The Sun. — London, England, 1861-02-12 00:00:00

pOY A L ENGLISH OPERA, 11, COVENT-GARDEN. . "- Under the Management of Miss Louisa Fyne and Mr. W. Harrison, Sole Lessees. THIS EVENING, THE SONG OF HIAWATHA, mi ss M a tilda Heron, Madame Palmieri, Mr. St. Albyn, Mr. H. Corr!, Mr. Wallworth. Followed by Salle's SATANELLA. Miss Louisa Pyne, Miss Thirlwall ; Mr. Wm. Harrison, Mr. H. Core, Mr. H. Wharton, sr,c. Conductor —Mr. Alfred Mallon. Commence at Seven. THEATRE -ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Lessee. Mr. J. B. Buckstone. THIS F,VENING the performances will commence with THE RIVALS. Sir Lu^ius O'Trimer, Mr. John Brougham; Lydia Languish, Miss Fanny Stirling. After which, a new Pantomime, QUEEN LADYBIRD AND HER CHILDREN. The Pantomimists by the un rivalled Leclongs, Herr Cole, and Fanny Wright. Commence at 7. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE. — Lessee and Manager, Mr. A. Harris. THIS EVENING. the performances will commence with DON CESAR DE BAZAN. Messrs. Fechter, Basil Potter, F. Matthews, J. G. Shore, Miss M. Harris, Miss C. Leclereq , and Mrs. Weston. After which, a new Christmas comical pantomime, entitled ROBINSON CRUSOE ; or, Harlequin Friday, and the Kino of the Caribbe Islands : in which Monsieur Espinosa and Mdlle. Marie Dumilatre, of the principal cantinental theatres will appear. Clown, Mr. A. F. Forrest. THEATRE -ROYAL LYCEUM. Sore Lessee and Directress, Madame CELESTE. THIS EVENING, a new drama, THE HOUSE ON THE BRIDGE OF' NOTRE DAME. Principal characters by Mr. G. Vining, Mr. J. Johnstone, Mr. Villiers, Mr. Clifford, Mr. John Rouse, Mr. Forrester, Mr. Morris ; Miss M.Ternan, Miss K. Saxon, Miss L. Thompson, and Madame Celeste. After which, the Lyceum Christmas Comic Extravaganza, CRYSTABELLE ; or, The Rose without a Thorn, showinfr THE VISION OF A ROSE. ITS FADING AT EVE ' AND THE MAY-BLOOM OF THE WILD BRIAR. To conclude with a new Divertissement. Miss Lydia Thompson, &c. A D frfaLPHI, NEW THEATRE-ROYAL. Sol , . Proprietor and liTanazer. Mr. Belli. Webater. THIS EVENING, AN UGLY CUSTOMER. Messrs. J. L. Toole, C. Selby, and Warde ; Miss B. Belly, and Mies E. Thorne. After which, THE COLLEEN BASIN. D. Roneicanit, D. Fisher, Billinzton, Falconer, Stephenson. C. J. Smith, Romer. Miss Agnes Robertson, Miss Woo'gar, Mrs. Billington, and Mrs. Cbatterley. To ()include with a new Burlesque Extravaganza, entitled BLUE BEARD FROM A NEW POINT OF HUE. Messrs. J. L. Toole, P. Bedford, C. J. Smith; Miss Woolgar, K. Belly,Laidlaw, and E. Thorne. Doors open at half past 6—Commence at 7. 13 , 05-office open from 10 till 5. No charge for booking. Private boxes, £2 2s. ; Family Boxes, £l. Orchestra Stalls, Sc. ' • Balcony, 4s. ; Front Circle Stalls , Sc. • Pit Stalls, 25.; Plt, Is. Bd. ; Amphitheatre, 'ls ; Gallery, ed: -- - - Acting Manager—fir. Wm. Smith. ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.- Proprietor and Manager, Mr. Wm. BA'rrir. Immense success of " Turpin's Ride to York." A Grand Morning Performance will take place on Friday, Feb. 15, commencing at two o'clock with the Pantomime. THIS EVENING. will 'be reproduced TTJR PIN'S RIDE TO YORK, AND THE DEATH OF BLACK BESS, in which the Brothers Edwin will appear with their celebrated Steed Black Bess. To be succeeded by Scenes in the Arena, supported by talented Parisian and British Artistes. Concluding, with Batty's Prize Equestian Comic Panto mime, for Good Little Boys and Girls, by T. L. Greenwood, entitled HARLEQUIN AND THE WONDERFUL HORSE or. Percinet and Grociosa, the Ugly Duchess and the Greedy King, produced with Gorgeous Scenery, by Mr. Cuthbert, new Costumes and Appointments, and introducing in the comic scenes 13atty's Prize Equestrian Harlequinade, and the celebrated Old Bob Ridley. Box-office open daily from 11 till 4 Stage Manager—Mr. W. WEST. Director of the Arena—Mr. Pearson. Commence at 7. CANTERBURY -HALL CONCERTS A Grand Selection from Verdi's Opera, IL CORSARO, consisting of the following Morceauz:— Preludio. Coro Scena ed Aria. " Tntto y arca Sorridere" Corn di Odalische. " Oh qual perenne" Cavatina " Vola talor dal Carcere" Corn ed inno Scena ed Aria. " Cent() leggiadre Vergini" Terzetto Finale "Vol tacete io non" will shortly be produced, in the orignal key and Italian lancruage—the first time of yerformance in this country—in addition to the usual attractions. Mr. F. JONGHMANS, Musical Director. Also, in preparation, Selections from Verdi's New Operas, tin Ballo in Maschera," "Simon Boccane;ra ;" and Flo w's celebrated Opera of "Stradella." HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. MIA DAY.—Morning, 3h. 39m.—Afternoon, 3h. 54m. To-monn.ow.-Morning, 4h. Sm.—Afternoon, "4h. 26m. THE WEATHER.—SUN OFFICE, FEB. 12, 1361. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 37—highest since noon yesterday. 25—iowest this morning and during the night. 34—this day at noon. BAROMETER-29.70. WlND—South-Westerly ; light with tine weather. a \ \4 ‘ - A .t) THE SUN. LONDON, TUESDAY, FEB. 12, 1661.1 The ablest practical lawyer of his age ; her MAJESTY'S Attorney-General, has already grappled in veritable earnest with the multifarious abuses resulting from the present state of the law relating to Bankruptcy and Insolvency. Sir RICHARD BETHELL has, in regard to this, perhaps the most essential, certainly the most clamorously demanded of all the great law reforms, undertaken to accom plish that which we would fain have seen at last attempted to be accomplished by Lord JOHN Rus- SELL in regard to the reform of our whole system of popular representation. Instead of regulating his course by a selection obdurately made between the horns of that intolerable dilemma, an extreme and extravagant alternative—instead of resolving obsti nately either to do All, or to do Nothing, the Chief Law Adviser of the Crown has wisely taken his immediate course intermediately, and has thus most effectively and effectually removed every obstacle that lay in the way of instant legislation with a view to the amendment of the laws relating to Bankruptcy and Insolvency. How ingeniously, promptly, and judiciously all this ',has been accomplished, may be readily un derstood by instituting here a merely momentary comparison between the scope of Sir RICHARD BETHELVS Bill of last year and that of the revised and restricted, but still sufficiently com prehensive measure introduced by him last evening to the consideration of the House of Com mons, and explained in all its more essential parts through the medium of the Attorney -General's singularly clear and masterly exposition. It is observable, then, in the first i ns t ance, that the Bankruptcy Bill ineffectually introduced during the course of last session by the same eminent, Iw o might say of him without fear of being deemed invidious in regard even to the most illustrious of his professional contemporaries, by the same pre eminent lawyer.