The Sun. — London, England, 1855-12-17 00:00:00

ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE. THIS EVRITING, Will be performed THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL. Characters by Messrs. Emery, F. Vining, G. Vining, A. Wigan, Robson, &c. ; Mrs. A. Wigan, Mrs. Stirling, and Mrs Fitzallan. Will be performed SPILL WATERS DEEP. Followed by XS REWARD. To conclude with CATCHING A MERMAID. ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. Lessee, Mr. J. IT. Anderson, 18, Norfolk-street, Strand. LAST FEW DAYS. Increased Attractions, and success in equal ratio ' THIS, AND EVERY EVENING, at Eight o'Clock, will tie presented, with entirely New and Magnificent Xppoint manta, MAGIC and MYSTERY, in twelve acts, arranged in two parts, by Professor Anderson. After which, the startling illustrations of Spirit-Rapping. TlA.f.l*- AN-FIOUR Wm! TUE SPIRITS, being the most surprising and interesting series of experiments ever given within the walls of any theatre. Revival, hi an Improved form, of the astounding novelty which t London 10 years ago, the GREIT GUN TRICK ! Prices of admission:—Private Bees, 11. lls. 6d. ani li. Is. ; Orchestra Stalls, 45.; Dress Boxes, 35.; Upper Boxes, 2s ; Pit, s.; Gallery, 61. No Half-price. Box-office open from 11 to 5 daily. Grand Morning Performance on Saturday Next at Two o'Clock Doors open at Half-past One. A.STLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITIIEATRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. Wm. Cooke. Immense success of Rockwood This spirited and exciting Hippoirorne (with Turpin's Ride to York) embraces the principal events of Ainsworth's Rookwood. THIS EYENING, The successful Enuldrame called TURPIN'S RIDE to YORK ; or, the Heir of Rookwood. After which the Varied Equestrian ACTS in the CIRCLE. To conclude with UNE FOUR POUR RIRE ; or, Mirth-Moving Entertainment. Immense preparations are making for the Christmas Comic Pan tomime, written by Mr. Nelson Lee, called Harlequin and St George and the Dragon, or the Seven Champions of Christendom. llox..olice open from Eleven till Font. Stage Manager, Mr. W. West. Equestrian Director, 111. W. Cooke. jun. MADAME JENNY GOLDSCH.MIDT-LIND. EXETER-HALL, TO-NIGHT. 1 o r. of respectftilly announces that Mendelssohn's Ora torio of ELIJAH will be performed this Evening, Monday, Dec. 17. Principal Singers : Madame GOLDSCHMIDT, Miss Dolby, Miss Messent, MO Lockey, M r . Lawler, and . H. comm " boors open at Seve n, to commence at Eight o'clock. Haydn's Oratorio of THE CREATION will be repeated on Thurs day, Dec. 27. in which Madame Goldschuoidt will sing the principal Soprano part. The Chorus and Orchestra f o r these performanceS will consist of more than 600 performers. Conductor, M. Benedict. es of admision.—Seats in the Area, Seven Shillings ; West Pricy Gallery and Body s of the Ball, Ten Shillings and Sixpence ; Reserved and Numbered Seats, Si. Is. Correct Books of the Oratorio will be given with the Tickets. All applicalions in reference to Mr. and Madame Geldschmidt's ntended Concerts, either in London or the provinces, to be addressed o Mr. Mitchell, Royal Library, 33, Old Bond-street. London. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Under the Management of Mr. Buckstone. THIS EVENING, Will be performed THE BUSY BODY. Characters by Messrs. Howe, Chlppenda'e, Rogers, W. Ferran, and Buckstone ; Misses Reynolds and E. Chaplin. After which, the Spanish Dancers. Followed by THE LITTLE TREASURE. After which, a BALLET, by the Spanish Dancers. To conclude with A KISS IN THE DARK. ROY AL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET. Under the Management of Mr. CnAlmrs Kaix. THIS EVENING Will be performed HOW STOUT YOU'RE GETTIXG: After which, KING HENRY THE EIGHTH. Queen Kathx rine, Mrs. C. Roan; Cardinal Wolsey, Mrs. C. Kean. To conclude with A GAME OF ROMPS. THEATRE ROYAL ADELPHJ. Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster.—Directress, a Celeste. THIS EVENING. Will be performed T ARTUFFE. Princ pal characters by Messrs. B. Webster, C. Selby, Moreland, Garden; Mrs. Keeley, Miss M. Keeley, and Mme. Celeste. Followed by THE CAMP AT CHOBHAM. After which, the comedy of FOREIGN AFFAIRS. GET WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tuileries, while Kars was left all the while to the frightful chances of a compulsory surrender—when by the timely interference of a body of French or English troops despatched from the neighbourhood of Kamiesh or Balaklava, the siege of Kars might readily enough have been raised, and the only laurel reaped by the sword of Russia since the War commenced have added a new cluster of im perishable leaves to the coronal already woven so profusely about the helmets of France and Eng land ? The answer to all this is discoverable either in the incapacity of the Allied Commanders in -Chief, or in the insincerity (as to a really ener getic prosecution of the War) or in the criminal procrastination of the Allied Governments. Which of the two—History will in the end pronounce : possibly distributing to each their due share of the infamy in relative proportions ! Trig DAT—Morn. 55 min. aft. 7—Evening 30 min. aft. 8 To-MORROW—Morn. 5 min. aft. 9—Evening 37 min. aft. 9 THE WRITHE ft—SITN OFFICE, Dec. 16. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 51 highest since noon yesterday. 41 —lowest this morning and during the night. 45 -this day at noon. BAROMETER, 30.33—rising. N.N.W.—Light, with fine clear weather, inclin ing to frost. DECEMBER 17. 46 —highest since noon yesterday. 40 —lowest this morning and during the night. 41 —this day at noon. BAROMETER, 3013—falling. WIET', E.—Moderate, with dull, c,ld weather. re e l - Atn, Iy,a,pApek4 However—after all is said—thus closes the winter campaign in Asia with a deplorable loss to the Allies and a notable victory for the Muscovites. Let the remembrance of it be as a remorse to the conscience of the united arbiters of the future destinies of Christendom ! Goading them to some more resolute policy when the spring shall have enabled then to resume hostilities in earnest—in Asia against MOURA.VIEFF, in Europe against TODTLEBEN, OSTEN-SAQKEN, and GORTSCHAKOFF. Something more will then be expected from 01,110, PACIZA than the inadequate triumph of Ingour— something more will be looked for from Marshal Pzussizu than the inconclusive capture (however heroically effected) of the Malakhoff. The Com manders-in-Chief of the Allied Legions, in truth, have yet, it seems, to, learn the advisability of following up with urrelaxing energy, on the instant, triumph after triumph—from the inau gural battle of Oltenitza to the final storming of the titanic earthworks of Sebastopol. most so when she is professing friendship or' " tendering her good offices." We have in every instance, when we listened to her blandishments, been deeply and bitterly deceived. We lost much valuable time in " waiting for Austria," when anything approaching to a decided course on her part would have averted the War, by convincing Russia that the crossing of the Pruth would be regarded as a cams belli that would be resented by at least three of the great European Powers. We again committed a grave mistake when we permitted her troops to occupy the Principalities —to do that without remonstrance which we proclaimed war against Russia for attempting. But for the unflinching courage of our soldiers in October and November, 1854, sealed with their blood on the glorious fields of Balaklava and Inkerman, we should have severely expiated our error. The mischief was, however, happily averted, and Austria, whose duplicity involved us in the scrape, was, on the tidings of our un equivocal success, quite ready to take advantage of her position, by pretending to be the faithful ally of the Western Powers. It was under such cir cumstances that the Treaty of the 2d Dec., 1854, was arranged, of the spirit of which there could be no possible doubt, whatever quibbling or special pleading might be raised on the terms