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

11, _ V7 14, Li W 13. T 11, D A *fe t• 4 (-4 14 1 it 11 ft 4 fAi ASSIZE INTELI.ICIENOR PRANCE IND SWITZERLAN L , .. i gives up a dozen Neuchatel sovereignties or pro- tectorates to the Republicans o' 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 In bed sabused ' 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 q ualities might have been expected to predomi nate, ought to have anticipated the present dis agreeable phase of this question by writing off a barren titl e f rom h er di gn ities, and leaving Switzerland at once t o the Swiss. It is never too . late to repair an omission. What would have been prudent eight years ago is not less so now ; k and, even now, Prussia will not lose honour by acting on Ciat suggestion. (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 Walewaki was instructed to utter against the Belgian Government for not gagging the Belgian press, in contravention of Belgian law, was the first of these betises 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 Moniteur 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 Ern eror 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 dons anything uncourteous towards the Emperor of t'ae French ; it has merely, with all courtesy, &Alined to see with his eyes, and act in humble bbedience 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 Helvetia League in 1815 till 1848 the constitution of the Canton of Neuchatel was a most anomalous ore. It was a monarchi ca l member a a biipp,Confederation. 1111848 the citizens Of Neup )2I en4braced an opportunity to assimilate their omestic ti tui,i‘ - .cs to those of the confederate states. This, as a soireiejgn state, mem ber of a confederation of sta es, they had a perfect right to do. : The Central Government of Switzer land, consequently, accepted the new coestitution of Neuchatel as a fait accompli. Since 1848 the citizens of Neuchatel have remained, and they still remain, perfectly coo tented with their new form of government. Some months ago a few individuals, acting apparently in concert with and at the instigation of foreigners, attempted 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 syinpathy. They ware put down by the local authorities, in a few flours, 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 eineute was, the Supreme Gok-ernment 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 bad Frost and the leaders of Young Ire - hold 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 ern eutiers—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 LUSSIAN RAILWAYS. cowardice as could not have failed to invite further aggressions. What had heen at first merely a ques tion of expediency became a question of self-pre-. servation and a point of national honour. Tne "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 au insult to the Central Government of the Helvetic Longue 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 hays 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 he hoped that - , the Central Government of the Helvetic . Levu() may be strengthened to endure with equanimity the loss of the " goodwill" . . . . of the Emperor of tite French, with which they are threatened. Anything more serious they have. nc)t to fear. The' King of Prussia is notoriously - more given to speak about swords than to use them. The "goodwill" of the French Government will not be needed on the present occasion. And if Switzerland is so unfortunate as to fall into tie bad graces of the French GovernMent, she way 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 coin mon rights - of all cons tit u ti ona l s t a t es . The " de mand" that the Neuchatel prisoners should be set at liberty was in fact an attempt to olrein 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 Itohert Blum without trial 1 What would Napoleon 111. have said to any " demand" from a forei,gn G)- vernment to liberate the emeutiers of Augers ? And what right has any King of 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 inflict a just punishment on conspirators, who have endeavoured by force of arms to subserve the ambiti on o f a f ore i gn Prince at the expense of their country's liberties ? The te (Pima the Times.) serions--,aezbatel question forms the subject of a Prussia, in the Moniteur of yester day. had sought thie as was already known to the world, asked intercession t of France, which ac cordingly release the Royat Swiss Federal Government to trial. As this waa t prisoners, for her sake, without man ° be done at the solicitation of France, it wa s cot would that the hon. ur of the Federal Govern coirwo.ould. be saved, and that France would be 4t t led. to employ her good offices for a settlement question in conformity with the ideas of Swit e , r i le declined, and the M on i teu a r ud• The offer has been informs Ole world, with a little of that very tm n ti " which is ascribed that the latter with some reason to Switzerland, might not find on the must rat be surprised if s h e d a o nd, sicle of France the good will sh e at a very slight sacrifice, S uch g a lit have obtained pears to us so little in harmony with the ap vieystated, kindness which must have prompt ed t t l i le genuine had another intercession that we hope it is r at h er 0 e original „ras, thought and that France is not