The Sun. — London, England, 1864-01-01 00:00:00

THE SOUTHERN CONFEDERATION. - (From the Special Correspondent of the Times,) RICHMOND, Nov. 19. I hasten to correct the erroneous interpretation which in my letter of the 14th inst. I gave of the important movement which has for some 10 days past been in process of execution by Gen. Langstreet and his corps. I had reason for thinking that the prevailing rumours were incorrect, and that Gen. Lungstreet's eyes were turned westward, in contem plation of an attack upon Gen. Sherman, and the Federal army which is advancing from the Missis sippi and Corinth towards Chattanooga, along the line of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. It appears, however, that to Gen. Stephen D. Lee, one of the most energetic Confederate officers whom I have yet encountered, has been committed the task of checking and hindering Gen. Sherman's advance, and delaying to the utmost his junction with Gen. Thomas at Chattanooga. It is impossible that a difficult and hazardous duty—that of arresting the march of 20,000 infantry by opposing to them a cavalry force of less than half their number—can have been more gallantly and judiciously executed. Gen. Lee, sometimes by taking up a strong position and resisting Sherman in front, sometimes by hang ing on his flank or rear, sometimes by falling on and cutting off detached bodies of men, has so delayed and harassed his opponents that it is variously re ported that the Federals have fallen back to Corinth, or that they have, at any rate, retreated to the northern side of the Tennessee River. It is not at all impossible that Gen. S. D. Lee has returned to Canton, in Mis sissippi, which would imply that his task of arrest ing Sherman has been successfully accomplished. But it is already very manifest that the Federals arc realising the difficulties of repairing railroads for hundreds of miles through a country bitterly hostle to them, and in which every bridge and yard of trestlework have to be vigilantly guarded by night and day. To repair and keep in working order the railroad from the Mississippi to Corinth, and from Corinth to Chattanooga, would require 70,000 infantry and 30,000 cavalry. The Confede rates are too well aware of their enemy's deficiency in numbers, of the waning spirit of the new Federal recruits, and of the diminishing reservoir from which those recruits are drawn, to be daunted by such sentiments as are attributed to Mr. Seward, to the effect that he " would continue to drive new Federal bullocks into the field" (I quote his own reported words) until the 200,000 remaining Con federate troops are killed off or exhausted. It is possible that Mr. Seward's supply of bullocks will fail before the task which he assigns to them is half way towards its execution. It may be that a free press, wisely and conscientiously conducted, may prove to a Government and nation struggling in the throes of threatened dissolution an auxiliary more valuable than iron-clad Behemoths, and more po tential than the mightiest cannon ; but, neverthe less, long observation has led me irresistibly to the conclusion that in the entire body politic of the North no limb has, in this supreme hour of a na tion's agony, so wofully manque and fallen short of its high office as the daily press. Statesmen and Generals, it is true, have been called for in vain ; in all the auxiliary departments of the army no great name has struck upon the public ear. Quartermas ters have vied with each other only in dexterity of fraud ; in the medical department no such conspi cuous light as Larry or Guthrie has distilled from the great sum of human misery brought under a sur geon's ken the only balm which war offers in compen sation to humanity—increased familiarity with the methods of preserving life and mitigating suffering. But, universal as has been the dearth of genius and virtue, lamentable as has been the levelling equality of republicanism in its effects upon mind and cha racter, nowhere, and in no ether department, have men been more gravely tried, or more utterly iound wanting, than the conductors of the metropolitan press of New York, and the lesser lights in the pro vinces who thence draw their inspiration. There is, I believe, in the Confederacy at this moment no man of thoughtfulness and reflection who would not solicit the pissage, throughout the insurgent States of any honourable Commissioners in whom the North would confide, and who would not abide by the report of these Commissioners as to the ability of the Southerners to maintain this struggle for ten yea- ; and yet in the face of facts which are patent to all, with an entire absence of mendicancy and seeming want from our streets, the North is for the twentieth time stimulating its courage and reviving its drooping faith by the assertion of its journals that Richmond is starving, that no family has more than one meal per diem, that gaunt famine is glar ing on Southern highways and threatening Southern households, and that resistance, main taiaed to the utmost stretch of endurance, is about to give way finally and for ever. I have now been quite long enough in the South to estimate and understand the amount of pressure which it is necessary for Confederate armies and Confederate citizens to endure, and I can safely say that, although they have bean severely tried, their sufferings are light and tria ial compared with what has been endured by many other nations. There have been momenta in the recent history of England, such as 1801 ; and in the history of France, such as 1813, when national distress weighed far more heavily and national perplexity and gloom shrouded more obscurely the future. Want of food in such a degree as England experienced it in the year in question has never beau dreamed of in the Confe der cy. It is difficulty to meet general assertions to the effect that five or six millions of people scat tered over an enormous area are starving, otherwise than by asseverations that such is not the case. I will endeavour to mention two or three facts, which will strengthen and sustain my denial. In the first place the sight of man or woman begging in the street is as unknown as in old days it was in the most pros perous cities of the North. Secondly, there is not a religious denomination in this city of which the ministers do not assert that never in their recollec tions were there so few applications to them for relief. It was mentioned to me last night by Dr. Hoge (who has recently returned from England), that the principal Presbyterian minister of Rich mond, Dr. Moore, announced last Sunday to his congregation that there was no poor in his parish suing for relief, and that he would therefore de vote the collection of that day's alms to the wives of a cavalry eegiment. Thirdly, the daily supply of food offered in the market knows neither stint nor stay. Prices, it is true, are enormous if the dollar is supposed to be worth 4s. ; the; are very small if the dollar represents its true value, which is between 33. end 4d. English. That dollars are plentiful enough, when there are upwards of 600 millions of them in circulation, will easily be believed. Once for all, then, the assertion is undeniable that the presaure for food is neither at present nor likely to b e hereafter a serious or disturbing element ; that inert ased confidence in the currency, which Congress is believed likely to inspire, will draw ample sup lies to Richmond ; that the privations of the Confe-1 derate armies in the field, about which so much has been said and written, are grossly exaggerated. If any of your readers would be at the pains of reading a book which has recently appeared in Paris, entitled " Souvenirs Militaires de M. it Due de Fezensac," they would find facts and de tails about the sufferings of Napoleon's armies, sustained by them for 10 years, which utterly throw anything known on this continent into the shede. The fact is that, measured by the standard of the Federal armies, Confederate rations are scanty measured by the standard of European armies, and especially by the Russian, Austrian, or French stan dards, the comparison in the estimation of an ac complished Austrian officer would not be disadvan tageous to the Confederates. Your readers will have learnt long before the ar rival of this letter that the operations of General .Longstreet are directed against General Burnside at Knoxville. There are the best reasons for thinking that very