I last wrote. There will be a heavy shipment of gold by the Atlantic ; but many suppose that the shipment must really be made at a loss. There is no reason for any stringency in our market, except the response to the London market, and until the rates fall there we can hardly expect ease here. The shipments of breadstuff continue. The canals were closed the day before yesterday, not before winter was on us and made it necessary. Before closing most of the produce shipped in them had been got through to tide water. The railroads now have the entire carrying of the western pro duce to the Atlantic until the opening of naviga tion next year. Mr: Griswold has resigned the presidency of the Illinois Central, and Mr. W. H. Osborne has been appointed in his place, and has gone to Illinois to enter upoa the active discharge of his duties. The laud sales for the month of November amount to nearly $1,200,000 ; and for the year 1855 they will reach, as oflicialy reported, to the enormous sum of $5,300,000. From this should be deducted the sales of preemption rights. The directors' estimate is far exceeded when that is made. The Northern Light, just arrived from California, brings $326,000 in gold, and San Francisco dates to the 20th ult. The Walker-Kinney Government on the Isthmus had concluded a treaty with the United States' Minister there, and had despatched one of the leading Fillibusters to Washington ac credited as Minister, to secure its ratification here. They had also issued proposals to colonists from the United States to settle, offering, as inducement, the gift of a tract of land. The new Ambassador also holds out a further tempting inducement in the form of a lump of gold, which he says is the product of the country. If we can trust their own account of themselves they are getting on swim mingly. DISGI7STING BARBARITY.---It is not often that in the quiet little town of Accrington we hav e t o record such duty disgraceful tolay p b r e o fo c r e e ed t i h n e g s pn as tli t c h , os a e nd wil w i lich is on now d our Sunday last. On that day, early in .1 the forenoon, hun dreds of persons might be seen hastening towards Ham bleton, t ' o witness a wrestlin g match between two young men, Richard Riley, Pl an t at i on Mill-square, and James Hacking, Warner-street, Accrington, theformer betting 30s. to 20s. In due time all the preliminaries were ar ranged, there being hundreds of spectators. Hacking stripped himself naked, with the exception of his stock ings, and to work they went, pulling each ot her about, as a tiger would hi s prey, for a b ou t an hour and five minutes, wh en th ey b ot h gave up, neither being victo rious. Hacking's body presented a frightful spectacle ; the blood running down in several places ; and to many places the fl es h was t orn from his bones , a nd hung like meat on butcher's hooks, the crowd, while this barbarous work was going on, shouting a t times and urging on the combatants, During all the time this was going on not a policeman was present ; and it does appear somewhat strange that such disgusting scenes as the one above de scribed can take place, and our police, of whom we so much boast, not hear one word about it. After the wrestling was over, many of the crowd began playing at pitch and toss, and this work was carried on nearly the whole day, and is carried on in the outskirts of Accrington every Sunday to a great extent.—Preston Ougraian. __ _ _ _.~~ .. -.~_- ;.., matic forms require that the Porte should take the initiative, has our Government, by its accredited representative at Constantinople, called upon the Diyan to do so ? Turkey is the weakest of all the Allied Powers, and to expect it to provoke the hos tility of Austria—unless it be well assured o f th e support of the rest—by resenting an injury that touches England as deeply as itself, is unreasonable. If the Turkish Ministers shrink from a bold asser tion of its rights, it is for the English Government to insist upon their making the formal application to , Austria, and pledge itself to bear them. It is for the English Government to insist upon the con currence of all it s a lli es in its ef f orts to v i n di ca t e its right and honour, assailed while making common cause with them, and because it is making common cause with them. There can be no excuse for th e B r i tish Governmen t if it abandons to his fate a faithful servant who has been placed in a situation of ext reme hazard in the discharge of a mission which it has imposed upon him. Let it go to work with all the formality that the veriest diplomatic pedant can require, but let I it avail itself promptly and energetically of th e forms which diplomacy offers it to work by. If Colonel Turr is not liberated, unharmed, by the Austrians, England is