The Sun. — London, England, 1861-12-25 00:00:00

CHARGE OF CONSPIRACY. Yesterday, at 2 o'clock, Henry D. Lloyd, 42 years of age, described as one of a firm of merchants trad ing under the style of H. D. Lloyd and Co., at 26, Philpot-lane, was placed at the bar of the Mansion house, before Mr. Alderman Hale (who sat for the Lord Mayor), charged on remand with conspiring with a man named Solomon and others not in cus tody in obtaining a large quantity of alkali, worth about £750, with intent to cheat and defraud Messrs. W. Jefferson and Co., chemical manufac turers at Jarrow-hill, near Newcastle-on-Tyne. Mr. R. Mullens again attended to conduct the case for the prosecution. The prisoner was defended by Mr. Miller. To render the evidence intelligible it is necessary to sate, on the authority of Mr. Mullens in his opening address, that the prisoner had given a re ference as to his respectability in the transaction under consideration to Messrs. Alex. Bell and Son, 38, Threadneedle-street, and that it so happens a firm of the highest respectability named Alexander Bell and Sons carry on business as merchants at the corner of Finch-lane, which adjoins Threadneedle street. Mr. John Trotter, clerk to Messrs. Jefferson and Co., the prosecutors, said on the first examination of the prisoner he recollected receiving a letter on the Bth Oct. last, written by procuration of H. D. Lloyd and Co., asking to be favoured with the price and a sample of their sodaash, with a view to from 50 to 100 tons being shipped at Gateshead for export to Hamburg and Stettin. On the following day Mr. Jefferson wrote them with the price,which was to be payable in 14 days in cash, and on the 15th a sample of the article war sent. In the letter accompanying the sample, witness, writing for his employers, asked for a reference, as the firm of H. D. Lloyd and Co. was unknown to them. On the 10th H. D. Lloyd and Co. wrote in reply, referring them to Messrs. Alex. Bell and Son, 38, Thread needle-street, and asking when they could under take to daliver 100 tons of soda ash, in case of an order. The reply, written by witness on the 17th, was that they could ship 50 tons in 14 days from the receipt of the preparation order, a vessel for Stettin being then on the berth, and another 50 tons in a week after, but not sooner, as they had contracts which would exhaust the remainder of their stock in that time. Before writing that letter, Mr. Jef ferson being then from home, witness consulted Mr. Livingstone, a friend of Mr. Jefferson's in New castle, and a member of the firm of Stenhouse and Co., in London. Mr. Livingstone then wrote a letter to Alex. Bell and Son, whose names had been given as referees. On the 18th the prisoner's firm wrote to the effect that, as they had quotations from other sources, it was necessary that they should know whether they could ship the 50 tons by the Stettin vessel; adding that, the season being far ad vane Ed, they could admit of no delay. About the same 'tune, and before the prosecutors had executed the order, Mr. Livingstone had received a letter from Alex. Bell and Son. (This letter was not al lowed to be read, so that the contents did not tran spire.) On the 19th of October, Mr. Livingstone, writing for the prosecutors to the prisoner's firm, said they could have 50 tons of soda ash ready the next week. They wrote in reply, on the 21st, that they were willing Jefferson and Co. should engage freight for 50 tons, or more if they could have it ready, by the vessel for Stettin referred to, and the rtceome.a,sti3i m remainder of names, s f the 100 tons to be shipped week followi ng the k g. followi ng f or Hamburg . They added they preferred ee h lading made out in their (Lloyd and as the shippers of the goods and deli verable to order. They enclosed the customary s e a a n ad ash sold n ‘t‘hbaotu theg h t was to e which stipulated subject to M r . J o h n promptPatt n s o f n r ' e s m test, e and dat e t the the payment bills 0731 to be 14 days less 21 per cent. discount. A dupli ca t e o f this note e w due course sent to the prisoner's firm, signed on ü be in half of the prosecutors. On the 2 8th witness wrote to the prisoner's firm that 95 casks of the soda ash had been shipped on board the Vistula, lying at New castle, for Stettin, to their order, the value of which was £469 15s 7d, and he produced the bill of lading signed by the captain. On the 6th of November 27 more casks were shipped by the Chevy Chase to Hamburg. The prosecutors had intended to ship 55 by that vessel, but she could not take more than 27 ; and on the 13th the remaining 28 were shipped on board the Otho, the value of those two shipments together being £279 16s 10d. On the 11th of No. vember, when the time for payment of the first ship , ment had arrived, witness wrote to the prisoner's THE SUN, LONDON, NVEDNCSDIY EVENING, DMOEIVII3N11" 25; 1861. _RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. -~--- GRAND TRUNK OF CANADA. The half-yearly meeting of this company was held yesterday at the London 'Tavern. Mr. T. Baring, the chairman, presided. Mr. T. M, Grant, the secretary, having read the notice convening the meeting, the report of the directors and the report of Mr. E. Watkin, ab stracts of which have appeared in Me Sun, were taken as read. The CHAIRMAN said he did not think it necessary to take up their time in making any remarks. After hearing the observations of the proprietors he would reply to any questions they might ask. This was the ordinary meeting for receiving and adopting the report of the directors and the accounts of the company, and also of receiving and adoptitg the report of Mr. Watkin, who was then present. He thought they must all feel the critical state of affairs in Canada, and the necessity of sending a gentleman of judgment, integrity, and ability, for which Mr. Watkin was distinguished, to represent the company in Canada, for the purpose of working out the matters already agreed upon by the bond holders and shareholders. At the present moment it was of the utmost importance that as much har mony and unity should prevail among them as pos sible. He concluded by moving the following reso lution :—" That the report of the directors, the ac counts, and the report of Mr. Watkin bo received and adopted ; that Mr. Watkin bo thanked for his past services; that the Board do appoint an agent to proceed to Canada to continue negotiations with the Government, and to carry out the reorganisa tion of the line and the other arrangements recom mended in Mr. Watkin's report ; that for this pur pose such agent empowered to represent all claims with the fullest powers ; and that the Government and Legislature of Canada be impressed with the importance of prompt action in dealing with the question of the postal subsidy and its capitalisation, as the only practical means of relieving this concern from its financial embarrassments." Mr. MORRIS seconded the motion. He said that he represented a large number of bondholders, and that he could endorse the report submitted for their approval. An arrangement had been come to with Mr. Watkin to represent all classes of shareholders and bondholders, and to reorganise the company, to get the largest amount of net revenue, and that nothing should be done to alter the position of the preference bondholders. The plan of proceeding had been agreed upon at the last meeting; the difficulties must be increasing every day, and seeing all those things, it was for the interest of all parties that the fullest opportunity should be given to Mr. Watkin to carry his recommendations into effect. Mr. H. CHAPMAN suggested that the report and statement of accounts should be received, but not adopted, as he had no objections to certain items in the accounts. He had every confidence in Mr. Watkin, and considered that he had already ren dered them valuable services. When Mr. Watkin reorganized the line and placed it on a commercial basis he (Mr. Chapman) could tell the proprietors that before 18 months from that time they would get a dividend. The CHAIRMAN said the usual course was to re ceive and adopt the report. He had no objection to leave out the word " adopted," but he thought it would be better to show, by adopting the report, that