The Sun. — London, England, 1856-12-18 00:00:00

FRANCE AND SWITZERLAND. (From the Daily News. ) For a sensible man, the Emperor of the French does make sad blunders at times. When under the influence of personal susceptibilities he is apt to say, or cause to be said for him, things he must after wards wish had been left unsaid. The threats which Count Walewski was instructed to utter against the Belgian Government for not gagging the Belgian press, in contravention of Belgialaw, was the first of these hetises that attracted much notice. The fulmination of the Moniteur against the English press was the next. The article on the Neu chatel question which appeared in yesterday's Monitevr is the third, and infinitely the most absurd of the three. The attempt to intimi- date Belgium betrayed a 'want of magnanimity ; the denunciation of the English press was a sheer waste of words ; but in both instances it might be urged in extenuation of the blunder that the Em peror was wincing under sharp and unceremonious criticism, more or less merited. But the tirade against Switzerland is an explosion of self-love much less easily accounted for than either of the other two. The Swiss Government has not said or done anything uncourteous towards the Emperor of the French ; it has merely, with all courtesy, declined to see with his eyes, and act in humble obedience to his dictates, in a matter where its dig nity and power of self-preservation are at stake. And for acting thus the Swiss Government is ac cused of "exaggerated susceptibility," and of seek ing to " gratify demagogic influences ;" and is haughtily told that, in so far as France is con cerned, Switzerland " must not be astonished if, in the course of events, she should no longer find. the goodwill which she might so easily have ob tained at the cost of a very slight sacrifice." Now what is this " very slight sacrifice ?" From the foundation of the Helvetic League in 1815 till 1848 the constitution of the Canton of Neuchatel was a most anomalous one. It was a monarchical member of a Republican Confederation. In 1848 the citizens of Neuchatel embraced an opportunity to assimilate their domestic institutions to those of the confederate states. This, as a sovereign state, mem ber of a confederation of states, they had a perfect right to do. The Central Government of Switzer land, consequently, accepted the new constitution of Neuchatel as a fait accompli. Since 1848 the citizens of Neuchatel have remained, and they still remain, perfectly contented with their new form of government. Some months ago a few individuals, acting apparently in concert with and at the instigation of foreigners, att4rnpted to overturn the republican government of Neuchatel. They im puted no oppression or injustice to the government against which they arose in arms. They were utterly unsupported by anything that could be called popu lar sympathy. They were put down by the local authorities, in a few hours, with as much ease as a meal-mob or any other riot might have been. There , never was a clearer case of unjustifiable insurrec- tion against constituted authorities. Contemptible though the emente was, the Supreme Government of the Helvetic League owed it to its own dignity, and to the security of all peaceable citizens, to in stitute a judicial inquiry into the conduct of the ringleaders of the insurrection. There is not a Go vernment in the world that would not have acted —that has not at times acted—in the same way. The Federal Government of America caused Col. Barr to be tried for high treason. The English Go vernment had Frost and the leaders of Young Ire land tried for their insurrectionary attempts. In the continental states of Europe trials for political offences have been no rarities during the last quar ter of a century. In resolving to put the Neuchatel rioters upon their trial, the Helvetic authorities only did what it was unquestionably their right and their duty to do. The unwarrantable attempt of the foreign Monarch—who was suspected on strong grounds of having been at least privy to the designs of the emeutiers—to call in question the legality of this exercise of the undoubted right of a sovereign government, rendered it more than ever necessary for the Helvetic authorities to carry their resolution into effect. To have abstained from an exercise of their sovereign right, from fear of the threats of a foreign power, would have been such a confession of weakness and cowardice as could not have failed to invite further aggressions. What had been at first merely a ques tion of expediency became a question of self-pre servation and a point of national honour. Tee " demand" of the French Government, that the Swiss authorities should forthwith release their prisoners, was neither more nor less than a demand that they should renounce their rights as the sove reign government of an independent state. Even on the plea of humanity the " demand" was alto gether unwarrantable. It was an insult to the Central Government of the Helvetic League to as sume that it would not temper justice with mercy. To such a " demand" there was only one reply, and that the Swiss authorities have most properly given. They have civilly declined to sacrifice their own rights and the rights of the Helvetic nation, and have allowed the judicial investigation to take its course. It is to be hoped that the Central Government of the Helvetic League may be strengthened to endure with equanimity the loss of the " goodwill" of the Emperor of the French, with which they are threatened. Anything more serious they have not to fear. The King of Prussia is notoriously more given to speak about swords than to use them. The "goodwill" of the French Government wills not be needed on 'the present occasion. And if Switzerland is so unfortunate as to fall into the had graces of. the French Government, she may console herself with the lively sympathy which her digni fied conduct will excite among all truly liberal Go vernments. In rejecting the insidious counsels of France, Switzerland is in truth asserting the com mon rights of all constitutional states. The " de mand" that the Neuchatel prisoners should be set at liberty was in fact an attempt to obtain an ad mission that popular Governments have not an equal right with despotic Governments to punish rebels. What would Austria have said to any " demand" from a foreign Government to liberate Robert Blum without trial ? What would Napoleon 111. have said to any " demand" from a foreign G)- vernment to liberate the emeutiers of Angers ? And what right has any King or Kaiser, who would have resented such an interference with his own exercise of sovereign authority, to call in question the title of the republican Government of Switzer land to indict a just punishment on conspirators, Who have endeavoured by force of arms to subserve the ambition of a foreign Prince at the expense of their country's liberties ? (From the Times.) The N euchatel question forms the subject of a s d e a r y i r s p a rzas no ; uncement in the Moniteur of yester had sou g h t 41'o' as was already known to the wo r ld, intercession of France, which ac cordingly asked release th e th eß oyal . Swiss Federal Government to trial. As this was w ist prisoners, for her sake, without as to be done a.t the solicitation of France, it assumed that the honour of the Federal Government would be saved, and that committed to France would be com t offices for a settlem e e — t employ her good with th,e ideas of s witze t the, question in conformity declined, and the af e . eie r ,"( l - The offer has been arnpadttclethoad followtilot:: i Ihe with a little of that ver7 ; l , r a h .. ow informs the world, Switzerland,she does h t o h t at ah t d he o l n at t t h e e r with some reason to et testiness which is ascribed must rot be surprised i f tie ue rn n o y i e g s : t i have thegen obtained ui n e sideof France the good will a a conclusion ap at a yery sligli i k sacrifice. pears to us sAittle in harm ° , the original kindness which must have pro m t intercession that we hope it is and that France is not really going r overstated example of the two disputants, point of honour into the quarrel. We . throw another that the days had gone by when Europ e wl3 to convulsed with questions of eti q uett e , and t oe trifles light as air, of abso lutel y no substantial ial significance, were to be made the occasi on of th e most real and momentous disasters. If Fran ce, however, is to discontinue he r mediatio n for' the peace of her neighbohrs simply because one of fer has been declined, one experiment has not she _ ceeded, one view of things not been adopted, ar o •f the result of that express and formal withdrawal is encouragement to the stronger and discourage ment to the weaker, then we feel that we have overrated the progress of liberal and ratie - ial ideas. The boast that we live in the uiue teenth century does not in that case mean quite so much as we thought. It is still possible for a world to be shaken for a continent to be deluged with ul ith _nviar blood, for civilisation to be arrested in d progress, on some question of mere fornaandanner. Whatever other °barges