The Sun. — London, England, 1861-06-20 00:00:00

LOYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE. Lessee and Manatrer, Mr. A. Harris. THIS EVENING, TRUTH AND FICTION. Supported by Messrs. F. Matthews,Widdicombe, Shore, Cathcart, Garden; Miss C. Leclercq, Miss R. Leclercq, and miss M. Harris. Followed by THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR. Messrs. Phelps, "V(l2iLl, Widdicombe, are. NENV THEATRE-ROYAL, ADELPHL- Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. B. Webster. Reproduction of "The Colleen Baron. " The Adelphi "Census " every Evening , . THIS EVENING, the successful new Farce, entitled A TURKISH BATH. Mr. J. L. Toole, Mr. P. Bedford. Alter which (211th time), THE COLLEEN BAWN. Mr. D. Roucleault, D. Fisher, Billing - ton, Falconer, Stephenson, C. J. Smith, Romer, Howard, Ward ; Mrs. Boncicault, Miss Woolgar, Mrs. Billington, and Mrs. Chattcrley. To be foll Tole, new apropos Sketch, T ENSUS. Messrs. J. o 14:burne, Romer, C. J. Smith; Miss Kate Kelly, Miss E. Thorne, and Mrs. Chatterley. Doors open at half past 6—Commence at 7. CIANIERBURY -HALL CONCERTS AND FINE ARTS GALLERY. EVERY EVENING, Two Grand Selections from celebrated Operas, including Verdi's new Opera, THE BAL MASQUE (first produced in England at this Establishment), with a Chorus of Forty Voices, and upon a scale unequalled'at any:other Concerts. Miss Russell, Miss Ernst, Mr. Greville, Hr. Herbert, Signor Tivoli, Mr. Bernard; popular Solos on the Cornet-a-piston, by Mr. Levy (the first performer of the day); the Brothers Conrad (ia an entirely original entertainment on the double rope, not to be seen elsewhere); continued success of Mr. Wood and his talented little Son. The Comic Department comprises the following favourites: —Mr. Marshall, Mr. Hollingsworth ; the NERVES, by Messrs. Harvey and French ; and Mrs. Lawrence. Musical Director, Mr. JONGHMANS. CANTERBURY HALL AND FINE ARTS GALLERY. TRF. NERVES, a Comic Duet, by Messrs. Harvey and French, EVERY EVENING. T H E O X FOR D, 6, OXFORD-STREET. Mr. LEVY, undoubtedly the best performer of the day on the Comet-a-Piston—Grand Selections (on the most complete scale) from Dinorah, Martha, Stradella, &c., and other vocal and instrumental music, by Miss Russell, the Misses Stuart, and Miss Ernst, Messrs. Charles Greville, Fornari, Kimber ley, Bernard, Beaumont, Bervon, Hnish, Signor Tivoli, and Mr. Henry Herbert, with full band and powerful and selected chorus, conducted by Mr. F. Jonghmans.—The following Comic talent, Messrs. W. Randall, J. Blanchard, W. H. Wie land, Hollingsworth, E. Marshall, Harvey, and French, and the Brothers Conrad in their latest and best entertainment, every evening. Admission, Hall, six" pense ; Balcony and Stalls, one shilling. Private Boxes, 10s. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tare DAY.—Morning, 11h. 36m.—Afternoon, h. m. To-moußow.-]Morning, 12h. 13m.—Afternoon, 12h. 38m. THE WEATHER.—Sux OFFICE, JuNE 20, 1861, THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADS. 73...._highest since noon yesterday.' 58—lowest this morning and during the night. 69—this day at noon. BAROMETER--29.98 ; falling. WlND—Easterly—light ; with dull rainy weather, and occasional glimpses of sunshine. HALF-PAST ONE.—Wind, S.E., with very sultry weather and hot sunshine. Thermometer, 72 in the shade. Heavy white clouds, portending a thunderstorm. QUARTER TO Two.—Very heavy rain and a thunder storm, with vivid sheets of lightning. 2.10.—1 t is all sunshine again. The wind has gone to S.W., and the heavy torrents of rain have washed the streets of London FO thoroughly that they look as clean as a man-of-war's quarter-deck. rt 'F ) •, , Q- , ' • __,:* ) 4 )):!, , k • •• • -..,., ..,:-: , _ _l." ' ',,,,,' '', 41. 4. .4,;., ',, ' --,...- -:-..:z t--- ';:. '4' .I. 'L - iLi , ' -''."' ' - 7:4(k, ~:,< t \ _ '. ( S -..:' .. f -A 1, LL ` s. ~... —.... 4 -d..et-r .. .J.r . -,-„, , bi ---, " , )1 i' .... c , '''`', s, THE SUN. LONDON, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 1881. PALEY tells us that one use of our House of Commons is to furnish the people with amusement, —be would have been willing to pay all his share of the public taxes for the pleasure which he re ceived from the public discussion of political mat ters. The House certainly performed that part of its duty well last night. The debate, for a topic so well worn, was far from an uninteresting one, and we can hardly imagine a man of any party, not even of that which may be regarded as the losing me, who was so sour by nature as not to laugh when he read of TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FOUR' against TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FOUR, and of Mr. SPEAKER, thinking it therefore best for him to give the House an opportunity of trying its hand at the work again, by giving his vote to the NOES. The hon. gentleman, carefully explain ing that ho did not say no, to the bill, but to the responsibility of a final decision. But when we have all had our pleasant laugh, we can but begin to ask what does it all mean ? But a year or two ago we had a majority of seventy or more for the same bill. What is become of it ? Is it the Tory reaction—the CECIL and MONTAGU reaction ? Not exactly; rather the DERBY-Disßani Parliament, and the CECIL and MONTAGU whip. The truth is that the last election gave us a Parliament much more favourable to the Ministers who called it ; and that the CECILS and MoNTAGUs first whipped Mr. DisnAELT back to uncompromising Toryism, and then whipped up the county members and the clergy. The majority of seventy has hardly suffered at all by defection, but it has been met by activity on the other side. Sir JOHN TRELAWNY'S army is as large as ever, but his opponents have brought up their reserves. Till the recent clerical effort began, a large number of the better Tory members could not be got to vote Or even to pair. But the Church-rate question is now made a party one, it is even re garded as lying in the road to office, and therefore clerical importunity, combined with party zeal, have enabled the Torie s to bring up their per functory ones, and to balanc e the scales. But what is the battle now really for ? Glancing over the debate it stiike s us, as it must every man with his eyes open, that the real vi c t ory is gained. May we not say that not a single opp on ti on vote last night was a vote for Church -rates— not a vote for Church -rates as they are, for Church Rates such as have been at tacked so vigorously for the last quarter of a century. When the battle has brought things to this that every enemy wants to make terms, the final triumph cannot be long delayed. The struggle was really last night, first and chiefly a party one; next, so far as the subject itself was concerned, a struggle not to keep the old position, but to be allowed to retire from it with the honours of war. The discreditable pretence that the Church of Eng land really needed the penny and twopenny rates was hardly even mentioned on one side; while Mr. BRIGHT and Sir G. C. Lewis on the other equally denied that the pence were the cause of the Anti-Church-Rate agitation. But what was said was, that the Church of England could not descend t, the level of a sect, which she would do if she gave up compulsory powers of parish txmation ; and in reply, that Nonconformists