—Sir R. BETHELL'S Bankruptcy Bill of last year aspired to accomplish the complete revision and re-arrangement of the whole body of English law r e l a ti ng t o D e bt or a nd Creditor. It aimed, in fact, in regard to that particular depart ment of the commercial code of this great mer cantile community, at a root and branch reform of it that would result at its close, in one word, in its total and absolute "consolidation." The adventure, worthier though it may still be deemed of Sir RienanD BETIIELL'S distinguished reputation, P re yed, as we all of us very well remember, en tirely futile—the bill never passing, even in a modified forte, into an enactment, because altogether too huge, too unwieldy, and in every way too ambitious. Instead of attempting now to accom plish in this manner and forthwith a clearance so absolutely Herculean, the Attorney-General undertakes simply during, the present session to sweep away the most Crying grievances of all, and thereby to prepare the Way by these partial and most judicious reforms, reforms made bit by bit or pieeemeal,for the ultimate realisation, later on, of his original design —namely, that of the entire revision and complete consolidation of the whole body of laws relating to Debtor and Creditor. A s , affording instantaneous evidence of the manner in' which this most urgently-required law reform has been simplified for the Legislature—let it be espe. cially observed that, Whereas the Bankruptcy Bill of last year numbered as many as 554 separate clauses, the Bankruptcy Bill for the pre sent year consists of actually less than one-half of that alarming aggregate, com prising within it, in point of fact, no more than 240 altogether! These abbreviations, in every re spect so remarkable, are attributable of course upon the very surface of the reform now submitted to immediately traceable consideration of the Legislature , are traceable to the Bill (instead of assuming, like its predecessor, to embrace ALL within its compass), wisely coming before the country as merely an in stalment. While however the Bill which was last night laid upon the table of the House of Commons by the Attorney-General is nothing more than an instalment, it is also certainly nothing less than an instalment, in this way, of the utmost conceivable importance, If it disclaims at once in its very preamble the design of accomplishing the absolute consolidation of the laws relating to bankruptcy and insolvency, it, at any rate, ensures to the country, upon the Bill being ripened into an enactment, a series of the most in estimable amendments. The improvements it will r effect in this way are of two kinds, or categories, and these perfectly distinct in themselves, appre ciable as law reforms by the whole mass of the general community. They will secure them in the administration henceforth of the laws relating to Bankruptcy and Insolvency—the Diminution of Expense and Simplification of Procedure. It is obvious, therefore, that if bhe country can secure those two great and permanent improvements in this vital part of the commercial laws of England, we may rest perfectly contented for the time being, waiting in patience for the eventual completion of this branch of law reform, for its oompletion that is by the crowning labour of its consolidation. So triumphantly successful has been the Attorney-General's later effort in regard to the reform of the laws relating to Bankruptcy and Insolvency, that his revised measure, intro duced last evening into Parliament, may be de clared without extravagance to have at once won for itself " golden opinions from all sorts of men"— from ultra-liberal independents like the hon. and learned gentleman the member for Marylebone, and from sound and practical lawyers like Mr. WAL POLE and Mr. MALINS, lawyers uttering their ap proval of the Attorney-General's scheme from the side of the Conservative Opposition. So success ful has been the measure in thus disarming " op position" that, in an almost unprecedented manner, the evening fixed for the second reading is no later than three days from the date of the bill's original introduction ! Of one legis lative boos, therefore, we may reasonably rest secure—that of a vigorously and effectively reformed law of Bankruptcy and Insolvency. Anticipations like these are hardly reprehensible— as among the proverbial evidence in this way of anything like rash precipitation. It is not in this instance, at least, that the chicken is counted while yet unhatched. Although but yesterday was the date of its chipping the shell—it is already far more than a merely callow fledgling, being even now strong upon the wing, and right onward in its course for the second reading on Thursday. According to the scheme of Sir RICHARD BETHELL, as embodied in this new measure of amendment, one central Court will be established as the heart or core of the whole revised system of judicial administration in cases of bank ruptcy and insolvency. Presiding over this central court will be a judge having rank equivalent to that appertaining to the superior common law judges of the land. Under the jurisdiction of the superior officers of the Court will stand next in order the Bankruptcy Com missioners of the Metropolis, Commissioners who are gradually to be reduced to a triumvirate. Associated with these in the provincial adminis tration of the revised law of bankruptcy will to the district commissioners—provision being made by the Attorney General's Bill for the County Court judges exercising jurisdiction in every case in which the assets are under £3OO sterling. Another provision, again, is very remarkable, namely, that, no matter whether it be in regular bankruptcy, or in mere private arrange ment or compromise, the creditors are, practically speaking, to possess entire authority over property —property being regarded, justly enough, as be longing, not to the debtors, but to the creditors themselves. According to the new bill, again, the old distinction between trader and non-trader is to appear, in a modified form, if it be not eventually swept away, in a great measure as valueless. How far the cruel, and heinous, and multi farious frauds which have been perpetrated in this country of late years to the shame and infamy of the chief offenders, and to the ruin and all the conse quent suffering of so many innocent members of the community—how far those lamentable crimes and catastrophes have influenced the Attorney-General in sketching out his masterly scheme of improve ment in the English laws relating to Bankruptcy and Insolvency, may be understood upon the most casual glance as one of the most important and estimable provisions of the proposed enactment ! That significant provision, namely, empowering the Chief Judge and the several Commissioners to inflict the punishment of incarceration for mer- cantile frauds quite irrespectiyely or indepen. dently of the creditors who have been defrauded As to the extent to which the expense iavolved in this department of the commercial law will be lessened, enough for the present when we have said .hat the new Bill provides forits diminution by one- half, through the abolition, among other abuses of fees and percentages hitherto paid to officials fees and percentages long deemed by the com• munity, and now pronounced by the First Law adviser of the Crown, to be so far wholly superfluous and unnecessary ! It is needless to add more at this stage in regard to a measure of law reform already shown clearly enough by the foregoing remarks to combine within it so very effectually