in which it was expressed. It is needless now to refer to the manner in which that solemn undertaking was violated. That is unhappily a matter of general notoriety, and it scarcely required the corrobo rating evidence afforded by the active and unim peded supply to Russia of the materiel of war through the Austrian territories, or the infamous outrage committed on Colonel Tun while wearing the British uniform and engaged in the service of Great Britain, or the disbanding of her troops at peculiarly 'critical periods, to convince any unpre judiced person of the faithlessness and duplicity of that Power. When the settlement er allowance of the PRINCE CONSORT was under discussion in Parliament it was universally considered that 30,0001. per an num was not only a sufficient but a very liberal appanage. Indeed Mr. HUME besought the House, of which he was a respected and influential member, to consider the temptations to which a young Prince with so large an income as 30,0001. a year would be exposed, in the vicinity of a me tropolis like London. It was, however, considered befitting the dignity of the SOVEREIGN that her Consort should be placed in a perfectly indepen dent position, beyond the possibility of annoyance in money matters, and to obviate the necessity or even the inducement of grasping after profitable sinecures or employments scarcely consistent with the high position in which he was shortly to be placed. The large grant was therefore all but unanimously carried, although the youthful Prince would have no establishment to keep up, all such expenses being defrayed from the Civil List. The 30,0001. per annum was therefore entirely for the privy purse, or what persons of inferior rank might term " pocket money." It was exactly half of that fixed for the Royal privy purse, which had many urgent claims to meet, from which that of the Prince was exempted. To preclude the necessity of accumulating money for the possible contingency of his being left a widower, it was further provided that in such case the 30,0001. should be increased to 50,0001. Experience has, we believe, proved that the estimate was abundant, and far more than suffi cient to cover every outlay of his Royal Highness, who has certainly not erred on the side of extra vagance, but has already realised a very handsome capital. We do not complain of this prudent " economy," which, on the contrary; seems very laudable, and only allude to it for the purpose of showing that there could be no pecuniary pres sure on the Prince to induce him to seek lucra tive appointments, to the exclusion of those who had, by highly meritorious services in the field, nobly earned the etium cum dignitate which they were intended to confer. Ho has, however, been appointed Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, as successor to " the Iron Duke," the pay of which was, on the recommendation of the Commissioners appointed to consider the subject, retained at 3,0001. per annum, while the other regiments of Guards—the Fusiliers and Cold streams—were fixed at 2,0001. each, ordinary regiments being about a moiety of the latter amount. But Prince ALBERT was not merely the Colonel of the Grenadier Guards. He was also nominated Colonel-in-Chief of the Rifle Brigade, Ihaving previously been Colonel of the 11th Hus sars, or Prince ALBERT'S Own, and of the 60th Rifles. He is also Governor and - Constable of Windsor Castle and Ranger of Windsor Park, " Chief Steward of the Duchy of Cornwall," and " Lord Warden of the Stannaries." There are sundry other matters, both of honour and emolu ment, to which it is at present unnecessary to allude, but which, at a moderate calculation, add some 10,0001. per annum to the revenue of his Royal Highness. Under these circumstances, and being, we be lieve, the only military pluralist commanding two regiments, one of them the most lucrative of any in the service, it is to be regretted that the Prince should have suffered himself to engage in a matter which has brought the subject prominently before the public. Inquiries have naturally been made as to how far it is right or proper that his Royal Highness should engage in these matters. The 30,0001. per annum was either adequate for his rank or not. If the former, he ought not to enter into competition with meritorious officers, who have no " Royal road" to rapid promotion ; if the latter, the matter should be brought before Par liament, to have the mistake committed in 1840 rectified with all convenient speed ! We have also the by no means improbable rumour that the Prince is to he the next Commander-in-Chief whenever Lord HARDINUE may think proper to retire. All these matters have occasioned consi derable uneasiness in the public m i n d . T hat u n e asin beset at rest, an d means adopted une asiness ascertain the position which it is expe dient or constitutional that the husband of her most gracious MAJEST Y, the " alter ego" of ou r dearly-beloved Qu'EFS, should occupy in this country. The matter is o ne of the deepest inte rest to every loyal subject, an d should accordingly receive the earliest attention of Parliament. Why then should we so often fall into the pal pable trap? Even wild animals avoid the snares in which they have once been nearly trapped, and should we again be caught we should certainly expose ourselves to the ridicule of Europe, of which we shall be the laughing-stock and tho re proach. CLIFFORD'S PLAN OF LOWERING SHIPS' BOATS IN A GALE. In our notice of the proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers on the sth of April last, we gave the re port of that body on this admirable invention, which was, " that it was evident that by this system the dis astrous effects of undue haste in rushing to the boats in cases of danger would be cmpletely obviated." With so strong a testimony as this, backed as it has been by another from the National Life Boat Institution to the same effect, it must seem strange that so much needed a remedy for a national evil has been neglected and passed over. This, however, we are happy to find will no longer be the case, as the Emigration Commissioners have, after a careful consideration of the plan, ordered it to be fitted to the Aurora, the next ship on their list to be dispatched from this country to Australia with emigrants and superintended by Captain Lyons, one of their ablest and most efficient officers and a first-rate seaman, who has special instructions to test its qualities. Of the re sult we entertain no doubt, and the commissioners will be entitled to public gratitude should they be the means of bringing into general notice an invention so generally needed and which if successful will supply a deficiency long felt by all nautical men to exist in the naval service. The Aurora lies in the West India Export Dock, Poplar, and the general care that has been bestowed ou preparing her for the reception of the emigrants reflects the greatest credit on all concerned in her equipment.