might be brought m against the alli es i n th e late war, it could never be quarrel was not pretended that the matter of the whole world . and of the gravest consequence to the even now, when another Con ference is about to assemble, there can be no to doubt, at lea s t, as the importance of our de mands. There can be as little doubt as to the utter unimportan ce of the matter in the Neuchatel question. We feel that we have a right heard in this affair, seeing that on various occasions to speak and t o b e we have shown how ready w , e are to sacrifice dig nity when our own material i n t e rest can be set against the general interest is not such as the world. IT Prussia, Switzerland, and peace of will refer to any American authority t , and they France will be informed that we have made it a rule to give up everything in that part of the World, when it was only a name on our side but a substance side of the United States. Yes, we on the emphatically, we have, during the last 20 years, 1 given up a dozen Neuchatel sovereignties or pro tectorates to the Republicans of the New World. We shun the responsibility of disturbing the peace of the world for an empty title. May not Prussia do the same ? May not France counsel her to do so ? There was a time, indeed, when potentates thought it the chief duty of their calling, and the noblest act of their reigns, if they could write their name and plant their foot in some new territory where they neither had any material interest nor the smallest hold on the sympathies and hearty allegiance of the people. That evident folly was redeemed, in the opinion of former ages, by the hope that the single footstep might become at some future day the nucleus and basis of empire. No doubt, when Neuchatel was added to the titles of Prussia there were those who fondly hoped one day to see all Switzerland gathered to the Electoral House of Brandenburg. Young and growing States are apt to indulge in such dreams, and sometimes suffer much before they c m bed sabu se 1 of them. Neuchatel has long lost this speculative interest. She belongs only to the past, and . can have no relation to the future in Prussian eyes. That State, then, which affects so much prescience, and which can act with discretion even when other qua lities might have been expected to predomi , nate, ought to have anticipated the present dis agreeable phase of this question by writing off a barren title from her dignities, and leaving Switzerland at once to the Swiss. It is never too late to repair an omission. What would have been prudent eight years ago is not less so now ; and, even now, Prussia will not lose honour by acting on that suggestion. BUSSIAIV RAIL WAYS. (From the Times' Correspondent.) ST. PETERSBURG, Nov. 30. The Times has rendered a great service to the capitalists of the West in putting them on their guard against a certain project put forward for a general network of railways to be constructed in Russia by a joint-stock company. Hitherto the object of companies of this kind has been to pro cure for their shareholders a higher rate of interest than they could get for their money is the public funds ; but in the undertaking in question the shareholder can never, not even under the most favourable hypothesis, hope for dividends which exceed or even equal the interest that may be obtained by buying into the Russian funds the dividends which are payable in London and Amsterdam. Moreover the con tract that has been signed by Messrs. Pereira, Baring, Hope, and others with the Russian Go vernment contains a number of obscurities which, even in a country with independent courts of jus tice, and where, if need be, the Government itself may be amenable to them, would put the capital of the shareholders entirely at the mercy of the Go vernment with which they contract. The fact that the shareholders under the most favourable cir cumstances would never get any dividend higher than the per centage guaranteed is sufficiently proved by the way the line from St. Petersburg to Moscow pays—a line which is incontestably and infinitely superior to any other that can be con structed in Russia, and which, nevertheless, only at the time of the latecoronation, returned enough to pay 1 per cent. on the cost of construction over and above the expenses of working, while up to that time it had hardly covered current expenses. The Times has brought out into admirable relief several of the stipulations of Messrs. Pereira and Co.'s contracts, which are of a nature to frighten any speculators as to the responsibility the com pany is taking upon itself, and which may very probably even reduce the percentage guaranteed, if it do not entirely sweep it away. There are, however, a few points more that may still be added. Who for instance, will indemnify the company if, as will inevitably happen to the greater part, if not to all of the lines, not even the expenses of work ing are covered by the receipts Who will indem nify it for the repairs which from time to time will become necessary, as, for instance, the renewal of the sleepers, and also of the rails ? We find in the contract nothing said about the creation of a re serve fund that is to provide for these expenses, nor of any guarantee of any supplementary per centage for this purpose. In order to give those who nevertheless might feel disposed to throw in their lot with the company in question an idea of the extent of the obligations which this company has contracted, not only as regards the construction of the lines of railway, but also with respect to the term within which the lines must be completed, let us take the railway that ha 3 the greatest extent, and to which the Russian. Government appears to attach particular impor tance, probably because it is intended to serve as a means of communication with the Trans-Caucasian provinces, either by communicating with the banks of the Kouban, or by crossing the Black Sea from Theodosia (Kaffa) to RedouaKaleh. I mean the railway from Moscow to Theodosia. The length of this line is estimated in the programme at 1,356 versts ; the half of this length would traverse go vernments the average population of which, accord ing to the latest data, quoted by Koppen, does not amount to 800 souls per German league (14k miles English). Immediately after passing Orel (a quarter of the whole distance) wood begins to be very sparce, and two-fifths of the whole length of the line would pass along the barest steppe of New Russia, totally devoid of all trees or even shrubs. Where in this waste and desert would be the timber necessary for the works, or the fuel necessary for the locomotives, be found ? Ba.chmont, where coals are to be had, is 210 versts distant from the nearest point the railway will pass, and is to be got at only across the steppe. Water even is very scarce on the steppe in summer, a circumstance that may be extremely inconvenient for the work ing of the locomotives. Again, in winter, those fearful snowstorms are met with on the steppe that at times bury whole caravans, and would certainly interpose temporarily insurmountable obstacles to the traffic, while the construction of the railway itself would be immeasurably impeded by the deep and broad fissures which are frequently to be met with on the steppe. Doubtless, all these obstacles are to be overcome by dint of perseverance, time, and plenty of money ; but would the shareholders, bound down by these contracts to get the railway finished and to gua rantee its being opened between Moscow and Theodosia by a fixed time, be able to estimate in advance the whole weight of the obligations imposed upon them ? And if they do not or can not get it finished within the term fixed for the completion and the opening, would not the Russian Govern ment consider itself authorised to take possession of the railway, to finish the works, and insure its being opened at the expense and on account of the share holders, and for this purpose lay an embargo on the percentage it has guaranteed ! For procuring labourers—for setting in motion the public officials, venal and corrupt as they are in Russia to the highest degree—for a hundred different things which is a country like Russia will create almost insurmountable difficulties to foreign entrepreneurs, whether for the construction or for the working of the railways, the Russian Government is in possession of means which stand at its disposal alone. Why, then, one is tempt e d t o ask, does it hold back from taking on itself the direct charge of constructing its own railways as it did in the case of the line from St. Petersburg to Moscow, and as it had begun to do with the line from St. Petersburg to Warsaw? It is true that the Government, according to the letter of the contract now lying before me, is virtu ally the master of the company, and can dictate to it as soon as it has once embarked a sufficient amount of capital for it not to be able to draw back; but will it also suit the shareholders equally well, for the purpose of getting 5 per cent., or, rather, 41 per cent. interest for their money, to place them selves absolutely at the mercy of the Russian Government ? Let us suppose that a war of longer duration than the one which has just come to a conclusion should plunge this government in a state of serious financial embarrassment which : :: : ue u e ld rehgm n i. : : t are, permit of it fulfilling all its pecuniary engagements, is it to be supposed for a moment t hat it would continue to pay the shareholders t h h a e s i r co g n u t a r r a a re n t teed 4i per cent., to the prejudice of ruin its credeicitpayment of the interest on the loans it on foreiv Bourses, and by so doing holders for ever ?Or would it not rather be met, who that it would be the share holders be first sacrificed ?