The Sun. — London, England, 1855-12-27 00:00:00

Spirit of the Public Journals. ( From the Times of this day.) Abstract reforms are little likely to engage the minds of a people who are thinking chiefly of re cruiting for another campaign, and providing boats and batteries to attack with new weapons fortresses defended by the newest science. Least of all are Englishmen likely at such a time to approach will ingly the tangled skein of Turkish politics, or to attempt a change iu institutions where it seers that any movement must precipitate a fall. The inter ference which they know must come, the responsi bility which they must one day assume, are all men t a lly deferred until a successful peace has given • the feisure and authority necessary for a great task. Yet, there is no reason that all political action should be suspended by hostilities. There is, per haps, too much of this at home. Lawyers who have nothing to do with the war make unnecessary speeches about it, and affect to think that the pre sent is not the time for pressing legal changes. Education fares as badly ; the reformers of the Church and Universities are less zealous than of yore. Statesmen have so much lost the habit of taking the initiative, it has become so essentially a part of our political practice that Ministers should be only administrators to carry out the measures demanded by the public and the press, that as soon as popular interest in a subject ceases it is, as a mat ter of course, laid aside, as not ripe for legislation. We have seen budgets thrown down on the table of the Commons, to be dissected and reconstructed as Parliament and people out of doors might demand during the next three weeks. The world has been as tonished and some persons have been indignant at the part filled by the press in the present war. It has been asked if the Government is to be in Downing street or not, if the army is really to be commanded by its Commander-in-Chief? But the real cause of the authoritative tone and the successful inter ference of the press is, that the Government began the conduct of this war as it would bring a bill into Parliament, timidly and tentatively, expecting dis cussions, divisions, amendments, and leading articles—nay, obviously logking to them for guid- ARCO. No fixed plan of operations was formed ; the geographical and military knowledge possessed by Government was of the vaguest kind ; an expe dition was sent out, and Ministers then waited to ' see what people would like it to do. Sebastopol was popular, and it went to Sebastopol. Some thing of the same kind is likely to be the case as mg regards that great settlement of the Turkish em pire, which must be the crown of the war and the chief future defence of Europe. Now is the time for statesmen to study the question and to elabo rate their plan. Any scheme duly considered would have the fairest chances of success now that the Sultan's capital is occupied by the soldiers of the West. The public thinks little of the matter, for the mass of mankind have their own domestic concerns, and their politics are usually confined to a contemplation of the most striking events of the hour. But politicians who talk of proper reflec tion and deprecate " hasty criticisms" should learn to abstract themselves from these popular topics. They are not all concerned in the conduct of the war. They have time to become acquainted with the subjects which are bound up with its successful issue. Yet, probably, the distant return to peace will find them unprepared to consider any of the matters which will then arise. The settlement of Turkey will come upon them still ignorant of its capitulations and protection treaties, its taxation and local government, its courts of law—Mussul man, Christian and foreign—knowing no more of the tenure of its land and property than any trades man who reads his newspaper. If, then, the occa sion be urgent, the subject will become popular—it will be discussed. by Parliament, by meetings, and the press, crude notions will be formed, and weak plans timidly carried out to catch each breath of popular applause. If evils then arise from a too free discussion by the people, the true cause will be the want of due forethought and comprehensive ness in those who rule. Above all the evils which afflict the Turkish State is to be reckoned the corruption, or rather the negation, of justice. Each of the Kayali na tions is permitted in suits where only its own members are concerned to seek the tribunals of its own bishops.' The civil law is administered in the Greek courts ; the Armenians are subject to many usages brought from the depths of Asia. The Turkish courts are presided over by functionaries who have much of the character of a priest, and the law founded on the Koran is what might be expected from such a text-book expounded by such' commentators. The literal sense means one thing, the metaphorical sense another, and the best hope of justice is when the judge can find nothing applicable, and decides according to his own common sense. Both his Scriptures and his private judgment are, however, continually in fluenced by arguments more persuasive than any pleadings. The corruption of the Mussulman courts is notorious, and the Christian bishops are said to be no better than the unbelievers. As for the Frank jurisdictions, there is rather a chaos than a system. Each man is under the represen tative of his own nation; through this official or his deputy he must be sued, by him he must be tried for any offence. If a French officer and a German shoemaker differ about a pair of boots, one makes his application through the Austrian Internunciate, the other responds through the French Embassy. The matter is referred in the first instance to the Consuls, who know little of law, and the appeal lies to the Ambassadors, who know less. Com mercial courts have been established in some of the chief cities, and their operation has been most beneficial ; but, as the country is opened to enter prise, as commerce increases, and the civilisation of the Rayahs advances, these will be inadequate. The chief want of Turkey is, doubtless, material improvement; roads and canals must be the first works of a renewed civilisation. But it is beyond a doubt that the only foundation of improvement is trust in the Government, and the assurance that what a man has earned he shall possess peaceably. Such a trust cannot exist without impartial courts and sensible laws. The most gifted judge could not do justice from the Koran, while the codes of Justinian and Napoleon will be unavailing so long as the lon ges t purse i s the best argument. It will therefore become the Western Powers, while using their influence to reform the police and to light the streets of P era , a l so to consider how justicemay be administered so as to encourage both the native and the settler to join in that work of amelioration, which is more important thanmany victories. witbout Few thinking men h ave visited the East forming some project for supplying this first and most obvious want. The general conclusion is evidently based on the supp ose d necessity of con tinuing the capitulations which now prevail. It is presumed to be impossible that strangers should submit themselves to the authority of the monarch who rules the land ; and, indeed, the e xper i ence of the native courts, and the fact that no man ven tures to be a merchant without foreign protection, naturally suggest such a notion. It is therefore recommended by more than one traveller that a code of laws should be agreed to by the great Powers, and that in every seaport French, English, German, and Russian judges shall decide in cases where the liberty or property of Europeans is concerned. It cannot be denied that such a system would be far superior to the present ineffective regulations A near approximation to justice might be gained by foreigners of all nations and clas ses ; b u t suc h an expedient ought to be in its nature only temporary. Turkey has already suffered greatly through the power of European embassies and their mutual enmities. We ought never to lose sight of the fact that we have gone to war for the independence and integ rity of the Ottoman Empire —that is, of the terri tory governed by the Sultan. A mixed court sitting in its capital t o t ry f ore i gners i s what no high spirited nation would permit, and, if circumstances should make it necessary to demand such a juris diction of the Sultan, should only be until the elements of a better ulta come into T being. k We must look forward. t e o o t f h t e h t i i ngs h en again to stand aloee, and all protection ulew andurlls capitu lated jurisdictions should be made to terminat as soon as possible. A general and well-framed code of laws suited to all races and religions, adminis tered by well-educated men, and obeyed alike by native and foreigner, is the ideal object for which we should labour. The sovereign of the country should be the head of this system and supreme in his own dominions. Although such a schem e may be deemed visionary for the present, and the void may be supplied by courts of mixed nations, y e t nothing should be done which may prevent the subsequent establishment of the better institution. We believe that, should a fit legal system be elat e) rated, men might be found in Englaud, rrance, and Ge rmany t o a d m i nister it with success.' Even among the Sultan's own Christian subjects, who are beginning to crowd the Universities of Paris and Berlin,there are many who in time may be fit for the highest posts. thejudicial system of Turkey deserves at On But ce the attention of think ing politiciane. The taxation and the tenure of laud are ieepecially interesting, now that increasing cowmercewith the Ease, and perhaps some kind of i mm igration, will s h ortly prevail. Nothing which throws a light on th e causes of Turkish disunion and decay ought to be neglected. But the want of good judges an good laws is the evil most deeply felt ; it is the first obstacle to improvement, and should therefore be the first thought of the states man and philanthropist. 