dishonoured. The Times attempts to palliate the base and cowardly course it instigates the British Govern ment to adopt with regard to Colonel Turr by seek ing to raise up prejudices against him. It talks of " democrats called into existence by the abortive revolutions of 1848, and scattered over the face of the earth by the re-action of the next year." It hints at the " ingratitude " of the exiles who have been protected by Great Britain. It insinuates that the proscribed have been " guilty of offences, moral or political." All these inuendoes are part and parcel o ithe insiduous attempts that have of late been systematically made to persuade the English public that the friends of liberty on the Continent who were defeated in 1849 ought to be placed beyond the pale of the protection of inter national law. They are proofs of the inveteracy and pertinacious activity of a faction among us who would fain see England making common cause with the Continental despots against all sup porters of popular rights throughout Europe. If Englishmen have any regard for their characters as free men and lovers of liberty, they will at once silence these insidious slaves by a stern rebuke and disavowal of their servile principles. The prating is doing us incalculable harm with the liberals of the whole civilised world. Everywhere men aro beginning to suspect that the old English sympathy with heroic efforts and self-sacrifice in the cause of freedom is becoming extinct. The English Government is beginning to be classed with those which combat ifree thought, free utterance, and free action, at times with the brute force of mere mercenary soldiers, at times by the worse agency of police spies. RUSSIAN RESOURCES ON THE CASPIAN. A litrtfordshire incumbent, in writing to a contempo rary, says:—The possible transfer of warlilzeoperations to Georgia in the course of the next few months makes it a matter of some interest to ascertain the means of tran sport possessed by Russia in the Caspian Sea, which may be employed for the purpose of conveying reinforce ments and materiel to her Asiatic army. As all direct information on this subject is difficult to obtain, and as, even if obtained, it would be desirab:e to have sonic test of its correctness, perhaps the knowing inferences, which are drawn from an analysis of the statistical tables published by the Board ofirrade, may deserve a place in your columns, It appears that the total annual traffic of the Russian ports of the Caspian, taking both entrances and clear ances, and an average of the four years 1849-1852, amounts to 32,053 toes, borne in 451 bottoms. Now, as no country has any ports upon the Caspian but Russia and Persia, it follows that by deducting the amount of the Perso-Russian trade from this total, the reantinderawill represent the sea-borne trade between the Russian ports only. The annual Perso-Russian trade in Russian vessels amounts to 23,151 tons, in 264 bottoms, which gives an average tonnage of about 88 tons to each ship. From the small extent of the sea we cannot suppose that less than two double voyages are made every season by each; from which it may be inferred that the number of such ves , els is not greater than about 70. The annual Perso-Russian trade in Persian vessels amoui,t4 to 1,137 tons, in 35 bottoms, which gives an average of 32 or 33 tons to each barque. It is obvious that these must be mere coasters—such, for instance, as the Per-i-bazaar boats, which go to Baku for the purpose of getting rock salt and naphtha, and take thither rice and other provisions in exchange. The small importance of these craft makes it scarcely worth while to estimate their number ; from the shortness of the voyages which alone they can undertake, it is clear that it must be very small, Deducting, now, the Perso-Russian traffic from the total Russian trade on the Caspian, there remains only 7,765 tone, borno in 152 bottoms. It appears from the tables that, during the three years 1850-1852, a very few Persian bottoms were employed in the intercourse between the Russian ports. Making allowance for these, there will result an annual intercourse between the Russian ports on the Caspian, measured by 7,600 tons, borne in 148 bottoms, which gives an average of little more than 51 tons to each vessel employed ; and the number of these, reckoning only two double voyages in the year for each will be under 40. If we only remember that this cipher measures the amount of sea communication between Astrachan, Gourien, at the mouth of the Oural, and Alexandrowsk, on the eastern shore of the Caspian, as well as that be tween Astrachan and Derbend and Baku on the western it seems impossible to believe that the supplies to the Russian army in Georgia did, before the outbreak of the war, came down the Lower Volga