were plled, not with the weight of the pecuniary Yoke, but with its being a Church yoke. There can be no doubt that this is the pith of the whole case. It would be sheer hypocrisy for any member of the Church of England to pretend that every parish in the kingdom could not, either itself, or by the aid of w calthyneighbours,n2ei: t the expenses of its own worship; but we fear it would be equal hypocrisy to deny an unconfessed, or hardly con fessed, pleasure in i in posing a tax on Dissenters, such as the Turkish Mahomedans used to impose on Chrfstians. The Church -rate is a kind cf Haratch—atriblitepillpably showing the inferiority of those 'who pay it. Ever since , - nee the times of GRAIL& tiB IL, of pious memory, t h e p a T 1t.4 1 1 dogs The Bankruptcy Bill we have all of us been look ing forward to eagerly this Session as to our one legislative consolation. If in nothing else, we have thought, the Session of 1861 would, at any rate, be productive of good to the entire community, more particularly to the mercantile community, by securing the readjust ment of the hitherto confused and unsatisfactory laws relating to Bankruptcy and Insolvency. In the scanty programme for the session vouchsafed, at its opening, by her MAJESTY'S Ministers, the Bankruptcy Bill was visible there, from the first at a glance,conspicuously and encouragingly. Hearten ing us to count, at the very least, upon the all but certainty of securing that boon during this year's sitting of Parliament, the Attorney-General intro duced his measure very speedily after the first as sembling of the Lords and Commons down a IV est minster. Not only thus, however, did Sir RICHARD BETHELL lead us to calculate confidently upon securing the effectual reconsideration and recon struction upon an entirely new basis of the jumbled laws of Bankruptcy and Insolvency—the First Law Officer of the Crown appeared in a measure to make " assurance doubly sure," in that particular, by moderating in that direction his energetic efforts at legislative improvement. Attempting far less than he had attempted in the Session of 1860, he seemed all the more likely, of course, to be able to carry his point, so far as he attempted to carry it. There were, consequently, these three considerations dis tinctly in his favour—first of all, the considera tion that there was really so little to do otherwise this year in the Legislature—secondly, that the Bill itself was introduced betimes—and thirdly, and finally, that it was characterised in itself by the evidences of great moderation. The future not unnaturally, therefore, looked propitious enough for the Bankruptcy Bill at the moment of its original introduction. And the Commons welcomed the new bill accordingl. Wit st o e u se t , o a n ny t t h h e g at a r all y on t , k with e p r ecipitation orycareles every eviden ce o f careful scrutiny and deliberate i n c r li premeditation, the Bill was passed on g libl y through its several stages, here and there amended and modified while going, clause by Clause, through Committee—until, stamped with the approbation of the popular bra nch of the Legisl a t ure, it was sent on for further consi deration, and it w as h oped for approbation to the Upper House of Paol a , In furtherent . The reception awarded to the Bankruptcy n t o cy e B e i o l f l in the Lords has long since been matter anxiety and notoriety. Scarcely had it seriously there when it b egan to be very e threatened. IL ;?as even t ua ll y re f erre d, as we all know, to a Select Committee. Having been brought up again (together with a report) from that Select Committee, the Bill, " ticked" with suggested im provements, or at least we will say with suggested alterations, has at length passed through its remaining stages in the House of Lords, and is now referred back by the Lords to the Commons in its altered condition, as emended in compliance with the suggestions of the Lords' Select Committee. Naturally, very naturally, Sir RICHARD BETHELL has already avowed his excessive annoyance at the wholesale character of the alterations thus made by the Lords in his projected consolidation of the 1 'Ezl Y AL, HAYMARKET. have paid tribute t o th e St ate Ul ema h s, an d the 1 0 L,r)iee, tar. J. B. Backstone. I surrender of that tribute, not its paltry amount, is 5: _ i LV the performanoes will commenac with the Comedy of THE OVERLAND ROUTE. Messrs. Chas. what pro -rate Churchmen really feel. How lcng Mathews, Backstone, E. Villiers , Rogers, &c.; Mrs. Wilkins, Mrs. C. Mathews, and Miss E. Weekes. and hardly feudalism fought for the privilege of Followed by THE ADVENTURES OF A LOVE LETTER, bar. and Mrs. C. Mathews. freedom fro m t axa ti on —f or th e h onour of it, not And THE GALICIAN FETE. for the money. Different only in form is the present Commence at 7. contest on the part of Churchmen. They all want a , compromise, foreseeing that the settlement must come, bat they want one which shall not diminish their prestige. They must hare the name of rate — the parochial forms of levying and collecting it—and compulsory powers against somebody, even if it be against Churchmen themselves ; they cannot con sent to be placed on a level with ignored outsiders, to make collections and contributions amongst themselves only, like Dissenters, Methodists, and " Pograms," They so love the name of rate that they would rather pay the same amount under that name, than as a freewill offering—just as there are tens of thousands of liberal and well off Dissenters who, while they resent a Church Bate would readily give double the sum out of the same neighbourly feeling which leads different sects of dissenters to help each other. But if the desire to maintain the forms of supe riority is so strong on the part of churchmen, equally strong is the feeling of dissenters against their continuance. Hence the soul of the resistance to many of the compromises. The exemptions for Dissenters, which the opposition is willing to con cede, are all so contrived as to affirm superiority on the part of the Church, and and to affix a stigma on dissent. The Church is presumed to have a natural or a national right to tax ; the nonconformist is to be exempt just as a blind, a lame, an under-aged, or over-aged person might be exempt from serving in the militia. Di ss enters resent being put in a list of pers ons l e t off from what the laws deal with as a national duty. If the State, they say, holds it the duty of all per sons to support one particular mode of worship, we do not want to shirk any State duty; but we hold sacrifice of the mass, or the silent worship of the the Quaker, or the psalm-singing of the Meeting House, to be worthy of equal honour from the State with the Liturgy of the Prayer-Book ; and, as you will not give a compulsory rate for all, we demand that the last should not be honoured above the res of us. Is is not, however, a great weakness for the Church of England to be in such terror of the word —sects It is useless to ignore the fact:that she is but one sect among many. She is a sect in general Christendom, for the Roman Catholic Church and the Greek Church each out-number her. She is a very modern sect even in these kingdoms. She is, indeed, but one of several State Churches. In Eng land itself she is but the largest sect ; and were she not held together by law and