— Morning Paper. LONDON, MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1855. The lamentable rumour of the Fall of Kars is at last confirmed. Intelligence to that effect has arrived by way of St. Petersburg. There re mains no longer any roam whatever to cling with a tenacious and almost despairing hope to the bare possibility that a diversion might after all be effected either from the north by OMER PAM& or from the south by SELIM PACHA, thereby com pelling General MOURIVIEFF to raise the siege, and thus even at the eleventh hour extricating the gallant WILLIAMS and his heroic garrison of Turks from their most perilous and desperate situation. Famine, in truth, has achieved in November what the furious onslaught of the Russians altogether failed to accomplish in September. Upon the 29th of the month last mentioned, as history will infallibly record in characters of fire, the indo mitable defenders of Kars repelled the vastly superior numbers of their Muscovite assailants by the sheer force of a courage unconquerable by the sword, the bayonet, and the cannon-ball. Abandoned entirely to their cwn resources the heroes of that famous day have at length, nevertheless, been driven to the dread necessity of surrender by the inexorable stress of utter and absolute starvation. Ravaged by disease, they still contrived to main tain their position until their weapons of defence, as it were, fell from a grasp relaxed by the palsy ing influence of extreme hunger. Subdued at last as they have been, it must be recorded of them that they have succumbed not to Man, but to Nature. Artillery and infantry were, so to speak, innocuous against the bulwarks of their dauntless and indomitable heroism—a heroism which only proved powerless when paralysed by fever and famine combined. Theirs be the glory of the defence. The shame of the defeat devolv ing exclusively upon those to whose indolence or incapacity it is owing that the heroes of Kars were abandoned in cold blood to the ghastly peril of positive and hopeless starvation. Nothing can exonerate the Allies from the grievous blame at taching to them for the atrocity of thus yielding up, without an effort to relieve them, the glorious champions of the ever-memorable 29th of Septem ber. A little foresight, and Kars might still have been withheld from Russia—might still have been a name of terror instead of a cause of triumph to . General MOURAVIEFF. Why, for example, was it ever left to the caprice of SELIM PACHA to advance or not, as he m i g h t deem it expedient, with the inestimable succour for the beleaguered under his banners in th e A rmen i an f or tress, placed capital of Erzeroum ? Why, again, Was the arri val of OMER, PACHA upon the Asiatic coast of Turkey, in his supreme capacity as Commander in-Chief of the armies of the SULTAN, delayed until all further opportunity should be denied to himof carrying assistance betim es to the darin g defenders of Kars, collected together under the orders of KMETY and WILLIAMS ? Why were whole regiments of the veterans of the French army being shipped homewards from the Crimea across the waters of the Mediterranean to be laid up in lavender in the vicinity of Paris ? Why were crowds upon crowds of the English officers allowed to maunder away from the "blood-stained ruins" of Sebastopol intent upon "urgent private a ff a irs," meaning thereby, o f course, in the majo rity of instances, the snug festivities of Christ mas ? Why, we ask uvrerser abstirdities , of this ,kind.- tolerated by the Cabinets of St. James's and the We fear that there is but too much foundation for the sinister rumours of another Austrian in terference with a view to the opening of new ne gotiations. A generally well-informed contem porary—one who may be supposed to speak "on authority"—has announced that " Count ESTER HAZY, Austrian Ambassador at St. Petersburg, was to leave yesterday for his post, the bearer of the ultimatum which Austria had resolved (!) to press upon the acceptance of the CZAR." The nature of this " ultimatum," is more than hinted at. It is, indeed, spoken of as a matter of general notoriety ; and if the terms be rejected, then Austria is determined —not to take an active part in the quarrel, not to draw the sword in earnest _b u t "to withdraw her Ambassador from St. Petersburg !" " 1 vneo Danaos et dons ferentes." Such was the exclamation of ono who might saved Trey in the olden- time,t his. prudentadvice.had been listened to. We also dread Austria, and THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, DECEMBER l7, 1855. Mr. G. B. Price's (11th Hussars) b g Old Tom. (Capt. Connell, R.A.) Blue, pink sleeves Brig.-General Lawrenson's br g Signal. (Owner.) Mr. Wilkin's (11th Hussars) g g Charlie. (Owner.) Black and white hoop, black cap. Mr. King's (11th Hussars) b g Prince Rupert. Blue, black cap. Mr. Williams's (R.H.A.) br m The Half Pint. Lieut.-Col. Campbell's (46th) br. g. Sir James Mason, (Owner.) Yeilow, black cap. Major Dowbiggin's b. in. Etty. Second Race-12.45.—The Alliance Cup, a Sweepstake of 31. each, with 401. added, for all horses (the winner of the first race excluded). The second norse to re ceive AL list each. Two miles. Major Biddulph's (R.A.) Viking 1 Mr. Wilkin's (11th Hussars) br. m. Dinah, late Per fection. (Owner.) Black and white hoop Mr. Baker's (18th) br m Kathleen. Major Manley's (Inniskillings) b g Valentine. Major Garratt's (46th) b g Meanee. (Owner.) Red. Mr. Dixon's (7th) b m Little Kate, late Miss Kickemoff. (Major Wombwell.) Black. Third Race-I.3o.—The Sebastopol Handicap, a sweep stakes of 21. each, with 251. added, for all ponies 14 hds 2in and under. One mile. Captain Campbell's (R.A.) ch In Portia, 10 at 7 lb. (Owner.) Blue, black cap Major Garratt's (46th) g. g. Brass Hat, 10 st. Major Lewis's ch. p. Growler, list. 41b. (Owner) Green, pink sleeves. Mr. Peacock's (30th) b. p. Clinker, list. 21b. (Owner.) Mr. Vansittart's (11th Hussars) br. p. Schumla, list. (Sir W. Gordon.) Blue, black cap. Mr. Wingfield's b. p. the Turk, 10st. 71b. Captain Lamb's (49th) b. p. Jolly Marine, lOst. 41b. Captain Cornat's (Chas. d'Afrique) g. p. Biquet, lOst. (Viscount Talon.) Mr. Wynne's b. g. Kickemoff, lOst. The Trakty Cup of 201., for all horses, the property of, and to be ridden by, officers of the French and Sardi nian Armies. One mile on the flat. The Consolation Scramble—a Handicap Sweepstakes of 21. each, with 251. added for beaten horses. To be entered immediately after the Sebastopol Handicap is run for. One mile. Steeplechase course. Mr. Baker's (18th) Kathleen, list 1 Mr. Wilkin's Charlie, 12st. 71b. Lord Ennismore's the Robber, 12st. Mr. Cockburn's (11th Hussars) Zig Zag, 12st. Mr. Barlee's Sultan, 10st. It will be observed, that the Royal Artillery came out in an astonishing. manner ; all the races were won by " the gunners." In the evening 110 of the officers interested in the sports of the day, and their friends, dined at the restaurant of the Third Division, Colonel Dau bony in the chair, and the foundation was laid for an army jockey club, with a permanent fund for races wherever the troops may be encamped. The night was pitch dark, and the rain fell in torrents ; as the camp is intersected by deep drains, and full of all kinds of unpleasant trous de loup, many of the company nivouacked on the floor of the shed, and only left at dawn. The rain has now ceased, but the wind blows strongly from the eastward, and the sea is high. The mud is deep all over the camp, and the road has settled so much in various places as to require considerable repairs. The weather looks exceed ingly threatening, and the gale increases every moment. The waste of property as of life in war is prodi gious and unavoidable. I firmly believe that for 3 feet deep the whole of the quay of Balaklava, near the Commissariat landing-place, is a concrete of barley and corn. The sacks are often badly tied or rotten and full of holes. It is no uncommon thing to see a Croat or Turkish labourer waddling slowly along with a sack on his back from which the corn is descending in streams against the back of his legs, till be arrives from the ship at the store, and then to behold him depositing the collapsed and flaccid bag on the heap with the greatest gravity and satisfaction at his success in diminishing his lead at every step. In the various Divisional Commisa riat depots there is also an enormous loss of grain from similar causes, and from shifting the sacks and the distribution of the rations. But it seems to be impossible to prevent these losses, which are regarded as incidental to a state of war. SATURDAY, Dec. 8. A dreadful gale passed over us last night. Many huts and tents were blown down all over th• camp. EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY. We (Herapath) understand that Mr. Waddington has been voted out of the chair of the company by his col- leagues at the board, and that/on the committee inform ing him that, unless he promised to desist from inter fering in the company's affairs, they would be under the painful necessity of sending to every station to for bid the officers and servants to execute any orders from him he promised acquiescence . For this he deserves credit, inasmuch as the committee has no power to in terfere with his authority until his term of office expires. The Eastern Counties traffic, which the circumstances of the time were estimated to benefit rather than to injure, presents the following unsatisfactory results for the last two weeks : Corresponding week of last year. Week ending 2d inst £20,718 £20,033 „ 9th „ Two weeks' traffic...