—a process tenour of the contract , which, the incomplete and obscure might be carried out with pparent legality, even though the all the form s of a Government shouldeelrietfrraain from availing itself of at an which empowers it to arbitrary price: that clause of ta, buy up the railway It seems to us that if th ar to act in a frank and ()Ilene contractors had wished have appended to then- prospectus they ought to the detailed reports seat in by the an abstract of the architects they had employed tengineers and different lines and form estimates of °thseurvey the of construction ; or , if this latter cere of one is led to believe f rom the short space of that elapsed between the opening and the clos . time the negotiations—has been omitted, th ey ou ti of have frankly avowed that the y had, as it is egalledt° purchased "a p i g in a poke. In the former case public discussion might possibly have contributed to the enlightenment of those speculators who are looking out for an advantageous investment of their capital, and are not simply seeking to re a li se a premium out of the Egyptian darkness whi c h habitually shrouds all matters at the far end of Russia. I must, in conclusion, make one mote remark for the benefit of those who think Russia a good place for the safe and advantageous investment of capital, and who are, therefore, desirous of selecting it for the investment of their own. By persisting in not confiding their capital to the Pereira Com pany, or any other company having a similar ob ject in view, they will probably not deter the Rus sian Government from constructing its military lines of railroad ; hut they will only constrain it in that case to construct them itself, and at its own cost, and for that purpose to borrow the ne cessary funds in the West. It may be confidently foreseen that when the public debt of Russia has thus at no very distant time ',been increased by 275,000,000 of silver roubles, the price of the Rus sian funds will rapidly fall, so far as to secure to those who buy in at least from 6 to 7 per cent. per annum, without their running any of the risks they would incur in embarking in the company brought out by Pereira and Co., and that too for the mere chance of realising at most 5 or 4i per cent. They need by no means for that Russian speculators will rush to occupy the ground which they leave open to them, inasmuch as, according to the journal of the Russian joint-stock companies, the entire capital which is embarked in these under takings in Cassia by natives does not exceed the sum of 40 million of silver roubles. This last fact does not seem to say much in favour of the confi dence which the inhabitants themselves of this land of promise place in the success of this sort of enter prise in their own country. In fine, and all things considered, I think I am not saying anything dero gatory to the company represented by Pereira, Baring, Hope, and Co., when I style it a pilot bal loon sent up by the Russian Government for the purpose of testing the degree of credulity inherent in the capitalists of the West. THE ACCIDENT T 0 THE ROYAL MAIL STEAM-SHIP AMERICA. (Prom the Liverpool Aliion.) The Royal Mail steamship America left this port for Boston, United States, on the Gth inst., with 54 passengers, a large mail, and a full cargo of dry goods. It was then blowing half a gale, from the southwest, but she proceeded on her course, steer ing south, half-west, and all went well until Tues- day morning, when, being then 50 miles west of Cape Clear, Captain Lang was compelled by the violence of the storm—the wind having risen to a gale and lashed the sea into a fury—to alter his course, and to put the head of the ship to the sea. This was shortly before 10 o'clock, at which period the third officer, Mr. Cumming, wasstauding on the Rain saloon deck, about 20 feet from the stern, giving directions to the four men at the wheel. He says : At 10 minutes to 10, or thereabouts, a heavy sea rose about 30 feet hie), and I could see the clear sky through the water. It knocked the ship's head off about two points, bat she speedily recovered her self, rode over the wave, and made a bit of a wea ther roll to windward. In the Atlantic there are generally three seas which follow each other in rapid succession. The second sea rose about two yards from the starboard side, it ran up to its full height—more than half the height of the funnel, and the broken water fell with immense force on board, deluging the ship from end to end. I put my hands behind me, and held on by a rope which had been placed there a short time previously, but I had the greatest difficulty in preventing the sea washing me overboard, and, as it is, my arms were much strained in keeping my hold for several seconds, during which I was completely submerged. The water cleared off, the ship partly recovered herself, and I had an opportunity of looking round to see the extent of the damage. The ship had settled down by the head, and was quite motionless; a great part of the bulwarks foreward, 7 or 8 stan chions, the fore part of the foreyard of the trysail mast, the starboard side, and the top of the fore saloon had been carried away, the deck-houses, pad dlebox, and part of the floats were broken ; four iron boat-davits were broken, and two boats had been washed away ; and the brass and iron stan chions on the main saloon were broken or bent, and part lost. She remained with her head buried in the water until the third sea came and brought her up. She then shook herself, and appeared to be all right. At this time I saw the captain on the main deck, which was filled with water ; he was washed from the starboard side to the port side by a lurch of the vessel. As soon as he oould recover himself he waded, up to his middle in water, to the saloon deck, and ordered the helm to be put up, for the purpose of trying to get the ship before the wind, that apparently being the only means of saving the vessel.and the lives of the passengers. She would not pay off until, by direction of the captain, a foretrysail was hauled up and the engines were put at full speed. She then went off about two points, just at the time that a very heavy squall came along. There was a great body of water still on the deck, while the cabins were four or five feet deep, and the engine -room was so flooded that the fires ran the greatest risk of being extinguished. To get rid of the water on deck holes were cut, in order that it might flow freely to the bilge. The ship remained in the trough of the sea for about half an hour, the wind and waves acting so heavily upon her quarter as to prevent her from going round. Eventually the gale moderated a little, the ship went off before the sea, and we made direct for Liverpool. At noon the gale abated, and we had very beautiful weather in the even ing, the wind being still south-west. We arrived at Liverpool on Thursday morning. The scenes on board when the ship was struck were of the most distressing nature. The ladies in their berths heard the splashing of the water as it slushedabout the deck and rushed down ' the companions, and the hurrying to and fro of the men, obeying the orders of the captain, and were only prevented by the presence of mind of Mrs. Neilson, the chief stewardess, from rushing franti caly on deck. The stewardess behaved most heroi callly, soothing the ladies and attending to their wants, though she was herself frequently thrown down by the pitching of the vessel. Two of them contrived to make their way on deck in their night dresses, wet to the skin, and their dishevelled hair soaked by the sea, flowing wildly with the gale. Their fears were augmented to unutterable bewilder ment by the male passengers rushing frantically about, with clasped hands, calling upon the Almighty for deliverance. The boatswain's mate had a remark able escape. He was lying asleep in his berth, in a small deck-house forward of the starboard paddle box, when the sea came, breaking his room about his head. He awoke to find himself floundering in the water, with which he was covered. Seeingthro ugh the water the clear sky above him, he imagined that he had been washed out of his house on to the spon son, and finding a hole just large enough to admit his body, he prepared to make his way through it, and partly succeeded, working his way on to the sponson, instead of from it, when the third sea came and washed him back again on to the deck. Mr. Grace, the first officer, also had a narrow escape. He was clearinr , the forerigging, which had been carried away, leaving nothing on the weather side to