statute, the present divisions of High Church and Low Church, Broad Church, Essayists and Puseyites, would soon show that the Church itself—that which bears the general name—is but a number of sects held together by the golden chain of emolument, and the more sentimental ties of aristocratic position. Oar conclusion from the whole is that like the Paper Duties, be it reasonable or unreasonable, the Rate must go at last. It may be fought off for a time ; the hope of a compromise may beguile many worthy folk till it is seen that every one which can be proposed does not affect the kernel of the agita tion. But Religious equality is the demand at the bottom, and it must succeed. In England at the present age nothing can resist it. Men in daily life, laugh now at the once dreaded words heretic, excommunication, dissenter ! No man can look another in the face and tell him, because I accept the thirty-nine articles and you do not, I have therefore a right to the policeman's services to extort money for my worship, while your's must get on how it can. We regard, therefore, the pre sent display of votes for Church-rates as one having no basis in the intelligence of the day—as a meteor generated in the stagnant and decaying notions of a past age, destined only to flash for a moment, and soon to vanish for ever. of short-hand writers ! Besides which a clause o: considerable importance has been introduced into the Bill in its altered form, preventing the retro spective operation of the law upon non-traders—a class, it should be remembered, now, for the first time, made subject to the law of bankruptcy. Altogether therefore the changes suggested by the Lords' Select Committee, and adventured upon by the Lords themselves, though various and un- doubtedly important, are not by any means of tha root and branch kind that the Attorney-Genera apparently deems them to be. Lord GRANVILLE as Leader of the House, and the Lord Chancellor in his capacity as Chairman of the House of Lords, and in his supreme character as the first of all our judicial authorities, were the only dissentients who uttered one syllable on Tuesday evening in depreciation of the amendments introduced into the Bill of the At torney-General. The Earl of GRANVILLE could no allow them to be Amendments. The Lord Chan cellor was especially angry at the striking out o the Bill, contrary to his advice in Committee o the suggested new Chief Judgeship in the re constructed Court of Bankruptcy. But besides Lord BROUGHAM'S authoritative voice, there were raised loudly and earnestly in favour of the acceptance of the Bankruptcy Bill, as amended, the voices of Lord OVERSTONE, who pro nounced a panegyric upon the Select Committee — of Lord LYVEDEN, who pronounced the changes made as all of them very beneficial—of Lord WENS LEYDALE, who enforced the claims of the Select Committee for commendation rather than for blame And prior to the last mentioned noble and learned lord, the voice also of Lord ORAN WORTH was heard on Tuesday, insisting that really and truly, after al that had been said about it, the only substantia alteration in principle that had been adventured upon by the Lords, at the suggestion of the Select Committee, was this—that the management and collection of the funds of the creditors are made to remain still, as they have remained now for thirty years past (thanks to Lord BROUG SiA3l), in the hands of the official assignees: thus entrusting " the administration of the estate to a person who has no interest in concealing anything, and who will expose alike the delinquencies of the creditor and of the debtor." Everything considered, then, we do earnestly hope that upon mature reflection the Attorney-General will decide not to throw overboard the Bankruptcy Bill—in dudgeon at the Lords' Emendations. Rear-Admiral the Right Hon. Lord Clarence Paget, C. 8., M.P., Secretary to the Admiralty, has been invited to distribute the prizes on Saturday next to the suc cessful pupils of the school frigate Conway, in connection with the Mercantile Marine Association of Liverpool. FATAL ACCIDENT WHILE BATHING IN THE TWAMES.—A fatal accident occurred yesterday afternoon, between the ;hours of one and two, to a lad named John Emms, residing at 2, Lovelace-court, Strand, while bathing in the river Thames near the Adelphi steamboat-pier. It appears that he got out of his depth, and being unable to swim he was drowned before his companions could reach him. The Italie of Turin gives the following descrip- tion of the seal of the Bourbonist committee at Rome. It is circular, and its surface is divided into three peas by two concentric circles. In the outer ring formed by the latter, we read the words : Associazione religiosa—Direz iftoohnrveetfiAhrarTGeletneraole del C.B. (which stands for Comitato Eol bonico). In the inner ring there are the words : Segretario G liv en ed er n a e l s e d C ay . , (meaning Clary)—Presidents A. (which stands County of Trepani). In the central circle there is C th c e lD P E o x pe T c T ro ci w A ni v ng soL th u e N e T 2c E -K ER in . g_o H f Naples. Aitivie 11 lord of the manor, bad amongmtheeemtioem On Tuesday evening Un accident of a ' most lamentable nature happened offeredah h o e n r d e. som M e r o . i G lv a e r r la e n u d p , the lord bad bers of the Volunteer Artillery, place for u g pon ball practice with the ordi naryand a preliminary carbine took young man of 19, shore off Dovoreourt. a widow lady, was and had made several points of, and the only son of a fih l‘ ri l ger fired 12 11y2 n r rounds Ze es erred part) . He had when he was the art t a , ordored again to advance in his he stepped from the ranks his carbine wont The moment after springing some height from the groundo,ffielanl at he, feet of one of his comrades. It is needless to say tha t t the th e greatest alarm was occasioned. When ho was raised it was discovered that the ball had entered the neck immedi ately behind the right ear, and escaped through the ba c k part of the skull, which was dreadfully shattered. Death had been instantaneous. The body was immediately re moved to a farmhouse close by. The cause of this melan choly occurrence has not been definitively ascertained, but it is conjectured that the young man,who was firing for the first time, had imprudently brought his firelock up to full cock before the proper time , Luta touched the trigger with ? hie troutsergt .._ .; Laws of Bankruptcy and Insolvency. The Attorney-General expressed this vexation of his, in point of fact, so eagerly and precipitately the other evening that he was called to " order" for so doing—seeing that the House of Commons was not supposed at the time to be aware of the decision arrived at, in this matter of the Bankruptcy Bill, by the other branch of the Imperial Legisla ture. Since then the Bill has been read a third time by the Lords, and passed. This occurred, in fact, during the sitting of Tuesday evening. And it is worthy of particular notice at this criti cal period, both in the progress of the Bill and in the advancement of the Session, that the all but unanimous feeling of the great legal luminaries who spoke upon this question in the Lords on Tues day evening, is to the effect that the Bill, as emended in the Lords at the instance of the Select Committee, ought to be accepted in its new form by the