'v TEE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY _EVENING DECEMBER 27, 1 855. Naval and Military Intelligence. The Rattlesnake, 8, Commander Trollope, sailed from Spithead on M on d a y even i ng f or the eastward, to be paid I off. The Sir J. Easthope, steam transport, left Spithead of Monday evening for the eastward to be paid off. The Wasp, steam-sloop, 14, Commander Lloyd, arrived at Spithead OA Tuesday from the Black Sea. The Poly phemus, 5, steam-sloop, Commander Warren, returned to Spithead yesterday morning with supernumeraries from the westward. The Transit steam transport, Com mander C. R. Johnson, left Portsmouth on Tuesday morning for Scutari, with the 2d Light Infantry Regi ment of the British German Legion. The Northumber land steam transport left Portsmouth on Tuesday morn ing for the eastward. The Imperador steam transport, with the 3d Light Infantry Regiment of the British Ger man Legion, went out of Portsmouth harbour yesterday morning to Spithead, but made no further progress to wards her destination (Scutari) owing;to the extraerdi !wily tempestuous state of the weather, which was more violent than has been experienced on the southern coast for many years at this season. The Thames steam tran sport embarked a body of the British German Legion at Portsmouth dockyard yesterday, but did not leave har bour. The iron mortar raft No. 1, which was towed down to Shoeburyness on the 21st inst., with a second mortar, for the purpose of testing the efficiency of the new prin ciple on which these boats are built, was again brought back to the Arsenal-wharf, Woolwich, on Monday evening. On her return to Shoeburyness preparations were imme diately made to recommence the trials. Two rounds were fired successfully, but at the third discharge the mortar (loaded with an ordinary charge of 201 b. of pow der, &c,) was shattered in pieces, scattering the fragments over the sides of the boat, and shivering the frame work of the bed. The gunner and crew of her Ma jesty's surveying vessel Merlin have been transferred to the steam-tender Lizard, to assist in these gunnery ex periments, under the superintendence of the lieutenant commanding the Lizard, and were all in attendance on the deck of the raft. The Commander of the Lizard was struck by one of the fragments of the metal, and was severely injured. The gunner escaped serious injury, but one of the pieces, ejected with great force, grazed and slightly excoriated his throat. On Monday evening two Lords of the Admiralty, Rear-Admiral Sir M. F. Berkeley, K.C.8., M.P., and Rear-Admiral Eden went down to Woolwich for the spe ciAl purpose of visiting and inspecting the progress made in the dockyard there in fitting out the important flotilla of gnn-boats. The rapidity with which these vessels have passed from the builder's yards through the shipwright department at Woolwich elicited encomiums from their Lordships. Before their departure theCommodore•Super intenclent conducted them to the east dock to visit the c tisson, which at this season of the year has on various occasions been forced from its bed. The consequence of this is, that the dock becomes flooded, and on one occa sion considerable damage resulted to the Firefly, then undergoing repairs therein. Their Lordships' visit was confined to the gun-boats and the other vessels in the docks and basins. The gun-boats Sandfly, Lieutenant-Commander B. G. W. Nicolas, and Plover, Lieutenant-Commander Stew• art, went down to the Royal Arsenal-wharf, Woolwich, yesterday, to receive their live shell, powder, ammuni tion, and other stores, whence they will proceed and rendezvous to complete the Sheerness squadron. The Dove, another of this class of vessels, has been received into basin at Woolwich ; and, as all other work, except in cases of great emergency, gives place to fitting out and completing of the gun-boats, she will be coppered and rigged with the greatest possible despatch. The steam-transport Durham, No. 179, put into Wool wich basin yesterday morning, from Deptford, with a c trgo of military stores for the East. She is to ship an engine and boiler from Woolwich for Malta, and will proceed to Greenhithe to have her compasses adjusted for the voyage. Some recruits, mustering between 60 and 70 young men, between the ages of 18 and 22, were received at head-quarters of the Royal Sappers and Miners, at Woolwich, from Aldershott, Southampton, Giasgow, and Edinburgh, yesterday morning. It is reported to be the intention of the Horse Guards authorities early next year to allow the men of the diffe rent depots composing the Provisional Battalion, Chat ham, under the command of Col. H. Jamie, to volun teer for the regiments in the Crimea. Most of them will have made mach progress in the use of the Enfield rifle, under the instruction of Capt. W. Nott, 83d Regiment, and Lieut. W. H. Ballingall, 35th Regiment, as to have rendered them perfect in that arm of the service. Officers commanding depots will be required to give every assist ance for the purpose of carrying out this order. The bat talion being about 2,500 strong will form a ♦aluable auxiliary in this new and essential branch of military operations. The Government, it is calculated, when army agencies are abolished and the business transferred to the War Department, will be gainers to the extent of 40,000/. annually. The allowance paid to army agents is 3001. per annum for each regiment, and GOO/. for regiments having two battalions. The new convict prison in the course of erection M Chatham has already cost about 200,0001., and, it is sup posed, will accommodate 1,000 prisoners. The new huts recently erected for the Royal Sappers and Miners, ca pable of holding 525 men, have cost about 8,0001. Tke Dublin Mail calls attention to the two following instances of official mismanagement :—" 'rite Clare Mili tia, under orders for Newport, South Wales, left the Curragh at half-past S a.m. on Saturday, the 22d inst., arid upon their arrival in Dublin at half-past 12, were marched from the railway terminus to theßoyalßarracks, where they remained all day in the open barrack-square, exposed to the weather. At abour 20 minutes past 4 o'clock they received orders to march to Beggars-bush. On arriving at Beggar's-bush Barracks, they found that no sort of preparation had been made for them—no food of any kind, not even bread. The colonel sent one of his officers out, who suceeeded in purchasing about 210 loaves of bread, which were distributed among the men. The men were obliged to lie on the floor, wrapped up in their blankets, unless they chose to lie on the hard iron bedsteads, as no straw had been provided for them. This was a severe trial for young militia soldiers. Up to 6 o'clock on Sunday no bedding had been provided. The regiment was to embark for Birkenhead next morning. The Roscommon Militia was sent, ♦ia Liverpool, to Leeds on Thursday. The were ordered and counter-ordered to embark on the same day, and were sent out of Kings town in a heavy gale at last. At Liverpool the weather was so bad as to cause great difficulty in disembarking ; and when the regiment arrived at Leeds they were kept under arms in the streets for three hours before it was settled where they were to be quartered." IRELAND. LIN, DEC. 36. Christmas b e i ng essentially D U B -door festival, is fortunately but little affected by atmospheric changes, so that our present cold east winds and drenching showers have not interfered very materially with the comforts of the season, which have also resisted both the war and the income tax, and probably no Christ mas-day has been enjoyed with better cheer in Dublin for many a day than yesterday. The usual civic alms had been distributed to the various charitable institu tions of the city, without religious distinction, and the inmates of the North and South Dublin Workhouses, and of the Mendicity institution, were regaled with good Christmas fare, in spite of the grumbling of a few econo mical poor-law guardians. The various Protestant and Roman Catholic places of worship were well attended, and the L'ird Mayor, according to ancient custom, pro ceeded in state to Christchurch Cathedral, accompanied by the civic officers, and by several members of the corporation. As the Irish newspapers cling to the old privilege of dropping a publication for Christmas-day, several of the or.linary sources of news are wanted this roorniug. The Cork .Examiner gives the following details of tho effect of the late gales on the southern coast : " Youghal, Friday Morning.