the reduction of expense and the sim plification of procedure. The measure altogether appears to be as creditable to Sir RICHARD BETHELL's better judgment as his statement last night when introduci ng i t was to his perspicuity. The Church Rate abolitionists, sti mulated rather than daunted by their partial reverses of last ses sion, are girding themselves to the conflict with promptness and zeal ; already Sir lonx TRELAw N y is in the field, and his bill has been read as a matter of course, the first time, and an early day, the 27th, fixed for its second reading—when Lord ROBERT MONTAGU will lead the Sacramental Host of the " Church and King" elect, to holy war for religious coercion. To prepare for this conflict the " Dis .senters, Papists, and Infidels "—for to some of those classes all, we are told, must belong who question the right of the Mother Church to sell up a man who will not pay for worship he cares not for or dis likes—are holding a great meeting, not concluded while we are going to press, in Freemasons' Hall. Its design is to demonstrate to Ministers, members of Parliament, and the public, that the Abolitionists are a p ar ty w h o mean t o succeed at last, or to make things very uncomfortable for those Who stand in their way. Not only the in. ~~:~~ THE SUN, LONDON, TI7ESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 12, 1861. think that their chapels and meeting-houses show the nation's "faithfulness to GOD" quite as much as the churches, and that, therefore, according to the Bishop's argument, the parish ought to build and repair them too. But they also reply with unanswerable truth, that the Church enjoys the churches on cheap terms indeed if she has nothing to do but to repair them; that Dissenters have had to build all their ohapels as well as to keep them in repair. If the Church cannot afford to keep them in repair, they profess themselves willing to undertake charge of them on that condi tion, and to carry on in them divine worship which shall even fill the empty pews. LAI EST W S. (REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.) ROME, FEB. 10, Cardinal Dellagenga is on the point of death. The Abbe Passaglia, formerly belonging to the order of the Jesuits, has left for Turin on a special mission from the Pope. The Carnival has passed off without any dis turbance. Few foreigners are in Rome. A popular movement has been suppressed at San Marino. A Pontifical gendarme was killed on the occasion. Mgr. de Merode is still organizing reactionary movements. One of the chiefs of the bands in the Abruzzi has returned to Rome. Gaeta is in want of wood for fuel. MILAN, FEB, 12. The Perseveranza publishes a telegram dated Rome, 10th inst., according to which other expedi tions of brigands had been organised at Carsoli Lovera, and had distributed 1,500 muskets sent by Cardinal Antonelli. Four hundred and seventy Bourbon soldiers, armed by Mgr. de Merode, crossed the frontiers on the 9th inst., taking the direction of Carsoli. TURIN, FEB. 12. The official gazette announces that General Pinelli, Commander of the Bologna brigade in the Abruzzi, has tendered his resignation. The Gazetta di Torino is of opinion that the definitive solution of the Gaeta question is im minent. BERLIN, TUESDAY. It is asserted that Austria and Prussia have de clared themselves favourable to the opinion of Russia and France in reference to a necessity for an extension of the occupation of Syria by French troops, and that they will support that opinion in the conference which is to be held on the question. COPENHAGEN, FEB. 11. The Berlingske Tidende, in reply to an article published in the Globe, says : " Denmark is fully justified in considering Federal execution in Holstein as an act of hostility, and would be entitled to act in conformity with those views." creased numbers who came up to vote for retention of Church-rates last session, at the bidding of the Archdeacons, but Mr. DISRAELI'S imprudent decla ration, that Church-rates must be the Tory political cry of the session—that the clergy must therefore work for him politically—and that the easiest way to collect Church-rates would be to take them for the poor-rates, have all combined to rouse the friends of religious liberty to renewed exertion. Mr. DISRAELI called for numberless petitions. The opposite party intends not to petition this year. They say that "after the decisive demonstration of last session, when 610,877 persons petitioned for the entire abolition of the exaction, and but 197,687 for its retention, it is thought that Parliament has already had evidence of the direction of public opinion as decisive as petitioning is likely to afford, and that the whole strength of the Abolitionists should now be reserved for action of a kind better adapted to the present state of the contest." This is fair and practical. If Parliament will be moved by petitioning at all, it will be moved by these figures, especially when it is remembered that the smaller number was the result of months of hard work, through a clerical agent in every parish, while the larger was the spontaneous outburst of two or three weeks, after the trick attempted to be played was known. Hence the meeting of today. The earlier part, at which only we could be present, was spirited enough; and the principal resolutions expounding its views were, as might be expected, well sup ported and enthusiastically cheered. The nume rous attendance represented all parts the country, and witnesses to the vast extent to which a spirit of antagonism to rating men for worship and houses of worship at all—and still more to rating them for worship they did not, and generally could not, conscientiously use—is diffused through the country. It was impossible to look on such a meet ing —to see the class of men who composed it—the class who are the very backbone of the Liberal constituencies, and the working men in election committees of Liberal members of Parliament— to hear their strong yet cool and decided language, and not feel that they were destined, as they were determined, to conquer. They, and their sons even, if they should not gain the battle in their own days, may be reckoned en as a thorn in the side of the Establishment, and of any Liberal Govern ment, too, which does not take up their cause, for any length of time. They are not the class of men whom the whimsical fashion of the hour can woo by blandishments or discourage by contempt. They will fight against ecclesiastical exactions and domination till they rid the country of the badge they detest ; and the longer they are resisted, and the oftener they are worsted, the more deter minedly will they fight. There was a very fair attendance of members of Parliament. Mr. SCIEOLEFIELD took the chair, and was heartily supported by Sir C. DOUGLAS, Sir JOHN SHELLEY, and others, in proposing the reso lutions. The first of these gives a very clear view of the present position and intentions of abolition ists ; it followed a paper giving an admirable summary of the history of the Church Rate conflict from its commencement to the close of last session, and was as follows : " That, in reviewing the Parliamentary struggle for the abolition of church• rates, this