Attorney-General and perfected into an enactment before the close of the session, with the concurrent support of her MAJESTY'S Government. Lord BROUGHAM, whose opinion to this effect is a Tower of Strength to the amenders of Sir RICHARD BETIIELL'S measure, Lord BROUGHAM led off the discussion by avowing it as his opinion " that though the bill might not contain all that some people might wish to find, still it would be a most valuable measure." The noble and learned lord further expressing "his earnest hope, and, indeed, his confident expectations, that, whatever differ ences of opinion might exist on the subject, the amendments which had been made in the Bill would be accepted by the other House." That, re collect—from Lord BROUGHAM ! The noble earl the leader of Her MAJESTY'S Opposition imme diately afterwards explained, that although the modifications adventured upon by the Lords, at the instance of the Select Committee, were many of them, undoubtedly, most important, the leading principles of the measure were still left in their full integrity untouched. In point of fact, the three conspicuous principles comprised within this remarkable measure remain, beyond a doubt, unaltered by the Lords, uninterfered with in any way by the Lords' Select Committee. First of all—the amal gamation of Bankruptcy and Insolvency ! Secondly —the obliteration henceforth of all distinctions hitherto subsisting between traders and non traders ! Thirdly—the extension to the already hard-worked County Courts of bankruptcy jurisdic tion. Objections there were to these last two prin ciples, objections recognised and articulated both in the Lords and in the Select Committee. But in spite of that—they have been left thus in this Bill, as we have said, unaltered in any way whatever. The principal changes adventured upon in the Lords being on the other hand—Firstly, the rejection of the appointment of the Chief Judge of the Court of Bankruptcy ! Secondly, the Committee, first of all, and the Lords afterwards, struck out certain provi sions relative to the duties of the official assignees and the creditors' assignees ! Thirdly, they swept aside, among other provisions deemed by them to be injudicious, those necessitating the employment VOCAL ASSOCIA7ION, ST. JAMES'S IL'II.L. The last concert for the seasoi of this association took place last evening, and c.ncluded a series of I entertainments which have gives great satisfaction to crowded audiences. The irst concert of the series probably presented ratter too heavy and monotonous a programme, )ut M. Benedict promptly perceived the mistake, and arranged all that have followed `•ith acute taste and discrimination. A var.ety of first class artistes—both vocal and instrumental, choice old madrigals and part songs, rolnds, classical music, and a light sprinkling of tha popular melodies of the day, drew large and deligited audiences. The performances of last evening /resented rather more than usual to elicit applause and admiration. Bach's fine chorale, " God is Our Refuge in Dis tress," was sung by the choir, and most perfectly and effectively given, thiugh executed for the first time. A rapturous encore was bestowed on the duet from "It Barbiere,"" All idea di quel tnetallo," which received great justice from Signor Belart and Signor Belletti. Miss Mangold's per formance on the pianoforte was of a character to call forth unbounded applause. Her touch and expression indicate the possession of great natural talent, well cultivated, and give her a place among our leading pianists. The trio " Papataci" from "L'ltaliana in Algeri" was perhaps never better sung than by Signori Belart, Garcia, and Belletti. The audience thoroughly ap preciated and enjoyed it, bestowing a:warm encore. The favourite aria "Non piu nzesta," sung by Madlle. Anna Whitty, was enthusiastically re-de manded, and we may warmly congratulate this charming singer on the purity of her voice and the spirit of her execution. A French air, "La Mallon," with words by Lamar tine, sung by Signor Giuglini, elicited great applause, most deservedly; and Miss Stabbach was quite at home in Haydn's canzonet, "My Mother bids me bind my hair." The harp per formance of Mr. Aptommas was something truly exquisite. We have never heard this.instrument yield more entrancing melody than it did beneath his magic power, and the delight expressed by the listeners bore ample testimony to the skill of the gifted player, The numerous " Part Songs" and " Chorales" given by the choir were, as usual, well and equally sustained, reflecting the greatest credit on the conductor. The Hall was very crowded with a brilliant and fashionable audience, whose approbation gave full assurance that the Vocal Association Concerts will maintain a lasting and high character among our musical entertainments. We see that M. Benedict's Concert takes place on Monday morning, June 24, and the rich treat promised in the programme will doubtless secure him the warm patronage which his genius and labours so greatly merit. AMENITIES OF LITERATURE. Atheneum Office, June 19, 186 Mr. W. Hepworth Dixon presents his compli ments to the Editor of The Sun, and would be much obliged by his publishing the enclosed cor respondence in to-morrow's impression : "To W.IIEPWORTH Dix oN, Esq., Editor of the Athenaum, " Sir,—l am aware that you wrote the critique on my book in last Saturday's Atheneum, which I consider per sonally offensive. As two-thirds of the London press have already recorded opinions in the highest degree flattering, 1 could well have afforded to treat with contempt the ill-con ditioned snarliags of a single ' literary Gorilla;' but when a Reviewer indulges in flippant impertinences upon the cha racter and feelings' of an author, instead of confining him self to the merits of the work before him, he sometimes lays himself open to unpleasant consequences. I, therefore, give you fair warning that unless you take the opportunity now afforded by the issue of a second edition to make the einende, I shall do myself the pleasure of hortewhipping you the first time that I meet you in public, and then hand you over to the tender mercies of M r . Alfred Austin, whose attentions are likely to be equally unpleasant. I shall con sider this note private until the 22d ; and remain, sir, your most obedient humble servant, " THE AUTHOR OF 'PUCK ON PEGASUS.' " Conservative Club, June 18." " Athenceu2n Office, June 19. " Sir,—l have received your disgraceful letter, to which I shall of course immediately give the publicity it deserves. In the meantime I have communicated with the police authorities, who will take effectual measures to prevent your committing the outrage threatened.—l am, sir, your obedient servant, "W. HEPWORTH DIXON. " To H. Cholmondeley Pennell, Esq., Conservative Club." DUTY PAID BY FIRE INSURANCE COMPANIES. A Parliamentary return has just been issued showing the amount of duty paid by the fire insurance companies of the United Kingdom. From this document it appears that the sums paid by the London offices stand as follows, when arranged in the order of their respective totals : DUTY PAID BY THE LONDON OFFICES DURING THE YEAR 1860. Sun £216,275 Phcenix Royal Exchange 86,682 County 70,473 Imperial Alliance Globe Atlas 45,727 Law .......... 35,938 Guardian .......... 34,172 London Assurance.. 