great scarcity of supplies has recently prevailed in the Federal armies at Chattanooga and Knoxville ; in fact, but for the seizure of Racoon Mountain by General Hooker, and the consequent relief gained thereby for the starving troops ci Thomas, there is now no doubt that the Federals must. have fallen back or attacked. The loss of Ra e oon Mountain is a very heavy blow to the Confe derates. lam ignorant of the circumstances which le d to its evacuat'on, almost without a blow; but the indications appear to be that unless Grant is forced to fall back because of the movements of Longstreet, Bragg will eventuelly lose ookout Mountain, and will have to fall back towards At lanta, probably to a place called Tunnel-hill. I must not omit to mention that C.l , rleston, al though battered and tormented by its indefatigable assailants, is regarded as so little at present in danger as to have ceased to attract all notice or at tention. The accompanying narrative, furnished to me by an English officer now at Charleston, and extracted from a letter bearing date the IGth inst., will give your readers a more lifelike idea of Fort Sumter than anything which I could myself write : " I went yesterday evening (the 15th) to Fort Sumter. It was a most interesting expedition• The Federals use a powerful calcium light at Battery Gregg, with which they illuminate Sumter to such a degree that it is impossible for steamers to go up to the wharf at night as they used to go, and we had to land in row boats. They were shelling very rapidly, and it became most exciting when we neared the fort, especially when we came into the glare of the calcium light, and they could see us. No accident befel us, how- ever, as went we in, and once inside the place, and in the bombproofs, we were perfectly safe. The bombprooofs are lofty and spacious, and well ventilated. The last bombard- meat has not injured them in the slightest degree; indeed, they are, if anything, really stronger than before, from the amount of the dgris knocked down upon them. Major Elliot, the commandant, was kind enough to take me out into the area and on to the parapet, to show me the effects of the bombardment—a courtesy, by-the-by, which con sidering the lively way in which shells were flying about us, was indicative of very genuine politeness. We had not been half a minute in the area when one of the lookouts got his jaw broken with a bit of shell, and we had hardly gut back when another poor fellow was brought in with two-thirds of his head knocked off, Tinder the circum stances, we did not stay long ; still, I had time enough to take a good look round and see all I wished. The place is undoubtedly very much injured ; indeed, it is hardly pos sible to do the walls any further damage. The sea front is almost entirely knocked into the area, and you can now walk up from the area to the top of the walls which once faced the sea. The wall which they battered so in August is now the best one left; it retains pretty well its original height. It is the part of the building which originally contained the officers' quarters, and was made pretty solid between April and August by filling up every vacuum with sand. The side towards the city has also, comparatively, suffered little. The casualties in the fort are seldom heavy, and arise from the men exposing themselves carelessly. The sentinels, most of whom have to be posted at night, have mostly a shelter into which they can dodge when they see a shell coming. The men are very anxious that the Federals should try another assault. On our return from the fort we were again pelted with all kinds of missiles, even with grape this time ; and one of our boatmen got hit in the hand, and another in the back, though very slightly. You must not suppose that the Federals are always so attentive to visitors calling at Fort Sumter ; it was only my particular luck that they should be so on the night in question." Nov. 28. In my recent letters regarding the battle of Chicamauga, it will have been observed that I have not been able to refrain from severe censure of Gen. Bragg for his failure to improve the great opportu nity of the war, and for once to realise a crowning victory. I have no disposition to expect impossi bilities from Generals, to clamour lightly for their removal, to overlook the amazing difficulties which surround them, and which are such as to make this war and its incidents impossible of comprehension to an European observer ; nor do I count upon all but unchecked success for the party with which, after 14 months' residence in Secessia, it cannot but be that my sympathies are enlisted. Furthermore it is nothing more than justice to President Davis to acknowledge his judicious disinclination to emu late the example of his antagonists, and his wise dislike to frequent changes of his Generals. There are, moreover, special reasons which commend General Bragg to the favourable consideration of all thoughtful men—such as his personal purity of character, his lofty indifference to popularity, his disrespect of persons, his indomitable self-reliance in bringing every man in his command, whether general officer or private to book, if guilty of any military delinquincy, Nor can any one be blind to the fact that it is a matter of no slight perplexity and difficulty to find a successor to Gen. Bragg. At no moment since the commencement of the war has there been such pressing and urgent need for that strange and earnest enthusiast who alone among their Generals has ever stirred to its lowest depths the whole heart of the Confederate people, and whose grave I lately saw " larded with sweet flowers" at Lexington, in the bosom of the beautiful valley of Virginia. But if at this moment no Stone wall Jackson be found to answer to his country's call, there are left to us, in addition to Gen. Lee, at least two or three Generals whose influence at the tread of Gen. Bragg's army would at this moment be stirring and electric. With Gen. Bragg in com mand there will never, I fear, be enthusiasm in his troops, and without enthusiasm battles cannot be fought and won against largely superior numbers and in the teeth of the immense advantages in abun dance of supply, facility of transportation, and quality of war material possessed by the Fsderals. These criticisms upon Gen. Bragg gather force and point from the condition of affairs as they now stand nesr Chattanooga, compared with their condition on the night of Sept. 20 and for several days afterwards. It is urged by the defenders and advocates of Gen. Bragg that no battle since the commencement of the war has produced greater results than the battle of Chicamaug t. It has compelled the Fedee rals to scrape together troops from every wind under Heaven, to abandon other enterprises, and to relax their grip upon many material guarantees which they had secured. It has relieved the ribs of the States of Mississippi and Louisiana from the pressure and molestation to which their length of boundary, stretching for hundreds of miles along the Father of Waters, exposed them. It has protected Mobile and the State of Alabama, Atlanta, and the State of Georgia. It has given a new aspect to Confederate affairs in Europe, which was incredulous as to the possibility of fur ther Confederate resistance, and blinded and gulled by the ceaseless and unchecked inpouring of Yankee mendacity. It has paralysed Federal activity in the trans-Mississippi Department, and forces the Washington Cabinet to turn a deaf ear to General 13 Inks's earnest solicitations for reinforcements to enable him to retain his grasp upon the Rio Grande, in opposition to the whole State of Texas, which seems about to turn on him in earnest. It has weakened General Meade, and depleted his force ; it has decapitated General Rosen cranz, whom many persons north and south (and among them General Bragg) regard a 3 the greatest captain whom the Federals have ever followed. All this it has done ; but the consciousness how much more, if rightly fructified, it might have done saddens many a heart when to the long list of " lost opportunities" which have signalised this war is added, in spite of all hat it has done, the name of the Battle of Chica- mauga. From east, from west, from north Federal rein farcements have poured into Chattanooga—Hooker from the army of Virginia ; Sherman from tne army which took Vicksburg ; Grant, in possess sion of the supreme command, with rakings from Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and from across the Mississippi ; and yet I have the best reasons for stating that Grant's entire army when it commenced its recent operations against Bragg did not number 85,000 men. Before I leave finally and for ever the subject of the battle of Chickamauga and its com parative fruitlessness, let me ask the reader to con sider what would have been this day the condition of the Federals if, on the night of the 20th of Sep tember, the Federal army which fought the battle of Chickamauga had lost out of its entire force of 60,000 03211 not one-third (which was the actual loss), but three-fourths ? This, I fearlessly assert, might have been the result attained, without risk or the possibi ity of discomfiture. I again repeat that nothing like the Federal disorganisation and panio has been seen since Bull Run. For the failure to attain this result I cannot see that any other per son is censurable than General Bragg ; nor can I see that his plans since the end of September up to the present week have been marked by sagacity. There can be very little question that Longstreet's operations against Knoxville would have been es sayed ue.der vastly better auspices if they had been commenced immediately after Chicamauga. Again, it seems to me to have been useless for Bragg, when he had lost Racoon Mountain and Lookout Valley, to strive to retain possession of Lookout Mountain, which was of little use when the possession by the Federals of Racoon Mountain enabled Grant to transport supplies from Bridgeport to a point within wo miles and a half of Chattanooga. Ever since the capture by General Hooker of Racoon Mountain, the Federals have had to waggon their supplies over two and a half miles of road, whereas Bragg's sup- plies have had from seven to nine miles to traverse, and roads which for badness were nevar surpassed on earth. After he sent Longstreet off to Knoxville, and still more when he sent 'two divisions of his army away to support and reinforce Longstreet, it was surely the height of rashness to hold the lines 'rom Lookout Mountain on the extreme left to Chica- mauga Creek on the extreme right, which had so long been held by nearly 70,000 Confederates, with a force of not more than 35,000 bayonets. The ex treme length and weakness of General Bragg's line when it was attacked by Grant on the 23d, 24th, and 25th inst., explains the fact which presents the only serious feature for the Confederates in con nexion with the recent successes of the Federals before Chattanooga—the fact that for the first time in this war the Confederates, when behind breast works and acting on the defensive, have been driven out and grievously discomfited by their opponents. The week which ends this day has been the period of most restless and feverish anxiety to which, during the last 14 months, the Confederate States and their umbilicus, the city of Richmond, have ever been subjected. It is known and felt that if winter checks the war without great strides having been made by the Federals, it is idle to talk of the Washington Cabinet being able to get such an army into the field next spring as will have the remotest chance of prevailing against Southern resistance. With eyes of irrepressible anxiety the telegrams from Bragg and from Lee have been scanned, and to-morrow, for the fiftieth time, we are told that the week is to commence which will be the supreme crisis of the Confederacy. No thoughtful or im partial reader in England will for a moment be taken in by such like assertions. If it be possible that the armies of Lee and Bragg can be driven from the open field, and that Atlanta and Richmond should fall into Federal hands, the first stage of the war will merely be completed. President Lincoln will End himself face to face with nine or ten Polands. The military problem now fiercely ds bated between the two sections would yield to the political, which none can pretend to deny presents features of vastly deeper gravity and ever-increasing difficulty of solution. Before these words have been read by the English public the history of the momentous week which will extend from the 29th of November to the 6th of December will be, to Englishmen, like a tale that is told. The correspondent situated as lam is under the disadvantage of feeling that his prophe cies about coming events will not even for a mo ment enlighten the public mind which he is address ing, and enable it by anticipation to judge more correctly of the shadows which those coming events are wont to cast. Prophecy end event will be read simultaneously in England; it is even possible, such is the uncertainty attending a correspondence con ducted within the cordon of a blockade, that this letter may be so long delayed en route as to have divested both prophecy and event of every grain of interest 'which they once possessed. It cannot for a moment be denied that the coincidence of momen tous collisions between the four great armies of this continent within the same week invests the present hour with strange and tragic interest. Nor is it possible to exaggerate the magnitude of the danger with which General Bragg and his army are threatened. Your readers will not require to be told that the deterioration in the morale and spirit of Bragg's army, which in a former letter I described as having been actively at work since the battle of Alurfreesborough, has rapidly increased since the battle of Chicamanga. The dissatisfaction of his generals at the fruitlessness of a battle which put 15,000 Confederates hors de combat—the loud mouthed discussions of General Bragg's incompe tency in three-fourths of the Confederate journals —the estrangement which has openly existed be tween General Bragg on the one side, and Generals Polk, Buckner, Hindman, Cheetham, D. H. Hill, and Forrest on the other—the known absence of harmony between General 'Bragg and his right arm, General Longstreet, suppressed and kept out of sight though it has been by the patriotism and military subordination of the latter—have conspired to daunt and dispirit and leaven the whole mass of Bragg's rank and file, until it became a moral cer tainty that the first serious collision between Grant and Bragg could result only in disaster to the latter, This collision, which I do not believe would have occurred this year had not Bragg sent Longstreet off to Knoxville, was precipitated by this hezardous step. lam not able to speak confidently as yet on the subject of the full extent of the disaster which has overtaken the Confederate arms in Northern Georgia. That it is very serious cannot be questioned. The great problem which awaits solution during the coming week is whether Grant, whose energy and audacity surpass those of any Federal generel thrown as yet to the surface by this war, will be able to wipe Bragg's army entirely out, and to break it up without hand. If Bragg can form a new line either at Ringold, at Dalton, or at Tunnel-hill, and can hold it during Cee next two weeks, Atlanta will in that case be safe. If he is pursued by Grant with the latter's usual and characteristic energy; if the Federals are not mired in the spongy glutinous slime which hedges in Chickamauga Creek, and stretches for miles along both its banks, it seems to me scarcely doubtful that Atlanta is in alarming jeopardy. On the other hand, a fortnight's delay is all that is wanted to secure safety for Bragg's army, and to tide over the winter. Behind him lies the great State of Georgia, the New England of the Con federacy, the soil of which is now trodden and seriously menaced by the Yankee invader, and there is no manner of doubt that Georgia will at once throw her every man into the field with a view to supporting Bragg, and will busy herself frantically during the winter in utilising the resources which 58,000 square miles of area, a population in 1860 of nearly 1,100,000 souls, and an estimated valuation of 645,895,237 dols., conspire to give her. There will arise from these reverses the compensation which the Confederacy has hitherto never failed in similar perils to find ; nor was it without deep significance that, alluding to the recuperative energy sho has hitherto shown, it was proposed that " Non Hydra secto corpore firmior Vinci dolentem crevit in Herculem" should, when a motto was being sought for her public seal, be the motto of her choice. But, in the meantime, what is likely to be the fate of General Longstreet, cut off from communi cation