support the mast, when a light sea swept over the vessel, and nearly washed him and several sea men overboard. After all danger was over, and when the ship was before the wind, several of the passengers in their excitement got into one of the starboard boats, and when told that there was then nothing to fear they exclaimed, " What shall we do—what shall wo do ? The Lord save us ; the Lord save us!" Many of the passengers being sea faring men were as cool as the officers and men of the vessel, all of whom from the captain down to the cook were as collected as though ou ordinary duty. The discipline, indeed, was perfect, the crew rivalling the fortitude and heroism of the soldiers who kept an unbroken file while the unfortunate Birkenhead went down. During the height of the danger the cook continued to peel the potatoes he was preparing for dinner, while the under stewards ceased only their various duties to bale oat the water as it flowed into the saloon. All the officers expressed much chagrin that the America should be the first of the Cunard vessels to put back, though all, in common with the passengers, were thankful that the captain's sea mans hi p and cool ness in the hour of danger had saved their lives. We should not forget to state that the America, in returning, spake the Baltic, outward-bound for New York ; and within 24 hours after her arrival at Liverpool the steamship Canada was provisioned, coaled, stored, and manned, and the mails, pas sengers, and passengers' luggage transferred from the former to the latter, which sailed on Friday morning. Immediately on the arrival of the Amert a at this port, those of the crew who had bee , , in j u red were sent to the Northern Hospital. Theyrede- were as follows Allen, con ;,used l eg ; F rick Lewis, leg much brui 7.,ed ; Matthew Leary, compoiyad fracture of the. nose ; and John Wilson, comp'ound fracture of 'both legs. EFECTWE STAMPING OP LETTERS BY THE POST OFFICE. —Lord Campbell yesterday, in the Court of Queen's Bench, said he thought it right to state pub licly that he had received a very satisfactory answer from his Grace the Duke of Argyll, the Postmaster General, with respect to the important subject on which he had addressed him—viz., the imperfect and slovenly manner in which letters were stamped in the English post•ofces, from which great inconvenience arose to individuals, and the due administration of justice met with serious obstruction. His Grace admitted that the pres9ut system was defective, and pointed oat the great difficulty of amending it in consequence of the great number of letters which had to be stamped in a very short time. His Grace, however, promised to use his best exertions to remedy the evil ; and he (Lord Camp bell) bad no doubt, from the noble Duke's energy and intelligence, that a complete remedy would be applied, and that there would be no reason in future to make any complaints on this subject. THE SUN, LONDON, TIMJItSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 18, 1856. THE WAR BETWEEN ENGLAND AND PERSIA. The Paris Pays of yesterday offers the following remarks on the Anglo-Persian difficulty : "Persian affairs have decidedly taken a very grave turn. After the capture of Herat by a Persian army England had only one step to take, and she has declared war against the court of Teheran. Whilst we are writing, warlike events are probably taking place in the Persian Gulf. What will be the consequence of this expedition ? Will it have an immediate result, as occurred some years ago under analogous circumstances, or will Persia consider herself strong enough to sustain the struggle 7 In this event can the English force undertake a cam- paign in the southern provinces, and thus penetrate to Teheran? This is a military problem of the highest interest, but which still remains obscure. None can doubt that Persia, if left to her own re sources, will be speedily compelled to treat with England ; therefore the serious part of the question lies in the attitude of the allies of Persia. The Rus sian journals recently acquainted us that Russia was labouring to effect a reconciliation between the two belligerent powers, but the conditions which it ad- vocated are unknown. In the event of these con ditions not being accepted, it remains to be seen whether Russia will remain inactive. In a few hours the Russian flotilla on the Caspian could transport a Russian corps-d'armee to Asterabad, that is, between Teheran and .blerat. Such a demonstration would render the success of the English expedition extremely doubtful, but it would give rise to serious complications, and perhaps lead to an open rupture between Russia and England. We hope that matters will not attain these extremities. England doubtless proves herself with reason extremely susceptible with re gard to everything that relates to the security of her Indian empire. But if the po sition of the Russians in the extreme East appears to a certain degree offensive it must be admitted that this menace is still very distant, and that the nature of the territory opposes nearly invincible obstacles toany real or supposed projects. A century may pass over without a direct shock taking place in the centre of Asia between England and Russia. Has not England exaggerated that eventuality? We conceive that she seeks to anticipate in good time any possible invasion ; but it would be a subject of regret were too great a caution to produce pre cisely that result which is feared for in the future. It must not be dissimulated that the solution de pends above all on the Cabinet of St. Petersburg. Persia, in taking possession of the town of Herat, has certainly failed in all her engagements with England, and she cannot re-establish those rela tions without abandoning her conquest. This policy depends entirely on the advice that the Shah may receive from Russia, and it is consequently t• the Emperor Alexander that we must look for the immediate cessation of complications, the extent of which cannot now be defined." The Correspondence Ravas publishes a curious plan of campaign in case of an intervention by Russia in favour of Persia against England. It is given in a letter from St. Petersburg of the 7th : " Reports have reached the Minister of War from several of the generals who command th• different detached corps in Asia. It is stated that General Chrulef, who commands the most advanced posi tion, has submitted to the Minister a plan of cam paign which could be successfully executed by the troops under his orders. He was waiting, before moving, for the arrival at Tiflis of Prince Barat zinski, who was still occupied in inspecting the new Asiatic frontiers. The new Governer-General of all the Caucasian possessions has extended his tour of inspection on the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea, where Russian generals had already commenced, in the time of the Emperor Nicholas, to erect four or five fortified stations, which will secure to Rus sia the possession of that coast. All the war steamers are now fully manned by the arrival of a large body of seamen from the naval ports. This squadron may at any time be used for the conveyance of pro visions and military stores to the troops stationed at Khiva and to those who have taken possession of different islands in the Caspian Sea; and who are thus placed in the immediate neighbourhood of the Persian port of Asterabad. According to the opinion of staff officers who have served in that country, all the military arrangements there have been made with so much order and regularity that the Russian columns may at the first signal enter Persia at three points at the same time. The first corps, composed of two divisions of infantry, with artillery and light cavalry, may without difficulty penetrate from Nachitacheran to Choi and to Tau ris ; the second corps, in moving from Bakou, may proceed along the western coast of the Caspian Sea as far as Asterabad, where, supported by the Rus sian squadron, it would readily cross the fertile valley as far as Herat. The third corps may pene trate into the Khorassan and into Khiva. These strategic combinations have been prepared from the first moment it was known at St. Petersburg of the projects of England on Persia." On the other hand, a letter from St. Petersburg of the same date, in the Borsenhalle of Hamburg, says :—" The state ment made by several foreign journals of a conven tion having been concluded between Persia and Russia, by which the latter is bound to assist the former, is completely unfounded. Neither is it true that there are Russian officers in the service of Persia. The two officers, MM. Dukomel, stated by the journals to be with the Persian army before Herat, are now in this capital, one in the Senate, and the other unemployed. The military move ments made by Russia are solely confined to placing a corps of observation on the Persian frontier." HOW TO MARE NIAGARA FALLS USEFIIL,—We lately heard an idea suggested of such a bold and extraordinary nature that it struck us with awe from its very magni tude. Of course the originator is a Yankee, for no one but a Yankee could eliminate such a gigantic idea. The proposition is simply this, to construct an immense water wheel at Niagara Falls. Not a small, temporary affair, but one large and strong enough to use the entire power of the falls. From this, with proper grading, he would lay down a permanent shaft through the state of New York, te, minating at Albany. Those in want of power could then " belt" or, ad libitum, ad infinitum. What a splendid row of cities—manufacturing cities— would grow up along the whole line of the shaft. Steam engines would then be nowhere, and as for those paltry water powers called "privileges," they would be like children dismissed from school by an indulgent master, henceforth to play at leisure, running through their "couree" without a restraining dam.