the directors had the support of the meeting. Mr. SALISBURY thought they should support the directors in doing the best they could for them. He had great confidence in Mr. Watkin, and he be lieved they were all agreed upon that point. He had no doubt that he would do his best for the bond holders and shareholders. He thought Mr. Wat kin should go out to Canada untrammelled and un instructed, to exercise his judgment to the best of his ability for all the interests concerned. Mr. CONYBEARE moved an amendment to the effect that the best thanks of the meeting be given to Mr. Watkin, and that his report be adopted; and that the report of the directors and the accounts be neither received nor adopted. He thought the lease of the Detroit and Sarnia line would be upset in a court of equity. He preferred leaving things to Mr. Watkin rather than to the directors. He protested against the idea of unanimity in the meeting. Mr NEWMARCII supported the original motion. He was deidedly in favour of sending Mr. Watkin to Canada, as he had made himself master of the whole of the facts of the case, and was prepared to carry out the wish of the meeting in July last. Unless they adopted Mr. Watkin's report, and took the necessary steps to persuade the Government to capitalize the postal subsidy, the company's affairs must go from bad to worse. The first object they had in view was to enable Mr. Watkin to re present them in Canada, and to carry out the pending negotiations with the Canadian Government to a successful issue. They must get rid of their floating debt. They were indebted to the judgment creditors for advances to enable the company to complete the Victoria-bridge and to open the railwaythroughout, otherwise the company would have had no case whatever. On the whole, they had made considerable progress during the last six months, and they would act wisely to strengthen the hands of the directors to carry out the existing negociations. Mr. HARTRIDGE expressed his satisfaction at the report of Mr. Watkin, and thought he had taken steps that would tend very much to promote their interests. The proposed traffic arrangements were essential to the wellbeing of the three Canadian companies. The Government and people of Canada had received the most benefit from their railway, and he thought they should now help them to raise the money to get the concern out of its difficulties. He hoped they would have no managing director, but that the manager should be accountable to the directors, and the directors be accountable to the bondholders and shareholders. lie believed that 110 miles of their line from Quebec to River du Loup were a loss to them, owing to the projected line from Quebec to Halifax not being carried out by the Government. He wished for some explanations re specting the proposed extension to Montreal and other matters mentioned in Mr. Watkin's report. Mr. EVANS said he had recently returned from Canada, and he could assure them it would require considerable care and attention and a vast amount of forbearance to bring the undertaking through its present difficulties. The railway was made before it was wanted, but when that time arrived it would pay the proprietors well for their outlay. They could not do without the Government aid, but he thought it would require an enormous effort on the part of the shareholders and bondholders to obtain the necessary aid. He hoped they would all act together with a view to obtain the great object they desired, and that no section of the bondholders would throw any difficulty in the way. Mr. WATKIN said that Mr. Hartridge had very , properly asked for information as to the exten sion into the city of Montreal. The company's station was at present two miles from the centre of the city. They had the opposition of the river boats, and if they were to obtain their fair share of the traffic they must obtain an exten sion of their line as proposed, and also the..means of transhipment into their trucks. Not having any ' capital account to go to, he thought the only way was to pay a redeemable rental to those who might find the money. The city of Montreal had subscribed --XlO,OOO towards it, and a mercantile company had agreed to raise the remainder of the money to com plete the extension. He trusted they would be able to meet the additional charge by a small toll on passengers and goods passing over the exten sion line. He mentioned that the Canadian Government had acted very gracefully in declining to appoint one of three gentlemen to manage the affairs of the company in Canada. The Government said the undertaking should be managed by those who owned the property, without any political interference whatever. (Hear, hear.) The arrangement he had suggested for uniting the three Canadian railway companies would, if adopted, benefit all concerned. They represented 1,600 miles in the aggregate, and about £ 2 0,000,000 of capital. It was intended that neat shoul d as one company, under a perma present those ent sanctioned by Parliament. At Separately try e li nesl away for the traffic, and other competin g li„,T a large portion of traffic to A Profit could only be ob tained by acting together as one concern. Ho was hap v y to say the uegotiatieus were in a very for ward state, and he trusted they would k oon be brought to a conclusion. With regard to the pro posed international railway from Halifax to Quebec he did not think that sufficient stress h3d been laid on the shortcomings of the English Government with regard to that matter. It was in the hope of its construction that £16,000,000 of British money had been expended on railways in Canada. In 1838 and in 1851 the question with regard to that line had been brought forward and promises held out, but the British Government had delayed its sanction, and the guarantee for its construction. It would have been a most fortunate thing for the Government and the troops recently sent to Canada if the line from Halifax to Quebec had been completed and open for traffic, instead of having to march in the ordinary way. It was now of the utmost impor- tance that the whole of British America should be connected by railway. It was a great national ques tion, and ho did not think the English Government could do without such a line or much longer delay its construction. He then expressed his gratitude for the kind expressions in his favour. If it were the wish of the shareholders, bondholders, and directors that he should continue those negotiations that had been alluded to, his best services would be placed at their disposal. He should not be wrong if he buoyed them up with expectations of success. He thought the Canadian Government were well disposed towards them, and he thought they were en titled to their thanks for having in a handsome manner referred the question of remuneration for postal service to third parties. The Government showed a desire to eondaet matters in a dignified manner, and to maintain the high credit of the co lony, and by keeping up that good faith they would not only benefit the railway but also promote the material interests of Canada. He could assure the bondholders that no one was more desirous than he to uphold their interests, and, in fact, to protect all their interests. He trusted that entire good faith to all would be maintained in the company, whatever were their engagements. It was obviously their in terest to adoptjust and fair proceedings. They could not benefit one class without improving others in the company. On the large scale there was only one great interest, and that comprised the whole. He had a strong hope that they would yet be able to greatly improve the undertaking, but he would be sorry to be too sanguine, for a railway in Canada was not one in England. Their railway was 1,100 miles in length, but they might travel on it for 20 or 30 miles without taking up a passenger or seeing a house. They were at a large expense to carry on the traffic. But of course the country was not des tined to stand still; its progress had been more rapid than that of the United States. He thought the complications in the United States would induce people to settle in Canada where they had a much more liberal Government than in the United States and where