33,620 Westminster Union DITTY PAID BY THE COEN SCOTCH AND IRISH, D Norwich Union £82,300 Liverpool and Lon don . 60,952 West of England ... 59,856 Royal . ...... 59634 Manchester .. 41,791 Leeds and Yorkshire 27,588 Lancashire . 24,698 Yorkshire Birmingham 15,925 Kent Birmingham District 8,998 Essex and Suffolk Provincial Queen Midland Counties Nottingham and National Derbyshire From the above it appears that the London offices have contributed £964,970 ; the country offices, £469,756 ; Scotch, £110,647; and Irish, £13,212, making in the ag gregate the sum of £1,558,585. The same return shows that the total sum insured in the year 1860 on farming stock (which is exempt from duty) in England and Wales was £63,963,073; in Scotland, £6,300,772; and in Ireland, £1,040,053-making a total of £73,302,808. General Unity Royal Farmers Hand-in-Hand Law Union 7.196 State . 5,697 Church of England 5,370 Equitable 2,180 United Kingdom Provident 1,398 Emperor Preserver 24 TRY OFFICES, INCLUDING UJUNG TILE YEXR 1860. I Salop £4,088 Newcastle-up.-Tyne 3,782 Sheffield ... 3,635 Norwich Equitable 3,140 Hants, Sussex, and Dorset Shropshire and North Wales .. 2,061 THE RECENT ANTI-SLAVE TRADE CONFERENCE , —We are requested to state that the Anti-Slave Trade Cbn ference, held at Lord Brougham's on Saturday last, did not adopt a resolution recommending the suspension of diplo matic intercourse with Spain. The resolution was discussed in committee, but not proposed to the conference. BRITISH WOOL.—Yesterday Mr. Caird, M.P., read at a meeting of the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society of England a very interesting paper upon British wool. He remarked that, although there had been an im mense increase in the importation from foreign countries and the colonies during the last 20 years, the rearing of sheep for the production of British wool continued to be one of the most profitable branches of our industry. Within the period referred to there had been, no doubt, in the imports from Spain and Germany a diminution of about 4,000,0001 b., but at the same time, to compensate for this, there had been an increase from Russia, the Low Countries, Denmark, and Portugal of no less than 20,000,0001 b. There had been an increase within this period, in round numbers, from Australia of from 13,000,0001 b. to 54,000,0001 b., from South Africa of from 1,000,0001 b. to 14,000,0001 b., from the East Indies of from 4,000,0001 b. to 14,000,0001 b. At home the increase in the amount of wool produced was equally remarkable. In 1842 the home-grown wool did not exceed 100,000,0001 b. It now amounted to 120,000,0001 b. There had been, in short, an augmented supply of wool to the ex tent of nearly 75 cent. It had not been followed by any diminution of price to the home producer. Now, the countries in which the production of wool is likely to in crease most rapidly—viz., Australia, the East Indies, South Africa, and South America, are all unsuitable to the pro duction of the lustrous long wools for which there is a great demand. The British islands supply this wool in the greatest quantity. They may be almost said to have a ni Llhi :_n nyesc o bow p bele o noa l t y ocr f it, and there are no countries which can enter into competition with them. Mr. Caird is therefore of opinion that the British woolgrower should develope its production as much as possible, and he thinks the supply Leicester o increased st h at by could raps, goodauml dat nt presentfa r m i whichn farming he ea adoptedn desirable liberal on qualitiesfeeding. suitable soils would, he adds, be obtained by using the improved of length, lustre, strength, and fineness of wool seemed to In Dot copabbled t • , DAY EVENING, Juni 20, 1861. LATEST NE .~ ~,1 FRANCE. FRANCE AND SARDINIA. The rumour that the annexation of the Island of Sardinia to France, in return for France's recog nition of the Italian kingdom of Victor Emmanuel, is decided on, is current in the French Ministerial departments. PARIS, JUNE 20: Judgment was given yesterday evening in the affair of the ,`fonds newspaper, The charges of insult and libel brought against the proprietors were admitted by the tribunal. M. Taconet was fined 500 f., and M. Crampon was sentenced to 15 days' imprisonmeLt and a fine of 500 f. VIENNA, JUNE 20. The Vienna papers of to-day assert that in the last Ministerial Council it was resolved that the address of the Hungarian Diet should not be ac cepted, and that the Municipality of Pesth should be dissolved. PARIS, JUNE 19 (Evening.) The Pattie of this evening says:—"We are enabled to guarantee the incorrectness of the state ment that the priest who administered the last sacraments to Count Cavour either obtained or demanded a retraction of his acts and opinions." TURIN, JUNE 19. The Turin papers of today publish despatches from Florence, dated the 18th inst., stating that on the previous day some journeymen bakers at tempted to get up a manifestation, with the object of obtaining an increase of wages, The coalition did not, however, succeed. VIENNA, .Tura 19. In to-day's sitting of the Lower House of the Council of the Empire, the Minister of State announced that he was authorised by the Emperor to declare the bill proposed in the Provincial Diet of the Tyrol against the emancipation of the Pro testants to be inadmissible. THORN, JUNE 19. The statutes of the future Council of State for Poland were published yesterday at Warsaw. The military have been withdrawn from the streets and public squares. The Ressource Club was reopened yesterday, and ;he theatre on Saturday. ST. PETERSBURG, JUNE 19, The Northern Bee of to-day says :--‘, Up to the end of May last insurrections of peasants had taken place in 141 villages of Podolia, containing altogether a population of 71,000. These disturb ances arose from a wrong interpretation of the imperial ordinances. Order has now been re established." BERLIN, JUNE 19. There is not the least foundation for the report of a resignation of the Prussian Cabinet. The report of the Commission on the Bill for re cruiting the army next year has been communicated to the Legislative Body by Baron Jerome David. It states that 100,000 men are to be drawn for, who attained the age of 21 daring the present year. This number, which is called the normal contingent for a peace establishment, is represented to be about as onerous a charge upon the population as was the contingent of 80,000 men under the Government of Louis Philippe. In 1832 France contained 32,000,000 of inhabitants_ Tho contin g ent of 80,000 therefore took one man for every 400 inhabitants. In 1861 France contains upwards of 38,000,000 of inhabitsnts ; consequently one man out of every 400 inhabitants will give a contingent of 95,000. A contingent of 100,000 men will keep the army effective at 600,000, which is equalled or exceeded by the great Powers. Baron David says, " But I apprehend the gentleman must be very much mis taken, for although Austria may equal and Russia surpass, perhaps, this number on paper, in cluding frontier sedentary forces and military colonies, neither of them has anything like the effective army of France." The pretext for aug menting the annual levy by 20,000 men during peace is sufficiently original to merit notice. From the 100,000 men obtained annually by conscription, 5,000 are to be transferred to the navy, to