£4o,Boo £48,741 Their neighbours, the Great Northern and the Lon don and North Western, are increasing their revenues largely. CABINET COUNCIL.—On Saturday evening summonses were issued for a meeting of the members of the Cabinet at two o'clock to-morrow, at the Foreign•office, Down in4•street. The whole of the members of the Cabinet will remain in town about a week longer, when they repair to their respective country seats for the Christmas holidays. THE WAR DEPARTMENT.—The war committee of the Cabinet will meet to-morrow at twelve o'clock, at the War Department, in Whitehall-gardens. THE MINISTRY. —Lord Palmerston, Lord Panmure, the Earl of Clarendon, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Baines, and other ministers remain in London. The day for the Cabinet meeting next week has not been decided en, and no summonses have therefore been issued. The Marquis of Lansdowne has left Lord J. Russell's seat near Stroud, and is now the guest of Lord Ashbur ton, at the Grange, Hampshire. Lord Granville is staying on a visit to Lord Sandwich. Lord Harrowby is also out of town. Lord Stanley of Alderley was in attendance on Saturday at the Schools of Art and Design in Malborough-house, Pall-mall. The Queen has appointed Mr. May to the office of first clerk assistant of the House of Commons, vacant by the resignation of Mr. W. Ley. The Queen has conferred the appointment of military knight of Windsor upon Captain Loggan, late of the 7th Fusiliers,—Observer. Lord Palmerston had a dinner party on Saturday even ing at his residence in Piccadilly, and Lady Palmerston afterwards received an assembly of the beau monde in the evening, which comprised the ministers of the diplomatic corps and their ladies, together with the whole of the nobility at present staying in London. The Duke of Rutland has left the Clarendon Hotel for Belvoir Castle, Grantham, Leicestershire. THE DIKE OF NEWCASTLE.— His Grace the Duke of Newcastle arrived at Clumber on Saturday last, in good health. THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE AT WORKSOP.—On Wed nesday night last his Grace the Duke of Newcastle arrived at the Worksop Railway station. A very large concourse of people assembled on the station platform and the approaches to the station, for the purpose of welc3ming and congratulating the duke on his safe re turn from the Crimea. At Clumber his grace was received witb, if possible, still greater enthusiasm.-- Nottingham Journal. SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY, EXETER HALL.--The final Christmas performance of Handers "Messiah " takes place on Friday next, the 21st inst,, when Madame Clara Novello makes her first appearance this season !at Exeter Hall. LIVERPOOL, Saturday, Dec, 15.—The British and North-American mail-steamerAsia,Eldridge commander, sailed from this port this morning for Boston, with a full cargo and 67 passengers, among whom was Mr. George Cruikshank. THE LATE Loss OF LIFE IN ST JAMES'S PARR.— OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION.—On Saturday afternoon Mr. C. Bedford, coroner for Westminster, held a long in quiry at the Prince of Orange Tavern, Victoria-street, Westminster, into the circumstances attending the deaths of Francis Hall, aged 11 years ; William Crane, aged 10, and William Henry Hibbert, aged 13 years— the three unfortunate youths who lost their lives by being drowned in the ornamental water in St. James's park, on Thursday afternoon last. The different bodies having been identified and evidence adduced, the jury returned a verdict, "That the deceased boys lost their lives by the accidental breaking of the ice," accompa nied by a recommendation that "the Royal Humane Society should communicate with the Commissioners of the Board of Works, with a view to adopt some plan for keeping the people off the ice until it was certified by the society to be in a safe condition." FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE BLA.CIEWALL RAILWAT.—On Saturday, Mr. Payne held an inquest at the East India Tavern, Fenchurch-street, on the body of Thomas J uvey, who was killed on Friday morning, on the London and Blackwell Railway. Evidence having been taken, the jury returned a verdict of " Accidental death." FATAL AND DESTRUCTIVE EXPLOSION OF GUNPOWDER FOUR LIVES LOST.—.-At Coseley, near Sedgley, in South Staffordshire, there occurred en Friday a sad ac cident, which demonstrated in a melancholy manner the great danger of a practice for blasti ng t e common amongst th e overseer miners of that district—that o f keeping largetheir qduwaenitliitnieg. s p o u n ria th o e day ses an stated an explc sion of gunpowde r which sum has i killed four ee. p ehre o houses. gunpowder A t the place ek place , destroyeds per sons, s, injuredproperty e s r e t v y e several a con siderab l e la e other s—some dangerously —and s e ly f —t three immediate scene of the disaster was houses belonging to Mr. J. Cotterill, and situated at the t C i u o n p p i n c n e, o t n h e the s t r e o n a r d y fr a o l m i ey S e h d r a g l n e y e h t oD n ft e h e e p fi L e n l n de , a den andsta- North-Western Railway. FRANCE. PARIS, Sunday Evening.—An official announce ment of the fall of Kars has just reached Paris. General Mouravieff imposed the most severe terms. The garrison are all prisoners of war. They were starving, but held out most heroically to the very last hour. On the 28th of November, Omer Paella, with the main body of his army, was at Sugdidi. From this point 14,000 men had been sent on to Tfeketel to assist the operations of Mustapha Pacha, who is trying to approach Ourgheti. It is supposed that the Russians at Kutais num ber about 35,000 men. The Generalissimo was wa T it i i ,: g p re r izforc e a e . u m r e i n en ts t attacked.b s e t f a o t r e ehe uhat the Czar, on looking on the ruins of Sebastopol, exclaimed— " Peace now is impossible." It was said that Reschid Pacha had again achieved influence. Admiral Stewart had been received by the Sultan. The accounts from all parts of the Russian empire continue to be very distressing. According to intelligence from Vienna on Satur day, the subscription to the Bank of Commerce and Industry reached nearly 550 millions of florins. Yesterday the Emperor reviewed an infantry division at the Place du Carrousel, which is about to proceed to Lyons. BOURSE, Dec. 15.—The following are th• last quotations : Cash. th e. End of Month. 4i per Cents. 9l 50 —f. --a. 3 per Cents 64 60 65 10 New Loan 65 60 Bank Shares 3210 Roman Credit Mobilior 1307 50 A.ustrian B e l g ian Fivos — Spanish Threos Pi e d mon t ese B7 Home Debt 34 RAILWAYS-808 CARL fr. C. C. Orlqans ... 1125 - Western 7:65 g Northern 895 --Strasburg Lyons ••• New Ditt o ..... 