with Bragg, isolatedat a distance of 110 miles fr 'me Chattanooga, and held at bay by terrible for tifications from " shutting down" upon his foe ? Apparently, Burnside's fate involves a fine race be tween starvation and General Grant. Upon the 25th inst., the very same day upon which Bragg's army was driven headlong from Missionary Ridge, we know that Longstreet had Burnside hemmed in on every:side, that he was shelling Knoxville and the Federal positions heavily, and it was believed that the Federal supplies were very scanty. Furthermore it is known that strong reinforcements have left Grant's army at Chattanooga, and unless Longstreet can cemplete his work quickly he will probably be compelled to raise the siege of Knoxville. There is not much anxiety in regard to the safety of Longstreet's army, which, if robbed of its prey, can escape with out molestation into Western Virginia. But . the hopeful feature in Longstreet's horizon is that Bragg, knowing that Grant had sent reinforcements to Burnside, detached two divisions from his army to help Longstreet, which will probably obstruct and delay the rapid advance of Grant's relieving force. It is an exciting episode which is being enacted around Knoxville in the drama of the war. Upon the success or failure of Long street will hinge the possession or furfeitare by the Confederates of those important mountain passes,in Eastern Tennessee which are the keys to the four States of Virginia, Georgia, North Caro lina, and Tennessee. His capture of Burnside and the Federal force in Knoxville will do much to bring about a resumption of the exchange of pri soners, concerning which such a war of words has raged between Commissioners Meredith and ()tild— e war in which it is hard not to agree with the New York World, that the advantage has been gained by the Confederate Commissioner, In a future letter I hope to give to your readers full details of the con dition of the Federal prisoners in the Libby Prison. For the present I will merely say that the grossest exaggeration has characterised the representations of the Northern journal.' in regard to the treat ment which Northern prisoners have met with. To say that their rations have not been so abundant as those issued to them when they were Federal soldiers is nothing more nor less than to say that the Confederate army puts up with fare which the Federals—fighting for pay, and not for principle—would not tolerate for a week. That the Federal prisoners fare better than the Confederate soldiers I am abundantly satisfied from what I have learnt. That there is great suffering among the Confederate prisoners in the North is still more abundantly evident from the deluge of letters flooding the Richmond papers every morn ing ; and the inference which may safely be drawn is that the condition of a prisoner in the hand either of Federal or Confederate authorities is very far from being on a bed of roses ; but while the Federal journals, possessing the ear of Europe, denounce in the name of outraged humanity the atrocities of the Libby Prison, the Confederate journals, which daily exhibit the horrors of Fort Delaware, are powerless to make their voice heard beyond the walls of Richmond, and leave to their enemy the advantage which he has possessed from the beginning in his unchecked and irresponsible access to the ear of Europe. In conclusion, reviewing the situation at this mo mant of the Confederate States, I cannot but be of opinion, that President Davis, by his well-inten tioned, though ill judging, obstinacy in adhering to his friend Gen. Bragg, has done more to shake the stability of his hold upon the affections and confi dence of the Confederate people than by any other act which has signalised his two and half years of troubled and agitated power. It would seem that Mr. Davis has failed to discern that the compe tency of a General, like the virtue of a woman, can not affcrd to be discussed in public. The very fact of the discussion by his soldiers of their General's competency adds most alarmingly to his incompe tency, and no one can have watched Gen. Bragg's army for the last two months without noticing the fearful deterioration to which its want of faith in its head has visibly subjected it. War in a re publican country, with a daily press which is its interpreter, and which is read by every soldier that conducts it, is very different from the wars of Marlborough or Napoleon, and so Mr. Davis has long ago discovered. It is greatly to his honour and credit that he has not emulated Mr Lincoln's example and imposed upon the journals which surround him a decorum of criticism and comment which is, indeed, strange and exotic upon American soil. But a defiance of an almost unani mous :public opinion, for which, in reference to General Bragg, Mr. Davis is responsible, even as suming that public opinion was wrong and Mr. Davis right, is, to say the least, an error. May it not be converted by persistence in it from an error into an irreparable calamity, and may there be truth in the rumour which circulates through the feverish streets to-day to the effect that General Hardee is about to assume the command from which General Bragg by transgression fell ! DEC. 1. I have an opportunity of adding a postscript to my letter, although three additional days have done little to throw further light upon the situation. In Virginia the two antagonistic armies face each other, and have faced each other for three days past, divided only by a narrow stream called Mine Creek, which runs into the Rapidan river from the south a few miles west of the junction of that river with the Rappahanock. But I should not omit to explain to the reader that the position occupied by the two armies at the battle of Chaneelloreville, which was fought in the immediate neighbourhood of their present camping ground, was precisely the reverse of their actual position at this moment. General Meade and the Federals face westward, and have their backs turned on Fredericksburg and the old battlefield of Chancellorsville ; General Lee and his army face eastward, with their backs to the Blue Ridge. There appears on both sides a disinclination to attack, which does not seem to me wise policy on the part of the Federal General. For three or four days heavy reinforcements have been going forward to General Lee from Richmond, and if Meade had fought on the 29th his superiority in numbers, which is likely to be great whenever the battle comes off, would have been very much greater. On the night of Sunday the 29th I witnessed the departure from Richmond of a large portion of Pickett's division— the same division which was so roughly handled at Gettysburg —,end which, it might be supposed, had good ground for weary distaste of the war. The Englishman introduced for the first time into the Confederacy, and unfamiliar with such scenes, might have fancied that the excited, enthusiastic, shouting, jubilant troops were advancing to their maiden battlefield, inexperienced in the dire horrors of the bloodiest combats which this century has known, and intoxicated with the animal joy which heralds the dreadful revelry of a soldier's first battle. I could not but contrast their exhilira tion with the stolid dulness and depression which were perceptible almost universally among Gene ral Bragg's troops ; nor could I fail to do homage to the character and influence of Lee and " Stonewall" Jackson, which has stamped and moulded the rank and file which upon Virginian soil have been only familiar with victory, and which neither in Penn sylvania nor Maryland have ever known defeat. It was dilleult to have any other opinion than that the seventh " Oa to Richmond" which is now being eassayed by Meade, would share the same fate as its six predecessors, and that Bull Run, Bethel, Drury's Bluff, M‘C:ellan's battl es round Richmond, Fre dericksburg, and Cha nce ll orsv i lle would culminate in the coming strife o f Mine Creek. And yet there is reason to pause and dread the battle which seems to be now imminent more than any of-its forerunners. For the first time Lee fights without either Jackson or Longstreet by his side. The Federals, on the other hand, I con fidently anti cipate, will fight bett er t h an they ever fought be fore. 