serve during the whole of the seven years; 5,000 are dispensed with as belonging to public services (maritime inscription, public instruction, theological seminaries, *cc.) ; 18,100 are allowed to purchase exemption at £lOO each, and who are therefore replaced on the ranks by the substitutes, who receive a portion of the " smart" money ; 1000 are exempted from service as being necessary to support their families; and 2,500 are presumed to die, to be found incapable, or to desert. There will then remain 64,100 men available from the contingent for the annual recruitment of the army. The Donawerth screw liner has also arrived from Beyrout, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Chopart, and with troops on board. The Rodeur has arrived at Toulon, after having deposited 200,000 young oysters along the coast. She is under orders for Corsica, where the same operation will be repeated. BOURSE, June 19. Business continues in the same inanimate state, but prices without any mate rial change. For the Account, Threes are now at 67f. 85c. Railway shares also quiet. The follow ing are the last quotations : 4f per per Cents ... 96 70 1 Credit Fonder lOOO Do end month.... 96 SO ,' Belgian 4i 99 75 3 per Cents Do. end month 67 80' Roman Bank Shares 2905 Austrian Credit Mobilier.... 697 301 Spanish Threes — Do. Account 7OO ; Home Debt RAILWAYS. Cash. Account. Orleans 1360 .. 1361 25 Northern New ditto B9O .. 890 Lyons and Mediterranean 940 .. 942 50 Geneva 4OO .. 398 75 Southern 575 .. 677 50 Western Eastern Sardinian Austrian Low bard 493 75 .. 495 CARELESS NURSES.—A most deplorable scene lank place on Monday evening in front of the parade at Eastbourne. A nursemaid had been sent out by Mr. Cook, MR. FREDERIC PENNA'S ENTERTAINMENT.— of Cavendish-place, in charge of her little twins, a boy The entertainment at the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, by and a girl, aged about a year and a half. One of these was Mr. Frederic Penns, is maintaining its position as one of carried in arms, and the other wheeled in a perambulator, the most refined of its class. "Old Friends" now consti- Express instructions were given that the children's walk tutes its first part, and in this Mr. Penna gives some of should be confined to a shady neighbouring lane, which England's old songs, including Purcell's "Mad Torn," order the girl directly disobeyed by proceeding to the sea- which, owing to his rich and flexible baritone voice, united wall parade. It was high water, and a strong east wind to considerable musical talent, produces a great effect. was bringing in a heavy swell. At the narrowest part of the Indeed all the other songs in this part are rendered with walk the girl let go her hold of the perambulator, in which excellent taste and artistic skill. The second part of the was the little boy, and probably impelled by the wind, it entertainment is a portion of " The Highways and Byways ran headlong over the edge of the wall, and was swept out of Song," and is rich in beautiful ballads, and in racy and by a retiring wave. All within hearing immediately cha rac t er i s ti c ane cdotes told by Mr. Penna with very great gathered at the spot, and many efforts to catch the carriage humour. The most attractive of the songs in this part is with the poor child, as it was tossed to and fro, were without doubt Loder's beautiful gem, "The Three Ages of earnestly made. Especially a soldier, named Cannon, of Love," which Mr. Penns sings with immense effect. This the 51st Regiment, manfully pl unge d i nto the waves, and song is peculiarly adapted to Mr. Penna's style, which is nearly succeeded in graspin g th e i n f ant, who was now de- not only highly finished, but r e pl e t e w ith g reat feeling. tached from the perambulator. The brave f e ll ow was, Madame Penna accompanies all the songs with that grace however, too exhausted to accomplish his humane purpose, and ability which one would naturally expect from a lady and ultimately struggled alone to the shore. The child was who had been a pupil of M rs . A n d erso n. Mr. Penn a ' s at last caught by th e v i gorous exert i on of Mr. Brown, a entertainment is well worthy of a visit. neighbour, and a good swimmer. No injury appeared to STEAM TO NEW YORK.—SOUTHAMPTON, Wed have been caused by the mere fall, and the poor little thing nesday. Tho Hamburg-American Company's screw was heard to scream when in the water, but all th e con - steamer, Hammonia, Captain H. F. Schwensen, sailed t o _ tinned efforts that were made by medical skill to revive it day for New Yolk, with the German, French, a n d E ng _ were unavailing. it was drowned. The distraction of the lish mails. She takes out 413 passengers, £5,000 in speci e poor mother, who rushed to the scene, was heartrending : from England, 543 f. from Havre, and a fair cargo. The and, indeed, there were few who did not share her extreme Hammonia arrived here on Monday night from Hamburg distress, for the sight of the poor i n f an t an d it s ti n y car- afte r a very rapid run o f 35 hours from h er moorings a; riage tossed to and fro by th e powerful waves, a lt er nately Cu x h aven to the docks at this port. Th e North Germ= appearing and disapp ear i ng , was moat h arrow i ng . Great Ll oy d screw steamer New York, C a pt a i n Wenke, is due on sympathy is felt f or th e f am il y , itiurgday with malls from Now Xork pf th e Stu izwt. SCOTCH. Scottish Union 32,001 North British Northern Caledonian Scottish Provincial lO,OBl National IRISH. ~~ :r•,; THE US TCALCUTTADA ILIAN MAILS. . Intelligence from Tangier states that the difficulty between Spain and Morocco had not been arranged. The Moorish Alcaid of Tetuan, who lately went to Madrid, has been appointed Spanish Vice-Consul at Tetuan, not only as a recompense for his ser vices, but also to protect him against the resent ment of his countrymen on tho evacuation of that city by the Spaniards. The British ships—brig Diana, 16 days from Swansea; steamer Meander, 51 days from Liver pool ; steamer Newburn, 17 days from London ; schooner Mischief, 10 days from Swansea ; barque Julia, 19 days from Liverpool ; brigantine Catherine, 13 days from Cardiff; schooner Nancy, 13 days from Swansea ; schooner Margaret, 18 days from Newcastle ; schooner Valga, 11 days from Tyne mouth ; schooner Laxey Mines, 15 days from Swan sea; schooner Sarah, 8 days from Liverpool; schooner Margaret, 10 days from Cardiff; schooner Zephyr, 11 days from Liverpool; steamer Bceotia, 5 days from Liverpool ; steamer Marly Hill, 8 days from Newport ; schooner William Henry, 12 days from Liverpool; and steamers Syrian and Orontes, 6 days from Liverpool—had severally arrived out at Gibraltar. Gibraltar exchanges and freight, on the 14th inst., remained without alteration. THIS DAY'S M.A.RIOETS. CORN EXCHANGE. IIkfrERIAL WEEKLY AVERAGES. Wheat, 53s 9d, barley, 34s 3d ; oats, 25s 2d ; rye, 41s 2d ; beans, 44s 3d ; and peas, 41s THE SIX WEEKS' AVERAGES. Wheat, 54s 8d ; barley, 34s 9d ; oats, 25s 4d ; rye, 348 ld ; beans, 44s 6d; peas, 40s sd,_ ENGLISH GRAIN SOLD LAST WEEK.