7st 25 M e diterranean Grand C en t ra l 5BO Lyons Geneva 670 Teste Cette AMERICA. ARRIVAL OF THE CANADA. LIVERPOOL, SUNDAY. This afternoon theßoyal Mail steam-ship Canada, Captain Lang, arrived in the Mersey at 3 o'clock, with the usual mails from the United States and British North America. She has brought 136 passengers, but no specie. She left Boston on the sth, at 10 a m., and Halifax on the 6th, at midnight. The Atlantic from hence, on the 17th ult., ar rived at New York on the 30th. After two days' balloting for Speaker of the House of Representatives, on the 3d and 4th De cember, no choice had been effected. The candi dates were Richardson, Democrat, Illinois ; Campbell, Free Soil Know• Nothing, of Ohio ; and Marshall, Democrat Know-Nothing, of Kentucky ; Banks, Democrat Know-Nothing, of Massachus setts ; Fuller, Whig, of Pennsylvania ; and Pen nington, Whig, of New York. Four ballots were taken in the first day, and the following is the result : Richardson first votes, 74, fourth, 72 Campbell „ 52, „ 57 Marshall „ 30, „ 30 Banks „ 21, „ 22 Fulfer „ 17, „ 17 Pennington „ 7, » 8 SECOND DAT. Five ballots, and the following is the result Richardson first votes, 74, fifth, 75 Campbell ~ 68, „ 51 Banks ~ 23 , ~, 31 Fuller ~ 4'o f If Marshall ” 19, „ 16 . ~ The New York _Herald states that such arrange ments were perfected as would lead to the organi sation of the house on the sth ; therefore the Pre sident's Message would be delivered on the 6th. A Washington despatch says some rich develop ments with regard to British enlistment in the United States are provisioned in the President's Message. The following is a summary statement of appro priation required by the Secretary of the Treasury: —For deficiencies of the current fiscal year, 1,367,757 dole., of which 1,188,181 dols. is to sup ply the deficiency in the Post-office revenues. The estimate of permanent and indefinite appropriations which may be required for the last three quarters of the current fiscal year under former Acts of Congress is 5,965,228. The estimate for the next fiscal year, including appropriations by former Acts of Congress of a permanent and indefinite charac ter, is 52,754,675 dols. ; excluding the permanent and indefinite appropriations the amount is 45,114,765 dols., to which must be added the unex pended existing appropriations not required for the present fiscal year, 16,695,817 dols. Total esti mate for the next year, 69,450,492 dole. The Hon. John Appleton has resigned as Secre tary of the Legation, London, and Mr. Buchanan cannot leave until the new Minister is appointed. The Irish delegates, from the United States and Canada, are iu session at Astor House. Robert Tyler, of Pennsylvania, is chosen president. The object supposed is the in vas i on o f I re l an d b y some charitable organisation, by others proceeding pri vate. There have been outbreaks at Arkansas be tween the free state and prc-slavery settlers. Se veral persons killed, and a number of houses burned. California advices are to the sth, and 2,000,000 d. in specie, per steamers Star of the West and George Law. The financial condition of San Francisco is represented as gloomy. A prominent house in the Russian commercial trade had failed. The markets were dull and quiet, although, in the interior towns, they were brisk, with prospects of increase at the commencement of the rainy season. Our Havanna advices, to the 20th November, report the sugar trade to be active ; and by the way of New Orleans, we have additional news from Mexico. On the 27th February next, the seat of Government will be removed from Mexico to Do lores de Hidelaga. It has been retransferred from Halpau to Mexico. It is now asserted that Alvarez and Viddurri are on friendly terms. There are serious difficulties in the Alvarez Cabinet, and Santa Anna's friends were not idle in the cause. From St. Domingo we learn that trade is dull, and that money and produce are scarce. The new coffee crops are small. RUSSIA. The Inv atide Busse publishes a report of a "san guinary action" which took place on the 6th o f November, between a Russian corps under Gene ral Koucherinko and a body of mountaineers of the tribe of the Tchetchen. The Russians seem to have commenced the movement, and, as far as can be gathered from the telegraphic report, to have been worsted. -- Aletter from St. Petersburg, of the 6tb, in the Pays, says : "There is a great scarcity of gun flints in Russia. 1 contract had been made with a Vienna firm which, in consequence of the prohibition of the Austrian Govern ment, has not been able to send them hither. A premium has been offered to any one who will di scover fli nt , or the means of manufacturing it. An American house, it is said, took up . the affair, and engaged to supply the Russian army with the material, by sending it through France ; but the French Government has also stopped it, so that the Russian Government is on the point of seeing its armies with flintless muskets." PRUSSIA. A letter from Berlin, in the Hamburg Correspon dent, says :—" There is much talk in our diploma tic circles of the reply which the Court of St. Petersburg is said to have given to the representa tions of Bavaria and Saxony. It is rumoured that the mediation of these two German States is not directly rejected, nor is it either clearly ac cepted. It nevertheless appears that Russia wishes to reserve herself this mode of getting out of her embarrassment, and that she is disposed to accept the means of re-est a bli s hi ng peace , which these two powers recommend." SPAIN. MADRID, Dec. B.—The state of parties here makes it generally believed that Ministerial modi fications will shortly take place, but there is no talk of either Espartero or O'Donnell leaving the direction of affairs at present. To-day is the festival of the Conception, and the first anniversary since the immaculate concep tion of the Virgin Mary has been proclaimed as a dogma of faith by the Pope ; it is always kept as a close holiday, but is to be celebrated to-day with more than usual pomp. The Cortes are occupied with details of the army estimates. They adjourned last evening till the 10th, not choosing to sit to-day, and to-morrow being Sunday. There was no Bolsa to-day. CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. We have received files of papers from the Cape of Good Hope to the Ist of October inclusive. Everything at the colony Was going on satisfac torily. The Militant Gazette of Vienna of the 9th says : " General Bebutoff has established his head-quarters at Kutais, and intends shortly to assume the offensive rgainst the Turkish army of Anaklea and Redoubt Kale. The Russians have good winter quarters in the valleys, and the army is abundantly supplied with all that it requires by the populations of Armenia, the commissariat paying cash for all they received." LATEST NEWS. THE FALL OF KARS. ST. PETERSBURG, DEC. 16. The Invikle Busse announces that Kars was surrendered to General Mouravieff on the 26th of November. The Muchir, Wassif Paella, eight other Pachas, General Williams, and the entire garrison are prisoners of war. Previous to the above being received Galignani wrote as follows :—" As a military position, Kars is worthless ; and the key to Armenia, the pass of the Soghlani-dagb, or "Onion Mountain," has been occupied by General Mouravieff since the commencement of his campaign. It was this occupation which prevented Selim Pacha, at Erze roum, from reinforcing and re-victualling the garrison of Kars. The only adTantage which would be gained by the Russians from the re duction of Kars will be the final destruction of the Anatolian army, which, after having sur vived two disastrous campaigns, a siege, and three terrible winters, would terminate its immediate military career by a capitulation. At the com• mencemcnt of the Eastern war this army probably amounted to 60,000 men, but the sanguinary defeats of Baindir, Soobattan, Bayezid, Akhiska, and Kurukdere, coupled with the ravages effected by pestilence and famine, have reduced it to less than 16,000 men, the present strength of that garrison. A splendid park of field artillery, numbering 120 pieces, and a few heavy siege guns, will likewise fall , into the hands of the victors. Beyond this nothing would accrue to the Russians, for the town of Kars itself is but a con gregation of mud huts and squalid dwelling houses, dominated by an ancient Genoese citadel long since in ruins, and unsusceptible of defence. No plunder, for the inhabitants are poverty stricken. VIENNA, DEC. 16. Count Esterhazy leaves to-day for St. Peters- burg. It is understood that he is bearer of most im portant despatches, containing the propositions for a pacification, as finally resolved on. WARSAW, DEC. 13. An order of the Superior Council of Adminis tration enjoins all the inhabitants of the kingdom to offer gifts to the defenders of Sebastopol. MARSEILLES, DEC. 16. The Thabor has arrived. The news from the Crimea states that the snow continued to fall. The intelligence is confirmed that, in the spring, the English army of the East will com prise six Divisions, in two corps d'armee, to be respectively commanded by Generals Campbell and Eyre. Up to the departure of the courier, Omer Pacha had not attacked Kutais, and had moved his head-quarters to Redout-Kale. The Turkish army of operation consisted of 40,000 men ; but the transport service was diffi cult in consequence of the weather. The snow covered the table-lands of Armenia. The Auxiliary Division which had left Erze roum for Kars had not been able to advance. WEST INDIA AND PACIFIC MAILS, SOUTHAMPTON, MONDAY, 11. 