taxes were less severe. He thought working men would reflect on those things and be believed the tide of emigration would flow into Canada, and upon that tide their properity would depend. They should not be too sanguine, but let them be united, and endeavour to do the best they could to bring the undertaking out of its difficul ties. (Hear.) At the request of Mr. HARTRIDGE and other shareholders Mr. Conybeare withdrew his amend ment. Mr. WATKIN suggested an alteration in the re solution to the effect that the report be approved and the accounts received, which was agreed to. The resolution proposed by the chairman was then carried unanimously. On the motion of Mr. HARTRIDGE, seconded by Mr. CONYBEARE, a vote of thanks was passed to the chairman and directors, and the proceedings ter minated. firm to the effect that if they had not already passed a check for the amount, they had better make it payable to bearer, or else to the order of the writer, as Mr. Jefferson was then absent from home. The answer, dated on the following day, was that on the return of Mr. Lloyd on the then next Friday their communication would receive his attention. On the 13th the prisoner's firm wrote to the prose cutors, requesting them without fail to forward by the next post Mr. Pattinson's test of the alkali al ready shipped, which they had omitted to do. By next day's post, at the request of the prosecutors, Mr. Pattinson forwarded to the prisoner's firm his certificate of analysis of the soda ash. On the 15th they replied to the effect that the certificate, though a test of a sample submitted to Mr. Pattinson, made no allusion to that which had been shipped. They added that, as far as they themselves were con cerned, there was no reason to doubt Messrs. Jefferson's word as to the alkali being of the specified strength, but the fact of they (H. D. Lloyd and Co.) stipulating in the contract note that the soda ash should be subject to Mr. Pattin son's test must have shown them the necessity for that being done at the time of shipment, in order that the certificate might accompany the ship ping documents. They could not, therefore, they said, sufficiently express their regret at the un fortunate omission or oversight, as they could fore see the consequence would be considerable delay, and perhaps loss. By return witness wrote that the sample submitted to Mr. Pattinson was taken in the usual manner out of various casks, which were shipped. He added, the firm had fulfilled their part of the contract, so far as analysis was concerned, and must consider the question of strength settled, as they could not allow themselves to be placed at the mercy of people in Hamburg about whom they knew nothing. Witness identi fied some more correspondence which had passed between liim and the prisoner's firm on this sub ject. In one of his letters he said the whole of the ash was of a first-rate quality ; he was certain they could not buy better, and it was really mast annoy ing, in that their first transaction, after devoting so much care and attention to the preparation of the order, to have such a grievous misunderstanding. To this the reply of the prisoner's firm was, that they had been advised from abroad that the quality of the ash was not first but second rate, and "quite yellowish." On the subject of payment they stated that " fourteen days from the date of bills of lading, less 21 per cent. discount, as they understood it, meant on the completion of the delivery of the 100 tons. Cross-examined by Mr. Miller—Mr. Livingstone is a friend of Mr. Jefferson, living in Newcastle, and partner in the firm of Stenhouse and Co., of Lon don. When we sell soda ash, and it is stated in the sale note that it is subject to Mr. Pattinson's test, we don't send any certificate of that test to the pur chaser. It was H. D. Lloyd and Co.'s business to come and test the samples. They made no com plaint about the test until after they had been asked for the money. (A laugh.) _ _ By Mr. Mullens—We shipped the goods in ques tion under what we supposed was really a bona fide contract and I acted throughout the transaction on the instructions of Mr. Livingstone, during the absence of Mr. Jefferson. The prisoner's firm have not paid any of the purchase money, amounting in all to £749 12s. sd. Mr. Jefferson, the prosecutor, gave evidence to the effect that he parted with the alkali believing the Alexander Bell and Son, to whom the prisoner had i eferred him, were the firm of Alexander Bell and Son, which is well known and respected in the north of England. _ _ Yesterday Elizabeth Mary Wilson was called and said—She is housekeeper at 26, Philpot-lane. The prisoner hired offices there on the first floor, con sisting of a front and back room, in July last. He was accompanied by one William Solomon when he took them. A dispute arose about the previous tenant going out, and some furniture he had left behind him. Mr. Solomon took part in it, and insisted on the prisoner being permitted to occupy the rooms with the furniture. The prisoner upon that had the use of the furniture, and Solomon with his own hand rubbed out the name of the previous tenant with some hot water, soap, and soda which he got from her for the purpose. After that Solomon came and went regularly during business hours. She used to clean the rooms, and she saw in them one large and two or three small account books. The names of H. D. Lloyd and Co. were painted at the entrance, and the defendant was the recognised tenant. Ann Willinson proved that she had charge of the offices, 75, Old Broad-street. She knew Mr. John Solomon. In 1860 he took chambers there, but did not enter until about six weeks afterwards, or about October. On his hiring the room the names Wil son, Graham, and Co. were put up outside, and soon afterwards she saw the prisoner who was called Mr. 'Wilson, come backward and forward. All the time Solomon occupied the offices the prisoner was known as Mr. Wilson, and she made out the bill to the prisoner in that name. Solomon eventually went to Liverpool. The offices were on the third floor. At the house next to No. 75 there is a well-known firm of Wilson, Rose, Graham, and Co., merchants, who have been there many years. The prisoner, as Mr. Wilson, wished to be substituted for Mr Solomon as the tenant, but Mr. Banks, the then agent, declined to assent to the arrangement. She locked them out of the chambers a month or six weeks ago because they had not paid any rent. William Probert, 31, Seymour-street, Euston - square, book-keeper, said he knew John Solomon. He was engaged by him in May, 1860, as a clerk in Liverpool, where Mr. Solomon then carried on busi ness under the firm of Jonas Simmons and Co., as commission agents, He employed witness to write to different persons, whose names were taken from the Directory, to see if he could not be supplied with goods of various kinds. He also carried on business at Liverpool as Wilson and Graham. Witness re collected the firm of Alexander Bell and Son, carry ing on business in Old Broad-street, and afterwards removing to Threadneedle-street. He knew a clerk who was employed by that firm. The letters pro duced (referring to much of the correspondence with the prosecutors in this case) were in the handwrit ing of that clerk. Witness came to London at Solo mon's request, and assisted him in the business of Wilson, Graham, and Co,, acting as clerk, from October, 1860, to May, 1861. He was afterwards subpoenaed to Liverpool as a witness against Solo mon for forgery. Three letters were put in, dated the 7th and 14th of November and the 2d of December, in the handwriting of Solomon, and addressed to Messrs Bianconi and Co., of Hamburg, showing that the alkali obtained by the prisoner from the prosecu tors had been consigned to that firm, and that Solomon was about that time dealing with the bills of lading. On this evidence Mr. Mains asked to have the prisoner again remanded. Alderman Hale said he was prepared to commit the prisoner for trial on the evidence as it stood. Mr. Mullens stated he had a reason for pressing for a further remand. The case was then adjourned until this day week, the prisoner, if he wished, to be at liberty to put in bail in the meantime, himself in £5OO and two sureties in £250 each, after the usual uotice as to heir sufficiency. FOREIGN MAIL PACKET LIST. MAILS DUE. Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton. Jan, 18. via Marseilles Brazil and Cape Verds, by British packet. Jan. 4. Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. llelena.. Jan. 1. China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton. Jan. 2. via Marseilles ...Dec. 27. Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via Southampton Dec. 26. India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton Jan. 2. via Marseilles Dec. 27. India (Bombay), via Southampton Dec. 26. via Marseilles Jan. 4. Lisbon Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton Dec. 26. via Marseilles Dec. 27. Newfoundland .... . Dec. 25 Oporto and Vigo U.:S. and British N. America, by Brit. packet .. Dec. 25. by U.S. packet by 'Canadian packet. Dec. 25. W.C. of Africa, Madeira, and Ter teriffe Jan. 10. Bahamas, via New York . Jan. 16. Mexico.. All parts of West Indies, including Chili, Peru, 1 Dec._ ao. California,aucl British ColumPicsig • 110 ...... i REALM . OF LONDON DURING 211 E WEEK. (From the Registrar-General's Weekly Return.) In the week that ended last Saturday the total number of deaths in London was 1,248 ; it exhibits a decrease on those of previous returns since Octo ber. The average number of deaths in the coire spending weeks of ten previous years (1851-60), cor rected for increase of population, is 1,337. The mortality of last week was therefore less by 89 deaths than it would have been if the average rate calculated for the third week of December had ruled. One hundred and fifty persons died from phthisis (consumption), the corrected average being 146. Bronchitis and pneumonia were fatal in 110 and 74 cases, the respective averages being 158 and 103. Those pulmonary complaints that are most subject to the influence of the weather are at present less prevalent, or certainly less fatal, than is usual at this period of the year. Whooping-cough was re turned in 61 cases, which is above the average mor tality. Typhus numbered 41 cases last week, agreeing very closely with the average; smallpox 4, measles 14, scarlatina 82, diphtheria 20, croup 24. Four deaths from scarlatina occurred in Fulham, 3 in Belgravia, 3 in Gray's-in-lane, 4 in Islington east, 3 in St: James's, Clerkenwell, 3 in St. Saviour's, Southwark, 3 in Waterloo-road (first sub-district), 3 in St. Paul's, Deptford, 3 in Plumatead. In the sub-district of St. George, Bloomsbury, 14 deaths were registered in the week ; and of these there were four from scarlatina, one from typhus, and one from whooping-cough. A journeyman tailor, aged 25, died in Marchmont-street from scar latina, after six days' illness. The registrar states that the deaths continue very much above the average, and that scarlatina prevails chiefly in the north-eastern portion of his sub-district. Four deaths from scarlatina were registered in Norwood ; two of these in Gipsey-house-road. A widow died at the age of 97 years. An old man of 96 years died in Hoxton-house, who had been an inmate of that asylum for upwards of 56 years. Last week the births of 958 boys and 944 girls, in all, 1,902 children, were registered in London. In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1851- 60 the average number was 1,550. _ _ At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean height of the barometer in the week was 30.087 in. The readings fell to 2981 in. on Wednesday, and they rose to 30.30 in. on Friday. The mean tem perature of the air in the week was 42.6 deg., which is 3 deg. above the average of the same week in 43 years (as determined by Mr. Glaisher). The air was warm till Thursday, when the mean tem perature fell below the average. The highest day temperature was 51 deg., on Monday; the lowest was 34.5 deg., on Thursday. The range of the ther mometer in the week was therefore 16.5 deg. The mean daily range was 7.1 deg. The difference be tween the mean dew-point temperature and air temperature was 3.7 deg. The mean degree of humidity of the air was 88, complete saturation be ing represented by 100, The wind was generally in the north-west in the earlier half of the week; in the north-east for the remainder. The whole amount of rain was 9-hundredths of an inch, which fell on Monday. TEE FOREIGN RELATIONS OP TEE UNITED STATES. Among the documents connected with the foreign relations of the United States which had been sub mitted to Congress was one to Mr. Dayton, Minis ter at Paris, dated June 17, 1861, in which the whole subject of the foreign recognition of the Southern Confederacy is discussed. It appears that Mr. Seward was waited upon by the Ministers of France and Great Britain, who announced that they had been charged by their respective Govern. ments to read a despatch to him. He replied that, under the circumstances, he could not consent to an official reading of the papers without first knowing their tenour. They were then submitted informally to his examination, when he perceived that they proposed not only to recognise the rebels as belli gerents, but to hold official communication with their so-called Government for certain purposes of explanation. Mr. Seward, therefore, immediately declined the official reception of any such communi cations. The Secretary says he learned some time ago, through our Legation at St. Petersburg, that an understanding had been effected between the Governments of Great Britain and France, that they should take one and the same course on the subject of the political disturbances in this country, includ ing the possible recognition of the insurgents. This conclusion was adopted before the new Ministers were sent out by the present Administration, and they have been instructed that the United States Government will take no notice of such preconcerted agreements, but, according to invariable usage, will deal with each Power separately. The Secretary then says :—" The United States, rightly jealous, as we think, of their sovereignty, cannot suffer themselves to debate any abridgement of that sove reignty with France or with any other nation. Much less can it consent that France shall announce to it a conclusion of her own against that sovereignty, which conclusion France has adopted without any previous conference with the United States on the subject. This Government insists that the United States are one whole undivided nation, especially so far as foreign nations are concerned, and that France is, by the law of nations and by treaties, not a neutral power between two imaginary parties here, but a friend of the United States." Mr. Seward admits that " we have abundant evi dence of the good feeling and good wishes of the Emperor," and he thinks that this step was the re sult of an inadvertence, and would not have occurred if it had been delayed till the arrival of Mr. Dayton at Paris. France had been led to mistake an ordi nary insurrection for a war that had divided one Power into two. But, he says, there is only one political power here, the United States of America. He continues :—" There is, indeed, an armed sedi tion seeking to overthrow the Government, and the Government is employing military and naval forces to repress it. But these facts do not constitute a war presenting two belligerent Powers, and modi fying the national character, rights, and responsi bilities, or the characters, rights, and responsibili ties of foreign nations. It is true that insurrection may ripen into revolution, and that revolution thus ripened may extinguish a previously existing State, or divide it into one or more independent States, and that if such States continue their strife after such division then there exists a state of war affect ing the characters, rights, and duties of all parties concerned. But this only happens when the revo lution has run its successful course." But the rea soning adopted by France and England is ;that certain facts give the insurgents the appearance of a Government de facto, and therefore they arc to be regarded as belligerents in conformity with the laws of war. If this principle were al lowed, argues Mr. Seward, it would still be im portant to inquire how many nations see the facts in this light. Thus