— During Wednesd night an d th e whole of Yesterday and last night we had ay a very heavy gale from the south, and the sea broke with great violence along the coast in this neighbourhood. It is probable that it will be found to have resulted in great injury to shipping and loss of life. About two o'clock this morning the John Wesley, of Bristol, Williams mas ter and owner, a schooner of about 150 tons, was driven ashore on the long sandy beach outside Youghal, about a mile beyond the point called Clay Castle. She was on her voyage home from Callao with a cargo of guano, and had put into Queenstow n for orders. She left that port on Thursday last for London, and after being eight days at sea, she lost her rudder, and was driven back no where she struck. F ortunately, ho wever , p w a , the men having all got s a f e l y ashore. to life l as ce lost This day the gale has subsided, but th e sea is still very heavy,. and as the vessel is a good deal strained, her bottom and bulkheads being injured, it is feared, u n l ess to a the the sea moderates, that she will go to pieces A b ody i of the coast guard has gi bees rote in c t attendance, ren der assistance andgive p vessels have been driven ashore. protection. n e of them both W In Dungarven twoson John Bull, a collier, the property of a shopkeeper re siding in Youghal named Veale. She was retu rn i ng from Cardiff with a cargo of coals, Sheand was driven i n t o anchored in the that port by stress of weather. pool, when, gale, she dragged her anchor, struck on the bar, an from the violence hasofdth Newport, to other was the Elizabeth and William, of No life was lost Swansea, with a cargo of copper ore. .i. e since sunk. The lost in B a lly macor t a B ay , a sma ll i n l et about two miles in either case . It i s a l so s t ate d th at a vesse l has be en south of Dungarvan.” The Cork, Reporter, referring to the Government pro vision contract, says : _ .. " A proposal has been made on the part of the Admi ralty to the contractors of last season whose provisions have been objected to, offering to allow the pork, con demned as measly or diseased, to be replaced by an equal quantity of sound meat, newly made up, at the contrac tors' expense ; and, in the cage of pork not rejected for dis•ase, but because of rust or loss of pickle, to suffer the contractors to replace it in like manner, Government paying half the difference bet Ween the value of new and old provisions. This offer, we understand, is under the consideration of the contractors as yet." On Monday the funeral of a Roman Catholic took place in the ch urc h yard attached to St. Michan's chuThe rch, in this city, w h en a s i ngular scene / o P c n c r urr h ed. sexton, acting on the orders which he bad received, refused to allow the Roman Catholic clergyman to read the burial service over the body, ad j oi ning e street, and th ere , deceased, read the e surrounded priest by wentthe fr i i n e t n o d t s h o e f tb an d t h pre scribed prayers. A general riot took place in the stre e t s of Belfast on Saturday l evening between the men of the Cheshire and the Down regiments of militia. As usual, it commence.' troops on board of her, and whip them over to the Crinieai n ten days." While my companion was talking thus, we had de scended the ladders, and stood again beneath the shadow of the vast bulk on the river's bank. "Do you know," I asked, "how she is to be got into the water—one can hardly say launched ?" " Oh, that will be managed well enough. The ground she is standing on now is new ground. That will be dug away again as close as possible to where she stands, the river let in, and she forced into the w a t er , b roa d s id e on, by means f hydraulic engines." " What sail will she carry 1" "None—so it is said. There will be a pair of paddles sixty feet in diameter, and a screw of still greater power; and sails will not be wanted. Her crew will be nearly all employed below, you see." Our companion wished us good morning ; and then, making the best of our way to the ferry, we caught the Hungerford boat and were soon threading the pool on our route back to the City, casting now and then a lin gering look on the great leviathan, till a ve il o f masts, and spars, and rigging hid her from our eyes. THE CAMPAIGNS OF 1828-9, AND 1154-5. (Front tle Morning Post.) The second year of the war, which has been forced upon us so much against our will, is now drawing to its close ; we shall probably hear nothing more of operations in the open field, at all events in Europe. If the Russians, in their. desperation, should venture upon another Inkerman, it is not likely to differ from the first, excepting in a more speedy repulse, at less cost of blood to ourselves ; and we may now fairly institute a comparison between the campaigns of 1828-9 and 1854-5. The causes, broadly considered, which led to both wars, seem t o have been pretty nearly the same : Nicholas invaded Turkey in 1828 for the same reason that he did in 1853, to check the reorganisation of Turkey. At the former period, the Janissaries destroyed the fleet, the prey of Navarino, no longer existing, the Church dissatisfied, and the Em pire dismembered. Turkey was indeed helpless enough, but Mahmoud had commenced the formation of a new army upon a European model, as an instrument for effecting civil and religious reforms, and the terrible catastrophe of the Janissaries, in which twenty-five thousand men disappeared, showed that Mahmoud would not be thwarted. There was then danger of the sick man rising into robust health, and, accordingly, on the Bth of May, 1828, the Russians, with two corps anti part of a third, amounting in all to one hundred and sixty thousand men, entered the principalities, took Ibrailof, Izaacza, and Hirshova. lily the end of June, they attacked Varna with twelve thousand men, Silistria with forty thousand, and Schumla with twenty-four thousand. Varna fell after a siege of eighty-nine days, during 27 of which there was a practicable breach, and even then was only lost to the Turks through the treachery of Yussuf Pacha. Silistria defended itself from the 21st of July to the 22d of October, when the siege was raised, and the Russians retired into winter quarters, with Varna and Ibrailof in their possession, being besides an occupation of Moldavia and Wallachia. It seems hardly credible, but it is fact, that during that winter the Turks did not avail themselves of the opportunity of destroying the Russian trenches before Schurnla, and Silistria. In 1829, however, Diebitsch was more fortunate. En joying the advantage of the Emperor's presence, yet stipu lating that he was not to be hampered with his counsels, and taking advantage of the Grand Vizier's siege of Pra vadi, he planned and executed the passage of the Balkan. Silistria, after 44 days of open trenches, fell for want of powder to stand an assault ; and, after some skilful manoeuvres, as well as hard fighting, and the victory of Kewlewtscha, he made a feint of attacking Schumla, then of retiring upon Yeni Bazaar, and then, suddenly turning upon Devna and Kinpriksi, he crossed the Balkan with forty thousand men, each carrying four days' provisions, whilst the waggons carried enough for six more. This movement was fatal to the Turks. On the 18th of July his head-quarters were at Yeni Bazaar ; on the 20th of August, at Adrianople • and the treaty which, with great add res s, h e e xtorted /row the timidity and ignorance of the Turkish Government is matter of history. In January, 1830, theite still remained in the Turkish territory forty thousand Russians, of whom about half were cantoned south of the Danube and Bal kan. The result might possibly have been different had the Sultan been aware that the invader, who dictated terms of peace to him in the very heart of his kingdom, had not seventeen thousand bayonets wherewith to sup port his pretensions, and that even these were wasting away with portentous rapidity under the effects of a defective commissariat, and stilt worse medical depart ment. Thus triumphant alike in arms and diplomacy stood Russia at the close of that war, and Europe in stinctly shuddered at the gaunt spectre that bas ever since oppressed it. But the wheel of fortune rolls ever under the hand of time. How marked is the contrast now. On the 24 July, 1853, the Russians crossed the Pruth, and already in November the voice of Oltenitza announced in unmis takeable accents that the ancient spirit of the Turks was not dead, but sleeping ; and Karafet and Citate con firmed the sound of ill omen to Russia. At Sinope Turkey lost six frigates ; Russia acquired the execration of the world, nor did the felon victors long gloat over their victory. On the 30th Nov. was perpetrated that slaughter that roused the direst indignation throughout Christendom. Henceforward Russia has borne a wolf's head, but the avenger of blood wasat hand and swift to smite. His steps could hardly be measured by days—. hours were the fitter standard—for on 3d Dec. the Porte having demanded that movement of the respective Am bessadors, the fleets of England and France entered the Black Sea, and the Russian fleet sought an inglorious shelter in the thrice-guarded waters of Sebasto pol, whence it returned no more. Its place on the waters is empty. The ships lie rotting in a dishonoured grave ; the crews have perished in the ramparts they could not make good. Gloomier still was 1854 to the common enemy. On the 17th of May the Russians in vested Silistria, whose defence has immortalised the names of Butler and Nasmyth, only to retire baffled on the 29th of June. But checked and defied as the ag gressor was en the Danube, there was worse yet to come —a more sensitive spot to be roughly touched. The storm that had been long darkly and heavily gathering burst at last ; and on the 14th of September, fir the first time since 1812, an enemy stood upon the soil of Russia, where he stands now, an acknowledged conqueror, Alma, Balaklava, Inkerman, Tractir speak for themselves ; to comment upon them would be to add water to wine ; the glare of a candle to the splendour of the sun. The most frantic assaults, the most reckless sacrifices, aided by th e climate, hardship, mismanagement, and disease, which sorely afil cted our army, did not succeed in dislodging the Allies from their position ; and Sebastopol, that mighty trunk, whose upas branches were to overshadow the East and wither the West with their lethal darkness, lies shattered and rent, overthrown in the midst of her giant crime, the modern type of Babylon and Nineveh. True, Gel tschakoff holds out in the Sivernaia Fort, and probably may during the winter ; but our journals daily