—Montreal Tram- script. [AnvEraissmErr.]—We quote a few more of the extraordi nary cures without medicine effected by Du Barry's delicious health-restoring Revalenta Arabica Food of Indigestion (Dyspepsia), Flatulency, Constipation, Nervous, Bilious, and Liver Complaints, Cough, Asthma, Consumption, and Debility: Cure No. 180.—" Twenty-five years' nervousness, constipa tion, indigestion, and debility, from which I had suffere( great misery, and which no medicine could remove or relieve, have been effectually cured by Du Barry's Food in a very short time.—W. R. Reeves, Fool Anthony, Tiverton." Cure No. 4,208.—" Eight years' dyspepsia, nervousness, debility, with cramps, spasms, and nausea, for which my servant had consulted the advice of many, have been effectually cured by Du Barry's health-restoring Food.—l shall be happy to answer any inquiries. —Rev. John W. Flavell, Ridlington Rectory, Norfolk." No. 32,836.—" Three years' excessive nervousness, with pains in my neck and left arm, and general debility, which rendered my life very miserable, has been radically removed by Du Barry's health-rostorini Food.—Alex. Stuart, Archdeacon of Ross, _Skibereen. Supported by testimonials from the celebrated Professors of Chemistry Dr. Andrew Ure ; Dr. Shorland ; Dr. Harvey Dr. Campbell ; Dr. Gattiker ; Dr. Wurzer ; Dr. Ingram of Castle- Lord Stuart de Decies; the Dowager Countess stuart ; Major-Gen. Thomas King, and many other respectable li t s c ma e , persons, whose health has been restored by it , aft er all other means of cure had failed. Suitably packed for all with full instructions. In canisters, 11b., 2s. 9d. ; 21b., 4s. 6d.; 51bs., lls. ; 121 be , 225.; super-refined, lib. , 6 s. ; 21 bs., Ils. ; Bibs., 225.; lolbs., 335. The 10 1 bs. and 121 bs. carriage free, on receipt of post-office order. Barry du Barry and Co., 77, Regent-street, London ; Fortnum, Mason, and Co., Purveyors to her Majesty, Piccadilly ; also at 60, Gracechnrch-street ; 330 and 451, Strand; 4, Cheapside ; 68, Cornhill ; 49, Bishops gate-street; 55, Charing-cross; 64, Upper Baker-street; 63 and 150, Oxfcrd-street. (ADVERTISEMENT.] SIGHT AN) HISILHINe •••••• SPIRITICLISS, POWERFUL TELESCOPES, OPERA, BACH, AND PERSPECTIVE GLASSEB.—lllesars. S. and B. Solomon, opticians, 3% Albe marle-street, Piccadilly. Observe—opposite the VOrk ttotel, extraordinary improvements in 14. By liar Majesty's Royal Letters Patent ltll valuable and brilliant Telescopes, Camp. "" e spective Glasses, to kr - ow most powerful and ctacecourse, Opera, and Per possess such extAis r at- - Tleiti tel d 'the distances. .. e es apes inches, with an - ._-iary powers that Some three and a-half moons, S.' - extra ex; e.plete, 'ail' show distinctly : yupiter's telex ' ...art!'e tifig s Mid the double stager Willi cue MTh d -.4*Pe citui be moo e 4 permo auntenanee three miles and a 1 calf distant, ahri an. Otject from 16 to 20 miles, Te l o are of layer and ttli sizes, with increasing pea Vere abeordinglki—rne Royal Exhibition, 1851. Veinal:As, tI. 4 *IY - -iniCi2ted, very smal , , powerful waistcoat-pdeteet glass, the size of a walnut, by whin' a person Can beaten and known li miles distant; they answei every purpose on the race-course, and at the opera houses, country scenery, and ships are clearly seen at 8 tO 10 ilillee. They are invaluable for shooting, deer-stalking, yachting, to sportsmen, gentlemen, gamekeepers, and tourists. Opera, rape-conrse, camp, and perspective glasses,, with wonderful power. Newly-construrted Spectacle Lensets of the great est transparent power. The valuable advantage derived from this invention is, that vision becoming impaired is preserved and strengthened, and very aged persons are enabled to employ their sight at the most minute occu pation- can see with these lenses of a much loss magnify. ing power—and they do not require the frequent change to the dangerous effects of further powerful assistance. Persons can be suited at the most remote part of the world, by sending one of the glasses out of their spectacles in a letter, and stating the distance from the eyes they can read small newspaper print with it; and those who have not made use of spectacles by stating their ago. Deaf ness. New Discovery. The Organic Vibrator, an ex traordinary powerful, small, newly-invented instrument for deafness, entirely different from all others, to surpass any. thing of the kind that has been, or probably ever can be, produced. Being of the same colour as the skin, is not per. ceptible ; it enables deaf persons to hear distinctly at church and at public assemblies ; the unpleasant sonsation of singing noises in the ears is entirely removed ;.,and it affords all the assistance that possibly could be desired:-39, Albemarle street, Piccadilly. Observe—opposite the York Hotel. ASSIZE INTEL EIGENCE. HOME ciitd - t7iii—MAIVsToNE I Dxo. 17. (Before Mr. Baron Bramwell.) Thomas Mansell, 28, soldier, was indicted for th 6 wilful murder of Alexander M'Burney. Mr. Ribton and Mr. Bridge conducted the prosecu tion ; Mr. Russell appeared for the prisoner by the request of the court. When the jury was about to be empannelled the coun sel for the prisoner challenged every juryman who was summoned out of Maidstone to the extent allowed by law, the avowed object being to obtain a majority of jurymen from the town of Maidstone, where it was supposed an opinion adverse to capital punishments prevailed. When the counsel for the prisoner had exhausted his challenge, Mr. Ribton, as counsel for the crown, requested, in accordance with the usual form, that the Maidstone jurymen should " stand by," until the whole panel, with the exception of a jury who had retired to consider their verdict, had been gone through, and only nine jurors had been called into the box. Mr. Ribton then prepared to select from the names of those who had been already called, and ordered to stand by, some that he considered the least objectionable, to be upon the jury. Mr. Russell objected to this course being taken, and contended that the Crown having exhausted the panel all that could, then be (lone was to go through the list of jurors again, and the Crown would have no right then to object to any juror except for cause shown. This led to a long technical discussion, and at length Mr. Ribton proceeded to open the case for the prose cution. After alluding to what bad taken place with regard to the selection of the jury, he said he felt satis fied they would perform the duty that devolved upon them fearlessly, and that they would act according to the oath they had taken, and return a verdict upon the evidence that would be laid before them. He then proceeded to give a brief narrative of the circumstances under which the charge was preferred against the prisoner, and the following evidence was adduced : I Edward Brophy examined by Mr. Bridge—l am a private in the 49th Regiment. The prisoner was also a private in the same regiment. The deceased was lance corporal. I remember the morning of the 27th of August last. The regiment was at that time at Dover under canvas in the hospital field. I went out of my tent about half-past 8 o'clock in the morning, and I saw the deceased came out of his tent, and he kneeled down and was in the act of cleaning his ramrod. The prisoner had his firelock in his band, and he walked a few paces, and then stopped and put a cap on the nipple ; another soldier named Parry then came out of the deceased's tent, and passed between the prisoner and the deceased, and he kneeled down for some purpose. The prisoner then walked close up to the deceased, presented his piece, and fired at him. He held the stock of the gun to his hip when he discharged the piece. The deceased immediately got up, put his hand to his side and said, "I am shot—l aria shot loh Lord, Mansell has shot me." The prisoner then threw his firelock down and exclaimed, "Now then," or "There now." A doctor was immediately sent for, and the deceased was taken to the hospital. The prisoner walked slowly away to his own tent, and then he was seized and taken to the guard-room. Cross-examined—Witness accompanied the regiment to the Crimea, and the prisoner and the deceased were also there with it. A great many other soldiers besides the deceased were engaged at the time in cleaning their accoutrements. The rifles were all kept stacked up in side the tents, but the prisoner came out of his tent with his rifle in his hand, and I thought he was going to snap the cap off. He looked very