far, there are only two. Are the judgments of these two to outweigh those of all other nations ? Doubtless each nation may judge and act for itself, but it certainly cannot ex pect the United States to accept its decision upon a question vital to their national existence. Our Sove reign rights do not at all depend upon the appear ance they may assume in the eyes of foreign nations, and we shall defend them, and expect other nations to respect them, until, if ever, Providence permits them to be overthrown. Mr. Seward then goes over the diplomatic negotiations with France with regard to the declarations of the Congress of Paris, and shows that she claims nothing of us which we do not freely concede. And in declining to receive the communication referred to, we only refuse her the privilege of telling us we are at war when we main tain that as to her we are at peace, and that she is neutral, when we prefer to recognise her as a friend. After expressing the most amicable sentiments, Mr. ! Seward closes with the following passage :—" The case, as it now stands, is the simple,:ordinary one that has happened at all times and in all countries. A discontended domestic faction seeks foreign in tervention to overthrow the Constitution and the liberties of its own country. Such intervention, if yielded, is ultimately disastrous to the cause it is designed to aid. Every uncorrupted nation in its deliberate moments prefer its own integrity, even with unbearable evils, to division through the power or influence of any foreign State. This is so in France. It is not less so in this country. Down I deep in the heart of the American people—deeper than the love of trade, or of freedom — deeper than the attachment to any local or sec tional interest or partisan pride, or individual ambition—deeper than any other sentiment--is that one out of which the Constitution of this Union arose—namely, American independence; inde pendence of all foreign control, alliance, or in fluence. Next above it lies the conviction that neither peace, nor safety, nor public liberty, nor prosperity, nor greatness, nor empire can be at tained here with the sacrifice of the unity of the people of North America. Those who, in a frenzy of passion, are building expectations on other prin ciples do not know what they arc doing. When ever one part of the Union shall be found assuming bonds of dependence or of fraternity toward any foreign people, to the exclusion of the sympathies of their native land, then, even if not before, that spirit will be reawakened which brought the States of this Republic into existence, and which will preserve them united until the common destiny which opened to them shall be fully and com pletely realised." THE SOUTHERN STATES. Mr. Maury, who is so well known to all naviga ors and to all scientific men, has addressed a long letter to Admiral Fitzroy, containing an apology for the step he has taken of resigning his post at the Washington Observatory, and devoting himself to the cause of his compatriots of the South. Mr. Maury's history of the grievances of the Southern States is much too elaborate for our columns, bat the following extracts contain nearly all that re lates to the present state of the conflict :-- " President Lincoln has, by his awn mere dic tum, and that of his lieutenants, suspended the writ of habeas corpus. He has muzzled the press and abridged the freedom of speech. He has, without authority of law, and against the Constitution, which he is sworn to defend and support, plunged the country into war, murdered our citizens, burnt our houses, and is wasting their substance. He has, without warrant, seized unoffending citizens, and, without acquainting them with the nature of their offence, has imprisoned them in loathsome dungeons. He has set aside the civil authorities and declared martial law to rule in their stead, and under the tyrant's plea he is proceeding to do a great many acts and things which would more become the savage and the brute. He has sent against us an army, and provided them with manacles to bind us in his prisons. His Zouaves who fell at Manassas were equipped with halters already adjusted for our necks and the lamp-post; and, first having treated medicines, drugs, and surgical instruments as contraband of war, he leaves after defeat in bat tle his wounded to be cared for by us whom he had sought to deprive of remedies. After his defeat at the battle of Bull's Run, he sent neither flag to bury his dead nor physicians to treat his wounded. In short Lincoln and his myrmidons are preparing to enact upon us the scenes of La Vendee in the French Revolution. "Though not so mighty in numbers noiso rich in warlike supplies as the enemy, we are 8,000,000 of people thrice armed, in that our quarrel is just. Fighting for our homes, we are mighty in battle. In mere lust the enemy is fighting for power and conquest ; we, for firesides, the graves of our fathers, dear life, and all that is precious to the heart and to civilization. Our cause is holy ; theirs hellish. We cannot, we will not be subjugated. " The contrast is frequently drawn by our old men between the conduct of the English in the war of 1812 and the conduct of the hordes of Lincoln now. The English invaded us, but respected the property and regarded the rights of unarmed citizens. The same counties have been invaded by Lincoln. He has devastated and laid them waste, and for what? Why, simply to compel us to submit to his gouvernance. Suppose he should succeed, would not success overturn the whole fabric of the Constitution P The Re public was founded on the consent of the governed. Failing in this, it is no longer either a Republic or any other form of government that has at its foun dation the will of the people. It is a tyranny. We want nothing of the North. We choose not to sub mit to Northern domination; we are fighting simply to be let alone, and to be permitted to govern our selves in our own way. „ " The South presents the remarkable spectacle of an army having in its ranks the first men and best talents of the country. To subdue or conquer such an army is simply an impossibility, for its soldiers are fighting for all that makes life dear to them. I fight with a price upon my head and a halter around my neck. Nor I alone, bat every man of mark or substance among us. Lincoln's men are not made of such stuff; for they are for the most part mere hirelings, and their armies in battle are strength ened by no such hope and moved by no such fears as those which inspire us. They talk of a recon struction of the Government and a reunion of the people. Simply, and in a few words, reannexation to the British Crown is more possible. " I very much desire that the friends of free go vernment in Europe should be correctly informed as to the true state of things with us ; for your in formation being chiefly derived through our ene mies, it is of course onesided, and generally, also, it is not only erroneous, but wilfully mendacious. The papers at - the North that plead our cause, or dare tell the truth about this war, are suppressed by Lincoln's mere sic jubco. A large majority of us, they would have you believe, are opposed to seces sion and this war. Saving some of the Western counties of this State, and a few in East Tennessee, 1 have never known the people so united upon any subject. The women, if possible, are more enthu siastic than the men ; they are of one mind, and the clergy are as earnest as the women. In the week the clergy are, of their own free will, drilling and being drilled to arms ; their churches are given up to the women, who, with needles and sewing machines, congregate there to make clothing for the soldiers. On Sundays, from the pulpit, the holiness of the war and the righteous ness of our cause are preached to the people. In battles you find clergymen among the foremost of the fight. We have on our side a bishop for a general, holy divines for colonels, majors, captains, and soldiers in the ranks. Never was a people more united and in earnest than the people of the Con federate States are at this moment. " Yes, you have heard something too of our starv ing—of our inability to produce breadstuffs and provisions encugh for our own use, &c. To make you