'Without an ato m o f m i l i tary genius, Meade understands the valu e o f t h e secret which seenis to have been known to 3PClellan alone among the Federal Generals in Virginia —the secret of massing the troops and keeping them close together, never manoeuvring in face of his enemy. L ee will fight in the ratio of two men against three. At Chancellors ville he fought in the ratio of three men against eight. But it is not any want of confidence in the army of General Lee which Shakes my faith. It the Confederate horizon is at this moment overcast, it is not because Confederate troops are less valiant than of yore, but because the Confederate people are more corrupt. It is difficult not to curl the lip when the graFping, money-grubbing, mercenary spirit of the Yankee is denounced in an atmosphere reeking with speculation more feverish and eager than any that Wall -street exhibits. Go this day to the great auction sale of blockade-running goods exhibited by Messrs Kent and Paine, in the prin cipal street of Richmond, take note of the army of young and ablebodied men who might, if they were men and not sharks, swell Lee's host to 100,000 bayonets, and who are engaged in scrambling over each others' backs to buy silks and muslins, and to invest some of the Confederate notes which they have in two years and a half of unscrupulous greed amassed in materials and fabrics which, whether the Confederates sink or swim, must still command gold. What mny still be in store for this agcnised and sorely tried continent it is more difficult to say that when the thunder of the first gun which initiated the greatest revolutionary war of history reverberated around the walls of Fort Sumter and died away on the startled ear; but if on the 7th of this current month the Confederate Congress, which assembles to hold counsel upon matters of as grave debate as were ever submitted to deliberative body, and which, it must he cwaed, has hitherto shown little grasp, or earnestness, or capacity, fails to rise to the height of the great argument before it, then may be expected such misery as upon earth has never yet been known—the extension over the whole area of Secess a of the bloody border war fare of Missouri ant Kansas—a cessation of the pure and mild sway d General Lee and his imita tors, end an lieeent to the surface of Quantrell, M'Niell, Parson Brovnlow, and others of the same brood—the dispersion all over the Slave States of at least 200,000 border ruffians or guerillas, more merciless than Italian Condottieri, more stealthy and wily than the Red Indian savage, who will never cease to Slay and burn until the Federals re linquish their grasp upon a country of which it would take a standing army of 2,000,000 soldiers to crush the spirit and extinguish the resistance. FASHIONS FOR JANUARY, (From Le .Follet.) The favour with which plaid has been received is deci dedly diminishing. Still the collets of plaid velvet, with fringe to match, are worn, although now rather an excep tional than a reigning fashion as formerly. They are more generally made of cloth or milled flannel, in patterns of wide black checks upon a violet or green ground, with chenille fringe of the two colours. Small paletots arc also made of the same materials, and trimmed with fringe. Velvet rotondes in black, violet, or blue, as also in striped plush, are equally fashionable. Besides those of cloth or velvet, mantles of silk, lined and wadded, trimmed with wide guipure or passementerie mixed with beads, are worn ; but although very pretty, they are certainly scarcely so suitable to the weather, as materials of warmer appearance. A half-fitting casaque of Lyons cloth, with a rouleau of fur, has a very stylish effect. Fur is admissible as a trimming, even for full-dress, though, of course, then only worn by ladies who do not dance. Satin or velvet dresses of light colours are being made with trimmings of ermine, swan's-down, or grebe, round the bottom of the skirt, and sometimes also on the body. They have an exceedingly rich and elegant appearance. Satin brocatelle or velontine, are occasionally made with quite plain skirts. When trimmed, it must be either with fur, feathers, or lace. Upon a dress of Mexico blue or Empress mauve satin, two or three bands of feathers pro duce a splendid effect. Lace also is very much used with satin; and there are some exquisite lace tunics made for this purpose. Guipure is not so effective as Chantilly. Ruches, flounces with narrow satin trimmings, butterfly bows, medallions, leaves of lace, and, especially, passe menterie, are worn as trimmings this winter. Passemen terie is in great favour for vestes, which are trimmed with bands of it, forming braces. Upon Figaro vestes, the chief elegance is in the epaulettes with jet beads ended with hanging ornaments. These are now made long and narrow, very much ornamented with embroidery of passementerie, terminating with a cut jet ornament. For visiting-dress in rich materials, some persons have adopted the fashion of having the skirt made perfectly plain. Moires of a very large water, are very much in vogue, especially the short moires. Those with a black ground and wide plaid satin stripes are also very handsome. A similar pattern is made in taffetas. The flowing style of dress, called Louis XV., is that usually adopted for robe de ehambre or morning-dress. It is made with large plaits in the back. The form soutane— which is also used for morning• dresses—is without large plait:, and has less fulness. F o r this reason, however, it is not so graceful. This garment, being especially reserved for morning wear, is usually made simply of cachemire) flannel, or alpaca. When plain, the colours preferred, are Iron grey or deep blue, Others are made in black and white cheek, or plaid. Wide bands suiting the dress are used as trimmings, A plaid band on the iron grey ; upon the blue or plaid, a band of taffetas or black velvet. For theso simple robes de chambre can be substituted others of a richer description, as ponceau cashmere covered with rich black braiding and passementerie, or plaid poplin with velvet bands ; or still more elegant, plush with vel vet, or quilted satin bands—this can only be in the Louis XV. style. Foulard formerly was considered a summer material; now it is worn so generally at all times of the year that we must not pass it by without notice. When of a dark shade, it is especially useful for dull or wet weather, as it loops up so easily over the petticoat, and does not crumple. Violet and dark grey are the colours most preferred for walking-dress. Those in cashmere patterns of palms or arabesques upon stripes, are reserved for morning -at-home dress. Foulards with white ground and coloured bouquets, or stripes, are charming for evening dress. This being the season, when ball and evening dresses are much required, we will place them first in our list of de scriptions this month. A silver-grey dress of poult de soie, trimmed round the bottom of the skirt with four narrow fluted flounces, each headed bya rouleau of green and red plaid velvet. Low body with a round waist, and a plaid velvet scarf ; forming a sash tied loosely on one side, the ends finished off with a fringe. With this may be worn a Spanish vests of lace, with bows of plaid velvet. A pink moire dress, On the skirt are two flounces of English point lace, placed in z , gzag, and caught together, by bows of pink satin ribbon, edged with lace. The body covered with a short pelerine of lace, forming a jockey upon the sleeve, which is short and puffed. A rich white satin dress ; the skirt made with a train, and trimmed round with a thick ruche of tulle. Over this a tunic of Swiss lace, much deeper behind them in front. Low body, trimmed with drapery of lace, headed by a tulle ruche. This toilette would have a very elegant effect, if made of blue satin with black Chantilly lace. A dress of foulard—white ground, with bouquets of blue flowers. A flounce of blue taffetas round the skirt, which is made with a train. The flounce, about a quarter of a yard in depth behind, but quite narrow in front, is edged with an insertion of black lace laid flat on, and a similar insertion forms a heading. Higher up the skirt at equal distances, are placed butterfly-bows of black lace insertion. The body is draped with blue taffetas, with small butterfly-bows of insertion ; and a scarf of black lace to match, tied loosely at the side, Corms a sash. An apple .green satin under-skirt, covered with a white tulle skirt. The trimming is formed of ruches of green satin and white tulle, put on crossing one another, so as to form a diamond. In the centre of each diamond, a medallion of black