report au ominous embarkation of shot and shell —some of the latter of por tentous dimensions ; and in the spring we may look for ward to the day when the iron rain shall descend in such a shower as shall not leave one stone upon another in the doomed fortress. Mouravieff has, indeed, succeeded in reducing Kars by famine, after a defence whose he roism may challenge Saragossa ; but his troops have not returned yet, and probably when the necessity of keeping up his communication with Russia begins to press upon him he may find a lion in the path. Kutais is indeed on the road to Kars, but it leads through Tiflis. The Vladi Caucasus is probably by this time impassable from snow ; a road from Tiflis leads to Bakow as well as to Gumri ; and with so enterprising a commander as Omer Pacha operating on his rear, General Mouravieff may possibly some day see the trap close on its prey, and none to help him. It would not be very difficult with a sufficient reinforcement to cut off the Russian army of Georgia altogether. The reduction of Derbend would be ruin to it. Not less in the Baltic has the star of Russia waned. Ships fettered to their harbours—fortresses and arsenals destroyed—Bomarsund, the Python that was to encom pass the Baltic, nipped in the egg—and the brand of Hango, are all that the waters of the North have afforded Russia. But important political results have appeared against her. Sweden, at last thoroughly alive to her danger, has entered into the treaty which binds her to cede no territory to Russia, and us to allow Russia to take none from her by force ; a treaty of vital import ance to Sweden, but of infinite value to Europe. It ex tends the Western alliance for the defence of the threat- coed continent along the whole seaboard of Europe, and places us in the Baltic in as favourable a position as our arms have conquered for us in the Black Sea. It shows that alliance gradually, but steadily, accumulat ing power and weight to bear upon the great question that convulses Europe, whilst it shows the dishonest neutrals as steadily losing influence and position. In the fulness of time it may lead to still more intimate rela tions ; and Swedes may once more think of the glories of Narva to be emulated—of the disgrace of Pultawa to be wiped out. Thus let us bid 1855 good speed, for it has done us good service. But fifteen months have elapsed since two hosts stood face to face, and the tide of war surged in blood and fire up to the bristling bank'of the Alma; yet what a change has come over the scene. Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams wherewith his spirit was troubled and his sleep brake from him, and so did Europe. Now how broken is that mighty image of gold and silver and brass and iron and clay A tottering throne in Naples—a shaky crown in Prussia—a doubtful friend in Austria — are the only supports the Czar has abroad ; whilst at home his resources are melting away like snow before the sun. And yet, great as our progress has been during the year that is departing, we have every ground to trust that that on which we are about to enter will present results of greater magnitude, of more conclusive ness—above all, of enduring permance. The inhabitants of Carrickmacross have held a meet ing to devise the best means of paying a tribute of re spect to Brigadier Shirley, of the 88th, on his return from the Cri mea . Th e ga ll ant o ffi cer was expected on Sa turday at Loughfca Castle, on a visit to his brother, Mr. Evelyn John Shirley. [ADVERTISEMENT.]—HoIIoway's Pills are undeniably the finest medicine in the world for Bile and Indi gestion. In all cases of deranged stomachs, detertni nation of blood t o th e h ea d , Bil e, Si c k H ea d ac h e , Liver and Stomach Complaints, there is no medicine known that will give such immediate relief as these renowned Pills. Young and old, rich and poor patronise them; and so many cu res are e ff ec t e d b y th e i r use th a t their praise is sounded f rom t h e tempera t e c li me t o th e f r igid zone. in truth, persons who travel consider them a necessary requisite. Sold byall medicine vendors through out the world ; at Professor Holloway's establishments, 244, Strand, London, and 80, Maiden-lane, New York ; by A. Stamp a , Constantinople • A. Guidicy, Smyrna ; and H. Hoods, Malta. in a tavern between a couple of the men ; but the com rades of the combatants soon took the part of their re spective friends, and a most outrageous scene was enacted, bayonets being used freely on both sides, until a strong picket arrived and put an end to this disgraceful affair. An unfortunate man, named John Maher, a carpenter, fell through a trap door in the ♦nghaginty Mills, in the King's County, the other day, and was killed on the spot. Robert Waring Maxwell, Esq., J.P., a leading mem ber of the Orange Lodg• of Ireland, died the other day, aged 66, at his residence in the county of Tyrone. THE MONSTER STEAM-SHIP. (Front the Leisure Hour.) Many of our readers are aware that there is now grow ing into form and shapeliness, upon the shore of the Isle of Dogs, opposite to the town of Deptford, a fabric of enormous dimensions, which has latterly begun to as sume the proportions of a ship. Unlike all other ships, however, it has not been cradled in docks or suspended on frame-work, but built on the solid earth ; and from this cause, as well as from the uncouth appearance it presented for many months, that portion of the public who passed up and down the river between London and Greenwich were slow to believe that it was intended for a .ship at all. Gradually the huge mass began to speak efoxrteintsseivlfe: f a t o ls t e o r lofty r w u a o l lstet, h i a n t a t r h a r n e a g t e e n of e dt o ware e h n o c u l o s e s s e , a o n r a formidable fortification, vanished by degrees behind an:outer covering, which, assuming the unmistakeable contour of the swelling hull of a vessel, dispelled all doubt upon the subject, leaving in its place only amazement at the grandeur of the design, and the vastness of the un dertaking. Impelled by the same curiosity which has already led multitudes to examine this new and astounding experi ment in marine architecture, we this morning alighted at the Westminster-dock station of the Blackwall Railway, and leaving the docks behind us, proceeded across the Isle of Dogs, to the works of J. Scott Russell, Esq., armed with an order of admission kindly forwarded by that gentleman. The Isle of Dogs is a curiosity in itself, and stubbornly defies any attempt to pass over it without notice. It is the region of a remarkable kind of industry, and has a voice which rises into the sky unceasingly with the clang of ten thousand hammers, the grinding and groaning of heavy machinery, the crash of wheels and the echoes of the forge. Then it has its odours, comparable to nothing in any other island that we know of—odours of fire and smoke, of molten metal and fluxes, of old rotting wood, of oil and glue, and white-lead and "turps"—and, worse than all, of open sewers stagnating in filth, and hopeless of a drain or current to carry it off ; and of black fceted ditches mantled with duck-weed which once was green, but which has decayed and putrified into slimy veins of sanguinary purple and crimson, beneath an atmosphere combined of the fogs of the river, the fumes of the fur nace, and the exhalations of noisome manufactures. Strange to say, the inhabitants of the districts, with all these physical disadvantages, show no signs of unhealthi ness. The reason may be that the place, though suffi ciently populous, is not crowded, and that the whole flat level is constantly swept by the breezes from the river, which insure a continual current of air. Passing down Millwall we caught a first view of the monster ship, at the distance of about two-thirds of a mile. From this point, whence its details are not dis tinguishable, it resembles a row of lofty buildings, and we noticed that a row of brick-built eight-roomed houses, standing midway between us and it, did not obscure half its length, while it towered far above their roofs. On approaching the theatre of operations the clink of " hammers closing rivets up " after a fashion never heard of in knightly times, produced a din which, rever berating from the surrounding houses, deafened the ear, but of which the denizens of the district appeared as in sensible as are the dwellers beside a cataract of its un ceasing roar. Entering the yard and presenting our credentials, we were soon in front of the object of our search. It is not easy to impart a correct idea of mag nitude by description, especially as it is not easy for a spectator to realise it himself until after some interval for observation and comparison. We might compare the broad and towering bull of the leviathan vessel to the prostrate body of an elephant, and the men at work upon its sides to flies crawling over its hide ; but we are not sure that even then the vessel would not be dis paraged by the illustration. The reader must judge for himself, by the actual measurements which we shall give from authorised data for his satisfaction. The length of this new steamer will be six hundred and eighty feet ; its breadth 83 feet, and its depth 60 feet. According to measurement, it will be capable of floating a weight, in cluding engines, machinery, coals, cargo, and everything, of 25,000 tons. Recollecting that this is more than double the length of the largest vessels now afloat, that the ton nage is six times that of the largest man-of-war, the reader will be in possession of some materials to assist his imagination. A writer in the Builder has calcu'ated that the whole of the 56 houses in Tavistock-square, if compressed into one block, would not occupy a larger area than will be enclosed