believe that would be requiring you to renounce your belief in physical geography, for that shows that within the Confederate States we have the finest of climates : our lands are unsurpassed in fer tility ; we are a grazing, and a farming, and a plant ing people. Educated in the South, I never saw a beggar until I entered the Navy and went to New York. Such is the habitual abundance that the very few poor who are found among us are pro vided for without calling on the people for poor rates. Our Southern laws recognise no such tax. The staples of Georgia are cotton and rice, yet the census shows that according to population Georgia furnishes as much wheat as New York, and New York is one of the wheat-growing States of the North. Never have the grain crops of the South been more abundant than they now are. The blockade of our ports, admitting it to be effectual would not interfere: with us as to any of the neces saries of life. It may cut off our supplies of tea and coffee, and the various articles of merchandise that we have been accustomed to receive from abroad; hut this does not amount even to 9 privation, for we submit to these wants as a self-denial and a disci pline that is all for our good. " I see no end to this wicked and savage war as long as the arch spirits which surround Lincoln re main in power. Before and after every battle we hold out the olive branch, demanding simply, ' Let us go.' We do not desire to subjugate or invade his people. - We are simply trying to cut loose from them, and to have not hin g to do with them or their institutions one way or the other. As a proof which we wished to give them and the world of our forbearance and sincerity, behold the movements of the enemy since the battle of Manassas. Wo have not been disposed to follow up that single victory by a single act of invasion. Rely upon it, the old Union is irretriev ably gone, and secession is rapidly gaining ground. The thinking men in several of the free States are daily beginning to cast about for fresh compacts, for new political and social combinations; and among the new developments which the morrow may bring forth be not surprised to find Pennsylvania and, perhaps, New Jersey, seeking admission into our new Republic, as one ;of the States of the Confede racy." THE WEST OF IRELAND-ITS PROSPECTS. A letter from Clifden, Connemara, Galway, dated Dec. 19, says :—ln describ:ng one portion of the Connemara sea coast I have described nearly all. The nature of the soil, the appearance of the ccuntry, the character and habits of the people are almost identical—the only points of variance being that in some plices the land may be in re rocky, and in others more boggy, and that the inhabitants of particu lar districts derive a portion of their subsistence from fish• ing, whilst others depend solely upon tillage and grazing. As I have already stated, the fishing is carried on here in an uncertain, irregular, precarious fashion, which is not likely to undergo any improvement until proper harbours of refuge shall have been constructed. The Sellerney or Cleggan district, extending from Aughrim Point to Ball nakill, on the north of Clifden—a distance of about eight miles in a straight line, but fully 20 miles if we follow the windings of the shore—is one of those whose inhabitants depend to a considerable extend for support on the produce of their fishing. Little hamlets or clusters of cabins of the most miserable kind are scattered at various places along the coast. It would be impossible to convey by any written description an adequate idea of the appearance of wretched ness, misery, and neglect which these hovels present. The walls are all made of stones, not cemented together, but placed loosely on the top of each other, and the interstices inside filled with clay or turf mould to keep out the wind, _ _ _ which, however, must penetrate through so frail a barrier. The thatch is always rotten, and often brcken, so as to ad mit the rain, which renders the clay floor muddy and slip pery. The invariable dung heap lies in front of the house, and frequently encroaches on the door-step. The inside of these cottages is in keeping with their external appearance. A bed of straw, covered with a patched and tattered quilt, a ricketty table, a few stools, perhaps a rude dresser containing some articles of delf, and an iron pot for the cooking of the potatoes or the porridge, consti- tute the entire furniture of the ordinary Connemara peasant's house. The degrees of poverty do not seem to make any difference between the people in this respect. The man who has three or four acres, and has been able not only to live well according to his notions, but to save a little money, does not possess a better or neater cottage than his poorer neighbour, who is always on the verge of starvation or the workhouse. The idea of neatness and cleanliness in their household arrangements does not seem ever to enter into their minds; and, indeed, it must be remembered that the women being always working in the fields or at the sea shore have not time, even if they had the disposition, to do anything towards the improvement of their abodes; whilst their children, male and female, are kept constantly em ployed out of doors from the moment they are able to con tribute anything to the support of the family. The conse quence, as I have before observed, is that they grow up without education, as ignorant and as prejudiced as their fathers. In the Sellerney district, the fishing on which the people depended so much has proved this season very un productive, in consequence of the unfavourable weather ; and the potato crop has turned out as badly as in other parts of the country. The same variety of results is observable here as in other places, one man having obtained a very fair return whilst his neighbour has scarcely any. Here, as elsewhere, experience has shown that a light sandy or moory soil is the best for the growth of the potato, whilst heavy clayey land, especially in wet weather, is exceedingly bad for that purpose. The instances in which a large and sound crop has been obtained are rare, and on an average it may be safely estimated that one-half of the crop in this district has been lost, and that after the month of February there will be very few potatoes left in this locality. The produce of the oat crop was not by any means so bad here as in other places I have visited, judging from what I have been told by intelligent and observant persons resi dent in the district, and also from my own personal obser vation. The haggards of those who cultivated oats were much better stocked than they would have been if there hal been that general failure alleged by some persons. The crop was rather a light one, but the return not much below the average. Some barley was sown in this district ; although it cannot be described as a good, it was certainly not a very bad,. crop. Taking, then, every cir cumstance into consideration—the frugal and parsimonious habits of the people, the fact that, however poverty .stricken the aspect of their hovels would lead one to suppose them to be, many of them have money saved, and considering also that up to tha present they have been able to pay their rents with great regularity, I do not anticipate that for some months to come there will be any very general distress arising from want of food. Thero will always be exceptional cases, but it cannot be truthfully stated that at present there is any dearth of provisions in Connemara. I have no doubt, however, that from April, if not sooner, up to the month of August, there will be N ery severe pressure and much priva tion and suffering amongst the very small farmers, who have not been able during former years to put anything by to meet such an emergency as the present. In a couple of months these people will have no potatoes, and no means of purchasing meal, however low the price of that article may be. They will of course endure the utmost extremity of distress sooner than give up their land and enter the work house ; but to that miserable consummation some of them must come at last, unless they obtain employment. Where they are to obtain that employment I am unable to discover. The farms are so small that every