pale, but I did not expect he was going to commit such an act as this. Re-examined—Each man's rifle is numbered. The number of the prisoner's was 43, letter F. John Parry said—l am also a private in the 49th Regiment. I remember the morning on which this oc currence took place. I came out of my tent about half past 8 o'clock, and saw the deceased in the act of clean ing his accoutrements. The prisoner came out of his tent, and I felt something touch me, and turned round and saw the prisoner close to use. He had his rifle to his hip, and I heard the report, and saw the flash, and Ithe deceased immediately exclaimed, "I am shot—l am shot !" Tne prisoner then threw his firelock down and walked away, and I followed him and held him until an escort came up, and the prisoner was taken to the guard-room. I afterwards examined the rifle the pri soner had thrown down, and found that the cap on the nipple had just been discharged. The number on the rifle was 43, and the letter F. Cr ss-examined—The prisoner was standing quite close to me when I turned round, and immediately he had fired be threw down his piece and walked slowly away. Peter Moran, another private, gave similar evidence. He also distinctly saw the prisoner deliberately shoot the deceased, and after the transaction he dug a rifle bullet out of the ground, on the other side of the spot where the deceased was standing at the time he was snot. The bullet was produced by an officer of the police, and the witness identified it, and said it was of the same description as those furnished to the regiment in the Crimea. Cross-examined—He had no time to raise an alarm when he saw the prisoner pointing the gun at the de ceased. Re-examined—The prisoner was so close to M'Burney when he fired that the powder burnt his shirt. Benjamin Taylor, also a private in the regiment, said that the prisoner lodged in the same tent with him. About a week before the occurrence he had some con versation with him about some boo's he had got, and he said that " M‘Burney knew something about them, and he would have it in for him if he lived for a thousand years." He said he did not know exactly what the pri soner meant, but he understood that it was intended as a threat against the deceased. Cross-examined—He had heard it rumouved in the regiment that the prisoner had lost a pair of boots while he was in the Crimea. The deceased had been sick in hospital for some time before this occurrence, and he never heard of his having had anything to do with the prisoner's boots. Richard Holden, sergeant-major of the regiment, proved that in July last they were stationed at Alder shott, and the prisoner made a complaint to the com manding officer relating to a pair of boots be said.he had lost in the Crimea. He said he bad packed them up in a squad bag, and when it was opened at Aldershott they were not forthcoming, and he said he was confident that M`Butney knew something about them. The com manding officer made inquiries and decided that the deceased knew nothing about the prisoner's boots, and he told the prisoner so, and said he must put up with the loss. He appeared discontented with the decision, but did not make any remark. The prisoner had been in the regiment about two years. Cross-examined—The prisoner served with the regi ment through all the Crimean campaign, and bore a good conduct stripe. He believed that the prisoner's sus picion against the deceased in relation to the boots was entirely imaginary. The deceased was a remarkably quiet., inoffensive man, and he never appeared to bear any ill-will to the prisoner. Thomas Finnis Back, a police-constable at Dover, said that when the prisoner was at the police-station. he said to him "This is a bad job, or a melancholy affair," and the prisoner replied, "It is done," or "I have done it. I am sorry for it. I had no intention to do it when I got up this morning." The learned judge having summed up, the jury almost immediately returned a verdict of guilty. The prisoner was then called upon, in the usual form, to state whether he had anything to urge why iudre_no of death should nut be passed upon him. He Ina" " reply. nee, n rd g sh h i i p m p a a t ss t e h d e s s a en m t e en t c im e e ofd • no hope of mercy in, this world s- 'T thateat on e h n e entertain- CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT. —Dec. 1 OLD COU RT. ed for killing Mary Cox, otherwise Warren. a nd slaying Ann Poland prosecuted, and Mr. Lilley Mr. Sleigh and Mr. defended. evidence proved that the deceased woman and The prisoner were both prostitutes of the lowest class, spinster,Ju s t Justice C w r a o s m i p n t d o i n e t . reet, Tooley.street. Upon the the prisoner was in bed with a t estion, when deceased came into ta tnasthtbt hhhantni her g e oiee d eredl h worspoafi t ro l tor i uno o iva l ct spa: f u e ti lo d i rlyn h rv n hene i i ee n r ( s n tpnnr ß hducyht t p ee l je o r l ols f d a o a eud o h n r n kt v dse r euh i s e r o c u a s hneie l i transaction r v i l 2 res : liadrqe2ori anddusiss began to abuse and in-use her, out of bed by her hair, upon which tumbler omeffew w a ,ad d aatyesr a inflictedfwtearswisanorddiviolentsc.t After f ftoe a rr woman's head that it fractured oiler expressed great sorrow for guilty, and sentenced to six months' She was fo.. imprisonment. Charlotte Rodanboah, 21, gpi , '; f t feloniously ocithiiiistering to her mtle nan a quantity of oil of tiirpeittine, with intent to murdel.:llfil. Mr. Payne prosedtited, and M. ir!!±B7 The facts of the ease, although brief ; Weft; filfhs, g ui a r. The prisoner, Whom all the wituesties spokec#.s being a very kind and affectionate "diing vrdinan, was w et nurse in a family living at RichindEd i Whilst her of ld, turpentinen d afte w r a s b n e i o n t g ic with ed, i t own child was ,under the care of a widow named l'tenti li v ing at Mottlakdo Where prisoner used to go, and ap peared very fond of it. trine the fiftetnoon of 2nd of hl a le s (fat, being looked at, and domeiut thisp W o n a r theo f i n o n u tedh : h d 4siihl t : o ".vvv° l l:t e Li6ite s el o ctul a wte ked in several places with oil of turpentine, and much injured about the neck and lips, dnd it Owl irtident that some had been poured down its throat. The prisotiet, When asked what she had been doing, said she had net given the child anything, and afterwards made several different statements about the nisAter , The child, although bad for dome time from the effects of the treatment, had since recovered. For the defence it was elicited that the child suffered from a cough, and the suggestion was that the turpen tine had been given to cure it. The prisoner received an excellent character for hu• manity, The jay returned a verdict of not guilty. enial and large-hearted CHRISTMAS TREE, —lf the . g f i nw he would have revelled i n th e present custom of maltinb _ Charles L am b e had been alive nj w .' - -, glad the hearts the Christ of darling youngsters with the offerings from . -lined mas Tre e ! T h i s eustom, purely German, has u-. ~ firm roo t i n English soil, and the toymakers througno . Europ e appear to vie with each other, both in chea pness and finish, i n t h ese petite affairs. TomeToti°r`nof the m the en couragement thus afforded may b a gleafi e ... i ` f r--- ''-' , lO fact that one establishment alone —that of Mau.- Temple, of Regent-street—sends out agents abroad 1..." quest of and pays some .thousands of pound for an ea elusive monopoly of the annual productiOrPas regaecia novelty. Her Majesty patronises the custom, and takes great delight in it. POLICE INTELLIGENCE—Dec. 17. Yesterday Sit Robert _W. Carden received some infor mation which caused him the greatest surprise. On Friday leet a young man of gentlemanly appeatance was p aced at the bar before him, charged with being in possession of a large number of silk handkerchiefs, supposed to be the proceeds of a burglary committed at Ball's-pond. The prisoner had gone into Mr. Attenborough's to pledge three pieces of black silk neckerchiefs, but the young man, suspecting they were not come honestly by, ques tioned him, when he said his name was Thomas Baker, and that he lived at No. 10, St. Alban-road, near Horse monger-lane Gaol. A policeman was called in, and he was given into custody. At first he said they were his own property, but then said they were given to him to pledge by a friend, and gave the name, but said he could not give the address of his friend. The address he gave was false. When brought to the police court he told a most extraordinary tale, bet with such apparent sim plicity that, admitting him to be very indiscreet, it bore the stamp of possibility. He said he had been to Jullien's concert two nights before, and while there a lady fainted, and he took her out in his arms, and placed her in a cab. A gentleman handed her friend into the same cab, and it drove off. He then returned to the concert with this person, and finding him very agreeable and familiar he spent the remainder of the evening with him. Before they parted they exchanged names and addresses, and he pressed him to call and see him on the following day ; but that he could not, and declined. They, how