lace over green satin. The under-skirt is rather longer than the upper one, and has a row of small black lace medal lions matching those on the tulle, placed at a little distance apart all round it. The body is low, and made of green satin; with drapery and ruches of tulle. A sash, formed of medallions of lace sewn together. A robe of moire antique, Mexico blue, with pattern of bouquets of ears of corn, tied with bows of ribbon of the same shade as the ground, only of a satin texture. A high body, with a waistband with a double point, made of Spanish point passementerie. To this band, are fixed ends which hang about half way down the skirt—two behind, and two in front. Braces to match, commencing from the band, are carried over the shoulders, where they increase consider ably in width, and form epaulettes. At the bottom of the sleeve a revers to match. A dress of maize-coloured satin, with two rows of chenille put straight round the skirt, and one waved between them. Upon the body, which is high, a trimming of chenille in the style of a Figaro vests. The sleeve small, and opened up to the elbow. A frill of lace round the bottom and down the front, forming a jabot. A black moire dress, trimmed round with a quilling of • the same. Above this a wide Mexico. blue ribbon up each seam, to the height of 15 or 16 inches. This ribbon is covered with a guipure insertion. All the seams of the body are covered with a narrow ribbon under insertion. Robe of black taffetas. Round the bottom of the skirt a ruche of violet ribbon ; higher up, bows of guipure edged with narrow lace and lined with violet, are sewn flat on the dress, which forms a very pretty trimming. Body, with a point in front and a basque behind. A gui pure insertion is put in the Figaro vests fashion, and edged with a rather wide lace. At the top and bottom of the sleeves, are sewn flat lace bows like those on the skirt, only smaller. Robe of green silk with black flowers. At the bottom of the skirt two flounces of plain green silk, about half a quarter wide, set on in deep plaits. These are headed by narrow ruches of black lace. High body with basque, trimmed with narrow frills and ruches of black lace. The bottoms of the sleeves, which are nearly tight, are trimmed match. A moire dress, in a white ground, with blue and green flowers. The skirt made with a train, and trimmed with a double plaiting of velvet, green and blue. Body—form, bolero—round in front, with deep basquines behind, trimmed to match the skirt. The bonnets of the present season ought to please, we think, the most fastidious ladies, as they are so exceedingly becoming, being just large enough to form a framework round the face, and trimmed both inside and out without any exaggeration, so that we are almost tempted to wish they would remain as they are. At one house we find an elegant visiting bonnet of mauve velvet, the front edge and curtain edged with a moss trim ming, formed of marabout feathers. On the crown a tuft of the same feathers, and the inside trimmed with camel- Has of white velvet trinted with mauve. Blonde cap ; satin strings. Another of white plush, with the curtain of plaid velvet. The inside trimmed with flowers, the colours of which match those of the plaid. Strings of plaid velvet ribbon. At the same house were a number of drawn satin bonnets, trimmed with lace, and a single velvet flower at the side. At another equally celebrated magasin was at elegant bonnet of white satin, curtain of blue velvet ; on the front, inside and outside, blue feather and tea roses. Strings of white satin ribbon. A black velvet bonnet, with soft crown; a tuft of ger aniums at the side partly covered by a scarf of black lace. On a black velvet bonnet, with one large rose at the side, shaded by a deep fringe of chenille, curtain and strings of black velvet, with narrow pink satin stripes. A green velvet bonnet was made with a thin edge, trimmed with Malines lace and rouleaux of white satin, embroidered with point d'Alenson. Inside, a bow of green velvet and small white feather. Fur is used as trimming for bonnets, but has not a very graceful appearance. The best for this purpose, are swan's down or grebe; but chinchilla, ermine, and even sable, are used, but will not, we think , become at all general. Chenille fringe forms a very elegant trimming, and is much used. No HomE complete without a Witcox AND Crinss' SEWING-MAOHINE. Simple, compact, efficient, durable, and noiseless. Warranted to fulfil all the requirements of a perfect family machine. Prospectus free on application at No. 135, Regent-street, W.—[All7z] The Fatal Gun Accident at Hornsey. Yesterday afternoon a jury assembled before Dr. Lankes ter, at the Hornsey-wood Tavern, for the purpose of inquir ing into the circumstances connected with the death of a youth named John Banks, aged 15 years, who was killed by a gun-shot on Tuesday last, in the Seven Sinters-road, Hornsey. _ _ Joseph West, a neighbour and companion of deceased, said that on Tuesday morning last ho saw deceased on Ball's-pond-common. They were subsequently joined by Chas. Lambert, a neighbour, and as witness had a gun, they went to Hornsey to shoot birds. They agreed to take turns in firing, and deceased and witness having fired, the next turnfell to Lambert. On reaching the railway bridge, known as the Wood-bridge, a bird was seen to fly round the bridge, and Lambert got ready to shoot at it. Witness and deceased ran up the bank to see the course of the bird, to direct Lam bert, and finding it had escaped, witness told Lambert that it was no use, and directed him to put down the hammer of the gun, which was then at whole cock ; and while he (Lambert) was doing so, the hammer, being wet, slipped from his thumb, exploding the cap and discharging the con tents into the breast of Banks, who was then about three yards away, coming down the bank. Banks called out, " Joe, Joe, come and catch me ;" but before witness could reach him he fell. _ _ By the jury—Deceased and Lambert had never before fired a gun. As they walked with the loaded gun they car ried it half-cock. After some remarks by the coroner relative to the illegal act of shooting in a public thoroughfare, Inspector Langdon, N division, was examined, and mated that the young man Lambert was brought to the station and charged with causing tho death of deceased. He was however, liberated by the magistrate on a £4O surety to ap pear when called on. The medical evidence showed the cause of death was a gun-shot wound. At this point of the inquiry Charles Lambert was called in, and was cautioned by the Coroner in the usual form. He, however, preferred stating the circumstances of the melancholy event, which were corroborative of that of the witness West. He had worked in the same employ with deceased. He had never before fired off a gun, and when he did so it was unintentionally, as the wet hammer slipped from under his thumb. The Coroner having summed up, _ The room was cleared for the jury to consult upon their verdict, and, after a short deliberation, they returned a ver dict of accidental death. They then expressed a wish that the Coroner would admonish Lambert, so as to make him feel the sense of his position in having deprived the poor boy, his friend and fellow-workman, of life. Lambert having been called in, the Coroner very feelingly addressed the youth, showing that by his manifest want of knowledge of the use of firearms he had taken the life of his companion. The jury, on account of his youth, had dealt leniently with him, for they might have sent him to trial for manslaughter; but hoping this would act as a warning to him and to others not to infringe the law, by which, as in this case, such a dreadful result had been brought about, they had thought proper to relieve them of that responsi- bility and consider the death as one of accident. The Jury then passed the following resolution :—" The jury empanelled on the 31st day of December, at the Hornsey-wood Tavern, on view of the body of John Banks, having returned their verdict, that he died from being acci dentally shot by Charles Lambert, would call the attention of the Commissioners of Police to the necessity of exercising more stringent powers in the apprehension and punishment of the numerous persons who are in the habit of frequenting with loaded guns, and shooting in the fields and public roads in the neighbourhood of the house in which the in quest had been held, as such conduct was