within the hull of the monster steamer. First walking round this astounding fabric, glimmer ing with 100 portable forges, by means of which the bolts, at white heat, are driven through the iron plates, and swarming with workmen plying their ponderous hammers, we follow our guide up the outer ladders, from scaffolding to scaffolding, to what will conetituto the upper deck. Here we have a noble prospect of the wind ing Thames and its opposite shore ; but we have no time for indulging in the picturesque, and prefer to look about us. It is now that we are first profoundly im pressed with the real magnitude of the structure. Wo perceive that it is built in compartments, of which there will be room for ten, each being over 60 feet in length. Standing above these, and looking down into them, re minds us of looking into the central court of an old-fa shioned Paris hotel from one of the upper windows. Each compartment is separated from its neighbouring one by a wall of iron, water-tight ; so that, in case of leakage from accident or collision into one, the others would have sufficient buoyancy to sustain the vessel afloat. We ob served as we mounted the side, that with a further view to safety, the outer coating of the vessel is built double below the water•mark ; so that if one covering is frac tured, the other and inner one presents a second safe• guard. In case of necessity, moreover, the water can be let in between these coverings, to the weight of two thousand tons, to serve as ballast. The conception of this extraordinary vessel is due to the genius of Brunel, whose success in every department of engineering on a grand scale is a guarantee for the eventual prosperity of the undertaking. She is intended for commercial and emigrant purpose, and for the per. forinance of lo ng voyages, and i s calculated ' for becoming to India, China, Australia, or Japan, what the Cunard liners are to America. The great drawback in the case of long voyages by steam has been hitherto the expense of carrying coals out to the different coaling stations, and the loss of time involved in reaching these stations, which lie out of the steaming track, and delay occasioned by taking the coals on board. The new steamer will be exposed to no such retarding causes. She will carry 12,000 tons of coal in her hold, which, it is expected, will be more than sufficient to circumnavigate the globe, and will thus effect a vast saving in the cost of fuel as well as in time. An indispensable condition to remunerativeness in a voyage, long or short, is a tolerably quick passage—and the elements of speed have therefore not been lost sight of in the construction of this leviathan. The old round bow and broal waist, devices to secure an amount of tonnage far exceeding the registered measurement, ren dered speed impossible. The repeal of the navigation laws has left shipbuilders at liberty to study and to exe cute the principles of their art ; and we now have sharp concave bows and long hulls clearing the water with more than double the velocity of the old tubs. In this vessel the new principles will be fully carried out, and, in addition to such advantages of construction, she will carry within her a propelling power such as the world has never yet witnessed. her engines will have cylin ders about eighteen feet long, six feet in diameter, and weighing twenty-eight tons each. She will be pro pelled both by paddles and by screw. Her padd!e en gines will be fed by forty furnaces, generating steam equivalent to a thousand-horse power, and her screw engines by sixty furnaces, supplying steam to the amount of fifteen hundred horse-power. As we stand upon her upper deck, and revolve these things in our mind, while gazing down the long perspec tive of iron ribs and girders, and into the huge square cavities beneath us, we cannot help recalling the fate of more than one fine vessel, now "in the deep bosom of the ocean buried," which we have visited from motives of curiosity within the last few years. With these sad memories on our mind, we express a hope to a communi cative gentleman at our aide, that, considering the num ber of lives which will, probably, share her fate, what ever it may be, all the precautions that are possible will be taken to insure safety. "Safe," said he, "not a doubt of it —as safe as any thing can be that incurs the dangers of the sea. You see, in the first place, she is built of iron, and cannot be' destroyed by fire, and it is said, further, that they are going to employ fire-proof materials for the fittings-up. Then as to rocks and shoals, remember, she is not intended for an exploring expedition in that quarter : though she is twice as long as any vessel going, she will i nto it, t as s n s d h as s w i g w h h o e u n t s o h f e the aft w o a a t t e . r, Then and I d d o i draw no mor e wa t er t h an many a man of war ; some of there i o p ,t a s s ee d h e o ep w she is to fo un d er, l ooking at her water-tight chambers ; things, she must b e a conjuror to do that, looking to her as for gett ing on h er b eam -ends, if she had such " But as t o storms ?" we 'ingested. " It is not a li ttle storm that would trouble her, at any rate," said he. , g fear she would g o It! piecess she were builtjof ti m b er , I s h ou ld in the first gale she met • but i urcttn the case is different w i th iron. She is t u • ' the same principle as th e Britaunio. Tulu n l o rtr s ßride ' g a o d n t sg to all intents and purpos es w i ll be as much a • I g o n I think she will stand the S t ra i n of any tempest." n mass. " HAVEI you any idea as to what the cost of her will be to the company ?" " Not much less than half a million, perhaps They say there will be ten thousand ton s of iron plates . in her, and above three millions of bolts or rivets, which must cost something in the driving. Then her fittings will he expensive. She is to carry a thousand first-class passen gers, each with a separate berth, and as many second class. Her saloons will be roomy and lofty apartments from. ten to fifteen feet high, and her culinary and com missar ratlapparatus had need be something extraordinary, considering the multitudes she will have to provide for. But cost is a secondary object in such an undertaking as this. If she answer the end proposed, she will pay her proprietors handsomely. She is expected to save 20 or 30 days in the voyage to Australia, and if she does that she will command both freight and passengers at her own terms. It is a pity, by the way, that she is not available at the present moment. Why, you might put 20,000 POLICE INTELLIGENCE'—Dec. 26. MANSION -HOUSE. —Mr. Robert Leach, a gentle- man of independent property, residing at No. 17, Hamil ton-place, New Cross, appeared before the Lord Mayor under the folio wing circumstances : --- • Wm. Whetness, conductor of one of the omnibuses belonging to the Bayswater Conveyance Association, said—On Monday afternoon the defendant entered the omnibus of which lam the conductor, at Mile-end, for the purpose of proceeding to Gracechurch-street. He gave me a shilling, which I immediately returned to him, telling him it was a bad one, upon which he s a id it was not the on e h e gave me—that I had changed it— that I was a swindler, and that there was a swindling practice being carried on amongst the conductors, and that he would not have it. I assured him it was the shilling he had given me. On arriving at Whitechapel Church I told the time-keeper what had occurred, and he spoke to the defendant, who said be had given me a good shilling, and that I had given him a bad one in ex change. The time-keeper then said to him, "Do you think this conductor, the years he has been on the road, would do such a thing as thi s ?" Th e defendant replied, " Yes, he's a swindler ; there's a swindling practice being carried on amongt the conductors, and I wo n ' t have it." On arrivin g a t th e corner of Grarechurch street, the defendant called out " police !" and I said to a policeman who did not hear him" Here is a gentleman wants you, inside the omnibus." The defendant then got out of the omnibus, and told the policeman that I had changed a shilling, and he thought if I were taken to the station•house some more bad money would be found upon me. I said I would not trouble the police man to take me to the station-house, but would walk there, and that if he (the policeman) did his duty he would search me. I then charged the defendant with passing a counterfeit shilling. Defendant—l admit calling the complainant a swind ler ; and I said I had a very strong suspicion that ho had changed my good shilling for a bad one. The Lord Mayor—Are you satisfied that the whole thing is a mistake ? Defendant—l cannot say lam perfectly satisfied ; I have a strong suspicion that the shilling was changed. The Lord Mayor- The complainant is on his oath ; you can cross-examine him if you think proper. Ile ap pears to be a very respectable man, judging from his de meanour. (To the complainant)—How long have you been in the service of this company 1 Complainant—Between 9 and 10 years. The Lord Mayor—Have you got a clean bill of health Complainant—Yes, my lord (producing his licence, which was not indorsed). Defendant—l could not undertake to say positively that the bad coin produced is not the one I gave him, but I firmly believe that I gave him a good shilling. I suspected that he had "rung the changes," as they call it. The Lord Mayor—As the offence, if any, was com mitted out of my jurisdiction there is nothing for me to decide upon. Do you not think you have made a mill take Defendant—l think it possible. The Lord Mayor—Do you not think it more than possible ? Defendant—No, I cannot Bay that. I think it posy ble. I cannot say more than that. The Lord Mayor—Conductors of omnibuses, if they behave well, are as much deserving the protection of magistrates as persons engaged in any industrial occu pation. My impression, from what I have beard, is that the defendant made a mistake. Defendant—l think it rather hard that I should have been given in charge. The Lord Mayor—lf you have any case for damages, that is a matter to be determined by the civil courts. It strikes me that a mistake has been committed on both sides. Allowing that the complainant was wrong in charging you with passing a counterfeit shilling, he in his turn might proceed against you for defamation of character. However, I have no jurisdiction in the mat ter, and the charge is dismissed. The Lord Mayor said it afforded him sincere pleasure to be able to state that not a single charge of drunkenness had been brought before him that day as having oc curred in the district of the City over which his juris diction extended. GUILDHALL.