really going to example of the two disputants, and throw the point of honour into the quarrel. W e that the days had gOne by when Europe convulsed with questions of etiquette, am. When trifles light as air, of absolutely no suhsta n ti a n i significance, were to' be made the occasion of the most real and Momentous disasters. If Fra nce however, is to discontinue her, mediation f o ' r the peace of her neighbours simply because one, of fer has been declined, one experiment has not suc ceeded, one view of things not been adopted, and •f the result of that express and formal withdrawal is encouragement to the stronger and disconeage merit to the weaker, then we feel that we have +'" °} the progress of liberal and rational letm . ..i vhe boast that we live in the nine teenth century does not in that case mewl quite. so much as we thouelit. It is still possible for a world to be sllake;'), with blood ' for a continent to %e del aged , for civilisation to be arrested. in its onward progress,,, on some question of mere form and m be brougheanner. Whatever other charges might , m/ainst the allies in the late war, it be not q co n u a l r d re n l; e vpave: pretended that the matter of the of the gravest consequence to the whole world . and even now, when another Con ference is about to at least, as. to asseble, there can be no can be •otho 'importance de mands. There of our as little doubt RS to' the utter; unimportance of the matter in the Neuchatel cities lion. We feel that we have a right speak and to be heard in.this affair, seeing that e a on various occasions r r e e to sacrifice intest we have shown how ready w dig nity when our own material is not such as can be set against the general interest and peace of the world. IT Prussia, Switzerland, and France will refer to any American authorityid they will be nr informed that w e have gle it a r everything in that par of the • weeld:,,, o b give up when it was only a name on our side but a substanFe on the side of the United States . Yes, emphatically, we have, during the l ast we say it 2O years, (Prom 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 rail Ways 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 couldlet for their money is the public funds Y • hut 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 nessrs. 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 int) 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 thatha3the 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 Konbau, or by crossing the Black Sea from Theodosia (Kaffa) to Redoubt-Kaleh. 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 Koppers, does not .l amount to 800 s - mls per Gerrnart 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 Ruseia, totally devoid of all trees or even shrubs. Where in this waste and desert would be the timber necesesyy for the works, or Ore fuel necessary for the locomotives, be found t. Bachmont, where coals are to be had, is 210 vesests 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 ens umer, a circumstance that - may be extremely inconvenient for the work ing of the locomotives. Asgain, in winter, those fearful snowstorms are mot with on the steppe that at times bury whole caravr,ns, and would certainly interpose temporarily insi irmountable obstacles to the traffic, while the con struction of the railway itself would be immeasurs .bl' impeded by the deep and broad fissures which. are frequently to be met with on the steppe. Doubtless, all these ob etacles are to be overcome by dine of perseverance, • Lime, and plenty of money; but would the shareholders, bound down by these contracts to get the rai: [way finished and to gua rantee its being open ed between Moscow and Theodosia by a fixed ti me, be able to estimate in advancethe whole weig ht of the obligations imposed upon them ? And if tb ey do not or can not get it finished within the ter m fixed for the completion and the opening, would not the Russian Govern ment consider itself ei ithorised to take possession of she railway, to finish z he 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 qua ranteed ? For procuring lab o urers—for setting in motion the public officials, venal and corrupt as they are in Russia to the highest degree—for a hundred different things w Mich 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 polisession of means which stand at its disposal alone., Why, then, one is tempted to ask, does it hold b seek from taking on itself the direct. charge of con ;eructing its own railways as it did in the case of the line from St. Petersburg to Moscow, and as it lead begun to do with the line from St. Petersburg to Warsaw? It is true that the , Government, according to the letter of the contract 110 W lying before me, is virtu • ally the, master of the company, and can dictate to it as soon as it hats once embarked a sufficient amount of capital for it not to be aisle to draw back; but will it also suit the shareholde rs equally well,' for the purpose of getting 5 per 043nt., or, rather, 41 per cent. interest for their mone2 r to place them selves absolutely at the mercy 'of the Russian Government ? Let us suppose that a war of longer duration than the one whiciti has just come to a conclusion should plunge this 4 ;overnmdnt in a state of serious financial. embarr, assment which Would not permit of it fulfilling a?.l its pecuniary el igae,eneents, is it to be suppose4 l for a moment t hat it would continue to pay tine shareholders ttelbe f ei r_gus . ranteed 44 per cent., to the , prejudice of eguitr paym en t o f th e i n t eres t o n the loans it lcontracted.r on foreign Bourses, and. hy,so doing ruin it edit for ever ? O r wou ld it mo t rather be moor© e much_,oprobabl e that it would be. the 'share hwohl i d e e h r: Len would be first - sitcrificed ?