attended with the greatest danger." The Coroner having promised to forward that resolution to the commissioners, the proceedings closed. The Suicide of Captain Mahony, Yesterday afternoon Mr. Bedford, the coroner for West minster, held an inquest at the Vestry-hall of St. Martin in-the-fields, on the body of Capt. Hugh Fitzgeraid Mahony, who committed suicide on Monday morning last, at his lodgings, 8, Cecil -street, Strand. _ . The jury, to the number of 17, having answered to their names, was sworn, and proceeded to view the body. On their return the first witness called was Capt. Frederic Sylvas Daubeny, who stated that he knew the deceased, and should think he was about 35 years of age. He had left the regular service, and was captain and adju tant of some Welsh volunteer corps. He believed deceased bad no friends in London. They, he was given to under stand, resided in Limerick. He knew nothing himself as to his habits of life. Ann Diamond, the housemaid, at 8, Cecil-street, where deceased lodged, was the next witness. She stated that he had resided there for the last seven weeks. He was taken ill on Christmas-day, and was attended by Dr. Skegg. She attended him, but he was nOt at all violent. She saw him in bed about 10 minutes past 11 on Sunday night. and she did not again see him till she found him about. 7 o'clock on the following morning, sitting on a chair in the hall covered with blood. Sabina Brooks, the cook at the lodgings, gave similar evidence. John Thompson, of 81, Drury. lane, coal porter, stated that he was at the Cock and Bottle when the last witness came running there as if in terrible fright. She beckoned to him and he followed her to 8, Cecil-street, where he found deceased in the hall, sitting on a chair, with a wound in his throat and covered with blood. A doctor was sent for, but before the doctor came he was taken to Charing-cross Hos pital. Mr. David Hughes, the house surgeon of Charing-cross Hospital, stated that he saw deceased when brought in. There was a large wound in his throat, such as a razor or sharp instrument would inflict, and he died 10 minutes after he was brought into the hospital from loss of blood. He had no reason to doubt but that it was a suicidal wound. Mr. Robt. Skegg, surgeon, of St. Martin's-place, was then examined, and stated that he was called to see the de ceased on Christmas morning last, and found him labouring under great nervous excitement, and seeing at once that he had been intemperate, he had no doubt that if such excite ment was not allayed it would result in delirium tremens. He charged him with having been intemperate, when he admitted having been so, but distinctly stated that he was not addicted to it, and that for some time past he had been labouring under great distress of mind caused by circum stances which he did not explain to witness. He prescribed for him, and again saw him in the afternoon. He appeared better, and assured witness that he had not nor never had delusions of any kind, such as hearing noises and of being attacked by people which were the sure signs of delirium tremens. Witness left him a composing draught to make him sleep, and when leaving deceased requested him to pro cure some male attendant to stay with him all night, as he had a strong feeling to jump out of the window, and added that he would not hold himself responsible for committing violence on himself or some one else. Witness endeavoured to find a man to sit up with him, but failed, and he ar ranged with one of the servants of the house to do so. She accordingly did so, and on witness calling on the Saturday morning told him that he had had a restless night, although he found him much better, The same servant sat up with him on the Saturday night, and when witness called on the Sunday morning she told him that he had got four hours sleep, and he found him greatly improved. He saw him on Sunday night about 11 o'clock, when he appeared much better, and asked if he might spoke a cigar. There was no one sat with him on that night ; but witness gave direc tions as to giving him his medicine. Be did not want any one to sit with him. He did not see him again, but he saw him in the hospital the following morning dying. He should say from the blood on the bedclothes, which was quite dry on Monday morning, that the act of self-destructiDn had been committed as early as one o'clock in the morning, and that before coming downstairs he had widened the old wound with the other razor which was found. Considering his state from the time he first saw him, he should unhesitatingly say that he committed the act while in a temporary state of in sanity. The Coroner then briefly went over the evidence, and the jury, after some minutes' deliberation, returned a verdict in accordance with the surgeon's opinion, " That the deceased destroyed himself while labouring under temporary in sanity." LOVE AND SUICIDE. Last evening Mr. H. Raffles Walthew, the deputy-coroner for Middlesex, opened an inquiry at the Adam and Eve Tavern, Lower Homerton, respecting the death of Esther Austin, aged 19 years, who was found dead in the River Lea, under the following circumstances : The evidence went to prove that the deceased, a single woman, had been in the service of Mr. Kingsley, coffee-shop keeper, of Angel-lane. She had been keeping company with a young man for the past 18 months, and she was affectionately attached to him, although she had been told that he was visiting another female. On Tuesday after noon week she left her father's house at Stratford, and Called upon the mother of her sweetheart, where she met him about 6 o'clock in the evening. They left the house together at Homerton, and parted near the canal bridge, where she said to him " Good night," and passed across the fields towards her home, but she was never seen alive again, and was found on Tuesday last floating in the water of the river Lea. The proceedings were adjourned for further evidence, [AvvEßTisEmENT.]—Holloway's Ointment and Pills.— Instant Ralief.—Sores which are daily extending, ulcers which are hourly deepening, may be arrested in their tor turing progress, and induced to take on healthy action, by applying this healing ointment and taking these purifying pills It soothes all distempers of, and extracts all morbid humours from, the skin. Old ulcers of the legs, inflamma tions caused by varicose veins, an d cramps o f the lower limbs, can sensibly be eased and shortly cured by B olloway's never-failing ointment, which represses excessive and sti mulates sluggish vascular and nervous action. In coma. tutions breaking down under piles, fistulas, and other simi larly painful maladies, a few applications of this cooling ointment will give comfort, and a persistence in its use will effect a cure. Alleged Child Murder on Christmas-day, Yesterday morning considerable excitement prevailed in the district of Limehouse by its being rumoured that a young woman, servant to a respectable tradesman, had been taken into custody by the police on suspicion of having murdered a child to which she had given birth on Christmas-day. The circumstances of the case were of a peculiarly painful character, the unfortunate accused, immediately after giving birth to the child, having actually sat down to the Christ mas dinner with her fellow, servants in a desperate endea vour to avert suspicion from her position; but her evident agony being noticed, detection of course followed. Tier name, it appears, is Rebecca Porter, and for the last five months she has been in the service of Mr. Harris, keeper of an eating-house in Hales-terrace, West India-road, Limo house, and she is about 28 or 30 years of age. The child supposed to have been murdered was found locked up in a box, and is stated to be a fine male child, fully developed. An inquest on the body has been opened by the deputy coroner, Mr. Walthew, and the following evidence was taken : Mrs. Jane Harris, 2, Hale's-terrace, deposed —The mother of the child, Rebecca Porter, entered my service on the 10th July last. I had a character with her from the barmaid of a public-house where she had previously lived. I had no suspicion that she was enciente. but six weeks ago, in conse quence of her wearing such a large crinoline, I taxed her with being in the family way. She assured me most em phatically that she was not. A fortnight ago I desired her to leave off crinoline, as hers was so large that it was in the way, and the other servants