man, with the aid of his family, cultivates his own little holding without calling for the assistance of strangers, and there are no resident gentry to give the employment which is so much required. If the owners of the soil could be brought to see their own interests they would employ their tenants in the making of proper fences, and in carrying out those drainage works which are everywhere necessary; and if this were done to any consider able extent no reasonable apprehension could be entertained of the existence of any distress which the operation of the poor-law system, ailed by private benevolence, would not be perfectly adequate to meet. There could be no doubt that if the landlords of Connemara expended money judiciously on the improvement of their properties they would have no reason, in a pecuniary point of view, to regret having done so. The letting value of the land might be greatly in creased by a comparatively small outlay in the carrying out of obvious improvements, which could be easily and cheaply effected. A gentleman who resides in another part of the county told me that during the famine years he employed every labouring man in his immediate neighbourhood, both from the desire to improve his property and to afford them means of earning their bread. The improvements he car ried out in fencing, draining, planting, Sec., were so exten sive and his weekly labour-bill so large that many of his friends remonstrated with him on his imprudence and pre dicted his rule. How different was the result. " I never (said my informant) spent money so profitably as that. The improvements which I then carried out have added largely to my income." I have seen this gentleman's estate, and have been able to judge of the extraordinary transformation which his taste and enterprise have effected in the aspect of the place by comparing his thriving plantations, find pastures, and well-tilled fields, with the swampy land and barren mountains imme diately adjoining his property, which have been left by their owners in all their original wildness. The field for improvement in Connemara is a wide one, and here and there we come upon exquisite little spots, which show what might be done on a larger scale by the judicious expenditure of capital. In the Sellerney district, of which I am now speaking, the landlord who has done most to im prove the condition of his tenantry is Sir Christopher Leigh ton. This gentleman has no residence here, tut he has shown a laudable desire to introduce better habits amongst the tenantry on his estate. lie has encouraged them to fence their holdings, to make gates, and to effect other im provements—they have shown themselves capable of profit ing by his advice, and are making considerable progress compared with the tenants on other properties where no en couragement or facilities for improvement are given. Their land is much better cultivated, their cottages neater, and the rents being toe high they are able to live very well. The only persons over whom Sir Christopher exercises no influence are some tenants who hold under ancient leases, and they pursue the old slovenly system in which they were brought up, without any thought of improvement whatever. Example is absolutely necessary to rouse these people from their apathy, and stimulate them to exertion. The tenants from year to year improve when they have a landlord who gives them encouragem , nt, because they are anxious to secure his favour. The tenantry who have leases, being independent of the landlord, go on in the old lazy, thriftless fashion, and will continue to do so until they see their neighbours rising above them, and reaping the fruits of industry directed by skill and knowledge. The progress of improvement must be slow amongst a people who have been so utterly neglected, and so long as the miserable two and three acre farms are allowed to exist agriculture will be badly carried on, and the small holders will always be liable to suffer great distress whenever the country is afflicted with a deficient harvest, There can be no analogy, however, between the terrific famine years and the present or any future bad harvest which we may have to encounter. The people are in a better position to meet the failure of the potato; although it is still their staple food, they do mot depend up n it so absolutely as in past times, and the prices of Indian meal and oetmeal are far below what they were in the years 1847.48. The scar city of fuel throughout the whole of Connemara has been already so fully spoken of by me that I cannot add anything to what I have written upon that subject. In the Sellerney distric+, as in the neighbourhood of Clifden, Melanin More, Bunowen, and every other place in which I have been, the inhabitants have been reduced to great distress from want of turf. They might have saved an abundance of it had they taken advantage of the fine weather in April and May; but there is not one man in a hundred throughout the whole of the west of Ireland who has had the forethought or the wisdom to do so. According to the custom of the country turf-cutting is always deferred until St, John's (Ivy ; and as the rain has been falling continuously from the middle of June nearly up to the present time, it is' obvious that the turf cut in th,, beginning of June has hal no chance of cry ing. The people are endeavouring to turn the wet turf to- gether with brambles, heath, furze, and straw, but they are not able to do much good in this way. I have seen turf purchased at double the ordinary price, which was almost useless, and could not be made available unless burned with coals, Every sod was thoroughly saturated with moisture, and resembled a wet sponge more than any thing else. Connemara, like the coast of Clare, suffers from the want of turf the more intensely because of the absence of trees. The country is perfectly bare of wood, except the small plantations that surround a few houses in sheltered places ; and this is the more extraordinary when we find from the abundance of fir trees in the bogs that the whole of the land must at one time have been a vast forest. The inhabitants of Sellerney and other places have nothing wherewith to cook their food save the ferns, furze, and logwood which they pick up from day to day. Some of them are taking the old screws off the roofs of their houses and burning them ; others arc carrying away the turf walls by which the roads are fenced, and resorting to any shift and contrivance which urgent necessity can sug gest to procure the materials of a miserable fire. This is a sad state of things, and matters will be worse if active mea sures be not taken to supply the people with coals until the dry winds, with which we hope to be favoured in March, enable them to obtain turf from the bogs. The Clifden Re lief Committee are awaiting a favourable change in the weather to obtain a cargo of coals for the supply of the town and its neighbourhood. Their funds must, how- ever, be greatly increased by subscription from the public at large before thoy can expect to deal effectually with he immense amount of distress occasioned by the un- precedented scarcity of fuel. I have read a letter in the London Morning Test, in which the writer notices ~ . my correspondence from the West of Ireland as being likely to do some good, but also likely to mis- lead the half-educated and selfish politicians who lay the blame on the clouds of the Atlantic, or anything rather than the real cause. I hope nothing I have written is calculated to produce that effect. The object of my mis sion is to ascertain the amount and intensity of the distress occasioned by what is acknowledged on all hands to be a deficient harvest. The causes of this distress, and the means whereby such results are to be averted in future, are not subjects which I am called on to investigate very deeply. Nevertheless, I have not hesitated to attribute much of the calamities that have befallen the farmers of the West this year to their own bad methods of cultivation, and to the want of drainage which I perceived in every part of the country through which I passed. I stated in one of my earlier letters that Mr. Allan Pollok, of Lismany, Ballina sloe, had succeeded in growing good