--a process the incomplete and tenour of the' co r n in tr g all the oe et, might be carried'. out with obscure apparent legality,event hough the Government should refrain that clause of the contr from availing itself of act which enrnosvers it ,to buy up the railway at an arbit rary It seems to us that if th e contractors had ws.shed to actin a frank and open manner they ought to have appended to their prospectus an a bstra ct of the detailed reports sent i n by the erigneeme and the architects different lines and they had (en v () , Yee. to survey the f _orm estimate s of th u exile uses of construction ; or, it this latte r core mon —as one is led to believe from the short Spat s of - •_time that elapsed between the opening and the of the negotiations—has been omitted, they celit to have frankly avowed that they had, as i t IA called, purchased "a pig in a poke. 111-the foe inter caste public - discussion might possibly have con t: ributel to the enlightenment of those speculators la •ho are looking out for an advantageoui invekn lent of their capitel, and are not simply seeking a premium out of the Egyptian a k earen es s which habitually shrouds all matters at the f u • end of Russia. I must, in conclusion, make one that e remark for the benefit of those who think Russia a good THE WAR BETWEEN ENGLAND AND place for the safe and advantageous investment of PERSIA. capital, and who are, therefore, desirous of selecting 111. • it for the investment of their own. By persisting The Paris Pays of yesterday offers the following in not confiding their capital to the Per€ica Com- remarks on the Anglo-Persian difficulty : pany, or any other company having a similar ob• i "Persian affairs have decidedly taken a very sect in view, they will probably not deter the Rus • - • grave turn. After the capture of Herat by a Persian sian Government from constructing its military lines of railroad ; hut they will only constrain it army England had only one step to take, and sho in that case to construct them itself, and at its has declared war against the court of TAeran. - - 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 ibeen 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 41 per seat. 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 jourpal of the Russian joint-stock companies, the entire capital which is embarked in these under takings in Russia 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 copfi 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. immediate result, as occurred some years ago under analogous circumstances, or will Persia consider herself strong enough to sustain the struggle ? 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 Astera bad, that is, between Teheran and lierat. Such a demonstration would render the succeis of the English expedition extremely doubtful, but it would give rise to serious complications, and perhaps lead to an open rupture between Russia and Englad. We hope that matters will not attain these extremities. England doubtless proves herself with reason extremely susceptible with re gard to everyt/Sing 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 THE ACCIDIINT TO THE ROYAL MAIL STEAM-SHIP AMERICA. (From the Liverpool Albion.) The Royal s Mail steamship America left this port for Boston, United States, on the 6th 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 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 to the Emperor Alexander that we must look for the immediate cessation of complications, the extent of which cannot now be defined." The Correspondence ilavas 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 the 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 coistof 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 warsteamers 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 Nachitscheran 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, 4 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." ing south, half-west, and all went well until 'Tues day morning, when, being then 50 miles west o: Cape Clear, Captain lelng 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, wasstanding on the main saloon deck, about 20 feet from the stern, giving directions to the four men at the wheel. He says At 10 minutesto 10, or thereabouts, a heavy searose about 30 feet high, and I could see the clear sky through the water. It knocked the ship's head off about two points, but 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 bead, 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, I 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 could 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 au hour, the wind and waves acting so heavily upon her quarter as to prevent her from going mind. 