Conference finds that, during a period of nearly 30 years, there has been continuous and growing hostility to the exaction, as violating the principles of justice ; as being repugnant to conscientious convictions, and as occasioning the bitterest social feeling. That suc cessive Governments have admitted the present law to be indefensible, and that successive Parliaments have affirmed the principle of entire abolition, as the only practi cable mode of settling the question. That the upholders of the impost have never been, and are not at this hour, agreed upon any measure by which the law may be amended, with any prospect of overcoming the strong antipathy with which it is regarded. Meanwhile, opposition to church -rates is constantly extending over a wider area, and is diminishing the revenue, which is the object of contention, while the steadily increasing liberality of Episcopalians is supplying the funds required for the maintenance of their religions edifices and worship. That, in view of these facts, the members of this Conference, in the interests of peace, of justice, and of religion, pledge themselves resolutely to adhere to the demand for the total extinction of church-rates, and appeal to abolitionists of every class to press that demand with a determination which will convince the Legislature of the absolute necessity for passing Sir John Trelawny's bill." Mr. DISRAELI, as we have already hinted, gave a pretty good fillip to the agitation by his proposal to collect church rates with poor rates, thus to remove them from the hazard of vestry conflicts, and to render them permanent, while he at the same time asked the clergy for once, though he owns he almost blushed in doing it, to descend into the political arena and canvass the dubious and Tory members that they might gain votes for church rates. The meeting seem to thank him for teaching it that trick. They express themselves thus in' the second resolution : • " That, it being the declared purpose of the leader of the Conservative party in the House of Commons, to defeat the bill for abolition, in order to carry a measure by which Church-rates will not only be perpetuated, but be levied for the support of numerous additional churches, and be also removed from popular control, this Conference specially urges upon electors the paramount importance of frustrat - ing this retrograde policy by making such representations to their members as will secure their votes for the bill on every division." And, from the numerous speeches which fol lowed we gathered that the gentlemen present did not intend to leave town without favouring their representatives with their personal advice on the subject, and letting them understand, as one delegate expressed himself, " that though they had worked hard for them in the borough election committee, and were still disposed to do so, yet that with them this was such a deeply interesting subject that unless gentlemen could give their vote for Sir JOHN TRELAWNY on the first division, and on the second division, and the third division tool they were not the men for them." We cannot blame them. The members present who spoke, declared that it was the general feeling of the Liberal members that the question was a settled one, and ought to be considered as such. They adverted to the tricks by which a large attend- ance of Tories' had been obtained last session to diminish the relative majorities, when all knew that the real opposition was as strong as ever, and ex- pressed their opinion that cleCision now would be most advantageous to the Church of England. Of that we never had a doubt ; as a Church, she can only injure herself by compulsory exactions in the name of religion, especially when the thing is not only bad itself, but peculiarly antagonistic to the spirit of the age. The latter fact even the Bishop of EXETER recog nises ; and it is a rather singular coincidence, that on the day this great meeting assembled, the Bishop should, as it were, form one of the "confer ence" by furnishing it with hiis opinion in print. That opinion is, that Churchmen can easily meet the current expenses of their worship, and that these, in the present state of opinion especially, ought not to be charged o a Church -rates—the _ ....... holy bread and wine emphel.ically not. But that to exhibit the anion betwct )11 Church and State and "the nation's faith alness to GOD," the parishes should be compelle d to keep the churches in repair! S uc h a propoe a l , un f or t una t e ly, on l y elicits a very profane lau&A from Dissenters. They FRANCE. BOURSE, Feb. 11.—The market has been with out animation. Threes commenced at 68f 65c, and after touching 68f 40c, are now at 68f'45c. Rail ways firm. The following are the last quotations : 41 per per Cents ... 97 95 Credit Fonder 930 Do. end Belgian 4f — 3 per Cents Do. end month 6B 451 Roman Bank Shares 2897 50 Austrian Credit Mobilier.... 705 Z— Spanish Threes 47i Do. Account 70.5 ! Home Debt RAILWAYS. Cash. Account. Orleans 1415 .. 1415 Northern 966 25 .. 965 New ditto 892 50 .. 893 75 Lyons and Mediterranean 933 75 .. 932 50 Geneva 390 .. Southern 530 .. 530 Western Eastern Sardinian Austrian Lombard , . WEST COAST OF AFRICA MAIL: LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY. The steamer Ethiope, from the West Coast of Africa, has arrived here with dates from Benin to Dec. 24 ; Fernando Po, Jan. 14 ; Teneriffe, Feb, 1 ; and Madeira, 2d inst. The Ethiope brings 2,331 oz. of gold, and £1,400 .n specie. On Jan. 10 she passed the steamer Cleopatra. The steamer Athenian arrived at Madeira on the 2d inst. H.M.S. Alecto was at Cape Coast Castle. The other news brought by the Ethiope is unim THE NEW BANKRUPTCY BILL. The main features of the scheme now before the house are these :—The appointment of a chief judge in bankruptcy ; the retention of the present commissioners with their present functions ; the assimilation of the law of bankruptcy and insol vent:7 ; the transfer to the county courts of all estates under £300; and generally the reduction of the official charges now pressing so heavily on the creditor. The chief judge will have the power to refuse the certificate, suspend the order of , discharge, or commit the bankrupt to prison for a period not exceeding one year in certain cases not strictly coming under the law of misde meanor, but yet evincing gross misconduct. On the other hand, the oppressive powers now vested in the creditors will be abolished. It will be recollected that the great stumbling-block of last sessiol i was the assimilation of the law of insolvency and bankruptcy. The objections then raised with regard to the bar kruptcy,of non-traders Sir Richard Bethell now disposes of, we think, with tolerable ) fairness, by three tests-Ist, absconding from the coun try with the deliberate intention of defrauding creditors ; 2d, remaining abroad with a similar intent; 3d, remaining in prison beyond a specified time vvith the view of keeping the creditors out of their property. The mode in which it is propos ed to get rid of the existing compensa tions I/ .nd deal with the claimants under the new bill, a s well as the reductions it is intended to effect in the present expenses °Wile court, we shall dis cuss upon a future occasion. The right hon. gen tleman seems to anticipate a great simplification of the ear isting system, and a considerable saving of the (=editors' money ; and judging from the general assent given to the principle of the bill his antici pations appear to be well founded. 