—Wheat, 65,560; barley, 2,955; oats, 5,674; rye, 6; beans, 2,828 ; peas, 74 quarters. METROPOLITAN CATTLE MARKET. Although only a moderate supply of beasts were on offer here to-day, all kinds moved off somewhat heavily at Mon day's currency. With sheep we were fairly supplied. The best Downs and half-breds were steady, otherwise the mut ton trade was very inactive at late rates. We have to re port a dull inquiry for lambs at about stationary prices, viz., from ss. 6d, to Os. 4d. per 81b. The supply of calves being extensive, the veal trade ruled heavy atla further decline in the:quotations of 4d. per 81b. The top price was 4s. Bd. per 81bs. Pigs and milch cows moved off slowly at barely late rates. Per Sib. to sink the offal. s. d. s. d. Crse. &inf. beasts 3 4 3 8 Second quality do. 3 10 4 2 Prime large oxen 4 4 4 6 Prime Scots, &c. 4 8 4 10 Crse. & inf. sheep 3 4 3 8 Second qualitydo. 3 10 4 0 Lambs, 5s ( Suckling calves, 20s to 30s 22s to 295. s. d. s. d. Primecrs-wool d 0.4 4 4 10 Pme. S'thdown d 0.5 0 5 2 Largo orse. calves 3 6 4 0 Prime small do 4 2 4 8 Large hogs 4 0 4 6 Small porkers 4 84 10 ;d to 6s 4d. and quarter-old store pigs, TOTAL SUPPLY Beasts Sheep and lambs.... 9,540 Calves Pigs 440, [SOUTHAMPTON, JUNE 20. The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam ship Ceylon, Captain Evans, with the heavy por tion of the above mails, has arrived. She brings 193 passengers, 1,164 packages cargo, two boxes specie, jewellery (70,000), precious stones value 3,500 rupees, rubies 350 rupees, musk 4,236 rupees, and a diamond value £9,053 rupees. Her Majesty's ships Liffey, Scourge, Terrible, London, and Medina were at Malta; at Gibraltar the Racoon and St. Jean d'Acre. Her Majesty's ship Argus left Gibraltar for Eng land on the 12th inst. FOREIGN SUPPLY. Beasts _ _ -. 250 Sheep Calves Pigs - MEAT MARKETS. - - NEWGATE AND LEADENHALL. - The supplies of meat are only moderate, and the trade is heavy, as follows : Beef, from 2s 10d to 4s 2d ; mutton, 3s 4d to 4s 8d ; lamb, 5s Od to 5s 8d ; veal, 38 6d to 4s 4d ; pork, 3s 10d to 4s 8d per 81bs. by the carcase. SOUTHALL, June 19. There was a fair supply of fat stock in to-day's market, and trade was in a sluggish state, as follows : Beef, 3s 6d to 4s 8d ; mutton, 3s 8d to 5s 2d; lamb, 5s 6d to 6s 2d ; veal, 4s Od to 4s 8d; pork, 4s Od to 4s 8d per 81bs to sink the offal. ROMFORD June 19.—Trade somewhat heavy, at drooping prices. Beef, from 3s 6d to 4s 10d ; mutton, 4s Od to 5s 2d ; lamb, 5s 8d to 6s 4d; veal, 4s Od to 4s 8d ; and pork, 4s Od to 4s 8d per 81bs ; suckling calves, 15s to 20s ; quarter old store pigs, 21s to 28s each; and milch cows, £l5 Os to £lB 10s each. ILLY x.E..4-rt=lo , cst SMITHFIELD.—Meadow hay, £2 Os to £5 Os Od ; clover do., £3 lOs to £5 18s ; and straw, £1 lOs to £2 Os per load. Trade slow. CUMBERLAND. ,- Meadow hay, £2 Os to £5 Os ; clover, £3 lOs to £5 15s Od ; and straw, £1 14s to £2 Os per load. Trade dull. WHITECRAPEL.—Meadow hay, Z 2 Os to f 5 Os Od ; clover, £3 lOs to £6 Os Od ; and straw, £1 lOs to £2 Os per load. Trade heavy. COAL MART (Prices of Coal per Ton al ET—JUNE 19. the close of the market Walls End. s. d. Ball's Primrose l3 0 Holywell 16 0 Carway and Duffryn Malting Do. Anthracite 21 6 Byass's Bebside West a. d. Hartlepool..... 18 0 Byron.. Haswell lB 6 Tunstall Harton Heugh Hall 16 3 Braddyll's Hetton 17 0 Kelloe South Hartlepool 17 0 Cassop l7 6 Keeper Grange.... l7 0 Hetton Bell.. 15 6 Woodhouse Close )5 9 Gosforth 15 9 Shincliffe 16 6 Thorpe . l7 6 Hartley ' -- 15 6 Walker Primrose 12 6 Hartlepool West Hart ley Tanfield Moor l3 0 Tanfield Moor Butes l3 0 Howard's West Hart- ley.. l5 6 West Hartley 15 6 Craghead Hartley 14 9 Lambert's West Hart- 1ey..., 15 3 Hastings Hartley l5 6 Ships at market 98; sold, 75. 211 IS DAY'S ShIPPING. LONDON, June 20.—Wind this day at noon, South- Westerly; light breeze, and fine weather, but rather cloudy, with some rain in the morning. CLYDE, June 15.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Micmac, from Trinidad. Conx, June 18.—Wind S,E.—Sailed—Hydra, for Si John's, New Brunswick. PORTSMOUTH, June 19.—Wind S.E.—Arrived—Jonge lan, from Belize. PALMOUTH, June 20.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Apollo, from Akyab ; John Herman, from Singapore for Bremen; Genova, from Buenos Ayres. NEWPORT, June 19.—Wind S.S.E.—Arrived—Otto Venius, from Bristol for M on t e V ideo. Sailed—Fordman, for Quebec. CARDIFF, June 19.—Wind S.S.W.—Sailed—Royal Bride, for New York. DEAL, June 18.—Wind N.E.—Arrived—Pursoy Daw son, from the River, and sailed for Calcutta. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) SOUTHAMPTON, Thursday Morning. Arrived—Havre, steamer, from Havre; Ceylon, steamer, from Alexandria; Dispatch, steamer, from Jersey; Argyll, steamer, from Carentan. (By SUBMARINE AND MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH.) GRAVESEND, Thursday Morning. Arrived, June 19—Radcliffe, Benersa, and Lancaster, from Riga; British Trident, from Sydney.; Ilma, from Bjornborg ; Vanguard, from Macao; Ernest, from Kon gelf; Elizabeth Ann, from Guernsey; Southampton, from New York. Arrived, June 20—Queen, from Lisbon ; Nora, from Rotterdam. EAL, Thursday orning. Passed—llenry Mill er, for Shan g hae; British M Tar, Tay, Wizard King, and Mary C. Fox, for Portland ; United States, for Quebec; Pruth, for Victoria—all from London. LITERATURE. Japan, the Amoor, and the Pack. By Henry A. Tilley. With eight illustrations. Smith and Elder. This is a lively and pleasant volume of travels which by no means restricts itself to a description of the Japanese Empire. The author was on board a Russian ship of war which was bound on a voyage of circumnavigation, and accordingly he transports us from Rio Janeiro to Cape Town, from Singapore to Manilla, and, after quitting Japan, to the Russian settlements at the mouth of the Amoor, where he was the first Englishman who had landed. After wards we visit in his company California, the Sandwich Islands, and Tahiti, from whence he brings us once more by South America to the shores of Europe. Of course his account of many of these places is only slight and superficial, but the 'volume has something of the effect of a panorama, showing us in rapid succession the manners and customs of very different races in very different localities. The large uncultivated tracts of fertile land in Brazil with its scanty and lazy population, form a striking contrast to the over crowded districts of China, where every inch of ground is carefully made the most of. Of Capo Town we have an agreeable description. Tho feeling towards the English does not seem to be very friendly, most of the Dutch inhabitants obsti nately refusing to speak a word of the language. The traveller describes the old Dutch landowners as possessing more than the usual amount of na tional stolidity. While he was there, however, they made up their minds to have a railway, after much exertion on the part of the more energetic in beating the idea into the heads of their neighbours. A comparatively short time will therefore see Cape Town in direct communication with the interior, a fact which will, as the writer justly observes, from an epoch in the history of the colony. Of Japan and its people he gives much the same account as other recent travellers, adding a succinct outline of what is known of its history and connec tion with Europe. Of its internal government he speaks as follows :—"A description of what is known of the political state of Japan can be given in a few words. It is about the most absolute des potism that exists or has ever existed, yet tempered