30 A.m. The Royal mail steam ship Parana, Captain ElEstop, with the West India and Pacific mails, has just entered the river. THE BRITISH EXPEDITION. (Prom the Times Correspondent.) CAMP BEFORE SEBASTOPOL, DEC. 4. There has been a complete dearth of incident since I last wrote. We are in the status quo. Pos sibly the mud is deeper, and the Russians fire more than usual upon the town. There is no change in the attitude of the enemy. The storm of Saturday morning taxed the new huts severely, and they are by no means highly spoken of ; they are too frail, and lightly built, and the rain and wi n d p ass through with uncomfortable facility. The huts con structed in the sides of the hills by the French and Sardinians are much more comfortable, and do not cost a tithe of the money. They are roofed with wattles, covered with mud and earth, and if they are rather dark they are at all events warm and water-tight. It is now said that the men would have done much better if the authorities had Bent out nails, hammers, planks, old canvass, and some glass. The "races" were the great object of a tt rac ti on and of talk during the week, and th e s t ewar d s can only wonder at their good fortune in the weather, whic h w as such as p erm itt e d a ll w h o cou ld get away from duty to go to the cou rse if th e y pleased. Monday was like a breezy English Octo ber day, with just enough of cold to make exercise pleasant ; the ground dried up amazingly, and the course was altogether in a very sound and excellent condition. The spot where the races took pl ace was ix a valley between the French head-quarters and the Monastery, about two miles from the sea shore, and the distance from camp was too great to permit the atteniance of many of the so ldi e rs—a circumstance which General Coirington regretted, as the cheering effects of such assemblages among English soldiers are undoubted ; but no other piece of ground equally good and large enough for the purpose was a vailable withi n easy reac h o f th e camp. The races were well attended. Marshal Pelissier drove over in an open carriage, preceded by a solitary Spahis (who seems the last of the bright-eyed, wild-looking, and picturesque warriors who formed St. Arnaud's escort), and followed by a body guard of regular cavalry. Several of his staff and a large number of French officers were also present, and seemed to take a lively interest in the races. General de la Marmora, and many Sar dinian officers, paid us the compliment of com ing over from the neighbourhood of Tchorgoun, and Sir William Codrington, attended by a single orderly, rode across from the English Head quarters, and remained on the ground till the principal races were over. The divisional gene rals, brigadiers, colonels, and ataff-officers were plentiful as blackerries, and though the only repre sentative of the fair sex was Mrs. Seacole, who presided over a sorely invested tent full of crea ture comforts, the course had a very animated appearance owing to the number and variety of uniforms, and at the same time the do mestic character of the scene was preserved by the efforts of a band of Ithiopian sere naders, furnished by amateurs from the Guards, who favoured us with abundance of the peculiar vocal and instrumental music in vogue among that interesting race. The course was over two miles and three-quarters long, and abounded with " famous obstacles" in the shape of banks and stone walls close on four feet high, hurdles, and a brook twelve feet wide. The following is the card of the Course : GRAND MILITARY STEEPLECHASES, MONDAY, DEC. 3, 1855. STEIVIEDS. Viscount Talon, Chasseurs d'Afriquo. Ist Division, Major Astley, Fusilier Guards. 2.1 Division, Lieutenant-Colonel Danbeny, 62d. 3d Division, Major Hudson, 39th. Cavalry, Mr, Wilkin, 11th Hussars, The Marquis de Spinola. Highland Division, Colonel Taylor, 79th. 4th Division, Major Wombwell, 46th. Light Division, Mr. Dixon, 7th Fuailiers. Royal Artillery, Captain Connell. Royal Engineers, Major Nicholson. First Race-12 o'clock.—The Grand International Steeple Chase—a Sweepstakes of 51. each, with 601. added for all horses, the property of, and to be ridden by, officers of the allied armies. The second horse to receive 101. 12st 71b each. Two miles. Capt. Smith's (R.A.) b. g. Muster Roll. (Major Yel yodel], R.A.) Red, black cap. 1 Capt. Prentis's (Scotch Greys) g, g. Tho Marquis Blue jacket and ca p Capt. blade's (Inniskillings) ch g Planet. (Major Hunt ............................................... :•••• 3 COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. Money at New York is active, and an unusual supply of capital for temporary loans. Stocks firm. The cotton market, before the arrival of the Atlantic, was buoyant, under anticipation of an:advance in Liver. pool. Since the receipt the tone has been desponding in the extreme, and sales heavy, the decline varyieg from lc. to lc. Flour fell off about lc. to le., 12:3c. per barrel for com mon medium. Wheat was inactive, without material change in prices for good qualities. Corn easier. Provisions. —Pork and beef heavy, and unchanged. Lard active and ernited. Sugar active. ri eights firm for Liverpool and London. Exchange on London, 108-1 to 1081 ; Paris, 5.23 A to 5.20 ; Amsterdam, 401 to 41 ; Bremen, 771 to 77i ; Hamburg, 351 ; Antwep, 5.23 to 5.20. RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS. TRAFFIC RETURNS FOR THE PAST WEEK. Miles Receipts. opened, NAME OF RAILWAY. 1855. - 1854. ---- 1855. -...-....• BRITISH. £ £ 11 5 Aberdeen .......... ...... .... . „... 2,724 3,133 37% Belfast and Ballymena •............. 754 759 17 Belfast and County D0wn...... •• • • .. - - 83 Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire 2,042 1,935 26 % Bolton, Blackin trn, and West York •. • • - - 1 17 Bristol and Exeter .• .......... ••• • .. 4,866 5,472 191 4 Caledonian.... ......... ............ 11,255 10,540 941 4 Chester and Holyhead••• .. • • .... •• • • 4,442 4,801 6 Cork, Bladltrock, and Passage ••• • •• 119 156 20 Cork and Bandon ................ - 255 29 - , 56 Dublin and Belfast Junction •• .. •• • • 815 1,261 63 Dublin and Drogheda...... ......... 1,173 1,544 7N Dublin and Kingstown ........ -- • • 615 695 16. 7 i Dundee and Arbroath •••••••• • • • • • • - - 31 Dundee, Perth, and Aberdeen Junction 830 963 257 40J 36 Dundalk and Enniskillen • • .. • • • • • • • • 67% East Anglian.... .• -•••••••• • • • • • • • • 77 3 90 ! 0 93 East Lancashire •• • • .... •••••• • • •• • • 4,900 ,195 417 Eastern Counties and Norfolk.. ••.. } 20,709 20,083 Eastern Union •. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 142 Edinburgh and Glasgow ............. 4,839 5,000 7 8 Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee- •• - 2,753 2,798 6 Exeter and Crediton.. • • ...• • • • • • • • • - - 22 Furness Railway •• • •••••• • • " • • " - - 183 % Glasgow, and South-Western• • ...... 5,070 5,522 283 Great Northern and E. L.• • - ...... 23,777 25,864 2033! Great Southern and Western (Ireland) 6,042 6,614 3593% Groat Western .................... 