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 iu the even ing, the wind being still south-west. We arrived at Liverpool on Thursday morning. The scenes on hoard when the ship was struck were of the most distressing nature. The ladies in their berths heard the splashing of the water as it slushedaboutthedeck 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 thorn 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- HOW TO MAKE NIAGARA FALLS USEFUL,—We lately heard an idea sugested of ouch a bold and extraordinary nature that it struck us with awe froiikits very magni tude. Of course the originator is s p.rankel, for no one but a Yankee could eliminatimigclia gigantic idea. The proposition is simply this # Ito construct an immense water wheel at Niagara Falls. Not a small, temporary afflir, but one large and'strong enough to use the entire power of the falls. From this, with proper graditf, he would lay down a permanent shaft through the state of New York, terminating at Albany. Those in want of power could then " belt" on 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 course" without a restraining dam.—Montreal Tram 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 hiad. He awoke to find himself floundering in the water, with which he was covered. Seeing through 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 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 clearing 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 (3o—what shall we do ? The Lord save us ; the ,Lord save us l" 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 on 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 out 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 seamanship 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 atter, which sailed on Friday morning. Immediately on the arrival of the America at this port, those of the crew who had been injured were sent to the Northern Hospital. They were as follows :—William Allen, contused leg ; Frede rick Lewis; leg much bruised ; Matthew Leary, compound fracture of the nose ; and John Wilson, compound fracture of both legs. DEFECTIVE STAMPING OF 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 thi! Duke of Argyll, the Postmaster General, with respect to the important subject or► which he had addressed him—viz., the imperfect and slovenly Manner in which letters were stamped in the English post-offices, from which great inconvenience arose to individuals, and the due administration of justice met with serious obstruction. His Grace admitted that the present system was defective, and pointed out the great difficulty of amending it in consequence of the great number of letters which had to be stamped ►n a Very short time. His Grace, however, promised to use his best exi-rtvin4 to remedy the evil ; and he (Lord Camp b,l) had 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. script. [ADVERTISEMENT.) —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, suffered 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, Pool 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. Flaxen, Ridlingtoß Rectory, Norfolk." No. 3,836,—" Three years' excessive nervousness, with pains in my neck and left arm, and general debility, which rendered my life very miserable. has been radically reproved by Du Barry's health-restoring Food.—Alex. Stuart,. Archdeacon of Ross, Skibereen." Dr. Professors .Harvey ; Supported Chemistry by p r t . e Andrews t i m o ni a l u s r from j ) t r h. eSh Dr. Campbell ; Dr. Gattiker ; D r : Wurzer ; Dr. Ingram ; o r l celebratedan d Lord Stuart de Decies; the Dowager Countess of Castle stuart ; Major-Gen. Thomas King, and many other respectable persons, whose health has been restored by it, after all other means of cure had failed. Suitably packed for all climates, with full instructions. In canisters, lib., 2s. 9d. ; 21b., 4s. 6d.; slbs., Us, ; 121b5., 225. ; super-refined, Ilb., 6s. ; 211i5., 11e. ; 51bs., 225.; 101bs. ' 335. The 101 bs. and 121 bs. carriage free, on receipt of post-otfice order. Barry du Barry and Co., 77,, Regent-street, London ; Fortnum, Mason, and Co., Purveyors to her Majesty, Piccadilly ; also at 60, Gracechurch-street ; 330 and 451, Strand; 4, Cheapside 6E, Cornhill ; 49, bishops gate-street; 55, Charing-cross; 54, Upper Baker-street; 63 and 150. Oxford-street. ADVERTISEMENT. I SIGHT AND HEARING SPECTACLES, POWIRPIM TELESCOPES, OPERA, RACE, AND PERSPECTIVE GrseAsss.—Messrs. S. and B. Solomons, opticians, 39, Albe marle-street, Piccadilly. Observe—opposite the York Rote!. By ker Majesty's Royal Letters Patent for valuable and extraordinary improvements in the most powerful and brilliant Telescopes, Camp, Racecourse, Opera, and Per spective Glasses, to know the distances. These telescopes possess such extraordinary powers that some three and a-half inches, with an extra eye-piece, Val show distinctly Jupiter's moons, Saturn's ring, and the double stars. With the sam e telescope can be seen a person's countenance three miles and a half distant, and an object from 16 to 20 miles. They are of larger and ail sizes, with increasing powers accordingly.