'Many hopes have been sacrificed at its shrine. Even the cor poration of the City of London owes something to the sate impending over Basinghall-street. It is to be hoped the Fates have been propitiated, and that a really salutary measure, ie accordance with the wants of the trading community, will be the result of the labours of the session of 1860-61. Mor fling .Herald. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARRET.—Ifer Majesty, the P dace Consort, and her Royal Highness the Princess Alice honoured the performance by their presence last ev eni, LVC'EUM THEATRE.—Last evening a sew drama, entitlt "The House on the Bridge of Notre Dame," was succe: as fully produced at this theatre. We are compelled by pressurr eon our space to defer the insertion of our critique until to -morrow. BR.A.DFORD ELECTION.—The election of a burgess to serve in Parliament for the borough of Bradford, in the place of Mr. Salt, resigned, took place yesterday. There being no opposition to the return of Mr. W. E. Forster (Liberal) the proceedings excited less than the usual inte rest, but there were from 1,500 to 2,000 persons present. Mr. Forster was proposed by Mr. Alderman Brown and seconded by Mr. Alderman Mitchell. BOLTON ELECTION. —The election for this borough took place yesterday morning on hustings orected in the Mark et-square, where about a thousand pe , )ple were col lected. Mr. Robert Hayward proposed Mr. Thy omas Barnes ; Mr. Jahea Johnson seconded the nomination. There being no other candidate Mr. Barnes was declared duly elected. In returning thanks, the hon. member expramecl his desire to gi ve the people greater power and influence, and said he Was fp Amur of a separation of Church and M ate. IRELAND. DUBLIN, SATURDAY EVENING. MELANCHOLY CATASTROPHE AT KINGSTOWN, intelligence reached town this afternoon that Captain Boyd, of her Majesty's ship Ajax, and 14 men of his crew, were unfortunately drowned about 12 o'clock to-day outside Kingstown Harbour. The reporter of the Freeman's Journal gives the following details in reference to this event : " Kingstown, Sunday Night. " It is too true about the fate of poor Captain Boyd, of her Majesty's ship Ajax, and his gallant companions. They are gone—lost in their humane efforts to save the lives of their brother sailors. Captain Boyd, you are aware, was an Irishman—l believe a native of Derry. During his sojourn among us he gained the esteem of all for his many good qualities. A nobler fellow never trod the deck— beloved by his officers and men. The particulars under which he came to his death are as follows : Three large brigs were perceived drifting in towards the rocks at the back of the East Pier, near to a short breakwater that was run out some time ago. Captain Boyd at once observed their perilous situa tion, and, with the true spirit of a sailor, immedi ately summoned his men to man boats for the pier. They landed, and at once proceeded to the other side of the pier, where the vessels were drifting. The vessels came on and were smashed on the rocks. The shrieks of those on board were heard far above the tempest. Ropes were thrown towards them, but they were driven back by the force of the storm. A mortar was used to throw a line, but it was utterly useless, the wind being too strong. The poor sailors were then seen to throw them selves overboard, and met with instantaneous death. Some of Captain Boyd's men procured ropes, lashed themselves with them and plunged into the surf, to endeavour to get on board either of the ill-fated vessels, but the sea was too pow er f u l. At thi s time a large number of people collected, all willing and able to assist, but their good intentions were powerless. Their fellow creatures were drowning before their eyes at a few yards' distance, and nothing could be done to save them. Capt. Boyd saved a few of his. own men from death by pulling them out of the surf. It was at this time 12 o'clock noon, blowing fearfully. At last there was a treacherous lull, and an enormous wave came round the point of the breakwater en which he and his brave crew were standing, and, as it receded, swept all that were there into the sea—the gallant cap tain and his courageous crew were seen no more. Others who were standing as spectators narrowly escaped death—fortunately they were extricated in time from their perilous situation by others. A man named Anderson, who was standing within a few yards of Capt. Boyd, got his thumb jammed between the rocks, and thus was miraculously pre served to his family. Those who escaped were bruised and otherwise wounded by the rocks. The doctors of the town dressed the wounds, and those sailors who were injured were immediately taken on board the Ajax, and attended to by Dr. Buchanan, the surgeon of the ship. This gentle man broke the sad intelligence of the fate of poor Captain Boyd to his wife, who resides on broad. TilE NA VI Admiral of the Red Sir George Mundy, K.C.8., died at his residence in Eaton•equare on Saturday. The deceased veteran entered the Royal Naval Academy on the 9th of July, 1789, and embarked in October, 1792, as midshipman on board the Blanche frigate, subsequently served on board the Perseus, Victory, and Juno, which latter vessel made a remarkable escape from the inner roads of Toulon, into which she had entered in ignorance of its evacuation by the British. After assisting in the capture of many vessels and in the reduction of St. Fiorenzo, Mr. Mundy followed Captain Hood into L'Aigle, 36, employed with the force at the taking of Bestia and Calvi. He was confirmed a lieutenant in the St. George in March, 1796, and served in that capacity on board the Blen heim, Victory, and Goliath, in the first-named ship sharing in the action of Cape St. Vincent, and in the latter the glories of the Nile. In October, 1798, he was nominated commander of the Transfer, 14-gun brig, and was employed constantly on hazardous service off Cadiz and in the Mediterra nean until 1800. He received post rank on the 10th of February, 1801, while serving in the Swan sloop ; obtained command of the Carysfort, 28, in the Channel, on the 21st of October, 1802, and afterwards of the Hydra, 38, holding the latter command eight years ; captured with this frigate the privateers La Phoebe, of 4 guns and 2 swivels, and La Favori, of 4 guns ; and also No. 51 brig, of 3 guns and 66 men, and No. 411 lugger, of 1 gun and 36 men. He subsequently commanded the Prince Regent and Royal George yachts. Pre vious to the two latter commands, Capt. Mundy served under the Hon. Thomas Bladen Capel in protecting Sicily and Sardinia during Nelson's pursuit of the combined fleets to the West Indies. On the 27th of February, 1806, captured off Cadiz lighthouse, in the presence of four French frigates, the national brig Le Furet, mounting 18 guns, and with a complement of 132 men ; and on the 28th of April following, after a chase of 230 miles, took the Spanish war