21,508 2 2,649 25 IA Irish South Eastern --••••.. • • •• .. - _ 90 Lancaster and Carlisle .• .• • • .. .. 270 1 4 Lancashire and Yorkshire..• •--• • • • 13,607 120,051 - Leeds Northern .. • • .. • • _ 161 Liverpool, Crosby, and Southport _- - 553% London and North Western 5% London and P•laciws.ll 1,164 1,098 1811% 1 London, Brighton, and South Con.st 10,840 10,543 267 London and South Western 11,580 , 12,614 60 Londonderry and Enniskillen - Manchester, Buxton, and Matlock, &c - - 173 1 ,( Manchester, Sheffield,and Lincolnshire 8 , 965 9,535 9% Manchester and South Junction...-. 613 643 23 Maryport and Carlisle 498% Midland .•• • • ••••••••••• • •• •• • • • • 25,816 27,111 12634 Midland Great, Western (Irish) 37 Monklands ............... - - - 783% Newcastle and Carlisle-- --•• .. • • - - 149 North British - North Staffordshire - - 47 North-Western 874 840 82% Scottish Central .............. • • 32 Scottish Midland •• ••••••• • • • •• - • • - - 29% Shrewsbury and Birmingham ••• • .• 8117 1,242 48 Shrewsbury and Chester 30 Shropshire Union Bl3 2,3 843 5 73 South Devon.. • • .....• .... 289 South Eastern.... .... 14,030 15,305 1623{ South Wales ........ •..• .......... 4,398 5,426 97 South York., Doncaster, and Goole .. 1,594 2,170 39 Taff Yale •......................... 3,331 3,710 36 ITlster. . - •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• " " - - •" - - 77 Waterford and Limerick •........... 801 1,344 273,E West Cornwall ...... ..... ....... 450 462 12 Whitehaven Junction ............... 360 311 682 York and Newcastle, and Berwick & York and North Midland & Leeds.. - - FOREIGN. 89 Dutch Rhenish .. •• •• .............. 813 1,304 - Lyons and Mediterranean • ......... - _ - Montereau and Troyes •••••••••••• .. - - - Namur and Liege .. • • .............. - - - Northern of France ••••-•••• •• .. .. - _ - Orleans and Central .. _ - - Paris and Lyons ...• •••••••••• •• •• - -- - Paris and Rouen. ....• ...... - Paris and Strasburgh •• .... •....... - _ - Rouen and Havre • • .... - - - Western of France •• .• •• •• •• - _ A correspondent, whose semi-diplomatic avocations take him often to the various telegraphic offices, says that he had for some while observed a person of pecu liarly gentlemanly manners, but with an air of consider able reserve, waiting for despatches from the various cities of the Continent. His curiosity as to the mission of this individual became painfully exciting, and at every risk,—now impelled by an anxiety for the safety of his country, now by the more selfish one of curiosity, and anon for no other reason than a desire to solve an appa rently impenetrable mystery,— he determined to know the stranger's objects and purpose. The other night, while peace negotiations were rife, he found his man waiting as usual. He wa3 evidently anxious. This could be seen, through all his highly-schooled imperturbabi lity. He had received and was hastening away with his despatch, when, says our informant, I mentally ejacu lated, " Now or never, and England is saved !" Dash ing after him I snatched the document from his hand, exclaiming, " Sir, you have taken lily answer by mis take." Another second, and I had held the document to the light of the electric lamp and read. "Bonnets are worn larger." It was a message from Paris to the Maison de Nouveautta in Regent-street, followed by advices that cases of chapeaux were en route per steamer. I stammered out an apology to the courier of fashion, and went back to my duties, not a much wiser no ra better man, but a considerably smaller one in my no tions of my powers of penetrating individual purpose and character. The Berlin Waterworks, which have just been built, with exclusively English capital, by Sir Charles Fox and M. Crampton (the latter being the actual desi gner an d engineer), are in process of being opened. THE FALr, OF KARS. (From the Times ) Capable of being roused to the most sublime fights of heroism, and of performing the most daring acts of de votion—capable of compensating the want of numbers by and the want of skill by desperate and unflinching courage—man is, after all, a macLiae, and a machine ',either of the most durable nor serviceable description. Withhold from him but a sufficient amount of that nourishment which he requires in common with the dullest and meanest of the animal creation, and the arm who bad faced unmoved death in a hundred of its most terrible shapes must yield for want of a few grains of rice to allay his hunger, or a cup of water to quench his thirst, Th e a d m i ra ti on o f a ll E uro p e h a d b een so vividly excited at the wonderful defence of Kara—at the almost superhuman valour which hurled back, for seven hours of incessant attack, in hopeless rout and with in credible slaughter, a brave and well-disciplined enemy— that we seem to have forgotten that the men who accom plished these prodigies were mortal and destructible like ourselves. The poet complains that by the side of his mistress he forgot that she could die, and the garrison of Kars may with some reason lament that, dazzled by the brilliancy of their exploits, those whose duty it was to support and to relieve them forgot that they could not exist %About food. We know not yet in de tail, but we may well conceive for ourselves, what must have been the feelings of that heroic band when, after the first tumultuous joy of an almost incredible success had ebbed away, they began to perceive that all this gallant blood had flowed in vain, and that those whom they had just repelled in headlong confusion from their beleaguered outworks bad enlisted on their side an ally more formidable than infantry or artillery—the gaunt spectre Famine, whose approaches no sortie can arrest, no bravery resist, no skill countermine. The rapid and destructive effects of modern artillery, as compared with the slow and imperfect means of attack possessed by the ancients, have rendered the reduction of fortified places by famine a much less frequent incident in modern than in ancient warfare. The genius of Cervantes has com memorated in a noble tragedy the fall of Numantia, under the arms of Scipio Africanus, and described with painful minuteness and reality the gradual triumph of hunger over valour, discipline, and patriotism ; and we this day receive from the graphic pen of Mr. Macaulay the narrative of the siege of Londonderry, signalised, like that of Kars, by the pressure of sickness and famine, but sadly differing in the final catastrophe. It is as yet only from narratives like these that we can imagine what has been done and suffered in that long and grievous agony of eight weeks which has vanquished the victors, and turned the scene of their triumph into that of their captivity. There is a desire in human nature to pry into and gauge its utmost suffer ings, and to place oneself in the situation of those who have undergone the last extremities of misery. For such efforts of the representative faculty the siege of Kars affords scanty but yet sufficient materials. We know that, even in the midst of their successes they'were de cimated by cholera, and we may well conceive the ex pedients to which they must have been reduced when we read that many days before the capitulation all the horses but one had died of hunger. The Turkish troops are peculiarly capable of enduring privation, and were in tsis instance stimulated to the utmost abstinence that human nature can endure by the knowledge that if they could only hold out a little longer the intolerable oold of winter in that elevated region -8,000 feet above the level of the sea—must necessarily relieve them from the blockade. It was, indeed, a race between cold and fa mine, the Russians relying on starving the garrison into submission before they were frozen into retreat, and the Turks hoping that winter might intervene to save then from a fate to which their countrymen and their allies had listlessly resigned them. The advance of Omer Pa sha also must have inspired hopes of a diversion, and in duced the garrison to exert the utmost