—The Royal Exhibition, 1851. Valuable, newly-invented, very small, powerful waistcoat-pocket glass, the size of a walnut, by which a person can be seen and known 1 miles distant ; they answer every purpose on the race-course, and at the opera houses, country scenery, and ships aro clearly seen at Bto 10 miles. They are invaluable for shooting, deer -stalking, yachting, to sportsmen, gentlemen, gamekeepers, and tourists. Opera , race-course, camp, and perspective glasses, with wonderful power. Newly.constrazted Spectacle Lenses 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 aro enabled to employ their sizht at the most minute ince. pation- can see with these lenses of a much less magnify. ing power—and they do not require the frequent change to the dangerous effects of farther 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 age. 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 ;an b e , produced. Being of the name colour as the akin, is not per. oeptible ; it enables deaf persons to hear distinctly at church and at public assemblies ; the unpleasant sensation of singing noises in the ears is entirely removed ; and it affords all the assistance that possibly could be desired.-39, Alb4marle. street, Piccadilly. Observe—opposite the York Hotel. HOME CIRCUIT—MAIDSTONE, DEO. 17. (Before Mr. Baron Bramwell.) Thomas Mansell, 28, soldier, was indicted for the 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 done 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, aud,tbat 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 : Edward Brophy examined by Mr. Bridge—l am a private is 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 come out of his tent, and he kneeled down and was in the act of cleaning his ramrod. The prisoner had his firelock in his hand, 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 am shot I oh Lord, Mansell has shot me." The prisiiner 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 deceatied 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,l 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—Lam 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 ?risoner close to tee. He had his rifle to his hip, and I heard the report, and saw the flash, and the deceased immediately exclaimed, "I am shot—l am shot l" Tue 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• Boner had thrown down, and found that the cap on the nipple had just Peen discharged. The number on the rifle was 43, and the letter F. Cr es-examined—The prisoner was standing quite close to me when I turned round, and immediately he had fired he threw down his piece and walked slowly away. Peter Moran, another private, gave sin Alar 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 shot. 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 bad 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 nieant, but he ucderstood that it was intended as a threat against the deceased. Press-examined—He had heard it rumoured 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 bad lost in the Crimea. Ile said he had 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 /11‘Burney knew something about them. • The com manding officer made inquiries and decided that the deeeaseu 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 ,moruing." The learned judge having summed up, the jury almost immediately returned a verdict of g uilty. The prisoner was then called upon, in the usual form, to state whether he had anything to urge wby judgment of death should nut be passed upon him. He made n reply. • n e His l e i rndgsh himip p a a t ss t e h d e s g =n t io un e no hope of mercy in this wo rld. eofthdaeatthheumpeunsttehnetperrtirin- CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.—Dec. 17 OLD COURT. • (Before Mr. Justice Crompton.) Mary Ann Davis, 22, spinster, was indicted for killing and slaying Ann Cox, otherwise Warren. Mr. Sleigh and Mr. Poland prosecuted, and Mr. Lilley defended. ; The evidence proved that the deceased woman and the prisoner were both prostitutes of the lowest class, and lived in Unicorn-street, Tooley-street. Upon the night of this transaction the prisoner was in bed with a sailor at the house in question, when deceased came into the room very drunk, acd began to abuse and i►l-use her, and finally pulled her out of bed by her hair, upon which the prisoner took up a tumbler and inflicted so violent a blow upon the deceased woman's head that it fractured her skull, and she died some few days afterwards. After the occurrence the prisoner expressed great sorrow for the act. ' She was found guilty, and sentenced to six months imprisonment. Cbarlotte Rodanbosh, 21, spinster, was indicted for feloniously administering to her male infant a quantity of oil of turpentine, with intent to murder him. Mr. Payne prosecuted, and Mr. Lilley defended. The facts of the case, although brief, were rather sin gular. The prisoner, whom all the witnesses spoke of as being a very kind and affectionate young woman, was wet nurse in a family living at Richmond, whilst her own child was under the care of a widow named Kent, living at Mortlake, where prisoner used 'to go, and ap- peared very fond of it. Upon the afternoon of 2nd of this month she visited the child, and after being with it some time, a strong smell of turpentine was noticed, and upon the child, which was in the cot, being looked at, and much injured a b out the neck and lips, d it was' found to be soaked in seve ra l p l aces w i t h o il o f was tine' evident that some had bee n p oure d d own it s throat. The Borne t. The prisoner, when asked what she had been doing, said she had not given the child anything, and afte\•wards made several different statements about the matter. The child, although bad