schooner Argonauta, mounting 4 guns. He subsequently escorted a fleet of transports to Sicily, conveyed the British Consul to Algiers, and, dispersing a fleet of gunboats on the coast of Granada, captured the Tigre, Spanish letter of marque. On August 7, 1807, he took three armed polaccas—the Prince Eugenie, 16 guns and 130 men ; Belle Caroline, 10 guns and 40 men ; and .Rosario, of 4 guns and 20 men, all lying in the nar row harbour of Begu, on the Catalonian coast, under a battery of 4 26-pounders, a tower, and a consi derable land force. Afterwards, with the Leonidas frigate and several smaller vessels under his orders, he co-operated with the patriots on the Catalonian coast ; blockaded Barcelona, and received the warm acknowledgments of Lord Collingwood, the Com mander-in-Chief, for his untiring zeal and energy. During the war of a hundred days, Capt. Mundy was sent with the Ajax to •Marseilles to ascertain the sentiments of the inhabitants of the city, and was complimented by Lord Exmouth on the tact with which he executed his delicate mission. In March, 1816, he visited, under Lord Exmouth, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli, for purposes connected with the abolition of Christian slavery. In June, 1815, he was nominated a C.B. ; was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral when in command of the Royal George yacht, in 1830; was created a K.C.B. in February, 1837, Vice-Admiral, Nov. 23, 1841, and Admiral, Dec. 24, 1849. The Philomel, 5, screw, Commander Leveson Wildman, sailed from Portsmouth yesterday morn ing for Sierra Leone, calling in Plymouth Sound. The Bulldog, 6, paddle, Commander H. F. M'Kil; lop, commenced shipping her magazine stores in Portsmouth harbour yesterday. The Princess Royal, 91, screw, Captain C. Fel lowes, flagship of Rear-Admiral R. Smart, K.H., Commander-in-Chief of the Channel Fleet, has com menced shipping her lower deck guns in Ports month harbour. The paddlewheel steamsloop Geyser, 6, Comman der Jackson, from Spithead, arrived on Sunday night at Plymouth, with supernumeraries for various ships in that port. Yesterday morning the crew of the screw steam corvette Jason, 21, Capt. E. VOn Donop, at Ply- mouth, were exercised in making and furling sails, &c. Steam was got up yesterday on board the screw steamship Narcissus, 51, Capt. Risk, at Plymouth, to test her machinery. The paddlewheel steam troopship Dee, 4, Master Commander T. C. Pullen, which sailed from Greenock at 5 a.m., February 2, with boilers and machinery for the screw steam frigate Bristol. 51, building at Woolwich, put into Lamlash Bay through stress of weather, having experienced strong south-west gales. She left Lamlash Bay at 3 p.m. on the 7th of February, and having encoun tered strong easterly gales in the Channel, put into Plymouth Sound at 3 p.m. on Sunday last, and sailed again yesterday morning. The Dee found lying in Lamlash Bay the paddlewheel steamvessel Rhadamanthus, 4, Master Commander F. Sturdee, which left for Greenock at 7 a.m. on the 7th. The double range of buildings being erected at the Royal Engineer establishment, Chatham, which have been several months in progress, will be com pleted in the course of a few days, when they will be handed over by Mr: Stump, the contractor, to the commanding Royal Engineer of the district, Col. Twiss. The two blocks of buildings have been erected on the vacant side of Bromptora Barrack square, the Royal En gin eera' memorial Arch forming the centre. The south building contains a handsome lecture theatre, about 60 feet by 40, with a gallery 40 feet in length at the extreme end, fitted up in the most complete manner for the purpose to which it will be applied—that of the instruction of the officers and men of the Royal and Indian Engineers in subjects connected with engineering, fortifica tion, and the other kindred sciences. This building is lighted from the roof by means of a lofty dome. The remainder of the south building consists of eight schoolrooms, each capable of accommodating about 60 men, for the separate instruction of the Engineers. The north building is set apart exclu sively for the practical instruction of the officers and men, and includes a chymical laboratory, litho graphic and engraving rooms, photographic print ing-rooms, lithographic press-rooms, and the Sappers' library, 40 feet in length. On the roof of this building has been erected a commodious photo graphic room, composed of glass and iron, the science of photography now entering into the daily instruction of the whole of the officers and men of the Engineers. A portion of this building will also be set apart for the instruction of the Sappers in working the electric telegraph, the wires having been laid from the Royal Engineer establishment to the field works, by means of which a constant communication will be kept up with all parts of the establishment. The following appointments were made yesterday at the Admiralty :—Capt. G. P. T. Hornby, to the Neptune, vice Capt. Campbell, superseded at his own request ; Alexander N. Miller, acting third class assist.-engineer, to the Fisgard as super numerary for hospital treatment; Thomas West, acting third class assist.-engineer, to the Trident; and Henry Swiss, acting assist.-engineer, to the Fisgard for service in the Warrior. STATE OF AUSTRIA. VIENNA, FEB. 8. The recent changes in the Imperial Cabinet have produced such an unfavourable impression in Ger many and in the western provinces of Austria that the Ministerial Donau Zeitung has deemed it advis able to say a few Words in defence of the policy of the Crown. "We believe," says the organ of Count Rechberg,— " That we shall not err if we suppose that changes were made in the Cabinet because, the present moment being one of transition, it was deemed advisable that the Government should be perfectly unbiassed. Great political and national questions have to be settled, a durable foundation has to be laid for the future of the empire, and these objects can only be attained by an initiative act on the part of the Crown (ein Austoss von Oben). The modification in the Cabinet is in accordance with the necessities of the moment." The semi•oflicial paper then observes that the recent changes are the best guarantee that can be had for the fulfilment of all the reasonable (berech tigt) hopes of the various peoples inhabiting Austria, " as they enable the Minister of State to direct his whole attention to internal matters." The independent papers have reproduced the article of the Donau Zeitung, and accompanied it with the remark that it is satisfactory to have received the assurance that the present arrange ments are of a provisional nature. You have repeatedly been assured that there is a party at Court which 'has much more influence than his Majesty's official advisers, and the following state ment will tend to confirm the correctness of my assertion : On Monday, the 4th inst., the Minister of State was with the Emperor from 3 till 5 in the afternoon, but he did not know that Count Wicken burg was to be Minister of Commerce until he read the Imperial autograph letter relative to his appoint ment in the Wiener Zeitung of Tuesday. The Ministers of Finance and Police were also