—TVnt, Macs, described as a publi can, of 12, Pump-street, Manchester ; Thomas Smith, blacksmith, of 12, Marsh-lane, Leeds ; Samuel Wilson, smith, of Coley, Derbyshire ; and John Brantley, la bourer, of liintwell, Shrewsbury, were placed at the bar, before Alderman Copeland, charged with conspir ing to defraud Edward Finn, of Southend, Essex, of the sum of ss. Mr. Wontner defended the prisoners. Michael Haydon, a detective officer, said—About, one o'clock on Monday afternoon I was with Brett, a brother officer, in Fleet -street. I saw the prisoners there, sometimes together, and sometimes separate, hut all acting in concert. When one stopped they all stopped, and Huves, upon several occasions, spoke to persons who, from their appearance, seemed country men. I watched them for about an hour, when Huves spoke to a young man on Ludgate-hill, and went with him to the Goose and Gridiron, St. Paul's-churchyard. The others followed. They entered a room on the first floor. In about ten minutes the young man and Hives Caine down stairs, and went out. The other three fol lowed, and were stopped by Brett and myself. The young man, who is not her e , sa id, i n t h e presence of the prisoner s , that they endeavoured to induce him to bet upon the meaning of the word, " resolve," and had tried to get him to show them his money. I afterwards found Huves in St. Paurs•churchyard, when I took him into custody. I found on him 21. 13s. qd., a gilt counter, a tnemoranduin-book, and Johnson's Dictionary. Smith is alleged to have stated that the way to test ale was to put a piece of sugar in it, and it would resolve. " No," sail the others, " dissolve ;" and the young man said, " You mean dissolve." but he did not like to make a bet about it. On Smith I found a pack of cards, long arid narrow ; longways they cut black and sideways red. On Wilson was found 19s. 111 d. ; and Bramley, 1/. 3s. Hid. and a pocket-book. There was found in the room where they were some counterfeit pieces and a pocket-book containing some flash notes. Cross-examined by Mr. Nfontner---I told the young mart to attend to-day. He is not here. He lost nothing, and made no wager at all. Mr. Wontner said that there was no proof of any gaming whatever. No offence bad been committed, and, consequently, there was no charge to answer. The dictionary found on loves was then handed up to the alderman, who, on turning to the word "resolve," found the following meanings given To solve, to melt, to analyse, to determine, to confirm." His wor ship said ho was of opinion that the prisoners were prowling about the City for a common purpose, and the Jaw would treat thorn as rogues and vagabonds. Furman, a detective officer, stated that about six weeks ago he saw Smith and Wilson in Monument-yard, when, on entertaining some suspi c i ons a b out them, he told them to get out of the City, and they directly went away. Alderman Copeland said that strengthened him in his intention to remand the prisoners for the appearance of Mr. Finn. He held in his hand the pocket-book found on 13rarnley, from which it appeared that they began at Fakenham, where they obtained a pound. They then went to Lynn, and there got 81. 155,, St.. Ives, 31., Rom_ ford, 161., and various other places, and the sum total of their gains was 1081. He should therefore remand them, and should order a summons to be issued for Mr. Finn to attend. Remanded accordingly. WORSHIP-STREET. Three determined-looking men named James Turner, James Terry, and Henry 'Wil liams, alias Cambridge Harry, who was stated to be a returned transport, was placed at the bar before Mr. D'Eyncourt, charged with having broken into and plundered the prenw,es of Mr. Wm. Gascoigne, a mas ter butcher, carrying on business in Curtain-road, Shore ditch. The prosecutor stated that between two and three three o'clock the previous afternoon he left home with his family for the purpose of dining with his brother-in law, in Great Tower-street, but in consequence of a com munication which was conveyed to him in the course of the evening, he returned in a cab, and discovered on his arrival that his house had been thoroughly ransacked by thieves, who had forced open all the drawers, boxes, and cupboards in the upper rooms, from which they had abstracted a large quantity of property, consisting of plate, jewellery-, and wearing apparel, the whole of which was now produced by the police. Joseph Goss, an errand-boy in the service of a cabinet maker in the neighbourhood, stated that he was stand ing at the corner of a court in the Curtain-road, shortly after five o'clock on the previous evening, when he ob served the prisoners and two other men loitering about in a suspicious mariner in front of the prosecutor's pre mises. After watching them a few minutes, he saw one of the men stealthily advance to the street door, which he speedily opened by applying some instrument to the lock, and then beckoned to Lis companions, two of whom entered the house with him, leaving the others out,ide. Serjeant Nicholls, G 11, stated that in consequence of the information he received from the last witness, he placed several constables to keep watch round the pro secutor's house, and made his way on to the slaughter house at the rear of the premises, from which he ma naged to effect an entrance to the bed-room on the second floor. He then proceeded into an adjoining room, where he found the prisoner Terry crouching down in a corner of the apartment, and immediately took him into custody. Aft er l o d g i ng h im i n t h e station-house, witness e r v e e t r u a r i n s e i d l k t a o ri d t h s e a t h i n o u d s e r , e B o o n e s searchingsilver l w v e h; c p h h l at e e and other valuable articles scattered about the different otherrooms,v counterpaneaal n u a d b t l h oe tf e , ,on f n o oo u w r oif b ) r r to o hd o eu c cc. beds, eh c I e l sr , eecpr they ht n ee c dy i -case, were r o e e , r an d the counterpa ne of ouo of the bcd, where they were dis covered by another witness. John Samuel Eastman, a cabinetmaker, living in a had beencour t adjoining invested the by house, t be police, the prisoners that s after one r t s T he u p r n r premises andises Williams suddenly presented themselves at the back room window on the second floor, and descended to the roof of an outhouse about 15 feet in height, from which they dropped into the street, where they were instantly secured by two officers who had been placed there to prevent their escape. Serjeant Jackson, of the II division, identified the prisoner Tem , as a notorious thief, and stated that Wil liams, since his return from transportation, had been twice convicted of f e l ony, and sentenced to ' the respec tive terms of six and 12 months ' imprisonment. The prisoners, who declined offering any defence, were remanded for the formal completion of the depo sitions. BNREVOLENCE.—The magictrate an nounce d th e rece i pt of a Poet-offi ce or d er for 2/, from T, T., and A cheque for 21. from J. IL, per Messrs. Gosling and Sharpe, in aid of the poor-box. LAMBETH. Yesterday, Mr. Solomon, Lovelace, the owner of the Star beer-house, in Chapel-street, Stock well, appeared before Mr. Elliott to answer to a sum mons charging him with having unlawfully refused to provide quarters for Patrick Cassidy and Peter Prior, private soldiers belonging to the 101st, or Cavan Militia, on the night of the 14th inst., they being pro vided with proper billets for the same. Inspector Harmsworth, belonging to the L division of police, informed the magistrate that on the night of the 14th inst. the complainants in the present case, while on their way from Dublin to the camp at Aldershot, reached town so late that they could not proceed further, as there was no train proceeding in the directio❑ of Alder shot that night, and they in consequence attended at the Tower-street station, and he gave them a billet on the defendant. For reasons which they would mention, the defendant refused to receive them, and they came back to the station. For that refusal a summons was applied for and granted, and their officers bad sent them up from Aldershot that day to support the charge by their evidence. One of the soldiers, Peter Prior, was here sworn, and said that it was ten o'clock before they got the billet, and had then to walk nearly three miles to the house of the defendant. On arriving at the latter, at about eleven o'clock, they found the door closed, and after knocking at it for some time it was opened by a female, who, on seeing them, told them to be off, and closed the door again. They then spoke to a policeman, and told him how they bad been treated, and he knocked loudly at the door, The defendant then oame down himself, and was very angry at being taken from his bed, but ulti mately offered them ls. each to get a bed elsewhere. They told him that