by ancient customs having all the force of laws. The policy which has ruled this nation surpasses all that Machiavelli, Metternich, or Talley rand ever dreamed of; Fouche would have been a demigod could he have had such a police and such spies." At present, he remarks, little is really known of the internal policy of the empire, and he advises that all communications professing confident explanations should be received with caution. The people, he describes as intelligent and eager for information,. During the residence of the Dutch in Desima he considers that the Japanese were the chief gainers by the intercourse. They obtained information from Europe on politics, science, and litetature, and translated many books, especially those on medi cine. In the study of this art they are peculiarly interested, and very skilf u l . The European &dor who accompanied our auth or , v i s i ted a patient whose severe wounds had bee n d resse d by a Jrapanese sur geon,and declared that he could not have been better treated in any European hospital. The Japanese seem also to have possessed notions of science for many ages, and are now giving great attention to European machinery, railroads, and fire-arms. They are very painstaking in their study of lan guage— " Some of the officials whom I 'net in Japan had acquired one or two Euror,ean languages merely from visiting English, kmerican, or other ships, learning a few wordy, at a time in their intercourse with officers .and... - men,and carefully writ ing down such words in Japanese for future use. In Kanagawa and Hakodadi many of the shop keepers had learned so much Russian as to make themselves intelligible to the Russian sailors." In industrial arts and manufactures, they equal, if not excel the Chinese, whil e i n painting and drawing they are much more advanced. They are remarkable for the neatness and finish of all their manufactures, and possess, as a nation, both taste and skill. Their mirrors are of bronze, the reflecting surface being silvered and polished, and the back ornamented with various devices. Mr. Tilley informs us that, since his return, he has seen. some Etruscan mirrors precisely similar to those in use in Japan. The old adage, which tells u s that cleanliness is ne x t t o go dli ness, is not verified in sa r au, a huge the continu a l a b lutions of the people, often performed in public, secure their scrupulous cleanliness, but the national religion is at a very low ebb. The writer expresses an earnest hope that if any attempt is made to establish mis sions among them, o n ly one denomination er Christians will engage in it. The establishment of rival missions has always proved a great drawback to the successful propagation of Christianity ; but in Japan " where all classes except the lowest may be said to have no religion at all, and where all are educated, sceptical, and sarcastic, any rivalry between those who attempt to introduce a new religion will at once preclude whatever chance there possibly might be of conversion." The Japanese are quick witted and full of curiosity. They have large public libraries, and books are as widely circulated as in Germany, and much cheaper. The author considers them a much finer people than the Chinese, although both be long to the Mongolian race. Of course, in his long voyage, Mr. Tilley met with many adventures, and encountered some of the sudden and terrific stomas of tropical latitudes. One melancholy event cast a gloom over his visit to Japan. A young Russian officer and a sailor, belonging to the ship he sailed in, were murdered by some Japanese, without, as it seemed, any provocation. Various causes were suggested, m any of them political, and as the criminals were never discovered official collusjon appears probable. He gives us a lively description of San Francisco and Californian ways, which do not seem to have i m p resse d him very favourab!y. Of the Sandwich Isands, which are rising in importance, we have an animated account, and also of ' Tahiti, which occasioned so much discussion some years ago. His narrative of his visit to the Russian colonies of the Amoor will also attract the reader from its novelty. Altogether it is a pleasant and unaffected r ecor d o f extended travel in which the author wisely makes the narrative of what he has seen more promi nen t th an his own opinions and reflections. These a re a little tinged with R uss i an views, but are, on th e w h o l e , straight forward and moderate. We commend his work to th e a t tention of the general reader wh o seeks information, com bined with entertainment. Household Medicine. By John Gardner, M.D. Smith and Elder. This is a very useful volume for any family to possess. It contains a vast and varied store of in formation on the topics to which it refers. A correct idea will be gathered of its nature from the follow.. ing summary of contents :—" A familiar description of diseases, their nature, causes, and sympt oms ; the most approved methods of treatment, and the properties and uses of remedies, including many new and valuable wiediaines, with directions for preparing them, and rules for the management °f the sick room, ex p ress l y a d apted for fam ily . use." The author remarks, very truly, in the preliminary chapter that some knowledge on this subject is essential to all, and particularly so to those who are in any leading position, as head of a family, &c., and he further goes on to s ay . :-..- ive of the leardneesdtitluante "An acquaintance with medicine is attainable to a very considerable extent by any person of than the ordinary abilities with a moderate amount of read guages, or the other physical sciences. Very few ins and attention, is ir e r as e . :P er ect acquisition of n the sub- o f persons som o smallwit h a any mo uendtucoaftioionfoarrme aetnitoinrel(3:: so much no hi is hi useful and valuable. Objections have been raised ject ; and nothing and tre a tises designed to impart a urged a ga i ns t knowledge of medi eines to the public. The se h -are mainly andgene rally arisen from professional pre' d• -ju ices or jealousy, and have consequently little • h wmg t. We cannot if we would arrest the diffu • mon of information." Those who per use this volume will find that it is one eminently calculated to be of general service, and that it conveys in a con • cise and condensed form some most important knowle d ge on matters that e attention must engag e th tt •on of all at some period of their lives, wh th e er as rega r d s th emse l ves or the mem bers of theirown i • mmediate circle.lt i s by th e i gnoran t that we invariablyfind those gross mistakes are committed that have so often caused serious casual ties, and in some cases death, to result. The more the general public becomes enlightened in its views, and extended in its knowledge on medical subjects the less probability exists of neglecting symptoms of importance, or of resorting to simple persons to procure a remedy. A publication like the pres en t one is sure to be valued, and besides it has the fur ther advantage of being the work of an experienced practitioner. It is therefore to be expected that this new work will be as successful as some of its predecessors on the same subject have been, and prove a valuable addition to the library of many homes. ~~( N~ Tb tp t f it „ '') te t 114,