were jeering her about it. She told me she would not go without crinoline for anybody and she gave me notice to leave if I did not like it. I said, " Very well, leave in a month " She had denied so posi tively that she was enciente, that I had then no suspicion of her state. On Christmas morning she complained of a bilious attack, and I Ist her discontinue work. She did not come down before dinner, and I went up stairs and met her coming down. She sat down to din ner, but seemed very ill indeed. She stooped down, however, to take tea with the other servants. My suspicions became aroused and I went into her room. There was a large pool of blood on the floor. I accused her, but she denied for half an hour that anything was wrong. I then threatened that I would send for my surgeon and have her examined. She then confessed. I insisted on seeing the child. She unlocked her box, which was under the bed, and showed me in a bandbox the deceased child wrapped up in a piece of cloth. She had partly washed the child, I did not look at it, so that I did not see marks on its throat or neck. I told Mr. Harris what had occurred. The mother begged of me to allow her to bury the child and to take her back into my service, but of course I could not, and Mr. Harris had to inform the police of what had taken place. I have since learned that she is not a London woman, but that she was married at Lynn, and that her husband was dead. She told me that she was in expectation of being married to the father of the child, but she denies that she knows where he lives. She did not state who he was, but said that he was a respectable young man. Mr. Matthew Brownfield, M.R.C.S., said that on Christ mas evening he was called in to the accused, and he saw the child dead in a box. She admitted that she had given birth to it. There were two marks from pressure by the fingers on the throat—one mark on the right side, under the ear, and the other on the left. The child was fully developed. The post-mortem examination showed that the child had fully breathed. The lungs floated. The cord had been cut, but was not tied, consequently there had been great hemorr hage, and the pool of blood on the floor had undoubtedly been so caused. The child might possibly have died from loss of blood and want of proper attendance, or it might have died from strangulation. By the Jury—The marks of violence on the neck might possibly have been caused by efforts at self-delivery, or by other means. It was difficult to state. The mother was much distressed in mind, and I found it necessary to endeavour to console her. The Coroner adjourned the proceedings for the attendance of the accused. It was understood that the accused would be removed by Inspector Beare to the infirmary of the workhouse, where she will be detained under surveillance until she is suffi ciently recovered to be brought before the magistrate. COUNTRY MARKETS. ------ MANCHESTER-FRIDAY. There was a moderate attendance at this day's market, and holders of foreign wheat established an advance of 3d per cental. English wheat at the extreme rates of last week, in fair request. Flour dull. Other articles same as last week. BRISTOL-FRIDAY. The tone of our market to-day was strong, and there was a short supply of English wheat, which found buyers at tho prices of this day sennight. Foreign held for is advance. Flour dull. Malting barley quiet, grinding in moderate request, and oats rather lower. Beans no demand. BURTON• ON-TRENT-FRIDAY. We had a fair supply of English wheat today, which sold well, at is more money. Barley steady, and holders firm in demanding late rates. Oats improved. Old white wheat..43s to 47s I Old red wheat, ..40s to 438 New do. ..43s to 46s I New do. ..37s to 41s Malting barley....33s to 37s I Oats 2lB to 318 Grinding d0.....29s to 31s I Beans 33s to 42s BIRMINGHAM-THURSDAY. During the present week the few sales of wheat reported are at an improvement of is per qr. Barley and peas only find buyers in the most limited quantities. Rather more inquiry for beans and oats. There was a limited supply of wheat, for which higher prices were demanded, and buyers reluctantly complied with an advance of is per quarter. English wheat was sold at 41s to 45s for white, and 505 to 43s per 36 stone for red, Barley, new malting, 30s to 40s per qr ; grinding, 26s to 30s Oats, old, 24a to 285 per 30 stone ' • Irish, 18s to 245. B eans , 408 to 44s per qr . Peas, 36s to 44s per 36 atone. EDINBURGH GRAIN—Du, 31. A fair supply of farmers' wheat to-day, which met a ready sale at about the prices of last week. Barley was at full prices, and a brisk demand Wheat on the top Os 6d up ..average Os 11d up. Barley on the top is 6d down.. average is 2d up. Oats on the top 3d up Beans on the top is 6d down ..average 2s ld down. Total Supply and Sales. Wheat ... 8 , 18,.qrs Sold 573 qrs Barley... 1479 qrs Sold 1336 qrs Oats Beans l5l qr 5........ Sold 121 qrs Flour sells as follows :—Whites, 40s Od ; extras, 38s Od superfine, 36s Od ; fine, 34s Od. Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE, Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton. Jan. 18. via Marseilles Jan. 12. Brazil and Cape Verds, by British packet. Jan. 4. Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena Jan. 29. China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton Jan. 2. via Marseilles Jan. Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via Southampton ..... . Jan. 2. India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton.. Jan. 2. via Marseilles.... Jan.—. India (Bombay), via Southampton .. Jan. 11. via Marseilles Jan. 5. Portugal.... Malta, Egypt, and Men, via Southampton Jan. 2. via Marseilles Jan. Newfoundland Oporto and Vigo ••• U. S. and British N. America, by Brit. packet Jan. 6, by U.S. packet by Canadian packet.. Jan 1. W.C. of Africa, Madeira, and Teneriffe Jan. 10. Bahamas, via New York Jan. 14. Mexico.. California. and British Columbia.. 1 Jan. .... Jan. All parts of West Indi es , i nc l u di ng Chili, Peru, INFLUENCE OF THE WEATHER ON PAUPERISM.-' There being a decrease in the number of inmates of the Holburn Union Workhouse at the present time, compared with the same period last year, of 29, the master was asked to what cause he attributed the decrease ; and he said, the fine weather we have had of late has caused fish and vege tables to be plentiful and cheap, and the poor people have been able to get a living. If the severe weather foretold comes on at the beginning of the year, it will make a diffe renee of from 50 to 70 in the house.—Qty Press. Births. NEVILL—On the 29th ult., at Rifling Manor, the Hon. Mrs. Ralph Nevin, of a daughter. PONSONBY.—On the 30th ult., at 9, Prince's-gardens, W., the Hon. Mrs. Ashley Ponsonby, of a son. WILSON.—On the 30th ult., at 62, Cadogan-place, the wife of Herbert Wilson, Esq,, of a son. WHITE,—On the 29th ult., at 39, Lowndes-square, the wife of Colonel Henry Dalrymple White, C. 8,, of son. Marriages. DAw—HocKER.—On the 30th ult., at Sidmouth, R. R. bI• Daw, Esq , of Exeter, to Francas, the eldest daughter of the late Lieut.-Col. Hooker, C.B. NicnoLsort—HonsoN.—On the 30th ult., at Twicken° ham, Frederick, only son of the late William Nicholson, Esq., of Barnes, t ) Fanny Charlotte, youngest daughter of Richard Hodson, Esq., of Hanger-hill, Ealing. Deaths. ABERCROMBY.—On the 28th ult., at 46, Albemarle.street, suddenly, the Dowager Lady Abercromby, of Birkenbog and Forglen. ANNESLEY.—On the 30th ult., at Bletchington-park, fordshire, the Right Hon. Arthur Annesley, Viscount Valentia, aged 78. CAMPBELL.—On the 30th ult,, rather suddenly, at her re' sidence, 4, Stanhope-terrace, Hyde-park, Miss Alicia Campbell, only sister of the late Field-Marshal Colic Lord Clyde. EVANS.—On the 30th ult., William Evans, Esq., Broom' field House, Herne, Kent, aged 47. M'DONNELL —On the . 3oth ult., at Carlton-terrace, Brir ton-road, Duncan M'Donnell, Esq., aged 67. MULLER.--On the 30th ult., at Cheshunt, Herts, Mr. 0 E. Muller, aged 90. London : Primed and Published by WILLIAM ANDREIV'f' of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at TIIE Sun Office No. IVi Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the Coturty iihidlelex.—Friday, January 2, 1861. 171 U r le kin goods Clerg] from, Every CI:1 Co. a admir Bedst post-1 comp] utle Toze .ot val carpe men Chid - Well, mina St A Wrel Br.ti C(1 ?Hid; Tho 7 ho ever It Alice THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, JANUARY 1, 1864,