if they could procure a bed for is. a-piece they should not have troubled him, as they were not without a shilling, but what they wanted was a bed, as they were quite knocked up with travelling and fatigue. The defendant said he could do no more than give them is , and they were obliged to leave the house and return to the police-station. The defendant, in reply to the charge, said that, being rather unwell on the night in question, he closed up hie house at a quarter to eleven o'clock and went to bed, and some time after heard a violent knocking at the door. His wife partially dressed herself and went down stairs, and believing that the two men outside only wanted to get in to have something to drink she said something to them that perhaps she should not and returned to bed. Soon after a more violent knocking was kept up at the door, which caused him to get out of bed and come down, and when he saw the soldiers he would admit that he felt somewhat annoyed ; but at the same time offered them ls. a-piece, which was in reality all the money ke had in the house. This sum they refused, and said they must have 38. each, or at the very least ls. 6 , 1. He assured them that all the money he had was 25., and that to accommodate them with a bed he must knock up the members of his family and compel them to sit up. He offered to make a good fire, and sit up with them himself, but this they refused to consent to, and one of the soldiers insisted upon his providing him with a "din ner," as the law required ; but he assured him that he had nothing in the house from which he could provide him a dinner, and that he could not think of troubling his neighbours to get anything at such an hour of the night, then past 12 o'clock. The soldiers, after threaten ing him with the vengeance of the law, then left his house. Mr. Elliott inquired why it was that the soldiers were not billeted on some pace in the neighbourhood of the elation, and not sent to such a distance as Stockwell at such an hour of the night !—lnspector Harms worth re plied that from Tower -street station soldiers were bil leted on all parts of the parish of Lambeth, and Stockwell being at that time in rotation he had sent them there. Mr. Elliott observed that soldiers when billeted should be sent to the places where they were billeted on at a proper and seasonable hour, and the present was not a case in which he would interfere, and the summons 'Lust, therefore, he dismissed. DISTRESSING CASE.—An open-countenanced sailor, of 19 years of age, who only arrived from the Crimea on Saturday last, entered the court with his two sisters and little brother, the three latter being most scantily dressed, and two of them without shoes or stockings—and ad dressing the magistrate, said that 18 months ago he got appointed as ordinary seaman on board a transport, and sailed for the Crimea. After discharging her cargo, his ship was sold to the Turkish Government, and he (appli cant) on leaving her got a situation as servant to an offi cer, and lived with him until his leaving. Having heard that his mother was in a very delicate state of health, he was very uneasy about her, and felt a great anxiety to get home to see her, and his master kindly procured for him a passage home. On Saturday, at mid-day, he reached hone from Portsmouth, and found his mother dead and in her coffin, and the three children who accompanied him in a state of great destitution. On Sunday his mother was buried at the expense of a gentleman, for whom his father, now six years dead, used to work, and on Monday a broker was put in by the landlord, and swept everything in the place away. The children were o bli ge d to b e removed to the house of an aunt, and she being a poor woman herself, and totally unable to support them, took the children to the workhouse of Newington parish, but the relieving officer, Bowman, refused to either relieve or receive them, alleging as his reason that they slept out of the parish of Newington and in that of Lambeth, and they must therefore be passed in the regular way.—ln reply to the questions of the magistrate, the applicant said that his father and mother had for upwards of 20 years rented a house at 30/. a year, and paid taxes all that time to the parish of Newington, and on hearing this Mr. Elliott directed the chief clerk to write a note to Mr. Burgess, the clerk to the board of guardians, to know why the poor children had not been taken into the house or at tended tn. The note was given to Lockyear, one of the summoning officers, and he in a short time returned and informed the magistrate that Mr. Burgess was out, but his son read the note and said it should be laid before the board that night, but the children could not be taken into the workhouse as they were residing out of the parish, and things must be done in a legal way.—Mr. Elliott observed that it was quite absurd to raise such frivolous objections as those of the children living in another parish, when they must be aware that they had a legal settlement with them. He then desired the chief clerk to assist the poor children with 108. out of the poor-box for their immediate necessities. He also de sired Lockyear to know what the result of the case was as lie was determined not to let it drop. SECESSION OF THE REV. MR. IVIIEELER. It is perhaps rather singular that just as Dr. Arm strong came on this circuit to lecture "On the Arrest of Popery," the Rev. Mr. Wheeler, rector of New Shore ham, made his recantation of what he, we suppose, con sidered his former errors, and joined the Roman Catholic church. How far he was induced to take this step by the late decision of Dr. Lushington we cannot tell, but from what we hear, we shall not be surprised if Mr. Wheeler's secession be followed by others in the western division of this county. The Brighton herald says that "The secession of the Rev. Mr. Wheeler, vicar of New Shoreham, from the Church of England, and his reception by Dr. Manning into the Roman Catholic communion took place on Saturday last. Mr. Wheeler will, of course, leave Shore ham, where he rebuilt the vicarage at great expense, being a man of considerable wealth. His furniture is advertised for sale. The living of New Shoreham is in the gift of Magdalen College, Oxford, and is returned in the Ecclesiastical Commissioners' report as worth 1271., net income. The secession of so important a member of the Puseyite party has excited no little sensation in the diocese, and it was referred to by Dr. Cumming in his lecture at the Town Hall on Thursday." This opens a wide field for speculation. Who will Magdalen College, Oxford, appoint to Shoreham rectory in the place of Mr. Wheeler ? Will his successor be an Evangelical or a Puseyist If the latter, it will be re garded as an indication that Magdalen College, Oxford, sympathises with Mr. Wheeler, and sends another cler gyman to Shoreham to follow his footsteps. Thus the whole question is opened, and it becomes one of vital importance to the Established Church. There are other clergymen in and about Shoreham as addicted to what is popularly called Puseyism as Mr. Wheeler was, such as the head master of Shoreham school ; the provost, and those under him at Hurst College ; and the founders and subscribers to the College of the " Blessed Virgin Mary," at Lancing. Are these gentlemen, with their pupils, when ripe, preparing to "go over to Rome" in a body There are Puseyites in Brighton also—what course are they going to pursue? These nre knotty questions. The bishops and clergy of the Established Church are her ecclesiastical pillars—her support ; but if they give way, what is to become of their church ? Three-fourths of the new churches are constructed, at the east end, as if to give room for a high altar. There might not have been any design in this, but ever since the formation of the Camden Society of Architecture, said to be Puseyistic, we have observed that the new churches have nearly all been built just as the Catholic Church would wish them. It is to be inferred from this that there is a gradual leaning to, and perhaps a half yearning desire to return to, the old —the Roman Ca tholic Church Since the retirement of Archdeacon Manning from the Establishment, there has been nothing in this part of the country which has created half the sensation as the secession of Mr. Wheeler, and every one must see that it affects all those large establishments which have been formed at Shoreham, Hurst, and Lancing, and which now involv es , t o a considerable extent, Magdalen ' Col lege, Oxford—Oxford University being considered the headquarters of Puseyism or Tractarianistu. In the Gor ham case, the State decided a doctrinal point. In the , St. Barnabas case, Pimlico, it decided in a matter, we suppose, of discipline. Some will say that "the sooner all the Tractarians leave the Established Church the better. Let them leave and go to Rome, or, if they like, establish a free church of their own." But it is not clear that if a whole flock of Tractarians were to take flight another would not immediately spring up in the Esta blished Church in their place ; our is it clear as to how wide, or how deep, their doctrines have taken root among the people. We are evidently on the eve of great changes, for there must have been thousands of young persons indoctrinated' of late years in principles, the ten dency of which is towards the Catholic Church. There is the bishop of the diocese, moreover, how is he situated He has been present at the ceremonious performances of the Tractarians in this county on many occasions. The inference is that he approved of them, and that the sentiments, opinions, and convictions of his own clergy were not unknown to him. The power of the bishops, however, of the Anglican Church seems ill de fined, and they may not possess the power to interfere in these matters if so inclined.