for some time from the effects of the treatment, had sins) 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. Tile jury returned a verdict of not guilty. THE CHRISTMAS tREE. —lf the genial and large-hearted Charles Lambe had been alive now, how he would have revelled in the present custom of making glad the hearts of darling youngsters with the offerings from the Christ mas Tree ! This custom, purely German, has gained firm root in English soil, and the toymakers throughout Europe,appear to vie with each other, both in cheapness and finish, in these petite affairs. Some notion of the endouragement thus afforded may be gleaned from the faot that one establishment alone—that of Madame Temple, of Rege.it-street—sends out agents abroad in quest of and pays some thousands of pounds for an ex clusive monopoly of the annual production as regards novelty. Her Majesty patronises the custom, and takes great delight in it. Yesterday Sir Robert W. Carden received some infor mation which caused him the greatest surprise. On Frielvy last a young man of gentlemanly appearance 'vas p aced at the bar before hini, charged with being iu po , s•ession of a large number of silk handl,erclaiefe, supposed to he the proceeds of a burglary committed at Ball's-pond. The prisoner bad 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, w 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. Whe❑ brought to the police court he told a most extraordinary tale, bnt 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 be 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 plausible that 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 others, and then meet this man at Somerset-house; or, if he did not find him there, he was to go to Charing-cross. When he was given into custody be 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 Rizsition before, that he did not know what be 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-ruad, and was a ne .-door neigh bour to Mt. 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 in 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 sin of Juhu Carr, Esq., of Ashdown Villa, Lewisham-road. Sir it.' W. Carden asked him it' he wished Mr. Thwaites to, be sent for as he was then sitting at Guild ; hall. _ _ The prisoner replied • that he did, and that Mr Tnwaites could speak as to his I.:spectabilit , A message was sent up to the Board of W,rks, and in a short time Mr. Thwaites attended, and on being informed of the nature of the circumstances tinder whim) 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 ho would unhesitatingly trust him with anything. If the court required bail fur him he was willing to be surety to any amount, so convinced was he of his trite - grity. Sir R. W. Carden said it wag 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 artful scoundrel, asto nished him. He advised the prisoner t) do his utmost to find out this man Baker, and give him 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 Le could get hold of 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 s 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, from which be has been remanded until Friday next, when the magistrate intends sending hind 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 few days betore 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 io which Mr. Thwaites spoke of him and his coutlections, 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 Lear the evidence in this extraordinary case. LAMBETll.—Yesterday John Brown and John Moynihan, labourers, were further examined before Mr. Elliott, on a charge of fraud and forgery. Mr. Richard Martin aeddock, cashier in the service of Mr. George Myers, the extensive builder and con tractor, in the Belvedere-road, Lambeth, deposed that the prisoner Brown had been in the employment of Mr. Myers, and he therefore knew him, hot the prisoner Moynihan he had no renollection of. On Tuesday, the 2d inst., at about seven o'clock, both the prisoners carne 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 125., and which was as follows, viz. : "Friday-s.reet, Dec. 2, 1856. "Sir,—Please to pay Coyne, bricklayer, two days five hour:, at ss. 4‘ E. ZINCRAFT." Brown presented a similar paper, for 135., aiso signed by Mr. Zincraft, who is time-keeper to Mr. Myers, and was at present and at that time engaged at some build ings in the course of erection by his employer. Witness asked asked the prisoners if they were employed o n the 'build ings in Friday-street, City , an d the y replied they were, and he then placed the amount of each bill before them, which each took up. Having been within a short time before defrauded out of 801. by similar papers, he gave the prisoners into custody, and immediately after he dis covered that the papers the prisoners bad produced were forgeries. Mr. Edward Zincraft said he was time-keeper at some works in Friday-street, City, which Mr. Myers was erecting, and that he knew the prisoner B rown, b u t t h e o th e r was a stranger to him. Both the papers pro duced were forgeries, and not written by him ' and he ne ver deputed to anybody the power o f making 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 t.) go and get the money, saying they should remain at the end of the street ti!l they returned with it. The prisoners were committed to take their trial on the