ever, arranged to meet on the Friday at Charing-cross, and go to Richmond to have a row on the water. He gave his name as Thomas Baker, and said he had come from Australia, where he had been with merchandise, but had not been able to dispose of it, and had brought it back. They met on Friday, and the man, who gave the name of Baker, said he was short of money, and asked him (the prisoner) to pledge the handkerchiefs for him. He at first refused, and they walked towards Temple-bar ; but he was so plausiblethat by the time they came to Somerset House he consented to go to Atten borough's and pledge them. He had three parcels, and was to get 50s. for the three pieces of black, and 30s. for each of the othere, and then meet this man at Somerset-house ; or, if he did not find him there, he was to go to Charing-erose. When he was given into custody he was so confused that he gave Baker's name and address as his own, and another, which he meant for his own, as Baker's. He was so confused, having never been placed in such a position before, that he did not know what he did. He did not give his right name and address because his friends were so very respectable that he would not let them know where he was. He was well known to Alderman Wire, and lived opposite him in the Lewisham-road, and was a next-door neigh bour to Mr. Thwaites, the chairman of the Board of Works, to whom he was also well known. He had no objection to tell the magistrate his name and address, but he did not want it published ih the newspapers, on account of the disgrace it would bring upon his friends. Sir R. W. Carden had him furnished with a pen and ink, and he wrote down that he was a son of John Carr, Esq., of Ashdown Villa, Lewisham-road. Sir R. W. Carden asked him if he wished Mr. Thwaites to be sent for as he was then sitting at Guild hall. Tne prisoner replied that he did, and that Mr. Thwaites could speak as to his respectability. A message was sent up to the Board of Works, and in a short time Mr. Thwaites attended, and on being informed of the nature of the circumstances under whicu he had been called, he expressed the greatest surprise. He said the prisoner was the son of a gentleman, his next-door neighbour, who bore an unblemished reputa tion ; and as to the prisoner, he had known him to be a sober, steady, and industrious man, and so trustworthy that he would unhesitatingly trust him with anything. If the court required bail for him he was willing to be surety to any amount, so convinced was he of lets into - grity. Sir R. W. Carden said it was possible that he had been made the dupe of some designing burglar, but that a young man of three-and-twenty, accustomed to London, should be so imposed upon by an artfal scoundrel, asto nished him. lie advised the prisoner to do his utmost to find out this man Baker, and give hits into custody, and cautioned him never again to pick up with plausible people that he knew nothing of. He then held him to bail in his own recognisance in 201. to appear at this court on Friday next, or sooner if he could get hold hi s the man Baker. Mr. Martin, the chief clerk, , : now informed Sir Robert that the same young man had been offering other handkerchiefs of a similar description at a pawnbroker's in Walwerth on last Saturday morning, when the pawn broker, who happened to be at this tout on the previou day engaged in a case of stealing rugs, recognised him, and accused him of having been in custody here the day before. As soon as he said so Carr ran away, and a smart chase ensued, which ended in his being captured and taken to Lambeth Police-court, `rout which be has been remanded until Friday next, when the magistrate intends sending him back to this court. The officers having charge of the case had discovered that the prisoner had been in the service of Mr. Meek ing, of Holborn, and lett only a low days before he was first taken up. The whole of the handkerchiefs found upon him had been identified as some which had been stolen from Mr. Meeking's shop. Sir W. Carden said he was astonished to hear it. He certainly did not believe the prisoner's story when he heard it; but when he proved what a respectable cha racter he bore, and after the manner in which Mr. Thwaites spoke of him and his connection, it made him feel there was a possibility of the statement being true, and he gave him the benefit of the doubt. He would, however, come down on Friday to hear the evidence in this extraordinary case. LAMBETH. —Yesterday John Brown and John Moynihan, labourers, were further examined before Mr. Elliott, on a charge of fraud and forgery. Mr. Richard Martin Ruddock, cashier in the service of Mr. George Myers, the extensive builder and con tractor, in the Belvedere-road, Lambeth, deposed that the prisoner Browu had been in the employment of Mr. Myers, and he therefore knew him, but the prisoner Moynihan he bad no recollection of. On Tuesday, the 2d inst., at about seven o'clock, both the prisoners came together to the counting-house, and, according to the practice with the workmen, put the papers produced through the window for payment. Moynihan presented the one for 128., and which was as follows, viz.:-- " Friday-street, Dec. 2, 1856. "Sir,—Please to pay Coyne, bricklayer, two days five hours, at ss. " E. ZINCRAFT." Brown presented a similar paper, for 135., aiso s i gn ed by ,. Mr. Zincraft, who is time - keeper to Mr. My was was at present and at that time en g a g ed at som;vitndlcsis ings in the course of erection by his employer the build asked the prisoners if they were employ and he then placed the amount been ea ings in Friday-street, City, and they eh re h p e d h they o r e were, he m similar papers, be gave before defrauded out of 801. b which each took up. saving .within a short time the prisoners into custody, andyismi mediately after h dis covered that the p a p ers the prisoners bad produced were forgeries. Mr. d ward Zincraft said he was time-keeper at some Eks dward Friday-street, City, which Mr. Myers was papers pro ba and t h b e e e W o r t e h r c e t r i nwg,asanad tshtraatnhgeerkntoewhtihme. prEisoolertßherohwitnn duced were forgeries, and not written by never deputed to anybody the power of inakinL; out the time returns of the men. The prisoners, in defence, said they met two men near the Westminster-bridge, who gave them the order to go and get the money, saying they should remain at the end The h o e f the prisonersstreet till we r they committed returned to w ak it t hit e: their trial on the charge, but were ordered to be brought up again on Monday nest. It is estimated that the total amount of specie to be despatched by the Indus on the 20th inst. will reach nearly 600,000/., although it is tinderstooi that since the reduction of their rate of exchange the India Com pany have drawn bills to the amount of more than 400,0001. THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH CABLE.—We have great pleasure in announcing that our ingenious and enter prising townsman, Mr. Newall, is engaged in the ma nufacture of the telegraphic cable which is destined to range the Atlantic Ocean, and to bring the Old and the New World within momentary intercourse of each other. We understand that Mr. Newall is under a contract to complete his portion of this astonishing , cable (altogether of scarcely less than 1,500 miles in length) in the course of the ensuing summer. Kuper and Co., of London, are to make one-half of the cable, and Mr. No wall, of Gateshead, the other. It may assist the reader to a fair conception of the immensity of the task if we state that our ingenious neighbour will have to twist strands of wire, as an outer protection of the electric line itself, 25,000 miles in length, or long enough to go round the whole earth--and leave a sufficient length of wire, if he had but that standing point which he coveted for his experiments.—Gateshead Observer. SERIOUS ACCIDENT ON THE NEW YORK AND ERIE RAILROAD —A terrible accident happened yesterday •;ng to the Chicago express, bound west, at the cros- prre.. ' - mile east of Alleghany-station, occasioned by Eritig hmt k. `a rail. The train was going at a fearful the' btediiin t ; 4, . •• of the passengers say 40 miles an rite Of good ---smu.. ' , ens say 35 miles—when the en hotiti wad trearfy a•Ilt A •,.... :1. dragging the baggage car gine strun and broil sfre xa,.. • -er-cars, in which were passenger's'', :- . "'s - smashing them off the track and the two' pwalreri f ,_ some 25 or 30 ' , ming uncoupled, went plunging into the earth, iillOally . over upon Ito pieces. The first passenger -car' %very% e which its side, thus loosening the forward NvilleBea, . its came crashing through the floor of the c'aof /Vela centre, stripping it of its furniture, and sannligl everything before them. In this car were goose i ten or twelve passengers, and, marvellous as may seem, a ll escaped without serious injury. The second passenger -car was no so fortunate. nit were some 1 8 or 20 passengers, and the conductor, Mark Ball: After uncoupling from the first passenger car, the second went to the left, first striking the stone wall of the cattle guard, then bounding forward to the sign-post at the road crossing, shivering it into splinters, then still further forward, and over on its side, where it lay when we reached the wreck. Both cars were late rally ra lly gutted of their seats, and every pa ne of glass d an nearly all the blinds, and, in fact, the whole woodwork of the cars was d es tr o yed by the shock. The bazga9',o car was dragged 80 rods over the ties by the engin) , which kept the track, kit whether it was injured we did not learn, as it had been taken to , Dunkirk. T,ooking at the wreck, it seems miraculous that - 1 - the passengers were not instantly killed. 