--BrigMot Exciinfitor, Country Markets. EDINBURGH MEAL MARKET—DR e. 25. There were in the market to-day 16 sacks oatmeal, seen weighing 280 lbs imperial, which sold at 465. Od. EDINBURGH HAY AND STRAW MARKET DEC. 25. Supplies of all kinds these last six days again large. Oat straw, from 10s Od to 13s Od per kemple of 16 stones trop; wheat do., 78 Od to 8s 6d; barley do., 6s Od to 7d• 6d. Hay from 10d to lid. DALKEITH MEAL / Oatmeal, per sack of 2801b s imperial Barleymeal, per ditto Peasemeal, per ditto Flour, per ditto Pot-barley, per ditto ARKET—Dra. 24 First. Second. Third. 44s 6d 43s 6d 42s 6 , 1 34s Od —8 Od --s 0 —s Od s Od --9 0 , 1 —s Od —s Od —s Od —s Od s Od —s Od IPSWICH— DEo. 26. A small attendance, owing to the holidays. The supplY of wheat was small, prices pretty well the same as lasi wook, possibly a shade in farour of the buyer. Barley in fair quantity, the trade had no animation, and with the exception of the most select and choice qualities, is per qr abatement took place. Beans and peas a shade cheaper. PRA QUARTER.I FIR eTJARVIS. Wheat, red (old) 76s to 79t Barley, grinding ... 36s to 37s Ditto (new) Ditto, white B4s to 86slPeas Ditto (old) Barley, malting ... 40 s t o 42E. 1 Flour, per sack ATRRAORII FOR TUX WEE[ INDING DHo. 22, 1855. Wheat Oats Peas Barley Beane HULL-DEC. 26. Our farmers are very firm and unwilling to submit to any decline, and the small stock of foreign grain remains i❑ firm hands. Linseed cakes are in somewhat improved demand. The weather is again mild with rain. I Wheat, English, red 75 to 78 i Ditto white BO t o 86' Dantzic and Konigs berg Pomeranian and Ham burgh Danish, Holstein, and Friesland 75 to 80 Russian and Odessa 72 to 75' Oats, English Ditto Danish Ditto Friesland Ditto Russian 2B to 30 Barley, malting Ditto grinding 3B to 40 Beans Ditto foreign Peas, white and yel 5l to 60 Pea,s, grey and black Linseed, Black Sea... to 71 to 82 74 to 71 Ditto Petergburgh Ditto Riga and Arch. L -68 to 70 angel Ditto Konigsberg and Memel 65 10 7 0 Per Ton. iLius.c., Hull 131 15 s Odto 1410 1 'Ditto Line for.l2llos 13115! Od Ditto inf. for. 010 s Od to 010 s Rapeseed..... 001 Os to 00 1 Os Rape cakes 150 s Od to 1558 41 T Di ar tt e o s foreign P o E r n: ig li n sh —s to 00 1 to Os ,Guano 001 Os SI to 121 15. Bones Rye Meal COAL MAN M—Ditc. 26. ,he oloee of the market. Prices of Coal per ton at s. d. Bate's West Hartley 18 0 Byass's West Hartley lB 6 ffolywell ..... ..... lB 0 Walker Primrose l9 0 Wallaend, ke. Carr's Merthyr . 23 0 Wayne's Merthyr 23 0 Evenwood 19 . Canfield Moor Butes 17 3 West Riding Hartley ,„17 6 Belmont 20 6 Whitworth 2O 0 Sold . 19 Wallsend, &c. Braddyll 2l 9 Eletton 22 6 Richmond 21 6 Ships at market... 2 SEABORATB MAILS. (If slgnides that the malls are sent from the General reared/Co , the night—and M by the morning--elespatch.) Day whenmade ur From what Wavy COUNTRIES. in General Post- Port due ;11 0111 co, London.. Di s p a t c h e d. Engiolu• ---•••••••" America(byltrit.pack)N Every Friday •• • • Liverpool ec. 3 1 kmericp. (by United Ste. packet) ...........N ••••• • •• • • Liverpool . Dec. 24 tmorice (by U. States packet) ..........N 49 •• •- •••• • • SOuthampt, Dec. 29 Australia (via South ampton) .........• •• •• • ••• • • • • Southampto , Ditto (via Marseilles) NI Ditto (via Cape of Good; Hops) ............Ni ... • • ... Uncertain Africa (West Coast)..Nl 2 3d of the month.. Plymouth .. Jan. 6 Alexandria 9, 24, & 30 of m• Dover ...... Alexandria & 20th of mon. Southamptor. Bahamas ;17th of the month Southamptot Belgium ......... ..N ' pailY• •••••• • • • • • D0ver...... Daily Brazil ...... ........M 9th of the month.. Southamptor. an. 15 Buenos Ayres...... „ml9th of the month ... i elouthampton an. Ib Cape of Good Hope ..N Various port Uncertain Cape of Good Hope N Cape de Verde 9th of the month !Southamptor Jan. lb Ceylon (see Iwila) Ceylon ..............N Channel Mos ...N bfon.,Wed.,tcFrid. Southamptoi Tn.Tb. 33l Chili.... 121 & 17th of montl. Southampto China . [Once a month.... Jan. 4 Constantinople ;8,13,18,28,&28 of miDover I Constantinople „I4th & 20th of mon. Southampto• Cont. of Europe M k N Twice daily •• •• • • Dover 1 1 4110.3 311 ` Egypt (see India) 17, 20, 27 if tr S ou th a mpt o; France ........ & N daily•• •• Dover Pwloeilt ll / Gibraltar M 4,7, Greece (see India) Groytown .......... M,2nd & 17th of mon. Southampt , ,t. liamburgh ........ N i Tuesd ay & Friday Loudon ..... llsvannah .......... m 2nd of the monti• southaraptor• Jan. I. Holland .. • ....... —l4 Daily • • • • • • ...... Dover De!. ti on d nraa 17ta t lthe month. mutharnpi e , 16th o mon India (viaSouthampt.)d i4th A. 20th of mos. Plymouth .. Jan. 4 India (via Marseilles)W 9th& 25th of movithiDover ......I lonian Is'es (seo In lia)7. 17, & 27 of mon D0ver...... Ireland & N 'Twice daily .• .. Hots head rwi•••• 1 • 11 3 Li5h0n........ —l4 7 , 9 , 17 , & 27 of m. Sow hamptco Jan. 15 Madeira I9th of the month Southampto. Madeira 5.; , 23d of month •• ~ Liverpool ... Malta (see India) m a lt, ~N 8, 18, & 28 of mon. Dover Jan. 4 Mauritius (ice India) Mauritius ...is 14th of the month Yeaico ............m,2nd of the month., ; Soetttamptpr ;Jan. 1 Naples •• • •—• ........N;sthlbth2P•thofmon.lDover Now Granada ...... At ;Id & 17th of month ISouthamptor Now Zealand .......... llty private ship .. Various port Uneerta/81 Papal States Sthlsth2lithormon. Dover ...... • Peninsula 7 thl7th27thormon.'Southampton p orn id & 27th of mon., South ampton Port Natal ..........N,By Private ship...; Various ports Uncertain Sicily ........N.sthiSth2sthormon,Dover Tuscany ...„ ........othlbth2sthofmon.lDover Vonezuelr & 17th ofmonthlSouthampto7 1 & I 6 men Van Diemen's Land (so Australia) Weit Indies ........3 4 12d& 17th of month ;Southampton 1 & 16 mon When any of these dates fall on a Sunday, the malls will ht d e. watched on the followin g d ay , w i t h the exception of the In He (T I P Southampton), and the Molt*, both of which will be detwittellcd tt preceding day. RAILWAY TRAFFIC BET URNS. GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY.—Traffle return for 0* week ending Dec. 16, 1855 £25,074 19 3 Correspondin g wee k l as t year 23,369 5 , LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE RAILWAY.—Tratile re' turn for the week ending Dec. 23, 1855 £20,633 3 t Corresponding week last year 19,276 9 GLASGOW AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAlLWAY.—Traffic 11 " turn for the week ending Deo. 22, 1855 £5,576 5 g correspondi ng wee k l as t year 5,156 3 Increase in 1855 £42o 1 9 SCOTTISH CENTRAL RAlLWAY.—Traffic return for Os week ending Dec. 23, 1553 Corresponding wee k l as t y ear £22:3 8 5 25 2 g 42i SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, DEO. 26. STOOK EXCHANGE.—The tone of the market opened quietly to-day, at a slight advance on the prices of loot week, but subsequently improved, and closed firmly at the following prices :—Caledonian, 27i--South Eastern, 171' , 38. 9d. 4—Lancashire and Y or k s hi re, 774 64 31 4 38 i—London and North Westerns, 90—North British, 74—Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln, 231 I. MANCHESTER, DEC. 26. STOOIC EXCINANGE.—The market to-day has been dull, and prices unchanged. Midland, 641—Leeds, 774—Dover, 171—Caledonian, 2711.16—Manchester Assurance, 11 pm• BIRMINGHAM, DEC. 26. STOCK EXCHANGE.—No business whatever has been transacted in railway shares to day, and only one sale In local stocks. Birmingham Banking Co.'s 'hares changed hands for next account at 34. Great Westerft, Shrewsbnry and Birmingham Guaranteed, closed, buyers 66, sellers GU —London and North-Western, buyers 94, sellers 94,„-,, BIRTHS. OP A RON. On Christmae•day, at 81, Eaton-square, the Countess de hforolla. On the 23d inst., at Dodington, the Lady Georgian* Codrington. Or ♦ DAIIIIIITER. On the 25th inst., at West-house, Rotherham, the wife of Robert J. Bentley, Esq. On the 25th inst., the wife of Harry Lee Carter, Esq./ Oxfordshire Militia. MAR ItIED. On the 24th inst., at Meggetland House, Edinburgh, Professor C. Piazzi Smyth, Astronomer Royal of Scot land, second son of Rear-Admiral W. H. Smyth, KB.F., to Jessie, third daught er o f th e l a t e Thos. Duncan, E sq .. advocate, Aberdeen. On the 26th inst., at St. G eo rge's, Bloomsbury, T, IT, Boar, Esq., late of Vi o t or i a , to Emily Henrietta, the oldie* surviving daughter of Charles Morgan, Esq., of 9, Bedford place, Russell-square. DIED, Oa inst., ,at 17, Rutland-square, Edi n b urg h, the Earl le Cait h ness.l4thfth r On the 16th inst. , at Paris, G eorge Vincent Duva l , Esq., formerly of W inchester house, Old Broad-street, city. On the 22d inst., in Dorset-square, Josiah Brockwell, Esq., of Old Broad-street, city. On the 22 d inst., Mr. Peter P. Thorns, printer, of War wick -square, city, aged 66. On the 23d inst., Major Sir Wm. Wynn, Governor of Sandown Fort, Isle of Wight, aged 85. On the 25th inst., Augustus Hadley, Esq., of North B On , the 2 5 th and 8, inst Old Jewr, d 59. ,at y 2 , , Marlborough -place, Walworth, the Rev. Wro. Sloman Rowe, M.A., Chaplain of Surrey County Gaol, aged 60. On the 25th inst., at Ryde, Isle of Wight, Eleanor Dowager Lady Leeds, widow of the late Sir George VTLa• Leeds, Bart. LONDON : Printed and Published by MURDO yoUNO of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, N 0.1 1 20 Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the county, ef Dd iddlesex, Thursday, December 27,1850, Robl Le C Vac c ba • Fred Edw. Augi Fa Man Th. . In Pi N( mon Co ~' T effect • • ANI Daft NCI Capi *RJ In L Th depo the r mbar( allot Fa pans givci rev peril To Chic tion, been HA] Dein THI the Gen adul shal lief Mel Gre; Stei ton, Troll blaz Mr. Tim von Mr. son it kir inc