charge, but were ordered to be brought up again on Monday next. It is estimated that the total amount of specie to be despatched by the Indus on the 20th NEIL will reach nearly 500,0001., although it is understooi that since the reduction of their rate of exchange the India Com pany have drawn bills to the ansou►.t 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. Newall, 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 morning to the Chicago express, bound west, at the cros sing half a mile east of Alleghany-station, occasioned by the breaking of a rail. Tho train was going at a fearful rate of speed—some of the pa-sengers say 40 miles an hour, and nearly all of them say 35 miles—when the en gine struck and broke the rail, dragging the baggage car off the track and the two p as senger-cars, i n we l s h were some 25 or 30 passengers, becoming uncoupled, went plunging into the earth, literally smashing them to pieces. The first passenger-car went over upon its side, thus loosening the forward wheels, which came crashing through the floor of the car near its centre, stripping it of its furniture, and sums, ing everything before them. In this car were some ten or twelve passengers, and, marvellous as it may seem, a ll escaped 'without serious injury. The second passenger-car was not so fortunate. In it were some 18 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, shiv , rin.; it info splinters, then still further forward, and ovifr Oil its tilde, where it lay when we reached the wreck. Both cars were lite rally gutted of their seats, and every pane of glass and nearly all the blinds, and. in fact, the whole woodwork of the cars was destroyed by th e shock. The bazefsc;' o car was dragged 60 rods over the ties by the tngin), which kept the track, but whether it was injured We did not learn, as it had been taken to Dunkirk. Looking at the wreck, it seems miraculous thlt half the passengers were not instantly killed. 0 1 9 three per-ons were seriously hurt, and we are glad to be able to state that none were fatady injered. We visited the three spoken of above yesterday afternoillir and found them ail comfortab;e, and doing well. None of the passengers escaped injury, but three only were unable to proceed on their journey.—Orleans Advertiser, Nov. 28. There were in the market to-day 7 . bags of oatmeal, 0 of barleymeal, and 0 pot barley. Sales dull. Oatmeal, per sack of 2801bs That. Second. Third. imperial Barleymeal, per ditto -s Od —s Od Peasemeal, per ditto Flour, now, per ditto —s Od —s ocl —s (d Pot-barley, new; per ditto l—sOd—s Od Od 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 ,~ Poi:1(M INT.miLit) g2v OP—DO 6. t V'. dauntry Markets. BRISTOL SUGAR—DEa. 17. Business limited from want of an adequate supply ; but this week a eArgo of Demerara has been brought forward, and about 20.) hhds sold at full rates—from, for low brown refining, 48s per cwt., to 55s for fair yellow crystalised. A good inquiry for rum. EDINBURGH HAY AND sIRAW MARKET— DEC. 16.. Supplies of all kinds these last six days large. Oat straw, from Ss 6d to 12s Od per kemplo of 16 stones trop; wheat do., lls Od to 12s Od; barley do., Ss Od. to 108 Od. Hay from 12d to ls. 2d. EDINBURGH MEAL—DEC. 16. There were in the market to-day 12 sacks oatmeal, each weighing 2801 b imperial, which sold at 40s and —a. DALKEITH MEAL RKET-DEC. 15. KIRKCALDY-DEC. 13. There wore good supplies of all kinds of grain, which brought slow sales at is to 2s decline on last week's rates. Wheat. Barley. Oats. I Beans. I First Second Third Od I 34s 01 I 183 od I Os 0( . Oatmeal, 36s to 33s per bag of 2801 b. DUBLIN, DEC. 16. Our markot 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. Nothing doing in Indian corn. White.wheat, 31s 6d to 34s 6d ; red ditto, 30s Od to 32s 61; ditto new, —s ; barley, malting, 163 to 24s 6d ; grind ing, 15s to 203 01 ; oats, old, —s to —s ; ditto, new, 100 Oct to 14s 6d ; oatmeal, 14s to 15s ; bore, new, 16s to 18s 01 ; rapes—d, 303 Od to 32s Oct per brl ; bakers' flour, 200 Oct to 263 6d per cwt ; Indian corn, 32s Od to 363 Od per 480 lbs. COAL MARK Vrioea of Coal per ton at a. d. Hastings' Hartley l6 6 Bebsicle's Hartley l6 6 Howard's West Hartley :ET. —DEC. 17. the close of the msrket. Wallsond, &c. 8 e• Ls.mbton lB 6 I Gosforth l7 3 Riddell l7 3 Barton N or th um b er l an d 17 6 lluuwick l7 0 Braddyll lB 0 Stewart's 19 0 Heugh Hall l7 6 Peusher 17 6 South Hetton 1 8 9 Tees l9 Whitworth l7 0 aedley l7 6 Birchgrove Graigsla ... 22 ,iCassop 17 9 l' Acorn Close l7 9 ; Eden Eden Main lB 0 , Heaton l7 3 ; Wharncliffe 17 0 1 Belmont 17 9 '6 I Sold 129 Netherton 16 6 Tanfield Moor Butes 15 9 Tanfield Moor l5 9 Walker Primrose l5 6 Dougridge's Wst Hartley 16 6 Victoria 15 9 Wylaiu Davison's West Hartley 16 6 Raton West Hartley _l6 6 Wallsend, Russell's Helton 18 0' Hartlepool Hetton lB 0 Kelloe 18 01 South Kelloe 18 0 Eveuwood 16 3 Haswell 19 3 LambtonPrimrose lB 0 Hartlepool lB ei Fratnwellgate l7 9 Ships at market...l7l LOCAL SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, DEC. 17. STOOK EXOHANGE.—The Stock Exchatwe to -day w i t doing very little business, and prices almost the sor t as yesteiday, but improving at the close. Manche4e" Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, 34i 3i—Midlands 82i J . , Lancashire and Yorkshire, 97 6i—South Eastern, ",,, ) ,1 22—North Eastern, Berwick 20 —East Lancashire, i'm" Ditto, pref. oue-fifths, 5 per cent., 53—Great VissL erli j, 69i—London and North Western 1054—L a ncaster s o Preston, 11g. shares, 6$ prem.