left in ignorance of the intentions of the Emperor in re spect to Count Wickenburg. In the afternoon of Monday it was settled that the Archduke Reignier should act* as President of the Council of Ministers. and then Count Rechberg first learned that he was to direct his whole attention to foreign matters. I have not been able to learn whether the ex-Minister President had cognisance of the appointment of Count Wickenburg on the 4th instant, but it may reasonably be supposed that he had. Yesterday, and in the evening of Wednesday, it was reported that more than one of the Ministers had tendered his resignation, and it is not unlikely that such was the case, as the Wiener Zeitung of this day con tains the following:— " Vienna, Feb. 7. " To-day the first Ministerial conference has been held under the presidency of his Imperial Highness the Arch duke Reignier. The former members of the Cabinet and all the newly appointed ones were present at the confer ence. This fact serves to refute the report that there is a difference of opinion between some of the Ministers on mat ters of high importance." Men in office have endeavoured to prove that the measure above referred to was necessary, but I am unable to appreciate the force of their argu ments. The patient, Austria, is very sick, and it would therefore have been wise to employ without delay the remedy which has been prescribed for her by her friends and well-wishers. It being settled that the empire is to have a representative form of government, no advantage can be derived from a so-called " Cabinet of transition." A foreign diplomatist who is either more clear-sighted or more candid than his fellows attributes Baron Vincke's recent triumph to the clumsy policy of the Imperial Court. This Cabinet was some time since plainly told that Prussia could only go hand-in hand with a constitutional Austria, but no notice was taken of this communication. Count Rech berg was kept in office, and, to make matters worse, an Archduke was placed at the head of the Cabinet. The natural consequence of such a proceeding was that many Conservative members of the Prussian Met were disgusted, and gave expression to their sentiments by supporting M. von Vincke's amend ment. The day before yesterday Baron Schleinitz declared that Prussia could only enter into an intimate alliance with a " regenerated" Austria, and the observation has made a great impression on the politicians of this city, who are heartily ashamed of the part which Austria has so longed played in Europe. A gentleman who is always well informed on matters connected with the Court asserts that Count Rechberg will not long be Minister for Foreign Affairs. " The Emperor," says he, "is unwilling to hurt the feelings of a man who has always served him to the best of his abilities, but he sees that his presence in the Cabinet is no longer advantageous to the State. Before the Representative Assembly meets Count Rechberg will be out of office. The Chamber of Commerce of Roveredo (South ern Tyrol) has made propositions for the improve ment of the finances, which have given great offence in high quarters. The first proposition is to sell all the Government buildings, and to pay over the money received for them to the Bank; the second, to do away with the Concordat, and then to raise a loan by mortgaging the " mortmain" estates and those belonging to the monasteries ; the third, to reduce the dividends of the holders of Bank Stock, " as the shareholders since the introduction of a forced course for the notes of the Bank have en riched themselves at the expense of the nation ;" and the fourth,'to raise a forced loan, " should it be necessary to do so after the three first measures have been carried out." The Minister of Finance has published a con cise account of the revenue and expenditure during the financial year 1860, which ended on the 31st of October. The direct taxes amounted to 99,700,00011; the indirect taxes to 179,300,000 fl ; the proceeds from State property, 8,900,000 fl ; " different receipts," 11,200,000 fl ; and " moneys received for State property sold," 3,700,00011. The total revenue was 302,800,00011, which is 42,000,00011 more than in 1859. The total expenditure was 367,000,00011—that is Civil List, Ministerial Departments, and Civil Administration,lo4,soo,ooofl ; army,126,600,000f1; navy, 9,100,000 fl ; subventions and guarantees of interest to various companies, 4,000,00011 ; interest of national debt, 101,400,000 fl ; payment of debts according to convention, j - 15,000,000 fl ; capital placed (capitals analage), 6,500,00011. The deficit * The word "act" is used designedly, as it is not said in the autograph l e tt er th at hi s I mper i a l Hi g h ness is Minis-. ter-President. t Doubtless this is an instalment on the debt owing to Russia for the o.eistance =clued to the Austrian Govern- LevAt it 4 1849. in 1830 was 64,800,000f1. In 1830, a year of peace, 126,000,0008, were expended for the army, but in the budget for 1861 the probable outlay for mill tart' purposes is only 97,000,000f1. It is generally supposed that the deficit in 1861 will be above 100,000,000 fl if peace should be maintained. Prince Petrulla has learnt from Gaeta that things are fast drawing to a close, The King is without money to pay the troops, and the supply of provi sions is but scanty. During the last three days the bank has sold bills on London to a large amount, and the consequence of the financial operations is that the rate of ex change has fallen 5 per cent. 211 E GALE. HARTLEPOOL, FEB. 10. After the despatch of my parcel yesterday even ing the gale continued to blow with unabated violence until early morning, when it lulled a little, and during to-day the wind has not blown so strongly, though there is a heavy sea outside the bar. At about 7 o'clock last night the schooner Eclipse, of Ipswich, went on shore on the rocks near the new pier; the crew were taken out by means of the rucket apparatus. About 10 o'clock a fine large ship, the Kelso, of Shields, bound for China, got on to the Longsear Rock and sank. The crew, owing to some misunderstanding, it is said, between the crews of the Seaton and the West Hartlepool lifeboats, each of whom expected the other to attend to the wreck, remained in the rigging all night, and were not taken off till this morning. There was a crew of 20,,0ne of whom was drowned. A brig, said to be the Spright, of Weymouth, was said to have foundered with all hands on the same rock during the night. This morning early the brig Royal William, of London, took the ground and sank at a short distance from West Hartlepool pier, and close alongside the brig Welcome, of London, also sunk. The brig Mary Ann got oh the wreck of the Cyrus this morning, and remained on the bar till the afternoon. This morning, on visiting the scene of yesterday's dis aster, the south end of Middleton Sand was covered with wreck of all descriptions, and can only be compared to what might be expected in a great shipbreaker's yard, while hundreds of persons were employed either in stripping the vessels not quite destroyed, or in carrying away portions of the wreck of every description, from small firewood upwards, while numerous others, men, women, and