0 1 9 halt • :nns were seriously burl, and w e are g lad b three peie able , tro e'-ate that none were fatally injured. w -isited the three spoken of above yesterday afternoon, I • A L -n t id them all comforta ble, and doing well. ly wens .'.' ~,,E , D g ers c,,criped injury, but three on r ' on their journey.Orlesins Advertiser, ant. of the pab.., unable to procet.i.,l_. Nov. 28. Country M BRISTOL SUGAR—DEa. 17. Business limited from want of an adequate supply ; but this week a cargo• of Demerara has been brought forward, and about 263 hhds sold at full rates—from, for low brown refining, 48s per cwt., to bss for fair yellow crystalised. A good inquiry for rum. EDINBURGH HAY AND STRAW MARKET- DEC. 16. Supplies of all kinds these last six days large. Ont straw, from Rs 6d to 12s Od per kemple of 16 stones tron; wheat do., lls Od to 12s Od; barley do., 8s Od. to 105 Od. Hay from 12d to le. 2d. EDINBURGH MEAL—DEO. 16. There were in the market today 12 sacks oatmeal, each weighing 2801 b imperial, which sold at 40s and —s. DALKEITH AfEb._L .RKET—DEc. 15. There were in the market to-dv 7 bags of oatmeal, 0 of barleymeal, and 0 pot barley. Sales dull. Oatmeal, per sack of 2801bs First. Second. Third. imperial - Cil Barleymeal, per ditto -s Od —s Od —s Oft Peasemeal, per ditto Flour, new, per ditto.... —s Od —s Od. —s , d Pot-barley, new, per ditto —s Od —s Od —s Od KIRKCALDY—DEc. 13. There were good supplies of all kinds of grain, which brought slow sales at is to 2s decline on last week's rates. Wheat. 1 Barley. Oats. I Beaus. First s6s Od I 41s Od 23s Od Os O. Second Third s6s Odl 34s Oa i 18s Od I Os or. Oatmeal, 36s to 38s per bag of 2801 b. DUBLIN, 'DEC. 16. Our market to-day was dull, with a tendency to lower rates for everything except best wheat and malting barley. Middling wheat, oats, and barley 6d cheaper. Notking doing in Indian corn. White wheat, 318 6d to 34s 6d ; red ditto, 30s Od to 32s 6d; ditto new, —s ; barley, malting, 16s to 24s 6d ; grind ing, 15s to 20s 03 ; oats, old, —s to —s ; ditto, new, 105 Od to 14s 6d ; oatmeal, 14sto 158 ; bore, new, 16s to 18s 03 ; rapeseed, 303 Od to 328 Od per brl ; bakers' flour, 200 pd to 26s 6d per cwt ; Indian corn, 32s Od to 36s Od per 480 lbs. COAL MARE Prioes of Coal per ton at :ET.—DEC. 17. the close of the market. s. cl. Hastings' Hartley l6 6 Bebside's Hartley l6 6 Howard's West Hartley Netherton 16 6 Taufield Moor Butes 15 9 Tanfield Moor l5 9 Walker Primroso l5 6 Longridge's Wet Hartley 16 6 Victoria 15 9 Wylain Davison's West Hartley 16 6 Hutton West Hartley l6 6 Wane:end. So. Russell's Hetton 18 0' Hartlepool Hetton 18 0 Kelloe. 18 0 South Kelloe 18 0 Evenwood 16 3 Haswell 19 3 LambtonPrimrose 18 0 Hartlepool lB 6 FramWellgato l7 9 Ships at market...l7, Wallsend, &o. Lambton aroeforth IRiddell Elarton 8 ,I. 18 6 ~..17 _l7 3 ~.17 3 Northumberland .17 6 Hunwick l7 0 Braddyll lB 0 'Stewart's 19 0 Hough Hall 17 6 Pensher 17 6 South Hetton 18 9 Tees l9 0 Whitworth l7 0 Redley l7 6 Birchgrove Graigola ..:2172 96n. . Cassop Acorn Close l7 7 Eden Eden Main lB 39 Heaton l7 ~, Wharneli Ere l7 0 Belmont . 17 9 ' '6 I Sold 129 LOCAL SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, DEC. 17. STOOL EXCHANGE.—The Stock Exchange to-day w° doing very little business, and prices almost the es° e as yesterday, but improving at the close. Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, 344 34—Midlands, 82} Lancashire and Yorkshire, 97 64—South Eastern , 24 22—North Eastern, Berwick, 20.—East Lancashire, 22 Ditto, pref. oue-fifths, 5 per cent., 51—Great Westervj 69A—London and North Western, 1054—L a ncaster a nd Preston, 111 i. shares, 6} prem.—Caledonian, 31. k I. BIRMINGHAM, DEC. 17. STOOK BEOHANGE.—The business to-day was not ki brisk, and prices the turn lower. Birmingham Ban ; 33—Birmingham Old Union 15I—General Stea m 251—South Staffoids, 0.1.3. MANCHESTER, DEC. 17. 3TOOK EXCHANGE.—The market to-day was mod° . 0 „t active, with the prices giving way considerably bd Lancashire 224 7-16 a—London and North Wr°s tero 106 s —Midlands, 821 li—Leeds, 974 6 I—Dov era, 1-16—Manchester Sheffield, and Lincolns, 343 34316; Ditto, 3i per cents., 68—East Lancashire, Qrs. , g2_ Di a n cheater Assurance, 78. i SEABORNE MAILS. [When the date for making up a mail falls on a Sunday, _tharandia: remains open until the day following; excep t in theem ad easalthe e UP mail, via Southampton, which, on such occasion' evening previous evening previous.] Foil Sultan D2oetch. 11051calrorbih.ros°1116. ve t; --------- t Made up at Whence When By wit BY what ted VesSal• the des - vessel. exPea ..--...-0"' .................. ---- Lisbon. 7 1 7 P t: tl7t°--:B6cei patched. • Spain Gibraltar . • month. Gibraltar 1 Malta • • • • • • 4th and 4th Ez 20th South- Egypt . • • • • • IndUS of the a mpton the Ceylon •• • • M th• mon India • • • • • • Month. Mauritius ( v i a ceylort) 4th of I a t South- .... . . . . Jan. 4.. iiilo China South- Co!um- Bldg Penang 1 I Singaporepa( ) *II ! : I } : J an.month. the l2 ..-1 amPrcn bian Dec.— A. Cape of Good Dope • - -. -. E Jan. 5.. .. Dart- W.S. Jan. 25 %118 111hd Mauritius • • mouth Ceylon •• • • Lindsay India • • •• • • Lisbon. • • 1 1 South -1 Madeira ampton B Ca raz pe i d i e . V . .. I N lan. 9.... [ i FalklandnG u ra e e ny n d o s S A y r I e s s . :NWraceielwsoxissf, (except Indiesderurpunartinaas.Ha vanaa. d) a. I m 2d o a t n t d h l e 7th Tamar Jan. 12 IP ° Town.. tat and, god $' Venezuela - 16th 0 + leas month. t ampton Atrato t he m otil• mouth* a Ericsson 1:::: jaw_ PC ll eh o rui n li d Honduras •.•.• / M Dec. 17 ..] 16t1 1 ° t. Maw South- Atrato the ten Nassau mouth. an .. 17 • Mexico - oc Jan. I Oril s ° Havana • M Jan. 2.• .. , ampt0n........ Madeira 6 Can't°. Ply - Niger Ja n ' Teneriffe W C.of Africa British North 22 S lagsrS. America - Niagara Dec. United States 6 0 United States 1 Dec. 23 and} Liver- . Eri c British North E alternate pool America .. Tuesdays. Was h ; United States South- Fulton British North iM Dec. 17 ..} a South a Anfi S. America .. N- Arn e- Canada .... I E Dec. 23 .. 1 3 p o LiveriArne - jan. 7 Sila° M—Morning. E —Evening• jyßaefea[omArrsmeDaviE.t. Professori,s, E e 3 :----------...—ENT.]_Honoway,s pills Charles Robertson, Hollowayßobertsonhe Brig htnn. grateful; with asthma; several physicians pronounceq .1 case hopeless, and being private'--• R I S arin" he r • eceived his discharge d to his native by night in an easy place. The d" ,an winedetho_ .ng _ll ifficulty in breathing,. and that c..e/fibil to sation rest 'so peculiar to the complaint, tbe —Pa ra , gri., ll every cat , . this inestimable remedy had failed, b the aid of y Sold by all medicine he was 'erfect health. restored top medicine Holloway's Strand, Lon on , n . 80, • establishments , 24 4 , Maiden•lane New bJi Stamps, 00400 tinople -A. Maiden•lane, York ;y • M a lta• , Guidicy, Smyrna ; anc i ................... .,., ga vendors throughout the world ; at rrof.esas_ocir ~~~ 11 .r‘ whencoe aTepillry.illtaidprill: BIRTU On on the the 16th 16th ' ins : ,cie. t t 21309:11,YBC:Park-square, the w ife 4 Samuel Rawsoning, a C. Spottiawoode. . the wife of Capt. golynee% Mrs. James Parkin . On the 16th inst•, at 1, ling-street, St. Jamos'B44ol* OF A DAVGIVIDIt. On the 15th inst., at Brighton, the wife of J. A. Ve lliv son. mont, Esq. M A R R I E D. / of. On the 17th inst., at St. Paul's, Canonbury, tb e i a T ie Richard Bull, ALA., vicar of Harwich, Essex, t 2.. J' l ,;.je % youngest daughter of James Wilson, Esq., of Tr ] - place, Islington. Ate r o rl On the 17th in at Christ Church, Craven-bill, :,. wind Cartwright, Esq., H.M.'s Commissioner ,7fia• zrirolA, liritish (liana, to Mary, eldest daughter of I. — rigor' 'Watson, Esq., of Porchester-terrace, Ilyelo,l4‘' DIED. 1.. PIO On the 16th inst., at Yo.rk-gate, Regent's-PPP', ,inotv. Barrett Lennard, Esq., Chief Clerk of H.M.'s Priv,' ''',.-4, cil office, the second son of Si.r Thomas Barrett Leon.'" 13'1;1'; the 15th inst., at Norwood, Surrey, 'Wm' 11°Nqt'rd' Esq., aged 53. On the 16th inst., Charles Morris, Esq. of Connatigitt. place, and the Chase, Great Malvern!. ' On the 16th inst., at Pimlico, Mr. Joseph FranirlP-111. age d 74. r.;at* er Stamford -street, On the 16th inst., at 26, Upptreet, ,--e J. T. Hinton, R.M., aged 64. oir , On the 15th inst., at 41, Half Moon-street, MAY,OO, Wm. Vardon, Esq., of Goldstone Hall, Market Dor Shropshire, aged 73. ------- --- Call 4Ch LONDON : Printed and Publiahed by MURDO Y- 40 . of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun 0160°!toi 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the 1 of Middlesex, Thursday, December 18, 1856.