—C aledonian, 311 • 'BIRMINGHAM, DEO. 17. Bronx EXOHANGE.—The business to-day was ' 2° t brisk, and prices the t ur n l ower . Bi r mingham 1351) g , 33—Birmingham Old Union Mills, 151—General St ee.— „,, 25 —South Staffoids, 9.1.3. MANCHESTER, DEC. 17. 3TOOK EXCEIANGE.—The market to-day was mode rt/ Y s i st active, with the prices giving way considerably- l'_ 0 1 Lancashire, 222 $ 7-16 A—Lo n d o n and North ViresteM 106 s—Alidlands, 821 li—Leeds, 974 6t f—Dovers, „.411 1-16—Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolns 34: 3 / 4 3 V to . Ditto, 3i per cents.,' 68—East Lancashire, Ciro., Si — cheater Assurance, 71.. SEABORNE MAILS• [When the date remains open until mail, via Southat evening previous for making up a mail falls on a Sunday, the tow the day following; except in the cas e o IndiS° Upton, which, on such occasions, is made up 0 evening previous.] - - FR OR FOR -------- ----------------- Made up at Way By what When Y whill A the des- 'Vessel. expected Ve o6- Post °ince. patched -...--•''' ----- Ails ". ---.— __------ Lisbon 1th,170 ,80 south- Sultan Dec. 16 brs• .. Spain Gibraltar . • mon th. arr. Gibraltar 1 1 Malta • • .• • • I 4th and Egypt .. •• •• I 4th & 20th O A 20th of 0010 Ceylon • • • . a tu p t to h n - Indus the India • • . • • • month. Mauritius South- .........fan. 4.. - m o o f n th th e . 4th of ampton v ipOil M the Penang .• • • China (v iaC e . Y . I . ° . n . ). 31 month. . Singapore . • 'Ze d g Australta(viai M Jan. 12 .. I South- Coium- Jaff e the Cape)• • ampton bian Dec.— Cape of Good , Hope ..•• • • „dal° Mauritius - 2 5 0.- , . C e ylon .• . • mouth W.S. jail. Lindsay India • • Lisbon.. • I Madeira 1 CapedeVerds I Brazil Tr te 31 ran 9. South- Tamar Jail. 12 ItuenosAyres I •• ampton Falkland Is lands West Indies J (except Ha vana and Honduras). Venezuela n c l le $11 1 t i l ! South- Grey Town,. 51 of the Atrato the arr.l ' NeNVGranada month. ampton month' Chili ao r California ns u sdatutr . a3 . California . -. _ I i M Dec. 17 ..)} ii of g ad° South- Atrato the PI O. Havana .. :: ampton mo nth' 16 ,1 0 0 Mexico .. South- On' I °rill 0‘ 51 lan. 2.... ....... . ampton Madeira ran i ° Teneriffe ,IE Dec. 23 ••}- Pl y - Niger . W C.of A frica mouth r" British North America - Dec. } Niagara - - 21 514$ United States pool • ° SS g United States Dec. 23 and 9 °lle British North E alternate Liver- Ericsso n Dec.e America /LI NO United States ne e, 28 iSg British North 111 Dec. 17 ..1 Fulton .- Ao. America ~ A 11 .5 ° 0, 0 South- Canada - N . Arne - Jan. ' ;',..----- p .6 riCan M—Morning. E —Evening. [ADVERTISEMENT. ------- . Professor ~ Charles Robertson, Brig v g Remed Holloway] —Holloway's ol 1 ow a y h ' s e w r a i P sp the e l joeut en "; o _ d f i : ha l l io i , informs y.— yearscase with asthma ; several physicians hopeless, and being a private in the Royal I►~a.r t oe he received his disch , turned to bi place, The difficulty arge, and re t cho k se,, in breathing, and tba Elation so peculiar elled 111* 0 to , peculiar to the faint cemP rest by night in an easy comp la e very Wet le every md remedy had byfailed cb t a b ir e Bea. grati, vivo ;aid of this inestio, 'ail Holloway's medicineeicine he was restored to perfect health, Sold b' 5: 4 a vendors throughout the world ; at Proti 7 .0 ,1 in w ai a d y e ' n s . leasntae.blNisehwme York 2 ; 4b4y, S A t . ra s n t d .,a , re l' p e a : d o ?' n or ; ti l ' ,. ; 41. 80, tinopie ; A. ,-, lane, . ' txualicy, Smyrna ; an d E. Dituir, ••••--- _o t r-,..• ------ 01 A SON. sa O m n ue t l h i e t l a 6 w t s h on in , st.,at 29, 11Ple-park-squaret the o of ve lf LOU sexy On the le Esq. ) th inst., at Bath, the wife of Capt. 34 C. Spottiswoode. BIRTHS. OF A DAUGHTER. at e ' Mrs.o jtahregels6tphairnktso. 1 ing-street, SL James '0•0 4 i ll • f , VOW On the 15th inst., at Brighton, the wife of J. A. mont, Esq. M ARMED. v icar of Harwich, Essex , t " ,„) , o cto '" On the 17th in st., a t St. Paul's, Canonbury, Richard Bull, youngest daughter f James Wilson, Esq., °f . 4 place, Islington. • WO", On the 17th i nst., at Christ Church, Craven-billP, 14., zaroni, British Guiana, to Mary, eldest daughter o Edmund Cartwright, Esq., .ric• H.R.'s commissioner get rison Watson, Esq., of Porchester-terrace, liYug"r" DIED. pil l/ k , 0 0' On the 16th inst., at York-gate, Regent'sl,"! ( C0,,,,1, Barrett Lennard, Esq., Chief Cl er k of . 11.111.'s r rif . OP cil Office, the second son of Sir Thomas Barrett ~ a , Wm Bart. a of ° On the 15th inst., at Norwood, Surrey, ''' I ‘ ll 0 Esq. aged 53 . it 18" On the 16th inst., Charles Morris , Esq., of C°ll3ll '°' place, and the Chase, Great Malvern. On the 16th inst., at Pimlico, Mr. Joseph Fl ij , -I, aged 74. po u On the 16th inst., at 26, Upper Stamford-stree tf v , J. T. Hinton, R.M., aged 64. It; 0 1 1 , 0 0 1 On the 75th ipst., at 41, Half Moon.street, fm PI Wm. Vardon, Esq., of Goldstone Hall, Market ''' Shropshire, aged 73. .._:__._._...._....____...............„... tt . c--" l o, 't ill tir LONDON: Printed and Published by MCBDO ' 6 , )9 0 '0 of No. 112, Strand , P rinter, at The Sun ° Eli , , 117 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the of Middlesex, ThursdAy, December IS, We"