endurance, when a single day sooner or later might make all the difference between liberty and captivity, between victory and defeat. If we are to measurethe passive courage of the defenders of Kars by their active bravery, we can have no doubt that such men, so excited, underwent all, and more than all, that the physical structure of man enables him to under go. We do not yet know what were the obstacles which checked the advance of the Turks upon Kars, and whether they consisted in anything more than that en pineness and timidity of the Generals of which we have had such frequent experience. But we may well ask why the brave General Williams, after creating out of the most hopeless materials and under the most adverse conditions a force of which we may at any rate say that it has accomplished a feat of arms second to none that has been achieved in the course of this war, was left to perish, unaided and uncared for, while there were so many thousands of his countrymen on the neighbouring shores .of the Crimea ? Possibly an attempt by a de tachment of the English army to relieve Kars would have been unsuccessful, but surely we have a right to ask why no pains were taken even to ascertain the pose sibility of such an undertaking? Does any one believe that, without General Williams and his brave com panions in arms, the Turks would ever have succeeded in the defence of the 29th of September Who can say that if the detachment at Erzeroum had been similarly led—still more, had it been strengthened by a small contingent of English soldiers—the attempt to relieve the place would have been abandoned as hope. less and impracticable ? Had Omer Pasha been bei sieged in Kars and General Williams been at the head of a relieving force, does any one doubt that the attempt, at any rate, would have been made, that the garrison would not have been abandoned, without struggle, to the pangs of hunger and the miseries captivity? It were better to have risked much than have .bandoned this glorious band to a fate so un worthy and deplorable. There is no more gallant Eng lishman living than General Williams—no one who, in the course of this war, has performed services of equal magnitude ; and good reason ought to be given why such a leader, such efficers, and such an army have been left to their fate. We are not disposed to underrate the merits or the success of the Russian General. Of the desperate cou rage of the attack on the 29th of September the fright ful loss sustained is sufficient evidence, as it is also evidence of the little hope that General Mouravieff then had that he would be permitted to prolong his blockade without interruption. Si ca then be has persevered with great endurance and against enormous difficulties, and has gained the success due alike to his patience and our supineness. He has conferred on his master a signal benefit, and given to him something to set off against the uniform course of defeat which has attended the arms of Russia from the first conflict at Oltenitza to the passage of the Ingour. Russia has now something to put against Sebastopol, and, if the conquest be infi nitely smaller and won by less glorious means, it is at any rate complete. The Russian garrison withdrew unmolested across the harbour of Sebastopol, but the whole garrison of Kars, nine Pashas, and, above all, General Williams and his officers, the life and spirit of the whole remain prisoners in the hands of the con queror. War is, at best, a checkered game, and we must not duly repine at reverses ; but there is nothing so bard to bear with patience as a loss which, according to all appearances, spirit and foresight far less than those dis played in the defence of the place would have been suf• ficient to avert. SUB-IRRIGATION WITH LIQUID MANURE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE BUN. SlR,—As every true application of liquid manure to the production of large and healthy crop., by easy pro• eesses, is of great value towards producing that convic tion in the minds of the ratepayers of the metropolis which is to lead them to utilise their sewage waters in• stead of poisoning therewith the waters of the Thames and the atmosphere of their habi►ations, I beg to call at tention to the sub-irrigation carried on by Mr. Wilkins, near Reading station, for the last three seasons. In July last I visited the gardens, and was much pleased with the extremely healthy and regular crops then growing. A very fine parcel of hemp was 6i feel long, and nut at maturity. This was grown in eleven weeks of dry weather. Flax was equally forward. Mangold-wurtzel, peas, beans, potatoes, carrots, ccb• bage, rhubarb, all looked in the most prosperous condi• tion—hops especially so. Last year the produce, as shown at the London Ta vern, was most wonderful, and now it will not be less so: All this is the result of manuring on a correct anti natural principle ; and as a company is to be formed to carry it out on a large scale, it is desirable that every one who takes an interest in such things should see the crops on the land. It is proposed to set apart a portion of the lands or profits of the company for the benefit of the orphans of soldiers lost in the war. In J uly I saw potatoes dug out of sawdust and sand, sub-irrigated, and they were equal to the beet of any' crop. The Duke of Wellington and Mr. Commissioner Fane, and many others, have since visited the grounds, and admitted the produce to be excellent, and far superior to the ordinary method. Martin Doyle, the famous writer on small farms, also inspected the crops last year, and in his book on small farms, and also in the " Family Economist," has re' ported the facts and his impressions in his usual lively manner, but with solid truthfulness. I am the more anxious that this subject should be actively investigated, as I see in it the means of not only improving our waste lands and waste populations, but of freeing our towns from waste drainage, without creating any bad vapours from irrigating meadows on the surface, as at some planes has been done through wasteful ignai ran ce I It was reported some years ago that the whole of Westminster, proper, could be drained with pipes, a nd the am , at an expense of 25,0 sewage a ca n dirfr ithi s ed back could to b e Fuh realised l for any p ar t o f the metropolis admitting of free access to the country, what a gain it would be compared to the mighty intercepting sewers and tidal waste of sewage now talked of. There can be no question that the wisest and best method for the ratepayers is to expend their money so as it way enable others to use the sewage for profitable put' poses, and to avail themselves of all suggestions tending thereto. W. W. An order has been issued from the War•office that those men who volunteered from the Provisional 13a . taboo as orderlies in the hospital at Smyrna, being n° longer required, will return to their duty at the Chathata station. Orders have been received at the head-quarters of the Royal Engineers at Woolwich to have a company read/ to proceed to Aldershott, to be employed under th• command of General Sir F. Smith, K.H. The 2 6 th company of the same corps, under the command of Car tain Walker, will proceed to Chatham on Monday to be instructed in field-works, &c. M 0: COW The Li . with a ye The sale: cornprisir Surat 3.1 per lb. quiet, at The Fi degree of Public Fi dency to of sellers this, hov Yanced ± other Stc It was s from the speculate Were not way Seri in conse favourab Lyons, 7 sf. ; Gro and Ausi The c , rally qui w' !nand. wheat fi Black . S any rise France I to hand of grain, Accou mission the prof the Gra to coast . Saragos: structioi most ac populati principa finest 11 only in quence conveys The market g in requc The ( • dency ii 4 The watehec change its negc 41; may ex `tical, el • deratioi ,receive( been dc would suming bonds fore, at bad for interea such at that th much f probab by the The conseq terhaz' mittin expect have 1 some i 16' 3 poi 3 pci Naw BR] Con. FR] Bra: Por