crops, nohvitlstanding the extraordinary wetness of the season, because his land was thoroughly drained and skilfully cultivated ; and I have frequently mentioned instances in which earlier and better culture has been rewarded with success when failure was the general rule, arising from ignorance of the principles and practice of scientific agriculture.. I have, therefore, shown no disposition to slur over the defects which are-but too observable in the cultivation of the soil throughout the West of Ireland. Dealing with matters as I found them, I attributed the admittedly bad crops of the present year to the inclemency of the season ; but I did not suggest that if the land were properly drained and better cultivated (as it would have been if it formed a portion of England or Scotland) the result would have been so unfavourable as it has unfortunately proved. Considering the present state of Irish agriculture, to what cause can we attribute the total loss of the turf, the aggravation of the potato blight, and the deterioriation of the cereal crop, if not to the " clouds of the Atlantic" obstructing the vivifying influ ence of the sun, chilling the atmosphere, and deluging the land with rain? It is true more forethought and less indolence of thought and action on the part of the people might have diminished the intensity of the evil, but as long as the present minute subdivision of land prevalis in Ireland no human ingenuity or labour could avert from the poorer classes a great amount of privation consequent on such a spring and summer as we have had. I agree with the correspondent of the Morning Post in some of his assertions, the force of which I fully recognise, while I dissent from others. Whether seaweed be good for land in an open question, but where there is nothing else it must still be resorted to. It promotes the growth of the first crop when judiciously applied, but I have heard it said that it makes the land thin and poor—in fact eats away the soil. However, the people living along the coast of Connemara and Clare have no other manure. Sea-weed, however objectionable in some respects, is within their reach, whilst they have no means of procuring farm yard and artificial manures. There cannot be any doubt that sea-weed is bad for potatoes, it makes them wet and ill-tasted. I mentioned in a former letter that the people of Connemara deferred the planting of their potatoes until a later period than usual, in consequence of the stormy weather, which prevented them from cutting the sea weed on the rocks. I have been told by persons who have had some experience on this subject, that it was not necessary to defer the planting until the com ing in of the sea-weed. They should have pi.-fated them in ridges without it not deeply covered, and when the sea-weed came in have spread it over the ridges, and covered it up at the second earthing or moulding, when the plant was making its first appearance through the ground. 1 understand this has been practised with success in Mourne, in the county of Down. Any time after the potatoes have been planted, until they are just issuing through the mould, will answer; and by adopting this sys tem an additional month or six weeks will be gained for col lecting and applying the manure. The correspondent of the Morning Post speaks of bogwood as a substitute for turf. It is used in that way at present throughout every part of the country I have visited, but it is exceedingly scarce and dear. Perhaps the writer of the letter to which I have re ferred is not aware of the labour and difficulty in procuring this article, sunk six or seven feet below the surface of the wet bog, which must be cleared away so as to allow a suffi cient space around the block to admit the man with his good hatchet (made purposely for this work) to chip it away, for otherwise ititould not be removed out of its bed without an enormous expenditure of labour. Formerly bogdeal was used for lighting fires only, helping wet turf or giving light; and in many parts of Ireland the ,mall farmers and poorer class depend altogether on bogwood for giving light to the household during the long winter evenings, and the price it brings in towns for lighting fires is far above that of coals imported into Dublin. The wood which the correspondent of the Morning Post saw at Kilkee was, in all probability, found on the bog after the peat had been stripped off it, by the cutting out of the turf, and nothing more was necessary than to chip it up and dry it. I have been told that, many years ago, in the north of Ireland, the chipping of fir blocks in the bogs was quite a profession, requiring much skill and dexterity; so much so that some individuals could earn 2s. and 2s. 6d. per day at this work, whilst others as strong., but not so skilful could not earn 6d. a day. I question whether, when the writer of this letter was in Kilkee, if he wanted to buy the bogwood he saw about the streets and houses, he would have found it so cheap as he appears to suppose. The people had it exposed to dry to be treasured up for the winter evenings' light, or to dispose of it for lighting fires in the neighbouring towns. Just at this mo ment it is very precious in the West of Ireland, and there are many people living in the immediate vicinity of the bogs who are making a livelihood by raising and selling it throughout the country. [ADVERTISEMENT.] — Holloway ' s Ointment and Pills Reliable Remedies.—ln wounds, burns, sprains, glandular swellings, enlarged veins, neuralgic pains, and rheumatic tortures, the application of this soothing Ointment to the affected part not only gives the greatest ease but likewise cures the complaint. The Pills generally promote the curative action of the Ointment. Both remedies may be safely used by the most inexperienced nurse ; they should find a place in every toilet and in every nursery. They successfully supersede the use of all dangerous cosmetics, and render the skin soft and silky. It is unnecessary to expatiate further on the excellence cf Holloway's Oint ment and Pills, whose merits have kept them so long before the public, and seemed for them universal approbation. BENSON'S WATCHES AND CLOCKS..—" Perfection of mechanism."—Morning Post. Gold watches, sto 1(0 guineas; silver watches, 2 to 50 guineas. Benson's new Illustrated Pamphlet, free for two stamps, descriptive of every construc tion of watch, enables persons in any part of the world to select with the greatest certainty the watch best adapted to their use. Watches sent free and safe by post on receipt of a remittance. —J. W. Benson, 33 and 34, Ludgate-hill, 46 and 47, Cornhill, London E.C. Established 1749. BIRTHS. TREMAYNE.—On the 23d inst., at 13, Eaton-square, the lion Mrs. Tremayne, of a daughter. WESTMACOTT.—On the 22d inst., at 29, Hertford-street, Mayfair, the wife of Augustus F. Westmacott, Esq., of a daughter. TIDY.—On the 19th inst., at 38, Ampthill-square, N.W., the wife of a Edgar Tidy, of Clifford's-inn, solicitor, of a son. MARRIAGES. NIGHTINGALE—EDWARDS.—On the 19th inst., at Saint Bride's Church, John Nightingale, Esq., of Blackheath, to Mary Ann, relict of the late James Edwards, 1 sq., of Rochester. SAUNDERS—CHALLEN.— On the 19th inst., at St.Thomas's Church, Hyde, Joseph Hughes, son of the late Rev. Samuel Saunders, of Liverpool, to Fanny Ann, daughter of the late John Challen , Esq., of Crypt, in the county of Sussex. DEATHS. CARILICK.—On the 21st inst., at 52, Clifton-road-east, St. John's-wood, Andrew Carrick, Esq., for many years of Kenstngton, aged 78. COURBOLD.—On the 19th inst., at 5, Tyndale-place, Islington, Henry 11. Courbold, Esq., M.It.C.S., aged 40. DIGGLE.—On the 23d inst., at Cheltenham, Frances, wife of Major-General Diggle, K.II. EADON.—On the 15th inst., at Snaith, Yorkshire, Henry Eadon, Esq , aged 72. 1-LEALEY.—On the 22d inst., at Harpenden, Herta, George Healey, Esq., aged 43. HAMMOND.—On the 23d inst., at 3, Russell. square, Hammond, Esq., aged 84. MARSHALL—On tho 16th inst., at Reading, Mr. John Marshall, aged 75. LONDON : Printed and rublished by MURDO YOUNG, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at TnE SUN OfEce, No.ll2,Stran d, in the Precinct of the Savoy. in the County of Middlesex, Wednesday, December 25, 1861. ~-.