and thence into the Caspian ; and, if so, it is perfectly certain that they either were conveyed over the pass of Dariel, or—which I believe to have been the case—were landed on the east coast of the Black Sea, and thence beached Tifli s by th e route which now lies before the illustrious Turkish Com mander. It is, indeed, a melancholy reflection that Kars should have fallen after so gallant a defence —moss melancholy, if its fall should turn out to have resulted from apathy, or anything worse, on the part of those whose duty it was to succour it ; but that the misfortune is one in the slightest degree likely to affect the pros pecte of the war is an idea which, so long as the Allies hold possession of the seaboard of the Euxine, there is surely no reason whatever to entertain. If the triumph serves the purpose of saving the honour of the Emperor of Russia, and inclines him to submit to reasonable terms of peace, some good will come out of evil ; but that it should be made a ground for modifying these is a conclusion which, I should fancy, neither our own Fo reign Minister nor our illustriou, nits wiil be iso good natured as to accept kr an instant. SHIP WRECKS-SERVICES OF A LIFE BOAT. --- TENBY, Dec. 22..—An opportunity was presented on Wednesday last of fairly testing, for the first time during a gale of wind from S. E., the life-boat of this Place, and the result of the trial was in every respect satisfac tory ; indeed it was well it was so, for the next day (Thursday) both the life-boat and her crew were severely tried, but they behaved admirably ; their unflinching courage and untiring energy, dashing with the life-boat through a succession of broken seas, against a strong gale, was loudly applauded on shore. About four p.m. on the latter day, the schooner Age . norm, of Bide ford, having been disabled in consequence d th t e o r beeaceoumale ties, while of her sails hev runningeg fhoere thiblowns s pier, away, and b a s n e d rve o ble and to drive on shore near St. unmanageaCathe rine's Rocks. The sea made a complete breach over her. The life-boat was immediately manned and launched. After a bard pull through the heavy breakers, the life boat reached the wreck, and succeeded in taking off the crew of three hands. The mate of the vessel had been u nfortunately washed overboard in the Channel, and drowned. At 9 p.m. intelligence was brought to the life-boat's crew that another vessel was on shore near Gaiter Point, about two miles from this place. No time was lost in Procuring horses to take the life-boat to the nearest place for launching her. This was successfully accom plished, in the midst of a fearful sea. The crew of the life-boat manfully persevered, not withstanding that each successive sea broke over them, and about midnight they succeeded in reaching the wreck, and took her crew on board in an exhausted state. A lad, about 16, who was in a state of insensi. bility, was dragged along the deck into the life-boat. He continued in this state several hours after he wag taken to a farm-house in the neighbourhood. Another boy was forcibly drawn up f rom the cabin and placed in the boat, and the cr ew , consisting of five bands, wer e safely landed. The v esse l soon after began to brea k UP , and subsequently b ecame a total 'wreck. She prove d to be the French schooner Alexandre, of Nantes, from Cardiff to Nantes, with coals. This life-boat belongs to the Royal National Life-boat Institution, London, and was recently altered at Lime house to M r . J ames Peake ' s p l an . She had only just returned to her station before she was called on to rescue the crews of these two vessels, who would, in all probability, have perished but for the life-boat's opportune assistance. l : t y °m led T utiCo SUDDENsevera Tu R i A w I . L_W Th AY e A s N u D dd O e T n riE th ß a A w c o c r ir S N Saturday r d accidents in LancasThihree,teamndpemrinacuhredbeelgaayninto setuhiearrinithvaly o f railway trains. evening, and soon after eleven; o'clock there was a fall of snow. At twelve it was succeeded by r a i n , T he mail which left Manchester at twenty minutes past ten that night, by London and North-Western line, was much delayed by a fall of sleet. between Sandb ac h and Crewe, and was run into by a heavy goods train follow ing in the same direction. The guard was in great danger, but was able to jump off before the collision occurred. A gentleman in one of the carriages was see verely cut about the face and h ea d . The up -t r ains from Bangor and Chester, and the dit)wn-trains from Glouces ter and Worcester were much 0 elayed by the change of weather, and the consequent, slipperiness of the rails. In Manchester a great number of water-pipes burst during the night, and much vropertY was dama g ed la the warehouses. _ I II N