children, with horses and carts, were busily em ployed in gathering and loading coals, of which there are large quantities washing about. Many of the wrecked vessels have received the most damage from their knocking against each other yesterday afternoon. On the sand and stones to the southward of West Hartlepool piers the wreck appears to exceed in quantity that upon Middleton Sand, the stony bottom having broken up the wrecks with greater rapidity. We give below a list of the casualties so far as we have been able to glean them from personal inspection. It is neces sarily incomplete, owing to the difficulty of ascer taining with certainty the names of those broken up vessels which afford nothing by which to trace their identity. The following are either broken to fragments, or are so far gone that they are ranked as total wrecks Middleton Sand—the brig Elizabeth and Sarah, of Whitby ; the brig Atalanta, Sunderland ; the brig William and Mary, Grimsby; the Desirez Constance, Cherbourg ; the brig Cicely, Southampton ; the brig Dr. Winterbottom, South Shields; the yacht Seaham; the Chalonge, St. Malo ; the brig Richard Foley, Shoreham ; the brig Duncombe, Seaton Sluice. On shore on Middleton Sands, but will probably be got off if the weather moderates, the brig Union, Shields ; the brig Eleanor ; the brig William Gregory, Sunderland ; the Legatus, Shields ; the brig Weardale, Blyth ; the schooner Sarah Ann, Ipswich ; the schooner Eliza and Ellen, Carnarvon ; the brig Isabella, Whitby ; the brig Una, New castle; the brig Ma thoree, London; the bark Bos phorus, Shields ; the bark Ellen Oliver, Newcastle; the brig Hull, Maldon ; the brig Spring, Col chester; the brig Laing', London ; the brig Rums well, Hull ; the brig Williams, South Shields; the brig Robino, Aberdeen. On Seaton Sands, total wrecks, the Celene, Caen ; the brig Claret, Whitby ; the brig Ruby, Hartlepool; the brig Ruby, Shields; the brig Memnon, South Shields; the schooner Savanna, Hartlepool; the Clyde, Carnarvon ; the Orbits, Shields; the Rambler; the brig Promise, Shields; the brig Friendship, Shields; the brig Plenty, Shields. The following are likely to be got off:—The schooner Patriot, Carnarvon ; the bark Magna Charta, Shields; the brig Venus, Stockton ; and the brig Corunna, Yarmouth. About half-a-dozen vessels are on shore near Redcar. The loss of life has been fearful during this awful gale. In the immediate neighbourhood of Hartlepool alone there cannot have been less than at least 50 valuable lives sacrificed. SHIELDS, FEB. 10. The gale has entirely abated, I am happy to say, and the sea upon the bar of the Tyne is falling rapidly. This afternoon the steamships for London, and the Rotterdam steamer, the Lord Raglan, sailed, with several screw colliers. During last night the Indus collier, stranded upon the Herd Sand, in the afternoon broke up, and not a vestige of her is left standing. The Treaty, of Goole, laden with potatoes, came on shore on the Herd Sand last night, and her crew was taken off by the life boats. She, however, has been got off again to-day and has been towed into the harbour. The Shields clubs are likely to suffer most severely by the gale. At the present moment an approxi mate idea cannot be formed of the loss likely to be sustained by the gale; but we know that the Orbit, Duncombe, Integrity, Promise, Sir William Wallace, Cyrus, Ruby, Magna Charta, Roman Emperor, Sarah and Ann, and Indus, Shields ships, are ashore between this port and the Tees, and that one-half of them at feast are likely to become total wrecks. At a low estimate it is considered that fifty sail of vessels are ashore be tween here and Whitby. They, of course, belong to other ports as well as the Tyne; but as most of them are laden, the prospects of the underwriters are not very cheering. .As indicated in a despatch sent from here yesterday, nearly all the fearful destruction caused by the late gale has occurred among the fleet of laden vessels that sailed from the Tyne and other ports on Friday afternoon. Now, on Friday morning there was every appearance of a gale of wind coming on from the east or north east ; the Board of Trade barometers clearly indi cated it, and it seems singular that so large a fleet should have sailed with such a prospect. The only explanation that has been given is that it was feared that the sea would rise and keep them in the harbour several days longer, and they risked it. WELLS, NORFOLK, FEB. 9. The barque Favourite, Arthur Symmers, master, of Banff, and from Hartlepool to Torre del Mare (Spain), with a cargo of coals, came on shore at Warham Hole, near Blakeney, early this morning, and will become a total wreck. A boat proceeded from Blakeney to endeavour to reach the vessel to save the crew, but after rounding the point cap sized, and drowned nine hands, named John, Samuel, and Thomas Johnson (brothers), John Neal, Jacob Graveling, Michael Massingham, John Easter, William Warnes, and another (name unknown). This has thrown quite a gloom over this part of the coast, as the Blakeney beachmen are noted for their readiness to proceed to vessels in danger. The crew of the Favourite were saved in another boat. There is also on shore on the Blakeney beach the Kingston schooner of Plymouth, from Hartlepool to Plymouth, with coals ; crew saved ; vessel will become a wreck. It is now blowing a heavy gale from the east, with a tremendous sea on this coast. GREAT FLOOD IN YORKSHIRE. The thunderstorm of Wedn es d ay l ast h as b een succeeded by immense falls of ra i n an d snow . Th e high Yorkshire moors and wolds are deeply covered with snow. On Sunday the whole district below Helmsley, the vales of Ryedale, Derwent, Picker ing, and York, were all inundated, the flood being the fourth this winter, and the highest for many years. For many miles the York and Scarborough Railway runs through an immense lake, and in some parts the rails are in the water. Much damage will be sustained by the lowland farmers. The wheat sown in the autumn perished, and the fine weather of the past fortnight had enabled them to re•sow some of the wheat lands, which are now again under water. The roads in the low country, more especially in Ryedale, are covered with water to a great depth, and in Norton and Malton, the yards and buildings in the low parts of the towns and some of the mills are flooded. The streets in Old Maiton are full of water. In the no r th, Tees dale and the neighbouring vales are reported to be deeply clad in snow. The Prussian Gazette affirms that there is no truth in the statement that the Princess of Hohenzollern is about to marry the King of Portugal. A Marshal's baton is at the Emperor's disposal by the decease of the lamented Marshal Bosquet, than whom a better or braver soldier never drew sword. The law of 1839 ordains that there shall be but six Marshals in time of peace, and twelve in war time ; but should there be more than six in time of peace, the Sovereign may create one Marshal in three vacancies. Three have recently died —Bosquet, Reille, and Prince Jerome. There are ten now living—Vaillant, Magnan, Castellane, Baraguay d'Hilliers, Pelissier, Randon, Canrobert, Regnault St. Jean d'ingely, the Duke of Kagenta, and Niel,